Delayed Passion: Miss Lynch's Unrequited Love-Chapter 21: I Won’t Marry Her

Just as Thea Lynch’s lips began to open, before any sound could escape, her cheek unexpectedly pressed against a warm surface due to her nodding movement.

Feeling the man’s halted breath in front of her, she looked stunned for a few seconds and backed away in panic once she realized what had happened.

She was slightly tipsy, and her cheeks were already flushed, now visibly deepening in color.

When Ian Preston’s lips touched her skin, he, too, was taken aback.

The turmoil in his eyes flashed past, and as he straightened up, he spoke calmly as if nothing had happened, "Why did you go drinking? How much did you have?"

"..."

Thea Lynch was much more nervous than he was, and after stammering for a while, she finally replied, "Just a colleague’s gathering. I only drank a little bit."

Her answer was vague, unable to hide the perfunctory tone.

His gaze dropped to the item she was holding in her hand, and Ian Preston frowned, "What’s this?"

Thea Lynch looked down, pressed her lips together, and didn’t answer.

Even though she didn’t speak, Ian Preston could guess, "Norbert Rhodes sent it?"

When Thea Lynch was drunk, her thoughts were written all over her face, and anyone familiar with her could see it immediately. For example, now, when she heard him mention Norbert Rhodes, there was an obvious look of astonishment on her face.

She looked up at him, those clear eyes seeming to speak, staring straight at his eyes, asking how he knew.

"I ran into him when I arrived."

"Oh." Thea Lynch responded.

Ian Preston took the item from her hand, scoffed at the thermal box, "He does care about you. Haven’t you two not met recently, how did you become so close?"

Thea Lynch always felt his tone was odd, very much like her usual sarcastic manner.

Before she figured out how to respond, Ian Preston asked again, "Is this a gift from him?"

It seemed like a question, but his tone was inexplicably certain.

"No, this is from his mom." Thea Lynch didn’t know why she found herself explaining this to Ian Preston, but she instinctively divulged everything.

She was telling the truth, but Ian Preston didn’t believe. His long fingers pinched a pink card from the bag, savored it for a moment, then turned the card facing her.

Word by word, "Happy Valentine’s Day, signed — Norbert Rhodes."

"?!"

"Impossible." The card was too close; Thea Lynch took a step back and squinted her eyes to clearly see the words.

The card had many written lines, lavishly like a short essay. Of course, those at the beginning weren’t important; she carefully looked down and indeed saw the words Ian Preston just mentioned at the end.

The conspicuous name Norbert Rhodes, extremely eye-catching.

Thea Lynch couldn’t help but wonder.

"What?" Ian Preston examined her, unwilling to miss any subtle expression on her face. "Could it be that his mom also wrote this card?"

"It’s possible."

Ian Preston: "..."

Thea Lynch couldn’t quite explain. Anyway, her first reaction wasn’t that Norbert Rhodes had deceived her, but —

"Is there Valentine’s Day this month?" She seriously asked Ian Preston.

Her mind had been entirely on work lately, with the entire research center lamenting, everyone working overtime to the brink of soul departure. She didn’t even remember what date it was.

Ian Preston suddenly tightened his grip on the card, the ink-black depths of his eyes making it impossible to discern his current emotions, "Two days from now is the Qixi Festival."

"No wonder." Thea Lynch realized, not caring much, "I’ll return it to him another day."

It’s no big deal.

Saying this, she reached out to take the item back.

Opposite, Ian Preston raised his hand as she touched the corner of his suit. He lifted his hand high, and all the items were thrown out the door.

A loud bang exploded in the empty corridor.

Thea Lynch’s eyes widened, "Ian Preston, are you insane? How can I return it if you throw it away!"

She pushed him away and tried to go out to pick it up.

Originally believing it was from Norbert’s mom, but it turned out to be a Valentine’s gift from Norbert Rhodes, so it was even more necessary to return it! Such things in her view were for girlfriends, if accepted, wouldn’t that be an admission, allowing this relationship to develop further?

Later, it would be completely unclear.

As she stepped out halfway, Ian Preston encircled her waist from behind and stopped her.

"Bang," he forcefully kicked the door shut, directly carrying her back to the living room.

When tossed on the sofa, Thea Lynch was still dazed. The two were in a strange atmosphere, one sitting, one standing.

A cup of warm water was handed to her, and he asked in a stiff tone, "You drank so much, does your head hurt?"

The topic changed too quickly, and Thea Lynch almost couldn’t keep up with his pace.

She slapped away his hand, refusing the water, somewhat angry: "Hurry and pick up the things."

The man heavily placed the water cup on the table, splashing a few drops. He lowered his head, his demeanor unclear as he asked, "Do you like that necklace?"

"What necklace?" Thea Lynch belatedly realized that Norbert Rhodes had sent a necklace, "Not really, it’s not about the items..."

The word "relationship" hadn’t been said yet when a card suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Pick another one tomorrow."

Thea Lynch threw the card directly at him, "I finally understand why Silas Cheney often says that sometimes my actions resemble yours."

Ian Preston didn’t grasp her meaning, picked up the card upon hearing her say:

"When using money to humiliate someone, we’re exactly the same."

She hadn’t realized this before. Probably having spent too long with Ian Preston back then, she slowly got influenced by him.

"Dare I insult you?"

Ian Preston was somewhat surprised she used such a word, he smiled as he crouched down in front of her,

"With your temper, even when I’m being considerate to you, I’m afraid of your sarcastic comments, with you, I can’t even get a smile."

"Are you annoying? Every time I see you, you’re always smiling, you might as well bow down three times and kneel nine times."

Her words still carried thorns at this moment, but due to a bit of alcohol, her attitude towards him was slightly better than usual.

Ian Preston didn’t know if he truly owed her, being hit with those words and not getting angry.

"So who did you insult with the card?" He looked like he was ready to stick up for her.

This time, Thea Lynch didn’t give him any face, bluntly stating: "Who else, Nina Sinclair."

She initially meant for Ian Preston to get angry, but he only furrowed his brows, not angry that she insulted Nina Sinclair, but correcting, "Didn’t I tell you last time, don’t call her that."

"Did you?" Thea Lynch didn’t remember, "Why can’t I call her that? If you’re not used to it, just get used to it."

Ian Preston: "I won’t marry Nina Sinclair, is that reason enough?"

Thea Lynch’s brain nearly crashed, only one thought: "Did you dump her?"

Last time she eavesdropped on Ian Preston and his mother arguing about Nina Sinclair. It seemed that negotiations on marriage between the two families weren’t going smoothly. But as for the specific reasons, she didn’t know.

However, she just thought Ian Preston didn’t want to settle the marriage now.

In a daze, Ian Preston pinched her cheeks lightly, came closer and asked, "Who told you we were ever together?"