Maya's POV
Adonis smelled intoxicating—clean, masculine, and undeniably alluring. His scent clung to the air between us, pulling me closer like a tide I couldn't resist. My heart pounded so hard I wondered if he could hear it too. Was I dreaming? If I was, I didn't want to wake up. Not if it meant he would keep looking at me the way he did now—like I was the only girl in the room, like he wanted to memorize me.
I blinked, half-afraid he'd vanish when I opened my eyes.
But he didn't.
He was still there, still holding me, still staring at me with eyes that burned into my soul. And for once, they didn't hold mockery. They held something else—something dangerously close to longing.
All around us, the party carried on. My sister danced with James, laughing like she had not a single worry in the world. Ariana twirled in Jake's arms. Music filled the air, but I barely heard it.
Because I could feel Adonis's hand on the small of my back.
A slow, deliberate stroke—like he was trying to memorize the shape of me through his fingertips. And that single motion ignited sparks across my skin. I felt like my body didn't belong to me anymore. Every inch of me was aware of him, of how close we were, of how warm and solid he felt against me.
This is what it felt like to be held by him.
And it was too much.
Too perfect.
I tried to steady my breathing as I watched him smirk—yes, smirk—but this time, it wasn't cruel or mocking. It was teasing. And it made my knees weak. For the first time, I saw a different side of Adonis. Gone was the cold boy who always seemed to look down on me. In his place was someone warm… charming… human.
Someone I could fall in love with all over again.
But deep down, I was still guarded. What if this was just another game? A trick? A new way to humiliate me in front of everyone?
Then I caught a glimpse of Cassandra Eleanor Montemayor dancing nearby, her eyes narrowing in our direction like blades of ice. She looked furious. A daughter of power and wealth, favored by Adonis's mother and groomed for a future by his side. Beautiful, graceful, polished—everything I wasn't.
But he wasn't looking at her.
He was dancing with me.
He hadn't even glanced at another girl since he asked for my hand. And I, the poor granddaughter of a farmhand, the girl who worked part-time in the fields… I was the one in his arms.
And he wasn't letting go.
"Are you tired, Maya?" he murmured near my ear, his breath feathering across my skin. I nearly shivered from the sensation.
I shook my head despite the ache in my ankles and the blister forming at my heel. I would dance until sunrise if it meant staying this close to him.
He smiled, soft and knowing. "Let's get some fresh air," he said, his voice velvet-smooth.
I hated how disappointed I felt when his hand left my waist—but then he took my hand, threading his fingers through mine, and that simple gesture sent a new wave of heat through me. All around us, I felt eyes on me—especially from the rich girls—but I kept my head high. They could stare all they wanted. He chose me tonight.
Adonis led me through the mansion and onto the veranda overlooking the estate. I knew this place well. I had visited it many times with Ariana—but it had never looked like this. The night air was cool, laced with the faint scent of garden blooms. The stars stretched endlessly above, but even they couldn't compare to the way he looked at me now.
He pulled me gently to him, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his forehead against mine. "Maya," he whispered, voice low and rough with emotion. "I've been dying to do this…"
Before I could ask what he meant, he cupped my face with both hands and tilted my chin. My heart jumped to my throat. The anticipation unraveled me. And when his lips brushed mine—soft, hesitant, reverent—I felt everything inside me shatter and reshape all at once.
His kiss deepened, growing more insistent, more hungry. It was like he had been waiting for this moment for years… and maybe, I had too. I had never been kissed before, but instinct took over. I followed his lead, mirroring his rhythm. I lost count of time. All I knew was that his mouth on mine felt like a promise and a question all at once.
His tongue traced mine, slow and teasing, coaxing a soft moan from my throat. I felt heat pool in my stomach, spreading outward like wildfire. I clung to him as if he were the only thing keeping me grounded.
And maybe he was.
He kissed the corner of my mouth, my chin, down to the curve of my neck. Each press of his lips left invisible burns on my skin. When he found the sensitive spot beneath my ear and gently nibbled, I gasped. My fingers curled into his collar. My back met the railing, and he pressed against me, body firm and solid. His hands caressed my spine, slow and reverent.
My breath hitched as his mouth brushed my collarbone.
"Adonis…" I whispered, not even knowing what I was trying to say.
