CHAPTER 48: CHAPTER 48: WHAT PROPER BUSINESS REQUIRES TAKING OFF YOUR CLOTHES?

The last few words were especially ambiguous, and Holly took a deep breath as she looked at the face close at hand.

She quietly stepped back a little, but he pulled her forward so that she nearly fell into his arms.

"My place... it’s very small, if you don’t mind."

"I don’t mind. No matter how small, it can accommodate me. I’ll fulfill my duties well."

"No... no need to thank me."

Holly turned her face away, her face heating up rapidly.

Blake Sinclair couldn’t help but curve his lips, propping his hand on the bed, his fingers tapping idly now and then.

Seeing that he had agreed to the first two conditions, Holly calmed down and continued, "The last thing we need to discuss."

At this, she looked up straight into Blake Sinclair’s eyes with a determined gaze, "You..."

The words stuck in her throat.

Looking into Blake Sinclair’s smiling eyes, she instantly lost the courage to speak.

"Hmm?" He patiently waited, gently twirling a strand of her hair between his fingers.

The feel was very soft.

Blake Sinclair watched her sigh and began to wonder what the last thing could be to warrant such a reaction.

"Okay," he said.

Holly looked at him in confusion, "But I haven’t said it yet."

Blake Sinclair ruffled her hair, his actions unbelievably gentle, "No matter what it is, I agree. I can’t bear to see you frown."

His Holly should always be beaming.

Holly’s heart skipped a beat, "What if I say I don’t want children right now?"

The atmosphere fell silent.

The room instantly quieted down, only the sound of the air conditioner could be heard.

After she said that, Holly watched Blake Sinclair’s eyes.

But her nails were digging into the palm of her hand.

In truth, both she and Blake Sinclair were already at one of life’s important stages. Especially with the Sinclair Family being such a prominent family, they surely placed great importance on heirs.

But she couldn’t do it.

The betrayal of those seven years was like a thorn embedded in the deepest part of her heart, and she couldn’t bring herself to foster new life with someone she had just registered with, without any reservations.

Especially given the circumstances under which she and Blake Sinclair got married, having a child uncertainly would be unfair to anyone, let alone that she wasn’t ready to be a mother.

Holly didn’t know what Blake Sinclair would think, but she was ready for rejection, as this time she wanted to put herself first.

If he disagreed, then he would go find Old Master Sinclair and take the stick for him, then find a chance to apologize to Blake Sinclair.

Just as she was thinking that, she felt a pair of hands cover hers. Blake Sinclair gently pried open her tightly closed palm, his thumb rubbing the nail marks in her palm.

"If I said no, what would you do?" his voice was light, revealing no emotion.

As expected...

Holly curled the corner of her mouth self-deprecatingly and voiced what she was thinking just now.

She had just finished when she felt her palm being squeezed, not hard but with a hint of punishment.

She looked up at the "culprit".

Blake Sinclair’s eyes were deep, gently rubbing her palm with his thumb, "My answer has never changed. As I’ve said before, my wife will always be my first priority."

As he spoke, he suddenly leaned closer to her ear, the warm breath brushing over her earlobe, tickling.

Blake Sinclair chuckled softly, "But... rather than you thinking about how to be a good mother, I hope you can first practice trying to trust me."

Holly was left in a daze.

"My wife will always be my first priority."

The first time she heard this was in PADA’s dessert shop.

Hearing the same words again, her mood was completely different.

She never thought she would become the protagonist of this sentence.

Seeing the way she was lost in thought, Blake Sinclair curved his lips, his fingers slowly hooking her hair into a loop, then releasing it, as if he had found something fun.

"Is there anything else?" he asked. "No matter what you request, I will agree."

Holly shook her head, her heartbeat yet to calm down completely, "No, I’ve said everything I wanted to say."

Finally, thinking of something, she looked at him and asked in return, "What about you? Do you have any requests, or any family rules I need to abide by? You can tell me."

Holly looked at him seriously, like a student waiting to be assigned homework.

Blake Sinclair stifled a laugh and deliberately furrowed his brows. After a moment, he slowly spoke, "There is indeed one thing."

