SM DID NOT know what to think anymore—what exactly does a noble need from her? She thought it was sex that he wanted, like the men she knew, so she tested her theory. But Knight stopped.

He stopped—he just hugged her and said sorry for being weak.

She smiled while shaking her head as she recalled how tight his hug was. It had been three days since it happened, but she could still remember how he clung to her that night while apologizing for losing control.

But even so, she wouldn't call him a nice guy yet. He might have stopped himself that night, but he was still a pervert most of the time. Although she could recall a few occasions where Knight was a gentleman, there were more occasions where he was crude.

A crude gentleman. It might be a nice combination.

"That's six hundred seventy pesos, ma'am," she told the customer who just finished ordering. She assigned herself to the cash register because Monet was on lunch break. After giving the woman her change, she saw Knight walking toward the counter.

"I'm tired," he complained as he leaned over the counter facing her, his hand resting on his chin. "Can I kiss you? I need my Sweet Monday vitamins."

In response, she took a slice of chocolate cake from the display chiller and placed it in front of Knight. "Here. Your vitamins."

Knight sighed heavily. "I guess this will do."

She shook her head as Knight took the small plate with the chocolate cake and turned to step inside the counter, approaching her.

"What are you doing—"

The ganache covering the cake was still a little soft and wet, so when Knight dipped his finger, the ganache immediately coated his fingertips.

What he did next stunned her.

He stroked his finger covered in ganache along the side of her neck, causing some to transfer there.

But what he did next was more shocking than the first one.

Knight leaned into her neck and licked the ganache off.

SM quickly touched the part of her neck that Knight had licked and faced him with her eyes wide open. She could feel her cheeks heating up, her heart pounding loudly, and a strange tingling sensation inside her.

It was only a quick touch of his tongue, but it already took her back to the time when he was kissing her neck that night. It felt good—so good that her inhibition flew out the window, so good that she felt her body being engulfed in flames. She wanted more of that feeling.

"W-what are you doing?" she asked, trying to hide that she was catching her breath.

"I just wanted to see if ganache tastes better on your body. Hmm... I was right. It's more delicious." Knight gaze lowered to her slightly parted lips. "Don't look at me like that, Boss."

"Look at you like what?" she asked, almost in a whisper.

He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Like you want me... you're making it hard for me to control myself."

Her fists clenched. She was ready to punch him for his provocations, but the image of his back full of scars crossed her mind, so she restrained herself; she didn't want to hurt him more. Instead, she took a step back, away from him, and kept quiet as she calmed herself down from the effects of what he had done.

This man! One lick on her neck and she felt so flustered and bothered!

Knight, on the other hand, went back to work as if nothing happened. When their eyes met while he was serving food, she glared at him with a piercing scowl, which he responded to with a wink. She just shook her head, relieved that Monet's lunch break was over.

SM went back to her office and looked at the calendar behind the door.

It's today.

She quickly moved to the table where she placed the sponge cake she had been cooling. But the door to her office opened.

"Boss—"

"Don't come in!" she shouted at Knight while she was busy designing the sponge cake. "Just eat by yourself. I'm not hungry."

"SM—"

"Go away, Knight," she demanded, driving him away, her eyes focused on the cake in front of her.

Thank God Knight listened.

SM used ganache as a double filling—and made sure it was creamy and delicious—and fondant to design and wrap the crown-shaped sponge cake. She smiled as she stared at her masterpiece in progress.

"Just the finishing touches..." she mumbled before using food paint to color the edges of the round cake. SM poured all her skills and her heart into making the cake, and when it was done, she felt proud.

"I hope he likes it," she whispered to herself, smiling.

KNIGHT SLUMPED down on the sofa of his house and then stared blankly into space. He couldn't even manage a fake smile. He didn't just feel weak or lifeless; he felt scared as well.

Today SM wouldn't even look at him. She didn't join him during lunch break, which they would always do together.

Was it because of what he did? I couldn't help it, he told himself. Her neck was sexy as hell.

He was out of line. He was sure of that. But when he apologized earlier, she just brushed him off.

"My lord, are you listening to me?"

He looked up and saw Cloud in front of him. "What?"

Cloud let out a sigh. "I'm asking why you look upset and down." He shook his head and added, "You look depressed actually."

Knight sighed. "Cloud?"

"Yes, my lord?"

"Is licking someone on the neck wrong?"

