?Chapter 1557:

His gaze lingered on her rosy lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing beneath the taut skin of his throat.

In one fluid motion, he reached out, cupped the back of her head with surprising tenderness, leaned down, and captured her lips with his own, then gradually released her. “Instead of harboring all that resentment inside, why not unleash it on me? I’ve witnessed how merciless you can be with others.”

Corrine shot him a fierce look. “You know that’s with others!” With him, her resolve always crumbled to dust.

Hesitating, she lifted the whip in her hand. Then, she abruptly tossed it into Nate’s arms and pivoted to leave.

But Nate seized her wrist, drawing her into his embrace with unexpected force, and imed her mouth once more.

This time, his kiss abandoned all pretense of gentleness. It surged with primal, possessive hunger, trapping her between the cold wall and his burning chest, intensifying with each passing heartbeat as though he intended to consume her entirely.

Powerless to resist, Corrine surrendered to his embrace, letting his arms envelop herpletely.

The moments stretched into what felt like forever. Corrine’s eyes glistened with unspoken emotion, her cheeks blooming with a fevered blush—like a rose swaying amidst the glittering nightscape, impossibly enticing, beckoning to be imed.

A sharp knock shattered the moment, followed by Jules’ voice filtering through the door. “Corrine, are you in there?”

“I’m here.” Fearing Jules might intrude, Corrine hastily fabricated an excuse. “I just finished showering. Can we talk tomorrow instead?”

Outside, Jules stood with his eyes rolling skyward.

Did she truly believe him so gullible? With Nate creating such an uproar at this ungodly hour, how could Corrine possibly be peacefully bathing?

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As Jules’ retreating footsteps faded into silence, Corrine exhaled with relief. She turned to face Nate. “It’ste. You should go back now.”

“I haven’t eaten yet.” Nate’s hands circled her waist possessively, his palms gliding deliberately down the curve of her spine until they settled at the small of her back. “Isn’t it rather heartless to dismiss me this way?” His eyes captured hers, smoldering with undisguised tenderness.

With a soft sigh escaping her lips, Corrine relented. “Wait a moment.” With that, she turned and left.

After Corrine left the room, Nate’s phone rang. It was Maddox calling.

“Did you really go to such lengths and embarrass yourself just to impress a woman?” Maddox’s voice,ced with mockery, pierced through the phone.

Nate ignored the jibe and absentmindedly rubbed the handle of his whip.fn8116 Official source is f?ndnovel/fn8116

“What’s thetest on the Quinn family?” he asked, redirecting the conversation.

“It’s all a mess,” Maddox responded, lighting a cigarette and inhaling deeply. “This fake Amelie Hamilton is actually Aliza Quinn, who was ousted from the Quinn family after being implicated in a murder. Her mom and Elva’s mom are sisters. To dodge prison, she underwent stic surgery, assumed Amelie’s identity—who was mentally vulnerable—and manipted her.” Amelie, naive and trusting, fell for Aliza’s deceit.

“The real Amelie was imprisoned, her identity swapped with Aliza’s, and no one believed her story,” Maddox continued. “Since she was sheltered all her life, Amelie couldn’t handle such betrayal. It’s believed the ordeal led her to suicide within a year.”

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