Tears welled in her eyes.

After he unfastened two buttons, Elissa seized his hand and asked haltingly, “Do you still love her?"

She was referring to Olivia.

And he understood her implication perfectly.

Raphael locked eyes with Elissa.

Even though he was quite drunk and had his arms around her, his gaze remained icy. He might fool others but not her.

With a choked voice, Elissa spoke up, head lowered, a self-mocking smile on her lips. "Honestly, Raphael, I saw it coming. You'll never shake off that woman."

After she finished, Raphael studied her intently before blurting out, "Is it because we never... you know?"

Elissa blushed. "No way!"

Flustered, she clarified herself, saying, "That's not what I meant!"

Hearing this, Raphael released her.

He tried to reach into his coat pocket for cigarettes but Elissa lay on it...

So he glanced at her, his supposed fiancee.

They had a big date planned in May.

It was Elissa's idea. Raphael knew she was into him but he wasn't feeling it. He just went along.

He scrutinized Elissa, lost in thought.

"I can't lie to you, Elissa! We could still call off the wedding.."

He couldn't deceive her, not when he still pined for Olivia.

Elissa's eyes welled up but she remained silent, inching closer to Raphael.

Suddenly, he wrapped an arm around her waist.

He got back to what he was doing but didn't undo her buttons.

Instead, his hand glided along her waist...

Then it slipped under her skirt, helping her through the stockings.

Elissa had never been with any man or felt a touch like this before.