Ch. 2621..2630
Chapter 2621
Entrapment
Larry did not have much to say as he immersed himself in his work behind the desk.
An indeterminate amount of time passed before he was finally seen stretching and getting to his feet.
That was when he noticed someone laid out on the couch.
Had Della not left yet? He walked over with a quilt in hand and leaned in to put it over her.
Della presumably must have sensed movement in her vicinity and threw both arms around his waist.
She held on fast and would not let go.
“Wake up, Della,” he reacted swiftly by rocking her body with a light touch.
But that yielded no response whatsoever from her.
“Office hours are over. I’m going to head home,” he said.
The woman buried her head into his abdomen. Her persistent nuzzling against his body coaxed a
repulsive reaction from him.
Was she genuinely asleep or faking it? Larry’s suspicions were roused.
She definitely must be doing this on purpose! At this moment, the corner of Della’s lips curled up in
glee.
“Wake up!” His voice grew in intensity.
However, Della declined to budge.
He gave up resisting and decided to let her have her way till she comes to on her own.
And so the man sat on the couch with Della’s head nestled on his thigh. Both of them would likely come
across as being quite intimate.
“Larry!”
Jessica suddenly barged in.
She was stunned by the sight that greeted her.
What was going on? Had Della succeeded in seducing Larry? Or was Larry unable to resist Della’s
subtle entrapment?
Pahh! There was a massive difference between the two! Jessica shook her head in an attempt to clear
her mind.
“What the hell is this, Larry?” she asked as she approached.
“I… Isn’t it obvious!” Larry said in displeasure.
“I know what you’re doing, but do you know what you’re doing?” she said.
She thought her god-brother could use a reminder.
“It’s not what you think. This is an accident,” came Larry’s prompt reply.
An accidental hookup with a beautiful woman?What a brilliant excuse to hit on girls!
“Then hurry up and let go of her!” Jessica deliberately raised her voice so as to wake Della.
“No, it’s she who wouldn’t let me go!”
On careful inspection, Jessica realized that he was being truthful. It was Della who was clinging on to
Larry! Jessica rushed over and exerted herself in an attempt to dislodge Della’s hands.
However, her best effort was still no match for the might of the gym rat Della.
“What’s the heck, Della. Wake up and stop taking advantage of Larry!” Jessica smacked hard upon the
other woman’s back as she yelled into her ears.
Damned woman, how dare she so blatantly tried to get close to Larry!
“Huh?” Della rubbed her own eyes and pretended to be oblivious as she mumbled under her breath.
She feigned innocence when she finally relinquished her grip.
“What?” she blinked and asked in a low voice.
Whatever do you mean by what?Still playing innocent after getting fresh with the man to this extent?
“It’s late. You should get a move on,” Jessica said as she pointed to the sky outside.
“Oh, it’s already so dark. Are you done yet, Larry? Shall we go and grab dinner together?” Della
sounded quite excited.
“Hey, what are you saying? Larry already has an appointment with me today so he doesn’t have time
for you!”
“Sure? I’ve been waiting here all afternoon,” Della continued.
So she had been laying in ambush here all the while! The scheming woman!
“How about we dine out together? All three of us.” Della turned to regard Larry.
Jessica stared hard at Larry and blinked at him repeatedly, as though to implore him not to agree to it.
Chapter 2622
The Spicy Variety
As Larry and Della were currently collaborators, he naturally preferred not to stand her up.
“Y’all can decide,” Larry said.
He pushed the responsibility outright unto Jessica.
“I’m sure you won’t mind. Wouldn’t you, Ms. Zimmer? Della turned back and asked.
How could I not?I totally opposed it!
Jessica gritted her teeth in annoyance.
“It’s rather unfortunate that you aren’t fond of spicy food, Ms. Duff, because I’ve already made a
reservation at a restaurant that specializes in it!” Jessica said.
“That’s okay. I could just rinse it down with a bit of water,” Della replied.
Is she being serious? Could she not tell that she’s not wanted?
Jessica’s eyes twitched at the other woman before she turned and stormed out.
What an adorable girl. She really busted her brains coming up with excuses not to have me come
along! Della smiled smugly before she walked up to Larry.
