Falling into Her Trap: Don't Cross the Line, Mr. President-Chapter 51: I Want Your Heart

Ethan Blackwood placed Claire Shaw on the cushion to sit down, then knelt beside her foot on one knee to undo her shoe buckle.

He showed no hint of condescension while doing it, his expression serious, with distinct features and a well-defined profile.

His shirt was unbuttoned at two places, sleeves rolled up to his arms, revealing bronzed forearms, adding a touch of wilderness to his otherwise noble demeanor.

He neatly placed the two shoes he had removed to one side.

"When you’re with me, no need to wear high heels."

Claire Shaw placed her foot upon his trousers, a bold and audacious move that few would dare attempt!

She was probing.

Even now, she was unsure what this man truly felt about her.

The man clearly didn’t mind, instead, supporting her slender ankle, gently kneading her calf, "Tired?"

Claire Shaw withdrew her leg, "Not too bad."

She tugged at Ethan Blackwood’s collar, pulling him to the opposite soft seat, "Shall we talk?"

She carried herself with an air of superiority, wanting to control the outcome.

With an arm circling her waist, he pulled her into his firm embrace.

The ship’s hull tilted and swayed over the water, forcing Claire Shaw to grab his shoulder to maintain her balance.

Claire Shaw knew well, the power rested in his hands.

She stood, while he sat, forcing Ethan Blackwood to look up at her intently.

The young girl wore no makeup, her small face pristine, and her neck was a cool white, like fine satin, smooth and lustrous.

In a qipao, compared to when they first met, she had gained several hints of allure amidst her cool demeanor, quite captivating.

His voice deepened: "Hmm, you speak."

Claire Shaw wasn’t naive. If it wasn’t premeditated, how could over a hundred children in the orphanage be properly settled so quickly?

"You were preparing to settle the children long ago?"

"The Blackwood Group recently acquired some retirement homes, planning to refurbish them to create a high-end retirement brand. Temporarily hosting these children there is quite convenient."

He spoke casually, yet none of the staff were dismissed, and some areas were temporarily planned as children’s entertainment zones.

When they arrived, toys were being installed, indicating Ethan Blackwood had been preparing it early.

Yet he delayed telling her.

Unlike Owen Crawford plotting behind, he showed her with actions that she was invaluable to him!

Not some lover of unmentionable identity.

In Ethan Blackwood’s calm gaze, there was a hidden surge, his indifferent face appearing much gentler within the ship’s dim cabin.

With slight force, he pulled her by the waist, seating her sideways on his lap.

He grasped Claire Shaw’s wrist, "So, now you know my answer?"

The power of action far exceeded flowery words, Claire Shaw’s heart fluttered with a wave of warmth.

From Ethan Blackwood, she felt an unprecedented respect, something no one else had ever offered her.

"Thank you." She lowered her head slightly, hiding her moved emotions.

The man lifted her chin, eyes fixed on her fair little face, "Ms. Shaw, I told you, don’t underestimate yourself, nor bow down for others, just stay as you are."

Her heart unease due to his benefits, "Doing so much, what is it you actually want?"

Ethan Blackwood’s pupils were deep and black like the vast sea, his voice low and raspy: "I want you, and your heart."

Claire Shaw realized Ethan Blackwood’s appetite was larger than Owen Crawford’s.

Owen Crawford merely wanted her body, or simply for her to stay by his side peacefully.

Ethan Blackwood was different; his ambitions were great.

Claire Shaw feigned ignorance, her hand around his neck swayed with a hint of coyness.

"You’ve already taken my body, a person can’t have both."

"Heh." The man chuckled, his thin lips landing behind her ear.

"Ethan Blackwood, I can share a bed with you, countless times, but a heart only beats once, lost and it’s gone forever."

She hummed softly, lazy like a cat, yet proud as one too.

Ethan Blackwood sensed her refusal in her words, eyes darkening, playing a parent card.

"Mason likes you a lot, I hope you can come to The Blackwood Family to take care of him. If you agree, I am willing to marry you."

Claire Shaw was taken aback, practically leaping out of his embrace.

She stood in the center of the ship, her heart as unsteady as the rocking boat.

"What did you say?"

"Ms. Shaw, are you interested in becoming my Mrs. Blackwood?"

Claire Shaw’s heart was pounding, they had only known each other for three months.

Even Owen Crawford had never contemplated marrying her, Ethan Blackwood held great power, leaving Claire Shaw momentarily dazed.

Thinking of Owen Crawford was like a cold shower soaking her feverish thoughts.

It’s said to learn from one’s mistakes, she had already been played once.

What Owen Crawford said in the private suite stabbed at Claire Shaw’s heart like needles.

She wasn’t a child anymore, why still believe a man’s words?

He isn’t driven merely by physical need, even married couples who love deeply face many unhappy divorces.

For someone like her, even if she and Ethan Blackwood held love, crossing seas and mountains is insurmountable.

Reality doesn’t contain many Cinderella stories marrying princes.

Even when they exist, they end in dimly lit conclusions.

Claire Shaw understood this at three years old, so she was merely startled, with her composure untouched: "Mr. Blackwood, I am not interested."

Her answer was within Ethan Blackwood’s expectations, and he wasn’t angry either.

He pulled her hand back over to sit on his lap, Ethan Blackwood rested his chin on Claire Shaw’s shoulder, "Then let’s both take a step back, return to where we were."

He retreated to advance, knowing full well Claire Shaw wouldn’t accept his condition.

After her rejection, lowering the request made her refusal less likely.

In this emotional game, he held the upper hand from the start, controlling the entire situation.

Like a clever hunter, coaxing her step by step into his net.

Ethan Blackwood’s magnetic voice carried seduction: "First, no overnight stays."

"Second, if you have company, I leave."

"Third, our relationship is only such."

Ethan Blackwood embraced her, aligning her little hand, his long fingers interlocking firmly with Claire Shaw’s, ten fingers intertwined.

His voice low: "No money, no binds, only the purest primal desire in the silent night..."