CHAPTER 199: CHAPTER 199: A JOURNEY TOWARD EACH OTHER (3000+)

As Vera Sheridan turned around, she clearly caught the panic in Noah Grant’s eyes.

This man, who seemed invincible in her eyes, had been handling their relationship with such meticulous care.

"Noah, why are you in such a hurry to get married?" she calmly asked.

Noah paused, raised his hand to cover the top of her head, full of guilt, "Let’s not talk about this topic, okay?"

"I’ll go steam the seafood."

Vera held onto him.

"I’m trying to communicate with you. I want to know what’s really on your mind!" Her tone was domineering, then she softened, "I can’t keep avoiding it anymore."

Suddenly, her waist tightened as he held her close.

With his head lowered, Noah’s eyes were full of desire for her, passionate and bare, "Vera, I’ve never been a gentleman."

Vera frowned.

His arm tightened, pulling her into his embrace as if he wanted to make her a part of him.

"Even when you hadn’t divorced yet, I was already coveting you, jealous of Ian Kane!" Noah unabashedly exposed his intense desire for her.

Scenes from the past flashed through his mind.

Approaching her incessantly even though she was a married woman; watching her care for Ian Kane and deliberately driving Ian away; exposing Ian’s attempts to manipulate her to her face; buying The Glimmer Garden to destroy it; urging Judge Goldsmith to expedite the judgment...

"Nine years ago, that unilateral loss was like a thorn in my heart that has stayed there all these years, making me regret every single day." He leaned down, his nose brushing against her ear, gently caressing her, inhaling her scent.

Nine years ago...

He had to stay away from her because of The Grant Family.

This was something Ms. Morgan had told her two years ago.

Vera’s nose tingled, unable to discern if it was because of the class gap between them or because she was heartbroken for him, forced to compromise for his family.

It was also then that he broke with his family, went abroad to study, refused any financial assistance from them, and at his lowest point, had to fight in illegal boxing matches.

Noah’s nose pressed against her delicate skin, his voice hoarse, "...That’s why I’m in such a hurry to make it official."

"I know, I haven’t even completely won over Ms. Morgan; I don’t have the right to ask anything of you... I’m even afraid you’ll eliminate me because of her."

Hearing the uneasy words from him, Vera buried her face into his chest, "I originally wanted you to accompany me back to Tristone to visit my mom’s grave. Back then, you probably didn’t hear what I said on the phone and hung up quickly."

Noah froze.

He hadn’t heard it, as he was then occupied with finding experts for Joel Quinn.

"In my heart, you’ve long been the closest person to me." Vera unconsciously tightened the fabric of his shirt at his chest with her fingertips, "The occasion today was too high-profile. Our relationship, as long as we both know in our hearts, is enough."

"As for marriage..." She took a gentle breath, finally lifted her head, and looked into his deep eyes, "I admit, I’m afraid. Love can be a matter between two people, but marriage involves two families."

"I’m afraid of the things that stand between us... your mother’s prejudices, those rules, and the difference in status. I’m afraid of stepping in and gradually losing myself again..."

This was the first time Vera mentioned marriage and Ms. Morgan to him, instead of avoiding the topic as she used to do.

She took a significant step forward.

All of Noah’s unease instantly vanished, and he cupped her face with one hand, his thumb gently stroking her cheek: "Vera, the marriage I want is only about the two of us."

"The Grant Family, my mom, I’ll deal with all those issues. You just need to be yourself; your career will always be your top priority." His tone was firm and resolute.

Vera nodded, knowing in her heart that he was fundamentally different from Ian Kane.

What he always supported was the person she originally set out to be, to soar.

Her gaze fell, and she suddenly noticed a clear cut on his left index finger, with tiny drops of blood seeping out.

"What happened?" She frowned, immediately pulling his hand over to inspect it.

Noah let her pull his hand, the melancholy in his eyes completely dissipating, the corner of his lips curled into a roguish smile.

Earlier, I was only thinking about how to be officially recognized, and in an oversight, the knife gave me a little bite."

He leaned down close, his warm breath almost tickling her ear.

"Ms. Sheridan, this counts as a work injury. Seeing as I’m so miserable, can you give me some special treatment?"

Vera, "..."

Mere moments ago he was all woeful, and now he was being so frivolous. She stomped lightly on his foot, that bit of sourness in her heart completely washed away by his familiar roguish charm.

"I’ll go get the first aid kit." She rolled her eyes at him before turning to head to the living room.

Noah clasped her fair wrist, pulling her back with some force, pinning her against the patterned light and shadow on the floor-to-ceiling glass.

Vera let out a muffled sound, her mouth filled with his injured finger, the faint taste of iron spreading in her mouth.

She frowned deeply, protesting with muffled sounds: What are you doing?

With his tall frame pressing against her, Noah murmured, "No need for medicine, saliva is the best disinfectant. Girlfriend, give it a lick, hmm?"

Vera’s eyes widened, perhaps because his magnetic baritone was so enticing, or because that so-called walking hormone façade was too alluring. She found herself involuntarily reaching out with her tongue...

Like lightning, Noah felt a numbness at the bottom of his spine, and his prominent Adam’s apple rolled heavily as his breathing became rapid and rough.

...

Until the doorbell rang.

The figures entwined on the sofa suddenly separated.

