Late at night, Walker Grant returned to Jardinelle. The entire villa was quiet, and there wasn’t a soul in the living room.

He headed upstairs, and just as he reached the second floor, a figure emerged from the hallway.

Walker Grant reached up to unbutton his collar. When he saw who it was, his brow furrowed slightly.

"Why are you still here?"

Annie York hadn’t expected him to return so suddenly and was startled. She said timidly, "I was keeping Grandma company. I only came out after she fell asleep."

After a pause, she looked at Walker Grant’s handsome face and mustered the courage to ask, "Mr. Grant, would you like a late-night snack? I know how to cook. I can prepare something for you."

"That won’t be necessary." Walker Grant’s tone was frigid. "From now on, you are not allowed on the second floor after nine p.m."

He radiated a cold air, and after saying his piece, he went straight into his room without giving her a second glance.

Annie York’s face paled. She bit her lip, looking hurt.

’He’s so cold to me!’

Suppressing her hurt, she quickly left the second floor.

...

Chloe Reed was sleeping drowsily when she felt the covers being thrown off. She opened her eyes to see Walker Grant had already gotten into bed and was pulling her into a domineering embrace.

She pushed him. "What are you doing? Let me go."

Not only did Walker Grant refuse to let go, but his arms tightened, pressing their bodies firmly together.

Chloe Reed felt like she couldn’t breathe. "Are you insane? It’s the middle of the night! Let me go!"

"If you move again, I just might go insane," Walker Grant said, his voice heavy, his eyes closed.

Hearing this, Chloe Reed indeed stopped struggling.

She was furious, but he was being a complete rogue, and there was nothing she could do about it. She could only close her eyes and try to go back to sleep.

But just as she was about to drift off, a warm, wet kiss landed on her lips, tracing their outline before suckling them gently.

Chloe Reed pushed him. "You might not be sleeping, but I have to!"

But Walker Grant just said, "I want to kiss you."

Chloe Reed raised her hand and swung at his face.

Walker Grant grabbed her wrist, pinning it above her head. "You hit me, and we’ll do it."

"You!"

Chloe Reed was so furious her sleepiness completely vanished.

She struggled to control her emotions and asked, "What is it you really want?"

Walker Grant said, "Watch a movie with me."

Chloe Reed glanced at the time. Two in the morning!

’He’s actually insane!’

’Watching a movie at two in the morning!’

"Are you going to watch or not?"

He kissed her, then asked again. When she didn’t answer, he just kept kissing her and asking.

Chloe Reed: "...I’ll watch!"

She was desperate enough to agree, as long as it would make him quiet down.

Down in the media room on the basement level, Chloe Reed sat in a chair, yawning, and watched Walker Grant pick out a movie.

Once he pressed play, the media room was plunged into darkness, illuminated only by the screen.

Walker Grant sat pressed tightly against her, his arm draped around her shoulder in a picture of intimacy. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

This used to be normal for them.

But now, Chloe Reed just felt her whole body go stiff with discomfort.

’Why is he doing this?’

’Is he trying to relive the past?’

But that was so many years ago; she could no longer remember how she had felt back then.

She lowered her gaze, trying not to let her thoughts run wild. Drowsiness washed over her, and she fell asleep leaning back in her chair.

How could Walker Grant have any interest in the movie?

His focus was entirely on her.

He saw her resistance, her stiffness, and his eyes darkened.

’After all this, could he still not change a thing about her?’

In the past, she had always been the one to drag him to watch movies.