Inside the private room, the orders were already tabled by the server. As mentioned, all the dishes
were of the spicy variety. That was, of course, intentional on the part of Jessica.
“I’m so sorry about this. These are all Larry’s favorites,” Jessica said purposefully.
Larry turned sharply and regarded Jessica in surprise.
Though subtle, the gesture was sufficiently picked up by Della who had her eyes on Jessica all this
time. She merely smiled without comment.
“Don’t push yourself, Ms. Duff. If these dishes aren’t suited for your palate, you could always go and
eat elsewhere.” Jessica gloated as she ate.
You need to do better than that trying to get close to Larry, you stupid woman! Buzz off if you don’t
have it in you!
Jessica shot her a look before she shoveled a slice of beef into her own mouth.
“Of course not. I do think that these dishes aren’t half-bad,” Della replied as she ate.
Jessica was stunned.
“Umm, I would say that they’re actually quite delicious.” Della nodded in approval.
At this moment, Jessica looked dismayed.
Who was it who told her that Della did not take spicy food? From the looks of it, it was clear that she
rather enjoyed it! Jessica gnashed her teeth and seethed in silence.
“Come on, have some more,” Larry said as he placed another piece of meat on Jessica’s plate.
He knew that Jessica had quite the temper, so he would not venture to imagine what might happen if
she blew her top.
“Would you care for a drink, Ms. Zimmer?” Della asked provocatively.
Huh? Is she challenging me now?Don’t underestimate me!
Jessica sat up straight and regarded the woman in front of her with extreme seriousness.
“Sure. I’ll have some,” she replied without any hesitancy.
“You can’t, Jessica.” Larry beside her was quick to caution.
“Shut your mouth,” she leaned in and whispered in return.
The scene playing out told Della all she needed to know.
Would Larry have intervened if this girl was a better drinker than she was?
“Here, Ms. Zimmer. A toast,” Della declared with her glass raised high.
Jessica shuddered upon seeing the alcoholic beverage inside.
She thought that they were going to have beers, but it seemed to her that it was spirits! Jessica
avoided spirits because they would put her out for the count every single time.
“Why? Are you not up for this?” Della asked with a smile.
“Whoever said that? I’m in!” and she downed the entire glass of spirit at a go.
What a sport! Della smiled in delight as she regarded the girl in front of her.
She had played host to many before, but having someone as game as Jessica was a first.
“That’s enough. Let’s dig in, and I’ll send both of you home later,” Larry said.
“What home? We’ve barely warmed up! Isn’t that right, Ms. Duff?” Jessica was a little unsteady as she
pointed at Della across from her.
“Right on. How about I pour you one as well, Larry?” Della said in a low voice.
Chapter 2623
A Curious Pair
Della was quite tipsy herself by now.
They had only themselves to blame for opting to consume drinks with higher alcohol content.
“More, Boss!” Jessica started to raise her voice all of a sudden.
“No, thanks!” Larry harried in response.
“Could you not be such a party-pooper, Larry? I’m your little sister, so what’s the big deal about
bumping a bottle off you? Next time, I’ll treat you to an even bigger one. Sounds fair?” Jessica slapped
Larry on the back and ranted.
“Look at how drunk you both are. I think we should call it a day!” With that, Larry tried to help Jessica to
her feet.
“You’re no fun. Why are you chasing us home when we aren’t done yet?” Della chimed in.
Sheesh…
Larry was speechless at the duo in front of him.
“Ignore him, Ms. Duff. Let’s carry on. I still have something important that I must discuss with you,”
Jessica said loudly.
What was there to discuss in the state that she’s in? Larry shook his head at the woman who seemed
quite out of control.
“Let’s have it!” Della shouted.
“Let me tell you something, Della. Larry’s married. He has a wife at home,” Jessica blurted.
The air seemed to have frozen over in that instant.
Larry was stunned as well.
“What are you talking about? I’m really in love with him,” Della quickly remonstrated.
“No, no, no, no! Larry belongs to Joan!”
The duo were soon engaged in a fierce debate.
