Ariana never liked games. Especially games played by a man she had just met—she disliked them intensely.

As a CEO who built her business from scratch, her life revolved around numbers, graphs, strategies, and control. She had no time for fantasies. The world was too harsh to allow kindness to flourish. Therefore, she was cold, arrogant, and hard to approach. All of that was just a form of protection for herself to avoid the vulnerability that could destroy the business her family had built over the years.

She wasn’t used to it. Not that she couldn’t. Again, she wasn’t used to all of that.

However, since accidentally meeting Theodore, everything changed. Not because the man was handsome—because handsomeness was common. Not because he was sweet—because sweetness could be feigned. But because he knew how to make Ariana lose focus without even touching her body.

That man was a bastard. Truly!

And everything Theodore did or said had made Ariana very distracted. Her thoughts were no longer about business opportunities and such, but about Theodore... only Theodore!

That night, after returning from a brief meeting that ended with Theodore’s words about “a mother cat and her kitten,” Ariana couldn’t sleep. She typed the keyword again on her phone: how a mother cat bathes her kitten.

Video after video appeared. Some were funny, some were ordinary.

But what made her heart race was one slow-motion video—a mother cat licking her kitten’s neck, from top to bottom, from back to belly, repeatedly, gently and patiently. Even the mother cat licked the kitten’s back area with great care.

Saliva quickly swallowed in Ariana’s throat. Theodore… if only she could do that for Theodore. She wanted to be a mother cat, for a mischievous kitten like Theodore.

Ariana stared at the phone screen in the dark, then whispered, “Damn… he’s really driving me crazy.”

**

Two days later, Ariana decided to respond to Theodore’s question. It turned out she needed the right timing, even though her heart wasn’t sure if Theodore was still responding to her own statement.

She wore a perfectly fitted white silk jacket, no bra, only a nearly invisible skin-colored transparent undershirt. Her pants were sharp, as if asserting who held the power in any room she entered. Ariana then looked at her phone, an address from Theodore indicating where the man was staying.

When she arrived at the building housing Theodore’s private studio, her steps were steady.

On the third floor, she knocked on the door.

“Come in,” a crisp voice from inside said.

Ariana opened the door. The scent of cinnamon and black coffee immediately filled the air. In the middle of the room, between the warm glow of the lights and the gray curtains, stood Theodore. The man who had kept Ariana awake for the past few days. Theodore... he was extraordinary, like a beautiful masterpiece that everyone in the world would want to possess.

He wore a thin black T-shirt and loose-fitting gray linen pants. His long hair was tied in a low ponytail, and his feet were bare. He turned and smiled immediately. He was so beautiful... truly beautiful!

Ariana's heart raced, and every part of her body tensed up in the presence of the man who could make her lose control.

“Oh my God, the CEO is here too. I was almost losing hope,” he said, leaning forward slightly, like a cat inviting Ariana to play. “I thought... yesterday was the last day we’d meet... I was almost destroyed.”

Ariana didn’t return the smile. She walked slowly, step by step, until she stopped right in front of Theodore. The strong, sensual scent of men’s perfume... ahhh, Ariana could go mad.

“I actually don’t like waiting,” she said flatly. “But I dislike being challenged without taking responsibility even more.”

Theodore looked at her, holding back a smile. He bit his lip, as if tempting Ariana to take a step further. Ariana tried to control herself; she couldn't be weak in front of any man!

"And you came to take responsibility for that?" Theodore asked, wiping his lips with his thumb.

"No," Ariana replied. "I came to take over everything."

She pulled out the metal chair in the middle of the room and sat down calmly, crossing her legs. With equal calm, she pulled out her phone, opened a video she’d saved from two nights ago, and showed the screen to Theodore.

The image was a clip of a mother cat licking her kitten’s belly and genitals for quite some time. Theodore tilted his head to watch the video, then laughed.

“You really went looking for it, hmm?” Theodore asked in a soft, deep tone.

“I always do research before tackling a new project,” Ariana replied.

Theodore chuckled softly. He knelt down and looked up at Ariana.

“Am I the project?”

“You’re a candidate. But I haven’t decided yet if you’re worthy of being mine. I’ve never gone this far before, so… there’s a chance you might succeed.”

This time, Theodore’s laughter faded. Not because he was offended, but because he was provoked. His gaze changed. Sharper, more playful. As if saying, keep playing your game.

Ariana lowered her head. She approached Theodore’s face, slowly but surely. Her fingers reached out and gently lifted his chin with a soft touch. Theodore looked up, his sweet, languid gaze challenging Ariana, until the turmoil within her was undeniable.

“So, Theodore…” she whispered, almost without a sound, “do you want to be the mother… or the kitten?”

Theodore closed his eyes for a moment, holding his breath. When he opened them again, his signature smile returned.

“If I say… I want to be the tempting prey for the predator, what do you think? Would you object?”

Ariana gave a faint smile.

“Be careful. Sometimes the prey is too sweet, making the predator not just bite… but tear, rip, and… the victim becomes helpless. I just want to ensure that readiness before we go further.”

Theodore smiled, inviting Ariana to sit on the small sofa in the corner of the room. There was no spotlight there. Only dim lighting and abstract paintings on the walls. Theodore poured two cups of flower tea, then handed one to Ariana.

“It’s not poisonous, I promise,” he said.

Ariana accepted it without saying a word.

The room fell silent for a moment. Only the sound of the wall clock and the instrumental music that had been playing for who knows how long could be heard. Then Theodore spoke.

“I used to think strong people were hard, cold, untouchable. Like you. I was wrong in my judgment, it seems.”

Ariana turned her head. She looked at Theodore seriously.

“But the more I watch you, the more I realize... truly strong people know when to let themselves be weak.” Theodore smiled slightly. “And that... is very sexy. You... are in a very weak mode right now.”

Ariana didn’t respond. But her fingers gripped the glass a little tighter. Theodore’s words… everything made Ariana have to hold back everything.

“And you?” Ariana asked suddenly. “Do you want to be strong or weak?”

Theodore looked straight ahead. He then moved closer to Ariana and gently cupped her chin. The scent of Theodore’s breath and body weakened Ariana; it was the first time Ariana had found her counter.

“I want to be a mirror. Surrendering to the shape and direction you give… but slippery enough to reflect you back.”

Ariana almost laughed. Almost. But all that came out was a small breath and a brief smile. Theodore stood up, moving away from Ariana while carrying some pastries.

That night, they didn't touch each other more than a chin touch and a nearly empty cup of tea.

However, when Ariana returned to her apartment, she felt as though she had just emerged from a mental battlefield. How difficult it was to suppress the intense desire within her, and Ariana truly struggled to resist it all.

She stood in front of the mirror. Removing her jacket. Staring at the mark left by Theodore’s fingers on her chin. Then she laughed softly, alone.

“Are you sure you’re ready to face someone like me...?”

And at the edge of her mind, a whisper began to grow:

I want more. I want to enjoy you, Theodore, please.