Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO

Chapter 271 - 183: I Still Have So Many Things I Want to Do

The smoke immediately enveloped him as he cracked open the car window, a cool breeze swept in, dispersing the smoke.

He smoked one cigarette after another.

The pitch-black sky gradually took on a pale blue hue; dawn was approaching.

There was only one cigarette left in the pack, which he crumpled in his hand. He stared at it blankly for a long time before reaching for his phone.

The phone rang three times, then was answered.

"What’s up?"

Joseph Sutton’s voice still carried the fatigue of early morning.

With the crumpled cigarette pack in his palm, he slightly turned his head, the biting morning wind hit his face as he softly said, "I can’t bear to leave you all."

"..."

"Laura Collins’ grandfather has passed away; she will have no family from now on."

"..."

"I wanted to ask you to take care of her, but upon further thought, forget it. I’m afraid she might fall for you."

"..."

"Nora Scott is also in a bad mood. People just leave suddenly. She’s the type who values emotions deeply, and having been so close with Sir Easton, no amount of time will prepare her for this."

"..."

...

Michael Quinn was the only one speaking.

His voice grew softer, indistinguishable in the morning wind.

Finally, Michael said, "There are still many things I want to do."

His voice was low, somewhat powerless, scattered by the wind.

Joseph Sutton finally spoke, very softly, yet heavily, "Mm, go do them."

As he blinked, something seemed to fall, like a burn at the corner of his eye.

*

This rain lasted for several days.

The persistent spring rain soaked the entire city, the temperature didn’t rise, and the chill seeped into every corner, silently.

Late at night, silence reigned.

Nora Scott suddenly awoke, sitting up abruptly as she opened her eyes.

In her view was only darkness, and she looked around her bedroom in a daze. After a brief moment, she threw off the covers and walked out of the bedroom in her slippers.

As she pushed open Antonio Easton’s bedroom door, the dozing caregiver was startled, almost leaping out of the lounge chair.

Without turning on the light, she went straight to the bed, looking at the figure lying there. Her fingers trembled slightly as she placed them near the old man’s nose.

The breathing was extremely gentle.

Her heart, which had been suspended, finally settled back in place.

"Not dead yet."

Antonio did not move but slowly opened his eyes, his voice deep and slow, wrapped in sighs and resignation.

"Oh."

Nora withdrew her hand, instinctively placing it behind her back.

Just like years ago, when she was caught red-handed while secretly examining Antonio Easton’s mechanical table.

The caregiver, who had sprung up, stayed for a moment, then seemed to realize something and softly exited the bedroom.

He forgot to turn on the light, leaving the bedroom still in darkness.

The room was silent, Nora stood at the bedside, a tall and thin silhouette in the darkness.

She absentmindedly fiddled with her hair, lowered her eyelids, and in the dim room, she stared at Antonio Easton and said, "I dreamed you left."

"It’s bound to happen one day."

Antonio didn’t shy away from the issue, "You’ve been out in the world for so long, you should have accepted it by now."

"..."

Nora kept silent.

"Go back to sleep."

Antonio spoke weakly, but when giving orders to Nora, his words were clear and forceful, still giving the illusion of confidence.

Nora didn’t move and said, "I can’t sleep."

"You’re grown up now, still needing someone to chat with you in the middle of the night." Antonio was rather disdainful.

Before she turned ten, Nora would occasionally wake up in the middle of the night, no matter how late, and knock on Antonio’s door. After waking him, she wouldn’t say anything. Antonio, too sleepy to manage, would take her to sit down and chat aimlessly until she felt sleepy enough to be sent back to bed.

It’s been more than a decade; the topics Antonio used to talk about during those chats, Nora couldn’t remember anymore.

But in her memory, there was always that dim yellow light, the room not brightly lit, Antonio’s voice was slow and long, making one sleepy.

Nora asked, "Can you chat with me?"

In the dark, Antonio lifted his eyelids, casting her a cold glance, "Go get a chair."

"Oh."

Nora turned around, dragged a chair, placed it by the bed, and then sat down.

"What do you want to talk about?" Antonio asked her.

Thinking for a moment, an image popped into her mind, and Nora was slightly startled before saying, "Pedro Langley said you gave him my dowry."

"...Mm."

Antonio did not deny it.

Originally, she wanted to complain about Pedro Langley, but she didn’t expect Antonio to actually admit it, leaving Nora speechless for a moment and then asking, "Do you like him?"

"I do."

"What if I don’t want to marry him?"

"Then you’ll just die alone."

"..."

Nora was at a loss for words.

As if knowing what she was thinking, Antonio scolded her, "Don’t think about living without any attachments; sometimes having a few attachments makes you cherish life more."