CHAPTER 13: CHAPTER 13: IT SEEMS MRS. STERLING IS QUITE SATISFIED WITH THIS KISS

The next day.

After finishing the morning rehearsal with the orchestra, Seraphina Thorne took the subway to the bottom of The Finance Tower according to the address Ethan Sterling gave her.

Sean Hale, Ethan Sterling’s assistant, was already standing at the entrance of the first-floor lobby waiting for her.

Seeing Seraphina, Sean greeted her with a smile, speaking politely.

"Sir is having a meeting upstairs, and he asked me to bring you up."

Seraphina thanked him and followed him into the elevator.

Both arrived at the top floor together. Knowing that Ethan hadn’t finished his meeting yet, Sean took Seraphina around the company and briefly introduced her to the company’s situation.

Ethan had rented the top two floors of The Finance Tower.

Since the domestic company was just starting up and staff recruitment hadn’t been completed, most of the offices were still empty, making it very quiet.

"That over there is the meeting room. President Sterling and the others should be wrapping up soon."

Following the direction Sean pointed, Seraphina looked over and immediately saw Ethan’s side profile through the glass wall.

Sitting at the table, Ethan wore a lead-gray suit, seated at the head of the conference table.

His long legs casually crossed, fingers pinching a document, listening intently to his subordinate’s speech.

The man nodded occasionally and asked a few questions.

His handsome face bore a cold expression, embodying the demeanor of a financial mogul.

That Ethan looked nothing like the rogue who always liked to tease her.

Seeing Seraphina through the glass wall, Ethan put down the document.

"Good, proceed as planned. Meeting adjourned. Attorney Clayton, please stay!"

The various elites rose to leave, carrying their computers out of the meeting room, quickly disappearing into different offices.

In the meeting room, only Ethan and Attorney Clayton were left.

Sean pushed open the door, and Ethan proactively stood up to greet Seraphina, reaching out to clasp her slender waist, affectionately drawing her to his side.

"This is my wife Seraphina Thorne, and this is Attorney Clayton, the company’s legal advisor."

"Hello, Mrs. Sterling." Attorney Clayton appeared respectful.

Seraphina tried to appear calm as she shook hands with Attorney Clayton and sat in the chair Ethan pulled out for her.

Attorney Clayton handed over the stock authorization agreement, which she took and seriously opened.

Confirming the terms inside matched the content agreed upon with Ethan, Seraphina signed her name at the end of the document.

Opening her backpack, she took out an envelope containing the stock documents and handed it to Ethan.

Ethan took the envelope and extracted the documents inside.

Seeing the content, his brows raised subtly.

Noticing his abnormal expression, Seraphina leaned over to glance at the document’s content and realized she had taken the wrong envelope.

What she handed to Ethan wasn’t the stock document, but the consignment contract for her violin signed with the music store.

After what happened last night, Seraphina was just worried that these documents might be destroyed by Julia Chamberlain if left in the dorm.

Therefore, she kept important documents and certificates in her bag, carrying them with her.

Both sets of documents were in similar envelopes, and she had carelessly mixed them up.

"Sorry, wrong one."

Seraphina retrieved the contract from Ethan’s hand, took out the envelope containing the stock documents, and handed it over.

Ethan handed the document to Attorney Clayton, who checked it carefully and nodded.

"No problem."

"Good, handle the rest."

Ethan tilted his chin, and Attorney Clayton nodded at both of them before getting up to leave.

Sideways glance, watching Seraphina carefully slip the consignment contract back into her backpack.

Ethan’s beautiful eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Seraphina stood up with her bag, "If there’s nothing else, I’ll return to school first."

Ethan casually took her bag, "Come to my office."

Unclear about what else he needed, Seraphina obediently followed him into his office.

The office space was large, with a simple yet luxurious decor style.

This was the tallest building in Jadeston, offering a panoramic view of the cityscape.

The floor-to-ceiling window wall turned the entire city into a backdrop for Ethan.

The man standing in front of the window was bathed in brilliant sunlight, tall and striking.

