Nora Scott tiptoed into the room.
The curtains were drawn, blocking out the light perfectly, and the room was shrouded in darkness.
After a mont for her eyes to adjust, Nora could make out the man lying on the bed. Seeing him completely still as if fast asleep, she sighed in relief, then carefully lightened her footsteps and slowly moved to the other side of the bed.
The man didn’t move.
Pedro Langley slept soundly and wouldn’t roll around once he was asleep. It was an unknown habit he had developed, to sleep on one side on his own, leaving the other side empty.
——Perfect for Nora to slip into.
In the pitch-black bedroom, she stared at the corner of the bed for a few seconds, then quietly reached out to grab a corner of the blanket, slowly lifting it. Halfway up, she softly climbed onto the bed, lying down in the space left vacant.
Lying on her side, facing Pedro, Nora quietly pulled the blanket up to cover her shoulders.
In early June, the early sumr temperatures rose quickly, but nightti temperatures were low enough to still need a blanket.
With the blanket’s edge dragged to her shoulder, Nora exhaled softly, releasing her hand from the blanket, wanting to curl up and sleep peacefully.
Unexpectedly——
The man, who had been lying still and seed deeply asleep, suddenly turned over, sweeping her up into his arms.
Nora was startled.
"What are you up to, sneaking around in the middle of the night, madam?"
Pedro’s voice was hoarse, laced with a low chuckle that grazed her ear, its texture tantalizingly seductive.
Clearly, he was wide awake, not the slightest bit sleepy.
"You... weren’t asleep?"
Caught in the act, Nora felt a bit sheepish and guilty.
"I was," Pedro replied with a soft laugh, light and breezy, toying with her heartstrings, "until a thief woke up."
Nora stared at him, "Who are you calling a thief?"
Pedro imdiately corrected himself, "The madam woke up."
"I..." Nora paused, her hands pressed against his chest to put so distance between them, easing the heat on her neck, ears, and cheeks as she mumbled, "I was afraid you missed too much to sleep."
Pedro: "..."
If it weren’t for the ssage Oliver Scott sent him months ago saying they were playing horror gas, he might have actually believed her spontaneous fib.
Waiting for a mont, seeing Pedro unresponsive, Nora lightly furrowed her brow, "Don’t believe ?"
"I do," Pedro easily said, "Madam is so considerate, it moved to tears."
"..."
Nora didn’t believe him.
She suspected Pedro had guessed part of the truth.
Nora gave a soft humph.
She urged, "Hurry up and sleep."
"Not scared anymore?"
"Hmm."
Nora snuggled further into his embrace.
With him by her side, what was there to fear?
Even if there were any spooky things, they would have to deal with Pedro first.
When she left her bedroom, Nora was still full of energy, not sleepy at all.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she lay down, feeling the warmth of his embrace and listening to the gentle breathing, all the sleepiness and fatigue ca flooding in. Within three minutes, Nora had fallen into a deep sleep in Pedro’s arms.
Leaving Pedro quite restless through the night.
*
The next day, six in the morning.
Despite only sleeping two or three hours, the restful sleep left Nora feeling refreshed as she opened her eyes.
As for Pedro, who barely slept in the latter half of the night, the pale blue circles under his eyes said it all.
Still in a dream, hearing the rustling nearby, Pedro slightly opened his eyes, just in ti to see Nora pulling back the curtain, the bright morning sunlight slanting in, casting a patch of light over his eyes, making him squint slightly.
In his bleary vision, he caught sight of the slender figure standing by the window, bathed in sunlight, with only her silhouette visible, like a silhouette cut out against the light.
The window opened, and the breeze swept in, lifting the hem of her robe. The thin, silky fabric danced lightly in the air, fluttering up and down, as if brushing across his heart.
In the tranquil morning, with sunlight, a gentle breeze, and her presence, everything felt peaceful and cozy, as if he’d fallen into a tender dream, reluctant to wake up.
"Aren’t you catching a flight? Why aren’t you up yet?"
Nora returned, not gently, as she reached out and yanked the blanket off him.
A straightforward, rough wake-up call.
"..."
Reality was this brutal.
His beautiful woman had a fierce soul.
"Right now."
Pedro grabbed Nora’s hand.
Nora didn’t mind, ready to get up, "I’ll go see if Marcus has prepared breakfast."
Unexpectedly, the hand grasping hers suddenly pulled with force. Unprepared, she was yanked down, landing directly on top of Pedro.
If her other hand hadn’t reacted in ti to brace against Pedro’s side, she would have fallen solidly on him.
"You——"
Nora was about to scold him.
Unexpectedly, Pedro cupped her face and captured her lips in a kiss.
A gentle, lingering, and cloyingly sweet good morning kiss.
Pedro smiled and said, "Good morning."
The two embraced, lying in the morning sunlight, with a gentle breeze, relishing in the rare peaceful beauty.
*
When Nora Scott returned, Oliver Scott and Marcus Shaw were already up.
