Chapter 211 A bit longer

    “I’m not in a rush,” Marcelo replied, his voice steady.

    If not for his actions, his words might have seemed more convincing.

    Renee gently patted his shoulder, trying to soothe him. Beneath her touchy the solid strength of his

    muscles.

    “Wait, just wait!”

    “Renee, is this really the time to ask me to wait?”

    Marcelo’s voice was strained, but he took a deep breath and halted, remembering a past incident when he

    had been less considerate.

    He exerted control over himself, asking gently, “What’s the matter?”

    His thoughtfulness unexpectedly made Renee feel a twinge of guilt.

    “No, it’s just…be a bit…more gentle,” she murmured.

    “Are you trying to set me on fire with your words, Renee? Is that it?”

    Marcelo’s frustration bubbled into augh. He lifted her effortlessly, her body now relying solely on his

    strength, leaving her no avenue for escape.

    “I think I might keep you up the entire night!” Marcelo told her.

    “Wait…we need to use a condom!”

    Suddenly, Renee’s mind was on the fact that they had to take precautions.

    Marcelo’s looked at her, a hint of challenge in his voice. “If you get pregnant, we’ll have the baby. Can’t I provide for it or secure its future?”

    Renee met his gaze with a defiant look.

    Marcelo, seeming to understand her concern, led her to the cab.

    “Choose one that you feelfortable with.”

    True to his word, Marcelo kept her awake through the night.

    Renee wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but as they finished, the first light of dawn was creeping through the curtain.

    By the time she woke, it was already noon.

    Chapter 211 A bit longer

    The events of the night reyed in her mind.

    She couldn’t shake the thought that Marcelo had seemed particrly enthralled by their intimacy without protection.

    Previously, he had always been mindful about using it, butst night, he had left the choice to her, almost

    as if he was making a point.

    He even made her to help him put it on.

    Their current abode was a presidential suite in a five–star hotel, not some seedy love motel. The array of contraceptives seemed oddly out of ce in such a luxurious setting.

    This wasn’t what Renee had expected from a presidential suite!

    “Well, onto the next matter. What? Want to abandon your marketing department role? Change your ns

    or quit. Come on, working for such little profit is practically charity.”

    Marcelo’s deep,posed voice drifted from the living room, bringing Renee back to reality.

    After a moment, she realized the man who had tenderly bathed her before showering himself, and thus had slept inter than she had, was now busy with work in the living room.

    As Renee reached for her phone to check the time, she noticed over twenty W******p messages from

    Sarah.

    “Renee, are you awake yet?”

    “It’s ten already. Are you still asleep?”

    “Are you awake? Hello?

    b“/bbIf /byou’re up, reply to me as soon as you can.”

    “Why aren’t you answering my calls? Hey!”

    “I mighte over and knock on your door, okayb?/bb” /b

    It seemed Sarah was hesitant to intrude on Marcelo and Renee’s private time, hence the barrage of messages and calls for confirmation.

    Renee noticed two missed calls from Sarah.

    Marcelo had set her phone to silent, and she hadn’t responded.

    Thest phone call came in at about half past eleven in the morning.

    It was now one in the afternoon.

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    Renee was at a loss for words.

    Since her clothes were in tatters, she resorted to wearing Marcelo’s white shirt she found on the floor.

    Remembering past embarrassing incidents, she didn’t dare make a sound as she entered the living room.

    Marcelo was lounging on the sofa, aptop perched on the coffee table. Theptop, brand new, had been purchased just that morning.

    Upon noticing Renee, he signaled the others in the video conference to pause.

    “Do you want to eat here, or shall we go out?” he inquired.

    Renee blinked her eyes at theptop.

    Marcelo assured her, “I’ve muted the microphone.”

    Still wary, Renee approached, carefully covering the camera with her hand before peering at the screen.

    Indeed, it was muted.

    “Renee, it’s as if I’m having an affair with you,” He remarked jokingly.

    “Weren’t we secretly married?” She responded, feigning innocence.

    Marcelo leaned back, crossing his legs to ease the mood.

