CHAPTER 103: CHAPTER 103- SOUNDS SO SEXY

After finishing the call with Jacob, Dave turned to Morrison with a smile.

"Jacob said he’s hosting a dinner tomorrow," Dave explained. "Wants to introduce you to some people."

But Morrison didn’t look excited. In fact, he looked a little... off.

Dave frowned. "Didn’t you say you were interested in meeting them? This is a great chance—"

"I know," Morrison cut in, his tone polite but distant. He forced a faint smile. "I guess I’m just tired from all the driving today. I’ll be fine after a good night’s rest."

Dave didn’t press further. He nodded, accepting the excuse, though he couldn’t quite figure out what had changed.

Meanwhile, Lilian had made her stance crystal clear.

"Dave, I’m begging you," she said firmly. "Don’t set me up with anyone. I’m not in the mood for love—or anything like that."

She didn’t say it out loud, but deep inside, she had already come to terms with what her heart truly wanted. And that made it impossible to entertain the idea of meeting other men. It would be unfair—to her, to Morrison, and to whoever was being introduced.

Dave chuckled, trying to ease the tension. "Relax. It’s not a blind date. Just a casual dinner, some friendly introductions. Don’t take it too seriously."

But Lilian had already lost her appetite. She barely touched her food before standing up and coaxing little Emma Washington to come play with her. Laurent soon followed them, leaving the dining table behind.

Only Morrison and Dave remained, quietly sipping their drinks.

"You only have one sister," Morrison said, his tone measured but sharp. "Do you really want her to marry someone all the way in A.T.?"

Dave took a sip, smiling as if amused. "It’s not that far. A two-hour drive, give or take. Still within my comfort zone."

Morrison clenched his jaw. "What about your parents? They adore Lilian. Surely, they’d want her to settle down here in Burg Eltz. There are plenty of good men right here."

Dave leaned back, his voice calm. "They do hope she stays in Burg Eltz. But if someone from A.T. is truly suitable for her... I don’t think they’d be against it."

Morrison didn’t reply. His gaze drifted, searching the room until it landed on a certain young woman playing happily with Emma. His heart clenched.

He needed her.

Right now, more than anything, he needed her lips on his—needed her warmth to melt the frustration building in his chest.

So, he drank more. And Dave drank with him.

By the time the clock struck midnight, they were both more than a little tipsy. Dave figured there was no point in sending Morrison back to the hotel in that state.

"You’ll just stay here tonight," Dave said simply.

The three-story villa had more than enough rooms to spare. The only reason Dave had refused before was because his home was mostly filled with women—and having Morrison stay over felt awkward.

But tonight, he made an exception.

And Morrison... didn’t resist.

But with Morrison completely drunk, Dave had no choice but to let him stay the night.

Dave’s and Laurent’s bedrooms were on the third floor. So was Lilian’s, which Laurent had arranged for her earlier. Morrison, however, was placed in a guest room on the second floor.

Lilian and the others had already gone upstairs hours ago, while Dave and Morrison continued drinking late into the night.

When Morrison finally reached his limit, Dave half-dragged him to the second-floor room, helped him into bed, and quietly left.

The dining table downstairs was a complete mess.

Sighing, Dave rolled up his sleeves and got to work, cleaning everything by himself without complaint. Laurent had to head to the company early the next morning—he couldn’t leave this for her to handle.

There had been a time when Dave would’ve never done such things. But after everything he had been through, he’d finally come to realize what marriage was really about: not romance, not rituals, but mutual understanding and quiet compromise.

Some things at home didn’t need to be assigned roles. Whoever had the time, or the heart to care, could step up. That was enough.

By the time he was done, the night had deepened into silence.

Upstairs, Lilian lay in bed, wide awake.

She had returned to her room while Morrison was still drinking with her brother. She couldn’t stop thinking about him—was he drinking too much again?

Not because she worried he’d say anything foolish. But because too much alcohol was bad for his health. He already drank enough at business dinners. He shouldn’t be pushing himself at a private gathering like this.

