Joyce's head was buzzing.
'It's over!'
'Her husband is right behind her!'
If Silas told her brother, would she ever know peace again?
The private room was already dimly lit, and due to the angle, Lily hadn't noticed the person behind Joyce at all. She continued, "When you came back, I told you I'd arrange something for you. So? Are you satisfied?"
Joyce recalled that when she had just returned to the country and met up with Lily Kennedy, Lily had asked if she'd gotten a boyfriend while abroad.
When she got a no, she had looked utterly crestfallen.
She had clapped her on the shoulder and said, "You're almost 25, and you still don't have a man. That just won't do."
Joyce had been exasperated. 'I'm already married; what do I need a man for?' Besides, she had said, "I just want to focus on making money right now."
"Making money doesn't mean you can't chase men. You can do both! Don't tell me... you're still hung up on your ex-boyfriend?"
"As if."
"Don't you worry about it. I'll arrange for a few male models for you later. We'll go have some fun."
Joyce had treated it as a joke and played along. "Are a few even enough? We'll need at least ten!"
"No problem. Leave it to your girl."
And yet,
she had actually taken it seriously!
The atmosphere in the private room was lively, but Joyce felt like her head was about to explode.
Especially when the voice behind her spoke again:
"The arrangements started as soon as you got back?"
"So this was premeditated."
He seemed to be leaning extremely close. His warm breath seared the back of her neck, so hot it made her whole body tense up.
"It seems I shouldn't have shown up today. Perhaps... I should leave?"
That voice, wrapped in scorching breath, sent blood rushing through Joyce's veins, making her entire body burn.
Hearing that Silas was going to leave, she grew anxious.
'If he really leaves, won't this misunderstanding get even bigger?'
So she quickly turned to stop him, instinctively grabbing his hand.
Unexpectedly,
for such an elegant and composed man, his hand was unusually warm.
The moment they touched, Joyce was startled by the heat and quickly pulled her hand back. "Mr. Thorne, it's not what you think."
Silas's gaze flickered over their hands where they had briefly touched, then he looked only at her. "Then what is the truth?"
"My best friend arranged this on her own! I didn't know beforehand!"
Joyce hurried over to her best friend, pinched her arm, and said through gritted teeth, "Lily, what are you doing? Mr. Thorne is still here!"
She ground out the last few words.
Lily Kennedy was stunned for a few seconds. "I-I thought he'd left."
She shot a look at the male models, signaling for them to get lost.
Then she quickly explained, "Mr. Thorne, it's Joyce's birthday today. I just invited them to sing and liven up the mood."
"Is that so?" Silas's tone was laden with meaning.
'Hiring male models just to sing? What a flimsy excuse.'
He looked at Joyce, his eyes seeming to say:
'Mrs. Thorne,'
'you've just returned to the country, and you're already playing so wild!'
——
With the big shot having returned, no one dared to act up. Everyone sat primly in their seats.
The entire room fell silent in an instant. Even the lights were adjusted to a bright, warm tone. Joyce smiled and gestured for him to sit. "Mr. Thorne, please, have a seat."
The atmosphere only livened up when the cake was rolled out, and everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to Joyce.
"Joyce, what happened? How did he end up coming back with you?" Lily Kennedy nudged her arm. "I really thought he had left early."
"He just had someone bring me a change of clean clothes." Joyce glanced at the man sitting not far away, almost completely shrouded in the corner.
He had taken off his suit jacket, and his French cuffs with black diamond cufflinks exuded a noble elegance that clashed with the surrounding atmosphere.
A small slice of cake sat in front of him. He only took two bites before looking down at his phone, seemingly replying to an important message.
Everyone kept their distance, creating what seemed like an empty vacuum around him.
"This is so awkward. He's not going to tell your brother about this, is he?"
Given how overprotective a certain someone was of his sister, Lily Kennedy feared she'd be silenced permanently.
Joyce was even more mortified.
'Having my husband walk in on my best friend gifting me male models?'
She wished she could just die of embarrassment!
"You should go talk to him. Tell him not to tell your brother," Lily Kennedy urged Joyce.
Joyce was too chicken. She picked up a drink from the table and took a few sips, trying to build up some liquid courage.
Just then, a few people came up to toast her for her birthday. One thing led to another, and she ended up having several more drinks.
With Lily Kennedy constantly nagging her from the side, she took a deep breath, picked up her glass, and walked towards Silas.
She swayed with every step, staggering along.
Out of the corner of his eye, Silas noticed her swaying towards him. The drink sloshed in her glass, nearly spilling over the rim. He stood up and tried to take the glass from her hand. "Give it to me."
"Huh?" Joyce was probably truly drunk. She actually frowned and said, "No!"
"How much have you had?"
"Just a little."
Silas didn't say another word. He just firmly took the glass from her hand and signaled to his assistant in the distance, "Go get her a glass of honey water."
"Yes, sir." Quentin Walsh left quickly.
"Sit down!" Silas stared intently at Joyce. Accustomed to being in a high position, his voice carried a natural authority. Joyce stumbled and sat down.
Silas had just sat down next to her when he saw her swaying, looking like she wanted to grab another drink.
So he said in a low voice, "Don't move. Behave."
The private room was a bit noisy, and Lily Kennedy was sitting too far away to hear their conversation. At that moment, all her attention was captivated by Silas's face.
She hadn't dared to look closely before:
'This Mr. Thorne is really handsome.'
'Compared to the cold, domineering CEO type, she was much more into the elegant and gentle kind.'
'Calm and composed on the surface, yet a master strategist underneath.'
'He's basically a god.'
Joyce sat obediently. The alcohol burned inside her, and she licked her dry lips. Just then, Quentin Walsh returned with the honey water.
"Drink this," Silas said.
Joyce stared at the honey water. Compared to the colorful drinks all over the table, the honey water looked bland. She shook her head. "Don't want to."
'If she's this drunk, she'll definitely have a headache tomorrow.'
Seeing she wasn't moving, Silas was about to hand the honey water to her, but as soon as he shifted, Joyce pulled him back down onto the sofa.
His brow furrowed slightly. "You have to drink it."
The words had barely left his mouth when, unexpectedly...
The next second,
Joyce reached out and grabbed his tie.
She had intended to pull him towards her, but her wrist lacked strength, and she ended up tumbling forward instead...
Half of her body tipped over, and she pinned him down on the sofa.
In full view of everyone, all their mouths dropped open in astonishment.
Even Silas froze instantly. The girl on top of him was just too warm, her breath scorched by alcohol.
Her breathing was erratic, sometimes shallow, sometimes heavy.
It fell on his face...
Like a shower of burning sparks.
It was so hot that his heartbeat and breath instantly fell into disarray.
Lily Kennedy, for her part, was completely dumbfounded:
'Girl!'
'I told you to go persuade him; what is this you're doing?'
'If the soft approach doesn't work, you go for the hard one?'
'Are you trying to force yourself on him?'
'This is the de facto leader of the Thorne Family of Northgate, Mr. Thorne! You've got some nerve!'
'As expected of my girl, so badass.'