After everything that happened, Leonel didn't get back at her or humiliate her. What else could it mean but that he actually had feelings for her? She had been in the circle of men such as him for a long time, and she knew a thing or two about them. Despite his strained relationship with his wife, divorce wasn't an option when his identity and status. Too much was at stake.

Such a man needed a gentle, less ambitious woman to comfort him.

A woman who cared about him but also knew her place...

Anika brushed her long hair back and turned to look at the mirror.

The woman in it had long black hair, an oval face, and a tall and slender figure. The face that looked back at her bore a hint of resemblance to Alexis.

Anika was willing to offer Leonel something his wife refused to give.

In the following month, Alexis had remained distant.

She never initiated sex with Leonel. Some days she acted as if he wasn't even there.

Unable to endure any longer, Leonel found an opportunity to pin her down and have his way with her. It was a long night. The next morning, Alexis had to apply pain-relief cream to her sore body.

Absentmindedly, she wondered if Leonel's urges were too intense for his age.

At the end of August, the weather had reached its hottest.

Leonel sat in his office reading financial reports.

A knock came from the door, and his secretary entered with another document. Handing it to him, she said, “Sir, this is the list of activities for the company's annual meeting next week. Could you go over it to see if anything needs to be changed?"

This was the job of the PR department, so Leonel just scanned over the pages.

His eyes stopped at the name of the emcee.

Leonel looked at his secretary and asked, "Anika? The television anchor?"

She nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Leonel put down the documents on the table and reached for a pack of cigarettes. Taking out one stick, he lit it and took a drag. “Tell the PR department to get someone else.”

His secretary's face softened in understanding and readily responded, "Understood, Sir."

She then turned around to walk out of his office, but he stopped her.