Louis woke up with a slight headache. The morning sunlight seeped through the large curtains of Cleopatra's penthouse, illuminating the spacious modern room that still felt unfamiliar to him. He could only reflect on how he had spent the entire previous day in the penthouse, trying to calm the media frenzy that had turned his engagement into a viral sensation.

He let out a quiet groan, stretching his body—until he noticed something that made him swallow hard.


Cleopatra Thompson stood in the small kitchen connected to the living room, wearing nothing but an oversized white shirt that clearly wasn't hers. The shirt was long enough to cover her thighs but short enough to reveal the perfect silhouette of her body with every movement.

Louis rubbed his face. "What are you doing?"

Cleopatra glanced at him briefly while lifting a spatula in her hand. "Cooking. I'm hungry."


Louis blinked several times. Cleopatra… cooking? The world must have turned upside down.

"You know how to cook?" he asked doubtfully, standing up and walking toward her.


Cleopatra smirked. "Are you underestimating me again, Toreto?"

Louis raised his hands in surrender, but his eyes remained fixed on Cleopatra as she gracefully flipped an omelet in the pan. The aroma was tempting, though that wasn't the real temptation. Seeing Cleopatra in minimal clothing, with messy hair and a relaxed expression while cooking, was far more dangerous than last night's temptation at the pool.

Unconsciously, Louis stood right behind her. Cleopatra turned slightly and looked up at him, her gaze full of something mischievous.

"Do you want a taste?" Cleopatra asked in a low, teasing voice.

Louis cleared his throat, trying to stay focused. "I'm more interested in the fact that you're cooking than in the food itself."

Cleopatra shrugged, took a piece of the omelet with a fork, and casually fed it to Louis.

Louis initially wanted to refuse, but Cleopatra's sharp gaze challenged him to go against her. Reluctantly, he opened his mouth and let her feed him.

"How is it?" Cleopatra asked, her expression full of triumph.

Louis chewed slowly, then gave a small nod. "Not bad."

Cleopatra narrowed her eyes. "Not bad? I should be getting more praise than that."

Louis swallowed, this time not because of the food, but because Cleopatra was moving closer, her body nearly pressing against his. He could feel her breath on his skin, and it was starting to mess with his logic.

Cleopatra raised an eyebrow, then suddenly smeared a little bit of sauce on the corner of Louis' lips. "Oops," she said, pretending to be innocent.

Louis sighed. "Seriously?"

Cleopatra grinned playfully. "Do you want me to clean it?"

Louis was about to respond, but before he could speak, Cleopatra leaned in and licked the sauce directly from the corner of his lips, moving slowly and seductively.

Louis' blood rushed. His hands clenched into fists, trying to resist the overwhelming temptation. Cleopatra pulled back with a victorious smile. "Now it's clean," she whispered.

Louis let out a long breath, feeling like he was at his breaking point. "I'm going to take a shower."

Cleopatra chuckled. "Don't take too long. We have to go to the office."

**

As soon as they arrived at the office, all eyes immediately turned to Cleopatra and Louis walking side by side—still holding hands.

Sarah Harper raised an eyebrow. "So, are you two really a couple now? I almost thought this was just a cheap act."

Adrian Brook, sitting beside her, nudged her with a chuckle. "I bet it was just a setup, but now I'm starting to have doubts."

Louis could only sigh. Cleopatra, on the other hand, smiled smugly. "Oh, what a shame, Sarah. Looks like you'll have to pay up your bet to Adrian."

Sarah scoffed. "Just wait, I'll find a loophole."

When they reached the meeting room, Cleopatra deliberately chose to sit on Louis' lap casually, shocking everyone in the room.

Jack Walker, the company lawyer who was used to formalities, suddenly choked on his coffee. "I… I don't know if this is a new way of introducing couples or—"

Cleopatra grinned, wrapping her arms around Louis' neck. "I just want to be closer to my fiancé, Jack. Is there a problem?"

