Chapter 263
Edmund said sternly, “You’re grounded for now. No going out without my permission With that, he turned and headed back to his room, bodyguard for support.
Only then did Irene hurry over to help Talia off the floor. “Why didn’t you listen? Do your really think your brother would shortchange you by taking on the company?”
h the
Talia’s legs had gone numb by then. She leaned on Irene’s arm and slowly lowered herself onto the couch. “Mom, if I were the one in charge, would i ever shortchange my brother?”
“That’s different,” Irene said immediately, shaking her head. “You’re going to get married one day. The Price family’s assets can’t fall into the hands of someone outside the family.”
Talia sneered, “Mom, you’re the only outsider in this family”
“I know,” Irene replied calmly. “That’s why I’ve never fought for anything.”
She sighed inwardly, ‘I married Michael for business, not love. It was all to support my brother’s career. There’s no such thing as true love in families like ours. Maybe some get lucky, but for most of us, it’s all about gain.
“New Talia’s mistake has dragged the Price family into the mess, and it’s even affected my brother’s business. He called me just to tell me to keep my daughter in check”
Irene let out another sigh. “Talia, I really think that Turner boy isn’t a bad option. What if you-
“That’s never going to happen,” Talia cut her off, taking the ointment the housekeeper had brought and rubbing it on her knee. The restrictions may have loosened these days, but Edmund still punished people the old–fashioned way. She had even fallen just now.
Irene waved the housekeeper away. With just the two of them in the living room, she lowered her voice to say, “I know you don’t like Keith’s reputation
but he and Yann are close
“if you were engaged to Keith, then out of respect for the Turner family, Yann would have to keep his wife in line.”
As Irene said this, she glanced toward Edmund’s room, her voice dropping even lower. “If you really end up in prison, you’ll be completely disqualified from the competition.”
That struck a nerve, and Talia froze in her tracks, it suddenly hit her that Audrey’s case was in Malcolm’s hands, and she still hadn’t managed to find lawyer willing to defend her.
If Audrey pressed charges, she would definitely end up in jail, and not just for a few days, but for three years at minimum.
Even if Talia cooperated and paid compensation, she would still be looking at a year behind bars. That was more than enough time for everything to
shit.
The people she had spent so much time grooming could easily be swapped out. After all the groundwork she had laid, she couldn’t accept seeing it all go up in smoke.
Seeing her waver, Irene gently patted her back. “If you just give me the word, I’ll talk to the Turner family myself.”
Yann was out of town when he heard the news that night, the two of them caught up over a video call
When Audrey saw that he was still wearing a dress shirt, hair a little tousled but clearly styled, she couldn’t help but ask, “Still working this late?”
“No. I just wrapped up a meeting” Yann replied as he unfastened his top button, revealing his sharp collarbone.
Chapter 263
Audrey made a playful slurping sound and rubbed her nose. “Seriously, owe you for introducing me to Pandy if it werest for film i
able to pull off those reversals back to back.”
At her words, Tann’s expression visibly darkened.
Audrey, on the other hand, was still busy singing Randy’s praises, talking up his foresight and quick thinking Getting diff from lying in one sent, she pre
big stretch and tolled around on the bed.
Returning to the laptop, she asked tentatively, “is work over there giving you a hard time?
“No.” Vann replied.
“You seem upset.
“I’m not.”
“Then smile for me.”
But Yann just stared at the screen, his face blank.
“You are upset,” Audrey said. “Who ticked you off?”
Yann stared at the laptop screen. His sharp, strikingly handsome face was magnified, yet not a single flaw could be found.
Audrey pointed at her own nose and asked, “What? Is it me?”
Yann picked up his coffee and took a sip without answering.
He huffed inwardly, ‘We haven’t seen each other in two days, and the moment we do, all she talks about is another man, going on and on like he’s a
gonius.
“The p
guy writes code, sure, and he’s not bald, but come on, is he better looking than me?‘
in purpose–she didn’t want Yann bringing up Keith.
Audrey pressed her lips together, trying hard not to laugh, Truth was, she had done it on
She pondered, ‘Keith is Yann’s best friend. What if Yann tries to smooth things over for Talia? Judging by the way he has treated me before, he probably wouldn’t. But what if he did?
“if Yann asked and I said yes, I would never be able to live with it. I finally found Talia’s weak spot. This is my shot to end it once and for all
“But if I turn Yann down, it might mess up his friendship with Keith. So, the only move I’ve got is not letting Yann bring it up at all!
Audrey looked up again, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Guess what? I’ve got a gift for you.”
Kann’s eyes lit up for a split second before he reined it in, acting completely indifferent like he couldn’t care less. But anyone who really knew him could see the subtle pleasure in the way he slowly rubbed his fingers together.
“Close your eyes,” Audrey told him. “No peeking. I mean it.”
Yann played along and shut his eyes.
Audrey disappeared from the camera for a couple of seconds and reappeared just in time to catch him sneaking a peek with one eye. She giggled “Caught you cheating”
“Alright. No more peeking.” Yann shut his eyes properly this time, a fond smile tugging at the corner of his lips
Audrey
y tapped on the webcam, hurrying him. “Nope, I don’t trust you anymore. Use your tie to cover your eyes. Go on.”
Yann stood up, grabbed a black tie, and sat back down in front of the laptop, wrapping it around his eyes. Somehow, with that smooth, flawless skin and
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the tie covering his eyes, he gave off a rugged kind of chaim.
“Hang on.” Audrey said quickly before darting off
tann leaned back in his chair and undid two more buttons, letting his white thitt hang loose around him. Tilting his hand slightly, he listened for a of someone on the other side.
He sensed someone must be there, given the soft rustling and the occasional breath that drifted close, as if somenna was making sure he want watching
Yann ran a hand up his neck, letting his fingers pause at his Adam’s apple.
Audrey, in a bit of a scramble, cumed herself for not hating second. She thought. He looks way too good right now I should be saving this for repla
“Okay, I’m done,” she finally called out, a little breathless with excitement.
Hearing Audrey’s voice, Yann hooked a finger under the tie and tugged it down, revealing one deep, smoldering eye. The next second, he yanked the whole thing off
There was a blaze in his eyes, the kind that could burn through everything in its path. His Adam’s apple bobbed with a hard swallow, but no matter how many times he tried, his mouth still felt bone dry. He narrowed his eyes, dangerously focused
“Happy with what you see?” Audrey asked, giving a slow twirl in front of the laptop.
The last time she had worn leopard–print sleepwear, she hadn’t even gotten to pose before Yarn had ripped it off.
So, Audrey had gone and bought a similar set. This set covered a bit more than the old one, but the cut still showed off all her best curves.
With music playing softly in the background, she began teasing the camera with slow, sultry moves. She told herself there was no way through the screen and grab her, so she got a little more adventurous with every pose.
Yann could jump
Audrey
ey was right there, looking delicious as ever, but he couldn’t touch her, let alone get any closer, which just left Yann aching with frustration
He slid down a bit more, and the steady rise and fall of his broad chest with each breath said it all.
e it?” Audrey turned her back to the camera, revealing the gardenia tattoo on her lower back. It seemed almost alive.
“Do you like
From the laptop came a deep, gravelly voice, paired with the sound of heavy, restrained breathing. “Keep going.”
Audrey grinned triumphantly, thinking, “Got him!”
She started mimicking the moves from the tutorial she had watched, getting bolder with each step. No pole at home? No problem. She grabbed a mop to use instead and threw herself into it, completely letting loose.
Then suddenly, there was a strange sound coming from Yann’s end of the laptop.
E
