Brian got down on one knee and watched the tears of sorrow and despair welling out from Molly's
eyes. After a while, he stretched out his arms and pulled Molly against his chest. With his hands patting
on her back softly, he whispered into her ear, "You're my wife. Isn't it my duty to protect you from all
harm?"
"I'm... I'm not your wife," whined Molly, like a child throwing a temper tantrum. She leaned against
Brian's chest and enjoyed the familiar smell. In the comfort of his hug, she almost forgot that their
relationship only existed because of Mark.
Brian quietly listened to her sobbing, and his lips curled up into a smile. She was crying in his arms, yet
he felt strangely pleased because of her childish tone.
"Although Hanson is an excellent disciple of the God of Gamblers, he still can't win every game,
despite his talents. Similarly, even though I'm not as talented as he is, it doesn't mean that I'll
necessarily lose to him." Brian's low and charming voice flowed into Molly's ears. He continued to
explain, "It's true that playing roulette requires good skills, yet to win a game of roulette, one relies
more on good eyesight. It's the ability to predict where the balls would fall into according to their speed
when they're dropped onto the wheel and their rotational speed. I may not be talented enough to be a
disciple of the God of Gamblers, but I still can calculate the rotational speed of the balls. So, Hanson
doesn't really have any advantage over me in roulette. If I had played blackjack against him, I might
have lost."
Molly didn't stop crying and didn't seem to have taken in Brian's explanation, but he still continued to
say, "Besides, he had been staying here for the past few days and had invited many others to play
roulette with him. His rule of the one-on-one game between the two winners of the first five rounds was
obviously prepared for me. As for his gamble to have a night snack with you, that was nothing more
than a trick to piss me off."
Molly didn't ponder much over his words. After a while, she finally stopped crying and heard some
passersby condemning Brian. She noticed that there were already many people standing around and
looking at them. Molly immediately flushed and she felt her cheeks burn red.
A sly look flashed across Brian's eyes as he said, "Shall we go now?"
Embarrassed and uncomfortable, she nodded hastily. Before Brian could move a step, she grabbed his
hand and left in a hurry.
Aware of her embarrassment, Brian followed her silently. After they got far away from the watching
crowd, Molly stopped and shook off Brian's hand. She complained annoyingly, "We were being stared
at by so many people."
"It doesn't matter. They don't know you," replied Brian indifferently.
Molly gaped at him. What did it matter whether they knew her or not? She was still embarrassed all the
same. Molly realized it was better that she didn't try to get that information through to this man. She
assumed that he probably wouldn't even understand.
As she stood there stunned and speechless, Brian's face became serious. He raised his hand to tuck
her wind-tousled hair behind her ear and said, "I promise you that nobody can ever force you to do
anything against your will." 'Well, nobody except me, ' Brian corrected himself in his mind.
He wouldn't allow anyone to hurt her, yet he also didn't want her to leave him no matter what she
wanted. Human beings were such selfish creatures. They were bound by double standards when it
came to the things that mattered to them personally.
With Brian's sharp eyes looking keenly at her, Molly couldn't help but lower her head and press her lips
together. His promise was so significant that she felt overwhelmed.
Brian slowly leaned his face towards hers. Molly didn't react to it until his lips touched hers. She tried to
move backwards instinctively, but felt his hand at the back of her head, keeping her in place.
"Molly, you really are a foolish woman," said Brian as he left her lips. Closing his eyes, he then left a
soft kiss on her forehead, "No matter what happens, you should never leave me again."
*
In A City.
Eric sat with his slender legs crossed with a glass of wine in one hand while his other hand rested on
the arm of the sofa. CEOs and top bosses from the most competitive business groups in A City were
trying their best to introduce themselves to him. They were hoping to win a cosmetics production line
project which the Dragon Empire Group was planning to invest in A City during the next half of the year.
"Mr. Eric Long," said one general manager of a business group, raising his wine glass with a smile,
"Cosmetic has always been the main product of our group. Our brand is well known internationally. Do
you have an interest..."
"Wait a minute, Mr. Wang. You should know that our brand is far better known than yours," interrupted
another man, "Besides, our new skin-care product which adopts pharmacology is favored by an
overwhelming majority of consumers. I think that our group is more qualified to co-operate with the
Dragon Empire Group than yours.
"
One group after the other scrambled to discuss about their own advantages. Eric didn't utter a word
and quietly watched their fierce competition. He took a sip of his red wine. The strong taste spread in
his mouth. With his usual smile, casual yet dangerous, he stared at the swirling liquid in his glass.
Raising his eyes, he casually glanced at the girl sitting at the far corner of the room. Unlike the others
around her, she hadn't opened her mouth except for introducing herself when she had come in.
When she met Eric's eyes, she replied with a soft smile. She looked polite, and there was no flattering
air around her like the others.
"Enough," interrupted Eric with slightly knitted eyebrows, "The Dragon Empire Group will decide its
cooperator according to your actual conditions, market assessments and the reports you hand in. I'm
not in the mood for further business talks today."
After exchanging glances, the tension between the men diffused and they all started laughing and
entertaining themselves as if they forgot about their heated discussion a moment ago. Under the office
staff's direction, several good-looking girls entered the room and sat down randomly beside the men.
Two beautiful girls sat on either side of Eric.
No one felt awkward about the girls' presence. They were used to this kind of occasion. With the same
smile on his face, Eric glanced at the calm girl at the corner. Even though there were several hostesses
in the room, she didn't show any reaction to it
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