Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Margaret’s legs wobbled beneath her, and her fingers slowly slipped from Clifford’s arm. Her Insides churned, and a flush of heat surged to her forehead.

“Margaret?” Clifford reached out to steady her, feeling her forehead. “Are you feeling unwell? Why are you sweating so profusely?”

Margaret couldn’t bring herself to glance back at the pool. A mere glimpse had stirred up a storm of emotions, evidence that Gideon still held sway over her.

She pushed Clifford’s hand away, forcing a smile. “I’m fine. I skipped lunch, so perhaps my blood sugar was a bit low. You guys carry on; rll grab a bite.” She interjected before Clifford could continue, “Don’t worry.”

Turning swiftly, she vanished from view.

She didn’t go to the food area, wanting to stay as far away from the swimming pool as possible, and made a beeline for the garden.

However, the garden was also filled with people drinking and talking. Margaret stumbled in search of a secluded spot to recover from shock, but she still heard the conversation.

“Have you heard? Mr. Compton and Ms. Lambert have been engaged for five years, yet there’s no talk of marriage. Is he dense? What if Ms. Lambert decides to bolt?” said someone.

“Don’t be absurd! Perhaps their bond is so strong that they don’t feel the need for marriage. Who knows?” countered another voice.

Those words left Margaret bewildered. “Gideon isn’t married? It’s been five years. Why hasn’t he tied the knot?”

With a shake of her head, Margaret rubbed her temples in frustration before entering the restroom. Attempting to compose herself, she splashed cold water onto her face, but her trembling fingers betrayed her lingering agitation..

“Relax..” “she whispered to herself, thinking, ‘It’ll be fine. Gideon might not have even noticed me. It’s been five years since we last saw each other. We were merely bedfellows back then. He wouldn’t give me a second thought. He’s probably forgotten all about me by now. Even if we were to cross paths, he wouldn’t recognize me.”

After splashing water on her face, Margaret calmed down considerably. Taking a deep breath, she emerged from the bathroom and headed back toward the garden.

⚫side.

As she turned the corner, someone suddenly seized her arm, causing her to lose her balance and stumble to one s

“Ah!” she exclaimed, and a familiar scent immediately enveloped her senses.

Before she could lift her gaze, her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

His lips brazenly seized Margaret’s, igniting a familiar sensation that coursed through her entire being. Summoning all her strength, she pushed him away.

Above her forehead, she could feel Gideon’s breathing, his arm pressing against her neck. His gaze bore into her, sharp and frigid.

“I’m sorry, sir…” Margaret steadied herself, her mind racing as she swiftly formulated a plan. Struggling to break free but to no avail, she eventually forced herself to stay calm, lifting her head to address him. “Please, step aside.”

Gideon’s stare lingered on her face, and he snickered.

That cut right through Margaret’s resolye, shattering the facade of fearlessness she had fought to maintain. With a clenched jaw, she lowered her gaze, feeling a wave of vulnerability wash over her.

10:03 Wed 26 Jun

Chapter 7

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However, the garden was ab filled with people drinking and talking, Margaret stumbled in search of a secluded spot to recover but she still heard the conversation.

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“Don’t be absurd Perhaps their bond is so strong that they don’t feel the need for marriage. Who known countered another voice.

Those words lah Margaret bewildered. Gideon isn’t married? It’s been five years. Why hasn’t he tied the knot?”

With a shake of her head. Margaret rubbed her temples infrustration before entering the restroom. Attempting to compose hemell, the splashed cold water onto her face, but her trembling fingers betrayed her lingering agitation

“Relac.” she whispered to herself, thinking, ‘It’ll be fine Gideon might not have ever noticed in, it’s been five years since we last now each

bedfellows back then, he wouldn’t give me a second thought. He’s probably forgotten all about me by how Fuel

to cross paths, he wouldn’t recognize me

her splashing water on her face, Margaret calmed down considerably. Taking a deep breath, she emerged from the bathroom and beadid back toward the garden.

As she turned the comer, someone suddenly seed her arm, causing her to lose her balance and stumble to one side

“Ah!” she exclaimed, and siliaricent immediately enveloped her senses.

