CHAPTER 129: CHAPTER 129: YOU WANT ME TO HOLD YOU TO SLEEP?

Another courtyard.

Zane Zimmerman brought Vivi Sterling’s clothes over. She dressed hastily and dawdled before coming out.

Moonlight like water poured into the elegant courtyard.

This was a hotel suite with a courtyard and pool design, offering great privacy.

The moonlight shone on his cold mask, reflecting a faint metallic luster.

Vivi tilted her head to look at him, her mind uncontrollably replaying scenes from before when she cheered for Number Seventeen at the boxing gym.

If he really were Number Seventeen, how wonderful it would be.

She broke the silence in a soft voice.

"Thank you for saving me again. In a few days, I’ll be leaving Mardale, and... I probably won’t come back."

His deep eyes darkened a bit, but he only gave a very light "Hmm" from his throat, revealing no emotions.

Vivi mustered up her courage and asked, "Zane, why are you helping me?"

He maintained his indifferent attitude, his voice flat, "Just on a whim!"

Vivi felt a bit stifled in her chest.

"I know you’re not him, but I still want to thank you."

After she finished, she took a deep breath and turned to leave.

But somehow, she slipped underfoot.

"Ah—"

She exclaimed.

Zane instinctively reached out to grab her. As a result, both of them fell into the nearby hot spring pool.

"Splash!"

Water splashed everywhere, and Vivi flailed in the water in fright.

An iron arm promptly encircled her waist, steadying her. A hoarse voice sounded above her, carrying a touch of helplessness.

"The water is shallow, don’t flail around."

Her hands were still floundering uncontrollably on his body, trying to grab something to steady herself.

Suddenly, her small hand felt something oddly shaped and soft in his soaked pocket.

She instinctively pulled it out and looked under the dim moonlight.

It was a velvet towel embroidered with a small cat pattern. Why did this towel seem so familiar?

Vivi’s mind buzzed.

Zane’s face changed dramatically, and he snatched the towel from her hand, his movements a bit rough, then strode out of the pool, turning his back to her.

Vivi’s eyes widened in shock, her entire body frozen.

This... this was the cat-patterned towel she had thrown to Number Seventeen back then; she had chosen the pattern herself!

Exactly the same!

So, he... he really is Number Seventeen!

"Not coming out?" he asked with his back to her, his tone cold, carrying an obvious displeasure and embarrassment.

Vivi seemed not to hear, and suddenly, she submerged herself, going under the water.

Zane felt a fierce jolt of shock and, without thinking, turned and dived back in.

He seized her from the water, his movements somewhat urgent.

Vivi was held by him, soaking wet, looking disheveled, but both surprised and delighted.

She looked at him, her voice tinged with a tearful tremble.

"Zane, you’re Number Seventeen, aren’t you? You are him! Otherwise, why would you have that towel?"

Zane stood in the water, soaked, his expression hidden under the mask, only his eyes, deep as a cold pool.

He looked at her for a long time before asking lowly, his voice somewhat astringent.

"Is he... really that important?"

Vivi could no longer control her tears at that moment, which rolled down in large drops, mingling with the pool water, indistinguishable between salty and fresh.

She choked up, speaking forcefully, one word at a time.

"Not important. Not important at all. I won’t like him anymore."

Having said that, she took a deep breath, stood up straight, shook off his hand, and prepared to step out of the pool.

Zane, however, grabbed her wrist tightly.

He spoke in a faint tone, with a hint of barely detectable tension, "Will you still pay the five million for the bodyguard fee?"

Vivi’s heart trembled fiercely.

So, he’s... admitting it?

She stubbornly turned her head, biting her lip, squeezing out a sentence from between her teeth.

"No money! Just a life."

At her words, the corners of his lips curved into a very slight arc, domineering and beyond dispute, "Then pay with yourself."

Before she could respond, he pulled her abruptly, and Vivi fell into his solid embrace.

The next second, his kiss descended overwhelmingly, silencing all her unspoken exclamations and protests.

Tender and lingering, yet with an irresistible force.

Zane’s kiss was domineering and fiery, as if pouring out all the longing and repression from his heart.

Heaven knows how long he’d wanted her!

This time, he’d crossed the line.

His burning lips and tongue kissed her pale skin, even those unhealed wounds, with a hint of pity, gently licked over.

Vivi grasped his clothes tightly, her body quivering slightly.

He lifted her, pressing her against the side of the pool, devouring her inch by inch.

The sound of the water began to sway rhythmically, so shy that the moon in the sky stealthily hid within the depths of the clouds.

...

Returning to the room, Aiden Fordham placed her on the large bed and then turned and walked out.

The bed was arranged with her pajamas, and Stella Grant picked them up to take a shower.

The bathroom was scented with osmanthus, mixed with a faint scent of blood which she recognized.

When she came out, Aiden Fordham had returned to the room, changed into loungewear, with water droplets dripping from his hair.

"Are you injured?" she asked casually, looking him up and down.

"No!" he denied.

Stella lay on the large bed, tossing and turning, feeling a bit uneasy.

The bed was filled with his scent.

