Chapter 130
After the office finally quieted down, Marina slumped in her chair, lost in thought, the words on the page just a blur in her
eyes.
Usually, she could get her head in the game as soon as work started, but right now, she couldn’t focus on a single word.
She just sat there, zoning out with the file in her hands, not even realizing when Daron had approached her.
It wasn’t until his handsome face appeared right in front of her that Marina snapped back to herself and quickly put some distance between them.
“Weren’t you supposed to be downstairs working out the deal?”
Daron saw how flustered she was and just sat down across from her like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“The price is already taken care of. The rest is just paperwork–Mario will handle it,” he replied.
Honestly, he had no real reason to come by today. He was just planning to check out a project nearby, and ended up coming upstairs with Mario without giving it much thought.
For some reason, ever since she turned down his offer to drive her to work this morning and they split up in the parking garage, he found himself wanting to see her even more.
Under Daron’s burning gaze, Marina managed a soft “oh.” The office felt warmer than usual, making her feel strangely hot and at a loss for what to do.
Daron watched her looking completely lost, a smile tugging at his lips as his voice came out slow and full of innuendo.
“I drank a bit too much last night, so my memory’s a little hazy. But I’m not the type to run away from responsibility. Since I’ve already crossed every line, done everything I should and shouldn’t have, then…”
Marina’s cheeks flushed, and she interrupted him in a hurry.
“I was just rambling. Nothing actually happened between us. Mr. Zamora, you were totally well–behaved when you drank- you didn’t do anything inappropriate,” she said quickly.
Except for that one mark he left on her neck, he really hadn’t crossed any other lines.
Daron’s eyes lost some of their shine when she interrupted him.
“So you don’t need me to take responsibility?” Daron asked, his voice low and a little uncertain.
Marina nodded quickly, “Nothing happened, so how could I ask you to take responsibility? Besides, you were drunk and I was totally sober. If anything really did happen, it would’ve been consensual. We both would’ve agreed. There’s really nothing to be responsible for.”
Daron just stared at her, speechless.
The light in his eyes vanished completely, replaced by that deep/shadowy look he always wore.
Marina could sense the change in his mood, but she buried her face in her work, playing dumb.
When things get awkward, you just pretend to be busy, messing with whatever papers are lying around.
Daron gave her a calm look, leaning back in his chair, mulling over what Marina had just said.
“Mutual, huh?” Daron echoed, his tone slow and teasing.
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Chapter 130
Marina’s mind immediately went on high alert.
Sure enough, Daron drawled out his next words, his voice smooth and full of mischief.
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“And that kiss this morning, you didn’t exactly stop me, Ms. Finley. So that was mutual too, right? Guess that means there shouldn’t be any extra conditions.”
“I never said yes to that kiss this morning,” Marina protested right away.
“But you didn’t say no,” Daron replied.
Marina was at a loss for words.
‘Damn!‘ she cursed to herself.
‘Shameless bastard!‘ she fumed inwardly. ‘He kisses me and then pretends he’s done nothing wrong!‘
“You’re the one who added those extra conditions,” Marina shot back.
Daron just nodded, sounding all nonchalant. “So, if I didn’t throw in any conditions, you wouldn’t turn me down?”
Marina gritted her teeth, speechless.
‘As if I’d ever let that slide! I ought to give him a slap he’d never forget!‘ she fumed inwardly.
Seeing her all riled up, Daron let out a snarky chuckle.
“When I really think about it, I’m getting totally ripped off here. I threw in a bonus condition for you, handed over my first kiss, and you didn’t give me anything back. Now you’re even trying to use me? This deal’s a total rip–off for me, no matter how you slice it,” he said, half teasing, half serious.
Marina managed an awkward, sheepish smile.
“Isn’t a first kiss supposed to reset at midnight, like in a video game?” she joked, trying to break the tension.
After she said that, the whole office went dead silent for a second.
Daron just shot her a frosty look, stood up, and left without saying anything else.
Marina sat there for a few minutes, then gave herself a light smack on the cheek. She couldn’t even bring herself to hit hard.
