Chapter 94
Blake’s POV:
I noticed Anna trying to push away from me, her movements hasty and abrupt. A twinge of displeasure rose inside me at her
resistance.
“I’m feeling a bit lightheaded,” she said, her voice coming out breathless. I think my blood sugar’s low. I’m going to grab dinner with Emily.”
I knew it was an excuse. The way her eyes avoided mine told me everything I needed to know.
I leaned in closer, deliberately invading her space, and licked a trace of blood from her lip where I’d bitten her moments before.
“Why can’t you have dinner with me instead?” I asked, a surge of possessiveness washing over me. The thought of her choosing Emily’s company over mine irritated me more than it should have.
Anna’s amber eyes finally met mine, direct and unflinching. “I’m giving up competing for your attention,” she said flatly. “Save your time for Claire.”
The mention of Claire’s name tightened something in my chest. Anna was upset about Claire again. I instinctively grabbed her arm, my voice dropping several degrees. “Are you trying to start a fight with me?“–
If I’m really your wife,” she countered, her voice steady despite the tension between us, “why should I have to compete with
anyone?”
Her words hit something buried deep inside me–guilt, perhaps. I fell silent, turning her question over in my mind. Eventually, I decided to follow her out of the office.
I strode to her side, reaching the elevator first and pressing the button before she could.
“The CEO’s private elevator needs the CEO’s touch, right?” I joked, trying to lighten the mood while watching her carefully. Caroline always said I was too much like my father William–too cold, too controlled.
“Whatever makes you happy,” Anna replied without emotion. Her indifference cut through me like a knife.
The elevator doors closed, sealing us in privacy. I took the opportunity to move closer, gently pressing her against the wall and kissing her. “Are you angry?” I whispered against her lips, intoxicated by the familiar scent of her skin.
Her breathing quickened beneath my touch. “No, I’m not angry,” she denied, but her body language betrayed her.
Complicated emotions tangled inside me. Marriage had always been about responsibility rather than passion for me,
I deliberately leaned closer, surrounding her with
my
presence–an instinctive move to maintain control of the situation.
“You’ve denied your real feelings several times today,” I pointed out, even as I was hiding my own contradictions.
“You seem to understand women so well,” she shot back sarcastically. The barb stung because I knew I hadn’t been good to her
before.
“Let me take you to dinner,” I asked.
What if Claire
Anna reached into my coat pocket and took out my phone. I didn’t stop her, though anxiety flickered through had messaged? Months ago, when Anna had tried to unlock my phone, I’d reacted harshly. The memory brought a pang of guilt.
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Chapter 94
She checked the time and shook her head. “It’s too late,” she decline my dinner Invitation.
I nodded, maintaining my gentlemanly smile as I released her. Then surprising myself, I decided to try honesty..
“You made me think about what you said, I admitted. “About competition. I do reflect on these things, when your points are valid.”
I recalled the moment Anna had thrown herself into my arms after lian’s death, when I’d rushed to be by her side. “There was one time–just once–when I let my guard down completely for someone and that someone was you. I pushed aside your past, all the awkwardness between us, simply because you said you needed me. That filled a part of me, as your husband.
I tried to explain my understanding of her concerns. “I understand your little worries. I don’t find them trivial. You’re my wife, and I’m willing to spend time managing our family relationships.”
I’m turning thirty next year,” I continued. “I’ve told you before that love is childish, but that doesn’t contradict wanting a harmonious family. When two people live together, love isn’t the only component. I supported your return to EcoMarine Group, including giving it to Emily. I’m managing our relationship in my own way.”
The elevator doors opened. I stepped out first, then turned to look at Anna.
She seemed stunned by my unexpected openness, following me with slow steps, her eyes tracking my every move reminded me of our early days, when she used to look at me with unguarded adoration instead of wariness.
I was a master in the business world, but with marriage and emotions, I always felt powerless.
Her gaze
I pulled out my phone, mimicking her earlier gesture of checking the time before putting it away, trying to ease the tension with
this small mirroring.
The underground parking garage stretched empty around us, offering a rare privacy.
Suddenly, I remembered the charity gala four years ago, when I first asked Anna to dance. I decided to drop the Wright family mask and show her something real, something just for us.
I extended my arms, making two circles in the air with my right hand before placing it over my heart, left hand behind my back.
My heartbeat quickened as I bent slightly at the waist, offering Anna the same gentleman’s bow that had captivated her four years
ago.
Looking at her changing expression, I recalled how she’d stared at me with wonder that night.
For four years, I’d maintained my distance, only now realizing how deeply my coldness had hurt her. Complex emotions surged through me. Anna’s stubbornness and Claire’s dependency were both parts of my life I had to manage.
Perhaps I had been too indulgent with Claire, but she was my sister, whom I’d watched grow up. I felt responsible for protecting her.
雙
Yet Anna was my wife, whose strength and pride I deeply admired. I didn’t want to lose her, though I rarely showed these feelings.
“I’m formally inviting you,” I smiled. “Anna, would you have dinner with me?”
“Yes!” Anna exclaimed immediately. “Yes, I would!” Her enthusiastic response shook something inside me.
She flung herself into my arms joyfully, her hands grasping my waist tightly.
Her reaction both moved and shamed me—such a simple invitation making her so happy.
I hugged her tightly in return, lifting her feet off the ground, cherishing her warmth and weight. I spun her around like a precious
treasure.
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Each time I showed tenderness to Anna, my heart conflicted with gut. But holding her now, spinning in circles, I felt a long–absent lightness, focusing only on reconnecting with her.
Anna looked up from my embrae, nervously meeting my eyes. “Blake, could you spin me around once more?
Seeing the sparkle in her eyes, I felt both sweetness and complexity tapped her nose gently, smiling. ‘So my wife is still a little girl at heart?”
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