Marcus Shaw was busy in the kitchen, while Oliver Scott was leaning against the doorway with a toothbrush in his mouth, murmuring about adding two boiled eggs, and if they were soft-boiled eggs, it would be even better. Marcus Shaw, unable to bear it any longer, ca over with a ladle to shut the door. Oliver Scott got ready for defense before the attack.
At this point, the two heard the sound of the door opening.
They glanced over in unison and saw Nora Scott entering in a bathrobe, and both seed to realize sothing, paused, and then exchanged a look.
——Indeed.
At six in the morning, hearing no bamboo flute from Nora Scott, not because she was sleeping in, but because she had gone next door.
Nora Scott, accustod to it, directly instructed Marcus Shaw upon seeing the two at the kitchen door: "Make one for Pedro Langley."
"Okay."
Marcus Shaw nodded.
Oliver Scott, with the toothbrush in his mouth, mumbled, "Sis."
"What?"
"Have you considered cohabiting with your brother-in-law?" Oliver Scott asked with a cheeky smile.
"..."
Nora Scott glanced at him coldly.
Oliver Scott imdiately cowered, shrinking back a bit, moving closer to Marcus Shaw for so courage.
However, the fearless Marcus Shaw also had to lower his head in front of Nora Scott, not backing Oliver Scott, and quietly walked back.
Seeing this, Oliver Scott felt helpless, gave Nora Scott a dry smile, and quickly slipped back to the bathroom, brushing his teeth quietly and properly.
Nora Scott, speechless, shuffled back to her bedroom in slippers.
Though cohabitation...
The thought just arose, but she suppressed it.
What would happen if her parents found out?
Living next door is just a few steps away, nothing wrong with that.
*
At seven thirty, the four of them finished breakfast.
Pedro Langley headed to the airport; Nora Scott didn’t see him off but packed Marcus Shaw and Oliver Scott into the car and drove them to the cha competition venue.
It wasn’t until on the airport road that Pedro Langley, in the midst of romance and work, rembered his long-neglected friendship, and pulled out his phone to call Camilo Nogueira.
"Not interested."
Camilo Nogueira responded right away.
Pedro Langley, neither angry nor upset, uttered two words, "Crystal Hughes."
"How’s the reunion with your sister-in-law going?" Camilo Nogueira imdiately changed his tune, dropping all his dignity.
If it wasn’t for Nora Scott being frightened by a horror ga last night...
Pedro Langley really wouldn’t have had the mood to chat with Camilo Nogueira on this call.
"She’s taking Andrew to visit the cha competition today," Pedro Langley said, "Hosted by Victor Technology."
This competition was entirely managed by Camilo Nogueira, and Pedro Langley only knew this much, without looking into the details or knowing the specifics.
"Thanks."
Camilo Nogueira sincerely thanked him.
"Yeah," Pedro Langley paused, then reminded him, "Don’t let Nora Scott know."
Last night, Nora Scott had chatted a bit about Crystal Hughes to him, didn’t say much but ntioned Crystal Hughes wasn’t doing well, vaguely expressing a protective stance towards Crystal Hughes.
Camilo Nogueira had told Pedro Langley about what happened between him and Crystal Hughes back then. Pedro Langley didn’t comnt, just considered different perspectives.
But this matter certainly wasn’t as easy for him and Nora Scott.
Nora Scott currently is on Crystal Hughes’ side, without knowing Nora Scott’s stance, and he secretly helping Camilo Nogueira...
To avoid unnecessary trouble, it’s best not to let Nora Scott know about this.
"Yeah."
Camilo Nogueira agreed without hesitation.
*
At the competition venue.
This cha competition targets elentary, middle, and high schools, to avoid confusion, the schedules are not arranged together.
For instance, today is the high school group, and tomorrow is the university group.
Next weekend will be the elentary and middle school groups.
Nora Scott thought there wouldn’t be many teams since not every school participates, yet as the car approached the venue entrance, she saw it crowded with a variety of school uniforms, making her dizzy.
"So many people?" Nora Scott was stunned.
"Technology rejuvenates the nation. Various schools encourage student participation in response to the call. Basically, any school with resources in this field has ford cha teams, so even more than one team." Oliver Scott answered officially.
"Is it necessary?"
Nora Scott turned to the two of them.
"...Not really." Oliver Scott chuckled faintly, "The main thing is, the provincial first prize, city first prize, offer priority recomnded admission."
Marcus Shaw: ???
How co he didn’t know about this?
Nora Scott realized, blinked, and said nothing.
...
Due to too many cars over there, Nora Scott didn’t consider squeezing into a parking space, waving to let the two of them off first, planning to find a parking spot nearby before joining them.
The school had arranged to gather at nine, and it was almost ti now, the two wasted no ti, swiftly pushed open the door and got off.
But——
As soon as they reached the vicinity of the venue, they were stopped by a young boy with dyed yellow hair blocking their way.
User Comments
0 comments from readers