He gave up and let them be, as he reckoned that they would forget everything by the time they sobered
up. Larry went on and occupied himself with the food and his phone.
He had never came across a curious pair like these two.
Suddenly, he heard someone’s phone ringing.
Upon closer observation, he determined that it was not Della’s phone, but Jessica’s.
“Hey, answer it!” Larry nudged at Jessica next to him.
“Don’t touch me. Can’t you see we’re busy here? Don’t bother us!” Jessica shrugged him off in reply.
“Love is not something that we can control, right? Just like the feelings that I have for Larry…” Della
continued to regard Jessica in earnest.
At his wit’s end, Larry finally walked outside with Jessica’s phone in hand.
“Where have you been? Why haven’t you returned at this hour?” Caspian hollered.
“Quit yelling. My eardrums are almost bursting,” Larry plugged his ears and replied.
Caspian quickly softened his tone.
“Larry? Why come it’s you who’s answering?”
“Your girl’s drunk. Come over and pick her up.” He then hung up right after.
Drinking again! Caspian jumped up from the couch and made his way into the living room.
The two women were not done arguing inside the private room going head-to-head in what seemed like
a never-ending battle.
“You’re behaving like a mistress!” Jessica howled as she slammed her hands upon the table.
“I’m not a mistress! Larry and Joan aren’t married so he’s fair game!” Della was not to be outdone.
Hopeless duo! Larry settled himself on the couch at the side and paid no more attention to them.
“Tell us, Larry. Who do you like?” Jessica abruptly turned to ask.
“Yeah! Tell us who you like to work with most?” Della chimed.
“Ladies, would you kindly stop making things difficult for Larry? Come on, let’s go home…” Caspian
said after he pushed through the doors.
“Shut up!”
“Shut up!”
The two women yelled in unison.
Caspian was positively dumbstruck.
“That was beautiful! Cheers!” With that, Jessica raised her glass once again.
When did Della become so sloppy? Caspian was quite astonished.
The woman he used to know had to doll herself up even if she was just going for a run, obviously a
stark contrast to this shameless drunkard in front of him.
Chapter 2624
An Ordinary Woman
By the time Della was sent home, it was already into the wee hours. Leaving her villa behind, Larry
lifted his gaze toward the sky as he trotted homeward. He cut a pitiable figure from behind.
Should there be a day where Della was not able to let go of her feelings for him, perhaps he ought to
terminate his professional dealings with her.
“Larry!”
Della suddenly ran out of the villa, shouting. Her trembling body evoked a state of fragility.
“Don’t go.”
“Stay with me for a while more. I feel so sad. It’s my grandmother’s death anniversary today,” she
continued.
Hearing that made Larry feel sorry for her.
“It’s late. Go back inside and rest up.” Larry hardened himself up and turned to leave.
“Don’t leave!”
Della caught up with him and refused to let go.
“Whatever it is, we can talk about it tomorrow, alright?”
“No. I’m miserable. Can’t you keep me company, please?” Della’s voice shivered.
Confronted with her weariness and vulnerability, Larry immediately helped her inside.
“You know, I loved Granny’s sweet rolls. When I was little, she used to give me one whenever I cried,
and it would make me feel better right away.” Della leaned against Larry as they sat on the couch.
Completely engrossed in her own nostalgic musings, it would seem that she had forgotten who the
man was sitting next to her…
What had she been through? Larry was intrigued by the person in front of him.
In everyone’s eyes, she was the wealthy heiress and the capable businesswoman. Smart, bold, and
domineering. But whenever she related experiences from her past, she did not come across as that
glamorous. Rather, what he felt for her was commiseration.
“You know what? I used to live with my grandmother when I was very young. She was a kind,
affectionate and gentle person who treated me very well. I loved her very much as well and felt so
blessed to be staying with her. But when she passed away, it seemed like I couldn’t be happy anymore.
I returned to my parents, so there I was, leading the sort of life that I do now,” Della explained.
“Don’t you enjoy this?” Larry asked.
“No! I hate it! I just want to find a man that I love whom I could quietly spend the rest of my life with.
Granny said that there’s nothing more important than being happy.”
So this is the real Della Duff. Larry exhaled.
