Chapter 1004
He hung up the phone instantly, terrified of pushing his luck.
Rank always had its privileges!
When Sophia and Noreen arrived at the venue, Sophia received a text from Seth.
He told her to block as many drinks for Noreen as possible.
Following Noreen around like a loyal sidekick, Sophia waited for a lull in the
greetings before whispering carefully, “Ms. Gilmore, did you and Assistant Harcourt have a fight?”
Noreen’s tone was flat. “No.”
“Then why didn’t you bring him along?”
“What? Are you tired of following me around?” Noreen snapped coldly.
Sophia felt her stomach drop and quickly backpedaled. “No, no, of course not!”
She had definitely stepped into the crossfire.
Noreen plucked the champagne flute from Sophia’s hand and glided over to chat with the boss of Prospera Health, a flawless smile on her face.
Whenever someone offered a toast, she drank it without hesitation.
Sophia tried to intervene several times, but Noreen waved her off.
Halfway through the night, the alcohol had definitely hit her.
The host immediately arranged for someone to escort Noreen to a private lounge to rest.
Noreen asked Sophia to get her a glass of lemon water.
Sophia hurried out of the room.
A few moments later, the door clicked open.
Assuming it was Sophia, Noreen murmured a quiet, “Come in.”
But the person who walked in was Seth.
“Get ou—”
“Mmph…”
The rest of her words were swallowed by his kiss.
Anticipating her struggle, he gently but firmly gripped her jaw, deepening the kiss with a soft yet undeniable force.
He tasted of alcohol, too—the rich, velvety notes of red wine lingering on his tongue.
The kiss carried a hazy, intoxicating aggression, washing over them like a perfectly breathed glass of Pinot Noir.
When she gasped for air, he smoothly slipped in, overwhelming her senses with the deep, bold flavors.
Tangled together, the taste was an explosion of ripe cherries and dark blackberries. Underneath it all was the faint, smoky warmth of toasted oak, dry and inviting.
The alcohol seeped into her
bloodstream through the sheer,
their connection, making
intensity of their
the room spin in a weightless blur.
Every breath she managed to pull in felt steeped in wine, thick with a suffocating, undeniable tension.
It wasn’t just a kiss; it felt like a calculated attempt to completely intoxicate her.
It was impossible to tell who was drowning in it first.
As they broke apart, breathless, Seth rested his forehead against hers, his voice rough and gritty. “Why are you so mad?”
“I’m no “
Mmph…
He captured her lips again, sealing off any denial.
He didn’t pull back until they were both panting heavily. “Why are you mad?”
“I…”
“Tell me you’re not mad again, and I’ll keep kissing you until you admit it.”
“”
Noreen turned her face away.
Her breathing was still ragged.
His scorching breath fanned across her sensitive neck, sending involuntary shivers down her spine.
Noreen knew she was being slightly unreasonable.
Earlier that day, she had been talking to Claire about Felix and Madeline.
About how Felix, despite knowing
exactly what kind of manipulator et
Madeline was, still blindly chose her, trusted her, and cleaned up her messes.
He was even willing to divorce Claire just for Madeline.
She admitted the conversation had triggered something deep inside her.
It dug up a lot of ugly memories.
Years ago when Seth and Bianca Lowell were engaged, they had been kidnapped. Rumors swirled that the kidnappers had crossed a line with Bianca.
Yet, Seth had still chosen to believe Bianca without question.
It was a blind, unquestioning trust.
The kind of trust that could only be explained by true love.