Chapter 186

Chapter 186 Sorrowful Parting When Nancy entered the car, Nicholas was engrossed in his laptop.

He crossed his legs elegantly as he sat in the backseat. The top two buttons of his white shirt were undone, revealing his alluring collarbone.

From Nancy’s perspective, he looked stunning.

It was no wonder that people often said men were most attractive when they were focused on their work. It was undeniably true.

Nicholas was simply too handsome.

He was incredibly attractive.

She felt an overwhelming desire to kiss him.

With that longing burning inside her, she leaned in gently and cautiously.

Resting her chin on her hand, she tilted her head to admire his profile, appreciating his strong jawline that exuded masculinity and perfection, like a work of art.

Nicholas was a masterpiece; it would be a shame not to kiss him.

After a few moments of gazing, she shifted her attention to his bright, red lips.

Just as she was about to make her move, he turned to look at her. “Why were you so quiet when you came in? You didn’t even greet me.”

“I was pondering something important, she replied.

He chuckled softly and sensually. “How important is it that you’re keeping it a secret?”

“Oh, well. It’s...”

Midway through her sentence, she realized this was the perfect opportunity. So, she closed her eyes, gathered her courage, and leaned in with pursed lips.

However, instead of the expected warmth, her lips met a hand.

“This is what you were thinking about?” Nicholas laughed.

Nancy blushed bright red and pulled back in embarrassment, denying his accusation. “Nope. You’ve misunderstood me.”

“Fool, your actions gave you away,” he teased.

“What? How did you know what I was about to do?” she stubbornly retorted.

1/4 He glanced outside to check their location, then set his laptop aside and reached out to pull her onto his lap.

Lowering his forehead to touch hers, he softly exhaled, “Silly girl, I knew you’ve been longing for me since you arrived.”

Her heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly explained, “N-No! I haven’t! And stop being so self- absorbed!”

“What can I do? Those who are born handsome and talented tend to be self-absorbed.”

She playfully poked him. “Since when did you become so thick-skinned?”

“That’s because a certain someone is thin-skinned. I need to have thick skin to balance her out.”

“Who are you calling thin-skinned?”

“No? She blushes as soon as I kiss her.”

“...” Nancy sat up straight and retorted huffily, “I am a girl. Of course, I’d be shy about this.”

“Okay. You can be shy if you want, Nancy. I adore your blush and the way you look when you’re embarrassed. I love every side of you that you show me.”

Her heart melted upon hearing that.

A sweet sensation spread through her body.

In that moment, his arms around her felt like they were embracing the entire world, radiating gentle warmth and unwavering strength.

The moment felt perfect, even though it was simple. They were together, side by side..

Her body felt soft and comfortable in his embrace.

The gentle smile on her lips expressed joy and contentment.

If possible, Nicholas wanted to hold her a little longer, to stay by her side a little longer.

However, his workload had increased significantly due to the company’s expansion and the resulting chaos in the organizational structure. He had a lot of work to handle personally, so he was extremely busy.

It felt like ever since they started dating, he had never been able to spend an entire day with her.

When he thought about the upcoming business trip, guilt filled his heart.

I’m sorry, Nancy.

As he silently apologized to himself, he leaned down to kiss her forehead.

2/4 Coincidentally, she looked up at that moment. Her doe-like eyes sparkled with excitement as she asked, “Where are we going for dinner later?”

“You wanted hot pot, right?”

“Yes. Is that where we’re going?”

The eager and happy expression on her face made it impossible for him to say no. “Yes, that’s where we’re going.”

“Thank you, Nicholas! I know you don’t like spicy food, so thank you for taking me to a place I’ll enjoy. Next time, let’s have something you like for dinner.”

“Okay.”

Despite his reluctance to reveal what was about to happen, he eventually spoke up when they were almost at their destination.

“Nancy...”

“Hmm? What’s wrong? Is something bothering you? You’ve been frowning the whole time. It doesn’t suit your handsome face,”

she said, reaching up to smooth out his furrowed brows while still in his arms.

“I’m sorry, Nancy. I made a reservation at the hot pot restaurant, but you’ll be having dinner with Linda instead. I can’t stay.”

Her hands froze in mid-air, right above his brows.

A few moments passed before she snapped back to reality and slowly lowered her hands. “Are you going on another business trip?”

“Yes. Something has come up at one of our overseas branches. I need to handle it in person.”

“Is it serious? How long will you be gone?”

“If everything goes well, five days. If not, ten days... It might even take longer.

Nicholas didn’t finish his sentence, afraid to see disappointment in Nancy’s eyes. He was also afraid that he might change his mind out of reluctance to be apart from her.

She slid off his lap and smiled warmly, her lips spreading wide. “Okay.”

“Don’t worry, and go. I’ll be waiting for you.”

“I’m sorry, Nancy,” he said guiltily.

She reached out and caressed his forehead. “Do you know that I dislike hearing you apologize to me the most? I’ve heard it too many times. I don’t want to hear it again. If possible, I’d rather heart you say that you love me.”

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3/4 “Okay.” His gaze softened as he whispered, “I love you, Nancy. Wait for me. I’ll be back.”

“Okay.” She nodded. “It’s a deal. Once you’re back, you’ll have to treat me to another hot pot meal. No one else is allowed to take your place.”

“Sure.”

Just then, the car came to a stop at their destination.

She knew that no matter how much they didn’t want to part ways, they had to do so now.

They had been separated before during one of Nicholas’ business trips, but that trip had been long.

Perhaps it was due to the days he would spend away, but Nancy had a foreboding about their separation for some reason.

She couldn’t pinpoint the exact cause. Her intuition was simply telling her that things would wrong.

“I’m leaving now. Take care on the plane. Inform me once you’ve arrived.”

“I will. Go ahead then. Linda is waiting for you inside. I instructed her to order your favorite dishes.”

“Stay safe.”

She then slowly exited the car.

Just as Nancy was about to step out of the car, Nicholas suddenly pulled her back into his embrace. The next thing she knew, his lips were pressed against hers in a passionate and fiery kiss.

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