chapter17

Alright.”

She couldn’t tell if he was still under the influence of the evening’s events or not. Usually, Everett was the embodiment of composure—cold, calculated, and distant. But tonight, his presence felt overwhelming, and the silence in the apartment only magnified the intensity between them.

Dorothy felt a wave of dizziness, the kind that came not from alcohol, but from the sheer weight of her current situation. The world seemed to blur at the edges as she navigated the complex boundaries of their arrangement.

Eventually, needing to break the suffocating tension, she stood her ground. Her voice was steady, though it carried a hint of fatigue. “Mr. Lopez… I think we should focus on why I’m here.”

Everett didn’t respond immediately. He looked at her for a long moment, the unreadable gaze behind his glasses softening just a fraction. Without a word, he turned and disappeared into the other room.

Dorothy took a deep breath, feeling as though she had finally hit a pause button. She used the momentary solitude to gather her thoughts and her laptop, centering herself back in her professional identity.

When he emerged a short while later, now wearing a simple black robe and drying his hair with a towel, she was already set up at the small desk.

“I’m going to do some due diligence on the SinoSuccess Enterprises project,” she said, her tone professional and brisk. “I’ll be speaking with their department head tomorrow. I’ve already drafted an amendment to the contract, emphasizing the breach clauses. Could you take a look?”

Everett raised an eyebrow, his hand pausing. “I thought you said you were exhausted.”

Dorothy felt a slight flush creep up her neck at his observation, but she didn’t look away. “Work helps me stay focused.”

“Dinner will be delivered soon,” he said, shifting the subject.

“What?”

“Eat while we talk. You can't review contracts on an empty stomach.”

Dorothy watched him walk toward the dining area, feeling puzzled. He had just come from a formal social event; why was he ordering more food? However, she realized she hadn’t eaten since lunch, and the thought of a meal was suddenly very welcome.

A short while later, the table was set with an array of delicacies—fresh seafood and refined side dishes that were clearly far beyond her usual budget.

“Go ahead. There’s no garlic,” Everett noted, gesturing for her to sit while he began to expertly peel a crab.

She watched his hands—slender, elegant, and precise. It occurred to her that he seemed to do everything with an effortless perfection.

“You don’t like garlic either, Mr. Lopez?”

He gave a brief, quiet hum of affirmation, his focus remaining on the task at hand.

As they ate, Dorothy was surprised to find that all the crab meat he meticulously prepared ended up in her bowl.

“Mr. Lopez?”

“Just eat,” he said, his voice softer and warmer than she was used to. “Regarding SinoSuccess… in situations like this, you can’t rely solely on the contract. If you want to bridge the investment gap with actual cash flow, there are better solutions. You could negotiate with a third party to cover the difference, or even apply to the parent company for a bridge loan. This would allow the project to maintain its momentum.”

Dorothy’s eyes lit up with professional interest. The solution was brilliant. She immediately moved to reach for her laptop to start the application draft.

But her wrist was gently caught by Everett. She looked up, meeting his clear, focused eyes. The intensity there was no longer cold; it was a quiet, magnetic energy that made it difficult to look away.

“You still have this much energy for work at this hour?” he asked, a ghost of a smile touching his lips.

“I want to get this right,” Dorothy replied earnestly.

“It can wait until morning,” he said softly, his gaze holding hers. “Tonight, just focus on the dinner.”