When Alia said this, Mr. Hart’s handso face beca even more strained.
He had sworn last night to establish so authority in front of her, yet before he could even make a move, he was already retreating in defeat?
His frustration burned even more.
Glaring at her radiant and self-assured face, he suddenly had the urge to bite down hard on it.
The woman sensed his frustration and smugly arched her delicate eyebrows. "What? Hit the nail on the head and now you’re angry out of embarrassnt?"
The man curled his lips coldly and beckoned her playfully with a finger, his thin lips murmured in a deep tone, "Co here."
—Indicating she should lower her head.
Alia arched her brow again. "What for?"
His jawline was perfect, smooth and defined. As he looked up at her, his Adam’s apple beca particularly prominent, his eyes filled with desire. It was sexy, captivating, and utterly irresistible.
She knew exactly what he wanted to do, but they were in the living room, where maids wandered about and the children could pop up at any ti.
His face was thicker than a fortress, but she cared about her dignity.
"I told you to co over."
She chuckled coldly. "Mr. Hart, if you have sothing to say, just say it. Stop being mysterious. Everyone’s ti is precious, and I need to get to work."
This woman!
He smiled suggestively. "If I say it, will you do as I wish?"
"Say it and let’s hear it."
He spoke boldly, "I want to kiss you. Be a little cooperative."
"..." The woman’s face instantly flushed bright red.
He was utterly shaless!
Her face turned beet red, her glistening eyes seed ready to burst into tears, and she turned her head to leave.
But the man still had her wrist in his grip.
With a quick tug, he pulled her back, using the montum to adjust the direction of his wheelchair slightly.
He extended his other hand and grabbed the collar of her winter coat, pulling her down directly!
Alia let out an "Ah!" but before she could resist, she was bent over.
Their lips t boldly and passionately in front of everyone.
The maids busy with chores in the living room imdiately lowered their heads and focused on their tasks—see no evil, hear no evil.
Alia didn’t reject his kiss but it had to be tid and situated appropriately.
If it were in their room at night, she would let him have his way.
But this, first thing in the morning, in public? What would people think?
So, after struggling for a mont without breaking free, she retaliated by firmly biting down.
Even so, he still didn’t imdiately let go.
"Mommy, look at the snowman we made—" Ethan rushed in, excitedly, but before he could finish his sentence, the last two words were swallowed in silence.
Hope followed in quickly, her round eyes widening in shock, "Ah! Mommy is kissing Daddy!"
Noah trailed at the back, equally surprised, instinctively covering his sister’s eyes.
Aunt Harper, who was behind the three kids, reflexively covered the boys’ eyes as well.
In the next mont, the three innocent voices spoke in unison, "Oh, co on—no need to cover us! We get it~"
Aunt Harper’s face turned crimson, seeing the mistress angrily shove the master away, she hurriedly attempted to drag the children out of the scene.
But Hope wasn’t having it. She broke free from Aunt Harper’s hand and excitedly ran forward, her sweet and curious voice asking, "Mommy, does Daddy’s mouth taste good?"
Boom—
Alia’s face instantly burned crimson, like a ripe tomato, desperately wishing she could disappear into a hole.
Even though it was Christopher who had forced the situation, their positioning made it appear as though she had willingly bent down to kiss him.
She had no way of answering this question. She felt the heat flush from head to toe, then turned to look at the man in the wheelchair. His mood was clearly joyous, a smile stretched across his face, especially as he watched her floundering in front of their daughter, his satisfaction evident—his grin practically touched his ears.
She was furious, but decided to face it head-on. "Sweetie, let teach you sothing. Sotis what you see is not always the truth."
"Huh? What do you an, Mommy?" Hope asked, puzzled.
"It ans Mommy didn’t kiss Daddy. Daddy forced Mommy to kiss him—so, you should ask Daddy."
Hope blinked her starry eyes, turning to her father in the wheelchair to ask, "Daddy, does Mommy’s mouth taste good?"
Alia sneered internally—Ha! Let’s see how you take this!
However, she once again underestimated his shalessness.
Christopher lovingly patted his daughter’s head, his eyes full of indulgence. He glanced at Alia’s lips—slightly swollen from being bitten—and unabashedly declared, "Of course it tastes good—absolutely delicious."