It was different for men and women. Career-wise, men were expected to be firm and more decisive,
while most women tended to be uncertain, tentative, and risk-averse. Della should feel very proud of
her present accomplishments in the corporate world.
“That’s all in the past now. All you have to do is focus on your own career,” Larry said.
“But I don’t want to work! Everyone tells me that I’m a strong woman, but I don’t want to be that female
president that they want me to be! I just want to be an ordinary woman!” she cried.
I guess she must be worn out!
Larry merely looked on quietly.
Sometimes, emotions require an outlet. Right now, crying was the perfect way for Della to release all of
the pent-up negativity she had inside.
Della was soon bawling hysterically and completely without regard for her image.
There was nothing for her to be overly concerned about, as she had already seen Larry as a lover or
family.
It went on for quite a while until Della closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.
He quietly covered her with a blanket and straightened his own attire before he turned to depart.
As much as he sympathized with this side of Della, it did not mean that he would be able to reciprocate
her feelings.
Chapter 2625
Perfume
Larry drove home directly after.
He tread lightly for fear of disturbing his family.
“Why are you back so late?” Joan said softly, rubbing her eyes as she sat herself up on the couch.
“Why aren’t you in bed yet?” Larry removed his coat and asked in concern.
“I was waiting for you,” she replied.
Silly woman. She could have just called instead of staying up! Larry approached and wrapped her in an
embrace. He gently ran a hand through her hair, feeling a pang of remorse inside.
Joan, however, furrowed her brows.
Why it there the scent of perfume on him?
She took a whiff at his clothes and affirmed that there was indeed a woman’s fragrance on him.
“Where have you been all night, Larry?” she asked while trying to keep her own emotions in check.
“I was out for dinner,” he said.
“With who?” she asked.
Is she doing census sampling? She never used to be like this! In spite of that, Larry was rather pleased
that she reacted this way.
At the very least, it meant that she cared!
“With Jessica,” Larry said.
Joan’s eyes dimmed when she heard that.
She knew Jessica’s preferences well. Jessica did not like scents that were too overpowering, and
would naturally refrain from using such products.
That made Joan sure that there was another woman.
“Just her?” she narrowed her eyes and asked.
“… Della was there as well,” Larry replied.
He felt no need to deceive the one he loved, especially when he opined that she was a level-headed
person.
As upset as she was, she did not articulate it outright.
“I see, it was a work meeting,” Joan lowered her head and uttered.
She did not want to delve too deep into whether there was anything between Larry and Della, as she
was afraid that the knowledge might make her feel sad, depressed, jealous or even angry…
That was because she knew Della was not over Larry. Far from it.
“Alright, go to sleep. You still have to be up early tomorrow,” Larry said softly as he put a hand on her
shoulder.
“Aren’t you going to bed?” She looked up at him.
“I’ve some paperwork that need to be sorted out.” He shrugged before he made his way over to the
study.
Joan pursed her lips as she watched his silhouette disappear from view. She then walked to the
bedroom.
For some unfathomable reason, she felt uneasy as she lay in bed. Looking at the crescent moon
outside, she got up and went to the window. Her eyes narrowed, and her demeanor as chilling as the
night wind.
After waiting for some time without seeing Larry enter, she returned to the lonesome bed that was too
spacious for one, and closed her eyes.
Meanwhile, Larry typed away at his desk as his eyes scanned ceaselessly through one document after
another.
Perhaps the insight into Della’s personal history had diminished his sense of revulsion toward her.
“About last night, Larry, I didn’t do anything awkward, did I?” Della was a little self-conscious when she
asked.
“Nope, not at all,” he replied.
“Really?” She was a little doubtful.
“Nope.”
She exhaled. It was like a huge weight off her chest.
When she decided to join them, it was only with a simple meal in mind. Getting drunk and stupid was
not part of the plan.
“What about Jessica? Is she alright?” Della pressed on.
“Still out of it!”
Caspian then walked in on them.
“Thank you very much, Ms. Duff. Next time, could you please leave Jessica out of it? She isn’t a good
drinker and would get drunk easily.” Caspian said begrudgingly.