‘Did I really piss him off?‘ Marina wondered, a wave of anxiety washing over her.
Just thinking about how Daron could bail on her at any moment and leave her out of the Clark family’s engagement party made Marina regret every word she’d just said.
‘I really shouldn’t have run my mouth,‘ she scolded herself.
By the afternoon, Marina still hadn’t gotten any word from Daron about heading to the airport. After going back and forth in her mind, she finally gave Daron’s driver, Eddy, a call.
Eddy had promised her he’d make sure she’d be on the same flight as Daron heading back to Vrufield.
Marina dialed, and Eddy picked up right away.
“Eddy, do you remember what you promised me last night? About getting me on the flight back to Vrufield?” Marina asked, trying to keep it light.
She was way too embarrassed to admit she might’ve gotten on Daron’s bad side.
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Chapter 130
Eddy picked up right away.
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“Of course I remember, Ms. Finley. No need to worry–Mr. Zamora had me book your ticket a couple days ago. His meeting’s just about to finish, and as soon as it’s done, I’ll bring him over to get you,” Eddy assured her.
“A couple days ago?” Marina echoed, a little surprised.
‘So Eddy just wanted to ditch the job of looking after a drunk Daron last night, and totally set me up? Marina thought, a bit annoyed.
Eddy paused, realizing he’d let something slip, and gave an awkward chuckle.
“I just wanted to give you and Mr. Zamora a chance to get closer, you know? Ms. Finley, I’m sure you’ve noticed by now–Mr. Zamora really… well, you know what I mean,” Eddy said, trailing off with a knowing smile.
Marina didn’t let Eddy finish–she cut in right away before he could get any further.
“Mr. Zamora’s generosity is truly overwhelming. I’ll be forever in his debt, really. Anyway, Eddy, I’ve got some things to handle here, so let’s leave it at that for now,” she said, eager to end the call.
She hung up in a hurry, took a few deep breaths to steady herself, and then, hoping it would snap her out of it, grabbed a stack of papers from her desk and bonked herself lightly on the head.
Once she’d calmed down, she let out a heavy sigh, got up, and headed out to the main office area to start giving out instructions.
She was going to be in Vrufield for at least three days, so she had to get everything in order before she left.
Just as she finished getting everything sorted, her phone buzzed–it was Daron calling.
Seeing his name on the screen, Marina took a deep breath before answering.
“Dar-” she started, but Daron’s deep, commanding voice cut her off.
“Come downstairs,” he said, his voice low and commanding.
Just two words, and Daron hung up so fast it was like he’d slammed the call shut.
Marina stared at the screen, her heart all over the place–she couldn’t even tell what she was feeling.
But she quickly pulled herself together and headed downstairs.
Eddy had parked the car right out front of Ross Group.
When he saw Marina coming down, he smiled and opened the back door, making sure she didn’t even think about sitting up front.
‘I’ve already ticked Daron off. If I try to act smart now, he might just kick me out halfway, Marina thought, a little nervous.
“Thanks, Eddy,” Marina said quietly,
She quietly thanked Eddy, ducked into the car, and forced a faint smile as she greeted Daron, pretending everything was totally normal.
“Mr. Zamora, is the project going smoothly?” she asked, her voice a little shaky.
She’d never asked about Zamora Group’s projects before, so blurting that out felt super random–and the whole vibe in the car got even more awkward.
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Chapter 130
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‘Why does my brain always freeze up when I actually need it?‘ Marina groaned inwardly.
Her smile was so stiff it felt like her face might crack, but Daron just ignored her completely.
After a moment, Eddy got back in the car and started the engine.
Marina turned her gaze to the window.
Daron shot her a sidelong glance, his chest rising and falling slightly. He let out a quiet breath, forcing himself to calm down, and finally replied in a flat tone.
“It’s going alright,” he said.
‘Why am I even making this a big deal between us?‘ Daron thought. ‘I took the first step. I can’t expect her to come running the rest of the way!
What really frustrated him was that she wasn’t even willing to meet him halfway.
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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.
