?Chapter 714:


    Her fingers lightly pressed against his chest, and Wesley moved back smoothly, respecting her need for space. He offered a small smile. “Yes, that’s it.” He hade because someone had challenged her reputation, and he feltpelled to express his feelings.


    Wesley’s straightforward gaze held hers, and Elena sensed the air growing thin, her breath catching slightly. She averted her eyes, her nce unintentionally dropping to hisp, where she noticed a change. Her focus wavered.


    “It’s gettingte. I should get some sleep.” With that, Elena exited the car without looking back.


    Wesley remained still, watching her until she disappeared from view. He muttered to himself, “Such a skilled pretender!” A soft chuckle escaped him as he nced down, feeling aroused again. His reactions were involuntary whenever she was near. The number of times this had happened was beyond count. At this rate, he thought he was truly in trouble.


    In the dark, a mysterious light flickered across Wesley’s eyes.


    Felix, returning to the car, caught sight of Wesley’s condition and couldn’t help but wonder—what exactly had Miss Harper done to affect Mr. Spencer so profoundly?


    The chill in the air deepened, prompting Elena to wrap her coat more snugly around herself. ncing sideways, she spotted a silhouette at the corridor’s end. It was Jeffry.


    A single cigarette burned brightly between Jeffry’s fingers, his strong figure outlined against the vast darkness of the night. He had been out here for a while. The cigarette, nearly burnt out and close to scorching his fingers, didn’t seem to bother him at all.


    “Jeffry.” Elena’s voice rang out, gentle but sharp enough to break the stillness of the night. Jeffry’s eyshes fluttered, and he quickly extinguished the cigarette in the nearby trash can.


    Noticing a burn on his finger, Elena’s brow creased with concern. “You’ve hurt your finger.”


    Jeffry nced at the reddened mark, his voice calm. “It’s nothing serious. Shouldn’t you be resting?”


    g?lnσν???s．c????, a world of tales


    Elena hesitated to bring up Wesley and the earlier encounter in the car. After a brief pause, she offered a vague exnation. “Just pondering some things.”


    With that, she walked away.


    Jeffry watched her retreating back, his expression growing troubled. She was still upset with him because of Lydia.


    He dropped his gaze, a tight, unspoken pressure building in his chest with no way to release it. Everything was unfolding as nned, just as it always had for years. Yet despite the smooth progression, a sense of restlessness lingered within him. This unease was more critical than ever before. He often buried himself in work, using the constant demands as a shield against the loneliness that crept in during the stillness of quieter moments. He found the situation ironic. His longing for Lydia seemed absurd.


    Lighting another cigarette, Jeffry inhaled deeply, the sharp taste of tobo momentarily easing his inner chaos.


    Beside him, an ashtray overflowed with remnants of his previous attempts to find sce.


    Outside, the wind moaned, aggressive enough to seem as though it could prate the ss and seep into his bones. The trees outside the window danced violently to its tune.


    As the night progressed, Jeffry’s emotional turmoil seemed to deepen, mirroring the stormy weather outside.


    Emotions surged beneath his dark eyes, raging silently before he finally looked down, hisplexion pale. Footsteps echoed softly along the quiet corridor.


    .


    .


    .