Honestly, he wanted to call it irresistible, but since his daughter was still young, he managed to hold back.
Alia spun around to glare at him, her eyes widened in shock.
"Christopher Hart!"
Hope clapped her hands happily and tugged at Alia’s arm. "Mommy, I want kisses too!"
"Sweetie, stop it. Mommy has to go to work."
"No! Why can Daddy kiss Mommy but I can’t? Mommy is playing favorites!"
"..."
Christopher grinned as he watched the spectacle unfold.
With no other choice, Alia crouched down to kiss her daughter’s cheek, explaining, "Grownups can’t kiss little children on the lips—it’s not hygienic, sweetie. That’s what doctors say."
Hope frowned, still confused. "But why can grown-ups kiss other grown-ups?"
Alia: "..."
"Silly sister, grown-ups don’t kiss just any grown-up—they have to really love each other to kiss!" Just as Alia thought she couldn’t feel more embarrassed, Ethan stepped forward and answered his sister eloquently.
Christopher glanced at his younger son, amused yet exasperated. "What do you know?"
Ethan jumped onto the sofa, puffing himself up proudly. "Hmph! I know plenty! I even know that when grown-ups sleep together, they can have babies. Mommy, did you and Daddy sleep together to have the three of us litt—mmph mmph!"
Before Ethan could finish, Noah rushed up and clapped a hand over his mouth, exclaiming, "You idiot! You can’t say things like that out loud!"
Alia stood frozen in place, unable to form words, thoroughly mortified.
The living room had originally been occupied by Aunt Harper and several maids, but at so point, they had all quietly exited.
Ethan, still muffled under Noah’s hand, glanced around uneasily and realized the atmosphere had gone awry. He pulled his brother’s hand down and whispered, "Did I... say sothing wrong? But the book did say that parents sleep together to have...mmph mmph!"
Before he could finish again, Noah urgently clamped his hands down once more, practically shoving him into the sofa cushions.
Unable to face breakfast at ho, and knowing she wouldn’t be able to step back into the house that night, Alia escaped without looking back.
Watching her retreat, Hope looked confused. "Is Mommy angry?"
Christopher chuckled, "Mommy isn’t angry. She just thinks you three are too smart—so smart that she’s embarrassed."
Noah stared at this manipulative scumbag father and snapped, irritated, "You’re always pushing Mommy’s limits. If you drive her away again, let’s see who would want you, you old geezer!"
"You brat! I’m your dad—you should show respect."
"Respect has to be earned." Noah shot him a disdainful glare.
"..." Mr. Hart was left speechless.
————
Alia’s cheeks remained flushed even as she reached the company.
The season’s first snowfall had everyone excited, especially Betty, the foreigner, who kept marveling aloud about River City’s snow, calling it breathtakingly beautiful!
So beautiful, in fact, that she couldn’t focus on work, spending ti snapping pictures of the snowy scenery through the window with her phone.
Alia focused herself on processing her job tasks when her personal phone buzzed with a call. She glanced at the screen and was mildly surprised to see Benny Palr’s na.
"Hello, Young Master Palr. What’s the occasion?"
Benny laughed, "Nothing too grand. I happened to be in the area. Are you at work today?"
"Of course. Why?"
Alia, thinking Benny had returned to his family company to work and might be calling about the ss left behind at Seal-Cloud Corporation, prepared herself for a business discussion.
However, Benny casually replied, "It’s nothing. My mom’s 60th birthday is coming up, and I want to order her a set of jewelry. It has to be extravagant, classy, and top-notch. You’re the expert; help pick sothing out."
Understanding his request, Alia placed her phone on speaker mode on the desk, replying, "So, basically, flashy and over-the-top."
"You..." Benny was montarily speechless at her crude description but eventually admitted, "Yeah, that’s about right."
"If that’s the case, I’ve got sothing ready—probably exactly what you’re looking for."
Benny imdiately expressed interest in seeing it.
Alia notified the front desk staff, and soon Benny arrived.
Betty, as Alia’s assistant, had her desk just outside the office.
When Benny passed by, he was initially startled to see Betty but quickly recovered, speaking fluently in Chinese without switching to English, "You actually hired her to be your assistant?"
