Chapter 167

Chapter166. I forced a smile more bitter than tears. Who’d enlist in that parade? “Can’t my ambition... bloom elsewhere?” I looked up, my voice barely a whisper. “Of course,” His nod held absolute conviction. Starlight shimmered in his smiling eyes, his voice warm and mellow as aged wine. “Any arena you desire–I’ll pave your path with gold.” I could have held on longer. I’d never been one to turn myself into a tearful spectacle. But in this moment, I allowed myself to be willful, to be fragile, to be indulged. A sour yet warm current welled up from deep within, dissolving the dam I’d so stubbornly maintained. My eyes welled up, blurring my vision. I let go of all my tension–no longer fearing stumbles that would leave me bruised, no longer dreading phantom cliffs beneath my feet. Leaning against him, I released everything in soundless torrents. Evan, ever mindful of my pride, draped his suit jacket over my head as he guided me out of the restaurant. Even in the car, my shoulders kept trembling silently. Emotions were tidal. Once the floodgates opened, the surge must would run its course before calm could return. When the storm finally passed, clarity hit like icy water: My arms were wrapped around his waist! My face was pressed against his chest! Exactly like how I clung to my bedtime bolster every night–instinctive, shameless, and catastrophically problematic. My eyeballs darted around in panic. Retract naturally? Sit up casually? Or play unconscious? Wait for him to shake me awake, then claim amnesia?

The latter seemed feasible. I’d fallen asleep in his arms on the last business trip, and he didn’t say anything. As I agonized over exit strategies, a voice came from above. “Stop overthinking. Dusk is coming,” he gently patted my head.“Dinner first. You can resume hugging afterward.” Petrification spread from skull to toes. Then–crack–I shattered. Five minutes later. Seated in a secluded courtyard restaurant where artificial streams murmured tranquility, I embodied Zen serenity. Evan perused the menu across the table. On the surface, I was calm and serene, matching the tranquil ambiance, but inwardly... Help me! Help me! Help me! How do I fix this? How do I fix this? How do I fix this?! Argh! I shouldn’t have leaned on him! I shouldn’t have hugged him!

“Do you like shrimp?” Evan asked. “...Yes.” My heart skipped a beat. “For dessert, osmanthus sweet lotus root or avocado bird’s nest?” 16:43 93.8% < Chapter166. “...Either-” “Both?” Menu I’d meant to say “either works,” but surrendered.“Mm. Mm.” He ordered six dishes. After that, he looked at me. I picked up my water, sipping it slowly while pretending to look at the scenery.

Unfortunately, I was too nervous that my teeth repeatedly clink against the glass. “Well, this glass...” Evan spoke. I looked at the glass, confused. “This glass? What’s wrong with the glass?” “It’s not edible.” He said it earnestly, his tone and expression like he was dissuading a fool from eating pebbles off the ground. I looked at the glass in my hand, mortified. Luckily, the food arrived quickly. I focused on eating so that I didn’t have to talk to him anymore. “Olivia, have some shrimp.” He peeled a prawn and placed it on my plate. I paused. Then responded enthusiastically, “Thank you! Thank you so much, Mr. Jones!” After I ate the shrimp, he gave me a piece of pan–fried lamb chop.“Come on. Have some meat.” “Yes! Yes! Yes!” “You’re gonna love this soup.”

He poured me a bowl of soup. “Okay! Thank you! I love it!” “Olivia...” “Yes! Yes! Thank you! Thank you!” ” I transformed into a malfunctioning automaton, my vocal processors stuck on an endless loop of “Thank you” and “Yes“. I bit my fork, turned my head, and softly closed my eyes. I was like an idiot. Evan watched me with an amused expression, a mix of a smile and speechless understanding. After a long moment, he responded to my thanks, “If you really want to thank me, peel me a shrimp.”

I turned back, putting down my fork.“Okay, okay, I’ll peel them for you.” I started diligently peeling shrimp. One after another. One after another. The prawns were quite large. In less than two minutes, a small mountain of peeled shrimp piled up in front of him.

Evan picked one up and ate it, sighing. He raised his eyes, “We just came for a meal, I’m not selling you to Myanmar after this.

Don’t be so tense.” I looked at him with a “I don’t understand what you’re saying” expression.“No, why would I be tense? Enjoy your shrimp, it’s getting cold.” 16:43 93.8% < Chapter166. Mert 2 I felt myself slowly crumbling. Evan silently ate shrimp. After we finished eating, I quickly grabbed the bill.“Mr. Jones, thank you so much today. My gratitude is beyond words. I’ll pay.” Evan’s face visibly cooled.“Olivia, are you so desperate to burn our ledger to ashes?” I awkwardly pursed my lips. He rose without a flicker of emotion and strode out. I rose to follow, trotting to pay the bill before hurrying outside to take the driver’s seat. Zach, who had driven us to the restaurant earlier, had already left. As a secretary, how could I let the CEO drive while I sat in the back?

If any sharp–eyed colleague saw, they’d think I’d cast some black magic spell on Evan. If I sat in the passenger seat... I’d be labeled as the CEO’s mistress outright. Evan’s gloomy mood persisted from the restaurant all the way back to the office. He had intended to ask about Julian’s earlier provocation, but seeing how desperately Olivia avoided entanglement, he found his own concern laughable. She refused to owe him even a shred of debt. At the office. Zach watched their early return and mused, Mr.

Jones still maintains his bottom line after all. When ordered to leave earlier, he’d feared... unsavory intentions. Had anything improper occurred, they certainly wouldn’t have returned this afternoon. I came back to my desk. “Olivia, I borrowed your keys earlier. Your car’s parked in slot B12.” Zach returned me the keys. Had he not witnessed the earlier scene, my desperate clinging to Evan might have been misread as attempted seduction. “Thank you.” My voice sounded like rusted hinges. “Don’t mention it.”

His gaze held concern. “Feeling better? Should I process afternoon leave for you?” “Unnecessary. The situation is contained.”

Some storms weren’t weathered by rest alone. 5:00 PM departure. I clocked out precisely, dialing Sherry as I walked. Learning she was working late at the law firm, I set course directly. there. My car hadn’t exited the garage when the phone rang. Evan Jones flashed on the screen.