Chapter 229
Marina hung her head, didn’t say a word.
Daron walked over and sat down in his office chair, looking up at Marina, who stood there looking meek and quiet.
“Why are you standing so far away?” he asked.
He’d only been gone a few days, and she was already acting like they were strangers again.
He’d told her about Garret’s injury before he left, but she hadn’t even bothered to check in on him while he was gone.
‘Seriously, she doesn’t care at all, Daron thought.
A tight, frustrated ache gripped his chest.
If this went on much longer, she was going to drive him to an early grave.
Marina shuffled forward just a little, barely closing the distance.
“Mr. Zamora, is there something you need? I still have part of my report to finish up,” she said.
Daron’s gaze grew sharp, his eyes fixed steadily on her.
“You’ve turned my office upside down, and it never occurred to you to actually update me on what’s going on, or give me any real info?” he said.
Marina looked up at him, thought for a few seconds, then murmured, “So… do you want me to go write up a written update for you right now?”
Daron’s brows drew together, annoyed by how she was treating this like just another business matter.
“You were stuck in the CEO’s office bathroom all night, and you didn’t even think to call me for help?” he said.
“My phone was on my desk. I didn’t bring it into the bathroom,” Marina said, totally unfazed, not even a trace of frustration on her face.
‘If I could’ve called for help, I wouldn’t have spent the whole night locked in there, Marina thought, shrugging it off like it was no big deal.
Daron’s face darkened.
“You didn’t even think to tell me afterwards?” he pressed.
Marina bit her lip. “You were held up in Frency for so long, and I figured you must’ve had your hands full over there, My little problem was nothing in comparison…”
Daron locked his gaze on her, eyes blazing with fury. “You’re lying”
Marina’s expression shifted, her words caught in her throat. ‘I just can’t lie to him when he’s this mad, she thought, losing her nerve in front of Daron’s anger.
She managed a faint, awkward smile, not daring to lift her head or meet his eyes. ‘I can’t even look him in the eye, Marina thought.
Daron could sense her pulling away. He rose from his chair and closed in on her, his presence pressing in, refusing to let her
retreat.
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Chapter 229
“Out with it. What’s running through your head right now?” he demanded.
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As Daron closed in, Marina instinctively held her breath. She mustered the courage to look him in the eye and said softly, “I was just thinking about work.”
That was the honest truth.
Daron reached out and tilted her chin up, making her look straight into his eyes.
“You didn’t call me afterwards. Was it because you thought I wouldn’t protect you, or did you not believe I’d be on your side?” he demanded.
A hint of hesitation flickered in Marina’s eyes. She opened her mouth, but she just couldn’t bring herself to answer him.
Those questions had never even crossed her mind.
‘Why didn’t I just call him?‘ Marina thought.
Maybe it was just that she was sure she could handle it on her own.
She also knew Daron would never protect the ones who did it.
But if all they got was fired, then all that fear and anxiety she went through. Trapped in that silent bathroom, listening to the endless drip of water, her mind conjuring up every creepy bathroom story she’d ever heard. It would be pointless.
‘It’s only fair that whoever locked me in the bathroom gets a taste of that same fear, Marina thought.
When he saw her lost in thought, Daron’s fingers pressed a little harder under her chin.
Marina came back to herself, saw the annoyance in Daron’s eyes, and answered truthfully.
“I wanted to get even with them first, and then let you know about it,” Marina said.
“If I’d told you right away and you fired them, I’d have to go hunt them down later. That’d be way too much trouble,” she added.
‘Once Daron figures out I’m not some sweet little bunny, maybe he’ll start to lose interest in me, Marina thought.
After all, no man likes a woman who’s petty and always out for payback.
Besides, Elnora was already planning to set her up with some blind dates.
If she could make Daron lose interest before that, it’d save her a ton of hassle. Maybe she could even get back to Finley Group sooner, so Elnora could rest easy and focus on her recovery.
Daron narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer, his gaze sharp and full of pressure.
Marina couldn’t help but swallow nervously, instinctively stepping back.
But Daron wrapped his arm firmly around her waist, pulling her right up against him.
“Remember what I told you before I left for Frency? That I had something to tell you when I got back?” Daron’s voice was low and intense.
Marina could feel the warmth of his hand pressing through her clothes, sending a rush of heat straight to her core.
Her heart leapt at his words, suddenly pounding in her chest.
Watching her all tense and flustered, Daron said quietly, his voice serious.
18:43 Sat, Jan 31 M!
Chapter 229
“The night before I came back to Vrufield, you got drunk and wrapped yourself around me, calling the hubby over and
over.”
Marina’s brain short–circuited for a moment, her eyes going vacant as she tried to process what he’d just said.
“What?” she blurted out, totally stunned.
Seeing her totally freaked out, Daron couldn’t help but smirk.
“So, you’ve been fantasizing about me for a while, huh?” he teased.
Marina’s mind went totally blank. She was about to deny it, but Daron didn’t let her get a word in.
“So, when did it start?” he asked, his voice dropping to a playful murmur.
“Was it just recently, or have you been into me all this time? If it’s been that long, then why were you so hell–bent on calling off the engagement? Is it that you…”
Before he could finish, Marina’s phone started ringing, cutting him off right on cue.
A vein popped on Daron’s forehead. When Marina reached for her phone, he grabbed her hand, stopping her cold.
“Don’t answer it. Let me finish what I was saying,” he said.
He needed her to finally come clean about why she kept making a fuss about breaking off the engagement.
He couldn’t let this keep getting in the way of their future together.
Marina’s nerves were shot. She’d always thought that night was just some wild dream, but who could’ve guessed it was real all along?
“It’s Elnora calling. I have to pick up,” Marina blurted out.
“You know how sick she is. If something’s happened…” Marina’s words trailed off.,
Daron didn’t wait for her to finish. He let go of her hand, turned away, and said quietly, “Go ahead, answer it.”
Marina let out a sigh of relief, answered the call, and instinctively stepped away from Daron.
“Elnora…” Marina said softly.
She glanced at Daron, making sure he couldn’t overhear her conversation, and only then did she feel at ease.
Elnora said, “Marina, do you remember Larry Jordan?”
Marina froze for a second. The name sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. After a moment, it finally clicked.
“Yeah, I remember. He was in my class back in middle school, right?”
Elnora gave a soft “mm,” her tone steady.
“The Du family is really fond of you. They heard I’ve been looking for someone for you to date, so they got in touch. I’ve checked out their background, and Larry doesn’t have any bad habits or vices,” Elnora explained.
“Why don’t you leave work a bit early today and meet him at Silkwind Kitchen? Just treat it like catching up with an old friend. No need to stress,” Elnora said.
Marina’s fingers curled a little tighter around her phone as she answered in a gentle voice, “Alright, I finish work at six.”
ལས་་ཕ་
Chapter 229
Elnora said, “But I set it up for 5:30. Try to head over a little early, okay? I’ll talk to Daron and get you off work so you don’t have to worry about it.”
Marina’s heart tightened at that.
“Elnora, let me handle it myself,” Marina said.
Elnora’s voice was gentle. “I’ve already messaged him.”
She was curious to see if Daron was really as cool and unflappable as he pretended to be, and whether he still thought he could play Marina like a pro and have her fall right into his trap.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
