From the way she was shaking her head, Owen Rhodes knew she definitely remembered.
Owen Rhodes’s lips curled. "You drank too much last night. As they say, drunken words are sober thoughts. I had no idea that’s what you really thought of me..."
His voice held a strange hint of grievance.
For a moment, Stella Sterling was confused. ’Are there still parts I’ve blacked out and can’t remember?’
’What on earth did I say?’
’Why did his voice sound like that?’
’That’s not right. I’m not the type to badmouth him.’
Stella Sterling couldn’t figure it out for the life of her.
"You promised me you wouldn’t forget when you woke up today."
Owen Rhodes waited a moment. Seeing no reaction from her, he continued, "It’s okay. I remember. I can help you recall."
"..."
’There’s really no need!’
Before she could refuse, Owen Rhodes had already begun his recount.
"You said my lips felt very soft, softer than your own, and asked if you could take a bite..."
"..."
’Just kill me now.’
Owen Rhodes leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Still remember what they felt like?"
"..."
Owen Rhodes waited a bit longer. Seeing she still wasn’t reacting, he continued.
"You also said you liked my eyes, my eyelashes, my lips, and that you—"
A corner of the bundled-up quilt was suddenly thrown back as a blushing Stella Sterling clamped her hand firmly over Owen Rhodes’s lips.
"Don’t say any more. I’m begging you."
Stella Sterling was so mortified her neck and the tips of her ears flushed a peachy pink. Owen Rhodes was in a great mood, his eyes crinkling with laughter.
He tried to speak, but with his mouth covered by Stella Sterling, he could only manage a few unintelligible mumbles.
Stella Sterling had no intention of letting go.
Suddenly, she felt a warm, moist, and soft sensation in her palm.
It was Owen Rhodes, kissing her palm.
A soft KISSING SOUND came from under her palm, and Stella Sterling snatched her hand away.
She tried to escape, only to be caught by the small of her back and pulled right back into his arms.
Stella Sterling’s face grew even redder, and even the depths of her eyes seemed to have a pinkish hue.
She looked at him shyly and timidly, only to see Owen Rhodes’s features relaxed, his lips curved into a handsome arc, and her reflection in his deep-set eyes.
Owen Rhodes spoke gently, but his words were tinged with an inexplicable sadness. "Stella, are you trying to go back on your word?"
She remained silent. Owen Rhodes sighed. "Well, you were drunk last night. If you say you don’t remember, there’s nothing I can do. But you really did bite me. My lip still hurts..."
Stella Sterling: "..."
’Come on, look at our lips. Which one of us actually looks like their lip still hurts?’
"If you don’t want to own up to it, that’s fine. I guess I’ll just have to be the one to suffer."
’Fine, fine, fine. Even if I didn’t remember before, after you spelled it all out, I remember everything now, okay?’
Stella Sterling felt like the Owen Rhodes of today might be an imposter.
He had completely lost his usual steady and noble demeanor.
He was like a male siren.
Stella Sterling bit her lip. "I’m not..."
Owen Rhodes raised an eyebrow. "You’re not what?"
"Not... going back on my word."
Owen Rhodes was pleased. He hugged her tighter with a smile and asked, "Want to get up for breakfast? Or sleep a little longer?"
’How could I possibly sleep now?’
"How am I supposed to get up if you’re holding me?"
Owen Rhodes released her, then leaned over to kiss her on the forehead. "I’ll wait for you downstairs."
Today’s Owen Rhodes was like a refreshing spring breeze.
During the regular morning meeting, Owen Rhodes was smiling the entire time.
Not only were the reports from the various department heads not torn apart and nitpicked, but they even received praise—a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence.
Group Chat [Kyros Group President’s Office]:
Young: [Based on my understanding of men, President Rhodes acting like this means]
Chuck: [Don’t leave us hanging, spit it out]
Young: [I bet President Rhodes got some action]
Chuck: [No way... even my boyfriend wasn’t this out of character the first time he got lucky]
Lowe: [Chuck, how could you compare your boyfriend to President Rhodes! That’s an insult to President Rhodes!]
Chuck: [...Liam, can we please kick this bootlicker out of the group chat?]
Liam Hawthorne: [My guess is, not yet]
Young: [???]
Chuck: [??? No way, right?]
Lowe: [President Rhodes must be happy about the company’s development!]
Chuck: [If that’s true... then a champion of pure love has just fallen.]
Young: [Impossible! President Rhodes played the hero saving the damsel yesterday, how could he not have scored? It’s not like our President Rhodes isn’t capable!]
Liam Hawthorne: [As far as I know, President Rhodes didn’t dare]
Young: [Huh?]
Chuck: [Huh?]
Liam Hawthorne: [Oh champion of pure love, feel free to collapse.]
The most harmonious and agreeable regular meeting in the history of Kyros Group ended with Owen Rhodes’s gentle "meeting adjourned."
As soon as the meeting was over, Liam Hawthorne walked up, holding Owen Rhodes’s phone.
"President Rhodes, an unknown number has called. Five times now."
The words had barely left his mouth when the same number called for a sixth time.
Owen Rhodes must have been in a truly excellent mood today.
Normally in this situation, he would have most likely ignored it, or even blocked the number directly.
But today, he actually answered.
His voice wasn’t as gentle as it had been in the meeting, but it also lacked its usual frosty tone.
"Who is this?"
"President Rhodes, if you’re not busy, how about you tell your little receptionist to let me up?"
Owen Rhodes recognized Ariana Grant’s voice.
Not just because they had met in person, but also because he had heard it several times before from Stella Sterling’s phone.
"I’ll have my assistant come down to get you."
Five minutes later, Owen Rhodes saw a lavishly dressed Ariana Grant in his office.
Unlike her outfit from the wild night she took Stella Sterling to the Qillian Club, Ariana Grant today was wearing a royal blue Chanel business suit and a pair of large sunglasses that covered half her face.
She walked in, took off her sunglasses with a sway of her hips that exuded allure, and smiled at Owen Rhodes.
"President Rhodes, got time for a chat?"
Owen Rhodes’s brow furrowed, his tone turning cold. "Business or personal?"
Ariana Grant made herself comfortable on the guest sofa. "Personal."
Owen Rhodes remained seated at his desk, not moving, and looked down to flip through the files in his hand.
"For personal matters, it would be more appropriate for you to find Stella Sterling."
The implication being, she shouldn’t have come to him.
It was a roundabout way of telling her to leave.
Ariana Grant raised an eyebrow, looking rather pleased. "As it happens, I’m here to talk to you about Stella Sterling. Does President Rhodes have time now?"
Owen Rhodes remained unmoved.
"If it’s about Stella Sterling, then I have even less reason to speak with President Grant. I’ll ask her myself."
From the moment Liam Hawthorne heard Owen Rhodes’s lukewarm "business or personal" question, he knew he couldn’t leave the office.
Ariana Grant said with a smile, "I heard President Rhodes has an unforgettable old flame. Since she’s so unforgettable, why are you messing with my Stella Sterling?"
’Maybe I should get out of here after all...’