NovelApp
Chapter 572
In the dimly–lit bathroom, Arnold cleared his throat so aggressively that the whiskey he
had been nursing threatened to make a violent comeback. Amongst his siblings, he was
notoriously the lightest drinker and whiskey, in particular, was his nemesis.
Despite his efforts to expel the fiery liquid, his head spun with dizziness, and his throat
scorched as though scraped by a blade.
“Arnold, look at yourself, making a scene for nothing. She doesn’t even notice you, and
here you are, agonizing over nothing.”
He splashed his face with cold water, running his fingers through his damp hair, slicking
back the wet strands that hung over his forehead. Even in his disheveled state, his
handsome features, now pale from the ordeal, shone under the soft lighting, alluring even
at his most vulnerable.
“Jesus, I’m such an idiot.” he murmured, massaging his temples. The frustration inside him
was a stubborn knot, refusing to unravel.
As he pushed open the door to leave, he stumbled into a warm and fragrant presence just
outside.
“Ah!” Camille exclaimed, almost losing her balance in her towering stilettos.
Although slightly buzzed, Arnold’s reflexes didn’t fail him. His arm snaked around her
slender waist, pulling her close to prevent
her fall.
Scientists First Thought They
Were Statues
Sponsored: Investing Magazine
Read Next Story
Their eyes met, breaths mingling, the heat from their bodies building a silent storm of
sighs and unspoken words.
Arnold’s mind flashed back to their first kiss, born out of a desperate attempt to save a
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtlife, an encounter that had left him restless and longing.
Now, as he looked into her eyes, the same intense feelings surged through him, and he
found himself unwilling to let go.
“Can you let go of me now?” Camille’s voice trembled, her palm instinctively pressing
against his chest.
Scientists First Thought They
Were Statues
Sponsored: Investing Magazine
Read Next Story
“Why are you ignoring me?” Arnold’s directness, perhaps fueled by the alcohol, cut
through the air. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me, Ms. Camille? Or is your memory failing
you?”
“How could I forget?” Camille’s fingers curled slightly against his chest, trying to ground
herself. “You are Mr. Arnold Ashbourne, Evadne’s brother.”
“Then why ignore me?” he persisted.
“I was preoccupied.” Camille’s eyes darted away.
Arnold’s brows knitted together, anger flaring. “Preoccupied? You know me as well as you
know Evadne. How could you possibly be too preoccupied for me?”
“Prosecutor Arnold, it’s not like you have to greet everyone you know, right? It’s not a
crime to ignore you.”
Camille struggled within his embrace. “Let go. I need to get back.”
His gaze darkened, his hold tightening. “Acquaintances? Do acquaintances kiss each other
as we did? Ms. Camille, I think you might be misunderstanding the term.”
“Kiss? When did we…”
Before Camille could process her shock, Arnold’s lips descended on hers, deepening the
kiss with a desperation that bordered on
devouring.
“Mmm.” A soft moan escaped her, and her resistance melted away.
Scientists First Thought They
Were Statues
Sponsored: Investing Magazine
Read Next Story
Her hands flailed weakly against his chest before sliding down in defeat. In a flash of
clarity, the full memory of their past encounter came rushing back to her.
As Arnold slowly pulled away, his eyes opened to meet hers.
“Looks like you remember now,” he said with a teasing curve to his breathless voice. “Last
time, you clung to me. Now, it’s my turn. We’re even.”
Even? Had he the audacity to suggest that after forcing a kiss upon her?
Camille’s cheeks flushed with indignation, and she didn’t care that he was her mentor’s
brother. She wanted to slap him, regardless of the consequences, but her hand merely
fluttered weakly, easily caught by Arnold.
He pressed her hand to his cheek, his eyes half–closed. “Don’t be angry, think of your
health.”
A drop of water trailed down his temple, adding a sensual wetness to his striking features,
his eyes shimmering, “If you still crave my life–saving breaths, then by all means,
continue.”
1/2
14.42
Chapter 572
“You!” Camille’s face burned with a mix of anger and embarrassment. Arnold was
undeniably handsome, and even though he bore a resemblance to President Ashbourne,
he was a world apart from his brooding brother.
Scientists First Thought They
Were Statues
Sponsored: Investing Magazine
Read Next Story
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
Gathering her wits, Camille turned the tables, her hands climbing his broad shoulders as
she asked with a teasing lilt, “Prosecutor Arnold, you’re so concerned about me, could it
be that you like me?”
Like?
The word shone a light into Arnold’s hazy eyes. “Are you asking seriously?”
“You dare to answer?” she challenged, expecting him to back down.
In her mind, she didn’t belong in the world of the Ashbourne family, a dynasty of power
and pride. Her international fame as a designer meant nothing with a mother accused of
murder and her less–than–noble origins.
“I like you,” Arnold confessed, cutting through her tumultuous thoughts.
“Wh–what?”
“I like you. If I didn’t, would I care if you ignored me? Would I hold you, kiss you?”
Arnold’s gaze burned with an intensity that matched the pounding of his heart.
He had to admit that the alcohol had been a catalyst, but he vehemently denied that it
had the power to conjure feelings or sway his convictions. “Ms. Camille,” he said with an
earnest clarity that defied the influence of any spirits, “I am a man of integrity, not some
wayward playboy swayed by mere lust. All the signs point to one undeniable truth–I like
you. There’s no need for tests or trials; I’ve owned up to it.”
Camille was speechless.
A paragon of virtue, indeed–a prosecutor of justice.
Scientists First Thought They
Were Statues
Sponsored: Investing Magazine
Read Next Story
Even his confession was so logical, so refreshingly pure.
“Moreover, I kissed you.” Arnold’s long lashes lowered as he leaned in once more, edging
closer to her rosy lips. “I don’t care if that was your first kiss or not, but I feel that I owe it
to you to take responsibility.”
Scientists First Thought They
Were Statues
Sponsored: Investing Magazine
Read Next Story
Visit our social media platform to read fascinating stories every day and connect with the community!
