Chapter 101

Frederick was still in the water, his eyes fixed on Marguerite but he didn’t utter a word.

The more quiet he was, the more uneasy Marguerite felt.

She couldn’t focus, not daring to meet the man’s gaze. Her eyes darted about aimlessly but inadvertently locked onto his.

In that moment, Marguerite felt like a thief caught in the act; her panic kicking up a notch.

Sadie relished the sight and couldn’t resist stirring the pot. “Ms. Lockwood, there’s no ladder in this pool. Mr. Winston’s been swimming for a while and he might be pooped. Fancy giving him a hand?”

Marguerite sucked in a breath. Her muscles were taut and she muttered awkwardly, “Um… I’ll pull you up.”

With that, she approached the pool hesitantly reaching out her hand towards him.

Seeing her so jumpy, a mischievous glint appeared in Frederick’s eyes.

He had never seen this feminine side of Marguerite. She was like a scared little kitten waiting for his reassurance.

How great it would be if she was like this every day.

In that way, he wouldn’t always lose his temper with her.

Frederick’s face softened. He quickly turned and swam towards Marguerite.

Her arm was getting tired from holding it up in the air. When Frederick’s cold hand shot out of the water, their hands were clasping. Marguerite felt like she’d been zapped, instinctively wanting to pull her hand back.

Unexpectedly, he held onto her warm little hand tightly and kicked off the pool floor; his upper body shot out of the water.

His knee hit the pool edge and splashed some water onto Marguerite, making her shirt see–through.

Startled, Marguerite quickly covered her chest. But it was too late.

Next thing she knew, she felt a shove from behind and involuntarily hurled herself at him.

Almost simultaneously, Marguerite felt a tight grip around her waist. Then she heard a loud splash accompanied by a brief sensation of weightlessness.

They fell into the water together, locked in an embrace.

Sadie opened her mouth wide on the shore, “Oh dear, Ms. Lockwood, I’m sorry I slipped and accidentally pushed you! Ms. Lockwood can’t swim! You’ve got to hold onto her, Mr. Winston!”

The cold water soaked through Marguerite’s thin clothes. She hastily lifted her head after swallowing a mouthful of water.

*Cough, cough, cough…”

Marguerite was coughing hard, her nose and ears ringing.

Choking was a terrible experience. Marguerite clung to Frederick like a lifeline, her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms tightly around his neck.

She was panting so heavily that she didn’t even realize her chest had brushed against his face.

Seeing this, Sadie blushed like a rose and quickly turned around, leaving the couple alone in the water.

Frederick’s face turned serious, his ears slightly burning, “Marguerite, calm down.”

Marguerite blinked her captivating eyes, her voice barely a whisper, “Can… can you take me to shore?

I’m a bit scared.”

A smirk played on Frederick’s lips; he let go of one hand in the water on purpose and Marguerite immediately clung to him tighter.

“Don’t… don’t joke around, I’m really scared.”

Whether she was truly scared or just pretending, her unconscious voice was melodious and tender, making him feel unusually at ease.

Her petulance was unlike Yuna’s. Marguerite’s frailty came from within, but she refused to let people read it. That made him want to protect her even more.

In contrast, Yuna’s coquetry was off–putting and repulsive.

Frederick’s gaze deepened. With a smile, he held Marguerite tight again and swam to the shore. He was firmly supporting her petite waist and having her sit on the pool edge He then propped himself up on the edge and left the water effortlessly.

He wrapped a towel around himself casually and tossed a bathrobe to Marguerite.

Marguerite hurriedly put on the bathrobe. The breeze made her shiver from the cold. She was grumbling under her breath.

“You could’ve gotten out of the pool without me. Did you… did you do it on purpose?”