The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 74

Riley froze instantly. The thought of him holding Seraphina exactly like this flashed through her mind, bringing up a wave of suffocating disgust. Almost by pure reflex, she spun around and shoved him away.

Caught off guard, Pierce nearly lost his balance, stumbling backward before steadying himself. He stared at her in confusion. "What's wrong with you?"

Riley's fingers curled into tight fists at her sides as she fought to maintain her composure. "I was deep in thought. You grabbed me out of nowhere and scared me."

He raised an eyebrow. "What were you thinking about so intensely?"

"I gave birth early, so I have some extra maternity leave saved up. I was thinking of cutting my leave short and going back to work early."

"No way. The hemorrhage during delivery took a massive toll on your body. You need to stay home and recover. I let you keep working while you were heavily pregnant because you insisted, but this time you have to listen to me."

Riley didn't argue. Once she had the evidence and divorced him, he wouldn't be able to control her anyway.

She gave a noncommittal nod. "Alright. I'll listen to you."

Riley had always been a fiercely independent woman. Once she made up her mind, nothing could sway her. Seeing her so compliant made Pierce incredibly happy.

He stepped forward, reaching for her hand.

Riley used the excuse of organizing her clothes to turn away, casually dodging his touch while shifting the conversation. "Who was on the phone?"

Pierce's outstretched hand hovered in the air for a second before he pulled it back. "Manager Walsh."

Riley paused her sorting for just a fraction of a second before asking naturally, "Do you have to go back to the office?"

"No. I'll let them handle it themselves. I'm staying home with you tonight."

Riley knew she was supposed to act thrilled.

But knowing this was just one night he had spared her out of the countless nights he spent with Seraphina, she only felt nauseated. She couldn't even fake a smile.

"You should go. Work is important. We have plenty of time for ourselves later."

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