Now, the snow in Lycheeville was still falling, and the accumulated snow was deep everywhere. All flights and high-speed trains had been suspended, and the highways were completely closed.

Even the buses in the city had stopped running.

At this time, getting from Riverton to Lycheeville must have been quite a hassle.

Evelyn felt a pang of sympathy and quickly found an unopened pair of disposable slippers to put on the floor. “Your shoes are soaked; change into these.”

Jason pulled her into his embrace, tightening his grip around her waist.

The mixed scent of tobacco and crisp, icy air enveloped her completely.

She buried her head in Jason’s chest, inhaling the familiar scent of the man she knew so well.

In that instant, she forgot all the pain and grievances he had caused her.

The coolness of his lips grazed her earlobe, biting gently, a sensation both light and teasing.

“Eve.”

His low murmur was soft and tender, sending a shiver through her.

In their three years of marriage and a year of intimacy, this man had molded her into a beautiful creature that bloomed solely for him.

In front of others, she was aloof and reserved; in bed, she was full of charm.

“Is there nothing left?” Jason’s Adam’s apple bobbed as one hand deftly unzipped her dress.

“Nothing left?” She immediately realized he was referring to her period, her cheeks flushed. “Just a little bit left.”

“Hmm.”

Jason’s voice was laced with restraint as he zipped her dress back up and released her.

For a moment, she felt a sense of tranquility.

At that moment, she wished she could grow old with Jason in one night.

Jason was wearing a windproof and waterproof jacket, so he hadn’t gotten soaked, but the collar of his exposed sweater was wet.

“Take off your clothes; I’ll help you dry them with a hairdryer.” She reached out to Jason.

He stripped off all his clothes and headed to the bathroom.

As she picked up his sweater and the cashmere pants he wore underneath, Evelyn realized they were all drenched.

How long had Jason been out in the snow?

Her gaze fell on the frosted glass of the bathroom.

Water cascaded down his bare body.

He tilted his head back, eyes closed, his toned muscles devoid of any excess, and even through the misty glass, she felt her pulse quicken.

Sometimes, she reflected on her own dating and partner selection standards, which had always favored gentlemanly qualities. Why did she still like someone as despicable as Jason?

Each time, she attributed the answer to the attraction between the sexes.

With Jason, it had started with sex and then turned into love.

For Jason, there was sex but no love.

If only two out of ten of his thoughts had been devoted to her, she would have wholeheartedly devoted herself to him without hesitation.

Yet time and again, her hopes were dashed, reminding her of reality.

The fleeting fantasies quickly dissipated in her heart.

As she went to grab the hairdryer from the bathroom, she knocked on the door symbolically before entering.

“I’m here to get the hairdryer.” Just as her hand reached out, Jason pinned her against the damp glass wall.

Through the mist, his gaze was intensely heated.

“It’s not convenient for me.” She instinctively raised her arms to shield herself.

Jason gently brushed aside the loose strands of hair falling over her forehead, slowly pressing her against the glass wall as he leaned in. “Whether it’s convenient or not depends on whether you’re willing.”

Her mind went blank, and she didn’t know where to look.

Although she hadn’t experienced it before, she understood.

Jason was a very good teacher, patiently guiding and instructing her.

At that last moment, she was so shy she felt tears welling up.

After brushing her teeth three times, she still hadn’t regained her composure.

Just as she stepped out of the bathroom, Jason followed closely behind, wrapped in a towel.

To ease the awkwardness, Evelyn took the initiative, “Your clothes are soaked. Didn’t you bring a change of clothes?”

“All flights and trains to Lycheeville are halted. I took the train from Riverton to Sunnyvale, then a subway for an hour to Quirkshire, and walked from there to Lycheeville.” Jason casually dried his hair with a towel. “If I had brought another suitcase, you wouldn’t be seeing me at this hour.”

“Walking from Quirkshire to Lycheeville? Are you insane?” Evelyn said, her calm slipping away. “It’s at least thirty kilometers from the subway station to here! In this snow, the average person can only walk four or five kilometers an hour!”

“My man is not just any ordinary person; he did thirty kilometers in under four hours.” Jason chuckled, fixing his gaze on her.

A warm feeling surged inside her, leaving her momentarily speechless. She fumbled for words, “How do you know I’m staying at the Joyful Inn?”

“I know everything.” He held her face in his hands, looking intently into her eyes. “So, don’t do anything you shouldn’t. Otherwise, you won’t have a good time.”

Still caught up in the embarrassment of their earlier intimacy, she nodded like a fool.

What seemed like trivial banter pulled them closer together.

Suddenly, a knock echoed through the room.

Thinking it was the staff coming to clean, she twisted the door handle, saying, “No need to clean—”

“Eve, I just happened to pass by and brought you your favorite, Cherry-Infused Roast Goose.” Adrian's cheerful voice cut in, completely oblivious to how close Evelyn was to losing her temper!

“Go away! There’s nothing from Lycheeville that I want!” Evelyn firmly pressed against the doorframe, her expression cold as she tried to usher him away.

“Eve—”

“Mr. Johnson is here to see Eve,” Adrian’s call was interrupted by Jason.

Evelyn bit her lip in frustration, stuck at the doorway—she couldn’t close it, nor could she let Adrian in.

This was the last scene she wanted to unfold after three years, yet it had caught her completely off guard!

