Chapter 1158


    Dazed by his kisses, Maja couldn''t even muster a word.


    Ian had enveloped her twice in the hot tub, then lifted her up and pressed her against the wall of the


    changing room. It was as if he was savoring a feast he knew he wouldn''t have ess to for a while.


    Maja eventually fell asleep from exhaustion, only to awaken the following evening.


    Her body felt limp and drained, and upon seeing the familiar ceiling, she recognized that she was in the


    Greenfield Gardens.


    Images from the night before shed intermittently in her mind. First it was surprise, then anger that


    made her chest tremble.


    Just as she was about to get out of bed, the door opened, and in walked Ian, carrying a bowl of


    oatmeal.


    "Maja, you''re awake."


    Maja took a deep breath, her expression turning cold.


    "Exin."


    Setting the oatmeal aside, he stirred it with a spoon, blew on it gently, and brought it to her lips.


    "First, eat."


    Maja turned her head away. She was too angry to speak, let alone eat.


    Ian put down the spoon and sighed softly, pulling out the recording fromst night.


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    "This isn''t right."


    "What''s not right about it?"


    "You''ll me me when you sober up."


    "I won''t. I initiated it."


    He lowered his eyshes and continued stirring the oatmeal, silent, yet his message was clear.


    The damn thing was, upon hearing the recording, Maja felt a sudden pang of guilt.


    It was she who had initiated it.


    Thinking back, she remembered that Ian had warned her not to drink too muchst night, but she was


    distracted by his mention of the Sanders family and didn''t pay attention.


    She couldn''t remember the rest, only the overwhelming sense of pleasure.


    Ian had clearly taken care of herst night, but it had been a long night.


    Ian remained silent, still stirring the oatmeal.


    Maja felt guilty for ming him, her conscience stinging. She wanted tofort him, but remembering


    theirplicated rtionship, she closed her mouth again.


    Setting the oatmeal back down, he slowly rose. "I''ll have Jeff take you home."


    Her guilt peaked at his words.


    "I''m going to work overtime. There''s a lot of work left at the Raymond Corporation."


    Then he moved his bandaged hand slightly.


    Maja noticed his palm was wrapped, and several blisters were visible on his fingertips. Frowning, she


    wondered how he got these burn blisters.


    Ian simply turned and walked to the door, where he bumped into Jeff. Jeff''s voice was clear and loud.


    "Mr. Raymond, the soup you''ve been simmering is ready. Should I take it up to Ms. Pennyfeather?"


    So he had burned his hand making soup.


    Maja wasn''t one to respond to force, but gentleness left her somewhat at a loss.


    Ian''s voice rang out just then.


    "Maja, I''ll have Jeff take you home. I know you''ve had some misunderstandings about me."


    Indeed, she had always thought Ian was emotionally immature, explosive at the slightest provocation.


    If she said anything hurtful, he would not hesitate to say something even more hurtful in his anger.


    Even when she just woke up, she thought he had set a trapst night, forcing her, but it turned out that


    she was charmed by his handsome face after drinking.


    She had always been fond of Ian''s face and his long, slender hands. She often wanted to sketch him.


    After getting drunk, she might have done something she wasn''t aware of.


    He didn''t exin when he was misunderstood. He just yed the recording.


    Her heart clenched for a moment. She wanted to apologize, but he had already left.


    Maja took a deep breath, slowly rose, and dressed in the clothes that had been prepared for her.


    Her body was sore from his endurance in bed. He was just relentless and tireless.


    After struggling into her clothes, she slowly made her way to the study, intending to apologize.


    After all, she knew what he wanted to dost night. It was a stormy night. He took her to the hot springs


    and she had indulged him.


    "Ian."


    Before she could finish her sentence, his voice came through the study door.


    "Maja, we both need to cool down."


    Maja''s fingers froze on the doorknob. Cooling down was what she had been doing for a while.


    She was a rational person. This period was a test for Ian. If he didn''t change his ways, there was no


    point in them being together.


    Now that things had turned out this way, she felt even more ufortable.


    "I''m sorry about what happened earlier."


    "I''m not bothered. You''ve always thought of me as that kind of person."


    That was like a dagger to the heart.


    The door opened from the inside, and Jeff appeared with a respectful air.


    "Ms. Pennyfeather, let me take you home."


    Maja lowered her eyshes.


    "Mr. Raymond is in a meeting. It''ll be several hours. He''s been very busytely."


    Maja had no choice but to leave for now.


    When Jeff returned to the Greenfield Gardens study, he was still puzzled.


    "Mr. Raymond, why did you send Ms. Pennyfeather away?"


    He had thought this was a chance for them to reconcile.


    Ian had returned to his usual cold demeanor. The hands that had roamed her bodyst night were now


    holding a cold steel pen when he was reviewing documents.


    "She responds to tenderness, not force."


    "Ms. Pennyfeather probably won''t being over for a while."


    Ian paused, pen in hand, a slight raise of his eyebrows. "But she''ll feel guilty about using me


    unjustly these few days. It''ll nag at her."