CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 97: COME HERE, KISS ME

Holly naturally noticed that mark too and glared at him, "How am I supposed to see anyone tonight like this?"

She tried to pull up the collar, and luckily, it managed to cover it.

Blake Sinclair heard her and frowned, "Tonight? Who are you going to meet?"

"Aiden."

"What?"

"Hey...what are you doing!"

The collar she painstakingly arranged was pulled open again by him, revealing that mark once more.

Blake Sinclair gave her an aggrieved look, helped her adjust the collar, and said sourly, "Why is Aiden Jenson meeting you? Isn’t he giving up yet?"

Holly playfully punched him, "Stop with the conspiracy theories, Miles Quill is joining us too."

In the afternoon, Aiden sent her a message saying that Teacher Quinn’s plane had just landed from Brelond and he wanted to see her.

Holly had a vague premonition in her heart, but she didn’t dare to think about it.

No expectations, no disappointment.

"When will it end tonight? I’ll come pick you up."

"Okay, I’ll message you then."

Blake Sinclair played with her fingers, suddenly thinking of something, and said even more sourly, "Holly, isn’t Aiden just a few months older than you? And you call him brother?"

Holly was unfazed, "I’ve been calling him that since I was a kid, right?"

He suddenly leaned in, touching the tip of her nose, "And what about me? I don’t recall you ever calling me Blake."

"Would you call me just once?"

Holly turned her head away, "No."

He brought her hand to his lips, kissed it, and coaxed softly, "Holly, call me once, please."

There was a knock on the door several times, and Holly, unable to take it anymore and fearing he might be late for a meeting, finally whispered, "Blake."

Blake Sinclair immediately laughed, pushing for more, "And what else?"

What else?

Holly looked into his smiling eyes, and a name flashed through her mind, "You..."

Blake Sinclair shook her hand, coaxing her, "Blake what? Say the next two words."

Those next two words, Holly just couldn’t bring herself to say them, shaking her head, "No."

Blake Sinclair wouldn’t let it go, teasingly asking, "Holly, is it that you don’t know, or you can’t?"

Holly remained silent.

"Looks like I’ll have to teach you personally tonight then."

Holly immediately knew what he was hinting at, glared at him, but in Blake Sinclair’s eyes, it was merely a bashful playfulness.

...

The night breeze was gentle.

Holly walked out from the Riverwatch Pavilion, a bit unsteady, nearly bumping into a pillar by the door.

Luckily, Aiden was there to steady her.

He said helplessly, "You shouldn’t have drunk so much earlier."

Holly lifted her head, her voice cheerful, "Aiden, I’m so happy. Do you know? I’ve finally made up for the regret from back then!"

Holly had expected the dinner to involve a lot of people, but upon arriving at the private room, she discovered it was just the three of them.

And just as she had guessed, Teacher Quinn had given her another chance.

This time, she was a step closer to her dream, so she had a few more drinks during dinner.

Holly looked at Aiden, extremely earnest, "Aiden, thank you, really, thank you."

Aiden, supporting her gently, was also drawn into her emotions, a smile appearing on his face.

"Actually, the one you should really thank is the part of you that never gave up on your passions. During the years I was in Brelond learning from him, I often heard about a student full of potential from his mouth, only later realizing that it was you."

He stepped closer, the night deepening the shade of his eyes, "This time, you took the initiative to resolve the teacher’s dilemma yourself, so you don’t need to thank anyone, you deserve it."

Aiden was touched, like when they were young, he patted the top of her head, "Little Junior Sister."

Holly beamed, "Thank you, Senior Brother."

She didn’t know if she was drunk, or if her emotions were overflowing, but she really wanted to see Blake Sinclair right now, to leap into his arms and tell him this good news.

She wanted to share with him immediately! Share her joy with him.

The two immersed themselves in their emotions, not noticing the flash of light from a camera hidden in the bushes nearby.

The night breeze blew by, sending Holly’s hair fluttering.

Aiden watched her flyaway hair, instinctively raising his hand slowly.

But before his fingers could touch, he noticed the figure behind Holly.

Blake Sinclair stood not far away.

Almost simultaneously, Holly seemed to sense something too and turned back suddenly.

The next second, the smile on her face became even more radiant. Without hesitation, she dashed away, her hair fleetingly brushing Aiden Jenson’s palm, leaving a slight tickle that seemed to burrow into his heart.

