He knew he could act like a rogue sometimes, but only with her. "Eugene, a grown man pulling tricks like this? Have some shame." Seeing his smug look, Chloe couldn't help but complain. He let out a soft laugh. "Yeah." "What?" She blinked, caught off guard. "I said yes. I'm answering your question." His tone turned serious. "I like you. From the first time I saw you, I liked you. 'Love at first sight' sounds silly coming from me, but it's true." Chloe stared, speechless. "Chloe, I mean it. I, Eugene, like you." He held her gaze, more sincere than she'd ever seen him. The whole thing felt absurd to her. She was no fool, so she naturally picked up on Eugene's thoughts from his actions. He cared about her—every single second, without pause—and his behaviors had made it plain as day a hundred times over. She'd even imagined the day he'd finally confess his feelings. But not like this. Not in this situation. This was... unexpected. "You were awake the whole time!" She finally realized. Seeing how much he'd enjoyed it, she kind of wanted to hit him. "Mostly. Only when you were giving me the medicine. That stuff was bitter enough to wake the dead. But being close to you made it worth it." He ran his tongue over his lip, as if remembering the taste. "How boring." She stood up to leave. A hand shot out and caught her wrist. Eugene held her firmly. "All my little tricks have one goal." His voice dropped lower. "To spend my life with you." Coming from the world's richest man, words that tender would make most women melt. Chloe didn't even blink. "Since you're fine, I'm leaving." She had no interest in cheesy lines. Where did he even learn this stuff? She tried to pull away, but he held on, not letting go. She was annoyed. He'd been awake the whole time, letting her do that. She felt played. Chloe yanked her hand back and turned to go, but a low groan from behind made her heart jump. When he grabbed her, he'd used his injured hand. Had she hurt him when she pulled away? She turned back to check. Eugene's face was tight with pain, his body tense like he was fighting it. "Eugene, are you okay?" "I'm... not faking it this time." His voice was strained. He looked up, meeting her eyes. "There's still poison in my system. It hurts." As he slumped, she rushed forward and took his injured hand. When they treated the bite, they'd had to cut into it. Maybe she'd made it worse. She checked the bandage on his wrist. No blood. Good—the wound hadn't reopened. So he was faking again? Realizing he was still acting, she pulled her hand back and turned to leave. Again, Eugene caught her. "Admit it. You're worried about me." His eyes were steady. "I mean it." This time, she didn't shake him off. She just said quietly, "I'm not worth your feelings." "I do what I want. No one tells me what to do." His gaze grew even more determined. "When I choose someone, that's it." Chloe thought about what he'd said. From their first meeting, he'd been making plans. Joining Cosmos Group, all those arrangements—he'd done it on purpose. "You've been scheming around me from the start," she said, a faint smile touching her lips. "I told you. Every bit of scheming was for one thing—so I could spend my life with you." He smiled lightly. "I was married. I have a child." "You're divorced now. We're both single. I don't see the problem." Eugene's tone was steady, with no hint of hesitation, and his smile deepened, warm and sure. "Robert's a great kid. He'll accept me. Compared to that jerk Arthur, he'll probably like me more. After all, he said..." Eugene met her eyes and dropped a line that hit like thunder. "My position means I can back you up anywhere. Isn't that right?" Hearing him say it, so matter-of-fact, she almost laughed. And honestly, he wasn't wrong.