Holly grabbed his hand that was playing with her hair, "Tell me, I’m ready."

He pretended to think, letting out a long sigh.

Holly’s heart was lifted high, a hundred and eight thoughts running through her mind.

After all, the Sinclair Family had three hundred and twenty household rules, could it be that he wanted daily greetings? Or learning to cook?

"Is it a lot? Should I record it on my phone?" she hurriedly reached for her phone.

"No need." Blake Sinclair held her back, "Just one thing."

Holly held her breath.

"It’s the wedding. Registering tomorrow is too rushed, but we can’t skip the wedding." He looked into her eyes, exceptionally earnest, "All the necessary rituals can’t be missed."

"A wedding?"

Blake Sinclair squinted slightly, holding Holly’s hand and squeezing her palm, "Don’t you want to have a wedding?"

This tone, this expression...

For some inexplicable reason, Holly heard a trace of grievance in his words, as if she dared to say ’no’, he would throw a fit the next second.

Was this still the reputedly genteel and cultured member of the Sinclair Family?

Why was it that he wasn’t the same person she had seen...

Blake Sinclair seemed to enjoy squeezing her hand, rubbing and drawing circles as he did.

"Hmm?" He made a sound in his throat.

"Okay."

"Good, then I’ll prepare for the wedding. If you have any needs, just tell me."

Holly nodded.

His fingers continued to play around in her palm, tickling her unbearably.

Just as Holly was about to withdraw her hand, she heard Blake Sinclair chuckle, "Since we’ve discussed everything, it’s time for the real business."

"Real business?"

Holly hadn’t grasped the meaning of his words when she saw him begin to unbutton his shirt.

One button, two buttons...

"Wha... what are you doing?"

Real business?

What real business required taking off clothes?

Was it that kind of ’real business’?

Holly was suddenly in a bit of a panic, not knowing whether to help him refasten his clothes first or cover her own eyes.

Until she heard a soft chuckle by her ear, "Holly, it’s just applying medicine. What were you thinking?"

Ap... applying medicine?

Holly’s hand froze in mid-air.

Seeing Blake Sinclair’s teasing gaze, her face heated up even more.

Apparently, she had misunderstood just now.

An icy tube of ointment was pressed into her hand, and Blake Sinclair’s voice sounded overhead, with a hint of hoarseness, "I can’t reach the injuries on my back, so could you help me apply the medicine?"

"Oh, okay, okay."

Blake Sinclair shrugged off his shirt and turned his back to her.

The marks from the rods on his back, which had become red and swollen over time, crisscrossed in a shocking pattern.

Holly’s heart tightened as she squeezed out some ointment and gently applied it. She remembered how her mom would always blow gently on the medicine when she applied it to her as a child, and she subconsciously leaned forward, blowing lightly on the wound.

"Mmm..."

A suppressed groan suddenly broke the silence, carrying a hint of suppressed huskiness.

Holly was startled, immediately stopping her movements, "Does it hurt? I’m sorry, should I be more gentle?"

"It doesn’t hurt, it’s fine this way."

Blake Sinclair’s voice was somewhat strained, his head bowed, his hand gripping the bedsheet tightly.

The pain from the rods was nothing.

It was that gentle breath she had just exhaled that nearly did him in, almost losing control in front of her.

Having applied the medicine, they needed to wait for it to dry before he put on his shirt. Blake Sinclair sat on the edge of the bed, shirtless.

Under the light, his broad shoulders and narrow waist were fully revealed, every muscle exuding strength.

Holly dared not look any longer, quickly averting her eyes but suddenly thought of something.

"Shirley called me earlier, saying you were bleeding. What’s that about?" She hadn’t seen anything on him that looked like bleeding.

Blake Sinclair furrowed his brows, chuckling lightly, "It was red ink. While copying family rules in the study, I accidentally spilled it."

Holly came to a realization.

So that was it, and she felt a surge of relief.

Blake Sinclair smiled, "Sorry to make you worry."

Holly shook her head, her heartbeat becoming erratic again.

Blake Sinclair raised his hand to check his watch, "It’s getting late, do you want to rest in the guest room?"

Holly’s mind blanked for a moment, blurting out, "Am I not sleeping here?"