Chapter 187 "How Could I Possibly Take Advantage of You?"

Chapter 187 "How Could I Possibly Take Advantage of You?"
He mocked her for being in such a hurry to find her next man.
Their breaths mingled as he leaned in close. There was no tenderness in his eyes; only a sneer at the corners of his mouth and a cold, calculating gaze.
He had always suspected her of having ulterior motives, but he hadn’t expected her to reveal them so quickly.
Why couldn't she have been more patient and given him more time?
Michael was acting a bit out of character tonight. Maybe it was because of the recent troubles at work or because she was restless. Whatever the reason, she had driven him to such an impulsive state that he came straight to the camp during training.
Jennifer could only steady herself by holding onto the air conditioner unit. Her long hair rose and fell with her breath, brushing against her chest and delicate face.
Honestly, she was a bit startled, but she quickly forced a smile.
“What are you talking about? You’ve really got the wrong idea.”
“How could I possibly take advantage of you?”
“And there’s no way I’d ever dump you. We’ve been together for so long—giving up would be stupid.”
“Is that so?” Michael’s eyes darkened.
He took another step forward, the tip of his leather shoe pressing against her sandal.
Her pale toes seemed to feel the cool, smooth texture of the high-quality leather.
Since he was already angry, she might as well be bold for once.
Jennifer kicked off her shoe and stepped onto his, wrapping her whole body around him like a vine.
“Yes. I promise.”
Jennifer puckered her lips and leaned in, hoping to soothe his anger with a kiss.
But he wouldn’t let her.
She tried several times without success, panting like a kitten unable to catch a cat toy.
Her breathing wasn’t particularly loud, but, because they were so close, it wasn’t drowned out by the roaring air conditioner behind them.
Suddenly, Michael curved his lips into a smile, clasped her waist tightly with one hand, and lifted her abruptly halfway off the ground.
Jennifer was hoisted up by the waist and suspended in midair.
She let out a soft gasp and stared at the ground receding beneath her. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms tightly around his head.
Because of the height difference, however, the slightly open V-neck of her dress pressed right against his high, straight nose.
Jennifer’s face flushed instantly, and Michael’s entire body tensed.
"Stop messing around!" he said sternly.
Jennifer was on the verge of tears. "I'm not messing around! Put me down!"
Michael had originally intended to lift her up and set her back on her feet, but when he saw her panicked expression, he suddenly didn’t want to put her down.
He swung his long legs around the air conditioner unit and pressed her, still half-hoisted, against the red-brick wall.
The air conditioner unit blocked their lower bodies perfectly.
Jennifer was pinned against the wall, and Michael blocked her side with his knee.
Jennifer looked at him pitifully. "I have a competition tomorrow. Please let me go. I know I was wrong."
She admitted her mistake so quickly that he almost felt reluctant to let her go.
Remembering that she really did have a competition the next day, he admired her for a moment before setting her back down.
For Jennifer, though, that moment had been far too thrilling—the sensation of weightlessness and the sense of aggression radiating from him.
Had she not been wearing a form-fitting dress, she would have been so scared that she would have wrapped her legs around him.
Now, however, she could only be put back down on the ground.
Standing a good head shorter than him, she looked up at him with a pout.
Her apologetic expression vanished instantly, and she snapped at him, "I'll bite you to death."
No sooner had she spoken than he beat her to it, grabbing her chin and leaning in to bite her.
Furious, she said, "We're in public. Have you no shame?"
He smiled even more broadly. "If you'd had any shame back then, you wouldn't have been able to seduce me."
Jennifer playfully pinched him under his suit, right at his side. The pressure was just right—not painful, but enough to leave an impression.
That spot was so sensitive that most people would flinch at the slightest touch.
But he didn’t even furrow his brow, let alone flinch. He just started breathing heavily.
Michael said, "I'll be there that night too. You’re dead meat.”
Jennifer felt a twinge of guilt.
She had agreed to go see the meteor shower with Liam because she wanted to discuss something important with him.
If Michael went, too, how could she tell Liam she was turning him down?
