?Chapter 419:


    “Don’t worry, Mrs. Hopkins, I’ll handle it. I won’t let you down,” Penny replied firmly, her tone filled with resolve.


    Back in her bedroom, Evelyny back on the bed, frustration clouding her face.


    “What a disgrace to our family name… How could I ever face you like this?” she muttered, her voice heavy with defeat.


    Her earlier fire had dimmed, reced by a sense of helplessness, and she let out another weary sigh.


    “Unlock Nate’s room door,” she added, her toneced with resignation.


    “It’s cruel to tease him without any release. We can’t keep this up any longer.”


    “Understood, Mrs. Hopkins.”


    Meanwhile, Nate was trying his hardest to maintain control, secretly impressed with his own restraint. If he hadn’t made a promise to Corrine, he would have abandoned his gentlemanly facade a long time ago.


    He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, then her nose, before finally capturing her lips in a slow, deliberate kiss.


    He noticed the slightest flutter of her eyshes, a hint of a smile ying at the corners of his mouth.


    “How long do you n on pretending to be asleep?” he whispered, his voice teasing.


    Corrine opened her eyes, her bright smile greeting him.


    “How did you know?” she asked, her voice light with amusement.


    “When I kissed you.”


    Nate’s warm breath tickled her sensitive ear, and Corrine instinctively shrank her neck, the delicate sensation making her shiver.


    “Well, you can’t me me. You took advantage of me while I was asleep—”


    Before she could finish her yful protest, Nate’s lips found her earlobe, kissing it gently but with growing intent.


    Corrine gasped, her body trembling violently as she grabbed at his shirt, the smooth fabric bunching in her tight grip.


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    Nate’s lips traced a path down her ear, his warm breath mingling with her skin as he kissed and nibbled gently. He smiled, his deep eyes clouded with desire. His voice dropped to a husky murmur.


    “Babe, you’re incredibly sensitive…”


    Corrine trembled slightly, her teeth sinking into her lower lip in an attempt to steady herself.


    Nate’s gaze lingered on her flushed face, his eyes twinkling with yful mischief.


    “You have no idea how irresistible you are right now, like some enchantress straight out of a timeless myth.”


    Corrine arched an eyebrow, her fingers slipping to the cor of his shirt. She tugged it open, tracing the line of his corbone, her touch skimming the curve of his Adam’s apple. The simple gesture was like a spark catching fire.


    Nate’s expression darkened slightly as he seized her hand, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the sudden tension.


    “Cut it out.”


    A smile bloomed across Corrine’s face, her delicate features lighting up in the soft glow of the room. The yful charm in her eyes only added to her bold allure. Her fingers fluttered against his, scratching his palm in a teasing manner, and she leaned in close, her breath warm against his throat.


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