[Chapter 40]
Natalie looked tired, but her tone was as cold as it was that morning.
As she spoke, she dumped the money on the coffee table and then got up to walk to her room. Before closing the door behind her, she stole one last glance at the man.
Truth be told, she was delighted to have received flowers from Sebastian. She had never seen so many flowers before, let alone the fact that they were from Sebastian.
But the most important thing for two people to get along was to trust each other. Sebastian didn't trust her enough, and that was what made her mad. She couldn't let go of it so soon.
Breathing a long sigh, Natalie threw herself to the bed dejectedly.
Just outside her door, Sebastian was seething with rage. He gritted his teeth and walked to the balcony to call Garrett.
"So how did it go? Have you won her heart yet?" Garrett asked bluntly, his voice riddled with amusement.
Sebastian sneered. His eyes clouded over, even darker than the night sky. "Thanks to you, I haven't rested since sundown," he hissed.
"Oh, my God! You're amazing! It's been almost four hours! Good job, buddy!" Unfortunately, Garrett didn't seem to sense anything wrong. He continued excitedly, "I told you it'd work! Since I've helped you with something so important, would you consider giving me some time off?"
Sebastian was so angry that he almost burst into laughter. Glancing at Natalie's door, he cursed in a low voice, "You're fucking useless! Your shitty idea didn't work at all. She called me a big spender and asked me to return the flowers. I even had to get rid of all the petals on the floor. I just finished cleaning! And you say you deserve a vacation? Garrett, you're working in the office this month—with no weekends off."
If Sebastian was in a bad mood, it meant that not only Garrett was in trouble. The entire Larson Group was about to face a storm.
"Wait! Don't hang up!" Garrett shouted in a hurry. Pressing his phone against his ear tightly, he quickly lifted the quilt and got out of bed.
His girlfriend was in the bathroom, taking a shower. But Garrett was in no mood to peak at her beautiful naked body. He went straight to the balcony, wine bottle in tow, and said, "Mr. Klein, calm down. Flowers worked every time for me. But I already told you that your wife's different. How about I give you a few of my girlfriend's books? They're all manuals on love. You might find some good ideas in there."
Sebastian snorted coldly and hung up the phone without another word.
It was rare for him to be so emotional. Such an uncontrollable mood couldn't be good.
The next morning, in the Larson Group, Garrett slapped a paper bag of books onto Sebastian's desk. Smiling brightly, he declared, "These are all good. I guarantee that by tonight, you'll get to cuddle with your wife."
Sebastian glanced at him emotionlessly but decided to finish up his work before opening the bag. Finally, he put down the document in his hand and picked up the paper bag.
"My Bossy CEO Boyfriend"…
"Pregnant Wife Runs Away"…
"Mysterious CEO, Gentle Lover"…
What the hell was all of this bullshit?!
Sebastian's nose wrinkled with disgust. He had half a mind to throw the books into the garbage can, but after a moment of hesitation, he picked one up and read it. His knitted brows didn't loosen until he put it down.
The content of the books were even more shocking than their titles. Sebastian felt the need to wash his eyes after reading it.
But perhaps the books weren't completely useless. There was common theme in all these books. Whenever the hero and the heroine quarreled, they would solve the problem by making passionate love. The hero would always push the heroine down forcefully and kiss her, and things would escalate until they had made it to their bed. Then all their problems would be solved.
Sebastian frowned slightly, wondering if he should also give it a try.
At night, Natalie wore her headphones and sat on the chair, with one leg under her bum, and began working on her design.
Her elegant fingers had a way of their own with the pen. She painted at ease, drawing bold, confident strokes. The window was open, and the summer breeze rustled her long, silky locks.
Sebastian knocked on the door. His heart flipped when he witnessed the beautiful scene.
Natalie glanced at him and looked away, focusing on the painting.
Sebastian took her gesture as approval to get into the room. He shamelessly walked in and closed the door.
"Let's talk." Sebastian's eyes were dark. He placed a steaming glass of milk on the table and looked at her.
The sweet scent of milk wafted in the air.
Natalie pursed her lips. Her mind was a mess. "I don't have time."
Sebastian took a step back and sat on the edge of the bed, trailing his fingers across the soft bedsheet. "I'll wait for you to finish your work."
Natalie's unique scent filled the room as the wind swept across her. Sebastian's mouth dried, and his body turned hot in an instant. He felt a surge of desire within him.
At eleven at night, Natalie finally stopped drawing. She stole a glance at Sebastian, who was staring at her.
Natalie stood up and picked up her graphic tablet on the table. The next moment, darkness engulfed her. Sebastian's muscular frame pressed against hers. He placed his hands on either side, trapping Natalie against the table. His hot breath blew against her ear.
"You're done with work. Let's talk now."
Natalie's ears turned red, and her heart took a sprint in her chest as if she were on a rollercoaster. "What do you want to talk about?"
Sebastian wrapped his arms around Natalie and pulled her into a tight embrace. His hair rested on her shoulder, exuding a faint peppermint scent. "What on earth do you want me to do to calm you down?"
Natalie trembled, shifting her weight from one foot to another, as his hot breath made her skin prickle with goosebumps. "Let go of me, Sebastian! I have to clean the desk," she whined, shrinking back.
Sebastian got reminded of the domineering heroes he had read in books, who wouldn't let go of their love interests during such situations. The more their female counterparts struggled, the more aggressive they would get.
He held her tighter and pressed his body against Natalie's, trapping her against the desk. With his free hand, he helped her put the tablet into the bag and asked, "Why are you shaking? I'll help you clean up the desk."
"Let go of me first. We'll sit down comfortably and talk." Natalie tried wriggling out of his hold. She was both shy and scared.
"If I let you go, you will run away and won't talk to me," Sebastian grunted.
He hooked his fingers under her chin and lifted her head to make her look at him. "You naughty girl!"
Natalie's eyes widened.