The butler grimaced at him. "My lord, the neck is a very intimate part of the body."

"So, if I lick your neck, would you be mad?"

His butler looked at him flatly. "How would I know? I don't swing that way."

He released a heavy sigh once again and forced himself to stand. "You're useless. Don't talk to me."

Cloud frowned. "You're the one who asked, my lord!"

Knight ignored him and walked out of the house where he saw his brother at the door.

"Night?"

Midnight blinked at him. "Yes, Kuya?"

"If I lick your neck, would you be mad?" he flatly asked.

Midnight raised his brows. "You gay? No worries, I will still accept you."

Knight sighed heavily. "I'm surrounded by idiots."

He passed by his brother and then headed to Valerian's house. While doing so, he sent a message to their group chat.

"Hi, Grace," he greeted. He smiled at Val's wife as she opened the door for him.

"Knight!" Grace welcomed him with a smile. "It's nice to see you again. Come in."

"Where's Val?" he asked as he walked in.

"In his study," Grace answered. "Just go there. I'll bring you some snacks."

His body shivered. "Y-you didn't cook the snacks, did you?"

Grace just laughed and left him in the living room. Knight shook his head and took several deep breaths. Val's wife could cook now, but thanks to her cupcakes before, he was still traumatized.

They were hell!

His skin crawled as he remembered what he had gone through because of Grace's cupcakes. He shook these thoughts off. Never again! So traumatic!

He knocked on the door of Valerian's study first before entering. "Best friend?"

"I don't have a Spanish best friend. Y'all are invaders and tyrants!"

Knight only smiled before sitting on the visitor's chair in front of the table where Valerian was. "Val, I have a problem."

Val's gaze shifted from the report he was reading to his friend. "Whose neck did you lick?"

Knight's eyes widened. "What! How did you know?"

Val showed him his phone with their group chat on the screen and then loudly dictated the message Knight sent. "If I lick your neck, would you be mad?" Val then glared at him in disbelief. "You're such a fucking idiot. Whose motherfucker's neck did you lick? You should've gone ahead and bitten it too, you asshole!"

Knight rested his elbow on Valerian's table, his palm on his chin, then buried his face a few seconds later. "But her neck tastes so amazingly good."

"What fucking are you, a fucking vampire?" Valerian tsked. "Read the replies of our horny-as-fuck friends so you could see them yourself."

Knight adjusted his seating position and grabbed the cell phone in Val's hand.

"Hey! That's my fucking phone!" Val irritably retorted. "Use your own cell phone!"

"I'm too lazy to reach inside my pocket."

Valerian just shook his head and let Knight be. Meanwhile, Knight proceeded to read the replies of his crazy friends. To his surprise, the name of their group chat changed to Iuhence is sexy and handsome.

He curiously looked at Valerian. "Why does our group-chat name change every time? Last month, it was 'Lust after me.'"

"Because our friends are lunatics," Valerian replied as he closed the folder of the documents he was reading. "Everyone wants to assign a name for our group chat, so Zapanta suggested changing the name every month. Next month, it will be your turn."

"Woah... I forgot about that," he replied as he massaged his aching temples. "My head hurts."

Valerian frowned at him. "Have you been sleeping these past few days?"

Knight nodded before propping his elbow on the table and then resting his palm on his chin once again. "Two days ago, I think."

Valerian tsked. "No wonder you look and act like a zombie. Why don't you take some sleeping pills? Just for today?"

Knight shook his head and then proceeded to read the messages in their group chat.

Iuhence Vergara: @Knight, who did you 👅?

Lash Coleman: What are you, a dog? @Iuhence that's a nasty tongue emoji you got.

Swindler🔪: Let's make a bet if @Knight licked a woman or a man.

Lath Coleman: @Knight we know you're a lunatic, but for you to lick someone? Are you in your right mind? @Swindler🔪 I bet it's a male. No one woman can stand @Knight.

Swindler🔪: Why the fuck is there a knife beside my name?! And who changed my nickname again?!!! 😡😡😡

Cali Sudalga: 🤣 You chop stuff. It fits you well.

Swindler🔪: @Cali see this? 🖕🏻 it's called füćk you!

Cali Sudalga: 🤣🤣🤣

Train Wolkzbin: I won't place a bet, you dumbasses. You couldn't even pay me personally, what more through chat?

Lander Storm: Let's make an agreement.

