Chapter 1683

After his shower, Ben stepped out wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist. As he searched the house, it didn’t take long for him to guess where Jamie might be. Sure enough, the soft glow of light beneath the study door confirmed it. Pushing the door open, Ben strolled in confidently, his toned body glistening with droplets of water trailing from his hair down to his chest and well-defined abs. He looked like a proud peacock showing off its plumage.
Jamie, however, didn’t even glance up. “You should go to bed. I’m still reviewing cases,” she said, her eyes glued to the stack of papers in front of her.
“You’ve already gone through these cases several times,” Ben said, standing right in front of her.
“It’s still not enough!” Jamie sighed, flipping another page. “What I lack compared to others is practical experience. That’s not something you can make up overnight.”
Ben leaned closer, his gaze steady. “There’re still a few days before the next round. Take a break! You’re overworking yourself.”
He reached for her hand, nearly pressing it against his chest for emphasis, but Jamie remained oblivious to his intentions, her focus unshaken. “A few days isn’t much, especially when I’ve got a mountain of case studies to get through!” Ben frowned, frustration flickering in his expression. “How could she find legal documents more interesting than me?” he thought to himself.
Seeing that his attempts at distraction were futile, he sighed in resignation. Instead, he picked up a hairdryer and started gently drying Jamie’s damp hair.
“Letting your hair stay wet for too long isn’t good. You might get a headache,” he murmured, tenderly running his fingers through her hair as the warm air flowed.
By the time he had finished drying and combing her hair, Jamie finally looked up, a soft warmth in her eyes. “Thank you, Ben.”
Her gaze drifted to his bare shoulders, then lower to the towel loosely tied around his waist. Despite being married for years, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink. “Aren’t you cold?”
Ben smirked and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Freezing. Care to warm me up?”
“Then put on some clothes!” Jamie scolded, turning her face away to avoid his teasing smile.
“It’s late. Time for bed,” Ben said, his tone playfully suggestive. “We haven’t had time to… relax together in ages.”
Jamie squirmed out of his hold, flustered. “I’ve been busy preparing!”
Unfazed, Ben tightened his hold on her like a clingy koala. “It’s late. You need to rest.”
Jamie sighed. “This opportunity is one you worked hard to secure for me. I don’t want to let you down.”
Ben took her hands in his, his gaze serious. “You’re not letting anyone down, Jamje. It’s just one competition. You’ve spent years honing your skills. This is your moment to test the waters, not to
prove anything to anyone.”
His words brought a sense of calm to her restless heart. “With you by my side, I feel so much more at ease,” she admitted.
“Then let’s call it a night.”
“Ben!” she said, her voice half-annoyed, half-affectionate.
Without warning, Ben scooped her up in his arms.
“Ben, what are you doing?” Jamie gasped.
“Carrying you to bed,” he replied with a mischievous grin.
The next few days flew by as Jamie prepared for the second round of the competition. But just as things seemed to be on track, rumors began to surface online.
Her lack of notoriety seemed to
make her an easy target for malicious speculation. The internet buzzed with claims that she had
gained entry to the competiti
through “connections,” branding her as a privileged insider allegedly set teowin the gold prize regardless of merit.
Words like “rigged” and “favoritism” gained traction, stoking outrage among onlookers. The term “insider deal” carried a particular sting, evoking strong resentment from the public.
An avalanche of criticism poured in,
accusing Jamie of undermining the hard work of other competitors. People lamented that her alleged “shortcut” was a slap in the face to those striving to prove themselves through genuine effort.
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