Jack cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses. "Of course not. It's just… unusual."

Louis, trapped in this embarrassing situation, could only surrender. Cleopatra seemed to be enjoying this, especially as she leaned further into him, making it nearly impossible for him to think straight.

Adrian whispered to Sarah. "Honestly, I'm tempted to make a new bet."

Sarah scoffed. "Don't. I don't want to lose again."

Louis exhaled heavily. It was still morning, and the day already felt unbearably long. Worse, Cleopatra was enjoying every second of the chaos she created.

**

Night had fallen. The Dimitri Group building was nearly empty, with only a few lights remaining on the upper floors. Louis sat at his desk, staring at his laptop, his focus beginning to wane.

However, before he could get lost in his thoughts, his office door opened without warning. Cleopatra stood in the doorway with a teasing expression. She was wearing a black silk dress that perfectly hugged her figure, her long hair cascading wildly over her shoulders.

Louis frowned. "You're not going home?"

Cleopatra stepped inside, closing the door with a smooth motion. "I still have business to handle," she answered casually.

Louis scoffed. "What business?"

Cleopatra leaned against his desk, staring at him with a dangerous look. "Business with you."

Louis' pulse quickened as Cleopatra stepped closer, perching on the edge of his desk right in front of him. Her soft hand touched his shoulder before sliding down to his chest, lightly tracing the fabric of his shirt.

"I still remember your debt, Toreto," she whispered seductively.

Louis swallowed hard, his body tensing. "What debt?"

Cleopatra smirked, leaning in until her breath ghosted over his lips. "The one from the swimming pool. You lost the bet, and I haven't claimed my prize yet."

Louis felt his heartbeat race. Cleopatra always played dangerous games, and he knew she wouldn't stop until she got what she wanted.

She grabbed his tie, pulling him closer. Their lips were just inches apart, her eyes burning with desire. "I want to claim it now," she murmured.

Without waiting for a response, Cleopatra closed the gap between them, kissing Louis with fiery intensity. Louis was momentarily caught off guard, but his body reacted faster than his mind. His hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer.

Their kiss deepened, growing wilder. Cleopatra sat on the desk, pulling Louis into her embrace. Her hands explored his body, feeling the heat beneath his shirt, which she slowly unbuttoned.

Louis took a shaky breath as Cleopatra broke the kiss momentarily to gaze at him with smoldering eyes. "I'm not letting you go tonight," she whispered huskily.

But before Louis could respond—

BANG!

A loud noise from outside made them both jolt. Cleopatra quickly turned, her expression shifting to seriousness. Louis immediately fixed his shirt, his instincts telling him something was wrong.

"Who's there?" Cleopatra asked, her eyes narrowing.

Louis walked toward the door and peeked outside. The corridor was empty, but something felt off. His gut told him they were being watched.

And he was right.

The door suddenly swung open, and someone stepped inside. Noah Walter.

The man wore a calm smile, but his eyes were sharp as a hawk's. Cleopatra instantly tensed, while Louis glared at him with irritation.

"Noah?" Cleopatra's voice was sharp, full of caution.

Noah stepped forward, slipping his hands into his suit pockets. "Long time no see, Cleo."

Cleopatra scoffed. "What are you doing here?"

Noah pulled out a black envelope from his pocket and placed it on the table. "I thought you might want to see this before your wedding is officially announced."

Cleopatra grabbed the envelope with a frown, opening it quickly. Her eyes scanned the documents, and within seconds, her expression changed drastically.

Louis narrowed his eyes, curious. "What is it?"

Cleopatra gripped the paper tightly, her jaw clenching. "Where did you get this, Noah?"

Noah gave a small smirk. "You know I have my connections, darling."

Cleopatra inhaled deeply, then turned to Louis with an unusual look in her eyes.

"We have a problem."

Louis nodded. "I figured as much."

Cleopatra looked at him intently before finally saying, "I need you now more than ever."