Ymar Stroam: Like a form? One we can sign to make sure everyone pays? Deal. Let's make it official. Because the people in this group chat are lying pieces of shit.

Tyron Zapanta: How much are we talking about?

Calyx Vargaz: Five pesos.

Dark Montero: Five pesos for a bet and we need to sign an agreement? Are you fucking with me?

Evren Yilmaz: Want me to notarize it? Come to think of it, having this notarized costs me more than placing a bet.

Khairro Sanford: @EvrenYilmaz Speaking of notarization, the document I had you notarize had incomplete details.

Evren Yilmaz: @Khairro, you only paid half of the total, so I only included half of the details. 😏

Dark Montero: @Khairro, you're an extremely wealthy man and you paid only half for the notarization? Fuck, Sanford, you're so cheap.

Khairro Sanford: 😒 That's what you call a friendly discount. It should've been 20 pesos, but since we're friends, I made it 25 pesos.

Knight sighed. Lunatics!

He sent a chat message using Valerian's phone.

Valerian Volkzki: Well? Would you be mad if I licked your neck? —Handsome and sexy Knight here using Val's phone.

Evren Yilmaz: Depends on the sex.

Lysander Callahan: If it's a woman...

Dark Montero: Kissing a woman on the neck means I want to have sex with you. Vulgarly speaking.

Valerian Volkzki: 😱😱😱😱

Evren Yilmaz: And if it's a man...

Lysander Callahan: It means you're gay.

Dark Montero: Your lineage will be a waste @Valerian.

Calyx Vargaz: But either way, we will accept you if you say you're now a part of the LGBT community.

Valerian Volkzki: 😑😑😑😑

Knight showed the chat messages to Valerian. "Val, look, they're bullying me."

Then, Phoenix Martinez sent a message.

Phoenix Martinez: @Valerian what the fuck?! 😱 you're gay? Since when?! What did Grace say? Fuck!

Valerian replied with his jaw clenched, which made Knight laugh discreetly.

Valerian Volkzki: @Phoenix you imbecile! 🤬 Backread, you motherfucker! ⚰️ do you see this fucking emoji?! That's a fucking coffin and I will put you there if you don't backread right fucking now!

It was good timing when Grace entered the study, carrying a tray with cake and beer for them.

"Mooncake!" Valerian immediately hugged Grace after she placed the tray on the table. He then made her read their chat messages. "Look! Read this! How could he think that I'm fucking gay?! I impregnated you!"

Knight tried to stop himself from laughing but failed when Grace laughed after reading their conversation.

"Oh, my poor husband," Grace said while caressing Valerian's cheeks. Her husband was still sour about it. "Don't mind them. They're just joking, you know your friends." Then, to Knight, she answered, "There are three kinds of women, so it depends on what type she is. First, the wild women who will kiss you back. Second, the innocent women who will blush. Third, the women in between who will punch you or run away."

Knight raised his brows. "And where did you get that?"

Grace grinned. "From Czarina."

"Ymar's weird wife?" Valerian and Knight asked in chorus.

Grace nodded. "Czarina is a kind woman. She's just a little weird, but she's nice." She then stroked Valerian's hair and added, "She even told me about the sex positions. Didn't you love them when we were trying them out?"

Valerian coughed up the coffee he was sipping, and Knight almost choked on the beer he was drinking.

Grace was still innocent sometimes.

Knight grunted. "I've always been saying that there's no such thing as too much information, but this—this is fucking too much. I'm out of here! Thanks for the cake, Gracey."

"Don't call my wife with cute nicknames!" Val shouted.

"Knight, your cake!" Grace called to him. "You haven't eaten it yet—"

"I might get a stomachache," Knight said with a laugh.

"Knight!" Grace glared at him. "Come back here!"

He laughed it off and rushed out of Valerian's house. While walking back to his house, he recalled SM's reaction earlier—she took a step back... away from him.

Was it because she knew the meaning of a kiss on the neck? But it wasn't a kiss... it was a lick!

Holy fuck! If kissing on the neck meant "I want to have sex with you," then a lick on the neck meant much more than that?

He was too focused on his work and other personal matters to pay attention to things like this. Besides, it was not as if he was a womanizer. He didn't date either. When was the last time he had been with a woman? He couldn't remember.

He avoided women altogether because his mind was already jaded. He had so many what ifs. What if the woman was sent by the Triad? What if she was a spy? What if she was an assassin paid to kill him?

