?Chapter 552:


    He always presented himself with a gentle demeanor in her presence. Yet, could a man who emerged from the formidable Hill family without any shield, one who wed his way to power from within their ranks, truly embody pure benevolence?


    Baylee was never deceived. She always recognized Marvin’s true nature.


    “Even a puppy grows up,” Marvin remarked, his thumb inadvertently caressing her cheek.


    “Marvin, how could you pursue a woman by being so overbearing?” Baylee removed Marvin’s hand, massaging her chin where his fingers had lingered.


    Marvin’s expression became tender.


    He borated, “I’ve never pursued anyone before. I assumed the usual tactics of courting wouldn’t impress you, hence I opted to follow my own approach.”


    “Your approach includes watching me bathe without my consent? Damn, you even got a boner!” Baylee erupted, her words escaping before she could censor them.


    Immediately after speaking, she wished she could take them back. The lounge of the jet fell silent, with only Baylee and Marvin present, the atmosphere tensing momentarily.


    “You saw that?” Marvin expressed mild shock but sought confirmation in his tone.


    Upon reflection, his words seemed tinged with a subtle delight.


    “Yes, I saw it! Marvin, I’m not sure why you’ve be so insistent all of a sudden, but I’ve had my fill of actions driven by lust. I, Baylee, refuse to be treated as a mere object of desire,” she firmly dered. She had never been short of admirers since her youth, but it was only after Quincy entered her life that her romantic possibilities dwindled.


    “I want to marry you, Baylee,” Marvin said, sitting up straight. “I will deal with the Hill family, so that renders your previous refusal invalid.”


    Baylee’s heart raced momentarily. Marvin’s revtion about wanting to marry her echoed in her mind. Hearing such words earnestly from a man more than once would stir any woman’s heart.


    Baylee had cherished moments of Marvin’spanionship and care. She couldn’t erase the memory of him silently observing her, his gazeden with affection, bestowing upon her a sense that she needn’t fear a future where she would never experience love. As if he would eternally stand by her side.


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    This feeling resembled the warmth one might find in a home, mirroring thefort that invaded her dreams after the demise of the Curtis family. Yet, beautiful dreams inevitably end. Upon awakening from dreams, she was greeted by a reality that was starkly colder and more ruthless.


    “Marvin, I don’t harbor affection for you, nor do I love you,” Baylee dered, taking Marvin’s hand and guiding it to her heart.


    Thump! Her heartbeat resonated under his palm.


    “I believe it’s best to guard my heart closely. If it’s my body you’re after, once we disembark and reach the hotel, I’ll quench your curiosity.” She implied that after that, she wanted him to leave her alone.


    Marvin retracted his hand, but the sensation of her warmth and the beating of her heart haunted his fingertips. Even in his thoughts, the image of her sleeping, with her neckline unintentionally exposed and the glimpse of whaty beneath it, involuntarily sprang to mind.


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