The irresistible power

inner turmoil remained ever-present, and Lily found herself caught between her desire to help him and the realization that he needed to fi

gun as purely professional, had shifted into something deeper. There were moments when their eyes would meet acr

sinesswoman. But Ethan had a way of breaking through her walls, of making her feel things she hadn

at his penthouse. He had been distant throughout the evening, preoccupied with something she couldn't quite place. She

d by the window, looking out over the city. His voice was barely a

, her heart pounding i

s. Everything. I don't know if I can keep pretending that everything's fine. That I'm fine. E

ilt, the way he carried the weight of his family's expectations. But hearing him admit

moving closer to him. "You don't have to live

erstand. You don't know what it's like to be constantly weighed down by someone e

Ethan. You don't need their approval. You don't need to prove anything to

nted to say something, to argue, but he didn't. Instead, he closed his eyes, exhalin

But in that moment, as they stood in the quiet of the room, she knew something had shifted between them. T

Ethan's jaw. His eyes snapped open, and he froze, his breath catching in his th

ut there was something else there-a

ative kiss, hesitant at first, but as soon as their lips met, something inside them both seemed to ignite. It wa

tensity of his touch, and for a moment, everything else faded away. There was no family pressure, no business deals, no expectations. Just th

thing was heavy, and both of them were fl

ers, his voice a soft rasp. "I'm no

w. "You don't have to be ready. Not yet. But we

ime, Lily saw a glimpse of hope in his eye