Chapter 91
Jessica and Zachary began eating lunch after Susan had left.
Jessica took off her coat, revealing a black cashmere turtleneck dress paired with ankle boots. She had a delicate, demure appearance, which made her appear all the more captivating.
“Are you free tonight?” Zachary asked, breaking the silence.
“Yes, I’m free.”
“I need you to help me with something.”
“What is it?” Jessica asked, baffled as to what kind of problem a high–powered CEO like Zachary could possibly need her help with.
Zachary replied, “I’d like you to help me get rid of some unwanted suitors.”
Jessica almost choked on her food. Zachary was practically a recluse, spending all his time in his office. How could these unwanted suitors possibly reach him? How could he even have so many of them?
“You see, an acquaintance of my father’s has a daughter whose company is celebrating its grand opening tonight with a banquet, and I’ve been invited to it.
“She’s been fond of me for years now and used to be very attached to me. You see, even her mother is trying to set us up,” Zachary explained, fixing his gaze on Jessica’s face.
Jessica asked, “You could have just turned her down, right?”
“How should I turn her down?”
“You can…” Jessica hesitated, a new thought dawning on her.
If their marriage were made public, then it would be very difficult to navigate her career at the company, as she would never be able to get a promotion without people assuming that it was
favoritism.
In the end, without a proper reason to turn that unwanted suitor down, that woman would
likely take the opportunity to get closer to Zachary.
“What do you suggest we do, then?” Jessica asked, knowing that Zachary wouldn’t have brought it up unless he already had a solution in mind.
“I’d like you to attend the banquet with me tonight.”
“I’ll go with you, then,” Jessica said without a moment’s hesitation. She felt like she hadn’t been able to help him with anything important, so she immediately agreed to his request.
Zachary, expecting her to refuse attending such a public affair, was slightly taken aback. “You should try on some evening gowns later, then.”
Jessica was momentarily stunned. She didn’t dare to eat too much after finding out that she had to try on some evening gowns. She couldn’t risk not fitting into the gowns, after all.
She wasn’t really a fan of banquets, which were usually networking events for people to gain contacts or find new opportunities, neither of which she cared about.
She had attended this kind of banquet twice before, both times accompanying Derrick.
His crowd consisted of wealthy heirs and refined heiresses. So for someone of her humble status, simply being allowed to enter was seen as a huge act of condescension disguised as graciousness. She was sure that if she had tried to make conversation with them, she would
have been ridiculed.
She couldn’t help but wonder if it would be the same this time with Zachary.
Zachary had already prepared evening gowns for her to try on in the junior suite–not just one, but several.
“You should go ahead and try them on. Wear whichever one looks best on you,” Zachary said as he shut the door behind him, settled into a nearby seat, and watched her.
Jessica couldn’t help but blush. She felt like something was bound to happen between them in the cramped space, though the junior suite had its own bathroom.
She started trying on the evening gowns, which were all really beautiful. She checked the tags while in the bathroom, and each one was a high–end couture evening gown that fit her perfectly. Each would’ve cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Zachary fixed his gaze on her, torn between wanting to look and holding back. He balled his hand into a fist and pressed it against his forehead, mentally urging himself to stay composed.
Jessica emerged from the bathroom, wearing the last evening gown–a long, strapless gown
with a low waistline.
“Zachary.”
“Yes?”
“I think my hair’s caught in the zipper,” Jessica said, tilting her head slightly. That zipper behind her had snagged her hair, giving a sharp, unpleasant tug that stung.
She then noticed the subtle expression on Zachary’s face and asked, “What’s the matter?”
“It’s nothing,” Zachary replied softly before walking over to Jessica, who had her back to him. He then bent down, his nose grazing her soft hair, and breathed in her scent. He couldn’t help
but swallow hard before gently pulling the zipper.
Their two bodies, each about 98 degrees Fahrenheit, touched, creating a charged, electric
moment.
Jessica bit her lower lip, feeling a prickling sensation along her back as her ears flushed.
“Ouch…”
“I’m sorry,” Zachary said, sounding slightly hoarse.
He then gently lifted the fabric, taking care not to pull on her hair again, and added, “You should take a seat first.”
Spin to Claim Your Surprise Reward!
Play
