chapter35


    He lied so smoothly, not even blinking an eye.


    How had she never noticed before that this man was such a


    skilled liar?


    “Sorry, I drank too muchst night and really didn’t hear you


    knocking.”


    Romina’s tone was calm, her face showing little emotion.


    Jericho raised his voice. “No matter how much you drank, it’s


    impossible to sleep that soundly! You just didn’t want to let me


    in and now you’re making excuses!”


    “It’s gettingte, let’s just sit down and have breakfast! Don’t you


    still have to take Kash to school?”


    Joaquin, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke,


    breaking the tense atmosphere.


    After Joaquin spoke, Jericho didn’t say anything more.


    As Jericho was about to pull out a chair to sit down, Kashton


    had already put on his backpack and looked at him anxiously.


    “Dad, I’m going to bete for school! Don’t eat breakfast, can you


    take me to school first?”


    “Alright, I’ll take you to school first.”


    Jericho pushed the chair back into ce.


    After all, they were still at the Bowman’s mansion, and with so


    many elders present, she naturally had to fulfill her duties as a


    mother.


    “Mom will go with you too!”


    She had barely finished speaking when the child beside her


    interrupted. “No need, Dad can take me.”


    Lenora picked up an egg and a bottle of milk, handing them to


    the child. “Take these and eat on the way.”


    “Thank you, Grandma.”


    After Jericho left with Kashton, Lenora and Hayden, iming


    they had already eaten, turned and went for a walk in the back


    garden.


    With everyone gone, only Joaquin and Romina were left in the


    dining room.


    Now that everyone had left, the atmosphere made her feel a bit


    uneasy.


    “Since you’re already down here, have some breakfast before


    you go!”


    When the man’s deep voice reached her ears, Romina


    instinctively turned her head and met his profound gaze.


    Those eyes were as dark and unfathomable as a winterke,


    impossible to read.


    Romina nodded lightly and finally pulled out the chair across


    from him.


    This breakfast was, without a doubt, the most agonizing one


    she had ever had.


    It wasn’t because the man across from her was too imposing,


    but because they had spent the night together, and she still


    hadn’t given him a reasonable exnation.


    That subtle tension lingered between them.


    It was like a fishbone stuck in her throat-neither up nor down,


    unbearably ufortable.


    The two of them ate breakfast in almostplete silence.


    It wasn’t until she finished eating and stood up that the man across from her spoke softly. “Do you want me to give you a


    ride?”


    She still hadn’t given him a reasonable exnation for what


    happenedst night.


    She actually wanted to take this opportunity to exin things


    clearly to him, so as to avoid any unnecessary


    misunderstandings.


    She nodded without hesitation. “Thank you, Mr. Bowman.”


    “Mm.”


    The man nced at her with an indifferent expression, then


    strode toward the main entrance.


    Yesterday, Joaquin hadn’t brought the driver back, so today he


    had to drive himself to thepany.


    Romina reached for the back door of the car, and just as she


    opened it, the man’s deep voice came from the driver’s side: “Sit


    in the front.”


    Romina’s hand, resting on the car door handle, paused for a


    moment.


    She looked up in disbelief at the man’s handsome profile.


    Apart from indifference, there was no other expression on his


    face.


    In the end, Romina closed the car door and went to the front


    passenger seat, getting in directly.


    The car slowly drove down the winding mountain road.


    Romina gazed out the window at the scenery, and the hand


    resting in front of her suddenly clenched tightly for a moment.


    Then, gritting her teeth, she blurted out, “Mr. Bowman, it was


    my hair tie yesterday. It identally fell onto the balcony of


    your room. I was just climbing over to get it, but after I picked it


    up, I didn’t have the strength to climb back.”


    Joaquin’s hand gripping the steering wheel suddenly tightened


    for a moment.


    The corners of his lips curved into a cold, faint smile. “So you


    just slept in my room?”


    “I didn’t know it was your room.” Romina immediately turned her head and waved her hand at him. “I thought it was just a guest room, because the row of rooms behind yours are all guest rooms, so that’s why I stayed there.”


    The man nced at her, his tone casual. “You really are quite


    bold.”


    When their eyes met, she saw a hint of a half-smile in the


    depths of his gaze.


    “If I had known it was your room, I definitely wouldn’t have…”


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