Chapter 15


    Avery thought that Rory would like the SpongeBob-patterned wrapping paper.


    Hence, she kept away the other papers and took the one with the SpongeBob pattern before rising to


    leave.


    “Ah!”


    As she was preupied with the thoughts of how she was going to wrap the book to make the best


    use of the SpongeBob print, she had forgotten that a certain man was by her side.


    Avery had a brooch on her shirt, and it was stuck on the man''s belt.


    “I-I''m sorry! I...” Embarrassment crashed into Avery like a tidal wave as she looked at the two items that


    were stuck with each other.


    The man lowered his head to study her, but she could not decipher what was going on in his mind


    when she looked into his eyes.


    “I''ll get them unstuck right away...” Avery hastily grabbed the man''s belt.


    It was the first time in her life holding onto a man''s belt.


    That night five years ago, Avery had not touched anything that belonged to the man. Moreover, she


    had not done such a thing with Zayne despite their many years of rtionship.


    Avery had no idea why, but strange things kept happening whenever she was around Cayden.


    It was as if they were fated to be.


    The brooch she had on was of aplicated design—it had jagged edges, and one of the branches


    was stuck in the man''s belt buckle. Unfortunately, it was no easy feat to get it out.


    The more anxious Avery was, the more challenging her task became. In fact, the air around her was


    starting to get hotter with every passing second.


    “How long more before you''re done with it?” the man asked.


    Avery lifted her head to look at him.


    Cayden was tall, and he was wearing a pair of ck cks that day. He usually had two of the buttons


    of his white shirt undone, but as he had been looking at drafts in his office the entire time, he had


    unbuttoned three instead. Thus, she could vaguely see the outline of his chest muscles from the gap.


    If not for the warmth of his body, others would have thought that a man like him, who had an almost-


    wless figure, was a sculpture made by a master sculptor.


    “I-I don''t want my brooch anymore,” Avery muttered, not daring to look at him in his eyes. “I want to get


    it unstuck, but I''m scared that I''ll scratch your belt in the process.”


    When Avery was studying abroad, she and her friends had educated themselves a little about major


    brands.


    That was how she knew that the belt the man was wearing was something expensive.


    As a matter of fact, it was so pricey to the point she would not be able to afford topensate him if


    she were to scratch it.


    “Scratching my belt is far better than having you clinging to me in this position.” Cayden''s head


    remained low as he looked at the foolish woman fidgeting with his belt but failing to unstuck the brooch.


    It was evening. The golden rays of the sun were a veil of nket on the man, adding a sense of


    surrealism to the man''s beauty.


    Upon hearing his words, Avery lowered her head and pursed her lips before returning to her task.


    Cayden continued to watch her from above like a king.


    Over time, Avery became impatient because of her constant failures. Her soft lips parted, and her warm


    breaths tickled the man''s tense stomach. Something was slowly filling up in his body.


    Finally, with a click, the brooch and the belt buckle were separated.


    Avery was delighted. A smile spread across her rosy face as she rose to her feet with the broken


    brooch in her hands.


    Wait... there''s something strange.


    Instinctively, she lowered her head.


    All she needed was a nce before she leaped backward in fright. A shudder wracked her body, and


    when she raised her head to look at the man again, fear and anxiety filled her eyes.


    The man of a hundred and eighty-nine centimeters was standing straight with a solemn look on his


    face. At that moment, it was as if he was a teacher looking at a student who had made a mistake.


    When Avery met his dark eyes, her throat went dry. There was nothing she could do but apologize.


    “Sorry, Mr. Moore! I''m going to keep wrapping the book.”


    With that, Avery picked up the SpongeBob-patterned wrapping paper and wrapped the book.


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    She was tense from that moment until when she finally finished wrapping the book and left.


    Every second felt like a century. The man''s status, appearance, and demeanor felt as if they were


    warning her to stay away from him.


    It took Avery a long time to recollect herself after she went downstairs.


    There and then, she decided to stay away from that man on the top floor who always brought unwanted


    surprises to her life from now on.


    As it took Avery quite a while to wrap the book, she ended up with tons of work left to do.


    One thing good about being busy was that she could forget about the embarrassing moment at the


    CEO''s office.


    “Come for dinner at my ce. My brother will being to pick us up,” said Nina, leaning toward


    Avery''s ear as she held onto a stack of documents.


    Avery nced at her and inclined her head.


    Right then, Nina''s eyes flitted toward the brooch on Avery''s chest.


    “Why is it broken?” Nina asked, shocked.


    Although the brooch was no luxury item, it was something Avery had cherished since high school.


    Nina did not know who had given Avery that old-fashioned brooch, but she had been friends with Avery


    since tenth grade. Nina always visited Avery''s ce, and she knew that Avery had a special box with


    that brooch as the only thing inside.


    Avery lowered her head to look at the broken brooch. She lied, “I met a child earlier. When I was


    crouching to talk to him, he grabbed onto the brooch and refused to let go, so...”


    “Kids are annoying.” Nina was sure that Avery was upset. After all, the brooch was something she had


    cherished for years, but it was now out of shape.


    Shaking her head, she then returned to her workstation.


    Meanwhile, Avery lifted her hand in a daze to gently hold the broken brooch.


    After what seemed like eons, working hours were finally over.


    Zayne had an off day—something thepany had given to its staff aspensation for the business


    trip—so he had gone to purchase a car. After hastily dealing with the necessary procedures, he drove


    the car out.


    “I''m sorry!” Zayne apologized to Avery as he opened the door and stared at her intently.


    Nina had driven to work today, so she had left before Avery did.


    After Avery got into Zayne''s car, they headed toward the Richter residence.


    Zayne''s attention was on the road the entire trip there. His brows were furrowed, and it seemed that he


    was deep in his thoughts. Simrly, Avery was quiet as she looked out the window at the streets.


    Soon, their car entered the residential area.


    The Richter couple—Nina''s parents—came down to receive Avery.


    “Mr. Richter, Mrs. Richter, why did youe down?” Avery felt bad.


    Isabe Walker, Nina''s mother, held Avery''s hands and patted them. “I miss you!”


    “Mom! You''re way cheesier with Ery than me and my brother with her,” Nina teased.


    Zayne was walking behind the group, and one of his hands was in his pocket.


    There was a fine ck velvet jewelry box held tightly in his hand. To Zayne, the result of a proposal


    was like the result of a coin toss; he could never predict what the answer could be.


    Perhaps other couples did not function like this, but that was how things were with him and Avery.


    He could not help but feel uneasy.