?<strong>Chapter 324:</strong>


    Kristopher’s expression shifted to one of subtle satisfaction, his eyebrows arching slightly as he nced down at Carrie. “Shame someone doesn’t know how to appreciate it.”


    Willow froze for a moment, startled to see the typically reserved Mr. Norris teasing so openly in front of her. Her gaze flickered toward the empty bowl, curiosity evident in her tone. “I’m curious. What is this concoction?”


    Carrie cast a cautious nce her way, already aware of Willow’s earlier attempts to pry about the concoction. Instead of answering, she feigned a yawn, deliberately steering away from the topic.


    Noticing this, Kristopher’s tone turned icy. “You can go now,” he said.


    “Yes, Mr. Norris.” Intimidated by his sharp tone, Willow nodded quickly and exited, shutting the door behind her.


    Kristopher leaned casually against the doorframe, his shirt slightly undone, offering just a teasing glimpse of his chest. “I’m heading for a shower. Don’t wait up; go ahead and get some sleep.”


    “Alright, goodnight,” Carrie murmured, pulling her gaze away and making her way toward the bed.


    Without another word, Kristopher strode toward the bathroom.


    Carrie slid under the covers, instinctively curling toward the farthest edge of the bed, as if trying to create as much distance as possible. Facing away from the bathroom, she listened to the soft murmur of water as Kristopher began his shower.


    Whether it was the nap she’d taken earlier in the car or the unease creeping into her thoughts, her mind raced, making it difficult to rx.


    galnovels where stories grow


    Her thoughts shifted to images of Kristopher in the shower, and soon, her mind wandered to more intimate scenarios involving the two of them.


    She turned restlessly in bed, desperately trying to push the thoughts away. She was barely in her early twenties—why were her feelings suddenly so overwhelming?


    About thirty minutester, her eyelids grew heavy, and she began slipping into a sleepy haze.


    Dimly, she felt the bed shift as Kristopher pulled back the covers and settled beside her, his arm sliding securely around her waist.


    Too drained to protest, she let herself sink deeper into sleep, his touch fading into the background of her dreams.


    Thanks Do You Want The following morning, Carrie was awakened by the sound of her phone ringing. Without opening her eyes, she stretched her arm toward the usual spot to grab the phone, only to find herself grasping at the chilly, vacant air.


    Had Kristopher already left?


    Her eyes fluttered open to an empty bed, with no trace of Kristopher anywhere in the room.


    In her efforts to keep up, Carrie felt her endeavors pale inparison to Kristopher’s relentless discipline.


    Dispelling these thoughts, she grabbed her phone from beside the pillow. A shareholder from the Campbell family enterprise was calling, and her inbox was flooded with texts offering to sell her their shares.


    Checking the time, Carrie noted it was barely eleven hours before the deadline she had set. She quickly sent the shareholders the agreement her attorneys had drafted, swung her legs off the bed, and stepped onto the plush carpet below.


    Her feet sank into the soft, luxurious carpet as she made her way to freshen up.


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