Long-Planned: Seducing Me to Be his Wife

"When you come to me, I will take you at any cost because my happiness is you, Lia," Cassius vowed.

...

"Be good… "

"Mmm...Mmm…"

Her cheeks flushed, glowing like rose petals, while a thin layer of sweat glistened on her forehead, resembling dewdrops in the morning light. His crimson lips curved into a tempting smile, inching closer to hers.

"Do you like it?" His deep voice sent shivers down her spine, and his strong hands gripped her waist tightly.

"Who is it?" Lia's hazy eyes fluttered open. The man looked down at her, framed by a glowing halo of light. She could barely make out his face.

"It's been a long time." She snapped out of her daze, his features slowly coming into focus—sharp facial contours, piercing eyes, a straight nose, and thin lips curling into a slight smirk.

He… He's…

*Beep beep beep!*

Lia jolted awake, the familiar surroundings of the hospital room coming into view. How could she have had such a vivid dream? Was it because he had returned?

On the TV, an urgent news report caught her attention. The Ravencroft heir, Cassius, had officially returned back to take over the family business. The competitive tension between the Ravencroft and Valen families was all over the media.

Working at Valen Group, Lia was familiar with such rivalries. But why had she dreamed about him?

"Lia, the phone is ringing." Her grandmother's voice pulled her back to reality.

"Grandma, let me get that," Lia said, frowning as she glanced at her phone. She answered the call, her voice hesitant.

"Send three boxes of condoms to Room 606 at the Emperor Hotel," a man's commanding voice echoed, accompanied by a woman's delicate laughter.

"Boss, can we reschedule? I'm taking care of my grandmother." Lia's voice was soft but firm.

A seductive voice drifted from the other end, "Darling, she doesn't want to deliver it..."

Lucas's voice hardened, "In half an hour, or you're fired."

Lia hung up, her heart heavy. Lucas had always been this way, relentless in his demands. Sighing, she turned to her grandmother.

"Is the hospital pressuring us about bills again?" her grandmother asked, worry etched on her face.

"No, it's just my boss asking for a favor," Lia replied, adjusting her grandmother's blanket with a faint smile.

Her grandmother sighed. "Lia, don't waste your life waiting on Lucas. Find someone who will make you happy."

Lia nodded gently, comforting her grandmother. "I will, Grandma. Rest now, I'll be back soon."

Stepping outside, the rain poured down in sheets, soaking her within seconds. The streets were nearly empty, and the few passing cars splashed her with mud, as if mocking her.

Finally, after searching for a while, she found a pharmacy. The cashier eyed her drenched appearance with pity.

"Three boxes… in this weather? Young people these days," the clerk muttered.

"That's all," Lia said quietly, paying and stepping back into the storm.

Cold and soaked, she tried hailing a taxi. But no one would stop for her in her disheveled state. She stood on the roadside, rain pelting her relentlessly, knowing she had no choice but to keep moving forward.

...

At the corner, Kyle noticed a woman waving ahead and quickly reported, "Boss, there's a woman signaling us."

The man, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them slowly, revealing nothing but cold indifference.

"Kyle, since when did you become so sympathetic?" he replied flatly.

"Yes, sir." Kyle mentally kicked himself for speaking out. There was no way the boss would help a random stranger, much less a woman.

The Rolls-Royce sped forward, splashing mud and water as it passed, hitting the woman without mercy. But just as they drove by, the man glanced out the window, the light briefly illuminating her pale, rain-soaked face. He paused, his expression flickering for a split second.

"Stop the car."

The tires screeched to a halt. Kyle, confused, watched as his boss opened the car door. He hurriedly grabbed an umbrella and followed.

"Boss, careful," Kyle called out.

Lia hadn't expected anything, but when the car stopped, she rushed toward it. In her haste, she slipped in the mud and fell. Struggling to stand, her handbag tore open, and three boxes of condoms spilled onto the wet ground.

Flustered, she scrambled to pick them up, managing to grab two when she noticed a pair of gleaming leather shoes stop in front of her. She slowly looked up, and there he was—looking down at her.

For a moment, it felt like the rain had stopped.

Her porcelain face was streaked with mud and water, her eyes filled with panic. Her entire body was drenched, and her soaked white shirt clung to her delicate figure, revealing faint, perfect curves.

Cassius'expression remained unreadable, his gaze cold. Rain dripped from the tips of her hair, splashing onto her hands as if to burn them. His aura radiated power, leaving her awestruck.

It was him—Cassius.

Lia quickly stood up, stepping back instinctively.

Cassius held one of the fallen boxes, his lips curving into a small, amused smile. "Miss Lia, is this yours?"

He remembered her? Lia blinked in surprise.

"Thank you, Mr. Cassius, for helping," she said, steadying her voice as she reached for the box.

But just as she was about to take it, Cassius pulled his hand back with a light grin. "How about letting me keep this one?"

Lia blinked, startled. He wanted a box of condoms? As one of the most powerful men in Knoxfell City, the heir to the Ravencroft family, did Cassius really need to ask for such a trivial thing?

In Knoxwell, two major families ruled: the Ravencrofts and the Valens. Cassius was the Ravencroft heir, known for his icy demeanor and ruthless business tactics, making him a fierce rival to the Valen family. Lia, due to her ties with Selena Valen, Lucas's mother, had been close to the Valen, managing Lucas' affairs since their school days.

Though Cassius and Lucas were classmates in high school, they barely spoke due to their rivalry. After graduating, Cassius went abroad, joining the family's overseas business ventures. His recent return back had made headlines, sparking tension between the two powerful families.

Cassius' return was a clear threat to the Valen Group.

Lia never expected to not only dream of Cassius but also run into him in such an awkward situation—and worse, for him to ask her for a condom.

"If Mr. Cassius likes it, feel free," she said, her cheeks warming.

Cassius smirked, casually slipping the condom into his bag. Behind him, Kyle stood in silent shock.

Their boss… asking for something from a young lady? And a condom, of all things?

Kyle could hardly believe it. After years of working for Cassius, he had never seen the man show any interest in women, let alone ask for something so personal. Maybe this was a sign? Could the boss be missing a woman after all?