Chapter 16 An Unexpected Familiarity
“Darling? I…”
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“I have something to take care of. That’s it for now. You should spend some time with your dad. We can discuss the meeting later.” Without waiting for a response, Michael hung up the phone.
After returning from the cafe to Michael’s villa, Clara waited until evening for his return.
She had spent hours deliberating and finally decided that she had to save Bennett Enterprise.
“You’re back. Have you had dinner yet? Come, try the dishes I made.”
When Clara saw Michael walk in, she hurriedly brought out the food she had prepared. After setting the table with four dishes and a soup, she fetched the utensils.
Michael was a little surprised by her eagerness to cook.
“Do you need a favor?” He walked toward her with his long strides.
He wasn’t sure if it was because of the acupuncture Clara had performed on him or something else, but his condition had not flared up in a long time. He could stand for much longer than before.
In the past, he frequently had to use a wheelchair, but recently, it had almost become
unnecessary.
Clara felt awkward as Michael saw through her intentions immediately. She smiled sheepishly, quickly pulling out a chair for him and motioning for him to sit down before seating herself beside him.
She thought of how Michael had treated her, and now, here she was, pleading with him to spare Bennett Enterprise. The thought made her grit her teeth in frustration.
“Could you please spare Bennett Enterprise this time?” Clara didn’t stay idle as she spoke. She served him food.
“I understand your concerns. Rest assured, Bennett Enterprise won’t go bankrupt, and Dylan won’t sell his shares.” Michael read her thoughts with ease.
“Really?” Clara had expected to have to beg him, but she was surprised by how thoroughly he had considered everything. “Try this. It’s my specialty dish. My grandma taught me how to make it when I was living in the village.”
As she said the last sentence, a hint of sadness flickered in her eyes, Michael’s notice.
which didn’t escape
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Chapter 16 An Unexpected Familiarity
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With the tension between them temporarily cased, they finished dinner peacefully.
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Later that evening, when Michael returned to the bedroom from his study, he immediately noticed something was amiss.
Clara lay on the bed, her face contorted in discomfort. She was clawing at her clothes, her flushed face prompting him to quickly reach for his phone.
“I told you not to do it to her.”
He wasn’t calling just anyone–it was his master, Yerrick Zyle. He didn’t expect Yerrick had drugged Clara with Charm Smoke.
Clara knows medicine. How has she…
“This isn’t harming her. You’ve been married for so long, so think of it as a gift from me. Besides, you didn’t take any precautions when you came in. You’ve likely inhaled quite a bit of it yourself…”
Before Yerrick could finish, Michael hung up the phone. He slapped Clara’s face gently, trying to wake her up.
She gazed at him with hazy eyes, her burning hands clutching his shirt. Even through the thin fabric, he could feel her feverish heat.
Yerrick knew everything about his condition–how sometimes he could stand, while other times he had to rely on a wheelchair.
Yerrick often used Charm Smoke on Michael and gave him women. Michael had always taken precautions, avoiding any accidents.
Nevertheless, he had been careless this time.
The poison in his body could only be partially alleviated by physical release, but he refused to give in, leading Yerrick to resort to Charm Smoke.
By the time Michael snapped out of his thoughts, Clara had already wrapped her arms around his neck. Her hot breath fanned across his skin, which only intensified the effects of Charm Smoke he had inhaled earlier.
He quickly picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. Turning on the cold water, he placed her under the shower, letting the water cascade over her face in an attempt to clear her mind.
However, he had no way of knowing how much Charm Smoke she had inhaled.
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Chapter 16 An Unexpected Familiarity
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Leaving her in the bathroom, Michael rushed back to the bedroom, opening the windows to air out the room and letting Charm Smoke dissipate. He also turned on the air conditioning to lower the temperature.
It took 15 minutes for the room to be clear of Charm Smoke.
When he re–entered the bathroom, he found Clara lying in the bathtub. Her clothes were disheveled and soaked, clinging to her body and revealing her curves.
Michael patted her face. “Clara, come back to your senses. Just hold on a little longer.”
In fact, even he was struggling to put up with it, let alone Clara, who had inhaled so much of Charm Smoke.
D*mn it!
“Michael… Is that you?”
Clara giggled foolishly at him. Her soft, delicate hand clutched his arm, her small face rubbing against him as if it eased her discomfort.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t enough to relieve her suffering. She stood up in the bathtub, pressing her face against his chest, her hands roaming over his body.
Michael instantly tensed up.
Send Gifts
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11:51 Sat, Oct 18 M…
The Stand In Bride He Holds On To
