Seeing the hickeys all over her neck in the mirror, Evelyn so wished she could kill the man! This was not the first time. Every time they slept together, she had to spend a long time trying to choose something to wear that would cover all the marks of love that Sheffield left on her. "Could you stop leaving these hickeys on me, for heaven's sake?"
"Okay, from next time," he replied briskly.
Evelyn rolled her eyes at him. Men were deceptive. She didn't believe a word that came out of his mouth!
Sheffield walked into the bathroom and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. He looked at the red marks on her neck through the mirror and whispered near her ear, "Evelyn, this is tempting, and you look gorgeous. Can we—"
Evelyn stepped on his foot once, and tried to get him once again.
"All right! Okay, forgive me!" he laughed and buried his face in the nape of her neck, inhaling her scent.
His voice was alluring and in spite of her rough behavior, Evelyn was aroused as well. To hide her excitement, she yelled, "Get out now! I need to freshen up!"
"Okay, love! I'll heat the breakfast for you." He let go of her after placing a gentle kiss on her neck. Whistling casually, he walked out of the bathroom.
Evelyn shook her head with a sigh.
After breakfast, Evelyn changed her clothes. Sheffield was doing dishes in the kitchen. She asked, "Don't you have to go to work today?"
He looked back at her and answered, "Uh, no. I'm going to the research and development center."
"Are you free the day after tomorrow?"
"I am." It was her birthday. No matter how busy he was, he would spare some time to celebrate the birthday of his beloved woman.
After some hesitation, Evelyn asked, "Are you afraid of being hit by my dad again?"
Sheffield threw the rag into the sink. With a smile, he approached the worried woman. "Are you worried that my future father-in-law will give me a black eye again?"
Evelyn sighed, "I'm serious, Sheffield."
He flicked his tongue. "Of course, not. If the idea of being hit by Carlos Huo scared me, then I wouldn't have pursued his precious daughter."
"Hmm. Fine! I gotta go now." Evelyn turned around and walked towards the door.
"Eve," he called.
She turned around.
"Let me drive you to work. Wait for me." He washed his hands.
Evelyn went on to change into her shoes. "No, thank you. Tayson is downstairs, waiting for me. Go and finish your business."
"Fine, let me at least walk you to the car." He dried his hands and left the kitchen without cleaning the countertop. He sent a message to the cleaning lady asking her to clean up his apartment.
As he changed into his shoes, Evelyn sighed helplessly. "Do you really have to come with me just to drop me to my car?"
He was like a clingy kid.
"Yes, I do! And anyway, I have to leave as well." He put on his shoes and wiped his hands with the wet tissue which was always kept next to the shoe shelf. He grabbed Evelyn's hand and walked out of the house with her in tow.
Tayson was waiting for them outside Sheffield's apartment. Seeing them coming out, he pressed the elevator button and waited for them in silence.
When they reached the parking lot, Sheffield wouldn't let go of her until she gave him a kiss.
Tayson drove away with Evelyn in the front, and Sheffield followed after them. After exiting the neighborhood, they went their separate ways.
In ZL Group's office
Evelyn walked out of the elevator with a smile. When she passed by the Secretary Division, the secretaries greeted her, "Miss Huo."
"Good morning, Miss Huo."
Evelyn nodded at them with a smile.
Nervously glancing at the closed door of Evelyn's office, Nadia told her in a whisper, "Mr. Huo came in early this morning and has been working since."
The smile on Evelyn's face froze. She slowed down her pace. 'Uh-oh.'
The door to her office opened automatically. The moment she walked in, she saw Carlos sitting in her chair, busy with work. She called out nervously, "Dad!"
Carlos didn't even raise his head. "You're here."
"Yes," she replied.
He didn't say anything else. He sat in her chair and continued to read some document.
Sighing, Evelyn asked, "How is the bidding with the Theo Group going?"
Carlos finally raised his head to look at his daughter. "I thought you had forgotten that today is the bidding."
His voice was dripping with sarcasm. Obviously, he knew where she had been the night before. Embarrassed, she said, "Dad, if you keep doing this, I'll call Mom."
Carlos put down his pen and asked, "You stayed out all night, and won't allow me, your father, to say something about it? Do you think you are always right?"
"It's not like that, Dad." Evelyn felt the need to make things clear to Carlos. With a bitter smile, she said, "I've already promised you that I will get engaged to Calvert. I hope you won't interfere in matters between me and Sheffield before the engagement. Okay?"
"When did I interfere? Did I ask you to come back home last night?" Carlos pointed out.
Evelyn opened her mouth to argue but then realized there was nothing to say. 'He didn't ask me to come home last night, but why was he waiting for me in my office?' She assumed that he wanted to let her know that no matter what she did, he would find out. He wanted her to realize that he knew where she had been last night. He just hadn't pointed it out.
'Well, he won this round, ' she thought, and decided to compromise and drop the topic. "Are you going to tell me about the bidding progress or not?" she asked.
"No," he snorted.
Evelyn said bluntly, "Stubborn old man."
Carlos cast a burning, reproachful glance at his daughter and feigned anger. "Is this how you talk to your father? You should treat me with more respect!"
Evelyn was amused by his reaction. She tore a chapter out of Sheffield's playbook, and took the initiative to surrender. She walked over to Carlos with a smile and wrapped her arms around his arm. "That was mean of me, Dad. I'm sorry. Please tell me how the bidding is going."
Carlos' face softened a little, but he still feigned a hard tone. "Are you trying to appease me by acting like a spoiled child? You should stay away from Terilynn. She's teaching you some bad habits," Carlos reproached her.
Evelyn loosened her grip on Carlos' arm and said in a stern voice, "Well, since you don't plan on telling me anything, I'll make some phone calls and find out myself."
"Humph! Your attitude isn't helping gain any favors right now."
Resigned, Evelyn went on, "Dad, you won't tell me anything about the bidding. What else do you want me to do?"
'Why is he being so difficult?' It was obvious that her father was in a bad mood and wanted her to have a hard time.
"You will give up after asking me just once? Where is your patience?"
Evelyn felt helpless. "I have been trying to get it out of you since I came in. And you are calling me impatient. You're just being difficult." Carlos wasn't like this before. But ever since Sheffield's appearance, it had become harder and harder for her to talk to him.
