“You seem to know me well.”
At her words, Nate lifted his eyes to meet her gaze, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“It’s not difficult to understand someone.”
“You’ve been investigating me?” Corrine’s eyes narrowed slightly, a cold edge creeping into her tone.
Nate’s soft chuckle filled the air, and he took a sip of wine, his deep voice carrying an irresistible allure.
“You’re right here in front of me. Hearing it straight from you feels far more genuine. Besides, I don’t need anyone else’s version of you.”
Her icy gaze softened at his words. A faint smile curled on her lips, though there was still a trace of something unreadable in her eyes as she studied him.
“I wonder… what exactly have you learned?”
He paused, meeting her gaze with a look that felt like he could see straight through her.
“I’ve learned that underneath your calm, collected exterior, there’s a heart that burns with warmth.”
Nate set his wine glass down, his gaze never leaving Corrine. His eyes, filled with an unexpected tenderness, softened as he spoke.
“But I want to understand you more deeply. Would you give me that chance?”
A warm heart beneath a composed exterior…
Corrine hadn’t expected this man, whom she’d known for only a few days, to understand her so completely.
She thought back to her three years with Bruce, only to realize he had never truly understood her. She had once believed it was simply a matter of time-that eventually, Bruce would learn to see her for who she truly was.
Perhaps, as Nate suggested, it wasn’t difficult to understand her-rather, it was about whether the other person was willing to make the effort.
Corrine inhaled deeply, pushing back the bitterness rising within her. She met Nate’s sincere gaze, watching him hold his wine glass with quiet honesty. Finally, she lifted her own glass and toasted him from across the table.
“I hope you won’t regret this decision.”
“I’ll prove it to you with time,” Nate replied, his voice steady and filled with conviction.
After the meal, they left the restaurant, and Nate offered to drive Corrine home. Despite her initial reluctance, Corrine found herself agreeing, unable to resist his insistence. She stood by the roadside, waiting for him to fetch the car, and took the opportunity to send a quick message to her driver.
Just then, Leah emerged from the nearby restaurant, her gaze immediately locking onto Corrine. A sharp glimmer flashed in her eyes as she sweetly said, “Bruce, look, there’s Corrine. She’s probably waiting for a ride. Why don’t we offer to take her home?”
Bruce, looking at Leah with an indulgent smile, replied, “She probably won’t accept. It’s better not to provoke her.”
Leah’s expression faltered, her brows drawing together in a show of disappointment
“I’m just worried it’s unsafe for her to be out alone so late. Since you don’t want to see her, let’s just pretend we didn’t notice.”
Despite her words, a soft, placating smile tugged at her lips, a smile that made Bruce’s chest tighten. He sighed, giving in.
“If you insist, go ahead and ask her. I’ll get the car.”
“Alright,” Leah said, her face lighting up as if she’d won a small victory.
“I knew you’d always care for me, Bruce.”
Once Bruce turned to walk away, Leah’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a calculating glint in her eyes.
She moved toward Corrine slowly, her gaze cold and sharp as she stared at Corrine’s unguarded back.
Leah crept up behind Corrine and, with a swift motion, shoved her hard onto the road.
The sudden shove from behind took Corrine completely off guard. She stumbled forward, her body lurching into the traffic lane as the weight of inertia dragged her into the path of a speeding car.
The screech of tires and the blaring horn sent a jolt through her as the vehicle swerved sharply, narrowly missing her.
The car rushed past, a gust of wind sweeping by with such force that it knocked her off her feet.
Everything happened so fast, her mind struggling to catch up, leaving her frozen in place.
The driver rolled down the window, his voice filled with fury.
“If you’re trying to get yourself killed, do it somewhere else! Don’t make your problem my problem!”
Corrine stood there, her face pale, fingers twitching at her sides as the adrenaline left her body shaky.
It wasn’t until the car had sped off into the distance that she took a shaky breath, starting to regain her senses.
She turned around, her eyes catching the sight of Leah standing just off the sidewalk, her lips curled into a smile that could have been mistaken for innocence, but Corrine knew better.
A dark cloud settled over her expression, her eyes narrowing like slits, a cold, icy resolve seeping into her. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, trembling with restrained fury.
If that car hadn’t swerved, she might have been thrown dozens of feet away by now, broken and battered.
She hadn’t wanted to be caught in Leah’s petty schemes, but Leah seemed to have an uncanny talent for pushing her to her limits.
Corrine slowly unbuttoned her suit jacket, the movement smooth but laced with danger. She stepped forward, a chilling aura surrounding her as she closed the distance between them.
Leah’s wide eyes blinked with feigned innocence, her voice soft but cutting.
“Corrine, it was just a joke.”
A sharp slap interrupted her words
Leah’s head jerked to the side, her cheek stinging from the impact. Before she could even blink, Corrine’s hand struck her again with the same brutal force.
Corrine didn’t hold back. The slaps landed with such ferocity that Leah’s face swelled, her skin reddened and tender. A thin line of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth, adding to her humiliation.
Initially, Leah had believed Corrine would cower in the face of the Ashton and Burgess families’ influence. Without any backing, Corrine seemed like someone they could crush effortlessly, like stepping on an ant.
But Leah hadn’t anticipated Corrine retaliating so boldly, especially in public.
“Corrine, it was just a joke! Why are you taking it so seriously?” she stammered, her voice shaky.
Leah hesitated, her public image weighing heavily on her mind. She raised trembling hands to cover her face, her teary eyes pleading as she tried to look pitiful.
Corrine smirked, her lips curling into a mocking grin. Her voice was as cold as ice.
“Oh, a joke, was it? Then let me join in on the fun!”
Before Leah could react, Corrine grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her off the ground as if she were nothing more than a lifeless doll.
Leah gasped in pain, her scalp feeling like it was being torn apart. She shrieked, her voice rising with hysteria.
“Corrine, stop! What are you doing? Let me go!” Her cries were cut short by a sharp, sickening crack. The sound echoed around them, making the bystanders flinch.
Leah’s arm dropped limply at her side, swinging lifelessly as if all the bones inside had been pulled out.
The realization hit her like a wave of nausea-Corrine had dislocated her arm.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.