To win over a proud woman like Mia, you had to win her heart. Only when she willingly gave herself would the man feel the ultimate satisfaction.

Principal Zach Jackson decided to give Mia some space. Tapping his fingers on the desk, he said, "Mia, no pressure. This is a mutual thing. I won't force you. Take your time to think it over."

Mia's mind was a mess. She couldn't figure out why she hadn't flat-out rejected Zach. If the driver hadn't interrupted, she might've lost her dignity to him. Were his offers getting to her? Was her moral stance just a joke? Compared to Vanessa, was she even more hypocritical, since Vanessa never hid her desires?

No, she wasn't that kind of woman, Mia told herself. If Quentin Rodriguez had made such offers, she would've rejected him without a second thought. But with Zach, she couldn't summon the same disgust. Despite his intentions, she felt Zach genuinely cared about her career. Otherwise, why would he invest so many resources in her? Zach was bad, but he had boundaries, making it hard for Mia to outright reject him.

This was where Zach outsmarted Quentin. He never cornered Mia, always leaving her a choice. He was confident that as long as Mia stayed at the school, he was her best option.

Maybe Mia still held onto her pride, but faced with harsh realities, how long could she hold out? When she finally broke, she'd fall right into his trap.

"I'm heading out, Principal Jackson." Mia said, making a beeline for the door. She couldn't stay any longer. Zach had a knack for making people bend to his will. If he made another move after hours, there'd be no one to save her.

"Oh, by the way, the education bureau has a training session for young female teachers on Friday afternoon. I've signed you and Vanessa Wood up. The research office will notify you." Zach added with a smile. "This training will be recorded in your file, which will help with future promotions."

"Thank you, Principal Jackson," Mia replied. Despite her unease, she couldn't turn down the opportunity. Chances like this were rare and hard to come by through fair competition, especially since Zach hadn't used it as leverage but had given it freely. His generosity explained why he had been the principal for so long.

Mia's Reflections and Quentin's Confrontation

Leaving the principal's office, Mia was deep in thought. Putting aside Zach's sleazy intentions, he was indeed a capable leader. If he were younger and not the principal, Mia might have found herself attracted to him. No wonder he had won the heart of the renowned beauty, Daisy Davis.

But "if" was just "if." For the current Zach, Mia felt no romantic interest, only a grudging admiration. She would never trade her body for benefits. If she ever cheated, it would be with someone she genuinely liked, enjoying the relationship without any strings attached.

As Mia reached the door of the research office, ready to gather her things, a figure suddenly emerged behind her, making her jump. It was Quentin Rodriguez. She immediately showed a look of disgust and snapped, "Quentin, what do you want? This is a school."

"What were you doing with Principal Zach Jackson?" Quentin sneered. "Don't think I don't know what's going on. Did he sleep with you? Is that how you got promoted to intermediate level?"

"Don't slander us. Principal Jackson and I are innocent." Mia retorted, her face flushing with anger. "Principal Jackson isn't like that. Besides, many teachers were promoted. Why shouldn't I be one of them?"

"Mia, I mean no harm. I just think you're too beautiful to be with an old man," Quentin said, softening his tone. "I know you hate me, but I really like you. Divorce your husband, and I'll marry you. I can give you everything Zach offers. If you're worried about Zach making things difficult, I can get my uncle to transfer you to the education bureau or another school. I truly love you. Just give me a chance."

"Quentin, I have no feelings for you. Please respect yourself." Mia said sternly, turning and running out of the school gates without looking back. Her new high heels almost broke as she fled. The recent events left her feeling scared and wronged. Suddenly, she saw a familiar figure ahead and couldn't help but call out. "Kevin."

Kevin and Mia's Embrace

Kevin had been dragging his feet all day. As the final bell rang, he shuffled towards the school gate, feeling like a zombie. Ever since he and Evelyn Allen split, his heart had been in a constant state of ache. That afternoon, after getting humiliated by Mike Adams' dad, he impulsively broke up with Evelyn. But man, did he regret it. Evelyn didn't do anything wrong, and he took it out on her. He could only imagine how crushed she must be. But Mike's dad's attitude left him too scared to go back to her place.

