Celia: "…"
Emily, sweetie, if you don't understand something, just ask me! I can explain it!
Celia lifted her gaze and looked at the man.
Nathaniel Fu was standing tall in the living room, still wearing his black coat. He glanced at the item in Emily's hand, then looked directly at her.
Celia wished the floor would swallow her whole.
"Emily, give that to me—I'm going back to my room," she said quickly and rushed off with the big box in her arms.
In her room.
Celia took out her phone and sent a message to Jessica:"Jess, what the hell did you mean by sending me that???"
There was no reply. Jessica had just flown back to the country and was probably still jet-lagged.
Celia covered her flushed face with both hands, then decided to take a shower. Afterward, feeling a bit thirsty, she stepped out to the kitchen to get some water.
She poured a glass of warm water and had just taken a few sips when she turned around and walked straight into a solid, muscular chest.
The water spilled, soaking the front of the man's black shirt.
It was Nathaniel.
He had come downstairs at some point and was now standing silently behind her.
"Ah!" Celia gasped in shock.
Nathaniel looked down at her with his cool, handsome features and said in a low voice,"Don't scream."
Since that night—the one where she had been a stand-in for someone else—neither of them had spoken a word to each other.
This was the first thing he said to her since then: "Don't scream."
The air between them suddenly became thick with tension.
Celia's clear, dark eyes flickered, and she instinctively turned to leave.
But he stepped in front of her, blocking her path. His lips curled into a smirk."You're just going to walk away after soaking my shirt? Wipe it off."
Celia froze. With no other choice, she grabbed a few tissues and gently dabbed at his shirt.
Nathaniel rolled up his sleeves, revealing strong forearms and a sleek luxury watch. His black slacks were paired with an expensive belt. He stood there, hands in his pockets, watching her with cold detachment.
After a long pause, he finally spoke again."Bought a lot of stuff, huh?"
Celia's hand hesitated mid-wipe. She knew exactly what he was referring to—that box full of condoms."I didn't buy them," she said quickly. "My best friend gave them to me."
"Oh? Why would she give you that? What exactly have you been up to?"
"…"
Just then, a WeChat notification pinged on her phone.
It was Jessica's reply—two voice messages.
In a panic to clear things up, Celia quickly opened them in front of him."I didn't do anything! If you don't believe me, listen for yourself!"
Jessica's playful voice came through,"Celia, I got them for you and Mr. Fu! As your bestie, I'm covering all the... supplies for your love life."
Celia's eyes widened in disbelief.She didn't even understand what Jessica meant!
But before she could react, the second voice message auto-played:"Oh, and I made sure to get the largest size—only the best for our President Fu, right?"
Celia: "…"
A suffocating silence fell over the room.
Celia looked up at Nathaniel, who was still watching her intently.
His gaze had darkened. His Adam's apple shifted as he slowly leaned in."So, you've told your best friend about us… and this is what she sends you?"
His handsome face was now inches from hers, and the crisp, piney scent of his cologne surrounded her. Celia's cheeks flushed bright red. She couldn't tell if it was his low, teasing voice or simply the overwhelming presence he exuded—but this man was a walking temptation.
Fighting to remain composed, she furrowed her brows and said firmly,"No! I never told anyone anything! I have nothing to do with Mr. Fu!"