?Chapter 717:


    Wesley lounged back, sunsses shielding his eyes, his defined jaw catching the sunlight. Unlike the casual beachwear around him, he wore a loosely buttoned shirt with rolled-up sleeves, casually revealing his toned physique.


    At Malcolm’s words, Wesley tilted his head slightly, conveying a calmmand even behind his sunsses.


    Malcolm, ustomed to Wesley’s demeanor, remained unfazed.


    Javier, on the other hand, shifted uneasily, as if sitting on pins. He shed Elena a quick grin before quickly excusing himself.


    Elena chose to stay standing, observing the scene from the sidelines.


    The ocean breeze yed with her dress and whipped her hair around, prompting her to smooth down her flowing skirt.


    A faint medicinal scent rode the wind, catching Wesley’s attention. He turned to see Elena in a flowing sundress, her hair cascading gracefully over her shoulders, partially concealing her smooth skin. The soft yellow of her dress caught the sunlight, giving her an ethereal glow. She stood out distinctly among the crowd of sunbathers in their vibrant bikinis, her subdued elegance a stark contrast.


    Wesley removed his sunsses, a spark of desire flickering in his eyes as he swallowed subtly. “Why don’t you sit down?” he suggested to Elena.


    Next to Wesley, a cushioned seat remained unupied—clearly meant for Elena.


    Malcolm caught on quickly. Wesley had been calmly waiting for Elena, feigning indifference.


    When Elena took the seat, Wesley handed her a ss filled with coconut juice.


    Their fingers brushed briefly as she epted the ss. She hesitated, then murmured, “Thank you.” A slight smile yed on Wesley’s lips.


    The sunlight entuated Elena’s features, drawing the attention of a few nearby surfers. Without Wesley’s imposing presence, they likely would have approached her.


    Wesley noticed their gaze and his expression hardened. He then ced his sunsses gently over Elena’s eyes.


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


    Surprised by the sudden shade, Elena reached up to remove them but was stopped by Wesley’s firm instruction. “Keep them on. Don’t take them off.”


    Elena blinked in confusion, taken aback.


    Exasperated, Malcolm sighed audibly and turned away. Wesley’s protectiveness bordered on possessiveness. Not even partial ownership of the beach could ease the difort he felt when others admired Elena.


    Malcolm had never expected to witness such emotion from Wesley.


    Elena slid the sunsses down her nose, giving Wesley a questioning look. “I’ve got a hat. The sun isn’t even that bright.” Wesley maintained a poker face, refusing to reveal that the real reason was he couldn’t stand other men admiring her.


    Malcolm’s face twisted as he struggled to keep a straight expression and bite back augh. If he cracked up, Wesley would probably kick his ass. After a moment, Malcolm finally managed topose himself. “Elena, just keep the sunsses on, alright? Otherwise, Wesley might clear the entire beach of any other living male.”


    Elena didn’t fully grasp what Malcolm was implying, but the sunsses felt good, so she shrugged and kept them on.


    Wesley shot Malcolm a cold look.


    Even in the sweltering ind heat, Malcolm felt a chill. Thank God Elena had kept the sunsses on, saving him from Wesley’s potential wrath.


    Malcolm took a long swig of his cold beer, trying to steady his rattled nerves. It was a rare moment of downtime during Jeffry’s wedding festivities, and honestly, just sitting around was starting to get boring.


    .


    .


    .