Chapter 166

Chapter 166

William glanced at her, chuckling softly. "Shouldn't I be jealous? She's someone else's wife now. What's the point of gossiping about her?"

Irene pressed her lips together, smiling to herself.

William held her hand and took a shallow breath.

"Besides, with Everard around, you'd have to think twice before messing with her, wouldn't you?"

The elevator stopped at B2. William and Irene stepped out. Irene swung their clasped hands and asked curiously,

"What about you? Do you still have feelings for your gorgeous ex-wife?"

"Feelings for her? What's there to like?" William said dismissively. "Don't you know our marriage was a setup from the start? She schemed her way into it."

"We should've divorced a long time ago."

William's words seemed directed at Irene, or perhaps at himself.

"Women like her are a dime a dozen. I see that even more clearly now that we're divorced."

Irene, smitten, leaned against William's side, completely missing the bitter edge in his tone.

She went on,

"William, I haven't seen Everard many times, but I can't deny he's incredibly charming. So even though we barely crossed paths,"

Irene paused, thinking it over before continuing,

"I'll admit I had a bit of a crush on him. My family even wanted to set us up. Looking back, how embarrassing!"

She wrinkled her nose self-consciously.

William opened the car door for her and ruffled her hair before walking around to get in from the other side.

"Either way, you're the only one in my heart now. Do you believe me?"

Irene gazed at William, her eyes full of adoration.

William turned his head and playfully tapped her nose. "Of course I do."

"What about you?"

Irene asked again, "Am I the only one in your heart now? What about your gorgeous ex-wife and your first love?"

William answered without hesitation,

"You don't hold my past against me. How could I have room in my heart for anyone else?"

Irene basked in the happiness flooding through her at that moment.

On the driver's side window, William's composed profile reflected back. The emotions in his eyes, the thoughts filling his mind—they were more inscrutable than the darkness outside.

……

Everard pulled Rebecca into the room by the hand. The moment the door closed, a powerful force pressed her against it.

Then a kiss more ferocious than crashing waves swept over her lips.

"Wait, Everard!"

Rebecca's bag hit the floor.

Clothes were stripped away piece by piece as the air grew thick with desire.

Everard gave her no time to catch her breath. His demanding, hungry kisses, his rough, impatient breathing—over a week's worth of longing and need had built up inside him, ready to explode. He unleashed it all on Rebecca, pushing her to one climax after another.

After their intense physical entanglement, Rebecca lay weakly against Everard's body.

She murmured,

"You and Irene really aren't close?"

"Why bring her up all of a sudden?"

"She sounded like she knows a lot about your past."

Rebecca lifted her head, chin resting on his chest. "I don't even know how many girlfriends you've had."

Everard wrapped a finger around her hair, his eyes deep and dark.

"What? Feeling uncomfortable about it?"

"I just didn't expect William to end up with her. I thought he and Celeste would've gotten married by now." After Rebecca said this, Everard felt rather pleased. At least it meant that lately, Rebecca had paid very little attention to her ex-husband William.

Rebecca raised an eyebrow and crawled up his body a bit, reaching out to pinch his face.

"Whoever he's with has nothing to do with me. But there was one thing just now that did bother me a little."

"What?"

"Everard, I often feel like you're very different from other men. I think that's probably what attracts me to you."

"Mm-hmm?"

"But what Irene said today made me think twice. You're actually kind of a player, aren't you?"

"How so?"

"Irene said you had how many girlfriends before me? Ten? And you were quite the big spender?"

Everard looked at her and chuckled softly. "Ready to settle the score with me now?"

Was she really trying to settle a score, or was she trying to change the subject?

Perhaps she knew his jealousy over William ran pretty deep, so even when Oliver occasionally mentioned William, she'd brush it off in a sentence or two.

That's why she still didn't know what William had been through, or that the Spencer Group now existed in name only—that the Spencer Family was nothing but an empty shell.

First the Brown Family, now the Smith Family.

Everard almost felt sorry for William. Back then, William thought Rebecca had thrown herself at him, never realizing how much work Gavin had put in behind the scenes to ensure Rebecca's happiness. William mistakenly believed he was something special. Once Gavin pulled his support, William's true capabilities were exposed.

William simply didn't have what it took to steer a ship as large as the Spencer Group.

And the Smith Family wasn't as foolish as the Brown Family. In Everard's view, the Spencer Group's downfall was only a matter of time.

"I do want to settle the score a bit. Come clean, will you? Better than having ex-girlfriends popping up in front of me one after another down the road."

Everard let out a soft sigh, his gaze drifting away. He actually looked a little hurt.

Rebecca realized she'd unintentionally fallen for Irene's manipulation. She looked at Everard apologetically.

"Honey, I was just kidding. You're not mad, are you?"

"You've made a habit of doubting my character. It's nothing new."

Everard said casually. Rebecca felt a pang of guilt and quickly leaned down to kiss him.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and flipped her beneath him.

"Call me 'Honey' again. Just like you did a moment ago."

"No!"

Rebecca quickly covered her face with her hands, turning her head to the side.

Everard caught her by the neck and bit down hard. "Won't say it?"

"Nope, nope!"

Rebecca's small frame kept burrowing under the covers. Everard pressed down on her, trapping her entire body in his arms...

He'd nibble her ear one moment, tickle her the next, making Rebecca—who already had little strength left—squirm desperately on the bed.

"It tickles!"

"Still won't say it?"

"I'm going to tell my parents you're bullying me!"

Rebecca threatened with mock seriousness.

Everard raised an eyebrow. "So you'd share our bedroom activities with your parents?"

"Everard, you're shameless!"

"Will you say it or not? If you don't, I guarantee I can get even more shameless!"

As he spoke, his hand slid under the hem of her clothes. Rebecca quickly grabbed his arm.

"Stop it. I'm really tired."