Candice shot a look at Rex. You tipped him off again, didn’t you?
The moment she heard “a visitor,” the first name that flashed across her mind was Charlie.
Rex instantly caught the meaning in her gaze.
“…Is it the young master? The moment you sent a message, he showed up? That fast?”
“Who is it?” Bianca asked lazily.
The butler replied, “It’s Mr. Makenzie. He said you scheduled a fitting with him today for the new ready-to-wear collection.”
“Oh, Mr. Makenzie,” Bianca nodded, then frowned as she quickly pulled out her phone. “Wait—no, I wrote the 29th. Today’s only the 28th.”
“Should I send him away then?”
Bianca hesitated, pouting a little. Honestly, she was curious about the new pieces. “Forget it. Since he’s already here, let his car in. Bring him to the side hall on the first floor.”
&l
Candice shot a look at Rex. You tipped him off again, didn’t you?The moment she heard “a visitor,” the first name that flashed across her mind was Charlie.Rex instantly caught the meaning in her gaze.“…Is it the young master? The moment you sent a message, he showed up? That fast?”“Who is it?” Bianca asked lazily.The butler replied, “It’s Mr. Makenzie. He said you scheduled a fitting with him today for the new ready-to-wear collection.”“Oh, Mr. Makenzie,” Bianca nodded, then frowned as she quickly pulled out her phone. “Wait—no, I wrote the 29th. Today’s only the 28th.”“Should I send him away then?”Bianca hesitated, pouting a little. Honestly, she was curious about the new pieces. “Forget it. Since he’s already here, let his car in. Bring him to the side hall on the first floor.”&l
My breath hitched.My fists curled tight, though I forced my face to stay calm.Jim was watching me closely. I couldn’t let even a flicker of disgust or panic slip through, so instead I gave him the most natural expression of confusion I could manage.“Huh? Mr. Lawrence went into my room? That can’t be right. Did he maybe walk into the wrong one?”Jim frowned, thinking it over. “Walked into the wrong room? A man like him—a chairman of a whole group—how could he be that careless? Doesn’t sound likely.”I gave a soft laugh, as if brushing it off. “Maybe he was distracted. My room’s not far from his. If he was lost in thought, it’s possible he just… took a wrong turn. Don’t overthink it, Jim.”“Candice, I didn’t tell Mr. Clemens about this. I only told you so you’d stay alert. It never hurts to be cautious.”He wasn’t
Charlie didn’t answer her question right away.His lips curled into a faint smile.He slowed the car down, pulling over to the shade of a tree, before turning to face her, starting his “guidance”... or rather, his “persuasion.”He raised his hand and gently smoothed the furrow in her brows, speaking in a calm, deep voice. "Don't frown like that.""When you think about things, don't be too negative. Otherwise, you'll end up in a dead end and create unnecessary worries for yourself.""The concerns you have now are just obstacles that are bound to happen.""Facing obstacles, you can't shrink back. You need to strike hard and fast. You have to seize the initiative immediately. Give a firm statement: This child is mine, and I'll make the decisions.""As for the surname, I understand that my consent doesn't really matter. It’s about you agreeing first, then me. As parents, our voices hold the most power.
Edward only smiled without speaking.James sat at the edge of the bed, lowering his head to adjust his glasses as if to cover up his nervousness. “Your uncle won’t let anything happen to you. No matter what, I will protect you. I’ve hired the best bodyguard team from abroad to guard you 24/7.”“Don’t trouble yourself, Uncle,” Edward replied with a playful smile.“We’re family, no need for polite talk. I just want you to be safe. Your grandmother’s been asking about you these days. After you get back, go see her.”“Yeah, I’ll go.”“Your grandmother is getting old and can’t handle any shocks. She’ll turn 80 next month, so don’t tell her about this. We don’t want to upset her.”James’s tone was extremely gentle.Edward gave him a knowing look, as if saying, “I understand, but I won’t say anything.&rdqu
Denny waved his hand dismissively, “Don’t worry, Lawrence has met Candice before. He knows she’s Charlie’s girlfriend, so it won’t be a problem when he sees her later. The main reason he’s here today is to see Edward. It won’t affect our conversation with Candice.”Beatrice seemed a little more reassured after hearing this.“I was just afraid that going to see a stranger would scare Candice.”Marlene laughed: "It's more scary for us to barge in early in the morning and 'surround' her, right?"“Brother is really something—keeping both old flames and new lovers in the same house,” came a lazy male voice, drifting over.Ollie gave his usual sarcastic comment.Denny shot him a glare, kicking him, “...What old flames! Ah! I’ll teach you to stop spreading rumors!”Ollie easily dodged the kick. “Their relationship isn’t a one-day thing
Candice pursed her lips, not saying a word.After a long pause, she finally helplessly spoke, “Charlie, can you stop treating me like a criminal you're guarding? I'm not going to intentionally fall just to get rid of the baby.”Charlie reached out and pulled her into his arms, his voice soft and low, “Don’t overthink it. I just want to take care of you. This is my first time doing something like this, and I’m not sure how to do it better. Please don’t find me annoying, okay?”There was a hint of pleading in his tone.This gentleness swept across Candice’s heart like a feather.She looked up at him.Their breaths grew closer, his lips nearing hers until they finally touched. It was an all-encompassing kiss.“Mmm—”Her tongue felt numb from his persistent kiss before she finally reacted, pushing him away.Charlie didn’t push further, lifting his head w