My CEO Husband Says I'm Irreplaceable

Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Clearly Very Indulgent!

Vesper Grayson woke up in a warm embrace. The room was already bathed in the gentle orange-red glow of the sunset outside. The last rays of the sun spilled over the windowsill, casting everything in a hazy, warm tone and wrapping the very air in a lazy twilight.

The moment she stirred, the man behind her tightened his arms, holding her firmly in his embrace.

The man rested his chin on the crown of her head, his voice raspy from just waking up—a low, deep rumble that seemed to scratch at her heart.

"You’re awake?"

Vesper Grayson’s cheeks flushed. She let out a soft "mhm" and struggled slightly. "You can let me go now."

But the man’s hands around her waist didn’t loosen; instead, they tightened.

He chuckled softly, his breath brushing against the tip of her ear with a lazy sort of allure.

"Rested up...? Does that mean it’s time for... other things?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he tilted his head slightly, and a light kiss landed on the side of her neck.

Vesper Grayson instinctively recoiled, murmuring, "That tickles..."

The man let out another low laugh, his voice now deep and husky, thick with undisguised possessiveness. His tongue swept lightly across her sensitive skin, making her whole body go limp until she nearly melted in his arms.

"Don’t pull away."

He whispered hoarsely, his hand slowly tightening to press her completely against him. His warm breath, tinged with the twilight air, drifted inch by inch over her cheeks and the corners of her lips.

Vesper Grayson opened her moist, almond-shaped eyes, and just as she was about to speak, he sealed her lips with a kiss that was both gentle and demanding.

The kiss deepened, growing fiery and hot.

The sunset glow fell upon their intertwined figures, weaving every soft gasp into the warm twilight.

The room filled with an air of tender intimacy, a passion difficult to restrain.

Afterward, the man held her tightly in his arms, thoroughly sated.

Vesper Grayson’s entire body was soft and weak, her skin flushed a light pink. Strands of hair clung messily to the side of her neck, and the corners of her eyes were still moist.

She was so limp she could barely lift a hand, curled up in his embrace with shallow breaths. Even her fingertips were tinged with a languid red.

He lowered his head and kissed away the light sweat at her temple, his voice low, husky, and full of indulgence.

"Miss Grayson, it seems your stamina could use some work."

Vesper Grayson’s eyelashes fluttered. ’He’s the one with superhuman stamina.’

’How can he maintain so much energy after working such long hours every day?’

"People say President Hawthorne is ascetic and uninterested in women. I don’t think that’s entirely true."

"Oh?"

"You’re clearly... quite indulgent."

"Heh, that depends on who I’m with."

The man’s dark eyes, set against the sunset’s glow, seemed even more profound.

Just as Vesper Grayson was about to ask something, Jared Hawthorne had already rolled out of bed. His movements were swift and clean, revealing a sharply defined physique. His back was firm and powerful, and his waistline was fully exposed, the contours of his muscles clearly visible.

Her gaze felt seared, as if she had been burned. She hurriedly buried her face in the soft duvet, leaving only the top of her head exposed, her heart pounding erratically.

’This man... doesn’t he have any sense of propriety at all...?’

Jared Hawthorne took in her flustered, nowhere-to-hide reaction, a slight smile playing on his lips. Without a word, he turned and walked straight into the shower.

Only when the sound of running water started did she dare to peek her head out.

Steam clouded the frosted glass of the bathroom, and the man’s tall, straight figure was faintly visible under the light.

Her phone rang. It was a call from Dolly Hughes.

"Dolly?"

"Sister Vesper, I have some incredibly satisfying news for you! Ivy Joyce was sentenced—seventeen years! President Lockwood is really ruthless. He had his lawyers pressure the court for a harsher sentence."

Hearing this news, Vesper Grayson didn’t feel much satisfaction. Instead, an indescribable sadness spread through her heart.

"Okay, I understand."

"Sister Vesper, are you not happy? Why is your voice so hoarse? Are you not feeling well?"

"..." ’The girl is quite perceptive.’

"Sister Vesper?"

"No," Vesper Grayson cleared her throat. "It’s probably just the heavy workload lately."

"Then you need to get more rest. Oh, right, there’s one more thing. I heard that for the project President Lockwood was in charge of, an investor pulled out, and now he has to pay a breach of contract penalty. Mr. Zimmerman and the other shareholders discussed it and are demanding President Lockwood take sole responsibility. If things go badly, President Lockwood might have to sell his company shares to cover the debt..."

It was obvious this was a conspiracy targeting him.

Ever since Zephyr was founded, it had been senselessly targeted by Zenith.

The outside world and Luke Lockwood himself just thought Zephyr had good luck and a solid foundation. No one knew that she was the one who had been quietly smoothing things over behind the scenes.

Now, Thomas Sutton had withdrawn his investment, and other investors had followed suit. If Zenith hadn’t bought the shares she held, Zephyr’s cash flow would have been severed long ago, and the company would have been beyond saving.

She was very curious. With Zenith’s power, why would it single out a small company like Zephyr?

’Could it be that Luke Lockwood has some personal grudge with someone high up at Zenith?’

’Whatever, it’s not my problem anymore.’

She had no interest in Luke Lockwood’s affairs. From the moment they broke up, they had nothing to do with her.

"Dolly, I’m looking for an assistant. Would you be interested in giving it a try?"

Dolly Hughes was overjoyed. "Sister Vesper, you mean me?"

"I remember you majored in secretarial studies in college, right?"

"I did."

"If you’re willing, come find me in Northolme."

She happened to need a secretary, and she thought Dolly Hughes was a good fit.

The sound of the water stopped abruptly.

The man walked out, bare-chested, with only a towel tied loosely around his waist. Beads of water clung to his firm chest, each one distinct, rolling slowly down the lines of his muscles. His skin was still damp, giving him a look that was both rugged and sensual.

Vesper Grayson glanced over, then quickly averted her eyes. "Why aren’t you wearing any clothes?"

’She had reason to suspect he was trying to seduce her.’

Jared Hawthorne raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I’m about to."

And with that, he unabashedly dressed in his pajamas right in front of her.

She kept her eyes averted the entire time.

"Take a shower, change your clothes, and come down to have dinner with me."

After saying that, he walked straight out.

It was only when she heard the door close that Vesper Grayson let out a breath and her whole body relaxed.

When she lived with Luke Lockwood, they had never been so unreserved with each other.

She had assumed it would be the same living with Jared Hawthorne, but she hadn’t expected the damn man to be so casual about things.

’The feeling was strange... but she didn’t dislike it!’

...

Luke Lockwood had originally planned to buy a property in Northolme and settle there long-term, just to be closer to Vesper Grayson.

But he never could have imagined that his business partner would suddenly file a lawsuit against him, demanding he pay a huge penalty for breach of contract and cover all financial losses.

With no other choice, he had to rush back to Ashmore to handle it.

The contract was in black and white, and the other party had ample evidence. He didn’t stand a chance of winning.

His lawyer’s expression was grim.

"Mr. Lockwood, I’ve carefully reviewed all the contracts and evidence. You signed the contract personally, with no guarantor. There is no chance of winning this lawsuit, so you will have to bear all the compensation alone. The only option now is to liquidate your personal assets as quickly as possible and prepare for full repayment. Otherwise, if you lose the case and enforcement begins, the consequences will be even worse."

Luke Lockwood’s face turned cold and grim. His palms clenched so tightly they went numb as a helpless chill spread from the bottom of his heart.

He never would have thought that ever since Vesper Grayson left, everything would go wrong for him, sending him plummeting to the lowest point of his life.

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