Chapter 924
Noreen sat in the backseat, turning her head to look at him.
The phone was clutched in her hand, its screen flashing brightly.
The evening sun was glorious, painting the sky in brilliant colors, but none of it compared to the soft glimmer in her eyes.
It had been a very long time since she had looked at him like that.
The campus gates were bustling with people, but all the noise faded away, entirely left behind by Seth.
All he could see was her.
“Did you get in the wrong car?”
Noreen arched an eyebrow. “Should I get out, then?”
A devilish smirk curved Seth’s devastatingly handsome features. “Too late for that. Easy to board a pirate ship, impossible to leave.”
He ducked into the car, thoroughly blocking Noreen’s only exit.
Linda got into the driver’s seat. Before he even started the engine, Seth issued an order from the back. “Lock all the doors. Don’t even let a single mosquito escape! If one gets away, it’s on you!”
Noreen was utterly speechless.
Linda actually went ahead and locked the doors.
Noreen shot Linda a flat look.
“Don’t glare at him. I’m the one signing his paychecks. If you have a problem, take it
up with me.” Seth leaned against the seat, turning his body toward her.
His demeanor was lazy, a fragmented light dancing in his deep gaze.
Linda nervously glanced at Noreen through the rearview mirror. Exasperated, Noreen rolled her eyes at Seth. “I’m not mad at him.”
Seth hooked a finger around a stray strand of hair by her ear, playing with it between his fingertips. “Did you miss me during the 336 hours we were apart?”
Noreen swatted his hand away, kindly reminding him, “We literally took a picture together half an hour ago.”
“Well, I missed you.”
He twirled her hair again, completely ignoring her logic.
Noreen tried to push him away, failed, and simply gave up.
She had questions she wanted to ask him, but with Linda sitting right there, she didn’t know where to start, and Seth’s relentless teasing kept derailing her thoughts.
His phone buzzed. It was a call from Jude Wilder.
He instantly hung up and powered off the device, refusing to let anyone or anything ruin this hard-won moment of privacy.
Staring at the rejected call,
Jude who had a critical business
decision requiring Seth’s Taputewas left with a face full of question marks.
The car pulled away from Rivercrest University, cruising aimlessly down the highway.
Rivercrest University and Rivercrest Academy were in the same district.
As they drove past Rivercrest Academy, Noreen looked out at the completely renovated street.
Her heart stirred.
She turned back to Seth. “Do you still remember what Rivercrest Academy used to look like?”
“I do.”
His answer was absolute.
Noreen pressed, “But I remember you didn’t go to middle school here.”
As the sole heir to the Harcourt family, Seth had been raised on an elite education,
always attending international prep schools.
The international schools and Rivercrest Academy were worlds apart.
Their paths should never have crossed.
Just like her original life trajectory and Seth’s.
“It’s true, I didn’t go to school here,” Seth answered honestly. “But I still remember
it.”
“Why?” she asked, genuinely baffled.
“To chase a girl I liked, obviously. Why else would someone cross half of Rivercrest City to come here?”
Noreen let out a soft “Oh.”
She was self-aware enough not to narcissistically assume he meant her.
Seth’s hand, still tangling in her hair, trailed slowly upward until his warm her
fingertips brushed agg
earlobe. He asked with a teasing grin, Aren’t you going to ask who the girl was?”
“I don’t care to know.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Fine. I was going to tell you all about my tragic secret crush, but if you don’t want to hear it, whatever He sounded thoroughly disappointed.
His hand moved from her earlobe, sliding gradually to the back of her neck, gently
massaging her tense shoulders.
The pressure was perfect, easily coaxing her into lowering her guard.
“You? Having a secret crush?” Noreen didn’t believe it for a second.
[Author’s Note: The previous chapter was revised.]