Rachel’s fingertips unconsciously fidgeted with the hem of her sweater, her cheeks burning red from his

    question.

    Д

    Nics’s thumb was still pressed against her jaw, applying just enough pressure to force her to tilt her head at an even more vulnerable angle.

    Seeming to notice her trembling body, he chuckled softly, his Adam’s apple vibrating: “Your hands were so

    steady when you brought the coffee, so why are you shaking all over now?”

    Just as Rachel was about to argue back, her lower back suddenly hit the desk edge.

    The coffee cup rippled with dark brown waves, some even spilling over.

    Nics reached out to steady it, but his palm ended up covering her hand that was clutching a tissue.

    “Don’t move.” He pulled away the crumpled tissue, the slight friction sound particrly clear in their intimate atmosphere.

    Rachel held her breath, watching the man’s pale fingers clean the table with deliberate slowness. But as she

    watched those movements, her mind started wandering in ways she couldn’t control.

    Those hands were really beautiful,

    “You got some here too.” Suddenly, Nics spoke, then his fingertip traced across her corbone with the

    faintest touch.

    But there was no coffee stain there at all.

    Rachel raised her hand to push him away, but her palm pressed against his rapidly rising chest.

    Nics let out a muffled groan, his breathing suddenly rough: “Rachel.”

    “What?” Her voice trembled.

    Nics’s Adam’s apple rolled heavily, and just as he moved to cradle the back of her head, Rachel suddenly turned and bit his earlobe: “Nics, your heart’s beating so fast.”

    Nics hadn’t expected Rachel to turn the tables on him and suddenlyughed softly.

    Rachel gripped the back of his shirt, the expensive fabric bunching up in her palm.

    The feeling of taut muscle under her fingertips made them tingle, and before she knew it, Nics’s knee had

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    pressed between her legs.

    “Nics…” her voice took on an unfamiliar softness even to herself, “the coffee’s getting cold.”

    The man suddenly stepped back half a pace, casually straightening himself out.

    Before Rachel could find her bnce in the void, he swept her up in his arms.

    “Then we’ll make fresh.” Nics kicked open her bedroom door, dark currents surging in his eyes. “Coffee for all-night conversations should be slowly brewed in a siphon pot.”

    At the same time, Sophie was doxxed for being hospitalized, with people posting the exact hospital address.

    Left with no choice, the Leroix family brought her home overnight, with the family doctor handling her

    recovery.

    Sophie curled up on the couch, her eyes red and swollen from crying.

    Joanne sat beside her, gently patting her back.

    “Sophie, stop crying,” Joanne’s voice was full of heartache. “It’s just apetition. We don’t have to

    participate.”

    David stood by the window, his brow deeply furrowed.

    “What the hell happened? How did this turn into such a huge scandal?”

    “Dad!” Sophie lifted her head, her voice thick with tears. “It’s Rachel! It has to be her! That ‘Daughter of the

    Sea’ is definitely her!”

    “Nonsense!” David spun around sharply. “Your sister left the Leroix family ages ago. How could she possibly enter thepetition?”

    “It IS her!” Sophie screamed hysterically. “That design, that attention to detail-only she could do it! I’ve studied her work for years, I know her better than anyone!”

    Joanne quickly hugged Sophie: “Okay, okay, stop talking. Your sister…”

    Before she could finish, Sophie cut her off: “Why does sister have topete with me for everything!”

    David’s expression instantly darkened.

    “Enough!” Arthur mmed his hand on the coffee table. “Look at yourself right now!”

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    Sophie froze. She’d never seen her father this angry.

    Joanne quickly stood up to mediate: “Alright, alright, everyone stop fighting. Sophie, go to your room and

    rest.”

    Sophie bit her lip as tears flowed again.

    A

    She couldn’t argue with David, so she could only nod and head upstairs with Arthur’s support.

    Joanne sighed, looking at David: “You didn’t have to get so angry.”

    David rubbed his temples: “This ispletely uneptable. This incident has totally embarrassed the

    Leroix family.”

    “You’re the one who spoiled her,” Joanne muttered under her breath.

    David didn’t respond. He walked to the window, looking out at the night.

    The media was going crazy, all reporting on Leroix family drama.

    And people had already dug up Rachel’s public break with the family at the funeral-everyone was waiting

    to see the Leroix family’s downfall.

    He suddenly remembered the day Rachel left.

    It wasn’t that he hadn’t looked for her, but she couldn’t be found.

    “Joanne,” David suddenly spoke, “do you think we made a mistake?”

    Joanne was stunned: “What do you mean?”

    David shook his head without answering.

    Forget it, no point dwelling on this. Anyone who embarrassed the Leroix family was definitely in the wrong.

    The next day.

    Jaxon stood at the Leroix mansion entrance, his long fingers pressing the doorbell.

    The door opened, and Joanne enthusiastically brought him inside, then pointed upstairs and sighed: “Sophie’s in a bad mood. Maybe… you could go see her?”

    Jaxon set down the fruit basket he’d brought and nodded.

    Going upstairs, he walked to Sophie’s room and knocked.

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    He Stole My Ticket. I Flew Private: Revenge Served Sky High

    A loud crash came from inside, followed by Sophie’s voice: “I said I’m not seeing anyone!”

    “Sophie, it’s me.” Jaxon’s voice was calm and patient.

    The room went quiet for two seconds, then momentster, the door opened.

    Sophie appeared in the doorway with red, swollen eyes.

    &

    She wore a wrinkled nightgown, her hair disheveled,pletelycking her usual polished appearance.

    “Jaxon…” her voice was tearful as she threw herself into his arms.

    Jaxon gently patted her back, but his gaze moved past her shoulder to the design sketches scattered across the living room floor.

    On those papers, the wave patterns of “Ripples” were clearly visible.

    “Don’t be sad.” He gently patted Sophie’s back, then supported her, guiding her downstairs to sit on the

    couch.

    Joanne had already left to give them privacy.

    She wouldn’t be any help staying anyway-better to leave it to Jaxon.

    Sophie curled up on the couch, hugging a pillow.

    “Jaxon, I’m finished…” she sobbed. “Everyone knows I bought votes, I…”

    “But you weren’t disqualified.” Jaxon said, his voice gentle but firm. “Since the organizers gave you this chance, why not try?”

    Sophie looked up at him through teary eyes: “But the onlinements…”

    “Do thosements matter?” Jaxon sat beside her. “What matters is the finals. If you can prove yourself in the finals, thosements will naturally disappear.”

    Sophie bit her lip, hesitating, then suddenly grabbed Jaxon’s hand.

    “Jaxon, I think… I think that ‘Daughter of the Sea’ is sister!”

    Jaxon’s fingers trembled slightly, a hard-to-catch glint shing in his eyes.

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