Secretly Mine
Chapter 36: Dodging the Kiss[Christian POV]

Chapter 36: Dodging the Kiss[Christian POV]

I flashed an amused smile. Georgio’s eagerness was as prominent as ever.

Getting straight to the point, are we?

"Just the usual business, mostly meetings," I replied casually, purposely avoiding giving many details.

Georgio let out a meek smile. I could see the gears in his head spinning, trying to find another way to pry information out of me, with it being too obvious.

"Yes, meetings are indeed the bread and butter of business. Hopefully you’re not being pestered too much."

Pestered? Not nearly as much as you have.

"No, nothing out of the ordinary. As you’ve said, meetings are essential to business, some can prove to be very beneficial," I replied calmly.

The servants finished serving the food, each dish was more decadent than the previous. I couldn’t help but subtly peek at Leslie’s plate, noticing that she only had a small pile of salad greens.

How can I help her?

I knew that if I placed food on her plate or encouraged her to eat more, she would get to eat more now, but would be punished for it later.

-

Georgio’s eyes wandered the table restlessly. I could hear his mind buzzing from this side of the table.

They finally landed on the velvet box that held Morgan’s brooch.

"Oh, it should be about time for Sophia to come out with is next seasonal release. Have you decided on the designs...or where to sell them?"

I placed my fork down and smiled, doing my best not to glance over at Leslie. "The designs are still in progress. We haven’t chosen an auction house yet, it’s something that will be discussed with the executives later."

The seasonal jewelry wasn’t something that would be sold in stores. These were all unique pieces that were one-of-a-kind designs and would be auctioned off.

This market strategy was very profitable, and every year, all of the upper society would gather to bid against each other for a single piece.

Someone is eager to be chosen.

I quickly glanced down the table and noticed Leslie’s frozen posture. She was staring at me with shock, holding her fork mid-air.

She’s adorable. Looks like she wasn’t aware of how important the project she’s in charge of really is.

Averting my gaze, I smiled as I looked at the food on my plate.

Georgio frowned at my response. I knew he was hoping for a promise that I would use the Moresi auction house exclusively, but what kind of fun would that be?

Morgan reached out and touched my hand. "Christian, would you consider our auction house?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Don’t worry, your Moresi auction house is at the top of the list. As long as the other executives sign off on it, it shouldn’t be a problem," I replied with a faint smile.

My reply put a smile on everyone’s face, except Leslie’s. I could tell she was still processing the importance of the project she was on.

I’ll have to comfort her later. I didn’t want her to feel any pressure.

-

The rest of dinner went smoothly. It was mainly Georgio flaunting the success and prestige of the auction house-- things I couldn’t care less about.

Tell me something else, something like the truth behind your family’s success. I know it wasn’t built with clean hands.

"Christian, please spend the night here! Driving back and forth is too much of a hassle. Let the staff know if there’s anything you need, and we’ll happily provide it.

My eyes flicked over to Leslie.

"Thank you for the invite, I think I will stay the night," I replied with a nod.

"Ah, that’s perfect! I’m so happy!" Morgan cried out with joy. She walked over and held me by the arm before turning to Leslie, "Goodnight, sister. Christian is going to take me on a stroll in the gardens. We’ll see you tomorrow."

I looked at Leslie from across the room. She was stunningly beautiful, making it hard to look away. She smiled at us and nodded, "I hope you both have a lovely evening. Good night."

After wishing us a good evening, she turned and walked out of the dining room. On the surface, she seemed very normal and unbothered, but I felt an inexplicable sense of wanting to comfort her.

Morgan jerked my hand, pulling my attention away from Leslie, "Shall we go? There’s so much I want to talk to you about."

Her eyes twinkled with obsession as she pulled me towards the other hall, towards the back garden.

We walked over to one of the large decorative fountains that was surrounded by beautiful flowers.

"You know, I think about our walk in the garden during the night of our engagement often," she said while fidgeting with the skirt of her dress.

My lips curved up into a big smile.

"Yes, I do too", I replied.

"Do you really?" she gazed up at me with hopeful eyes.

I nodded, "Yes, that night was very special for me. I don’t think I will ever forget it."

The memory of Leslie appearing out of nowhere and climbing on top of me...’ Christian, do you want me?’

Truly an unforgettable moment.

Morgan almost melted into a puddle. The joy on her face was evident by the way she stared at me without blinking.

We walked a little further out into the gardens when Morgan stopped me once again.

"Look! The moon is starting to show!" she said, pointing into the sky.

"Mm", I hummed in reply. It was a beautiful view, but I was antsy to get this walk over with.

She suddenly looked up at me. I knew that look.

Her eyes were hazy and full of longing. She leaned over, standing on her tippy toes, trying to kiss me.

My stomach immediately twisted into a knot, causing me to feel sick.

No way. No way. No.

I quickly scanned the surrounding area and found a pretty pink flower nearby. Reaching over, I quickly plucked it and stuffed it into her hands, hugging her.

My actions caught her by surprise, and she looked at me with confusion.

"Forgive me. But I promised your father. And if we kissed right now, I don’t believe I could hold myself back," I whispered into her ear.

Her originally upset face lit up. She nodded coyly, "I understand. I’m happy you feel that way about me."

Sorry, love, but I don’t.

I pulled away, "Come, let’s head back inside. It’s getting late."

And I have better places to be.

We walked back inside. I walked Morgan back to her room before turning to find a wandering maid.

"I’m still a bit hungry. Please prepare a small meal for me and deliver it to my room. The sooner the better."

"Of course, sir. I’ll let the kitchen staff know right away," she replied and scurried off.

-

I found ’my’ room. The one that was specifically prepared for me, not the guest room I stayed in last time.

Seems like they’ve spared no expense to impress me.

The room was huge. It felt more like an apartment rather than a bedroom, with a large sitting area and kitchenette. The color palette was very masculine, consisting of dark woods and colors.

I made my way over to the bathroom to take a quick shower, rushing to finish so that I could sneak out and see the one person I’ve been thinking about all evening.