Chapter 6 Carry On
Maggie asked softly, “And what about you? Why did you keep agreeing to my conditions?”
Why did he continue to give in, even though he knew she had hidden motives? In her previous life, she had always believed that her threats worked and that her and the Camerons’ schemes had succeeded. But in reality, that was never the case. Nathael was speechless, his facial expression tightening slightly.
Maggie looked away and said gently, “The bandage might shift. Let me secure it around your waist. Could you sit up a bit?”
Nathael silently followed her instructions, never taking his gaze off her. He was addicted to this tenderness, addicted to her concern for him. Even though he knew it was all fake, he couldn’t help but fall for it.
Maggie didn’t think much of it. She pulled out a long strip of bandage and carefully wrapped it around his waist. However, she couldn’t reach the end with her other hand, so she leaned in and used her other hand to catch it. Nathael tensed. In that moment, Maggie realized their position was too intimate, as if she was hugging his waist. Suddenly, her cheeks heated up, and she became nervous, not daring to move. Her face was very close to his, almost touching his waist.
Maggie’s throat tightened, and her heart was beating rapidly. She had long known about his impressive physique, slender waist, and muscular build. She could feel it clearly, even though she had never noticed it in her previous life. And now his well-defined abs were right in front of her. His well-defined eight-pack boasted a fair complexion, with the unbuttoned shirt exposing a smooth and refined V-line. Long, dark trousers casually rested on his waist, exuding allure and sexiness.
“Do you like what you see?” Nathael looked at her with dark eyes, his deep voice resonating.
Maggie snapped back to reality and instinctively looked at him. Meeting his teasing gaze, she quickly averted her eyes, her cheeks flushed red. The burning sensation spread from her ears to her neck, tinting it a light pink.
“It’s… it’s fine.” Maggie stuttered, her face flushed, as she took the bandage with her other hand.
“Just fine?” Nathael’s gaze lingered on her reddening earlobe, his eyes carrying depth. His words flowed leisurely with a gentle tone.
Maggie was speechless. Her eyes were misty with emotion. She looked like a blooming rose. So embarrassing. Soon, the bandage was wrapped around for the second time, and she was caught in a dilemma. After a moment of hesitation, she closed her eyes, steeled her heart, and leaned in further, holding her breath as she wrapped the bandage around his waist. Whatever, just do it! The man’s body had a faint scent of cedar, which was very pleasant. Although the smell of blood and medicine masked it, it was still discernible if she was close enough. Maggie couldn’t help but feel dazed. In the following years of her previous life, even though she hated him due to an unknown truth, she had to admit that she had gotten used to his presence. It seemed that only his scent could make her feel at ease.
Unfortunately, she was blinded by hatred during those years of being together. She saw him as a savior but never cherished him. Thinking of this, Maggie felt even more lost. She really was a failure. A few minutes later, she carefully wrapped the bandage and tied it in a neat knot. “Done.” While speaking, the medicine bottle accidentally fell to the ground. Her hair snagged on his belt buckle as Maggie leaned down to retrieve it.
“Ouch.” The sudden jolt caused her to inhale sharply, and she instinctively reached out to free her hair from the buckle’s grasp.
Nathael’s gaze darkened, and he grabbed her fumbling hand. His voice filled with annoyance. “Maggie, what are you trying to do?”
Maggie was on the verge of tears. “My hair…”
In that moment, the sound of the password lock clicking echoed, accompanied by a man’s voice interrupting, “Uncle, are you seriously considering…?”
Marcello’s words were abruptly cut off as the scene in front of him transported him back in time. His typically aloof and reserved uncle was partially dressed, seated on the sofa, with a slender, fair-skinned woman kneeling before him. Oh my god! Marcello smirked mischievously as he quietly exited the room. “Carry on. Carry on!”
Nathael’s face immediately darkened, and Maggie looked at him with confusion.
A few seconds later, Maggie snapped back to reality. Her face instantly flushed. “No, it’s not what it looks like.” She wanted to explain and was eager to release her hair. However, her angle was unfavorable, and her hair was tightly pulled; she couldn’t lower her head. Besides, Marcello had already left, leaving Maggie speechless.
On the other hand, Nathael had regained his composure. He leaned over her, his voice husky and deep, with a hint of playfulness.
“Then what is it?”
His warm breath brushed against her head. Maggie wanted to move away, but she couldn’t budge. She couldn’t help but blush, whispering, “Don’t move. It hurts.” Her voice was soft and gentle, devoid of her usual coldness and pretense. She appeared charming and genuine. “Can… can you help me untangle my hair?” Maggie stammered, not daring to touch his belt again, afraid of causing more trouble.
Nathael’s gaze was intense. He stared at her for a few seconds, then slowly reached out to carefully untangle the tangled hair. Through the disheveled strands, Maggie caught a glimpse of his slender and clear fingers gently twirling her hair; his movements were so gentle that she felt no pain.
“It’s done,” the man’s deep voice sounded after a few seconds. Maggie breathed a sigh of relief and quickly stood up from the floor. However, she had been kneeling on the carpet while tending to his wound, and her legs had gone numb from being in one position for too long.
As she stood up, she lost her balance and stumbled to the side. Nathael frowned and reached out to steady her. Maggie paused for a few seconds, barely managing to regain her balance, but her attention was drawn to the large hand holding her wrist. It was an exquisite hand, adorned with slender and graceful fingers, delicate joints, neatly manicured nails, and a subtle blush visible on them. As she touched his skin, she could feel the cool, refreshing, and immaculate sensation of his fingertips. Maggie couldn’t help but recall how he had lost an arm in their past lives and how he had died before her tomb.
Neither Maggie nor Nathael made a move. After a few seconds, Maggie composed herself, swiftly withdrew her arm, and whispered, “Thank you.”
Nathael remained silent, but he couldn’t resist lightly caressing his fingertips. The delicate and velvety touch he had experienced made it difficult for him to let go.
“I… I’ll leave now. You mustn’t hand over the Chronopolis project to the Camerons!”
Maggie looked up at the man before her with a serious and solemn expression.
