“Yes,” Connor nodded slightly
“Mr. Daniels, are you certain?” Marc questioned
“Yes, I am,” Connor replied
The three men were rendered speechless, their mouths agape, marveling at how extraordinary a woman must be to excel as both the most skillful doctor and a remarkable warrior. Marissa was truly a legend
“Whether she’s Black Mallow or your chief instructor, we can’t jump to conclusions based solely on her unrefined behavior. All warriors and martial artists could exhibit such manners,” Connor added
With those words, he rose to his feet and made his way upstairs. After he left, the three men in the living room remained dumbfounded, unable to regain their composure for a long time. Initially, they mocked Marissa for being a village girl. However, she turned out to be the renowned Dr. Riss and the formidable warrior Black Snake. They now wondered if there were other facets of her they had yet to discover. A blanket of silence enveloped the living room. All of a sudden, Terry’s eyes widened as he recalled something and yelled in a panic, “Oh, shit! Something’s wrong!”
Terry shouted, “Oh shit!” and hurried to get upstairs. Domenic and Marc immediately stopped him. “Terry, Mr. Daniels and Marissa have already gone to bed. What are you going to do upstairs?”
Terry looked visibly worried. “Did you forget? Black Snake has accepted Amiri’s task. Mr. Daniels is in danger if he’s with her.”
Both Domenic and Marc gazed at him, unable to speak. “Ahem,” Domenic finally said with a chuckle. “I think you’re worrying over nothing.”
“Why?” Terry asked, his confusion evident
“Think about it,” Marc urged, giving Terry a light tap on the head. “It’s clear to everyone that Mr. Daniels adores Marissa. Every time she tricks him into giving her money, he seems happy to play the fool. Does Marissa really need to go to the extreme of harming Mr. Daniels to get two billion dollars from Amiri? If she wanted money, all she’d have to do is ask.”
“You’re right.” Terry had a sudden understanding, coupled with a bit of confusion. “Then why did she accept Amiri’s mission?”
Domenic explained, “Marissa probably feared that other influential figures might claim the mission before her. She took it on to protect Mr. Daniels.”
At that moment, Domenic realized the reason behind Connor’s cheerful demeanor in the car earlier. He figured that Connor must have discovered Black Snake’s true identity and grasped Marissa’s motives. Even a formidable business magnate like Connor, when in love, could not help but revel in the subtle attentions from the woman he admired secretly. To Domenic, it seemed that beneath it all, Connor was just another man
Upon digesting Domenic’s insights, Terry felt a wave of relief wash over him. “With both Black Snake and Lone Wolf guarding Mr. Daniels, I’m much more comfortable about our journey on the Sunrise.”
Peering through the glass window, Marc observed the man in black standing on the lawn and questioned, “Do you guys really think that’s Lone Wolf? He certainly looks impressive, yet somehow he doesn’t quite fit the legend.”
“I doubt Mr. Daniels would bother with a fake Lone Wolf,” Terry mused, though he also seemed skeptical. “But this man in black doesn’t match the legendary Lone Wolf I envision. The true Lone Wolf should be as formidable as Mr. Daniels himself.”
Domenic, ever the astute one, mulled it over and eventually concurred with Marc’s doubts. “I’m beginning to suspect this Lone Wolf is an imposter too.”
Terry was still puzzled. “Why would Mr. Daniels hire a fake Lone Wolf?”
Domenic stroked his chin thoughtfully before responding, “If Mr. Daniels had enlisted the real Lone Wolf, he would’ve broadcasted it to deter any adversaries. But he didn’t. Only we and Marissa are privy to his hiring of Lone Wolf. Shortly after he told Marissa that this person was Lone Wolf, Mr. Daniels verified Black Snake’s identity. It seems Mr. Daniels’ intent was to test Marissa, and the outcome revealed the true face behind Black Snake.”
The realization struck Marc and Terry like a bolt of lightning. Connor had been acting with precision and intelligence. Terry, intrigued, voiced his thoughts. “How did Mr. Daniels come to suspect that Marissa was Black Snake?”
Domenic responded, “Mr. Daniels figured out it was Marissa through Lone Wolf, which boldly suggests that Mr. Daniels himself is Lone Wolf.”
