Lahat ng Kabanata ng Dangerous Arrangement: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Mr. Hawthorne waited, but the words asking him to stop never came. Jasmine confused him, filling his mind with questions that had no answers. Should he stop? Or was it better to keep going, to find out where Jasmine’s boundaries truly lay? “Jasmine,” he called softly. Jasmine slowly opened her eyes, trying to gauge how far things had gone. Embarrassment washed over her as she realized her body was exposed, with Mr. Hawthorne’s robe disheveled, its belt nearly undone. “I—I... now I...” Jasmine stammered, clutching the sheets tightly. Mr. Hawthorne’s gaze swept over her body, noting the marks he had left. His hand reached out, brushing away the hair that covered her neck, revealing another red mark. “I went overboard,” he murmured quietly. “W—what do you mean?” Jasmine asked, confusion evident on her face. “How are you feeling so far?” he inquired. Jasmine looked away. “Before that, could you... pull up the blanket for me?” Without a word, Mr. Hawthorne immediately covered her w

Mr. Hawthorne left Jasmine to monitor the progress of a meeting, temporarily closing the debate between them. As he walked back to his office, he met Theodore, who immediately followed in his steps. “I just came from your office to check on Miss Everhart.” “Is she still here?” “Yes, Sir. Also, regarding your previous request, I am hesitant to act.” Mr. Hawthorne’s steps halted, and so did Theodore’s. “You haven’t done it yet?” “I wanted to confirm once more if you really intend to release them?” Theodore slightly bowed his head, then spoke with a serious expression. “I’m sorry, Sir. Your decision might have been influenced by Miss Everhart’s plea.” “In that case, what should I do?” This time, Theodore bowed deeply. “I will carry out your orders.” Mr. Hawthorne sighed, thinking for a moment. “Release them before sunrise, under the conditions I’ve set,” he said, then continued walking. Indeed, it wouldn’t be fair if the captives were released just like that. Before that happen

Mr. Hawthorne sat on the edge of the bed, watching Jasmine as she slept peacefully. The quiet room was dimly lit by the light from the open door and the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the window. He gently caressed Jasmine’s cheek before pulling his hand back. “I... met with my ex-wife earlier. She lied about Lilly being missing.” His lips twitched. “I never imagined I would run into my ex-wife’s lover on my birthday. Do you think that makes any sense?” Mr. Hawthorne glanced at Jasmine, who remained unresponsive. Of course, the woman was sound asleep. “My pride is wounded because that man managed to make Natalie’s eyes shine brighter than they ever did with me. I hate to admit it, but the three of them looked so happy together,” he massaged his forehead with a frustrated expression, “like the little family I’ve always wanted,” he muttered, then stood and left the room.***Jasmine flung her hand to the side of the bed. She jolted awake, her eyes wide open. There was no s

Jasmine’s heart pounded hard. Although it wasn’t the first time she wore Mr. Hawthorne’s shirt, her nervousness was so palpable. She didn’t even dare to look at Mr. Hawthorne, who was leaning back with his eyes closed. “Are you done?” Mr. Hawthorne asked. Jasmine nodded slowly. “Hmm...” Mr. Hawthorne opened his eyes and released his clasped hands. His gaze landed on Jasmine, who was wearing a maroon shirt. The bottom hem of the shirt revealed a bit of her right thigh, showing off her glowing skin. Even though he was tempted, he held himself back from touching her, then silently started the car engine and continued driving. Jasmine cast a glance at Mr. Hawthorne, who was wearing a black shirt. The shirt that matched hers piqued her curiosity—why did Mr. Hawthorne bring two shirts? “Do you always carry a spare shirt when you go out?” Mr. Hawthorne remained focused on driving, pondering the real reason why he always kept a change of clothes in the car. The shirts were always maroon

The restraint of feelings was finally released.In the silence broken only by the whisper of the wind, their love blossomed, mingling in increasingly intense kisses. With one hand, Mr. Hawthorne still controlling the back of Jasmine’s head, and the other arm wrapped around her back, their tongues entwined tightly, merging in soft, stimulating movements. The passion continued to rise, especially for Mr. Hawthorne, who had long been unfulfilled in his predatory instincts.As Mr. Hawthorne moved the kiss from her lips to her neck, Jasmine reflexively tilted her head back, making her more aware of the hand that still supported her head. In that moment, Jasmine opened her eyes, faced with the mesmerizing night sky.The pleasure from the passionate touch on her neck made Jasmine bite her lip. The hand that had been around her back slowly descended, tracing her waist before turning her body and laying her back on the sun lounge.Seeing Mr. Hawthorne’s face far above hers, regulating his brea