SM was the only woman whom he allowed to enter his world. She unknowingly entered his life and effortlessly invaded his heart.

Remembering SM distancing herself from him made him feel like being doused with icy water. His body stiffened. So, she was under "the woman in between" type that Grace was talking about.

I bet she's mad. Fuck! He should say sorry again tomorrow—or tonight?

He stopped walking and reached for his cell phone from his pocket. There were a lot of chat messages from their group chat.

*Evren Yilmaz sent an attachment*

Knight opened the attachment. He shook his head when he saw the agreement form they were talking about earlier.

He tsked. These lunatics.

Knight Velasquez: I licked a girl. Idiots.

Valerian Volkzki: 😒

Swindler🔪: 🥳

Lath Coleman: He's now a grown man.

Calyx Vargaz: Someone has to treat us to bbq and beer.

Iuhence Vergara: You're now a grown man @Knight. Lend me money.

Dark Montero: @Tryon Come in.

Tyron Zapanta: Welcome to Understanding Possessive Men's Club. You may rest in peace, fucker.

He sighed and shook his head. "I feel loved," he said sarcastically to himself. He was about to keep his phone when he received a text message from SM. His heart pounded fast as he opened it.

From: My Sweet Monday
Can you come over? Bring Cloud and Midnight with you. I'll leave the door unlocked for you.

Yep. He changed her name in his contacts.

Worry consumed him. Is she sick again?!

He quickly called Cloud to get his taxi ready while rushing back home. When he was by the gate of his house, his taxi was already there waiting. Cloud would drive, while Midnight was on the backseat. He settled on the passenger seat.

Cloud sped up the taxi toward SM's house, nearly making the car take off.

"What did she say?" Midnight asked in a worried tone. "Is she okay? Is she sick again?"

"I don't know," Knight replied, feeling anxious. "She just wants us to come over! The last time we were in her house, she was sick, so I'll assume that maybe she's sick again! Fuck it! Why won't she take care of herself?! Is she planning to make me go crazy by worrying about her every time?!"

"Don't worry, my lord, we're near," Cloud reassured.

"Fuck..."

The three of them almost stumbled as Cloud hurriedly parked the taxi outside SM's house. They didn't even use the doorbell. They all climbed over the gate and ran toward the front door. They rushed inside and immediately searched for SM.

"Boss!"

"My lady!" Cloud called.

"SM!" Night shouted.

Knight was frantically looking for her when they heard a faint voice coming from the kitchen.

"In here..."

The three of them hurried to the kitchen, only to be greeted by confetti poppers.

They stood still in surprise, wondering what was happening, and stared at SM, who had a joyful smile on her lips.

"What's this?"

SM smiled sweetly at him. "Happy Birthday, Count Knight Alastair Minrod Gutterez Velasquez!"

He froze as his eyes went to the dining table. Home-cooked meals. Beer. And his favorite—cake. Specially designed for him. It was a crown-shaped cake; on top was a man carrying a sword while riding a horse, like a knight from medieval times. A greeting was written on the side of the cake: Happy Birthday, Knight.

He looked at SM. "How did you—"

SM, still smiling happily, replied, "Your resume."

He glanced back at the cake. Knight was happy but guilty at the same time.

Knight approached her.

"Did you not like it? Sorry," SM said. "I wanted to surprise you. This was what I was working on earlier, which was why I couldn't eat lunch with you."

Silently, he approached her as he looked at the cake.

"If you don't like fondant cakes, I made a triple Bavarian cake," SM cheerfully offered. "Do you prefer that? I'll get it from the fridge—"

"Boss."

SM paused and stared at him. "Hmm?"

"I'm happy. I really am... But—"

"You don't like the cake?" SM asked wryly.

He shook his head. "But it's not my birthday today."

The smile on SM's lips gradually faded. "B-but you wrote in your resume that it's your birthday today. I'm sure of it. I even marked the calendar in my office so I wouldn't forget."

"My birthday in my resume," he said, feeling ashamed and guilty as he looked at SM, who made an effort to celebrate his fake birthday. "I just... m-made it up."

Knight saw SM's shoulders fall. "Oh" was all she said.

"I'm sorry," he said as he hugged her. "I lied."

After his confession, SM's silence was deafening. He couldn't bear to think that she might be angry. There was nothing scarier than SM being mad at him.

Fuck! I messed up!