He tried to convince himself that maybe it was for the best. He shouldn't be tangled up with Evelyn Allen anyway. He had enough on his plate with four women. Mia Wilson was keeping her distance, and Vanessa Wood was laying low, but at least Camila Cortez was still around. He wasn't completely alone.

Suddenly, he heard someone call his name. He turned around and saw Mia Wilson running towards him, looking like a mess. Before he could ask what was up, she threw herself into his arms, sobbing like there was no tomorrow.

Kevin had never seen Mia cry like this. He was clueless, his hands just hanging there awkwardly. After a moment, he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her and softly asked, "What's wrong? Did someone mess with you?"

Hearing Kevin's comforting words, Mia cried even harder. She'd been holding it all in for months, and Quentin Rodriguez's harassment tonight was the final straw. If she hadn't run into Kevin, she might've kept bottling it up. But now, in Kevin's arms—her cousin, someone who'd never hurt her—she felt safe enough to let it all out. She cried like a kid, her tears soaking his shirt.

Kevin stopped asking questions and just held her tighter. He could feel her chest pressed against him, but instead of feeling anything inappropriate, he felt a wave of tenderness and anger. Who had hurt his Mia so badly? He was ready to make them pay.

A Heart-to-Heart and a Lingering Hug

After a while, Mia pulled away, wiping her tears. "I'm okay now. You should head home."

"What happened?" Kevin asked, still worried. "Was it Quentin Rodriguez again? I'll go deal with him." He turned to head back into the school.

"Kevin, wait." Mia quickly grabbed his hand. "Why are you so impulsive? No one bullied me. I just felt overwhelmed and needed a shoulder to cry on. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Is that really it? You're not lying to me, right? If it was Quentin, I wouldn't let him get away with it." Kevin said, still skeptical.

"Why would I lie to you? You need to think before you act." Mia said seriously.

"Okay, I get it." Kevin mumbled, falling silent. He knew the consequences, but he couldn't just swallow his anger.

"Kevin, you're still a kid. You shouldn't get involved in adult stuff. It'll only make things worse." Mia sighed. "Your job is to study hard. Understand? I can handle my own problems. You'll just complicate things for me."

"I understand." Kevin said reluctantly, his head hanging low. He was just a high school student. Even if he knew those guys had bad intentions towards Mia, what could he do? The most he could offer was a comforting hug.

After a while, Kevin awoke from his thoughts and said, "I was just worried about you. Seeing you cry makes me feel terrible."

"I know." Mia said, taking Kevin's hand and smiling softly, showing her white teeth. "That's why I'm happy. It means someone still cares about me. Will you walk me home?"

Kevin couldn't refuse. He held Mia's soft hand tightly, wishing he could hold it forever. Unfortunately, the walk home was short. Soon, they reached Mia's door. She let go of his hand and said, "Your task is done. You should go home now."

Kevin hesitated, then shamelessly said, "Can you hug me again? It felt really good when you hugged me earlier."

"You rascal, always up to no good," Mia blushed. She enjoyed the hug too but didn't want to admit it. Seeing Kevin's hopeful eyes, she nodded and opened her arms after a few seconds of hesitation. "Alright, just this once."

Kevin grinned and hugged Mia's warm, curvy body, burying his face in her hair and inhaling her faint scent. With her large breasts squishing against him, he felt a surge of emotions. His body reacted, pressing against Mia's soft belly.

"Ah... Kevin... no..." Mia shuddered, feeling a rush of sensations. Her body responded in ways she didn't expect, and she felt a mix of confusion and excitement. Kevin, sensing the moment, held her tighter, his hands instinctively moving to her waist. Mia's body felt incredibly soft and warm.

"Kevin, stop... I'm your cousin... ah..." Mia was both embarrassed and flustered, trying to scold her cousin while feeling overwhelmed by the sensations. She had agreed to a simple hug, but Kevin's embrace was more intense than she anticipated. Yet, she couldn't help but feel a strange comfort in his arms.

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