Chapter 174 Listen To My Girlfriend


    The woman froze for a moment, her perfectly applied makeup faltering slightly as embarrassment and awkwardness shed across her face.


    Her eyes swept over Corrine from head to toe, and a fleeting look of disdain crossed her


    features.


    She had just thrown herself at Nate, only to be rejected, so what possible chance could


    the woman before her have?


    However, Corrine didn''t flinch at the woman''s mocking gaze. She walked past her with coolposure.


    When the woman saw Corrine step inside, she didn''t leave immediately. Instead, she lingered by the door, eager to see how the scene would unfold.


    To her astonishment, not only did Nate not throw Corrine out, but he actually pulled


    her into his arms.


    In the blink of an eye, the woman''s face morphed, her expression a perfect storm


    of


    disbelief.


    Corrine noticed her gaze, and slowly, she lifted her eyelids, locking eyes with the woman. A faint, sly smile curled her crimson lips, as if daring the woman to look away.


    The woman''s pupils constricted, and in a whirlwind of humiliation and rage, she quickly averted her eyes and stormed out.


    Once the door clicked shut behind her, the brief surge of satisfaction Corrine had felt slowly dissipated.


    Indifferent now,


    she casually brushed Nate''s hand off her waist and lowered herself to the seat beside him.


    She picked up the ss of wine from the table, swirling it absently before taking a delicate sip.


    Nate watched her in silence for a moment, before suddenly reaching out to pull her


    onto hisp.


    In one swift motion, he snatched the wine ss from her hand, setting it back on the


    table with quiet authority.


    Caught off guard, Corrine felt a quick, almost disorienting lift as she found herself. seated in hisp.


    Her brows furrowed, and instinctively, she tried to shift away, but his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back into his embrace with unwavering strength.


    Corrine met his gaze, the air between them thickening with unspoken tension.


    Her expression remainedposed, her eyebrows arched in silent inquiry as she met. his gaze, her eyes asking, "What are you doing?"


    Nate''s hand rested on her slender waist, his touch lingering for a moment longer than necessary. He exhaled slowly, the restlessness in his eyes barely contained. "What did I do to upset you?" His voice softened, a hint of frustration beneath the calm. "Tell me. Why sulk and torture yourself?"


    "Did you upset me?" Corrine shot back, her tone sharper than intended.


    Nate''s gaze never wavered from her face, a yful smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Didn''t I?"


    With a t expression, Corrine replied, "No."


    "Then let''s stay like this," Nate said, his voice low and steady. "When you''re ready to talk, we can go eat something."


    Corrine''s frown deepened as she tried to shift away, her body tensing in resistance. "Let me go."


    "No."


    She fixed him with a steady gaze, her eyes slowly scanning his form. His shirt cor was carelessly unbuttoned, revealing the smooth line of his Adam''s apple and the sharp cut of his corbones.


    Nate''s usual rxed charm, the effortless confidence he wore like a second skin, seemed almost deliberate today-as if he were trying too hard to be noticed by every woman who walked past him.


    Her eyes narrowed, frustration bubbling up. "Can you dress yourself properly?"


    Nate raised an eyebrow, his confusion evident as he nced down at his attire, seeing no fault in it.


    Corrine reached up, her fingers tugging sharply at his cor, the cold edge of irritation clear in her voice. "What kind of impression are you trying to make? You look.


    ridiculous."


    "Ridiculous?" Nate looked down at the open cor again, a slow grin spreading across his face, his eyes lighting up with amusement.


    Conine noticed the shift in his expression and deliberately put on a stern face. "Any


    objections?"


    "No objections,” Nate murmured, his tone now teasing but obedient. "I''ll listen to you, my girlfriend."


    He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her chin, before reaching up to button his shirt with exaggerated care. "Are you happy now?" he asked, his voice yful as he met her gaze.