chapter1077
Shawn had met Aurora a few times before. Sure, she was beautiful, but in his eyes, she simply didn't have the same allure as Stella.
The woman sitting across from him now was something else entirely. Her features were striking-elegant but not cold, radiant yet never gaudy. There was a confidence to her beauty that never tipped into vulgarity, a kind of magnetic femininity that felt both refined and intoxicating. It was the sort of beauty that felt almost dangerous, the kind that made a man want to possess her. Fresh chapters posted on f?ndnovel.net
He'd met his fair share of attractive women, but he'd never encountered anyone quite like Stella. She was alluring without being cheap, enchanting without being overbearing. She made his heart race with a desire that was hard to ignore. Just as he was admiring her, a sudden chill crept up Shawn's spine.
His body tensed instinctively, every nerve on edge. Even the hairs on his arms stood up, as if warning him of imminent danger.
He looked up, only to meet a pair of pitch-dark eyes, cold as a winter storm.
For a split second, Shawn froze. Then it clicked-he recognized the man.
Right. He was the guy Stella had brought with her. Maybe her kept boy? No, wait a bodyguard, that seemed more likely.
Shawn regained his composure and forced a smile. "I already checked everything the last time. No need to go over it all again today."
Stella took out the contract, her tone polite but distant. "If there's nothing else, Mr. Pearce, perhaps you could sign the contract now?"
Shawn accepted the paperwork, barely glancing at it before setting it aside.
"This is my first time meeting you, Ms. Cameron. I was hoping we could get to know each other a little, maybe become friends. As for the contract, I'll sign it, no need to worry. There's no rush."
Stella glanced at her watch, her lips curving in a faint, courteous smile. "I'm sorry, Mr. Pearce, but I have a lot of work waiting for me back at the office. Once the contract is signed, I'll need to return right away."
A flicker of annoyance crossed Shawn's face, though he quickly masked it. He'd heard stories about this woman-rumors of her so-called wild side, her string of flings after her divorce, the way she'd supposedly kept a young lover.
Now, she was pretending to play hard to get? Was this some kind of seduction tactic?
Shawn put on a regretful expression. "If you're busy, I wouldn't dream of keeping you. But since fate brought us together, how about a toast? Would you do me the honor, Ms. Cameron?"
He picked up a glass of wine and offered it to her.
His words were smooth, making it almost impossible to refuse without seeming rude.
Stella looked at the glass and gave a polite, distant smile. "I'm sorry, I don't drink."
Shawn had expected as much. Unfazed, he set the wine down. "If you don't like alcohol, how about a soft drink instead? Surely that won't be a problem."
He snapped his fingers. A nearby server immediately stepped forward, opened a fresh bottle of sparkling water in front of them, demonstrating there'd been no chance to tamper with it. s
Stella watched the scene unfold, inwardly amused.
The server poured a glass and handed it to Shawn with practiced deference.
Shawn held out the drink. "Ms. Cameron, surely this is okay now?"
At this point, most people would have felt compelled to accept. Refusing again would come off as almost insulting.
Still, Stella neither reached for the glass nor answered.
Shawn coaxed, his tone soft and persuasive. Ms. Cameron, if you' Just have this drink with me
me I'll sig
the contract right now. You'll be free to get back to work." s
Stella looked at him, then suddenly broke into a dazzling smile.
"Mr. Pearce, you're not planning to slip anything into this drink, are you?"
Her smile was so enchanting it was almost blinding, her eyes sparkling like starlight.
Shawn nearly forgot himself,
swallowing hard. "Of course not! It's
a brand new
opened justle-you saw it
now. There's absolutely
nothing in there." s
Stella raised an eyebrow, her tone playful. "Is that so?"