The mockingly evil smile on Eric's face was gradually replaced with seriousness.
Molly was so deeply touched by his gesture that she forgot he was still holding her hand.
She withdrew her hand self-consciously. "Er…Eric… You don't have to keep troubling yourself for me.
This gift is too much. I really appreciate it." Molly gushed breathlessly.
Eric stared at his hands. It felt empty the moment Molly pulled her hand away. The feel of her soft hand
entwined with his was exhilarating. His heart seemed to melt as he gazed at Molly's embarrassed face.
He could still feel the warmth of her hand and he clenched his fist to keep from pulling her hand back.
He was not comfortable at all about the way he felt about Molly.
Looking at Molly fidgeting nervously, Eric tried to look casual and unaffected. "It's nothing. I will do
anything as long as it will make you happy," he said in a cool voice.
Knowing that Eric meant every word he said, Molly felt uneasy. Suddenly, Brian's warning flashed in
her mind. She bit her lip nervously, stealing a quick glance at Eric. Trying to hide her nervousness, she
bent down to pick up the glass of milk on the table hurriedly. With her shaking hands, the glass
overturned spilling its contents over her dress and Eric's shirt.
Mortified at her clumsiness, Molly apologized,"Sorry! Sorry!" Hurriedly taking out a bunch of paper
towels, Molly set out to wipe the stains on Eric's shirt. The moment she put her hands on his clothes,
Eric grabbed her hands and pulled her near to him.
Her heartbeat faltered for a moment as Eric's eyes bore down on hers. His sharp eyes looked at her
accusingly before asking,"My dear, sweet Molly, why are you suddenly afraid of me? Do you think I
have evil designs on you?"
She blushed painfully, hearing the accusation in his voice. She felt that Eric could see through her soul
and read her every action. Molly turned her face away, avoiding Eric's probing eyes. She could feel the
tension emanating from his body. Molly swallowed nervously. Her words came out in a stammer,"I… I…
I don't…"
Molly was a poor liar and Eric knew her too well. She compressed her lips, keeping her head bent to
hide her guilty expression. Eric was relentless, catching her chin firmly and forcing her to look him in
the eyes.
His lips thinned as he accurately read her expression. His eyes suddenly looked cold and mocking as
he said in a calm yet dangerous voice,"Did my brother tell you that I like to compete with him,
especially for his property? Did he tell you that I'm taking interest in everything that belongs to him?
He did, right? And of course, since you are also one of his properties…"
His words were like a knife and it cut her right through the heart. She tried to hide the pain in her eyes
at his words. But there was no escaping his watchful eyes. 'Am I really just a property for him? A
passing fancy?' Molly shivered at the thought. The cold look in Eric's handsome face frightened her.
She had always thought that Eric was a dangerous man. But they had developed a curious relationship
from the moment they first met. He kept showing up when she was in trouble, almost like he was her
appointed guardian angel. That made her forget his cruel nature. He might hurt her, but he was always
there to heal her. Whenever her scars started to fade, he made it fresh again.
In fact, Eric could be as cruel as Brian.
Finally, Molly dared to reply to him. "So, are you saying that Brian misjudged you?" As she gradually
calmed down, she managed to meet his stare squarely.
Eric looked back at her suavely, saying nothing. Suddenly, a smile began to curve in his mouth.
His teasing smile made him more dangerously attractive.
He spoke close to her ear in a low husky tone,"Yes, he's right. So, are you scared?"
His gentle voice and teasing smile was a lethal mixture to an unsuspecting victim. Molly tried to escape
his burning gaze and pushed him away when he leaned closer as if to embrace her. Putting some
distance between them, Molly told him coldly,"I may be a plaything for Brian, but I'm not your toy!"
After giving him a piece of her mind, she strode angrily from the room in the direction of her bedroom.
Eric was left standing in the middle of the room, staring at her receding figure.
His mouth curved up in a bitter smile. Eric was used to Molly's volatile temper. She might look
outwardly timid but she could be a real fireball when her feathers were ruffled. She stirred his emotions
as no other girl had done before and that disturbed him more than her parting words.
Molly paced up and down her room, recalling what had just happened. She was annoyed with herself
for losing her temper with Eric. She stopped pacing and breathed deeply, forcing herself to calm down.
However, Eric's words kept repeating in her head. It was like putting a match to a powder keg of
emotions that she had been trying to suppress. She knew that she was just a plaything for Brian. But
hearing it from Eric's mouth made her feel so pathetic. When he said she was just one of his
properties, she lost it.
She could feel a sob rising from her chest as her eyes started to burn with unshed tears. She clenched
her fists in anger. She was angry with herself for being weak and angry with Brian for putting her in this
position. She was also angry with Eric because he couldn't seem to mind his own business. She knew
that the minute Brian lost interest in her, he would stop meddling in her life.
After a while, Molly's emotions had calmed down. She felt a little claustrophobic despite the
spaciousness of the luxurious bedroom suite. She decided to go out for a stroll along the street of QY
Island to lighten her mood.
*
In A City.
Edgar had just finished an inspection tour of the New District construction site. He visited the ruin which
had been the object of the controversial bidding. The result of the bidding had just come out.
Undoubtedly, the winner was the Dragon Empire Group.
"Mayor, Dragon Empire Group have already sent the program plan there. I have heard that they plan to
invest in the Smile Hotel," Bill said.
Edgar ignored Bill's comments.
In fact, he couldn't care less about the Dragon Empire Group's plans. All they care about was their
reputation.
It was said that the hotel had a sentimental value for the President of Dragon Empire Group.
As he thought about the rumors going around about Smile Hotel, Edgar's eyes lightened up. He caught
a glimpse of the ruin before heading back towards his car. Before he could get inside, another car
suddenly passed him at a dangerous speed. He looked up in surprise and caught a view of the
passenger at the back seat just as it cruised past him. His eyes widened in shock and for a moment his
gaze followed the car until it disappeared from sight. He shook his head disbelievingly.
"Mayor, are you all right? You look as if you just saw a ghost,"
Bill regarded Edgar curiously.
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