Before she could lift

gale, her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

His lips brazenly sected Margaret’s, igniting a familiar sensation that coursed through her entire being Summoning all her strength, she pushed him away

About her forehead, she could feel Gideon’s breathing, his arm pressing against her neck. His gaze bore into her, sharp and frigid

o

“I’m sorry, sir.” Margaret steadied heruett, her mind racing as she swiftly formulated a plan Struggling to bres free but an avall, she

ventually forced herself to stay calm, lilting ber

Gideon’s stare lingered on her face, and hy snickered

“Please, step aside.”

That cut right through Margaret’s resolve, shattering the facade of fearlessness she had fought to maintain with a clenched je lowered

gaze, feeling a wave of vulnerability wash over ther

13:03 Wed, 26 Jun

Chapter 7

“Pretending you don’t know me, huh?” Gideon extended his hand to tilt Margaret’s chin upward, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Is that all you’ve learned in these five years?”

Margaret shivered involuntarily at his touch, but her resolve hardened, her eyes steely.

“Let me go,” “she demanded.

Gideon paused, a glint of coldness flickering in his eyes.

Margaret began to struggle, raising her voice. “Let go of me, Gideon. Our connection is severed. It used to be a transaction of mutual benefit. What is it now?”

The commotion grew louder, and approaching footsteps could be heard from the other end of the garden. Someone was curious about the disturbance.

Gideon swiftly tugged Margaret and pushed her into a thicket of flowering bushes.

“Your body tells a different story.” He mercilessly lifted his hand.

Margaret’s entire being went slack in response, her desires stirred against her will. Despite her attempts to resist, she found herself unable to thwart Gideon’s overpowering strength.

“What do you want?” Her voice quivered, teeth clenched in defiance. “I have a boyfriend waiting just outside. If I were to shout now, it wouldn’t bode well for you or your career, would it?”

“Excellent,” Gideon remarked with a nearly audible chuckle, applauding. “You’ve become a lot smarter.” Leaning in close, he whispered into her car, “Feel free to give that shout a try.”

Margaret felt a rush of heat as she noticed the hem of her dress hiked up, her skin tingling beneath Gideon’s touch. Meeting his gaze, she glimpsed a flicker of anger lurking within his deep, abyss–like eyes.

He knew all her weaknesses. With a single move, he could easily overpower her.

“No. I refuse to let that happen, Margaret declared inwardly, her heart pounding as she caught her breath. After a moment, she regained her senses, abruptly pushing Gideon away and scrambling to put distance between them.

This time, Gideon made no move to pursue her. Instead, he simply cast a sidelong glance at Margaret, taking in her panic and apprehension. His expression remained cold and impassive as he watched her flee.

‘Running away a again… How many times must she escape?‘ he mused silently. In the past five years, there had been no trace of her except for a plane ticket indicating her journey to Atharia.

Gideon’s irritation flared as he narrowed his eyes. He rose to his feet, smoothed out his attire, and strode away.

Meanwhile, Margaret composed herself as she made her way back to Clifford, trying to appear calm.

Clifford was scrolling through his phone. When he noticed Margaret walking toward him, he immediately approached her.

“Why didn’t you answer the phone? Is your gastritis acting up again?” Clifford’s expression was filled with guilt as he spoke. “I should have brought you something to eat…”

Margaret forced a smile and reassured, “Don’t worry about it. I grabbed a bite just now.”

When she had just gone abroad, she wasn’t used to the local cuisine and didn’t eat on time, which led to gastritis. It often flared up during her time with Clifford on the battlefield, and she was surprised he still remembered.

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Chapter 7

“That’s a relief.” Clifford approached, offering his arm for her to link hers with.

After a moment of hesitation, Margaret took his arm.

However, the unsettling encounter with Gideon replayed incessantly in her mind. His scent, his voice, his movements… everything about him was a threat to her peace of mind.

She couldn’t deny that she had once again lost her composure, resorting to using Clifford as a shield in her distress.

Feeling remorseful, Margaret glanced at Clifford and asked, “When can we leave?”

Clifford immediately answered, “If you want to leave now-”

“Dr. Huxley.” Suddenly, a cold and calm voice interrupted him. The familiarity of the voice sent shivers down Margaret’s spine.

She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth in frustration.

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