Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Man-eating Wolf
The Preston Familyās current residence was a small three-story house with a courtyard. The soundproofing wasnāt great, so Vera didnāt dare say much and quickly reached out to pull him inside.
He was tall, and the window was frankly a bit too small for him. He had only just barely managed to squeeze through.
Vera closed the window properly before asking him, "What are you doing here?"
Nathaniel didnāt answer. He looked her up and down, then let out an almost inaudible sigh of relief. He reached out, pulled up her sleeve, and frowned at the red and purple marks on her arm. "Did she do this?"
Vera sensed the faint hostility radiating from him and said softly, "No, I pinched myself."
Nathaniel froze for a moment. She smiled at him. "If I donāt teach her a lesson, sheāll bully me every day, ordering me to do this and that. How would I ever have time to study?"
Her explanation made everything clear to Nathaniel. "She should have been dealt with long ago," he said coolly. "But donāt do something foolish like hurting yourself again. If you really canāt handle things, you still have me."
After his contact in the military compound told him what had happened at the Preston Familyās house that afternoon, the report was heavily exaggerated. Vera had put on such a pitiful act that the informant had embellished the story, making it sound as if Rona Langdon had nearly beaten Vera to death.
He had been incredibly worried about Vera, but the Nathan and Preston families didnāt have much contact. By the time he heard the news, it was already late. And since his and Veraās relationship wasnāt public, he couldnāt very well visit her openly.
After considering his options, he decided to just climb over the wall to get in.
Fortunately, the Preston Familyās small courtyard was on the southern edge of the compound. He scaled the outer wall and, relying on his exceptional skills, climbed into the yard silently and bare-handed. Not even the ever-vigilant Zachary Preston noticed a thing.
A warmth spread through Veraās heart when she heard him say that. She chuckled softly. "Alright, Iāll do better next time."
His gaze fell upon her. āShe looks so beautiful when she smiles.ā
Although they had a marriage certificate, they didnāt really know each other that well when it came down to it.
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And with Nathanielās naturally cold and aloof personality, the atmosphere in the room grew a little strange when they both fell silent.
Vera found the silence awkward as well, so she tried to make small talk. "How did you get up here?"
"I climbed," Nathaniel answered simply.
Veraās eyes widened. She had looked out the window during the dayāthe wall was completely smooth and three stories high. She couldnāt possibly imagine how heād climbed it and couldnāt help but blurt out, "Are you part gecko or something?"
Nathaniel shot her a cool glance. Realizing her slip of the tongue, she wanted to take it back, but he replied with a perfectly straight face, "Iām a wolf. The kind that eats people."
Vera couldnāt help but laugh. "Well, this is the first time Iāve ever seen a wolf that can climb walls so well. That sounds like a highly technical skill. How about you teach me how to do it sometime?"
Nathaniel snorted. "A womanās place is safely at home. Climb walls, and youāll get your hands chopped off."
Vera stuck her tongue out. "Chopped off, you say? Ooh, Iām so scared!"
Nathanielās mind was stuck on that fleeting moment when she had stuck out her tongue. The nimble, pink tip had looked far too tempting. Her lips were also a soft, tender pink, and they looked as if they would taste wonderful.
He had always been a man of action. He moved in close, intending to kiss her, but heād forgotten how small and low-ceilinged her room was. While her five-foot-five frame fit just fine, the moment he, at over six feet tall, leaned in, he banged his head right on the wall.