Love Across the Light Years -The Devil CEO Indulges My Lies.-Chapter 54: Be my secret mistress.

Adelyn’s heart skipped a beat when their eyes met.

She didn’t understand what he meant, but the way he stared at her tugged at something deep within her chest, stirring an unexpected sense of guilt.

Was she really wronging him?

Her brows furrowed as she stared back at him.

"I do mean what I say, Mr. Warren."

Dylan looked into her eyes again —this time more deeply, as though trying to measure the weight behind her words.

Once satisfied, his gaze dropped back to her hand.

Pressing the silk gently against her scratch on her palm, he soothed a thing she hadn’t even realized existed.

How could a man like him be this gentle?

Her eyes remained on him, gently studying his features.

His presence alone was enough to make her nervous, yet somehow, she didn’t feel uncomfortable around him.

"Then why are you trying to run away from the words that you gave me last night?"

His voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

He lifted his gaze back to her.

"Last night was a ... misunderstanding," she tried to explain. "I never intended to come here and bother you."

"But you already did," Dylan said.

There was no accusation in his tone, yet his words still forced her to face the truth.

Adelyn felt herself getting caught deeper and deeper in an invisible web.

Was he being intentional?

"I did, but ..." She looked at him, her eyes narrowing slightly, as though trying to read a deceit that wasn’t visible on the surface. "... can you tell me why you allowed me to do that to you?"

She simply couldn’t believe she could have forced herself on him if he hadn’t permitted it.

And if he had permitted it ...

Was she really the only one at fault?

Dylan’s gaze never wavered —not even when she came dangerously close to seeing through him.

Keeping his eyes fixed on her, he allowed himself to savor the moment a little longer than what might have been considered safe.

Then, after a pause, he said, "I didn’t allow you at first."

Silence followed.

Adelyn tilted her head slightly, waiting for him to continue.

"I only did after you confessed your feelings for me."

Confessed her feelings?

Adelyn was dumbfounded.

Did she really do that?

Just how much trouble had she stirred up in her intoxicated state?

She wanted to slap herself for being so recklessly stupid.

But then she paused.

Suddenly realizing something important she had overlooked.

She stared again at the man before him.

"I confessed to you?" she asked —not to confirm whether she had truly done so, but to understand something else. "And you believed it?"

If a simple confession could rope in a man like Dylan Warren, he would have had a whole harem of women by now.

But he didn’t.

Which meant there had to be something more to it.

Something that wasn’t visible on the surface.

However, contrary to her puzzled expression, Dylan remained perfectly calm.

Smiling wasn’t really his habit, yet the corners of his lips lifted subtly.

"Didn’t Ms. Grace say that she means whatever she says?" he replied lazily. "How could I not believe you?"

Adelyn was speechless.

She had dug herself a hole.

And now, except for falling into it, she had no other option.

"Mr. Warren, can I tell you a truth?" she suddenly asked.

There was a quiet resignation in her tone —as though she had surrendered completely.

Dylan, who had been watching her closely. Nodded.

"Please."

"Actually ... I did mean what I said last night."

She knew she was digging herself into an even deeper hole.

But right now, in these circumstances, there seemed to be no other way.

She had to take the risk —and hope for it to work.

"But it only came out in a moment of boldness."

She paused briefly.

"I wouldn’t dare repeat it again. Not after realizing the gap between us —your true identity ... and my own limitations."

"Your limitations?" Dylan asked, clearly amused.

Adelyn nodded.

"Yes. You might not know much about me, but I will be soon starting my career as an actress. My manager has strictly warned me to avoid any romantic entanglements that could affect my focus on work. So —"

"So, you intend to keep me like a secret mistress?" he asked, staring at her intently.

His gaze alone could terrify anyone.

And Adelyn had no doubt she was one of those people.

Secret mistress?!

Cough!

She nearly choked.

How could she possibly dare ask the might Dylan Warren to be her mistress?

Did she create another misunderstanding?

She wanted to pull at her hair.

However, keeping calm, she tried to explain instead.

"H-How could I ask something like that of you, Mr. Warren?" she hurriedly said.

But then a thought suddenly struck her.

A brilliant one.

Her best escape.

How could a man of Dylan Warren’s status tolerate such humiliation?

He wouldn’t.

He would reject her instantly.

And that rejection would free her from this mess ... altogether.

Her eyes brightened faintly at the thought.

Looking at him, she said carefully —

"Mr. Warren ... the truth is, I have admired you for a long time."

Her voice was calm, but her fingers unconsciously tightened in her lap.

"Ever since I first saw you on the screen of the financial news a few days back, I couldn’t help but respect you. Your confidence ... your composure ... the way you decide on things."

Her build-up like that was straight a lie ... anyone could see it.

But she held her calm and pretended it to be the only truth of her life.

She paused, as though embarrassed by her own confession.

"But admiration and reality are two different things."

Dylan didn’t interrupt her.

He simply watched.

Adelyn continued,

"When I was intoxicated with my allergy last night, I must have mistaken my courage for recklessness. That’s probably why I said those things to you."

Suddenly everything... every one of her crafted excuses started falling at the right places. She felt both amazed and satisfied.

Keeping her act, she forced out a small, self-deprecating laugh.

"But now that I am sober, I know my place."

Her eyes lowered.

"I can’t ask someone like you to hide in the shadows for me."

Slowly, she lifted her gaze again.

"I like you, Mr. Warren. I won’t deny that."

"But how could I possibly ask you to become my secret boyfriend ... just because my career demands it?"

Her voice softened.

"That would be too unfair to you."

On the surface, she pretended the act to make him see her love for him ...

Inside, however, she was thinking something entirely different.

Reject it.

Just reject it.

A man like you would never accept such nonsense.

And once you refuse, everything will return to normal. I will leave without blaming you at all.

That was a perfect plan —leaving both of them with dignity. She was sure it would work.

But little did she know —

If things had been so simple, she would have been here at all.