?Chapter 590:


    Cole had originally sent Myles to deliver the gift. But Hugh had begged—no, wrestled—the job away, all for a glimpse of Heather. He’d hoped to talk to Heather, maybe joke about their old card games. But now, he hadn’t even said hello, and he was already being shown the door.


    Elliana’s order left no room to linger. Still, Hugh turned—but instead of leaving, he veered toward Heather. He fumbled in his coat and pulled out a clumsy, paper…


    Hugh pulled out a clumsily wrapped bundle and extended it to Heather. It looked untidy and sloppy—nothing elegant about it.


    Heather’s eyes flicked between the luxurious candy crates and the mess in Hugh’s hands. The contrast was almost insulting. Her nose wrinkled. “What is this?”


    Hugh flushed, his arm still outstretched. “Just… open it.”


    She eyed the bundle warily. The paper was stained with grease, and a warm, savory smell—roasted chicken?—wafted from it. Assuming it was dinner, her patience snapped. She was the chef of Regal Grove, not someone desperate for leftovers. What she wanted was candy. Something fun. Something sweet. But instead, she got this. What a blockhead. Why had she expected a romantic gesture from him?


    “I don’t want it,” she snapped.


    Hugh fumbled. “But… I thought girls liked candy. I picked the prettiest, sweetest ones I could find. Are you sure?”


    Heather froze. “What?”


    Misreading her reaction, Hugh panicked. “N-never mind! If you don’t want it, just forget it.”


    He tried to shove it back into his coat, but Heather snatched it from his hands.


    Hugh blinked,pletely lost. Did she want it or not?


    Without a word, Heather tore open the bundle. Inside was a rainbow of colorful candies. A bright, genuine smile lit up her face. Cole’s candypany was grand, sure, but it wasn’t for her. This was different. These candies were exclusively for her. Sweet. Thoughtful. Simple. Her heart melted.


    She tilted her chin and gave Hugh a teasing look. “Well? What are you waiting for? Unwrap one and feed it to me.”


    “O-okay.” He moved on instinct, unwrapping a candy and gently slipping it between her lips. His mind was a whirlwind, still trying to process Heather’s sudden shift, but the thought of saying no never crossed his mind—he acted on instinct alone.


    His fingers brushed her mouth. Her lips were soft—velvety. The touch sent a spark straight from his fingertips to his chest. He couldn’t think or breathe. Yet, he wouldn’t have stopped for the world.


    Don’t miss out gα?ησν??ls?c?m


    Hugh stood frozen,pletely blindsided—his expression ck with disbelief. His arm lingered mid-air, stiff and awkward, while his face flushed such a furious shade of red it seemed moments away from melting.


    Behind him, the swarm of bodyguards in sleek ck suits flushed with secondhand embarrassment, silently questioning how their formidable leader could fumble so badly.


    Clifton, oblivious to the messy backstory, could only gape in confusion. Kieran and Damian, on the other hand, exchanged a knowing look and barked in unison, “What a hopeless idiot!”


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