Chapter 17
Yvonne’s gaze lingered on Reid.
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Reid, who had been unfastening his belt, suddenly paused. A meaningful smile spread across his face. He walked straight toward her, gently placed her hand on his waist, and whispered in a low voice, “Help me.”
Yvonne lazily lowered her eyes, glancing at him nonchalantly.
Reid was wearing a white shirt today, its hem tucked neatly into his waistband, accentuating his well–defined waist. The black belt seemed like a mysterious allure, resting across his powerful midsection.
She gently pulled his shirt out from his waist, her slender fingers like playful sprites, slowly lifting and lightly resting on his chest. She then began to unbutton his shirt, one button at a time, in a slow and deliberate manner.
With each button undone, she could clearly feel Reid’s breathing grow more rapid, his heavy breaths echoing distinctly in the quiet space.
Next, she hooked her fingers on his belt, sliding them back and forth gently. Reid’s breathing instantly became labored. His eyes blazed like burning flames, fixed intently on Yvonne, as if he could devour her whole with his fiery gaze.
Yvonne calmly slid the belt out and dropped it on the floor. The soft touch sent a current–like sensation through Reid’s entire body, causing his muscles to tense involuntarily.
Yvonne bent down to unfasten the button on his trousers. At that moment, Reid could no longer contain the surging desire within him. He abruptly pulled Yvonne into his arms and kissed her fiercely…
Afterward, he carried Yvonne to the hot spring pool on the balcony. Yvonne’s body felt weak, leaning against him with her eyes slightly closed and a lingering blush on her face.
Reid gently lowered Yvonne into the water, which instantly enveloped them in its warmth.
Yvonne let out a soft hum, her voice tinged with languor and contentment. Reid pressed close to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and drawing her nearer.
He rested his chin gently on the top of her head and murmured, “Actually, I just wanted to change into my swimming trunks.”
Yvonne chuckled softly, nestling quietly in his embrace, feeling his heartbeat and body warmth. The hot spring water rippled gently, occasionally splashing small droplets onto their bodies.
Reid complained, “What’s taking him so long? It’s been days.”
Yvonne was silent for a moment, then asked, “Do you like me?”
Reid smiled and gently nipped at the back of her neck. “It’s my fault for not making it clear enough. I thought my intentions were obvious.”
Yvonne’s expression was full of nonchalance. “I thought you just wanted to sleep with me.”
Reid turned Yvonne around, cupping her face in his hands and looking into her eyes intently. “I desire you because I like you. Yvonne, be my girlfriend.”
Yvonne pushed him away. “I’m not divorced yet. Isn’t it inappropriate for you to say this now?”
“You’re going to divorce him sooner or later,” Reid said, frowning thoughtfully. “How about this–I’ll talk to the relevant authorities and make sure his company doesn’t go public?”
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Yvonne immediately said, “No. I’m waiting for the shares.
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Reid nodded. “If I didn’t know you had shares, I would have bankrupted him already. By the way, have you found a buyer?”
“What?” Yvonne was puzzled.
Reid pinched her cheek affectionately. “I figured you wouldn’t want to hold onto his stocks long–term. You just want to sell high after the company goes public, right?”
Yvonne didn’t respond.
“Why don’t you sell those shares to me once you get them? I’ll pay you ten times the price, he suggested.
“Oh? Ten times?” Yvonne smiled.
“Exactly,” he said. “Professionally speaking, his company does have potential. With proper capital management, it’s a profitable investment. But personally-”
Reid paused slightly, his gaze deepening as he looked at Yvonne, a fleeting tenderness in his eyes. “I don’t want you to have any more ties to him.”
Yvonne looked up, meeting his gaze. “Reid, I can’t promise you anything. Don’t waste your time on me.”
Reid was taken aback for a moment, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face before he quickly resumed his confident and composed demeanor.
He smiled gently and said, “Yvonne, I don’t need a promise from you right now. I know you’ve been through a lot and might be wary of relationships, but I have the patience to wait for
you.
“I just hope you’ll give me a chance to be by your side and show you my sincerity.”
Yvonne turned away without a word. She had never planned to stay in Avaloria and didn’t believe Reid’s interest in her would last long.
She was twenty–seven, not seventeen. She had already experienced a heart–wrenching marriage and was well past the age of harboring romantic dreams.
However, she didn’t think it was necessary to tell Reid any of this.
*****
Steven had sent Iona away. He had thought he could finally breathe a sigh of relief, but to his dismay, troubles seemed to follow one after another.
Tomorrow was the crucial day for his company’s IPO–a matter of utmost importance to him. Every single preparation had to be perfect, and he was very busy, completely frazzled.
Yet even amidst this chaos, Yvonne’s figure would occasionally flash through his mind. He had made up his mind in secret: once the IPO was over, he would find an opportunity to have a serious talk with Yvonne and try to salvage their marriage.
However, Sharon caused another problem. She was taken away by the police from school on suspicion of theft.
Yvonne had previously reported the loss of several expensive pieces of jewelry, especially the valuable Emerald Heart.
Their marital home had not been equipped with surveillance cameras. After Steven’s affair began, Y a few hidden cameras in the house.
Sometimes when Steven took Sharon out, he would claim she was his assistant to avoid suspicion.
ne secretly installed
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It seemed reasonable for an assistant to retrieve items from the boss’s home. As a result, the cameras captured Sharon entering the bedroom on multiple occasions.
When questioned by the police, Sharon naturally denied the theft. She insisted that Steven had given the jewelry to her as gifts.
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Yvonne, however, presented evidence in the form of purchase records for the jewelry, especially the most recent auction record of the Emerald Heart. This particular piece held special significance for both Yvonne and Steven, and he would never have given it away.
Indeed, Steven had not dared to give the Emerald Heart to Sharon. After winning it back at the auction, he had secretly placed it in Yvonne’s jewelry box, intending to surprise her.
The problem was that Steven had a habit of using jewelry that Yvonne no longer wanted to appease Sharon. Unbeknownst to him, Yvonne had hidden the Emerald Heart at the bottom of another box.
Steven missed it and ended up giving it to Sharon along with the others. The police later searched Sharon’s dormitory and found all the pieces, which matched exactly with the jewelry Yvonne had reported missing.
When Steven received the police notification to come to the station for a statement, there were only about ten hours left before the company’s IPO. At such a critical moment, he naturally could not openly admit to his affair.
It was then that he realized this was Yvonne’s scheme. Driven by his desire to win her back, he denied any relationship with Sharon without hesitation during the police questioning.
When Sharon learned of Steven’s claims, she was devastated. She had never expected Steven to treat her this way at such a crucial moment.
In her anger, she called Steven a scumbag and claimed she had evidence to prove his infidelity.
However, in the face of the law, emotional entanglements could not disprove her theft charges, as she lacked substantial evidence to show that Steven had given her all the jewelry.
Later, a lawyer met with Sharon. No one knew what the lawyer said to her, but strangely, after that meeting, Sharon admitted to the theft.
The value of the Emerald Heart alone exceeded 3 million dollars. Given the enormity of the theft, Sharon was sentenced to 15 years in prison and had her personal assets confiscated.
She was only a junior in college, and her life seemed utterly ruined. But that was all for later.
As for the jewelry, after a round of events, it all returned to Yvonne’s possession. Except for the Emerald Heart, she sold the
rest.
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