Marc and Terry were astounded. Could it really be possible that their two idols in the mercenary world, Black Snake and Lone Wolf, were the same couple living right above them now? Joy and surprise overwhelmed Marc and Terry so swiftly that they struggled to grasp the reality. It all made sense now why Connor seemed neither surprised nor panicked upon discovering that Black Snake had accepted Amiri’s mission and how he had managed to hire Lone Wolf with such ease. Everything now clicked into place. The three of them couldn’t help but marvel at how much the couple upstairs enjoyed using aliases to play their guessing games. They were truly a perfect pair
When Connor walked into the bedroom, Marissa had already showered and changed into her pajamas. She was reclining against the headboard, engrossed in her phone. It was the first time Connor had seen her in pajamas. The soft, sheer fabric accentuated her gentle allure. Her long hair lay scattered across the pillow, her slender silhouette exuding a subtle scent. At the sound of his entrance, she looked up. Their eyes locked, drawn together as if by a powerful magnetic force. Without a word, Connor crossed the room and pressed his lips to hers
Connor couldn’t resist. They had shared two kisses before. The first was in Arabella’s presence, where Marissa gave him a quick, light peck to play it off. The second was initiated by Connor, a deep, passionate kiss that nearly made him lose his composure. Fortunately, she was sleeping deeply at the time and remained unaware of his actions
Tonight marked their third kiss, with both of them fully aware and clear-headed. Connor had never imagined Black Snake, known for being dangerously formidable, could be such a sweet, beautiful girl. Seeing her always made his heart race, stirring desires to kiss her and even think about a future together, including children
Caught up in his feelings, he forgot everything else as he leaned over her, deepening their kiss, his hand starting to unbutton her pajama top
Marissa was taken aback. She couldn’t recall any man ever kissing her with such passion. The intensity left her heart pounding and dizziness overtaking her, rendering her unable to respond. She had been by Connor’s side over the past days, not suffering from a lack of sleep, so it wasn’t insomnia causing her dizziness-it was his kiss. As he pinned her down, continuing to kiss her lips and cheeks, she felt a warmth spread throughout her body. Her temperature rose, clouding her thoughts to the point where she forgot how to react. This led Connor to misinterpret her response, thinking she was receptive, which only fueled the intensity of his kisses
It wasn’t until her pajama top was unbuttoned and a cool hand circled her waist that Marissa regained her composure. She placed her hand over Connor’s lips to halt his advances and firmly held his hand at her waist to prevent further intimacy. He breathed deeply, his desire palpable, heating up the room even more
Marissa’s cheeks flushed deeply, and she said in a husky voice, “Calm down, Connor… Calm down. We can’t go on like this.”
Connor realized she was unwilling. Marissa whispered back, “It’s not that I dislike you. I just don’t have feelings for you. We haven’t known each other long enough. Our brief acquaintance hasn’t given me time to develop any deeper feelings.”
Connor closed his eyes in disappointment to restrain himself. “Why do you dislike me?”
“I’m sorry,” he murmured softly. He then stood and walked into the bathroom. As she heard the water running, Marissa let out a sigh of relief. They had nearly crossed a line earlier. Feeling a mix of annoyance and apprehension, she reminded herself to keep a safer distance from him in the future to avoid any complications. Yet, she knew she couldn’t just walk away from him at this point
Shortly afterward, she sent a message to Ferris. “Is there any way I can get my Serene Rest Pills sooner?”
Ferris responded, “I’m sorry, Riss. You’ll have to wait a little longer.”
Reading this, Marissa gazed up at the ceiling, feeling somewhat helpless
Connor came out of the bathroom, changed into his pajamas, his hair still damp. The cool air around him suggested he had taken a cold shower. There was an awkward silence following their earlier encounter
Marissa struggled to find the right words. “I-I can sleep by myself. You should go back to your room,” she stuttered
Connor left without a word. Marissa breathed another sigh of relief. From now on, she resolved to share a bed with him only when absolutely necessary. Tonight, she decided to just play with her phone if she couldn’t fall asleep. However, the door opened once more. Connor returned, carrying his laptop. He settled on the sofa next to the bed, placing the laptop on his lap
“Go to sleep. I need to get some work done,” he said
Seeing her hesitate, he reassured her, “Don’t worry. I promise that won’t happen again.”
Marissa felt unable to send him away again, so she nestled into the blankets and turned her back to him. Connor switched off the main light, leaving the room illuminated only by the soft yellow glow of a wall lamp. After a quiet moment, Connor unexpectedly broke the silence, saying, “I once signed a contract with Tiffany.”
Upon hearing the name “Tiffany,” Marissa sat upright. In the dim, soft orange glow, Connor appeared utterly composed. He didn’t even glance up but continued typing on his keyboard, his voice even and calm
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.
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