CHAPTER 88: CHAPTER 88: THE THREE RULES

Holly felt her ears heat up at Blake Sinclair’s question, but she cleared her throat and tried to stay calm.

She held up three fingers, "Mr. Sinclair, considering the recent over-frequent activities that seriously affect my creative energy, I propose that we set some ground rules."

Ever since they did that thing, Blake Sinclair’s mental state and emotions have been incredibly high-spirited.

What she said that morning as "just so-so" seemed to become a charm; he’d use it as an excuse every time, saying "let’s see if there’s any improvement this time," then justifiably pull her back into the whirlpool.

This man has a terrifyingly strong ability to learn and a passion for research, becoming even more relentless after mastering skills.

Sometimes, they would just be playing on their phones separately on the sofa, not disturbing each other, and then a casual glance would change the air between them, leading to an uncontrollable spark.

The allure of a handsome man isn’t deceiving!

Holly decided to set some rules!

When he heard her, Blake Sinclair raised an eyebrow, his eyes smiling.

He cooperatively wrapped her three raised fingers in his palm: "Eager to hear more, Mrs. Sinclair."

Holly tried to ignore the warm sensation from his fingertips, "First! Without my explicit consent, you are not... not allowed to engage in any nighttime friendly exchanges! Also, keep your distance during the day!"

Blake Sinclair nodded thoughtfully, "Okay. Respecting the wife’s wishes is the top principle."

His quick agreement left Holly momentarily stunned.

She gave him a suspicious look and continued with the second rule: "Second, restrain yourself on weekdays! Especially in the mornings, don’t delay my work!"

"Reasonable."

Blake Sinclair nodded again, his expression serious, as if listening to a million-dollar business report, "Ensuring Mrs. Sinclair’s career thrives is very important too."

"Thirdly..." Holly thought for a moment, "I haven’t thought of it yet, I’ll add to it later! Anyway, you must follow strictly!"

"No problem. I’ll do everything Mrs. Sinclair says." Blake Sinclair replied with a smile, pulling her hand as he moved toward the passenger seat.

Holly watched his back and asked, "Did you really agree? Are you really going to listen to me that much?"

Blake Sinclair: "Listening to the wife brings wealth. You’re the boss at home, who else should I listen to?"

Holly was taken aback by his words.

"To celebrate our agreement, I’ll make your favorite plum pork ribs for dinner tonight, shall we head to the supermarket for ingredients first?"

His response was so normal, a model husband even, but almost too normal to be true!

Holly felt an unrealistic illusion in her heart.

Could it be that the unrestrained person from before was Blake Sinclair’s alter ego?

At the supermarket, Blake Sinclair pushed the cart, seriously selecting ribs and plums, and even bought her a cup of milk tea unprecedentedly.

Holly followed him, biting her straw, and began to wonder if she was making a big deal out of nothing.

But while checking out, when Blake Sinclair naturally picked two boxes of a certain brand of ultra-thin from the shelves in front of the cashier, that reflection in her mind disappeared instantly.

Damn man!

Look at his calm demeanor, as if he’s just casually picking up a couple of packets of salt!

Holly leaned over and whispered, "Why are you picking that up! Didn’t we agree on the rules?"

Blake Sinclair looked at her innocently, his tone forthright and sincere: "Just in case. What if you agree someday? Better safe than sorry; can’t let you down."

Holly: "...."

Fine, fine, fine! His response felt so natural, Holly was left speechless for a moment.

In the following days, Blake Sinclair’s adherence was exemplary.

He strictly adhered to the ground rules, curbing all his over-the-top behaviors.

But he still did the same things as before, picking her up from work every day in normal circumstances, and the good morning and good night kisses never stopped, even though they were just a brief touch, like completing a necessary ritual.

At night, when they went to bed, he merely held her gently, remaining perfectly behaved without moving.

At first, Holly felt relaxed, enjoying the rare peace. Without his nightly antics, her sleep quality notably improved, and she no longer woke up feeling sore.

She thought her decision was very wise, feeling a bit smug that she finally had Blake Sinclair under control.

But soon, she sensed something was off.

Blake Sinclair no longer pulled her into deep kisses out of nowhere or looked at her with those burning, desire-filled eyes like that night. At night, even though his embrace was searing, he remained as rigid as a block of wood.

Sometimes, when they accidentally got a bit closer, Holly barely had time to react before he "gentlemanly" backed away, then smiled and said, "Let’s keep a safe distance, so I won’t lose control."

Holly: "..."

The more he acted like this, the less Holly could adapt, feeling like a little kitten was scratching at her heart.

One night, Holly lay in bed after a shower, browsing on her phone.

The sound of water stopped in the bathroom, and Blake Sinclair emerged enveloped in steam, his pajama collar unbuttoned, revealing his collarbone.

Towels draped over his half-dried hair, he walked over, picked up a glass from the table, and drank, his Adam’s apple moving as he swallowed, water droplets sliding down his neck, seductive beyond measure, making Holly’s throat tighten.

Holly watched, entranced, but wasn’t sure if her gaze was too obvious or what, but suddenly he looked down at her.

Their eyes met. He curved his lips and shook his water glass.

"Want some water?"

"No need! You drink it!"

Holly snapped back, mistakenly thinking her spying was caught, and loudly refused. Then she turned over, wrapped herself in the blanket, and swiftly buried herself under it.

Just spend your lifetime with the water!

That night, after her shower, Holly intentionally wore a silk nightgown that softly hugged her waistline.

She walked out of the bathroom to see Blake Sinclair leaning against the headboard, looking at his tablet. Upon noticing her, his gaze lingered on her for a moment.

Holly saw his Adam’s apple bob slightly. She was about to say something, but in the next second, he looked away as if nothing happened.

"All done? Dry your hair properly, don’t catch a cold."

After saying that, he even adjusted the air conditioning up two degrees.

Holly: "..."

This is like flirting with a blind man!

Not even thirty, and his eyesight is this bad?

Holly stood there, watching him focus back on the tablet, the little bit of secret hope in her heart dashed once again.

An indescribable sense of defeat and frustration filled her heart!

She slowly climbed onto the bed, then moved a bit closer to him, their skin brushing slightly.

But he seemed to feel nothing, merely tucking her blanket in, then placed a kiss on her forehead: "Goodnight, Holly."

With that, he turned off the light and lay down.

Lay down?

Just lay down???