The Jilted Heiress' Return to the High Life - Chapter 429

Chapter 429:

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A slow chuckle rumbled from Moses’ chest.

“Now this… this is going to be interesting.”

Given Nate’s status, the Elder Council of Independent Continent would never allow him to marry Corrine.

And the Hopkins family? They would never agree to it either.

For years, the Hopkins family had walked a fragile tightrope with the Elder Council, maintaining a precarious balance of power. If a woman were to shatter that illusion…

Of harmony, tearing down the carefully constructed facade, Moses could not think of anything more entertaining.

Meanwhile, Nate stepped into the bathroom, letting the warm water cascade over his tense muscles, washing away the remnants of a long day.

When he emerged, a black silk robe hung loosely from his frame, the belt knotted just enough to hold but not nearly enough to conceal. The open neckline revealed the sculpted planes of his chest, droplets of water tracing a slow, tantalizing path down his abs before disappearing into the fabric. His dark hair, damp and tousled, clung to his forehead, a stark contrast to his usual polished and composed demeanor. Stripped of the formality of suits and ties, he exuded an effortless ruggedness—raw, untamed, and infinitely more real.

Then, the doorbell chimed, echoing through the quiet apartment.

Assuming it was Matias delivering something, Nate barely spared it a thought as he strode toward the door. But when he swung it open, his breath hitched for just a fraction of a second. Corrine.

Nate’s fingers clenched subtly against the doorframe, a flicker of uncharacteristic panic flashing in his eyes before he masked it with cool indifference. His voice, however, betrayed a slight tension.

“Did you know I was staying here all along?”

Corrine had seen many sides of Nate over the months—his sharp intellect, his cutting arrogance, his unwavering composure—but never this. This version of him, disheveled yet impossibly composed, sent her pulse racing. And then there was his physique. She had known, of course, that he was in peak form, but seeing it up close, unrestrained by crisp shirts and tailored jackets…

A wicked thought flickered through her mind—one that involved tracing her fingers along those water-slicked muscles, feeling their strength beneath her touch. She quickly shoved the thought away, clearing her throat as she lowered her gaze, suddenly self-conscious.

Nate caught the faint blush creeping up her cheeks, and the corners of his lips curled ever so slightly. Before she could say anything, he reached forward, grasped her wrist, and pulled her inside.

The door clicked shut behind her, enclosing them in the dimly lit room. Corrine barely had a moment to register what had happened before she found herself enveloped by his embrace.

“This is for you,” she murmured, thrusting the shopping bag she had been holding into his hands.

Nate arched a brow, taking the bag with deliberate slowness before setting it on the cabinet by the entrance.

Then, he turned back to her, his gaze locking onto hers—unreadable yet intense.

“When did you find out I was staying here?”

Nate carried the lingering freshness of his recent shower, the scent of clean linen blending seamlessly with the crisp, woody fragrance that always clung to him.

Corrine lowered her gaze, but the closeness between them sent warmth creeping up her cheeks, the heat reaching her ears before she even realized it.

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