“Erm…”
Della pounded at her own head in a bid to clear her mind.
“I’d say, Larry, why didn’t you stop them?” Caspian rattled on.
Chapter 2626
A Get Together
“Tried. Didn’t work,” Larry said.
These two women were equally mule-headed. Once they had their minds made up about anything, not
even the strength of ten bulls would be able to rein them in, let alone any mortal being!
“What are you whining about, Caspian?” Jessica asked aloud as she entered.
Is she awake? Della turned her head to regard the woman who was steadily making her way in.
Yeah. Her eyes might be open, but the alcohol is definitely still in her system.
“Ah!”
Her knees suddenly gave way and she landed on all fours. Jessica ruffled her hair and exhausted all
her might in an effort to get back up.
“Whoops. How embarrassing.” She dusted herself off and headed straight for the couch.
“I think I’m going to lie down for a bit.” And she did so and closed her eyes.
This was something that Larry and Caspian had become quite accustomed to, but Della’s eyes were
peeled wide open as she regarded the woman on the couch.
“She’s fine. Just a little tired, that’s all,” Caspian explained to Della.
Well, that’s an eye-opener. Della shook her head at that.
Considerable time had passed before the person on the couch finally came to.
“Hmm…” Jessica had fingers pressed up against her temple and looked in some measure of
discomfort.
“Are you up?” Larry asked from behind the desk.
“Where is this?” she asked while her eyes remained closed.
“My office,” he replied.
Lucky for her that it was not some bar or nightclub, or she would be in trouble.
“How long have I been out?” Jessica asked.
“Eons,” he replied.
Perhaps the sighting of Jessica’s awakening in the office set Caspian in motion. He rushed to her side,
quietly worried.
“Could you not start knocking it back so casually from now on, Ma’am?”
Caspian’s tone was a mixture of disgruntlement and entreaty.
“Oh, don’t make such a big fuss about it. I only had a little bit,” she replied as she massaged her own
thighs.
“You know I’m just worried that something might happen to you.”
“With Larry around, what could possibly go wrong? Stop scaring yourself.” Jessica then stood up and
stretched herself in front of the window.
“You ought to be at the bookstore, Jessica,” Larry said after some consideration.
That reminded her that she had not dropped in there for quite a while, so without hesitancy nor pausing
for Caspian to speak, she exited the office.
Caspian sighed upon seeing her in such a hurry.
“Alright, that should be all. You should get back to it,” Larry said.
Caspian thought otherwise. He was not quite finished with Jessica. Nonetheless, he smiled before he
walked out.
The development of Norton Corporation had always been steady, bereft of surprises in both senses of
the word. At the heart of the issue were the conservative ways by which the company had always been
operated, which led to its inability to separate itself from the competition.
That was something Larry did not want and went to great lengths to avoid.
Conversely, the rapid growth experienced at the photography studio of late was a source of solace for
Joan. She believed that with such a resilient and loyal team behind it, things could only get better for
them.
“How are you doing, Ms. Watts?” Caiden asked as he approached.
Joan got onto her feet upon hearing this familiar voice.
“Not too bad, I’d say,” she replied.
“Would you like to dine together?” he asked.
This, did not seem that appropriate. She did not want to eat out alone with Caiden, as she was
concerned that it might lead to a misunderstanding for Keith and Larry.
“Well, I’ve something else on tonight…”
“You’re the head of the department. If you won’t go, how do you expect everyone else to?” Caiden
suddenly added.
Did that mean that it was a get-together with the rest of the staff from the studio? Joan scrutinized the
man in front of her and waited for him to expound upon it further.
Chapter 2627
Staff Bonding
“I’d like to buy dinner for everyone tonight. You should go too so it won’t be awkward,” Caiden
explained.
Joan’s gaze softened as she looked at the staff bustling about their tasks.
“Sure.” She agreed immediately.
“Oh my god, really? Ms. Watts, is Mr. Owens really buying us dinner tonight?” Abigail asked excitedly.
“Yes, but please calm down first. You all deserve this treat thanks to your hard work.”
Joan was basically thanking the staff in the photography studio on behalf of Caiden.
