Chapter 5 It’s Not None Of My Business
“What… what price?” Maggie instinctively turned to look at him.
They were standing very close to each other. As she turned, her cheek lightly brushed against his lips in a fleeting moment.
Maggie was momentarily stunned, feeling a cool, soft touch. In an instant, a fiery sensation erupted, spreading swiftly from a single point, setting her entire cheek ablaze with heat.
Nathael’s pupils were dark. He didn’t give her another chance to speak. His large hand gripped her chin, and he passionately kissed her cherry lips. The kiss was soft and tender, carrying the sweetness he had longed for in his dreams. Nathael felt the beast in his heart, which had been caged, being released. It carried his deepest desire as it charged towards her.
Maggie’s body tensed, and she froze in place. In her previous life, although she had been married to Nathael for several years, they had never consummated their marriage. She was insecure about her appearance and blindness, and she harbored resentment towards him. She hated him, the “instigator,” so how could she be willing to accept his touch? The calmest times between them were probably when she was too tired to make a fuss and lived peacefully under the same roof with him, sleeping in the same bed.
Nathael forcefully pried open her teeth, carrying his long-repressed emotions, and passionately kissed her. The scent was rich, and he moved smoothly, desperately entwining.
Maggie felt a tingling sensation spreading from her tailbone, reaching every limb and bone. Her mind was blank, and his cold cedar scent enveloped her. When Maggie came back to her senses, she instinctively wanted to dodge. But Nathael didn’t give her a chance, pressing her step by step until she hit a cabinet against the wall, causing the porcelain on it to shake. She had nowhere to escape. She lowered her eyes, her breathing became heavier, and a sense of unease arose in her heart.
At that moment, she suddenly remembered what he had said in the car, “Maggie, don’t regret this!”
Her heart pounded like a drum, and the world seemed to quiet down. Maggie panted heavily, trying to relax. Was it just a kiss? When he insisted on sleeping with her in the same bed, she was also so nervous and uneasy.
But after all, Maggie was inexperienced. She remained stiff until she noticed the man’s slender fingers climbing up her back, slowly pulling down the zipper. The sound of metal sliding along the track was faint but piercing. Her skin was exposed to the air, inch by inch. Maggie couldn’t help but tremble slightly.
“Nathael… um…”
“No!” Maggie instinctively pressed his hand that had slipped under her skirt, her eyelashes covered with mist.
The man’s beautiful eyes were filled with desire. He looked down at the woman before him, his voice hoarse. “I warned you. Don’t provoke me again.”
Maggie stared at him, speechless. Was she willing to accept the man in front of her? She had never thought about it in this way, but when the image of him shooting himself and falling in front of her grave came to her mind, she felt a heart-wrenching pain. Perhaps she was willing. But not now, not when she was unprepared, not when he was highly disappointed in her, and not when he wanted to use this as a bargaining chip.
She had been used and manipulated all her life. She didn’t want to continue like this in this life. Thinking of this, Maggie suddenly found the strength to push Nathael away.
The next moment, she heard the man grunt, suppressing his pain. A faint smell of blood gradually filled the air. Maggie stood frozen briefly, her breath catching as she noticed a vivid patch of crimson staining his white shirt. The stark contrast seemed to seep from the waist, which was shocking.
She looked up to see Nathael’s face. His expression was unchanged, but a thin layer of sweat had appeared on his forehead.
“You’re injured?” Maggie asked anxiously. She had pushed him just now and touched his wound.
The romantic atmosphere dissipated as Nathael’s thin lips tightened. He turned and walked in the opposite direction, commanding, “Leave.”
Maggie didn’t comply but instead hurriedly followed him, reaching out to grasp his arm. “Let me see.”
Nathael scoffed in anger, giving her a cold stare. “Do you even know what you’re saying?” Faced with his mocking gaze, Maggie was rendered speechless, realizing that the location of his wound was rather awkward, but… Recalling everything he had done for her in her previous life, Maggie quickly made up her mind.
Her cheeks flushed, and she spoke thoughtfully, “Sit down. Let me examine your wound.”
Maggie guided Nathael to the couch, urging him with a mix of force and gentleness. He observed her in silence, his gaze filled with curiosity. Kneeling before him, Maggie hurriedly unbuttoned his shirt with her pale fingers. When the shirt was partially undone, she noticed a bandage on the left side of his waist, with a bright red blood stain seeping through, still bleeding.
“Where’s the first-aid kit?” Maggie urgently inquired, her eyes filled with anxiety.
Nathael remained silent. Observing this, Maggie refrained from asking further questions.
She turned around and began rummaging through the cabinets. Throughout their years of marriage, she often got injured due to her blindness.
Consequently, the first-aid kit was usually placed in the most conspicuous spot on the cabinet. But not this time. After a while, unable to resist the growing desire in his heart, Nathael lowered his eyes and spoke in a deep voice, “Left side, second drawer.”
Maggie glanced at him and swiftly located the first-aid kit. Returning with the kit, she retrieved scissors and carefully removed the bandage from his wound. Her gentle movements exuded nervousness, causing beads of sweat to form on her nose.
At that moment, the man’s deep voice resonated once again, “I advise you. This is none of your concern.”
Maggie could feel his gaze, but she didn’t lift her head. After carefully removing the bandage, she softly replied, “This is not none of my concern.”
Nathael’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, and his lifeless heart seemed to awaken. Yet, in the next moment, he mocked himself. What does she want this time? Maggie was unaware of his thoughts. She focused on the wound and felt a pang of sorrow. The Harris family had numerous successors, and the power struggle was brutal and insane. Nathael’s rise to the top had not been easy.
In her previous life, after marrying him, she often detected a faint scent of blood on him, mingled with the chilling aroma of cedar, which kept her awake all night. The once romantic atmosphere had dissipated, leaving the room eerily quiet.
Maggie tenderly tended to his wound. It was a scar approximately ten centimeters long. Although it seemed to have healed for some time, the flesh remained torn and unsightly, indicating a deep wound. Maggie was suddenly overwhelmed with sorrow.
Had she truly ever cared about him in her previous life?
Time ticked away. After approximately ten minutes passed, neither of them uttered a word. In a daze, Nathael observed her meticulous movements, briefly pondering if her careful attention might hint at a slight concern for him.
“Why?” His thin lips slightly parted, and his voice sounded hoarse. Maggie paused her hands’ movements and looked up, meeting Nathael’s intense gaze.
Nathael’s captivating phoenix eyes locked onto her, stubbornly seeking an answer. Why? Why are you suddenly concerned about my life and death?