Blake Sinclair took a few steps forward, opened his arms, and steadily caught the person who flew into them. His tone was indulgent yet worried, "Running so fast, be careful not to fall."

"I knew you would catch me." Holly raised her head in his embrace.

Blake Sinclair helped her straighten her hair and smiled indulgently.

Aiden Jenson walked forward, staring at the tender Holly in his arms, so different from how she was in front of him just now.

Blake Sinclair was helping Holly adjust her clothes. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, his fingers lightly brushed, causing the originally fitted collar to slip slightly.

That red mark was exposed to Aiden Jenson’s eyes, strikingly conspicuous under the streetlight.

It deeply stung his eyes.

He felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.

Aiden Jenson took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and calmly said, "Mr. Sinclair, Holly drank quite a bit tonight."

Upon hearing this, Blake Sinclair immediately checked her eyes, and after confirming that there was only drunkenness and no tears, he breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems she took some hangover medicine beforehand.

He looked at Aiden Jenson, polite yet distant, "Thank you."

Blake Sinclair noticed Aiden Jenson’s tense face, discreetly helped Holly straighten her collar, and softly asked, "Shall we go home?"

Holly nodded while leaning against him.

Blake Sinclair hugged her tighter, nodded to Aiden Jenson, "Then we’ll head home first."

Watching the two of them leave, embraced, a certain kind of unwillingness and impulse began to stir in Aiden Jenson, prompting him to call out impulsively.

"Mr. Sinclair!"

Blake Sinclair paused but did not turn around.

"Mr. Sinclair, my teacher has decided to officially take Holly as an apprentice."

He stepped forward with emphasis.

"She’ll soon come with us to Brelond. Mr. Sinclair, pottery is Holly’s dream. Please set her free, let her pursue what she loves."

Blake Sinclair turned back, his eyes as cold as an icy pool, "Set her free?"

Aiden Jenson met his cold gaze, insisting, "The identity of Mrs. Sinclair will only bind her. She is free! She should pursue what she loves, and Holly has already promised she would go to Brelond with us."

Blake Sinclair’s jawline tightened, his aura chilling, "Mr. Jenson, I think you misunderstood. Holly can go anywhere to pursue her dreams, and I unconditionally support her. She’s always been free with me, and matters between us need not concern you, an outsider."

With these words, he gave Aiden Jenson no chance and left with Holly in his arms.

The Maybach was parked under The Grandflora Gardens.

Blake Sinclair carried her sideways into the elevator.

After entering, he gently placed her on the sofa, loosening his tie, with an urgent possessiveness, lifting her chin and leaning in to kiss.

A dense flurry of kisses fell on her lips and neck.

A flicker of red passed through Blake Sinclair’s eyes. He found the now-faded red mark from the afternoon and kissed and bit at that patch of skin.

Revengefully.

Leaving a deeper mark, one with meanings of punishment and claim.

Holly’s eyes were moist, her hands unsure of where to go, grasping his arm instead.

His breath skimming past her ear made her entire body heat up, causing Holly to shrink slightly.

But Blake Sinclair wouldn’t let her avoid him, his voice low and husky, "Holly, say my name."

"Blake..."

Blake Sinclair continued to kiss her, pushing for a deeper commitment, "Say you want me."

Holly’s mind was fuzzy, her expression dazed.

Blake Sinclair repeated patiently, coaxing her, almost begging, "Holly, you want me."

He said it over and over until he finally heard the desired words from Holly.

"I want you."

Blake Sinclair smiled in satisfaction, scooping her up to sit astride his lap, facing each other.

He held the back of her neck, their foreheads touching, pleading, "Holly, kiss me."

He couldn’t deny it; because of Aiden Jenson’s words, for the first time, he felt the pangs of losing and gaining.

Holly is free, and he cannot bind her.

He could only confirm her presence this way.

"Holly, kiss me, I beg you." He pleaded again, with a subtle hint of vulnerability.

This time, Holly seemed to feel his inner fear, quickly fulfilling his request, she lowered her head, cupped his chin, and kissed firmly.

The night seemed exceptionally long, Holly didn’t even know when it ended, but she remembered Blake Sinclair clinging to her, saying many things, holding her very, very tight at the end.