The translator behind Betty was about to intervene when she waved him off and responded in her own faltering Chinese, smiling, "Young Master Palr—Nee hao."
Benny nearly laughed out loud, nodding towards the suited man standing behind her, and continued in Chinese, "Miss Betty, you’re working for soone else and co with your own translator?"
Betty didn’t understand this ti and turned back to her translator, who quickly explained it to her.
Fully catching on that he was teasing her, Betty didn’t take offense and boldly declared, "What’s that? I also have a bodyguard who doubles as my driver."
Benny was so surprised he stood slack-jawed for a mont before stiffly giving her a thumbs-up. "Amazing! Absolutely amazing! You’ve broadened my horizons!"
Alia overheard Benny’s voice from inside the office. She opened the door to urge him, "Hurry up, I’ve got other matters to attend to."
Even as he entered with the door shutting behind him, Benny kept dramatically pointing his thumb at Betty, acknowledging her with exaggerated respect.
"Soone like her—you actually hired her to be your assistant? Her monthly salary probably doesn’t cover the cost of employing her translator, let alone her bodyguard or driver."
Alia rolled her eyes. "This isn’t your issue, it’s the ss you dragged in."
"How is this my fault? If anyone’s to bla, it’s your kids’ father."
But Alia defended him stubbornly. "You’re the one who brought her to River City, and you’re the one who gave her my number—this is all on you."
"Fine, fine." Benny surrendered with a laugh. "They say you take on the qualities of those you spend ti with—a dark inkpot next to charcoal, you’ve reached a whole new level of rhetorical skill beyond even your ’ntor.’"
Obviously, "ntor" referred to Christopher Hart.
Alia had no ti for idle chatter. She opened two safes, retrieved an indigo velvet box, and carefully slipped on black gloves.
With professional care, she took out the luxurious necklace made from erald gemstones.
"This erald necklace should et your expectations—noble, graceful, and perfectly suited for a lady like your mother. Eralds represent luck and happiness, making them ideal as a birthday gift. This necklace is one of our store’s treasure pieces—if it were anyone else asking, I wouldn’t even consider selling it."
Benny stared at the erald necklace, clearly impressed.
Each gemstone shimred vibrantly, the pieces arranged symtrically, gradually tapering down in size. The central pendant was a sizeable erald, as large as an adult thumbnail.
He suddenly asked, "Will it be very expensive?"
"Young Master Palr, are you joking? You don’t seem like soone who lacks money."
"Haha, I work for your man. Do you think I’m rolling in cash?"
This erald necklace had been acquired by Alia at an auction, costing over 3 million. She’d pushed her finances to their limit to secure it and had to rely on a loan from Kane.
Upon hearing the price, Benny hesitated.
True, his mother’s 60th birthday deserved a grand gift, but spending over 3 million on a single necklace felt... excessive.
If he started with sothing this extravagant, how would he top this for future birthdays?
And then Betty appeared in the room, clutching so docunts, interrupting his deliberation.
Upon seeing the erald necklace, her eyes lit up with excitent. "This... I’ve seen this necklace before—it was featured in an auction catalog! You were the one who bought it?"
Betty impulsively reached out for it, but Benny slapped her hand away. "What are you doing? This necklace is mine now."
"You? What’s a grown man going to do with a necklace? Wear it? You can’t eat it!" Betty turned to Alia excitedly. "How much? I’ll buy it!"
"You can’t—I already bought it! Didn’t you hear? She just said it’s 3.8 million. Okay, fine, I’ll transfer the money right now!" Benny eagerly grabbed the velvet box, determined to claim it. After all, as an only child, gifting this to his mother essentially ant it would co back to him one day—it was practically an investnt.
Betty was flustered, unable to understand the Chinese exchange. Turning to Alia, she asked, "How much? I’ll pay twice as much! Sell it to !"
Alia looked helpless. "It’s not about the price—Young Master Palr was here first."
Betty then turned her gaze towards Benny. "I’ll pay twice the price. Sell it to !"
Benny laughed. "I don’t need the cash—I’m keeping this necklace."
"Three tis! Three tis!" Betty shouted in desperation, raising her offer.
Alia was stunned. "Betty... you—"
Benny turned back with an exaggerated look of disbelief but also serious intent. "Are you serious?"
