Elias Langley tightened his arms, encircling her in his embrace, his voice low and intoxicating. "Why do you still want to go back?"
Juliana Jacobs looked up and glared at him. Her eyes still burning with anger towards Dylan Paxton, Evan Grant, and an inexplicable annoyance towards Elias. Her tone was sharp.
"Raine Kane is still up there, being controlled by Dylan’s people. She’s your subordinate after all; aren’t you going to do sothing?"
Watching her eyes sparkle with anger, a faint smile flickered across Elias’s eyes, but his arms held her tighter, not allowing her to break free.
"I take care of everything related to you. How could I abandon her? I’ve already told her to go and pack her things."
"Why is she packing? Are you firing her?"
Elias didn’t answer her question and instead lifted her up directly.
"Get in the car, Mrs. Langley. Do you actually like this place?"
Juliana was montarily stunned and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.
The chill from their fight a few days ago hadn’t completely faded. She kept a straight face, struggling to get down, but the man held her even tighter, moving her into the backseat.
The car door closed, and the space inside instantly beca cramped. Juliana turned her face to stare out the window, but her tightly pressed lips and heaving chest betrayed her turbulent emotions.
Elias, with good humor, adjusted the coat draped over her shoulders and playfully pinched her earlobe.
Juliana beca more annoyed by his antics, waving her hand near her ear to swat at him, but missed his hand.
Then she turned around, her voice deliberately cold and hard, "You just told Dylan Paxton about our marriage. Are you ready for that?"
As soon as she spoke, the car suddenly jolted sharply.
Caught off guard, Juliana let out a low scream, her body tilting towards Elias due to inertia, and once again, she fell into his arms.
Elias caught her steadily, enclosing her in his embrace, but his gaze sharply caught Quinn Shepherd’s eyes reflected in the rearview mirror, not fully withdrawn.
Their eyes t briefly in the mirror.
Silent, yet more piercing than the fiercest warning.
Quinn’s fingers clenched tightly around the steering wheel, knuckles turning white, as he quickly steadied the car, his voice carrying a subtle tension, "Sorry, boss, I didn’t notice."
Elias said nothing, just withdrew his gaze calmly.
At that mont, Juliana in his arms lifted her head and saw his tense jawline.
She mistakenly thought her earlier words had pressured him, her heart softened inexplicably, mixed with so anger and an unspeakable grievance, and she pounded lightly on his chest.
"If you didn’t co, I could have left that awful place tonight myself. I don’t need you."
Elias could tell she didn’t want him to offend Dylan Paxton.
He lowered his eyes, looking at her, the cold in his eyes dissipating as if blown away by a spring breeze.
A gentle smile crept onto his lips, "But I need you. Don’t you care about ?"
The sharp words at the tip of Juliana’s tongue faded away when she t his dark, weary eyes.
"I don’t want to care about you."
Juliana rested her cheek back against his strong chest, quietly listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat.
Elias tightened his arms, his chin gently touching the top of her head.
A while later, the car stopped in front of the hotel.
"You go up first; I’ll be up to get you soon," Elias said.
Juliana didn’t understand why he said that.
She wanted to ask but suddenly sensed an unusual subtlety in the car.
And that subtlety emanated from him and Quinn.
So she said no more and entered the hotel.
The car drove into the hotel parking lot and stopped slowly but didn’t turn off.
Quinn gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, cold sweat in his palms.
"Boss..."
His voice trembled slightly, distinctly heard in the closed car cabin.
Elias gazed steadily at the orange street view through the windshield, his voice neutral.
"You should understand why I didn’t tell you about registering the marriage. I’ll give you a chance, speak up yourself."
Quinn’s last shred of hope shattered completely.
His shoulders slumped as he took a deep breath, as if gathering all his strength.
"I interfered with a blood sample submission once, and the investigation into the information about the lady’s admission to the Arlan Children’s Ho... I leaked it. But only... those two tis. Boss, I... I..."
With that, Quinn was about to unbuckle his seatbelt and get out.
Apparently intending to walk to the back and make a more humble plea.
"Sit, say it from there."
Elias’ tone was calm but carried an invisible pressure.
Quinn’s body froze, maintaining a half-turned, awkward posture, not daring to look back.
"My uncle faced so trouble, but actually... he was deceived. He funded my education in the past, so when my aunt ca to plead with , I felt very conflicted. I couldn’t misuse your na for personal reasons, but I couldn’t ignore him either. At that ti, Old Mr. Paxton... he voluntarily helped ."
Quinn was very conflicted.
"I could have refused, but they already released the person. I... I lost my mind... and agreed to do two things that wouldn’t violate my conscience as repaynt, just those two tis. Mr. Langley, I betrayed your trust, I’m sorry! Whatever you decide to do, I have no complaints."
Quinn finished speaking, as if unloading a massive burden, and exhaled heavily.
He knew Elias’s ways; he’d never gone easy on traitors.
However, Elias didn’t imdiately speak.
After a long silence, he finally said, "For so many years, you stayed by my side like a friend. You can’t imagine my feelings when I realized you had issues... but fortunately, I’ve been through a lot and look at things lightly."
"Boss..." Quinn was filled with guilt.
"If these two pieces of information let the other party find the Sinclair Family’s daughter first, it would give them leverage to blackmail the Sinclairs. Do you know how serious that is?"
Quinn lowered his head, looking pained.
"Tomorrow soone will reassign you to another departnt; hand your work over to Zachary York."
"Mr. Langley..." Quinn’s face was tear-streaked, "So you and Miss Jacobs registered to throw smoke in the eyes of everyone?"
Elias didn’t respond to his words, just got out of the car.
When Juliana returned to the room, Raine Kane had already packed her things.
She was used to keeping all her things in her bag, so she could always be ready.
Seeing Juliana, she imdiately asked, "Juliana, are you okay?"
Juliana shook her head, "What about you?"
Raine looked a bit embarrassed, "Sorry, Mr. Langley criticized , I’ll improve."
"As long as you’re okay."
The worry Juliana had been carrying for her finally eased.
"Pack up quickly; Mr. Langley said you can’t stay at a hotel while in Kingsford; you must return ho."
Juliana was startled by her words, "Ho? Which ho?"
"How many hos do you have?" Elias, leaning against the door, asked.
Juliana glanced back at him, displeased, "I’m not moving; I’ll just stay here. Anyway, it’s your card, I’m not worried about spending it."
Elias walked in with a smile and started packing her luggage.
"If madam likes it, even if it’s a presidential suite or a palace’s inner court, you could live in it, but not today. This is our first ti returning to Kingsford as husband and wife; it must be proper and aboveboard."
Although Juliana said she wouldn’t move, Elias still led her into the car with her hand.
She was surprised to find Quinn was gone.
Raine drove, and the car didn’t head for any known luxury residential area. Instead, it entered a quiet alley lined with wutong trees on both sides and finally stopped in front of a humble red-lacquered door.
There was no plaque above the door, just a small, color-faded old-fashioned doorplate embedded beside it that read: Number 17 Dovian Street.
Entering, they found an entirely different world.
It was a well-ordered quadrangle courtyard, with blue brick paving, walkways connecting the main room with the east and west wings. The furniture was in a simple Ming-style, without any unnecessary adornnts, but the material and craftsmanship were exquisite, exuding a low-profile, understated richness.
As Juliana quietly assessed this space that aligned perfectly with his status and character, she hadn’t even stepped fully into the main room before Elias embraced her from behind, his warm lips landing on the sensitive spot behind her ear.
Reviews
All reviews (0)