“Ms. Watts, we should be counting our blessings that you didn’t dissolve the team in the first place.”
“Yeah, we haven’t thanked you properly for that yet. We wouldn’t even dream of complaining.”
The employees added their two cents of gratitude to the conversation.
That evening, Joan left the office with the team.
They arrived at a nightclub. Many people were dancing in the center of the club. The atmosphere
looked intoxicating. Caiden was already waiting for them in a corner, sipping on a glass of wine.
“Mr. Owens!”
He could hear the staff from his photography studio from a mile away.
“Hey Mr. Owens, you’re here early!”
“Thanks for the treat, Mr. Owens!”
Caiden smiled when he saw the smiles on everyone’s faces.
Since they were all under Joan’s guidance, he knew they were all capable in their own right.
“Come on and take a seat. Feel free to order anything on the menu; it’s on me!” Caiden announced.
His generous offer livened up the atmosphere.
To keep things casual, Joan chose a seat farther from Caiden.
“Ms. Watts, do you want to go and dance?” Abigail asked from beside her.
“Nope, you can go ahead. I’m not feeling so good,” Joan answered.
“What? Are you ok?” Caiden walked over with a concerned expression on his face.
“It’s fine,” Joan replied with an awkward smile.
That was just an excuse she had made up to avoid dancing.
“Joan, thank you for your hard work lately.” Caiden lifted his glass in a toast.
Joan hesitated under the stares of her staff. She eventually lifted a nearby wine glass and clinked it
against Caiden’s glass. She took a polite sip of the wine.
“Why? Are you still being careful like last time?” he suddenly said as his gaze landed on some of his
staff who were enjoying themselves on the dance floor.
Joan looked at him wordlessly.
I don’t think there’s a need to address something that’s more or less public knowledge.
The lively atmosphere showed no signs of slowing down. In all corners of the club, men were chatting
up women with half-drunk glasses of wine in their hands. Most of the women enjoyed the attention and
did their best to show off their feminine charms.
“Joan, can I ask you something?” Caiden blurted.
“What is it?” Joan turned to face him.
“Did you ever like me in the past? Even if it was just a passing fancy.” He moved closer to Joan and
gazed at her.
Joan was surprised.
Why is he suddenly asking me this? Is he drunk? She looked at the glass on the table before turning to
Caiden with a suspicious gaze.
“I’m not drunk,” he replied quietly. “I just want an honest answer.”
If she says yes, I will do everything I can to make her mine. But if she says-
“No.” Joan answered firmly.
Never once had she looked at this man before her in anything other than a platonic light.
“Not even a little bit?” Caiden asked.
“No.” She shook her head.
Ever since Larry appeared in my life, there’s been no other man deserving of my attention.
Chapter 2628
Truth Or Dare
Though Caiden had half-expected this answer, he couldn’t help the sinking feeling in his heart at her
brutal rejection.
“Mr. Owens, do you like Joan?” Abigail had appeared out of nowhere and was in gossip-seeking mode.
“It’s nothing like that!” Joan clarified the situation while nudging Abigail’s elbow.
Abigail’s enthusiasm shrunk after she saw the cold expression on Caiden’s face. She left in a rush.
“She was just kidding, you know. You shouldn’t take it to heart.” Joan tried to defuse the tension in the
air.
“She’s right, though. I do like you a lot,” Caiden replied before taking a sip of his wine.
Stunned, she turned to avoid looking at him.
I’m just going to pretend I didn’t hear anything!
One by one, the staff began to amble back to the plush sofas. They were still laughing and playing
around.
“Hey, should we play a game?” Abigail asked loudly.
Oh god, why does she want to play a game now? Joan appraised the staff who were sitting in front of
her.
“I’m up for it!” One of the younger staff members supported her idea.
Soon, she was setting the stage for a drinking game.
“We’re playing truth or dare. I’ll go through the rules first.”
When she saw how excited everyone looked, she couldn’t bear to back out of the game and ruin the
mood.
“Hey, Mr. Owens. Would you like to join us?” Abigail asked.
“How can you ask Mr. Owens to join you in such a childish game?” Abigail’s supervisor told her off.
