Zachary's sudden tenderness left Seraphina flustered. She looked up, about to speak, when Zachary leaned in and kissed her softly before pulling away. "How are you gonna thank me?" he asked gently.
"Thank... what?" Seraphina was bewildered. She instinctively turned her head, missing the kiss, and stammered, "I... I'm thirsty. I need some water." Zachary handed her his water bottle, but Seraphina turned her head away in disgust, refusing to use it.
Zachary's eyes darkened. He suddenly leaned in and kissed her forcefully. When he let go, he whispered, "Still disgusted?"
Seraphina was both embarrassed and angry.
Zachary released her and took off his jacket, every movement stirring Seraphina's heart.
Feeling flustered, Seraphina couldn't help but glance at him again.
Zachary turned his head just in time to catch her gaze. Seeing her blushing face, his eyes softened.
"Feeling sleepy? Let's go to bed."
As Seraphina was about to lie down, she suddenly remembered something and looked at Zachary. "Earlier, I saw a text on your phone. Was it from Della?"
"No," he denied firmly.
"Stop lying to yourself, Zachary. Della likes you, doesn't she?"
"We've only met once. It's not about liking or not liking. The person I like now is you," Zachary said calmly.
Seraphina was at a loss for words.
After a moment of silence, she couldn't help but say, "Zachary, I want to take back my feelings for you. Let's just be friends from now on. That way, I can face Della with a clear conscience."
As soon as she said this, the atmosphere in the room became tense.
Zachary said nothing, just stared at her.
After a long pause, he spoke, his voice trembling slightly, "Are you sure?"
Seraphina opened her mouth, looking at his bright eyes, but said nothing.
After a moment, she nodded.
He spoke softly, "Am I really not worth fighting for?"
Seraphina was speechless, not knowing how to respond.
Zachary slowly approached her, placing his hands on either side of her head, creating an intimate posture. He whispered, "Kiss me one more time, and I'll promise never to appear in front of you again."
Seraphina's eyes widened, finding the request extremely rude. She firmly refused, "No way!"
Zachary's eyes turned cold. "If you don't agree, then don't think about breaking up."
Seraphina's resolve strengthened, and she shouted, "We must break up!"
The two were so close they could feel each other's breath, the atmosphere both intimate and oppressive. Seraphina, embarrassed and angry, pushed him away, warning, "Don't try anything!"
Suddenly, Zachary laughed and teased, "What if you got pregnant now? My grandpa would be thrilled."
Seraphina's face turned red with anger. Zachary shrugged and said, "This place is too small to do anything."
He then put on his coat and walked to the door, looking back at her. "I'll sleep in the car. Keep warm tonight."
As Zachary left, Seraphina felt a pang of worry.
After he left, Seraphina lay in bed, unable to sleep.
Maybe only by returning to the city could they truly separate.
She wrapped herself tightly in Zachary's coat, which still held his warmth, hugging herself.
In the car, Zachary couldn't sleep either. He stared at his laptop screen, working on tracking an international murder gang.
The faint light illuminated his stern face and the movements of his fingers on the keyboard.
The leader of this gang was the one who had killed his father.
He had spent years seeking revenge alone, killing several key members of the gang, causing them to go into hiding.
The gang had resurfaced, causing the deaths of important domestic figures. Zachary was eager to join the global pursuit and elimination operation.
But Aiden blocked him, restricting his authority. He had been trying to persuade his superiors to let him participate.
The cold wind howled outside the car. Zachary tightened his coat and looked up at the third-floor window of the inn. Seraphina's room was still lit.
Seraphina was always careless when sleeping, not covering herself with a blanket, just curling up in the coat.
The light from the room shone through the curtains, faintly revealing her silhouette. Zachary hesitated for a moment but decided to go back to check on her.
Seeing her like this, he shook his head helplessly and muttered, "I really can't do anything about you."
He gently covered her with the blanket, took off his coat, and lay down beside her, holding her to keep her warm.
In her sleep, Seraphina instinctively moved closer to the heat source, slowly falling into a deeper sleep, while Zachary remained tense, struggling to control himself.
The unconscious touches and caresses made his blood boil, especially feeling the warmth of her skin.
But his rationality kept him in check.
In the morning, Seraphina woke up and, turning over, found herself face-to-face with Zachary, nearly falling off the bed in shock.
She sat up and saw Zachary's bloodshot eyes. Concerned, she asked, "What happened to you?"
Zachary, resting his head on his arm, replied, "What do you think?"
Seraphina didn't understand and asked, "What did I do?"
She had no idea about Zachary's torment the previous night.
Zachary opened his eyes helplessly and said, "You don't sleep well."
Seraphina tried to get out of bed, but Zachary pulled her back under the covers, asking, "Stay with me a little longer."
Annoyed, Seraphina pushed him away. In the struggle, she accidentally touched a sensitive spot, making Zachary groan and warn, "Don't move, or you'll test my self-control."
Tears welled up in Seraphina's eyes. Zachary turned to look at her, his gaze gentle, and wiped away her tears, leaning in to kiss her.
Seraphina turned her head away, avoiding the kiss. Zachary froze, then slowly let go of her, got up, put on his coat, and walked to the door. In a calm tone, he said, "I won't bother you anymore. Knox and the others will take you back to the camp later."
As Zachary left, Seraphina couldn't hold back her tears, feeling as if her heart was being twisted painfully.
Two hours later, Knox and Ezra arrived at the inn to pick up Seraphina as per Zachary's orders. They had worked through the night to clear the landslide, informing Seraphina, "Seraphina, the road is clear. You can fly back to Rosewood City this afternoon."
Seraphina nodded in thanks, feeling downcast. Back at the camp, she looked at the familiar surroundings where she had spent two months, feeling a sense of reluctance.
At 2 PM, Seraphina received a call from Niamh, who excitedly told her that the crisis was over. "Seraphina, let's have a celebration!"
But Seraphina had no interest and declined, "Mom, no need."
Her gaze unconsciously drifted into the distance, as if searching for someone.
At 4 PM, Seraphina, escorted by Knox and the others, arrived at the airport.
She boarded the plane back to Rosewood City, sitting in first class, feeling heavy-hearted.
She kept glancing down the aisle, hoping Zachary would suddenly appear and surprise her.
But all she got was disappointment and endless waiting.
When the plane landed in Rosewood City, Seraphina walked out through the VIP passage.