Chapter 171
Michael felt a bit dizzy. He tightened his arms around Nora without saying a word.
"Michael, are you feeling really bad?" Nora panicked and touched his forehead nervously, "Should I get you a thermometer?"
"No." Michael's voice was muffled as he held onto Nora, refusing to let go. Was he acting clingy?
Nora was shocked. She could only coax Michael like she would a child, "Be good, I'll go get the thermometer and fever medicine."
Michael let out a muffled grunt, still refusing to let go.
Nora had no choice but to forcefully remove his hands.
But just as she was about to get up, she found Michael gripping her clothes.
Nora smiled helplessly. Why was Michael acting like a child after getting sick?
Even Samuel wasn't this clingy.
The contrast was really striking.
"Don't leave me." Michael's voice was very weak.
He might have really fallen asleep.
Nora turned to look at Michael.
Michael's public image had always been cold, ruthless in his methods, and decisive.
He founded his own company and brought the Smith Group to its current heights. His abilities were beyond question.
He lost his mother in his teens, had an unloving father, was hurt by his stepmother in various ways, and walked alone to where he was today.
Michael actually craved love deep down, yet resisted everyone's love.
Taking the thermometer, Nora measured his forehead temperature—101.48 degrees Fahrenheit, already a high fever.
Using a mercury thermometer to check again, Nora went to make some cold medicine and brought back fever reducers.
"Michael? Take your medicine before sleeping, okay?" Nora coaxed softly.
Michael frowned, not wanting to move.
He rarely got sick growing up, so the house never had medicine. It was only after Nora came that Michael, worried she might get sick, prepared cold medicine. Now it was coming in handy for himself.
Michael felt a bit guilty. This might be from the scare.
"I won't take medicine." Michael had never taken medicine since childhood—too bitter, and besides, he had a strong constitution and didn't need it. He'd be fine after sleeping.
"No way." Nora insisted he take the medicine because the mercury thermometer showed 102.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
This was a high fever.
Seeing Michael being stubborn, Nora had to take matters into her own hands and tried to pull him up.
But Michael was too heavy. Nora fell into his arms.
Michael naturally wrapped his arms around her and pressed her down beneath him, "You started it."
His voice was hoarse but clearly tinged with desire.
In the adult world, pleasure wasn't that hard to talk about.
Especially for someone like Michael who had stayed pure for over twenty years and suddenly tasted sex.
Clearly, every second Nora spent by his side was torture.
"Take your medicine first." Nora said nervously.
"A reward for being good and taking medicine?" Michael raised an eyebrow, his breath hot.
Nora's face turned completely red. To coax him into taking medicine, she had no choice, "But you're sick."
"Sweating it out will help." Michael coaxed Nora with a straight face.
"Who told you that? That's not scientific." Nora's heart was racing.
Michael drank the entire cup of medicine in one go, frowning at the bitterness.
"I said so." Michael smiled slightly and leaned down to kiss Nora.
Nora felt the bitter medicine lingering in his mouth, but after the bitterness, there was an illusion of sweetness.
Sure enough, after drinking bitter medicine, even water tastes sweet.
Their breathing grew hotter. Michael's desire for Nora had reached its peak.
He never thought he could crave a woman to this extent.
He never imagined he would willingly sink into obsession over a woman.
At this moment, if Nora asked him to die, he probably would.
Nora's eyes reddened at the corners as she nervously held Michael, breathing rapidly.
This was crazy. Everyone had probably gone crazy.
Michael had a fever. His body was so hot.
Nora felt like she had a fever too—her soul was burning.
Being immersed in this sexual desire between man and woman was torture for Nora.
She constantly reminded herself that she wasn't worthy, didn't deserve Michael.
Her body and soul were both filthy.
Whether people called her damaged goods or said she had a messy private life.
Nora had no energy to explain.
Even though it wasn't her fault, she still felt she was too dirty to deserve Michael.
If her body could still let Michael release his desires, then that was also a kind of value in existing, right?
The next morning.
Nora woke up, her body aching badly.
Michael was already gone. Nora sat up in fear. Who turned off her alarm?
Nervously getting out of bed to wash up, Nora was scared—there was no time to make breakfast for the two kids and Michael.
But as soon as she left the room, Nora smelled the aroma of food.
"Dad is amazing!" Little Samuel cheered as always.
"Mom, Dad made fried eggs."
Nora looked in shock at Michael busy in the kitchen. A CEO making breakfast for kids in the kitchen—this scene made her think she must be crazy.
"Mr. Smith, let me do it." Nora ran over, only to find Michael had already finished.
Very simple sandwiches, slightly burnt eggs, and a glass of hot milk for each person.
She instinctively reached up to touch Michael's forehead. Seeing the fever had broken, Nora breathed a sigh of relief.
Such good physical condition—completely recovered after just one night.
"I didn't lie to you, did I?" Michael spoke near Nora's ear.
Nora's ears instantly turned red and itchy, and her neck flushed too.
"I told you sweating would break the fever." Michael was still seriously educating Nora.
"Eat!" Nora was a bit embarrassed and stumbled out of the kitchen, sitting next to Samuel to eat with the two little ones.
"Aunt Nora, Uncle Michael is amazing. He can make breakfast. My dad can't do anything. He doesn't even know when milk expires. One time I ended up in the hospital." Joseph said admiringly.
Nora sighed and rubbed Joseph's head.
When parents don't get along, it's the children who get hurt.
But the children are innocent.
The Smith Group.
"Mr. James Smith, Michael's computer has a defense system. If we attack his computer, he might notice." Beside James was the hacker he'd hired.
"So what if he notices? Can he trace it back?" James asked.
"Michael isn't a hacker. He can't do it in a short time. By the time he finds a computer expert, our IP will be closed. It'll be hard to track."
James sneered, "Good."
"Look at this stuff and see if there's anything useful. He had limited online time. This is all I could copy."
James opened the files and looked, getting annoyed, "All useless stuff."
"Then we'll wait until he goes online again and try again."
James nodded and checked the time. Michael should be coming to work around now.
"Isn't Michael meeting with a competing company this afternoon? Have someone from the rival company chat with Nora privately and take photos. Once the computer hacking is exposed, have the rival company frame Nora." James said in a low voice.
As long as Michael no longer trusted Nora, she would have to leave the Smith Group.
Without Michael, who else could Nora count on?