Chapter 11
Aria looked up. Through the dim light, she could see Archer’s handsome face wearing a detached expression. Yet when she met his dark eyes, she felt as if he could see her lonely, disheveled state.
“A gathering for a friend who’s returned from abroad, but I don’t think I need to go in anymore.”
Her face carried a gentle smile.
There truly was no point in entering. If Larry saw her, he might become even more belligerent in his drunken state, and she had
no desire to confront an intoxicated madman.
Archer didn’t ask why. Looking down, he could see the self–mocking smile on her face. His gaze gradually shifted to her thin wrist, which bore an unsettling circle of blue–purple bruises, visible even in the dim lighting.
The man’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as a wave of irritation surged within him.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
Aria paused, following Archer’s gaze to the marks on her wrist where Larry had gripped her too hard.
Her eyes flickered, and she covered the wrist with her other hand, somewhat awkwardly hiding the unseemly bruises.
“My skin is just too delicate.”
It was a laughable excuse.
He didn’t press the matter, his cool, detached black eyes slowly scanning her pale face. “Indeed, very delicate.”
She wasn’t sure if Archer was joking or simply playing along with her.
“Still planning to join the party?” His eyes glanced indifferently at the slightly open door of the private room, from which they
could hear Larry’s ridiculous voice, clutching a bottle and shouting, “Lucy is innocent! Aria can’t compare to Lucy!”
Like a joke. Ignorant and laughable.
A hint of coldness passed through Archer’s eyes, “I’ll take you home.”
He didn’t ask if Aria wanted to refuse this time; he simply stated it directly.
What was the point of attending such a gathering?
Aria was taken aback. “Your schedule must be full. Please don’t waste your time on me.”
“My appointment is over,” Archer glanced at her lightly. “Come, I’ll take you home.”
This time his tone carried an unmistakable finality.
Knowing that she wouldn’t be inconveniencing him, and since Archer had already brought up marriage with her, she felt she
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couldn’t keep refusing him. She nodded in agreement.
In another private room.
Ethan’s friend clicked his tongue. Two empty wine bottles already sat on the table.
“Isn’t Archer here yet? Wasn’t he the one who invited us?”
Ethan lounged casually on the sofa, swinging his phone lazily. “Just pestered him with a call. He said he was at the entrance,
probably got held up with something. Let’s wait a bit longer.”
Hearing this, his friend acknowledged with a sound.
Not one person in the room had considered that Archer might stand them up, and they continued waiting cheerfully.
In the car, Aria held a cup of warm milk that Archer had handed her, still somewhat dazed.
She had a habit of drinking warm milk before bed, and this was even her usual brand.
She dared not read too much into it.
Perhaps Archer also liked this brand of milk.
She hadn’t had much appetite that evening and hadn’t eaten much. She was indeed a bit hungry, and after taking a sip of the
warm milk, her stomach felt comfortably warm, as if her whole being had come alive again.
Suddenly, the car braked sharply with a screeching sound of tires against pavement.
The car had nearly hit another vehicle while turning and had to brake abruptly. Aria fell toward the man beside her from the
momentum.
She let out a startled cry, feeling a pair of large hands steadying her waist. She froze for a moment, and the next thing she knew,
she had fallen into the man’s broad, warm embrace.
The car’s interior lights were on, making the environment quite bright, almost blindingly so.
She tumbled into the man’s arms. On this summer night, Archer wasn’t wearing anything heavy–just a black shirt. Her face
collided with him, but she was perfectly enveloped in his embrace, her chin resting on his shoulder, their chests seemingly
pressed together.
They were too close.
She could clearly hear both their heartbeats.
Thump.
Thump.
The heartbeats grew faster.
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Who was nervous? It couldn’t be Archer. It had to be her feeling awkward and tense.
Her nose detected the faint cologne scent from the man, whose hair seemed fresh and clean, occasionally carrying a hint of
cigarette smoke–not from him directly, but perhaps picked up from someone he’d been with.
A thought suddenly flashed in Aria’s mind.
“A clean, fresh man with six–pack abs.”
Before she realized what she was saying, the words escaped her lips. The chauffeur seemed startled by something, and the Bentley abruptly pulled over to the roadside.
Aria had just managed to raise her head from the man’s embrace when the momentum sent her tumbling back into his arms
again.
This time she was certain–he was indeed a very clean man.
She could feel a slight vibration in his chest. Being this close, she could hear the laughter in his throat, which sounded so alluring
it sent tingles through her.
Wait.
What was he laughing at?
Aria grew wary, and the next second she heard him speaking, repeating what had just flashed through her mind in his rich, deep
voice near her ear.
“A clean, fresh man with six–pack abs?”
As if he felt she wasn’t mortified enough, he continued, driving two more arrows into her heart.
“Is that what you think?
“‘Clean and fresh‘ is a compliment? But I’m curious how you know I have six–pack abs?”
The driver, who had heard everything, wished he could disappear.
No one had ever mentioned that their boss could be so flirtatious! At this rate, he worried Mr. Duncan might grab the woman’s
hand and place it on his abs! Was this really their cold, emotionless, untouchable CEO, the one people described as a distant and
cold man to be admired but never touched?
Exposed by Archer, Aria felt even more like dying than the driver did.
She was so embarrassed that her entire body stiffened like wood.
Aria kept her breathing light, wishing she could pretend she hadn’t heard anything. Her ears had turned completely red, very
noticeable against her fair skin.
“Aria.”
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Archer spoke, “Your ears are red.”
Great, now her ears were even redder.
Aria stiffly extracted herself from his embrace. With the slightest movement, she met his deep, dark eyes, which seemed to carry
a faint smile. Her fingertips trembled.
“I… I just couldn’t control myself. I think you have a great physique, Mr. Duncan.”
It was truly impressive.
Being in his arms felt very secure.
Archer raised an eyebrow slightly, “It seems you’re quite satisfied.”
She certainly was satisfied.
Aria didn’t speak, but her reddened ears had already answered for her.
“Don’t worry, you’ll have the opportunity to count whether it’s really six in the future.”
Was there no way to change this topic?
Aria bit her lower lip uncontrollably hard, like a startled chipmunk retreating from Archer’s embrace. The moment she pulled
away, she noticed the cup was empty.
The cup…with milk was empty?
Where had it spilled?
Aria reflexively looked at Archer’s clothes.
She almost closed her eyes at the sight of the white stain on his shoulder.