Earlier, she’d sent him a message: "Don’t drink too much."

But he never replied.

Now, hearing her brother finally return to his room, she picked up her phone and sent another message to Morrison:

"Are you okay?"

She had overheard Dave talking to him just now. His voice... Morrison sounded off. Slurred. Like he’d had too much.

And knowing him, if he ended up throwing up or getting a splitting headache, there wasn’t much she could do to help—even if she wanted to.

Why did he have to drink like that, here of all places?

A reply came quicker than she expected.

"No. Not okay at all."

Lilian sat up immediately, her heart tightening.

She typed quickly:

"Did you drink too much? Is your stomach hurting? Maybe ask my brother for some hangover medicine?"

She bit her lip after sending it.

She couldn’t just go to her brother or to Laurent and ask for medicine herself. They’d definitely start asking questions—why she was so concerned about Morrison, what exactly was going on between them.

And she wasn’t ready to answer that.

Not yet.

A new message popped up almost instantly.

"It’s not my stomach that hurts. It’s my heart."

Lilian: "..."

She stared at her phone for a second, speechless. Then she typed back quickly:

"What’s wrong with your heart?"

This time, Morrison didn’t hold back.

His response came in a long stream of emotionally charged text:

"It hurts that your brother wants to introduce you to other men. It hurts that there’s a dinner tomorrow and there might be some talented, promising young guys there. It hurts that if you end up liking one of them... what if you don’t want me anymore?"

Lilian: "..."

What was he even saying?

Did he really think she’d fall for someone else that easily?

If she was the kind of girl who could change her feelings just like that, then she would’ve gotten over him a long time ago.

Heck, maybe she’d be dating Karl by now.

But she wasn’t.

And she hadn’t.

Lilian stared at her phone again.

All his messages... were drenched in insecurity.

He kept saying how scared he was that she would leave him—but did he ever stop to think that she was terrified of himwalking away first?

She sighed and typed back:

"You’ve had too much to drink. Get some sleep."

He wouldn’t be this uncertain if he were sober.

He was Morrison—the dazzling, confident Morrison.

The one who always walked into a room like he owned it. Why was he afraid she might not want him anymore?

If anything, the one who should be worried—the one most afraid of being left behind—was her.

But of course, he didn’t stop there.

"Promise me you won’t fall for any of them," he wrote. "Only then can I sleep in peace."

Lilian rolled her eyes, but her fingers moved anyway.

"Fine. I promise. No matter how amazing they are, I won’t fall for them. Now will you please sleep?"

Childish. He was being absolutely childish.

Drunk Morrison was worse—clingy, demanding, insecure.

He was pushing her to make promises... promises that sounded sweet now, but not everyone kept their promises. Not in the real world. If they did, there wouldn’t be so many heartbreaks.

Not that she would break his heart. She wasn’t that kind of person.

But what if, one day, he was the one to walk away, after forcing her to swear again and again that she never would?

Just when she thought she’d managed to calm him down, another message popped up:

"Come to my room. Just let me hold you for a little while. I still feel awful."

Lilian gasped softly and immediately typed back:

"Don’t be ridiculous. We’re at my brother’s house. What if someone sees us?"

Even when they’d done nothing earlier, just being near each other in this house made her heart pound with guilt. And now he wanted her to sneak into his room?

Was he trying to kill her?

But he didn’t back down.

"Then I’ll come to you," he replied. "But I’m kinda drunk... not very steady on my feet. I might knock something over... maybe wake someone up..."

"Morrison!" she hissed in a text.

He replied instantly, completely shameless:

"God, I love when you call my name like that... especially in bed. Sounds so sexy."

"Shut up!" she texted back, cheeks burning.

And then came the final blow:

"If you come over right now, I’ll just hold you. But if you keep me waiting... I might not stop at a hug. Your bed looks comfy. Maybe we could try it out. Just once?"

He was bribing her. Threatening her. Seducing her.

And it was working.

Lilian gritted her teeth, threw off her covers, and reached for her robe.

"Fine. I’m coming," she replied, fingers trembling.