I should have been scared. I should have pushed him away. But I wasn't scared. Not of him. Not in this moment.
I was only scared of how much I wanted more.
The stars shimmered above us like scattered diamonds, and for the first time in a long while, I felt as though they were twinkling just for me. For us.
Adonis's lips moved against mine with growing urgency, and I matched his rhythm instinctively, breathless from the heat of his kiss. It was demanding, heady, and impossible to resist. A soft moan escaped from my throat, unbidden, and I felt his low groan in response rumble against my chest, sending a thrill down my spine.
My lips were tender, swollen from the intensity, and my skin burned with the memory of his touch. I could hardly breathe. I didn't want to.
Then came the voice—sharp and unwelcome—cutting through the night like a cold blade.
"Adonis Monleon, please come down for the wine toasting," the emcee announced over the speakers.
Adonis sighed, forehead resting lightly against mine. "The emcee my mother hired has flawless timing," he muttered with a smirk. "I don't want to stop kissing you, Maya. Not yet. Maybe not ever." His thumb brushed along my jaw.
My heart skipped. I stood frozen in his arms.
"But I have to go," he said reluctantly, stepping back. "Please wait for me here. Don't go anywhere. I want to kiss you again—until morning, if you'll let me."
And just like that, he turned and disappeared into the glowing lights of the mansion.
I stood there, dazed, knees weak and trembling. Was it the kiss or his words that left me breathless? I didn't know anymore. I leaned against the veranda railing for support, barely able to stay upright. My fingertips drifted to my lips, still tingling from his touch.
That really happened.
I pinched my arm. It stung.
I was awake.
I could hear his voice over the microphone now—composed, charismatic—and I smiled, remembering the urgency with which he'd claimed my mouth. My heart danced in my chest, every beat echoing with the memory of his lips on mine.
But as the minutes passed and he didn't return, doubt began to crawl its way into my chest.
I moved quietly to the far end of the terrace, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. My eyes searched the crowd until they found him near the stage—standing beside his mother. The music was loud, but their faces told the story. Madam Kriselda looked livid, gesturing sharply with her hand. Adonis stood rigid, clearly trying to keep his voice calm, trying to reason with her. I couldn't hear them, but I didn't need to. I knew.
They were talking about me.
My chest tightened.
I wanted to stay and wait for him… but I also couldn't ignore the pressure building in my bladder any longer. With hesitation, I slipped through the grand hallway toward the restroom.
And that's when I heard it.
Female voices—sharp, high-pitched, biting.
"Maya," someone sneered. I stopped in my tracks, heart dropping. I ducked behind one of the wide marble pillars, pulse pounding in my ears.
"I still can't believe it," Cassandra hissed. "That poor little farmhand slut Maya—the nerve she has, wrapping her arms around Adonis like she belongs here."
My blood ran cold.
"She's nothing. Just a charity case in borrowed silk. How dare she even show up to this party, let alone kiss him?"
Each word hit like a slap. My breath caught in my throat as I pressed myself against the pillar, hands clenched into fists.
"She doesn't belong in this world," Cassandra continued, her voice full of venom. "Adonis is just toying with her. She's a phase—an amusement for the night. He'll come to his senses soon enough."
The girls laughed, cruel and careless.
Tears welled in my eyes. Not because of their words alone, but because they cut deeper than I wanted to admit. Was that what this was? Just a moment? A game?
Was I just something for him to kiss beneath the stars—before he returned to his real life and the women who did belong?
But no.
I closed my eyes and remembered the way Adonis looked at me—really looked at me. The way he kissed me like he'd waited forever to do so. The way his voice softened when he said my name. The way he asked me to wait for him.
If it was a game, he was playing it too well. And I didn't think even he could fake the kind of hunger I saw in his eyes.
Still… the seed of doubt was planted.
Maybe it was Cassandra who ran straight to his mother. Maybe that was why Madam Kriselda was so furious. And maybe Adonis was in trouble right now… because of me.
A whirlwind of emotions twisted inside me—anger, shame, confusion… but above all, a painful ache in my chest that I couldn't ignore.
And yet… I still wanted to believe him.
I had to.
Because if Adonis was lying, if he had only kissed me to prove a point or play a joke—then I didn't know how I would recover from that kind of heartbreak.