After their conversation, Shermaine quickly made an excuse to rest and left the room with swift steps.
Ezra watched her retreating figure, his mind replaying the strange look she had given him moments ago.
A wave of unease washed over him, but he quickly pushed the feeling aside.
Ezra was certain that Shermaine loved him deeply, that even that cold, aloof woman would get jealous.
A few years ago, if he had even exchanged a few words with one of his assistants, Shermaine would sulk for days, ignoring him completely.
If she had discovered what was going on between him and Melanie, she wouldn’t be so cold. He was confident that, with her love for him, she would have reacted very differently.
His phone buzzed again. It was another message from Melanie, begging him to take her to his house.
Ezra’s handsome face darkened, and just as he was about to lash out in anger, a new message from Melanie appeared on the screen.
The message contained a provocative picture—on a white bedspread, she wore a sexy outfit with black stockings, posing suggestively.
Melanie had a sweet, innocent face but a body that was intoxicating, like a poppy—addictive and dangerous.
Ezra didn’t send the scolding message he had been preparing.
Instead, he swallowed hard before speaking in a low, husky voice as he recorded a reply, “Melanie, I’ll agree, but just this once. After this, you need to understand your place. You shouldn’t interrupt my life with Shermaine.”
When Shermaine was discharged from the hospital, she realized with a shock that she only had a few days before she had to report to the research institute.
Back at home, Ezra had done exactly what he had promised—he had decorated the house ahead of time.
It was filled with all of her favorite things—plants, pink balloons, and cartoon characters.
Instead of the cold and aloof version of him that everyone knew, Ezra was acting like a child, constantly asking her, “Shermaine, do you like it? Is there anything you don’t like? Just tell me and I’ll fix it.”
For the first time in a while, Shermaine smiled. Ezra, thrilled by her reaction, immediately moved in to kiss her.
Just as their lips were about to meet, Shermaine gently pushed him away.
“I need to freshen up first.”
She quickly made her way to the bathroom, the smile fading from her face. Her eyes became empty, tired.
When she looked up, her gaze fell on something out of place on the countertop—a small bottle of cosmetics that wasn’t hers.
The sample had clearly been used quite a bit, meaning its owner had been staying here for a few days.