Vera’s breath was uneven, her eyes watery, as Noah skillfully adjusted her fallen T-shirt neckline, his fingertips gliding over her back, deftly fastening her bra clasp, the strap making a slight snapping sound.

As he tucked his shirt hem back into his waistband, he walked toward the entrance, his demeanor once again noble and composed.

Maeve Holloway came in holding a large bouquet of champagne-colored lisianthus, her gaze landing first on the impeccably dressed Noah, then glanced back to see Vera walking out from the balcony.

With just one look, Maeve raised an eyebrow. The beauty’s plump and moist lips and the lingering flush on her cheeks were akin to having just been thoroughly "taken care of."

"You two chat; I’m going to prepare dinner." Noah nodded toward Maeve in greeting before turning and heading to the kitchen.

Maeve Holloway glanced at her watch, it was almost eight o’clock.

"Waiting for this meal, I’m afraid I might faint from hunger," she winked at Vera Sheridan, "I won’t disturb your world of two. Congratulations to our Goddess Vera on your wish coming true! I’m off!"

Vera was splashing cold water on her face to cool down. Upon hearing this, she hurriedly tried to keep her, "Don’t go, Owen will be here soon too!"

"Next time, I really have plans," Maeve took a phone out of her bag and handed it over, "Oh right, I brought this for you on my way here."

Vera paused in her actions.

The phone was the one Justin had thrown into the lake in Tristone, "How did it end up with you?"

Maeve glanced toward the kitchen and lowered her voice, "Ian Kane asked me to give it to you, he said nothing inside has been touched."

This morning, after watching Vera’s performance, she had just gotten to the underground parking lot when she ran into Ian Kane.

Vera took the phone that was lost and found, the body was cold, "... I thought it was truly gone."

Only then did she realize it was deliberately kept by Ian Kane.

Maeve didn’t say much, she greeted Noah Grant in the kitchen and left.

Vera went to the kitchen, Noah Grant was handling oysters, and when he saw Vera turning on the phone, his eyebrows slightly raised.

He didn’t ask, Vera shook the phone and explained, "The phone was not lost, Ian Kane had Maeve bring it over."

Noah was slightly stunned, pondering, "To be safe, I’ll check later to see if he planted any tracking device."

Vera was startled for a moment.

Indeed, that was something Ian Kane might do, so she nodded, put down the phone, and helped.

Once all the dishes were on the table, Owen Sheridan called.

Vera asked with concern, "Owen, did something happen to you?" They had planned for him to come over for dinner.

Owen was in Veridia for an architectural design forum summit.

On the other end, in a nightclub hallway.

Owen leaned lazily against the cold wall in the dim shadow, a cigarette in his mouth, the ember faintly visible in the ambiguous light.

His handsome face was expressionless, with just a pair of beautiful eyes staring straight at the restroom.

"Sis, a few college alumni dragged me to a gathering at the last minute, so I won’t disturb you and your future brother-in-law’s world of two." His tone carried a hint of a casual smile.

Vera wanted to ask more, but the call was already hung up.

Owen took a drag from his cigarette and slowly exhaled the smoke, his gaze never leaving that direction.

At that moment, a slender figure staggered out from the restroom.

His first love and ex-fiancée, Carla Thorne.

The princess he used to hold cautiously in his hands, unwilling to utter a harsh word.

Now, she was bent over, vomiting over the hallway trash can in embarrassment.

Owen bit hard on the cigarette, his Adam’s apple moving up and down.

"One bottle of red wine and you can’t handle it? I brought you here to offend important guests?" A man in a royal blue silk shirt walked to her side, patting her back, chastising impatiently.

The man was precisely Carla’s current husband, Jude Sinclair, heir to the Southedge real estate giant, The Sinclair Family.

At this moment, vaguely feeling the gaze upon her, Carla struggled to lift her head.

Tears in her eyes blurred, unexpectedly meeting a pair of cold yet familiar eyes.

Owen...

He leaned in the shadows a few steps away, a cigarette between his fingers, watching her disgrace like a detached spectator.

Their eyes met for just a moment.

Carla seemed scalded, quickly dropping her head.

Her husband continued his incessant chatter.

Owen extinguished the cigarette on a nearby trash can, took long strides, and walked away.

...

The night was deep.

The bedroom was filled with an ambiguous atmosphere, the bed in disarray.

Vera lay sprawled amidst the soft pillows and blankets, her bare back half exposed, her skin gleaming under the dim nightlight.

Noah stepped out of the bathroom, a loose white towel wrapped around his waist.

Water droplets trickled down his bronze chest, passing over his well-defined abs, disappearing into the depths of his waist and abdomen.

On his broad back, an old slanted scar added a touch of raw appeal to his fit physique.

He walked to the bed, bent down, lightly pulling up the thin blanket to cover Vera’s bare shoulders and back.

His gaze skimmed over the bedside table and landed on Vera’s phone.

He picked up the phone, sat down in the single sofa in the corner of the room, crossed his long legs, and typed skillfully on the screen, checking if there were any eavesdropping or tracking software installed.

The result was quite unexpected; Ian Kane hadn’t done so.

Noah turned off the phone.

At this moment, his own phone started vibrating.

Vera, likely disturbed by the noise in the big bed, let out a protesting grunt, Noah immediately got up, walked to the bedside table, and answered the call.

Soon, a clear female voice came from inside...

In the instant Vera opened her eyes, she clearly heard a crisp "Noah".