Nelissa’s heart palpitated at his subtle confession. She didn’t know why, but it felt as though Edward was rifying his rtionship with Sophia. If that was the case, it seemed that he might have taken her words earlier in the car to heart.


    She had said that he was no different from Zayden, so he took the liberty to exin that Sophia was his girlfriend in name only.


    Nelissa glimpsed at Edward.


    He had been busy taking care of her needs since they returned to his vi. He hadn’t got the chance to change out of his suit, which didn’t seemfortable to be in.


    “So, which one?” Edward urged.


    Nelissa’s eyes swept across the mini wardrobe, “Don’t you have any pants?”


    Edward stepped forward and picked out a long dress.


    Truth be told, he had never seen any women who looked more perfect in a dress than Nelissa.


    She took the dress from himpliantly. It was a designer dress with its clothingbel still attached, and it was coincidentally in her size.


    Nelissa couldn’t fathom how Edward managed to snag the right size when they had only had sex twice. Perhaps, he had learned this from his experiences with women.


    She turned to search for scissors to cut thebel off.


    Edward asked, “Will you be upset if you were to see Sophia and me together?”


    The question caught her by surprise. She didn’t know if she would, but since he had gotten so furious when she met with Zayden, that meant that she had the right to be angry too, yes?


    She probed, “Will you stop bothering me if I said that I will?”


    “No,” Edward replied sternly. “I only want to let you know that there are certain unavoidable asions that I must appear with Sophia. I might have to marry her too. But it’ll be a marriage of benefit. Could you understand that, Nelissa?


    “I need to marry Sophia to strengthen the alliance between our families. There will be no love normitment apart from that.”


    “Marriage is only but a piece of paper to me. Sophia would have already gained so much from the marriage. She didn’t need my affection.


    “I decide who I love.”


    ……


    People said that men could separate love from sex. However, this was above all that. The pursuit of mutual benefit was somethingmonly adopted among the rich.


    They would marry someone they didn’t love for the sake of their family’s gain, and they would seek love and sex from other women.


    Needless to say, it would be the same for Edward, especially with his status and power.


    Even though Nelissa disapproved of the behavior, she wasn’t going to chastise Edward for it. After all, Mary used to instill simr values into her.


    “I don’t want to know about anything between you and Sophia. I only know that both of us are asking for different things.


    “But if you keep on pushing me,” – she cut off thebel as though she was cutting her ties with Edward – “I might just marry someone else.”


    His lips curled into a tight smile, “Then I’ll be the groomsman. And on your wedding night, I’ll tie your groom up and make love to you next door.”


    Nelissa’s face was ashen, muted at his horrid suggestion.


    “You know I’m capable of that,” Edward continued, stroking her face lovingly. However, the words he said were brutal, “I’ll take my anger out on him. I don’t even care if he’s not going to survive it. After all, no one, apart from me, would want to take responsibility for a widow with two children.”


    Nelissa quivered, “You’re bullying me, Edward.”


    He denied it, “Quite the contrary.”


    He lowered his head to peck on her lips and murmured hoarsely, “But I’ll do whatever it takes to have you.”


    Edward mashed his lips against hers, and his tongue slipped into her mouth skillfully. His hand skimmed across her waist, tracing his fingers against her delicate skin.


    Her knees went weak. With only a slight push from Edward, Nelissa fell on her back to the bed. Before she realized what happened, Edward leaned down and nted kisses on her shoulders, trailing down and over the thin garment.


    His breathing ragged, Edward turned andy down next to her. He stretched and saidzily, “You’d better change. Otherwise, there’s no telling what I’d do. To be frank, I don’t mind how this is going.”


    Spellbound by his seductive voice, Nelissa took a moment before jumping up to her feet and sprinting to the bathroom with the dress.


    Edward smiled at her reaction. He closed his eyes, only to be greeted by the image of Nelissa’s naked body. She would look lovely spreading her legs on his bed… on him.


    He opened his eyes and got up from the bed. He needed to change out of the increasingly-ufortable suit.


    ……


    Edward had already finished changing into his lounge clothes when Nelissa returned to the bedroom.


    His unbuttoned shirt revealed his chiseled abs as he ran his hand across his hairzily. He walked over and pulled her in for a quick kiss.


    Nelissa turned away, the sensation of their lips brushing electrifying.


    She needed to keep his mood light, for she was going to ask a favor from him.


    “About our coboration… Have you read the files yet? Could you maybe give me some hints?”


    He didn’t answer her. Instead, he cupped her face and kissed her again, brushing his lips on hers, just long enough for him to take in her scent.


    Mentally, Nelissa rolled her eyes at him. She was sure that she would win easily if she were to file a harassment charge against him.


    “You thought that I’d coddle you, didn’t you?” Edward whispered. He finally let go of her, “You’ll have to earn them.”


    Nelissa scowled. She hated it when he said that because she knew there was nothing she could do to change his mind.


    “You could start with putting my clothes to theundry basket,” Edward gestured to his clothes scattered around the floor. “I still have work now, thanks to you. Don’t wait up.”


    He turned to leave the bedroom after that.


    ……


    Nelissa went to bed after putting the dirtyundry into the hamper. As she turned toy on her side, her ne, together with the ring on it, slipped out from her cor.


    The ring was an unwanted gift from Edward, and she was lucky that Zayden didn’t notice it earlier that night. Otherwise, he might have recognized that it belonged to Edward.


    She rolled over, thinking that she should have slept in the guest room. But then again, Edward would be upset at her if he were toe back to an empty bed.


    However, he didn’te back up until she dozed off.


    ……


    Nelissa woke up early the next morning. Edward was cocooning her, hugging her so tightly that she had a hard time breathing.


    She tried to move his heavy arms, “Edward, you’re crushing me.”


    “Then get on me,” he replied groggily.


    ……


    Meanwhile, Eliza was already preparing breakfast in the kitchen. She usually didn’t need to do it untilte morning because Edward was ate riser.


    However, knowing that Nelissa had stayed for the night, Eliza knew that Edward would wake up earlier. And, as expected, Nelissa came downstairs when the breakfast was almost ready.


    She sat down at the table, her face scrunched up in frustration.


    Eliza brought a ss of milk to her, “Miss Quest, have some milk first. Breakfast will be ready soon.”


    “Thank you, Eliza,” Nelissa smiled, bearing the pain every time she moved her lips.


    At this moment, Eliza noticed that Edward was walking down the stairs. She greeted, “Good morning, Master Hales.”


    “Coffee, please,” Edward said as he took the seat next to Nelissa.


    Eliza nodded and went back to the kitchen.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She returned with their breakfast shortly after and Edward’s coffee with extra milk and sugar. Weirdly, he had a sweet tooth.


    Andrew arrived at the vi right as they finished breakfast. His first task to start the day was to send Nelissa to work.


    However, she asked Andrew to drop her off just a few blocks away from her office.


    Edward was resting his eyes, but he turned to look at Nelissa questioningly when he heard her request.


    She exined, “I’m buying breakfast for Jolene.”


    Edward smirked. “You know, if you give me as much as half of the attention you give your best friend, I might consider giving you hints on our coboration.”


    Nelissa stared at him and asked tentatively, “…I could buy you breakfast too if you want.”