Chapter 29
Chapter
29
"So what?" Kenneth's tone was cocky, that crease above his eyes giving him an almost devilish charm. At the same time, his hand settled on her waist.
"No, Kenneth..." Ophelia started to protest.
"Is this how you think of me? Hm?" He asked in a teasing tone. As he spoke, Ophelia felt the warmth of his hand massaging her waist, and she breathed a sigh of relief, her tense waist slowly relaxing. "Here?" he asked.
She replied, "A little more to the right."
'She really takes me as her massager, huh?' Kenneth thought.
Ophelia didn't have any idea of refusing his massage. Her back really did hurt, after all, His touch was gentle, the heat from his palm soothing as it worked into her muscles.
She completely relaxed when she heard hurried footsteps on the staircase, followed by the hushed whispers of a few girls outside the office door. Who could blame them for being curious? Kenneth's whole vibe, combined with that mysterious outfit, made him impossible to ignore.
Thinking if they went home, he wouldn't let her off easily, Ophelia grabbed his hand and suggested, "How about we... you know... go on a date instead?"
Kenneth narrowed his eyes and echoed, "Date?"
"Yup, like couples on TV-holding hands, walking down the street, and something like that."
"Your waist's not hurting now?" he asked, raising a brow.
"I think with about a week of rest, I'll be fine," Ophelia said seriously, though the playful glint in her eyes betrayed her.
Kenneth usually hated being manipulated or lied to, but with her, he couldn't even muster an ounce of anger. It was frustrating and endearing at the same time. Staring into her wide, innocent eyes, Kenneth let out a sigh and closed his eyes briefly. "Fine." Ophelia was just about to slide off his lap when he suddenly pinned her against the desk. Before she could react, Kenneth removed his mask and pressed his lips against hers, capturing her in a soft but firm kiss.
"Right at that moment, the frosted glass door to the office swung open.
Ophelia quickly pushed Kenneth away, her face instantly turning a deep shade of red."This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.
Chloe, standing there awkwardly, immediately looked away while covering Wyatt's eyes for good measure. She hadn't expected anyone to be in the studio on a weekend; normally, Ophelia stayed home on her days off. Perched on Chloe's shoulder, Wyatt tried to push her hand away and peeked at Ophelia and Kenneth. "Elia, why's your face so red? Are sick?"
you
"Nope... I'm not sick," Ophelia stammered. She bitterly cursed inwardly,
'Kenneth's the one who's sick."
Ophelia wanted to disappear into the floor as she looked at Chloe, her expression a mix of shyness and panic she'd never shown before. She stammered to introduce, "This... This is my boyfriend, Kenneth." 1/3
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Kenneth, who had already put his mask back on and was composed, clearly wasn't too pleased with the word "boyfriend". Still, seeing Ophelia's embarrassed face, he chose not to say anything.
Chloe flashed a knowing smile and said, "Ah, that explains it." No wonder Ophelia had seemed different lately. "Glad to see you," Chloe added.
Kenneth paid no attention to their conversation. He simply took Ophelia's hand and started heading downstairs. Ophelia waved awkwardly at Wyatt, only for Kenneth to firmly turn her head back toward him. He stopped walking, and naturally, she did too. A shadow fell over her, and a second later, his deep voice brushed against her ear. "Elia, why's your face so red?"
Ophelia's whole body flushed, the heat creeping up from her ears. Every time Kenneth used that low, seductive voice after things, it left her feeling weak. But this time, they hadn't done anything, and he still teased her like this. Ophelia couldn't help cursing him under her breath.
She took a deep breath and glanced at his slightly open collar. Suddenly, she stood on her tiptoes and bit his collarbone, catching him completely off guard. She then immediately ran off
Kenneth licked his lips, a grin playing on his face as his heart skipped a beat. 'She wants to get even, huh? Nice try, he wondered with a smile.
Downstairs, a few of the shop assistants peeked out. Seeing the two of them come down, they quickly straightened up. Some looked disappointed, some impressed, and others curious. Ophelia gave them a small nod, trying her best to appear composed, though she couldn't quite hide the mix of shyness and embarrassment.
To Kenneth, though, she looked absolutely adorable. His eyes never left her-not even
for a second.
*****
They wandered through the mall. Ophelia, who had never really experienced the typical dating rituals in either of her lives wasn't quite sure what to do next. She'd never been on a date before, but she had seen others do it. There were a few couples ahead of them, all heading toward the theater. So she suggested, "How about we watch a movie?"
"Good idea," Kenneth replied, still holding her hand like any regular couple out for a stroll. But the way he stood there, it was impossible not to notice him-he practically radiated a magnetic presence.
Ophelia could hear some couples bickering nearby, all because those girls had glanced at Kenneth a little too long. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly-he really was trouble in a handsome package.
The theater was packed, as expected for a weekend. Kenneth glanced around and spotted a seat. He said, "Wait for me over there. I'll go get the tickets."
"I'll come with you." Ophelia offered.
"No need." Kenneth waved her off. He'd noticed most of the guys were the ones queuing up for tickets, while the girls waited. Ophelia's eyes followed his retreating figure. Even though Kenneth was dressed casually, he still stood out in the crowd.
"Look, is he some kind of celebrity? Just his back is so handsome The group of three girls at the next table was whispering excitedly, even snapping a picture of his back with their phones.
"Why don't we hit on him and ask for his number?" one of the girls suggested.
"Forget it. He's obviously here with his girlfriend. No guy like that would come to a movie alone," another girl replied.
Sure enough, a few moments later, Kenneth was heading back toward Ophelia, and the three girls slumped in disappointment.
Kenneth handed her two tickets, and Ophelia glanced at the title Forest Guardians. It sounded like an animated movie. She suddenly remembered what Lisa had said, "Mr. Kenneth treats you like his daughter."
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"I'll go grab some snacks," Kenneth said again. He soon returned with two large sodas, a huge bucket of popcorn, and one of each snack from the display case. People couldn't help but stare at him in surprise as he bought it all. Anyone who frequented theaters knew that snacks here were way more expensive than what they'd get at a regular store.
This was Ophelia's first time at the theater, and as she hugged the popcorn Kenneth handed her, she felt an unexpected surge of happiness. As they queued to enter the theater, she noticed most of the people were parents with their kids, while here she was, holding tightly to Kenneth's hand like a kid.
Before the movie started, a trailer for an upcoming film played on the big screen: On a Snowy Day, starring James and Sharon. Sharon, in a figure-hugging gown, looked stunning-her sharp eyebrows, fox-like eyes, and sultry figure gave seductive allure, but her performance was pure and heartfelt.
her a
Ophelia vaguely remembered that in her last life, this movie was pulled from theaters shortly after its release, when Sharon got caught up in a tax evasion scandal.