Aiden Fordham didn’t look at her but took a thin blanket from the wardrobe and threw it onto the long sofa.

His tall figure lay on the sofa, his long legs casually bent, making his 1.88-meter body seem a bit cramped.

Under the light, the lines of his profile were particularly clear, with a high nose bridge and a tight jawline.

"What, still want me to come over and hold you to sleep?" he glanced at her lightly, his voice carrying a hint of mockery.

Stella’s cheeks flushed, and she retorted stubbornly, "Who’s interested!"

She paused for a moment, unable to help but ask, "How did you know someone would come up the mountain? And prepare an ambush in advance?"

Aiden Fordham sneered, "They went through so much trouble to blow up the castle, do you think it was just to put on a big firework? Luring the tiger away from the mountain, the target isn’t you, so could it be me?"

Stella was stunned.

"Isn’t it your enemies?" she muttered softly.

He snorted, "I’ve been here for so many years without incident. Since you appeared, how many times have I been attacked? Let’s count the cost, how much do I have to spend just to keep you alive."

The tone, the expression, were just like a profit-driven businessman.

Stella suddenly laughed, thinking, this guy plays the role of "Mr. West" so well that the Oscars owe him an award.

Her eyes sparkled, and she said with a sly smile, "Don’t worry, my ex-husband has plenty of money, and he’s a big fool. He’ll pay you back every penny. By then, Mr. West, don’t find it too hot to handle."

Aiden was momentarily speechless, his face changing, and he turned away angrily, no longer looking at her.

Hmph, little brat.

It was late at night, and a cold breeze blew into the room.

Stella fell asleep drowsily, her breathing gradually steadying.

Just before she fell asleep, Aiden Fordham’s head started to hurt intensely, almost tearing him apart. He quickly jumped off the sofa and rushed into the bathroom.

The commotion was loud enough to wake Stella.

She heard a sound of pain and saw the light in the bathroom, then got up and walked over.

"Mr. West, are you unwell?" she gently knocked on the door.

"I’m fine, don’t worry about me," he tried to lower his voice, but it was a bit shaky.

Suddenly, she heard coughing and then smelled a strong scent of blood.

"Mr. West, are you hurt? Open the door."

Her intuition told her something was wrong with him.

Aiden Fordham shouted at her through the door, "Go out."

He regretted bringing her into the room.

Stella was startled, "Are you hurt? Why is there a smell of blood?"

She wanted to find out, but suddenly Aiden came out like a raging beast, grabbing her by the neck.

Stella was shocked, desperately hitting his hard arm, her face turning red before he slowly came to his senses.

He quickly let her go, staring blankly at his damned right hand, almost hurting her.

The violent impulse just now made him lose control.

"Cough, cough." Stella coughed twice, gasping for air.

He turned away and closed the door, locking himself in the bathroom, the sound of breaking glass startling Stella.

She anxiously patted the door, "Mr. West, open the door."

"Get out!" he shouted again.

Stella didn’t dare knock again, but she stayed at the door, too worried to leave.

It wasn’t until the second half of the night that Aiden Fordham calmed down, opened the door, and saw Stella sleeping against the door.

He gently caressed her face and then softly picked her up, placing her on the bed, his movements as gentle as if afraid to disturb a precious treasure.

Holding her in his arms, the familiar touch brought a wave of bitterness to his heart.

He lowered his head, kissing her smooth forehead repeatedly, his movements so tender it seemed water could drip from them.

The night was a bit chilly.

In her sleep, Stella felt a warm source and instinctively moved closer to it, her little head nudging his chest to find a comfortable position.

He held her tightly, his heart filled with both tenderness and guilt.

It had been four days since he was poisoned, and he didn’t know his life had already started counting down.

...

The next day, when Stella woke up, sunlight was already streaming through the curtain gaps.

The room was empty; he had vanished without a trace.

It seemed his faint fresh scent still lingered in the air.

Stella’s heart skipped a beat.

She hurried into the bathroom, saw the dressing mirror shattered, with bright red bloodstains on it, clearly the result of self-harm.

After all, why was he so abnormal last night, suddenly going mad? Even choking her?

Could it be related to the return to the lab with her master? She had to talk to him.

She picked up the room phone and dialed her master’s number.

Since coming to Mardale, she turned off her phone because Erwin had strong hackers around who could trace her location at any time.

The phone rang several times before it was answered.

"Master, are you okay?"

"Stella, what’s wrong?" Liam Young’s voice was as kind as ever.

"Master, what are you doing now? Did you rush back to the lab because something happened?" she calmly probed.

There was silence for a few seconds, then he said, "I’ve been gone for several days. If I don’t go back, Cloudy will starve."

Cloudy was a small goldfish her master kept, pure white, alone in a 300-square-meter pond. Starve to death?

She suspected he was talking nonsense but didn’t want to argue with him.

After a pause, she came straight to the point, "Master, did something happen with Mr. West?"

Again, there was silence for a few seconds before he asked in return, "Girl, do you really... like that Mr. West?" Then he continued, "How about... we choose another target?"

Stella: "..."