    “What makes you think that?” he asked.

    “Didn’t I ce the wedding ring on your finger?”

    Renee reflexively nced at her right hand, where the pink diamond sparkled under the light.

    “I thought…we had agreed to keep our marriage a secret…”

    “We never made such an agreement,” Marcelo replied, his mood visibly uplifted, like a child reveling in a

    newfound treasure.

    “By now, many must know that Mrs. King, formerly Miss Hudson, is you.”

    Only then did Renee recall Marcelo’s deration at the auction, which had certainly put to rest any lingering doubts within their social circle.

    Marcelo seemed disinterested in continuing his meeting.

    Having covered the main points, he gestured to his employees on the screen, indicating the end of their

    discussion.

    “Has Sarah been here?” Renee inquired.

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    He nodded. “I didn’t wake you. You were sleeping so peacefully.”

    A wave of speechlessness washed over Renee.

    She had overslept because of the man standing before her!

    “Marcelo, do you ever run out of energyb?/b” She half–joked, halfined.

    Despite this not being their first time, Renee still found it hard toprehend someone who seemed immune to fatigue or sleepiness.

    Her body ached, yet there he stood, brimming with vitality.

    “Would you like to test that theory again?” he teased.

    Renee was at a loss for words. After a whole night together, how could he even entertain the thought of

    more?

    When Renee met Sarah, she noticed an undeniable oddity in Sarah’s gaze.

    “What’s with that look on your face?” Renee inquired.

    b“/bYou didn’t quite manage to conceal the hickey.” With a caring adjustment to Renee’s scarf, Sarah offered her best friend a thumbs–up. “You, a woman who can embrace the night with such vigor, are truly

    remarkable.”

    Renee, with a yful tilt of her chin in Marvin’s direction, suggested, “You could too.”

    Sarah’s response was swift. “Nice try, but that joke doesn’t cut it for me!”

    Sarah hadn’t driven Marvin away. He even spent the previous night at the same hotel as them.

    Marcelo had arranged for a private jet back home, and Marvin seized the opportunity to discuss business matters with Marcelo, justifiably securing his spot on the private jet.

    “Renee, I have someints about your husband!” Sarah, her mood somber, whispered to Renee from their seats on the ne, ensuring only she could hear.

    Marcelo definitely knew that Sarah’s current feelings towards Marvin were less than warm!

    Despite understanding that her annoyance might be unreasonable, given the private jet was at Marcelo’s disposal and Marvin had a justifiable reason for being aboard, Sarah couldn’t help but feel irked.

    After all, who said anger needs a reason?

    bIf /blogic dictated one’s feelings, anger would cease to exist!

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    As the private jet ascended, conversation lulled, and Renee began to feel drowsy. Sarah insisted she retire to the bedroom to rest, assuring Renee she’d be fine on her own.

    Attempting to distract herself, Sarah started watching an old film but soon found herself sumbing to

    sleep.

    Upon awakening, she discovered a men’s coat draped over her.

    Marvin was seated beside her, engrossed in financial reports on a tablet, his coat now warming her,

    revealing the familiarrge round–neck T–shirt he often wore casually at her ce.

    Had it not been for his sophisticated appearance the night before, Sarah might have mistaken him for the same Marvin who had once, iming cognitive problems, spent much time by her side.

    “Thank you, Mr. Hill,” Sarah uttered, returning to the present and extending the coat back to Marvin with

    a demeanor that was cool and detached.

    “Sarah, are you brushing me off?” Marvin refused to ept the coat, leaving Sarah no choice but to forcefully ce it in his arms.

    She stood as the only woman who dared to assert such boldness with him.

    “Mr. Hill, I’m not sure what you’re implying.”

    With a gentle yet firm grip, Marvin nudged her chin up, his voice deepening. “Sarah!”

    “Can’t hold back anymore?” Confronted with his directness, Sarah couldn’t help but smile, “I was under

    the impression Mr. Hill enjoyed the role of the innocuous puppy for a bit longer?”

    Chap