"Come here."

He suddenly spoke.

Seraphina walked over and stood by his side.

With a big hand around her waist, Ethan gently pushed her in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

"Can you see it?"

Seraphina gazed at the outside scenery, not quite understanding what he meant.

"What?"

Ethan’s left hand pressed against the glass window beside her, chin resting on her shoulder.

His right hand came across, holding her face, slightly turning it.

This time, Seraphina saw.

Diagonally ahead, two blocks away.

A beautifully designed building stood there, the Zenith Tower once belonging to the Thorne Family, designed by her architect brother Caleb Thorne.

Ethan’s right hand slid down, encircling her waist.

"Once our plan succeeds, I will drive Adrian Chamberlain out of that tower!"

Seraphina turned around, lifting her gaze to meet his eyes.

"Thank you."

Ethan’s arm bent, and his head lowered, approaching her face.

Very close, yet not touching her.

Four eyes met, breaths mingled.

Seraphina’s heart raced, her lips and tongue involuntarily dry.

Afraid to meet his gaze, she lowered her eyelashes, her entire body rigid, not knowing where to look.

"Close your eyes."

The man murmured, and she complied.

A cool touch on her lips; he kissed her.

With her eyes shut, her nerves became more sensitive, her whole body stiffening like a sculpture.

Unlike that reckless night, this time Ethan exhibited much patience, even gentleness.

Seraphina’s tense nerves gradually softened, little by little, succumbing.

In her past relationship with Adrian Chamberlain, she always somewhat resisted intimate contact.

It wasn’t that Seraphina was unwilling; she simply couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Unpleasant experiences in her youth made her somewhat averse to male-female relations.

This was the first time Seraphina truly experienced the pleasures between grown men and women.

That kiss wasn’t detestable.

Even when Ethan released her, her hands still supported his shoulders.

With a big hand holding her waist, Ethan whispered.

"It seems Mrs. Sterling is quite satisfied with this kiss."

Seraphina’s face heated up.

Frantically withdrawing her hand, she tried to push him away.

Ethan hugged her tightly, his face buried in her neck.

"Let me rest for a while."

In a rare soft tone, the usually dominant man sounded like a large cat seeking affection, tinged with a sense of loneliness.

Even someone like Ethan could have worries?

Seraphina had no answer.

After some hesitation, she finally extended her arm, gently wrapping it around his waist.

The man’s chest was warm, providing a nameless sense of security.

Seraphina gradually relaxed her back, gently leaning against him.

These days, her nerves had been taut, her entire being tense.

The string was about to snap.

She was too tired and needed a comforting embrace, a shoulder to lean on.

A man and a woman, leaning on each other.

Almost like a real couple.

Until Sean knocked on the door, and they let go of each other.

Sean brought in lunch and placed the meal on a small table bathed in sunlight.

The food wasn’t for a single serving, and there were two sets of tableware.

Getting up late that morning, she hadn’t had the chance to eat breakfast.

Smelling the enticing aroma of food in the air, Seraphina’s empty stomach embarrassingly growled twice.

Ethan chuckled lightly.

"I thought Mrs. Sterling would have enough just eating me."

In terms of verbal banter, Seraphina was definitely not his match.

Ignoring him, she sat at the table, picked up a bowl of rice, and earnestly started eating.

After all, a capitalist like him wouldn’t miss her meal expenses.

Ethan’s appetite was typical, taking a bite now and then.

His eyes merely rested on Seraphina, examining boldly.

His posture resembled a lion contemplating how to dine on its prey.

Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, Seraphina glanced up and rolled her eyes at him.

"If you’re not eating, why are you looking at me?"

"You’re a feast for the eyes."

The high and mighty investment banking elite instantly reverted to that rogue capable of making her blush deeply.

Shoveling the last two bites of rice into her mouth, Seraphina stood up.

"If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to school first?"

Ethan stood up, opened a drawer, and handed an envelope to her.

Seraphina took the envelope, puzzled, and opened it.

Seeing the contents inside, she was stunned.