CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 35: BE GOOD, LISTEN

Chloe Preston’s face flushed slightly.

Donovan Xavier leaned toward her, his dark eyes fixed on hers. "What, is this so hard for you?"

Chloe Preston nodded honestly.

Donovan Xavier said, "As a woman, you should learn to be more proactive."

Chloe Preston clenched her hands and gritted her teeth, remaining as stiff as a board.

"Be good. Listen to me."

「The next morning.」

Chloe Preston awoke on the lounge chair, a man’s suit jacket and a thin blanket draped over her.

She got up and glanced around. He was already gone.

Where did he go?

Not dwelling on it, Chloe Preston got off the lounge chair and picked up the qipao from the floor to put it on.

Her entire body ached as if it were about to fall apart.

However, he had indeed been a bit gentler last night. He had even kissed her, whispering several sweet nothings in her ear.

His coaxing left Chloe Preston in a daze. She had stared at his incredibly captivating face, her own face flushed and her heart racing all night.

That man was a natural charmer, and sweet nothings came to him effortlessly. Any other woman would have found him just as hard to resist.

Chloe Preston finished dressing, tidied her hair, and walked over slowly, frowning slightly at the damaged antique painting on the table.

The antique painting contained lead, which had slowly darkened over time.

Chloe Preston used water-dipped Xuan paper to circle the darkened parts, then applied high-proof liquor and burned it off to restore the painting’s original colors.

This was a huge project, one that was mentally taxing and not something that could be completed overnight.

「Outside the room.」

Donovan Xavier had just returned with breakfast. Feeling a bit thirsty, he walked to the table to pour himself a glass of water.

"What are you doing here!"

Suddenly, a voice boomed from behind him.

Donovan Xavier paused his drinking and turned around.

Seven or eight men were entering through the doorway. Each one was about six feet tall, with broad shoulders and long legs. They were all handsome and wore matching uniforms.

Donovan Xavier glanced at them, his voice cool. "Are you employees of this shop?"

The men nodded in unison.

One of them stepped forward, scrutinizing him from head to toe. "Who are you?"

Donovan Xavier raised an eyebrow. His long, slender fingers tapped casually on the rim of the cup, his expression still indifferent. "I’m with your boss lady."

"You’re with Chloe?"

"Mhm."

The men were stunned for a few seconds before they reacted, laughing as they spoke. "Oh, you must be the new guy Chloe hired!"

Donovan Xavier was silent.

"Chloe sure has great taste! This guy is genuinely handsome. He’s got to be around six-foot-three, right?"

"That physique, those looks, that aura... he’s like a young master from a prestigious family!"

"With him in our shop, he’ll be the face of the place for sure!"

"Hey, what’s your name? What forgotten corner did Chloe dig you out of?"

Listening to them, Donovan Xavier leaned against the table, a slight furrow forming between his brows.

One of them, a man called Sawyer, chuckled lightly and stepped forward, eyeing Donovan Xavier. "Not bad at all. Go stand by the door and greet customers."

Greet customers? Ha.

Donovan Xavier turned back around, ignoring them, and leisurely drank his water.

Sawyer walked up to him and frowned, shoving his shoulder in irritation. "Hey, newbie, don’t you know the rules? When you’re told to go, you go!"

"Speak up! Are you deaf or mute?"

Donovan Xavier’s dark eyes narrowed, a frosty half-smile playing on his lips.

Is this guy tired of living? How dare he order me around!

「Inside the room.」

Chloe Preston seemed to hear a commotion outside. She stopped what she was doing and walked out.

"Donovan, are you back?"

At the sound of her voice, Donovan Xavier looked up, his gaze meeting hers.

He walked over to stand by her side and wrapped an arm around her slender waist, a smile playing on his lips. "Why does my name sound so sweet when you say it? Say it again."

The last time she had called him so intimately was four years ago, back when they were truly close.

Chloe Preston shot him a light glare, the blush on her beautiful cheeks deepening, making her even more captivating.

The men standing around were dumbfounded, frozen on the spot.

Isn’t he the new employee? Why is he being so intimate with our boss lady?!

Donovan Xavier glanced at the men, his eyes half-lidded as he looked lazily at the woman beside him. "Miss Quinn, your employees are quite bossy. One of them just ordered me to go outside and greet customers. Aren’t you going to do something about it?"

Chloe Preston was stunned for a moment, then looked at the men. "Who ordered him around?"

Sawyer stepped forward cautiously. "Chloe, it was... it was me."

"Chloe, what is this gentleman’s relationship to you...?"

Donovan Xavier lifted his gaze to look at him, his smile chillingly cold. "I’m her man."

A ripple passed through Chloe Preston’s shimmering eyes.

When Sawyer heard this, he quickly turned back to Chloe Preston to explain. "Chloe, I didn’t know his relationship to you! I... I thought he was a new employee you’d hired!"

Chloe Preston sighed and turned her head to look at Donovan. "They were just being unobservant and didn’t know any better. Can you please let it go?"

If this man truly got angry, he wouldn’t just kill them; he would make it impossible for them to survive anywhere in Kryton.

Donovan Xavier’s lips curved into a smirk. He leaned in, his eyes meeting hers. "Since Miss Quinn herself has spoken, I will naturally grant you this favor."

The next second, he picked up the breakfast from the table and led her into the room.

As soon as the door closed, Donovan Xavier grabbed her slender waist and pinned her against the cold wall. "Chloe Preston, why does your shop have so many male employees?"

And every one of them is so handsome, as if they’re here to seduce people.

Chloe Preston knew he was getting jealous again.

His possessiveness over her was overwhelming; he couldn’t stand the sight of any other man near her.

She reached out, carefully draping her arms around his neck as she explained, "I sell bracelets, so most of my clients are women. My location is a bit out of the way, so I hire some good-looking male employees to stand out front and attract people!"

Seeing that he was still displeased, Chloe Preston stood on her tiptoes, tilted her head up, and kissed him. "There are plenty of female employees, too. They just haven’t arrived yet. Please don’t be angry anymore, okay?"

Her whole act made him itch with an unbearable craving.

Donovan Xavier found it very much to his liking.

He leaned down, his nose brushing lightly against her ear as he said with a smile, "Chloe Preston, kiss me again and call me ’husband,’ and I’ll stop being angry."

"Or, we can do it again. You choose."