A soft knock at her door pulled Xiao Ting from the depths of sleep. She groaned, willing it to stop. It didn't.
Her teeth clenched as she cracked one eye open. The glowing digits on her phone read 6:00 AM.
What the hell?
She shot up, groggy and irritated. She'd barely gotten any sleep after an all-night gaming session...finally passing out around 3 AM.
Now, someone had the audacity to wake her up at this ungodly hour?
She threw off the silk blanket, the cool air-conditioned breeze from the central vent brushing against her bare arms.
The bedroom was spacious, styled in a sleek, minimalist fashion, marble flooring, a king-sized bed with plush gray sheets, and floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of Shanghai's skyline.
At this hour, the city lights were dimming as the sun cast a soft golden hue over the distant skyscrapers.
She stomped toward the door, passing the built-in oak wardrobe and the elegantly crafted vanity adorned with luxury skincare bottles.
The faint scent of expensive wood polish and fresh linen filled the room.
Fully prepared to unleash her fury, she yanked the door open...
And immediately regretted it.
Chase stood there, shirtless.
And sweating.
Her breath hitched.
He wasn't just shirtless...he looked like he had just stepped out of a high-end fitness commercial.
His lean, sculpted muscles glistened with a light sheen of sweat, accentuating every defined ridge.
His toned abdomen flexed slightly as he casually tipped back a sleek black water bottle, gulping down the last of it.
The soft morning sun filtering through the hallway's modern lighting cast a golden glow over his skin, making him look even more unfairly perfect.
A small, involuntary whimper escaped her lips.
His dark eyes flickered with amusement. Then, as if sensing her internal crisis, he flashed a devastating, cocky smile.
"Morning, bunny."
Her brain short-circuited.
Behind him, the open-concept living space stretched out...polished hardwood floors, towering glass walls overlooking a Zen-inspired courtyard, and a grand marble staircase leading to the second floor.
The walls were adorned with expensive abstract paintings, the kind that screamed old money but in a subtle, sophisticated way.
A sleek grand piano sat untouched in one corner of the vast room, while a modern chandelier, resembling delicate floating petals, illuminated the space with a warm glow.
None of that mattered right now.
Because Chase was still standing there, looking smug as hell.
"Wanna go for a run? It's great outside."
She saw red.
Her fists clenched. "It's bloody 6 AM!" she hissed.
He nodded, his grin widening like this was the best news ever. "I'm aware."
And then, the bastard jogged in place.
"I can carry you if you can't walk far?" he added, far too cheerfully.
"Fuck off!" she barked, slamming the door so hard the frame rattled.
She stood there, panting, heart racing for reasons she did not want to acknowledge.
Outside, she swore she heard him chuckle.