novelraw Chapter 353: Have I been too indulgent with you, daring to like another man?
Chapter 353: Have I been too indulgent with you, daring to like another man?
Delphine was being dragged along by him, struggling to keep up with his pace. The hospital was bustling with people, yet the man exuded an aura of nobility and elegance, drawing numerous curious glances.
Ignatius Leclair led her straight to the parking lot, retrieved his car, and—unsurprisingly—drove the Bentley he seemed particularly fond of, steady, grand, and understated.
"Sit in the front." Ignatius’s sharp eyes narrowed the moment he saw her heading for the back seat, his voice low and displeased.
Ever since that night when he drank too much and succumbed to an uncontrollable fervor, oppressively keeping her under him in endless entanglement, Ignatius had reverted to his usual cold, ascetic demeanor.
Seeing his perpetually icy expression, Delphine dared not provoke him and obediently got into the passenger seat.
Her personality was more inclined to going with the flow. Since Ignatius didn’t speak, she simply took out her phone and scrolled through Weibo. With the New Year approaching, many celebrities were distributing red envelopes and blessings on social media. On the other hand, her Weibo was filled with Jason’s nonsensical jokes, accompanied by a flood of comments from fans threatening to send him razor blades.
Delphine glanced at it idly and rubbed her temples, thinking that a manager like Jason, who seemed to actively court negative attention, must indeed possess the legendary "magnet for trouble" trait.
Kyla Zamora had previously asked her for a short video message, likely intended as a New Year’s gift for the fans.
Quietly scrolling through Weibo, Delphine noticed that inside the car, Ignatius hadn’t even turned on the music. The silence was so profound that they could hear each other’s breathing.
"I’ve heard Leah Squire’s health is quite poor. She nearly died at one point?" Ignatius broke the silence abruptly, his tone indifferent.
Delphine froze momentarily, lifting her eyes from her phone screen. "Ah," she said softly, before responding, "Her health is indeed not very good."
After that, she left it at that without elaborating.
Through the rearview mirror, Ignatius noticed the petite woman beside him. Her head was bowed, her delicate, palm-sized face glowed with translucent skin. Aside from her large, dark eyes, her nose and mouth were small, and her eyebrows neat and graceful. Despite her exquisite and endearing appearance, her demeanor was indifferent, devoid of joy, like a bird unwilling to leave its perch.
She rarely conversed with him. Outside of the Squire siblings, she hardly interacted with anyone, as though guarding an isolated island, waiting for the day the world would end and take her into the ocean’s depths.
Ignatius frowned, his thin lips pressed into a line. Softening his voice slightly, he said, "I don’t object to you interacting with Leah Squire, but Griffith Squire is too complicated. Standing on the fine line between light and dark, getting too close to him will bring harm."
Delphine remained silent for a moment, her mind drifting to the origins of her pain. Every wound she bore had stemmed from the Leclair Estate, from those ill-fated connections in her ignorant youth. They had nothing to do with the Squire siblings. They had everything to do with Ignatius Leclair.
Noticing her silence, Ignatius realized her quiet defiance. His almond-shaped eyes darkened further, and he spoke in a low voice, "Or is it that you have feelings for Griffith?"
The thought surfaced for but a fleeting moment before spilling out of his mouth. As the sight of that infuriating scene from earlier replayed in his mind, his mood grew even grimmer.
If not for his presence, perhaps Delphine truly would have chosen Griffith Squire.
"Who I like is a matter of my own," she replied.
Delphine shot him a surprised glance, her expression puzzled. She had never questioned him about Melody Cloud, yet here he was, interrogating her about Griffith Squire.
Ignatius’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, faint veins bulging under his skin. He turned the car abruptly, pulling over to the side of the road. Without a word, he stepped out, opened the passenger door, and trapped her in the car.
"What are you doing?" Delphine’s face shifted slightly, but the man had already enveloped her in his arms. His handsome face loomed close, his cold and piercing gaze locking onto hers. Word by word, he enunciated, "Delphine Carter, have I been too lenient with you? Is that why you dare to fall for another man, hmm?"