“Why not?” Caiden suddenly said.
His agreement baffled his staff.
“Yay, the more the merrier!”
And so both Joan and Caiden joined the game.
“Ok, so I’ve got an empty bottle here. It’s not rigged, I swear! Look at it carefully.”
She was hyping up the crowd effectively.
“If you don’t want to answer my question or do the dare, then you need to down this bottle!” Abigail
raised an unopened beer bottle to make her point.
“Deal!” There was a smattering of applause from the crowd.
Though Caiden was playing the game with them, there was an unspoken agreement amongst the staff
that he was basically untouchable.
“Mr. Owens!”
Just then, the bottle stopped spinning and pointed toward Caiden.
The atmosphere instantly became awkward. The crowd exchanged glances covertly, not knowing what
to do.
“Mr. Owens, truth or dare?” Abigail asked seriously.
Everyone thought Caiden would refuse to play and leave.
“Truth,” he answered.
Jaws dropped at his choice. Everyone seemed stunned.
“Ok, then let’s go with the truth! Mr. Owens, is there someone you like?” Abigail asked excitedly. She
almost couldn’t believe her luck.
“Yes,” he answered firmly. His eyes darted briefly toward Joan.
The atmosphere relaxed. Caiden’s answer made him seem instantly more approachable to his staff.
They felt more comfortable including him in their conversations.
Joan felt relieved at the sight.
I guess he made the right choice to join in. She took a sip of wine.
“Hey Joan, it’s your turn! So who’s your boyfriend?” Abigail pointed at Joan.
Joan turned her head toward the table and realized the bottle was pointing straight at her.
“Wait, what’s the dare?” she asked in a hurry.
“Well, the dare to is to give everyone here a kiss!” Abigail shouted.
What? Who plays truth or dare like that? Joan pursed her lips in displeasure.
“I’ll drink the bottle,” she replied moodily.
“Joan, even our boss chose to tell the truth. Why can’t you-”
Chapter 2629
Chapter 2629
Entanglements
“I can’t!” Joan interrupted.
She hated telling people about her personal life, especially when it came to her relationship with Larry.
“Then it’s time to chug!” Abigail pushed the bottle of beer toward her.
Joan took a deep breath before she drank the beer.
What’s wrong with her?
Suddenly, Caiden grabbed the bottle from her hands and finished it for her.
“Caiden!” she yelled at him while wiping her mouth.
“We were just joking, Mr. Owens. You don’t need to drink the whole thing.”
“Yea, it’s fine. Please stop drinking.”
A few of the staff glared at Abigail as they tried to stop Caiden.
But Caiden had already tossed the empty beer bottle into a trash can.
“Good one, Mr. Owens!” The supervisor piqued up and began clapping.
Joan watched Caiden anxiously.
Argh, they’re going to start spreading rumors about us again!
The game ended shortly after that. No one was in the mood to play anymore, and soon everyone left.
Joan was hunched over a drain in front of the nightclub, vomiting her guts out in agony.
“How are you feeling? Are you ok?” Caiden asked in worry.
“I’m fine; you should go home now. I’ll hail a cab soon.” She waved off his concern.
Caiden could not leave her behind while she was still retching.
“Let me take you to the hospital,” he offered.
His heart ached at her obvious discomfort.
“I’m fine. I just need to get some rest at home.” She refused his offer.
“Then I’ll send you home.” Caiden made a move to help her up.
“No!”
Joan straightened up suddenly and supported herself against a nearby tree. She stared at him sternly.
“Caiden, I’m begging you. Can you please go home? Stop caring about me,” she pleaded desperately.
I have to cut ties with Caiden!
“Joan, why must you avoid me? Is it because I like you?” Caiden confronted her.
What other reason could there be? Still, Joan shook her head at him. Her body suddenly sagged with
exhaustion.
“Don’t touch me; I just want to enjoy a peaceful life with Larry.” Joan turned and walked away on
wobbly legs.
Caiden didn’t prod her after she had made her intentions clear. He followed her from a distance,
worried that she might trip.
“Ok, I got it. I’ll just send you home tonight.” He strode forward and lifted her before turning toward his
car.