But Michael thought her hesitant expression meant she didn’t want him to go.
His anger hadn’t subsided one bit. In fact, he was deliberately trying to scare her.
“I used to love camping when I was abroad. I could pitch a tent right next to yours.”
"Modern tents are soundproof and waterproof. You can count shooting stars with him first, then come back in and count how many billions I have."
“What do you say, hmm?"
Hearing him speak so provocative, Jennifer felt completely flustered.
She was bold, but that didn’t mean she could accept such a strange approach on the first try.
She knew Michael was capable of doing it. Her face tensed as she tried not to back down.
"Fine, then bring a microscope."
Her feigned composure always excited him.
Just as Michael stepped forward to kiss her again, someone suddenly called out to them from the darkness.
“Jennifer?”
It was Liam.
He had been circling the building where Jennifer lived several times and had caught sight of the scene right before him.
Jennifer looked relaxed and carefree in the nighttime light, her shoelaces tangled around her feet loosely. The man facing her stood tall and slender.
Though they were some distance apart, an indescribable, suggestive atmosphere hung between them.
Michael turned to look at him. He stood straight as a pine tree piercing through the clouds, his expression icy.
Liam froze for a moment, murmuring in surprise.
"You’re..."
It was the first time Liam had seen Michael in person.
He had met James before. When he saw Jennifer’s ex-boyfriend, he felt a sense of crisis.
But James' presence had been nothing compared to the feeling evoked by the man standing before him.
Michael possessed a maturity and excellence far beyond that of a boy his age. Liam couldn’t bring himself to compare the two; he could only stand there, dumbfounded.
Finally, Michael spoke to Jennifer, saying, "Aren't you going to introduce me to your classmate?"
Jennifer instinctively wiped the corner of her mouth.
"Liam, this is Mr. Kowalski."
Still in a daze, Liam came to his senses slowly.
He recalled Jennifer mentioning a teacher like this before.
She’d mentioned him during a phone call, and he’d also shown up at the police station to support them.
Liam quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully. “Hello, Mr. Kowalski.”
But something felt off.
He’d always assumed the teacher Jennifer spoke of would be at least fifty or sixty years old. Yet the man standing before him was no more than thirty and incredibly handsome. In fact, even Liam found him stunning.
Michael’s striking appearance, combined with Jennifer’s casual demeanor as she stood beside him, made Liam suspicious.
Did Jennifer and this teacher have feelings for each other?
Just as these doubts formed in his mind, Michael spoke up, “You were very brave at the hotel the other day.”
Liam was certain now—this man was the one who had stood up to Oliver for him at the police station.
Liam quickly replied, "No—we're the ones who should thank you for what happened that time."
Michael smiled but said nothing.
When Jennifer introduced him, Michael looked a bit awkward. Now, Liam's use of we made Michael feel uncomfortable.
Jennifer could sense that Michael wasn’t happy. She didn't care about buying the body wash anymore; she just wanted to leave.
"Well, if there's nothing else, I'm going upstairs. I have a competition tomorrow.”
Michael didn't say anything else. He just glanced at Jennifer. "It's going to get cold on the night of the 30th. If you go to watch the meteor shower, remember to bring extra clothes.”
After saying that, Michael deliberately avoided mentioning going together.
Liam said goodbye to him awkwardly.
After Michael left, Liam stood there, scratching his head and feeling an indescribable sense of unease.
It felt as if someone had seized his vital point, leaving him unable to breathe.
Was it just because Michael’s presence was so overwhelming?
Why did he feel such intense hostility toward a man he didn’t even know?
Liam watched Michael’s retreating figure. "Jennifer, your teacher seems really impressive. What does he do?"
"He’s in business, and he does some art-related charity work," Jennifer explained briefly.
"Oh..."
Liam sort of got it.
But he didn’t tell Jennifer about the wariness he felt toward Michael.
His intuition told him that Michael wasn’t as straightforward as he seemed when it came to Jennifer.
There were plenty of outstanding men around Jennifer.
Liam thought he had to work even harder to be worthy of her.