Chapter 9
James hesitated for a moment before speaking up, "Mr. King, to be honest, Miss Jessica and I do have something very important to discuss."
Raising an eyebrow, Spencer King, with his handsome features, casually settled into the sofa, his demeanor relaxed as he pressed on, "What's so important?"
"It's just a private matter," James stammered, searching for an excuse.
"Go on, what kind of private matter? If Miss Cooper can help, there's no reason I can't..." he replied, maintaining his elegant composure.
"..."
James fell silent, completely at a loss for words. Was he really going to ask the renowned Mr. King to personally help him with such a delicate issue?
Moments later, Cecelia Gray helped Gabriel into the back seat and then assisted the slightly drunk Jessica Cooper into the front passenger seat.
As she accidentally caught a glimpse of the man's striking and aristocratic profile, her heart raced like a startled deer, and her gaze flickered nervously.
"Address?" he asked, turning to Cecelia Gray in the back seat.
"Starlight Community," she quickly responded, snapping back to reality. The black Range Rover roared to life, and the car fell into a heavy silence, filled only with the mingled sounds of their breathing.
Jessica Cooper felt a pounding headache, as if her head might explode. Her stomach churned, and with her eyes closed, she weakly said, "Can you crack the window open a bit...?"
"Miss Cooper was so bold when drinking, yet now you seem so fragile?"
Spencer King's voice was low and laced with a hint of mockery as he turned the steering wheel to the right, navigating the curve.
Leaning against the car window, Jessica raised her hand to massage her painfully throbbing temples. "I was drinking while Mr. King was already at the bar. Were you just there to watch the show?"
Raising an eyebrow, Spencer remained silent, focused on driving.
He and his assistant had just arrived at the bar and had seen her in a lively discussion with James. They were indeed there to enjoy the spectacle.
"Thanks for not leaving me to suffer, Mr. King," she said, shaking her head with a touch of sarcasm.
A slight smirk appeared on Spencer's lips, but he said nothing, his eyes deep and mysterious like the ocean.
In the backseat, Cecelia Gray listened to their exchange, feeling completely out of place. She couldn't find a way to interject and could only remain silent.
But when did Jessica and Spencer become acquainted?
As Cecelia Gray caught another glimpse of the man's perfectly sculpted profile, her heart raced with fear, and her thoughts became a whirlwind.
Moments later, the car stopped outside the Starlight Community building. Cecelia helped Gabriel upstairs before heading back down to get Jessica Cooper.
"Regardless, I want to thank Mr. King for tonight," Jessica said, unbuckling her seatbelt.
Turning around, Spencer King squinted at her. "Why do I feel like Miss Cooper's gratitude is a bit insincere?"
"That's just Mr. King's misunderstanding. I truly appreciate it, from the bottom of my heart!"
"Did I only save you when you were at your wits' end?"
Jessica shook her head, sincerity in her eyes. "No, Mr. King and I aren't close. Even if you hadn't stepped in, it would have been understandable."
With a smirk, Spencer rested one arm on the steering wheel, his gaze rich like fine wine. His voice was slow and smooth. "Miss Cooper is quite charming when she speaks with such conviction..."
Indeed, there was something captivating about her. With her back straight and a serious expression, Jessica's fair cheeks flushed a rosy hue, her pink lips moving slightly as she spoke, drawing attention effortlessly...
"So, Mr. King, are you completely captivated at the moment?"
Jessica Cooper asked with a teasing tone, laughing softly. "You really are quite the jokester, Mr. King, and your jokes are absurd!"
Just as her words fell, a deep voice interrupted her, "Don't believe me? Want me to show you?"
Show her? Show her what? Jessica frowned, struggling to understand his words.
Leaning forward, Spencer King's large hand cradled the back of her head, and his lips captured hers in a sudden kiss.
Her legs felt weak, and she froze in place for a moment. But as reality hit her, she bit down hard on his lip. Taking advantage of his surprise, she quickly jumped out of the car.
Standing outside the window, she glared at him, gritting her teeth as she said, "Mr. King, please don't tease people like that again!"
With her body still shaky and her head spinning, she hurried away.
...
An arched eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips.
Why shouldn't he tease-especially someone like her? There was something quite delightful about it...
Ah, her lips still tasted just as sweet as before...
Having had too much to drink, Jessica collapsed onto her bed and fell into a deep sleep, completely unconscious in no time.
She had truly reached her limit; after holding herself together for so long, the moment she let her guard down, she simply crumpled.
The Next Morning
Jessica slowly opened her eyes, squinting at the light. She groggily reached for her phone to check the time, but as soon as she moved, a warm wave surged through her body.
Instantly alert, she hurriedly opened the bedside drawer to grab a sanitary pad and walked into the bathroom. As she pulled down her underwear, she noticed the blood was a bit lighter in color than usual-not the deep red she expected.
After changing into the pad, she frowned. Her period usually arrived around the 4th or 5th of each month-why was it a whole week early this time?
But then again, menstrual cycles could be unpredictable, so she brushed it off without giving it too much thought.
She had definitely overindulged in alcohol last night; her head throbbed painfully, as if it had been pricked by needles.
Fortunately, she wasn't going to the company so she didn't have to go to work, only to sign a contract later in the evening. And now, she could catch up on some much-needed sleep.
As she lay in bed, the events of the previous night suddenly flashed in her mind-him pinning her down, kissing her with reckless abandon...
Her cheeks flushed slightly as Jessica let out a soft sigh. He really was so bold, just pressing himself against her and kissing her like that!
Can a mature man really be so casual about flirting?
She decided it was best to keep her distance from such dangerous men in the future...
Just then, her phone rang. It was a call from Cecelia Gray.
"Jessica, could you help me call Mr. King? I'd like to invite him to lunch."
Sitting up, Jessica poured herself a glass of warm water. "I already thanked him yesterday."
"After all, Mr. King helped us out a lot. Just saying thank you feels a bit insincere. How about this: I'll call a restaurant, and you can handle the rest. Let's just agree to take him out for dinner this afternoon. I'll hang up now!"
Before she could respond, the other end of the line had already disconnected, leaving Jessica feeling a bit of a headache.
She didn't really want to make the call, but she couldn't ignore Cecelia's request either.
Out of courtesy and reason, he had helped them significantly, so treating him to dinner was the least she could do.
After thinking it over, she decided to go ahead and call. She didn't like being in anyone's debt...