“Put me down! Larry’s going to be pissed!” Joan pounded on his back as she protested his actions.
Caiden appeared to ignore her as he walked forward in determination.
“Why must you treat me like this? Why can’t you just let me go? Even your father is suspicious of me.
What on earth do you want me to do?” Joan yelled as she was buckled in the car. Tears of
helplessness were streaming down her face.
Caiden felt a rush of passion at her tears.
I want to be with her so much. But I know she hates dishonorable people, and I have to respect her for
that. I won’t put her in a tough spot.
Caiden’s car pulled into the driveway of her house.
“Oh dear, what’s going on?” Delilah rushed toward the car and helped Joan out.
“She’s drunk,” Caiden answered politely.
Why must she go and get herself drunk? Delilah glanced at Joan sharply.
“What’s going on?” Larry came out of the house when he heard the commotion.
“Hurry, you should help Joan up to the room.” Delilah pushed a half-conscious Joan to Larry.
Caiden lowered his head awkwardly at Larry’s cold expression.
Chapter 2630
Hangover
I guess she really chose Larry in the end. Caiden got up slowly to leave.
“Caiden!” Delilah suddenly called out.
“Thank you for sending her home,” she said with a smile.
“It’s fine,” he answered placidly.
“Have you been well?”
Somehow, Caiden lost part of his warm demeanor in the presence of this old lady.
“I’ve been well,” he replied nonchalantly.
Sensing his awkwardness, Delilah cut the pleasantries short and sent him on his way.
“Larry, I missed you so much!” Joan mumbled from where she lay on the bed.
“Joan, do you want some water?” Larry asked while he stroked her forehead.
“Larry!”
She flipped around and hugged him tightly around the waist.
Recognizing the familiar scent and warmth of Larry’s body, she tried to burrow closer into him. She
mumbled his name over and over, almost purring like a kitten in his embrace.
After spending some time staring at the full moon outside the windows, Larry eventually fell asleep.
The next morning, Joan woke up to the sight of sunlight streaming in through the windows. She
stretched lazily and felt around for Larry. She smiled when she discovered he was still in bed.
“Are you awake?” He cupped her face in his hands before giving her a soft kiss on her forehead.
“Yeah,” she answered softly. She hooked her arms behind Larry’s neck and stared at him.
“Where did you go last night? Do you remember anything?” Larry probed while stroking her hair.
Last night? We had a staff dinner, right? Joan wrecked her brains trying to recall last night’s events.
Damn it, I think I was drunk last night.
“Erm, I drank last night,” she confessed awkwardly while scratching the back of her head.
“And then what happened?” Larry asked.
Nothing, right? She stared at him in confusion.
“And then I came home,” she declared confidently.
“How did you get home?”
Oh, did I get a cab home last night? Why can’t I remember anything? Did Larry drive me home?
Joan looked at Larry abashedly as she asked, “Didn’t you come and get me last night?”
“No,” came his answer.
“Joan, you know getting drunk is dangerous, right? I’ve told you so many times not to drink in public
anymore.”
Larry would always nag Joan every time she drank alcohol.
But I can’t always refuse to drink. Just look at last night.
“I know. Last night was just a one-off thing,” Joan explained.
“Promise me you’ll avoid drinking next time, alright?” Larry coaxed.
Joan nodded obediently and didn’t protest. She would say yes to anything uttered with his magnetic
tone.
“Joan! I prepared some soup to help you with your hangover!” Delilah yelled from the living room.
“Coming!” Joan quickly answered.
They got dressed before washing up in the washroom.
“Here it is. You should drink more of it,” Delilah said as she passed a bowl to Joan.
“Thank you, Ms. Young. I’m sorry for troubling you,” Joan replied with an awkward smile.
“If you’re so sorry about it, why did you drink alcohol?”
Delilah glared at her while she stuffed a piece of toast into her mouth.
Joan lowered her head in shame at Delilah’s unusually chilly demeanor.
“Ms. Young, I got a present for you,” Larry blurted.
Delilah’s head swiveled toward Larry in an instant.
“Why are you giving me a present all of a sudden?” she questioned.