apter 10
Dominic stood before the ornate iron gates of the Reeves mansion, holding a bag of freshly roasted candied chestnuts. The paper bag had softened from the heat, releasing a sweet aroma that clung to the air.
He pressed his hand to his chest, where Mia’s name was tattooed. The needle marks were still fresh, throbbing with a dull pain.[]
Strangely, his heart was racing abnormally fast, as if something were clawing at his nerves, preventing him from finding calm.[]
He frowned, attributing this unease to his excitement about seeing Mia.[]
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As he stepped inside, he found Frederick standing in the center of the living room, his expression resigned as he attempted to reason with someone.
Mia stood with her back to him, shoulders trembling slightly, her voice laced with fury: “One hundred million?! Dad, have you lost your mind?!“[]
Frederick lowered his voice: “We have to be practical, sweetheart! I can’t go back on my word to the Sinclairs. I had to send one of my daughters to them, and I didn’t want you thrown into that mess, so I chose Ariana. But this was her condition–think about it, would you rather marry a man in a coma or have a hundred million dollars?”
Mia bit her lip, eventually responding with obvious reluctance: “Of course I don’t want to marry him! He’s a vegetable–marrying him would be a life sentence as
caretaker! Especially now that I’ve caught the attention of the North Shore heir…“[]
Haifway through her sentence, she glimpsed Dominic from the corner of her eye. Her expression instantly transformed as she turned, replacing her scowl with a sweet smile: “Dom, you’re here?“||
Dominic hadn’t clearly heard their previous conversation. He simply responded with a soft “Mmm,” holding out the chestnuts: “Eat them while they’re warm.‘
Mia accepted the bag, her fingers deliberately brushing against his palm as she smiled with curved
eyes: “Still warm.”
Dominic gazed at her, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. “I’m glad you like them, Miss Mia.‘
He should have been happy, yet somehow that strange feeling in his chest intensified, as if something were quietly spiraling out of control.
He paused before saying: “I should go now.”
v.“0
Mia quickly grabbed his sleeve: “Don’t leave.“[
Dominic froze: “What do you mean?“]}]
Mia blinked innocently: “Didn’t Ari tell you? She’s given you to me.“[]
Dominic’s mind went blank.]
Given…?
Mia, seeing his confusion, iminediately elaborated with embellishments: “Ari agreed to marry that vegetable for a hundred million dollars. She left for South Bay early this morning. From now on, you’re my bodyguard.“]]
Dominic’s breathing suddenly hitched.]
Marriage
To Christopher Sindair?
That former rival of his who now lay comatose in a hospital bed?[]
He suddenly recalled Ariana’s mention of “moving that morning–not an ordinary relocation, but… marry to South Bay?]
Unbidden, memories of his first encounter with Ariana flooded Dominic’s mind-
Three years ago, during the Herves faddy’s bodyguard selection, he had gone there with his sights set on Mia. To his surprise, it was the elder sister, Artana. who was conducting the interviews. He had initially planned to leave inuuediately, but found himself unexpectedly chosen.]]
The sunlight had been perfect that day. She descended the spiral staircase in a red spaghetti strap dress, her stilettos striking the marble floor with a crystalline sound like some delicate musical performance
“Túi take ham,” she had said pornting directly at him, her crimson lips curving into a smits he’s gorgeous
ide Lates discovered thum Buis heiress had spuite the repastation in their socied circles-“the vixen,” they called her, changing boyfriends were often itan outfits. Pasundan, vibrant, like an eternal flame that refused to be extinguished
Chapter 10
Something inexplicable had compelled him to accept the position. He justified it to himself as a means to get closer to Mia, since the sisters lived under the same roof.
In the years that followed, she had repeatedly tried to seduce him–but her attempts were endearingly clumsy-
Pretending to twist her ankle and falling into his arms, only to have applied so much perfume that she triggered her own sneezing fit;}
Knocking on his door in the middle of the night wearing a revealing nightgown, but being so nervous that she transformed “Would you like to come in and sit?” into “Would you like to come in and… do it?“;[]
Even faking drowning in the pool, but when he jumped in to rescue her, he discovered she genuinely couldn’t swim and had nearly drowned herself in the
process…
Dominic’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.[]
E
Someone as proud as Ariana–would she really marry for a hundred million dollars? And even to a man in a vegetative state?|
A sharp pain twisted through Dominic’s heart, as if something razor–edged had pierced it through.[]
Mia noticed his distraction and tugged at his sleeve with a practiced pout. “Dom, don’t you want to stay by my side and protect me?“[]
Dominic snapped back to reality, pushing down the emotions churning inside him as he replied softly: “Of course I do.”
.“0
He heard himself say, “It would be my privilege to protect you, Mia.“[]
Yet why, as he spoke those words, was his mind filled with the final look Ariana had given him? That calm, detached gaze, as if she were looking at a complete
stranger.
“Wonderful!” Mia exclaimed, affectionately linking her arm through his. “Let’s go shopping right
want a new dress!”
Dominic followed her mechanically.[]
as
Wasn’t this exactly what he had always wanted? To openly protect Mia without having to use his position Ariana’s bodyguard as a pretense to see her from afar.
As for Ariana…)
She had always bullied Mia since childhood. Her departure was for the best–at least no one would hurt his precious Mia anymore.[]
