As soon as the door closed, Nathan was about to embrace Lucinda, but she pinched his face hard.
âOuch! Please donâtâ¦â Nathan pleaded for her to stop.
Despite the pain, he didnât dodge and just winced instead.
Lucinda was irritated and loosened her grasp on him, accusing him, âYouâre a manipulative man.
You want me to play the bad cop while you act like the good one?â
âThatâs not what I was thinking.
Iâm just grateful to see you defend me,â he clarified.
With that, she released him from her grip and soothingly caressed his reddened cheek with her thumb.
Nathan relished in her affection with contentment.
Thinking of Ronan, he adopted a serious expression and said, âIâll drive you back home later.
You donât have to accompany me to the ancestral temple.
â
âWhy not?â Lucinda inquired, sounding indifferent.
âIâm your fiancee, and everyone in this city knows that.
Besides, I did what I did to Ronan last night.
I canât be absent.
The Payne family canât do anything to me.
Iâll go and see what theyâre planning,â she explained.
Nathan playfully touched her nose and replied, âAlright then, letâs go together since you want to.
â
After Nathanâs treatment, Lucinda helped him put on his shirt and suit.
His body was covered in obvious hickeys, particularly on his neck, which was difficult to conceal.
It was just too obvious.
Lucinda was filled with regret.
Lucinda realized she should have controlled herself and been more gentle with Nathan.
After that, she looked for a scarf to put around his neck.
Nathan couldnât believe it and asked, âItâs nearly summer.
Why do you want me to wear a scarf?â
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âJust wear it.
You just had an operation and should be resting in bed for a few days.
Instead, you have to deal with the issues that Ronan caused.
I donât want you to catch a cold, so Iâll keep you warm,â she explained.
âOkay,â he agreed.
Giving in, he allowed her to wrap the scarf around him, ensuring he was well covered.
Hand in hand, they made their way to the Payne estate together.
In the ancestral temple, Nathanâs uncles Mylo and Jeff, along with other members of the Payne family, sat silently in their designated seats.
Notably absent were his aunt Agate and Ronan.
The room fell into silence, with no one daring to speak until Nathan arrived.
The candles decorating their ancestorsâ memorial tablets flickered in the cold wind, casting an eerie atmosphere over the room.