Chapter 1678:
The other three observed from a distance and exchanged glances.
Patrick cleared his throat.
âAhem, donât you guys think this looks a bit odd?â
âWeird?â Thiago squinted slightly, his eyes on the distant figures, trying to discern something.
Aldrich dusted off the sand, hands in his pockets, and casually remarked to Thiago and Patrick, âFocus on your own love lives, you two single guys.â
With that, Aldrich walked toward the villaâs courtyard, leaving Thiago and Patrick exchanging puzzled glances. Had they misheard? Single guys? Since when did Aldrich have a girlfriend? Why hadnât they heard anything? This was big news that had to be shared with Harlee!
Thiago and Patrick quickly scrambled to their feet and dashed toward the villa. Even Thiago, usually the epitome of gentleness and refinement, lost all semblance of composure.
In the realm of juicy gossip, maintaining a refined image seemed trivial.
When Harlee came downstairs, Rhys had already prepared breakfastâsandwiches and milk. His attempt at seduction having faltered, he now sought to win her heart through his culinary skills.
As Harlee entered the dining room, Patrick and Thiago burst in from outside. Their initial excitement quickly dampened when they saw Rhys. They lowered their heads, their expressions blank.
Noticing that Rhys had prepared breakfast just for Harlee, Patrick and Thiago silently exited to fetch their own meal.
Every journey starts at gαâηÏνððsâ¤cðð
Harlee took a bite of her sandwich, her gaze shifting to Rhys, who appeared somewhat aggrieved. Smirking, she teased, âSwitching to the culinary approach? Youâre quite resourceful.â
Rhysâs cooking was indeed to Harleeâs liking. Under normal circumstances, she might have softened, but with the memory of last nightâs failed seduction still fresh in her mind, she found herself more entertained by his efforts than moved. She playfully hinted that she might let him into her bed tonight if he attempted to seduce her again.
Across the table, Rhys paused, a frown crossing his brow. Was his culinary charm also falling short? He cleared his throat and replied nervously, âNo, I just wanted to cook something special for you.â
As he spoke, he sipped his coffee, watching Harlee eat with a content expression, his eyes filled with affection. Hmm⦠As long as Harlee was happy, not achieving immediate forgiveness through his cooking didnât seem too harsh a failure.
After finishing her meal, Harlee noticed Patrick and Thiago returning with their own breakfast. She glanced at them casually and asked lazily, âDid you get roughed up this morning?â
Her tone was nonchalant yet pointed. When Patrick and Thiago had first rushed in, she had discerned the telltale signs of internal injuriesâa clear indicator that their assailant had been more formidable than them. The identity of their morning adversary was obvious, so her query carried a light, teasing undertone, indirectly flirting with Rhys.
Unbeknownst to the coupleâs playful flirtation, Patrick and Thiago misinterpreted Harleeâs inquiry as concernâ¦
Rhys took an elegant sip of his coffee, his sharply defined features unreadable. He didnât need to utter a single threat.
Thiago and Patrick exchanged glances, a silent conversation passing between them. After a brief pause, Patrick spoke, âNo, Harlee. The five of us were just sparring. Itâs been a while since we last sparred, and we got a little carried away. We didnât hold back as much as we should have.â
Thiago nodded quickly.
âYeah. We just wanted to test our skills against each other. It was nothing seriousâjust a friendly match. Weâll recover in a couple of days.â
Both men looked genuinely sincere, but beneath their calm exteriors was a shared fear that Harlee might not believe them. If she didnât, they risked being dragged out by the merciless Rhys for another grueling training session at the crack of dawn.
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