Chapter 5 Lingering Desire
The moment her back hit the tree trunk, every hair on Sophia's body stood on end.
She clutched her purse tightly, about to cry out for help, when she looked up and found herself staring into a pair of familiar eyes.
It was Henry. The cold, distant demeanor he'd worn at the auction had softened somewhat. Standing before her now, he seemed more like the vibrant man she'd known in private.
Seeing it was Henry, Sophia's tense nerves immediately relaxed, her panic gradually subsiding.
She cleared her throat, opening her mouth with some discomfort. "What's wrong with you? Walking around without making a sound? You nearly scared me to death."
Henry didn't respond, just leaned against the tree, watching her.
After a long moment, he reached out and gently smoothed a strand of hair that the wind had blown loose from her updo. "You've been glancing my way ever since I entered the auction hall, then ran out here in such a hurry. If you're not here looking for me, are you chasing after Buyer Number 1?"
His tone was casual, but his eyes burned with an inner fire.
Sophia felt her cheeks flush as he hit the mark, turning her face away. "I was just taking a walk."
"Just taking a walk, and you happened to end up at the exit route Buyer Number 1 used?"
Henry chuckled softly, looking down at her with amusement. "Really nothing? Or is it after spending half an hour with him, you found yourself missing this old acquaintance and wanted to rekindle our past?"
"No!" The phrase "rekindle our past" made Sophia's ears burn. She immediately shook her head, completely rejecting the notion.
She avoided Henry's gaze and pulled a bank card from her small purse, pressing it into his hand without ceremony.
"Don't talk nonsense. Take this."
Another card.
Henry's eyes immediately turned cold. He didn't take it, just looked down at her.
"Don't misunderstand; it's not some kind of payment."
Afraid he might get the wrong idea, Sophia quickly explained, her tone becoming more serious. "That rich kid obviously has a temper. If you're really working as his bodyguard, who knows when you might get caught in his crossfire. There's not much money on this card, but it's enough to tide you over for a while."
"Bodyguard...?"
Hearing Sophia's words, Henry raised an eyebrow, a strange feeling spreading from deep in his heart.
Seeing Henry freeze, Sophia thought she'd embarrassed him by exposing the truth. She quickly pushed the card further into his palm.
Looking into Henry's eyes, her tone was sincere. "Even though our previous arrangement ended, after spending two years together, we can't exactly call ourselves strangers. Think of it as one friend helping another."
Finishing her words, afraid he might refuse again, she added, "If you don't take it, then you don't consider me a friend."
It was rare for Sophia to speak so firmly to Henry.
After all, he'd been with her for two years. Even without any other feelings, she couldn't bear to see him suffer.
Henry held the bank card, saying nothing, his eyes unreadable, making it impossible to read his thoughts.
Sophia felt uncomfortable under his gaze and reached up to smooth her hair. "I should go. My husband is still waiting outside."
She turned to leave, but her wrist was caught by a firm grip.
The next second, she was pulled into a solid embrace.
Henry's arm circled her waist with such force that she couldn't break free.
Before she could question him, warm breath covered her lips.
Henry lowered his head and kissed her!
Sophia's eyes widened, her mind buzzing as she instinctively raised her hands to push against his chest.
The man's muscles were rock-hard; no matter how hard she pushed, she couldn't move him.
"Don't... like this..."
Incoherent words escaped her lips one by one, but soon her mouth was claimed again, leaving her only able to make muffled sounds.
Henry's kissing technique was too skilled, starting forceful but gradually becoming tender.
Her body began to go weak.
Sophia's resistance grew increasingly feeble, her hands against his chest becoming limp.
When Henry deepened the kiss, she even instinctively tilted her head back slightly.
Realizing this, Sophia wanted to crawl into the ground from embarrassment.
Two years of intimacy had made their bodies familiar with each other. Even if her mind resisted, her body couldn't lie.
Sophia's half-hearted resistance only inflamed the longing in Henry's heart.
His arm around her waist tightened, his kiss growing deeper, almost leaving her breathless.
Sophia's consciousness grew hazy, her entire body nearly melting in Henry's embrace.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside the grove. "Sophia? Are you there? You've been gone so long for the restroom."
It was Oliver!
Sophia's whole body jerked, her dazed eyes immediately snapping to clarity.
She forcefully pushed away Henry, whose arm was still around her waist. Her cheeks were still flushed, but her breathing had become urgent.
"Don't make a sound," Sophia whispered to Henry.
If Oliver caught them like this, wouldn't all her years of building her position in the Miller family be ruined?
Oliver's footsteps stopped just a step away from their hiding spot in the bushes. He looked around, his impatience evident in his voice.
"Taking this long in the bathroom? Is Sophia deliberately trying to annoy me?"
Oliver's voice was so close that Sophia held her breath, her back pressed firmly against the tree.
Henry's arm still circled her.
Seeing how nervous Sophia was, not only did he not release her, but he deliberately leaned closer to her ear, whispering in a voice only they could hear. "What do you think his expression would be if he came in and saw us like this?"
Sophia trembled all over, raising her hand to pinch hard at his waist, her eyes full of warning.
The footsteps grew closer, and her heart rose with them.
Just as Sophia was about to suffocate, Oliver's phone rang.
"What is it? Got it, I'll be right out."
After hanging up, Oliver paused for a moment, but ultimately didn't venture deeper into the grove, turning to leave quickly instead.
Only after the footsteps completely faded from hearing did Sophia exhale deeply, raising her hand to push away Henry, who was still pressed against her.
Her cheeks were red enough to drip blood, but she didn't have time to look at Henry, only lowering her head to straighten her clothes.
"I'm leaving." Sophia's voice was somewhat hoarse.
Without bothering to look at Henry's expression, she turned and quickly walked out of the grove.
Henry remained standing there, looking up toward where she'd disappeared, his lips slowly curving into a smile of lingering desire.
At the banquet hall entrance, Oliver was on the phone at the bottom of the steps.
Seeing Sophia finally emerge, he frowned and hung up. "What took you so long in the bathroom?"
Sophia walked over, her tone distant. "Too many people inside. Had to wait in line."
She tried to walk past him, but her wrist was suddenly grabbed by Oliver.
His gaze fell on her face, his tone puzzled. "What happened to your mouth? Your lipstick is all smudged."
Sophia's heart skipped a beat.