CHAPTER 103: CHAPTER 103: IS HE KISSING HER?!

Night falls, all is quiet.

Ann Vaughn sneaked out of the villa quietly after Auntie Golding fell asleep. Dodging the cameras around, she hid behind the bushes not far from the gate.

About ten minutes later, a plume of black smoke rolled out from the villa window, becoming particularly noticeable under the surrounding lights.

The alarm in the villa immediately sounded, startling everyone and even drawing the guards from outside the manor to rush to put out the fire.

Only two people remained at the gate.

Just as Ann Vaughn was pondering whether to use the powder to knock them out, she heard shouting from the villa.

She turned her head and saw the glass window of her room’s balcony being shattered by a burst of flame. The fierce fire seemed ready to destroy everything, making her feel uneasy.

Ann Vaughn’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her heart skipped a beat.

Impossible. The things she left in the room would only emit smoke to create the illusion of a fire, but there was absolutely no possibility of an actual fire breaking out!

What on earth was going on?

"Let’s go check it out!" Seeing this, the two guards at the gate hurriedly ran toward the villa. Although it seemed minor, if anything happened to that woman, President Hawthorne wouldn’t spare them.

Seeing the gate unguarded, Ann Vaughn had to put aside her doubts and quickly left the area.

Meanwhile.

Inside the VIP ward of First Hospital.

Cyrus Hawthorne had just finished an international video conference, leaning slightly on the side of the sofa, holding a document with one hand. His expression was aloof and indifferent, as if he were an ethereal being untouched by the mortal world.

Occasionally, he would glance at the time on his wristwatch, his brows furrowing slightly deeper each time.

No matter how you looked at it, he seemed distracted.

"You’ve been checking the time frequently; do you have something important later?" Cynthia Vaughn had just finished taking her medicine, handed by the nurse, and spoke in a gentle, considerate voice.

He checked the time so often that Cynthia Vaughn could clearly feel his inattentiveness tonight.

It was a demeanor he had never shown in the past when they were alone together.

Cynthia Vaughn furrowed her brows slightly, a sense of crisis creeping into her heart. However, she maintained a completely harmless smile on her face, "If it’s business, you can go handle it first. I’ll be fine with the nurses here."

"Mm, you take care then. I’ll come to see you another day." Cyrus Hawthorne’s tightly knit brows slowly relaxed, but the inexplicable pressure in his heart didn’t dissipate.

After instructing the nurses to take good care of Cynthia Vaughn, he turned and left the ward.

"Wait..." Cynthia Vaughn’s eyes widened, unable to believe Cyrus Hawthorne actually just left like that.

She was clearly retreating to advance, not wanting him to actually go...

-

After successfully escaping the private manor, Ann Vaughn dared not stop for a moment as she headed down the mountain, unfortunately still unable to get a signal on her phone and thus unable to seek help from Susie Sommers.

Who knows what was really going on with the fire in the villa.

But that wasn’t a problem she could focus on right now. Before those people report the matter to Cyrus Hawthorne, she should try to leave The Imperial Capital temporarily...

However, things rarely go as planned. What she feared most came true.

A blinding light suddenly appeared, forcing Ann Vaughn to stop in her tracks, shielding her eyes with one hand.

In just a few seconds, Cyrus Hawthorne’s deep, cold voice resounded from above her.

"Ann Vaughn, you’re quite something."

The coldness spread from her spine throughout Ann Vaughn’s entire body, rendering her unable to move.

Though she wanted to turn and run, the chilling glare in Cyrus Hawthorne’s light-shadowed eyes had her feet refusing to obey.

Ann Vaughn bit her lip with frustration flashing in her bright eyes.

She had deliberately waited several days to confirm that Cyrus wouldn’t visit the private manor before planning her escape tonight.

But she never imagined she would be caught red-handed before even getting far.

"You might not believe this, but I have a reason for being here this late," Ann Vaughn’s heart plunged wildly as sweat appeared on her brow, smiling as she looked at him.

Suddenly, a clever idea sparked in her mind. She took a small bottle from her pocket, her face earnest, "This is a special medicine I’ve prepared specifically for your old ailments; I need more herbs."

"Heh." Cyrus Hawthorne glanced at the potion bottle she offered as if a treasure, his previously raging gaze easing slightly.

The unknown tension in his heart disappeared, and he took a low breath, grabbing her wrist to lead her to the car, "Foolish."

Ann Vaughn suppressed her panic, finding herself brought back to the manor, a bit aggrieved.

"I’m not a criminal; what right do you have to imprison me here all the time? I have my personal freedom, even if we are married now, you have no right to dictate my actions!"

"Cyrus Hawthorne, I could sue you..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Ann Vaughn’s collar was abruptly grabbed by Cyrus’s single hand, pulling her close to him involuntarily.

The car’s interior was dimly lit, yet through their silhouettes, Ann Vaughn could feel how near he was at this moment.

Her body was tensed, and her hands instinctively pressed against his chest, "What are you doing?"

"Sue me?" Cyrus Hawthorne’s voice was low and cold, his eyes as dark as ink, "What will you sue me for?"

Before Ann Vaughn could answer, he leisurely continued, "Do you think I can’t handle you?"

Ann Vaughn was acutely aware of the dangerous vibe emanating from him, her heart pounding anxiously, uncertain of his intentions.

This time, what would he use to force her to succumb?

Child—

Before the thought could fully form, she saw a shadow pressing onto her, and then, a cool sensation spread across her lips.

The electric shock from the kiss immediately spread through Ann Vaughn’s entire body, causing her to tremble uncontrollably.

He... was kissing her?

Not in a drunken state, nor in the confusion of mistaken identity, he was kissing her?!

The sudden roar in her ears left Ann Vaughn utterly stunned.

Unexpectedly, she felt a pain on her lips, the heavy taste of iron flooding her mouth, tearing her eyes with a ring of tears.

Cyrus Hawthorne slightly pressed his lips together, releasing her. His coolly handsome face was brushed with a fleeting hint of desire, adding a touch of restrained allure to his overall demeanor.

Those deep, abyss-like eyes stayed locked on Ann Vaughn’s alarmed and restless small face, for once melting a corner of his habitually cold heart.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Ann Vaughn held her still bleeding lips, looking at him with wide, fearful eyes, her heart like a frantic little deer crashing against her chest, unable to calm down.