The Unwanted Wife's Return (Ex-Husband Wants Me Back) novel Chapter 417

A Shoulder to Lean On

MARY’S POV

My face went hot, a bright red blush spreading fast across my cheeks. I instantly let go of his jacket as if the fabric had burned my skin, my hand snapping right back down to my side. I could feel the hot blood rushing straight to my face, and I felt the sudden awkward tension fill up the tiny space between us. My heart was pounding hard against my ribs, my breathing coming out in short, shallow puffs.

Marl stood there watching my nervous, frantic movements, slowly raising one dark eyebrow. There was zero judgment sitting in his dark eyes, and not a single trace of mockery on his face. He just watched me quietly, a subtle hint of amusement playing around the corners of his mouth.

I felt deeply relieved that he did not burst out laughing at my awkward reaction or act offended by my touch. He could have easily cracked a mean joke at my expense, or he could have teased me to make me feel even more uncomfortable. But he did not do any of those things. He simply stood there in the quiet hall, waiting patiently with soft, quiet eyes.

“It is completely fine,” he said softly, his deep voice sounding calm and steady. “You can go right ahead and keep holding onto my arm if you want to. I charge my clients by the hour, and you still have fifty-nine minutes and forty seconds left on your time slot. Even if you choose to let go of my sleeve right now, I am still going to bill you for the full hour.”

I stared up at his handsome face for a second, my brain slowly processing his silly words. Then, despite all the terrible things that had happened tonight, I felt a genuine laugh bubble up from deep inside my chest. It was just a quiet little laugh, barely more than a soft breath of air, but it was completely real. The tight knots in my shoulders loosened up just a little bit.

“Oh really?” I replied, playing along with his silly joke. “What exactly is your hourly rate anyway? Have you secretly been working part-time as a male dancer behind Hotch’s back this whole time?”

Marl’s lips curved up into a handsome, quiet smile. “I charge seven hundred dollars an hour. Though to be completely honest with you, that is the official rate Hotch set for my services.”

I pretended to look deeply shocked, opening my eyes wide as I looked at him. “Are you seriously telling me you work as a paid escort on the side?”

He let out a low, warm laugh that echoed softly off the white hallway walls. “I do not blame you at all for thinking that. Almost every client who takes a look at my face for the first time usually jumps straight to that exact same conclusion. But do you honestly believe a serious man like Hotch would ever allow something like that? Why don’t we step inside his room and ask him directly if he has ever hired out his legal associate as a companion? He might actually wake up from his coma just from the sheer shock of the question. You know… that might actually be a great way to wake him up.”

“Please do not do that!” I gasped out, my voice rising in sudden panic before I realized he was joking. My mistake, I was only joking with you. Your legal fees are extremely high. I honestly thought you were just a low-level associate lawyer at his firm.”

He gave a casual shrug of his shoulders, the movement looking easy and relaxed. “I am just an

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associate lawyer. But far too many wealthy clients specifically write my name down on their intake forms demanding my personal time. So, simply to make sure I still have enough hours in the week to get some sleep, I decided to raise my hourly consultation fees through the roof.”

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