The man didn't look like a domineering CEO at all; he resembled a ruffian instead.
"Definitely not!" Grace gritted her teeth.
With a swift motion, she lifted her leg and kicked him in the lower abdomen. Quick as a flash, he grabbed her calf, causing her slipper to fall off as her toes, painted with red nail polish, curled slightly.
Grace Quinn was a contradiction. Before her students, she was gentle and kind, but when it came to men, she was as cold as ice. Her fingernails were polished to a clean, fresh finish, yet her hidden toes wore an alluring red.
Now caught in an awkward situation, she hooked one arm around the man's neck while grasping the ropes with the other, struggling to maintain her balance.
"Mr. Amster, I'm here for a home visit," she said, trying to sound firm.
"Except for my lips, you've visited every part of my body," he replied, a teasing glint in his eyes.
Her cheeks flushed, yet her gaze remained fierce. "Please don't interfere with my work."
John chuckled softly, seemingly unfazed by her cold demeanor. Finally, he released her. "Okay, I'll change my clothes first."
Grace sighed in relief, slipping out from beside the ropes and quickly pressing the elevator button, eager to escape.
As soon as the elevator door opened, she rushed in, but a large hand blocked the closing door. He pressed various buttons, and the door shut in front of them.
In the enclosed space, Grace stood straight, staring blankly at the door, ready to spring out as soon as it opened. But John pressed the close button again, preventing her escape.
"Mr. Amster, I hope you won't pull any more stunts like this. I don't want any misunderstandings. Whatever's going on between you and your wife, I won't involve myself in your family affairs," she said, her eyes determined.
"So, you regret what happened?" he asked, his tone shifting.
Grace replied firmly, "Yes. If I had known you were married from the start, I would never have chosen you."
The atmosphere turned tense; his handsome features darkened. "Who would you have chosen instead?"
"Certainly not a married man," she shot back, pushing his arm away as the door slowly opened, light spilling in.
John watched her leave, lost in thought, as the elevator ascended to his bedroom door. The butler stood by, respectful.
"That Miss Quinn is the one you're interested in, right?" he asked.
"Yes," John admitted without hesitation. "Treat her well."
"Understood. But have you informed Miss Quinn about the child's background? You're single and raising a child, and anyone might misunderstand that he's your illegitimate child. If you want to take things further, you must clarify that you and the young master have no blood relationship to avoid misunderstandings."
John's mouth twitched. "She's not interested in the truth."
In the living room, Grace sat patiently on the sofa. The butler brought over snacks and fruits. "The young master has gone to shower and change. Miss Quinn, please enjoy some fruit while you wait."
Grace usually stuck to low-calorie meals in the evening and avoided high-calorie foods, but she replied politely, "Thank you."
She inspected the snacks and noted they were all low-calorie fruits like cherry tomatoes, kiwis, and carambolas. There were also delicate pastries.
"The bread is whole wheat, and these pastries and drinks use zero-calorie sugar," the butler explained.
She took a sip of her favorite lemonade to moisten her throat. "Besides sharing Jimmy's daily life at school, I also want to know about his situation at home. Mr. Amster is often away, so I assume you take care of him more."
Grace wanted to avoid running into John Amster later, so she focused on her home visit.
"Yes, Mr. Amster used to be away often, but he'll be home more in the future. Don't worry, Miss Quinn," the butler assured her.
"Worry? What should I worry about?" Grace thought the butler's words were a bit strange but brushed it off.
"Children need more care from their parents. Jimmy's personality is too withdrawn. When Mr. Amster is away, does Mrs. Amster spend much time with him?"
In wealthy families, relationships were complicated, and teachers typically didn't ask too many questions.
"Miss Quinn, if I may clarify, Mr. Amster isn't married. There is no Mrs. Amster," the butler explained.
Not married? So Jimmy was the product of an unwed pregnancy?
Sure enough, he was a scumbag! But at least he hadn't lied about being single.
The butler wanted to explain further to prevent Grace from mistaking Jimmy for John Amster's biological son. Just then, John's voice came from the stairs. "If Miss Quinn wants to know something, why not ask me directly?"
John appeared at the top of the stairs, dressed in black silk pajamas that shimmered under the crystal chandelier. He looked entirely different from the sweaty boxer she had seen earlier.
He casually crossed the room and sat down across from Grace, exuding the aura of a wealthy heir.
The butler excused himself, leaving Grace feeling slightly displeased.
"Mr. Amster, do you usually receive guests in your pajamas?" she asked, trying to establish boundaries.
Despite her efforts, he didn't treat her like an outsider, which annoyed her.
Initially, their relationship had started impulsively while she was drunk—a feeling she had never experienced before.
When dawn approached, he had whispered in her ear, "One more time?"
Exhausted, she had simply replied, "Next time."
But the next time had come, and then another, leading Grace to crave their encounters and fully enjoy the pleasures they shared.
However, this relationship had been based on her assumption that John Amster was a decent single man. If she had known his true identity from the beginning, she would never have gotten involved.
John raised an eyebrow. "What, not decent enough? After all, we don't wear much when we're together. Why not come to my room, and I'll try on clothes until you're satisfied?"