The Confession – Part 3
Monday continued …
After a while, both of them simply stayed close, trying to catch their breath. The room was quiet except for their uneven breathing and the soft echo of what had just passed between them.
Anna rested her forehead against Hou Yi, feeling both shy and strangely content at the same time. There was something new in the way they looked at each other now — something deeper than before, something neither of them had quite found the words for yet.
Hou Yi brushed a strand of hair away from her face and smiled faintly.
“Sweetheart… that was incredible,” he murmured, his voice still low.
There was a softness in his tone that made Anna’s heart tighten. She lowered her gaze, suddenly aware of how vulnerable she felt, and yet unable — or unwilling — to pull away from him.
He reached for her again, not with urgency this time, but with a quiet intention to stay connected. His touch was slower, more deliberate, as though he wanted to make sure she felt safe, understood, and not rushed into anything she wasn’t ready for.
Anna responded instinctively. There was still hesitation inside her, still unfamiliarity with everything they were sharing, but she didn’t retreat. Instead, she leaned into him, letting the closeness speak where words could not.
For a brief moment, everything else faded — expectations, uncertainty, even time itself.
But reality eventually found its way back in.
Hou Yi let out a quiet breath and rested his forehead against hers again.
“We should get ready,” he said gently, though it was clear he had no real desire to move.
Anna gave a small, reluctant nod.
Even as they stepped into the shower, the distance between them never truly returned. The warm water filled the space with steam, softening everything around them, but not the quiet tension that still lingered between their hands, their glances, their unspoken thoughts.
They moved slowly, often distracted, often pausing for no reason other than not wanting the moment to end too quickly.
At one point, Hou Yi helped Anna step carefully out of the shower, his hands steady, his attention fully on her. There was nothing hurried about him — only patience.
He handed her a towel, watching her with a gaze that carried both warmth and something far more difficult to name.
Anna caught that look and felt her cheeks flush slightly.
“You’re staring again,” she said softly.
“Can you blame me?” he replied.
It took them longer than expected to finish getting ready. Small interruptions — a touch here, a glance there — kept pulling them back into each other’s space. But eventually, they managed to dress, gathering what they needed for the day ahead.
Hou Yi picked up his briefcase, along with Anna’s bag and laptop, before collecting their watches and phones from the bedside tables.
When he checked the time, he let out a quiet breath.
“We’ve spent nearly forty-five minutes in there,” he said with a hint of amusement. “That leaves us just enough time for a quick breakfast.”
Anna laughed softly.
Together, they stepped out of the suite.
After handing their bags to a staff member, they made their way to the breakfast room and ate lightly before leaving for the office.
When they arrived at Hou Enterprises, Hou Yi walked Anna to her office door. Without hesitation — and without caring who might be watching — he leaned in and kissed her with quiet certainty.
“See you at lunchtime, sweetheart.”