Chapter 468
Chapter 468 Skirmish
Chapter 468 Skirmish
Zacharias watched her slain the elevator button again, his jaw tightening with impatience.
This was the moment he had waited for. The crack between her and Jonathan had opened, and he was desperate to wedge himself inside.
“Move,” he snapped, stepping forward, ready to push past.
But Zion shifted smoothly into his way. His stance was casual, but his eyes were cold. He had been left here for a reason.
Jonathan hadn’t abandoned the battlefield. He had left it in Zion’s hands.
If Zion let Zacharias get one step closer, he might as well pack his bags and go supervise a charity construction project out in the wilderness.
The two men stared each other down. Neither moved. Then-the elevator doors slid open, and Anneliese darted inside.
She unlocked the apartment door and stepped in. Mabel hurried forward, Meatloaf bounding at her heels.
Anneliese had slept at Penelope’s the night before. Meatloaf hadn’t seen her for two whole days.
The little dog spun around her legs in frantic circles, jumping at her knees, begging for her hands, her tail whipping the air.
Anneliese bent to change her shoes. Her eyes swept the room fast. “Where is he p>
Mabel’s voice dropped. “He went straight to the study. He looked upset. I asked if he wanted dinner, but he didn’t answer. Do you know why, ma’am p>
Anneliese pressed her lips tight and said nothing.
She gave Mabel a strained smile and walked quickly down the hall.
Meatloaf stayed behind, her head tilting as her tail drooped. Her bright eyes dimmed.
Both her owners had passed her without a glance, but she didn’t understand why. She crept to her bed, lowered her head, and buried her nose, silent and sad.
At the study door, Anneliese knocked. No answer.
A prickle ran over her scalp. She knocked again, louder.
“I’m coming in p>
She turned the handle. The click echoed through the silence. She pushed the door open.
The study was dark. Her eyes swept across shelves, desks, and chairs, but Jonathan wasn’t there.
She turned, ready to check another room. She thought Mabel saw it wrongly. Then she saw him.
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Chapter 468 Skirmish
A dark silhouette stood on the balcony, tall and still against the storin.
The sky was not yet black, but thick clouds pressed low, smothering the horizon.
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Below, the river ran like wrinkled silk, heavy and dark. A single cruise ship drifted by, its lights glittering in the gloom. The glow mixed with the ember of Jonathan’s cigar, flaring and fading between his fingers.
Anneliese stepped toward him. She pushed the balcony door open.
Cold wind swept in, sharp with the bite of tobacco.
Jonathan didn’t turn. He lifted the cigar, drawing in deep. His cheek hollowed. His jawline cut cold in the dim light. The air around him felt like steel.
The weight of his silence pressed on her chest. Her lips parted, but her voice stayed trapped.
She dropped her gaze like a child caught misbehaving. He smoked two more drags. The wind shifted, and the bitter smoke rolled into her face. She coughed, sharp and startled.
She clutched her chest.
Then, on impulse, she made the cough harsher, louder, her shoulders shaking. Jonathan turned. His eyes found her doubled over, clutching herself as if she might
faint.
A flash of exasperation crossed his brow. He ground the cigar against the railing, sparks scattering before he flicked it into the bin. His voice was low and sharp. “Enough. Drop the act p>
Anneliese coughed twice more, sneaking a glance at him through her lashes.
His stare stripped every mask. Her face grew hot.
She blurted stubbornly, “I’m not acting! It choked me, really. I didn’t even know you smoked cigars p>
His expression chilled further. “Of course you don’t know. You know Zacharias better. You two grew up together p>
Her stomach dropped.
She wanted to slap her own mouth. Her clumsy words were making everything worse. It sounded like she was complaining about him.
She bit her lip hard.
Then, without warning, she leapt at him.
Her legs locked around his waist. Her arms wound tight around his neck. The sudden weight pushed him a step back.
But Jonathan didn’t lift his arms. He didn’t hold her. She felt the risk of falling, but she clung to him anyway.
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Chapter 468 Skirmish
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She leaned in, aiming for his lips. She wanted to prove herself. She wanted to erase her careless words with
a kiss.
Yet even as she moved, Jonathan turned his head aside. Her kiss never landed.