Adrian, seasoned in navigating the complexities of his position, quickly shifted his gaze from Evelyn to Jason, smiling broadly. “When did you come to Lycheeville? You should’ve given me a call to arrange a welcoming dinner.”

“I arrived last night.” Jason tossed the towel he’d just dried his hair with onto the chair, pulling at the towel that barely covered him. “In this state, I can’t exactly invite Mr. Johnson in for a seat.”

Adrian recognized the dismissal, but kept his composure, handing the takeout box to Evelyn. “I won’t disturb you any longer. It took me over an hour to get this in the snow, so enjoy.”

“I stopped eating Cherry-Infused Roast Goose a long time ago because it’s too sweet and rich.” She reaffirmed her stance.

Even if Jason wasn’t present, her attitude toward Adrian remained the same.

After all, what’s done is done.

“I acted on my own and didn’t mean to annoy you,” Adrian said with a sense of loss as he left.

To express her frustration at Adrian’s sudden visit, Evelyn slammed the door hard as she closed it.

Turning to Jason, she felt small and cautious. “I really didn’t know he was coming.”

“If I hadn’t been here, would today have turned out differently?” Jason’s tone was devoid of the warmth from earlier.

“Whether you were here or not, I wouldn’t have spoken to Adrian again.”

Every time she faced the dominating Jason, her arguments felt feeble.

After all, Jason had a somewhat twisted obsession with her past with Adrian!

“Did you meet with him yesterday?” Jason pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his jacket pocket.

Not wanting to escalate the situation, she decided to lie. “No.”

Jason lit a cigarette, falling into a silence as he smoked.

She switched on the hairdryer, directing warm air onto his clothes.

“No need to fuss over that. I already ordered something on my phone. It’ll be delivered to the hotel within two hours.”

Jason watched her struggle with the hairdryer and found it amusing.

“Why didn’t you say so earlier? I wasted my energy for nothing.” She turned off the dryer and rubbed her sore neck. “Honestly, I knew you wouldn’t wear these clothes anyway. The hotel has a dry-cleaning service; I’ll send them over right away.”

“Have you heard anything about the twenty million advertising fee?” Jason suddenly asked.

She froze.

Adrian’s matter was just settling down, and if she mentioned how William helped her resolve the advertising fee issue, it would surely stir up another storm.

Resolutely, she replied, “No.”

“You’ve been getting close to William lately. Didn’t you think about asking him for help?”

What she didn’t realize was that Jason’s expression had darkened.

“I got an exclusive interview with Mr. Leighton. Out of gratitude, I tutored his niece three times. It was just a casual relationship. I couldn’t possibly ask him for an advertising fee. Besides, even if I did, he wouldn’t help me.”

“Give it a try. Never underestimate your position in William’s eyes.”

Jason’s sarcasm made her uneasy, and she grabbed the clothes to head to the dry-cleaning room. “I’ll take care of it.”

As she closed the door, her phone rang, landing on the bed.

Jason stood up and picked it up, noticing the caller ID said “Mr. Leighton,” his brows furrowing tightly.

He opened the call without hesitation.

“Evelyn, Sophie passed her semi-finals smoothly. She said the one she’s most grateful to is you. Can I take you out for lunch? Are you free this afternoon?” William’s voice was warm, completely unaware that Jason was the one on the other end.

“Eve is in the shower and can’t take Mr. Leighton’s call right now,” Jason said slowly. “We’re going out for lunch, so it won’t be necessary for Mr. Leighton to join us.”

“My niece said that without Evelyn’s tutoring, she wouldn’t have made it this far. I’m treating Evelyn to this meal. Of course, Mr. Stark is welcome to join.”

William’s response sounded perfectly natural.

“Since Mr. Leighton is being so generous, it would be rude for us not to go. But Eve and I won’t be in Riverton these next few days. Let’s arrange something when we’re back,” Jason didn’t decline.

William’s curiosity was piqued, and he playfully asked, “Are Mr. Stark and Evelyn escaping for a little getaway?”

“Mother-in-law had an accident, so Eve and I came to Lycheeville yesterday.” Jason, who usually held back with William, spoke slowly, “Eve is an only child. They say a son-in-law is like half a son. No matter how busy I am, I have to come, right?”

“Didn’t expect Mr. Stark to dote on his wife so much. It seems the rumors in the industry are just that—rumors,” William teased, pointing out Jason’s vulnerability.

“Only Eve can truly speak on whether it’s a rumor or not.” Jason changed the subject. “How is Mr. Leighton considering the collaboration between the Stark Group and SinoContinental on the new energy project?”

“It’s not my call,” William replied humbly. “The decision lies with the board. Isn’t the first round of negotiations coming up next week? I hope to hear some good news.”

“Mr. Leighton, I’m fully committed to the collaboration between the Stark Group and SinoContinental,” Jason said calmly.

“Commitment isn’t just words; it also depends on how Mr. Stark acts.” William replied with a meaningful smile. “I look forward to working with Mr. Stark, though I wonder if I’ll ever get that opportunity in this lifetime.”

Jason heard the door lock click and knew Evelyn was back, so he ended the call.

“Did someone call me?” Evelyn asked as she walked in, noticing him holding her phone.

Jason put the phone back in its place. “William.”

Evelyn sensed something in Jason’s sharp gaze, grabbed her phone to check, and gasped!

Four minutes and thirty-eight seconds of call time!