Chapter 230
A subtle emotion flickered in Marina’s eyes, but she quickly hid it and answered her sister in a low voice.
“Okay,” Marina murmured.
Since Elnora and Daron had known each other for years as classmates, maybe it’d work out better if her sister talked to him instead.
Besides, Marina wasn’t even sure how Daron would react if she asked for leave to go on a blind date.
Just picturing his face all serious, with that mocking, disdainful smile, made Marina feel so awkward.
After hanging up, Marina took a moment to steady herself before speaking.
“Mr. Zamora, looks like you got the wrong idea. I was drunk that night and thought I was dreaming, so I just blurted out some crazy stuff,” she said.
Daron turned around, his expression calm as he looked at her. There wasn’t a trace of anger in his eyes, even after her explanation.
Maybe he’d already figured out what she was about to say, so he headed her off before she could even finish.
“So, what you mean is, you thought I was someone else that night, and that’s why I misunderstood?” Daron asked.
Marina froze, not expecting Daron to call her out with the exact excuse she’d been planning. A flicker of panic flashed in her
eyes.
“Yes,” she muttered.
She forced the words out, even though it felt painfully awkward.
No matter what, there was no way she’d ever admit that, whether she was drunk or dreaming, she’d been totally obsessed with him.
Daron narrowed his long, striking eyes, a dangerous vibe radiating from his gaze as he moved in closer.
“When I asked you who I was, you said my name loud and clear,” he said.
Marina’s expression froze for a second, caught off guard. She quickly averted her eyes, unable to meet Daron’s razor–shar
stare.
He walked right up to her, stopping just a breath away. Leaning down, his handsome face was suddenly inches from hers every detail magnified.
“You know what they say. Drunk words are sober thoughts,” Daron said, his voice low and teasing. “Since you thought you were dreaming, you must remember what you did in that dream, don’t you?
“You called me ‘husband, begged me to stay with you, and then you said…”
Marina suddenly shot her hand up, clamping it over Daron’s mouth.
“Stop talking,” she blurted out.
“Please,” she pleaded.
Right now, Marina just wanted to dig a hole and bury herself in it.
18:43 Sat, Jan UT
Chapter 280
Daron caught the embarrassment in her eyes and deliberately removed her hand from his lips.
“Do you still dare to lie to me?” he asked.
He was so close that Marina could feel their breaths mingling in the air between them
The sudden, almost electric closeness made her heart a mess, aching, tingling, and beating out of control.
She closed her eyes for a second to steady herself, and when she looked up again, the panic and confusion were gone, replaced by calm.
“It was just a dream, it doesn’t mean anything. If this bothered you, then I’m sorry,” she said.
Daron frowned. “You think an apology is enough to fix this?”
Marina nervously fiddled with her fingers, locking eyes with Daron, her expression serious.
“I don’t get it. Why are you so hung up on this misunderstanding?” she asked. “Or are you just using this dream as an excuse to make me responsible for you? Is that what you want? To marry me?”
Daron saw the way she tried to act calm, but her eyes gave away all the struggle and discomfort underneath. There wasn’t even the slightest trace of happiness in her face.
There wasn’t any of that spark, that push–and–pull tension she got when she was into someone, no butterflies, no thrill, nothing.
The vibe between them was just off.
Or maybe it was Marina herself who refused to let that feeling in.
Her reaction was like choking down a dish she just couldn’t stomach, and that dish was him.
Daron’s deep, dark eyes bore into her, all the tenderness wiped away, leaving only a cold, impenetrable look that made him impossible to read.
He could feel it. Marina wanted nothing more than to get away from him, just like how she’d insisted on breaking off their engagement back then.
“You were the one dreaming. So, doesn’t that mean you want to marry me?” Daron pressed.
Marina shook her head, keeping her face composed, making sure not a hint of regret slipped through in front of Daron.
“If I ever wanted to marry you, I wouldn’t have kept pushing to break off our engagement all those years ago,” she replic firmly.
“Daron, I’ve only ever seen you as a brother, just like Kieran. Marrying you never even crossed my mind,” she added.
Daron listened, his lips curling with a cold, faint smile.
But Marina seemed completely unaware of the icy sharpness in his gaze and just kept going.
She said, “As for why I was fighting to call off the engagement back then, it was simply because I didn’t like you. I know you didn’t like me either, but with the Zamora family’s situation, you couldn’t go against Harris.
“So I was the one to end things, so it wouldn’t cause you any
trouble.”
“My sister was raised to be the heir too, so I know how tough it is for you both,” she added.
Daron’s eyes, deep and dark as ink, stayed locked on her.
18:45 Sat, Jan
Chapter 230
Marina’s heart was pounding, her whole body stiff with nerves.
“So, what, I should be thanking you now?” Daron said, his voice dry and almost indifferent.
Marina lowered her gaze and muttered, “No need.”
Daron just looked at her, his expression cool and distant.
Marina held her breath, too nervous to look up at him.
After a while, Daron walked away from her and sat back down in his office chair.
Only then did Marina cautiously lift her eyes, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Mr. Zamora, if there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work,” she said.
Daron didn’t say anything. He just turned his chair away, his back facing her.
Marina paused, hesitating for a second as she was about to leave, when Daron’s voice broke the silence.
“Marina, people’s feelings change as they get older. Back then, you were just seventeen or eighteen. You didn’t really get how things worked. But now, if it were up to you, would you still say no to marrying me?” he asked.
Marina was silent for a moment, her voice low and raspy as she replied, “Twenty–seven–year–old me can’t swap places with the seventeen–year–old me.”
Even now, at twenty–seven, she couldn’t even imagine marrying him.
“The reason for the breakup that you wanted, I’ve already told you,” she said.
She and Daron hadn’t been in a relationship where marriage was even on the table for years now, so there’s no point dwelling on these irrelevant topics.
ON
“Your answer really got under my skin, Marina. Aren’t you worried I’ll take it out on the Finley Group?” Daron’s voice was low and a little rough.
Marina could only see the back of his chair, unable to read his expression at all.
“You wouldn’t,” Marina replied, her voice steady.
Daron turned around, his piercing gaze zeroing in on her.
“How do you know I wouldn’t? You’ve shot me down twice when it came to marriage. What makes you so sure I won’t w to take revenge on you?” he asked.
“Because you’re a genuinely good person. You wouldn’t target the Finley family just because I said something that upset you,” Marina said, meeting his eyes without flinching, even as fear flickered deep inside her.
Daron let out a cold laugh.
Never thought I’d get called a ‘nice guy‘ one day.
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.