"Yes! I love eralds! Look at my bracelet—it matches this necklace! Doesn’t it?" Betty pushed up the sleeve of her coat to reveal a stunning erald bangle.
Alia, being an expert, could tell from one glance that the bracelet wasn’t cheap either.
Benny’s eyes flickered with calculation, then he sighed dramatically. "You clearly adore it. Normally, I would let you have it without hesitation, but it’s my mother’s 60th birthday..."
"Three tis the price—buy sothing else!"
Benny’s grin widened. "Alright then. Deal!"
Alia stood up hurriedly, stunned. "Young Master Palr, you—"
"Shh..." Benny silenced her and turned to Betty with princely generosity. "Since we’re friends, I’ll even round off the price for you—a clean 10 million."
"Ten million?" Betty was equally shocked, turning her questioning gaze to Alia.
Alia couldn’t bear watching an innocent fool being taken advantage of, switching back to stern Chinese for Benny. "Young Master Palr, don’t be too outrageous, or karma might strike you down!"
The necklace cost over 3 million, yet he flipped it for 10 million—why didn’t he just go rob a bank?
Benny replied back in Chinese, "She’s the one chasing after what I have—why aren’t you saying anything about that?"
Betty interrupted impatiently. "Speak English, please! Or I’ll call for my translator."
Alia sighed deeply, waving them both out. "As long as you’re not in my sight—you’re free to conclude your deal however you want."
Like the classic tale where a willing victim ets a greedy scher, why should she care?
Benny slung an arm around Betty’s shoulder, like they were old buddies, and walked her out the door.
"Do you even have ten million?"
"Of course, I do!"
"Wire transfer or scan QR code?"
"What’s a QR code?"
"... Fine—just wire the money. I’ll give you the account info."
Alia glanced at their chatty backs and overheard their heated discussion as they walked away, rubbing her temples.
Seriously...
Where did this naive girl co from? She’s practically counting money for the person selling her out!
Her phone buzzed. It was a WhatsApp notification from Snow Fitch, who’d sent several snowy snapshots to share with her, suggesting they leave work early tonight to take the kids out to play in the snow.
Alia thought it was a great idea and agreed readily.
She then casually ntioned what had happened earlier.
Snow Fitch was so dumbfounded she nearly dropped her phone, calling through voice chat instead. "Seriously? She’s like a walking stereotype—money but no brains. If she’s so rich, why doesn’t she start her own business instead of being your assistant?"
"She’s unfamiliar with everything here—what kind of business could she start?"
"True enough." Snow Fitch nodded before suddenly remarking, "No wonder Kane refused to be with her—he probably feared she’d burn through his wealth."
Alia agreed wholeheartedly. "That’s quite possible!"
"But Benny Palr really lacks scruples—scamming an innocent like her without pity? Doesn’t his conscience ache?"
Alia also thought Benny had pushed her limits of morality anew.
After chatting with her bestie, she couldn’t resist ssaging soone: You’re an idiot, but your buddy is worse!
anwhile, President Hart, presiding over a eting at the company, was puzzled on receiving such a ssage.
Christopher Hart: My buddy???
Alia stared at the three-word reply, packed with question marks, and furiously blushed, her irritation almost causing her to slam the desk.
This shaless man!
Why could he twist every decent and indecent matter into sothing lewd?
Was his mind made of mango pudding?
Seeing no response, Hart—the shaless President—asked again: What did my buddy do to offend you so deeply that you have to slander him? Honestly, he’s quite cunning.
Seeing his words, Alia swore ntally in frustration!
He was insufferable!
Tossing her phone aside montarily, she couldn’t resist picking it back up to send one word: Scram!!!
Christopher Hart glanced at the ssage, his lips curving into a smile that he couldn’t suppress.
Standing at the projection screen, one of the departnt’s senior managers, who was in the middle of the report, faltered upon noticing his boss’s grin.
Hart quickly raised his head, his smile vanishing instantly, his expression reverting to stern authority.
The manager coughed nervously and resud the presentation.
Lucas King, nearby, unintentionally glimpsed the chat on Hart’s phone and was astounded—since the President’s accident and subsequent amnesia, he seed to have transford into a sly driver of taphorical cars, speeding recklessly towards the furthest reaches of flirtation.
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