Chapter 175 A Light Kiss
“So what? Look at yourself. You love and care for him so much, but what do you have to show for it? Has he ever reciprocated or shown the same feelings for you?”
Ivy’s heart sank as Josie’s words hit her like a dagger.
Still grappling with the hurt, Ivy pressed on, needing confirmation, “Are you sure you’re not catching feelings for him?”
Frustrated with Ivy’s ongoing doubts and insecurity, Josie impulsively snatched the glass of water from her hand and walked off without a word.
“Josie!”
Ivy suddenly called out, her voice trailing behind, “And what about him? Does he have any feelings for you?”
Ivy couldn’t ignore the red flags raised by Dexter’s recent behavior.
Josie pursed her lips and said, “I don’t know.”
She wasn’t quite sure how to maneuver this delicate love triangle, assuming that giving Ivy a forewarning as such would be enough. Despite Ivy’s strong affection for Dexter and her desire to remain close to him, somehow, Josie knew that Ivy wouldn’t act impulsively and target her.
At this point, Josie was certain that Ivy wouldn’t pose any threat to her safety.
Dexter had a meeting in the afternoon. When he returned, he couldn’t find Josie in his office. He furrowed his brow and walked into the lounge, where he discovered her sleeping on the couch.
This girl must have been tired from staying up late last night.
A twinge of sympathy tugged at him. Dexter grabbed a thin blanket and gently draped it over her, only to find that his well-intentioned action roused the light sleeper.
Feeling parched, Josie yawned and mumbled, “Ah, you’re back…”
Dexter lowered his gaze, “Why didn’t you sleep in the room?”
Josie was abashed, “I said I’d keep you company while you work. Look at me… ended dozing off. Oops.”
Unlock succeeded
ad that you knew
He
Glad
up
and handed it to her.
Josie took it, surprised. “How did you know I was thirsty?”
“Your lips are dry.” He shrugged casually, glanced at her quickly, and moistened his lips. In an instant, a wave of restlessness washed over him. He furrowed and averted his gaze.
Josie quenched her thirst and smiled as she asked, “Are you done? Can we go home already?”
Dexter chuckled, “You’re like a little kid counting the minutes until class is over.”
She laughed, “That’s exactly how I was back in school. When the bell rang, I would race out of the classroom!”
Dexter’s smile gradually faded. He couldn’t help but think of Leanne. When Leanne was still around, she was just like Josie. She wasn’t keen on academics and always needed a push to focus on her studies. To Leanne, nothing was more important than having fun.
He instinctively asked, “How were your grades back then?”
“Dol even need to say? I always ranked first in my class, alright!” Josie raised her thumb, beaming with pride.
Dexter tugged at his lips, masking a hint of agony in his heart. He stood up, saying, “I need another two hours, and then we can wrap up the work and go home.”
“Dexter!”
Before Dexter could walk away, Josie suddenly called out to him. He turned around and saw. her leaping over. The next second, he felt a peck on his lips, with her delicate hands cupped on his cheeks, “I’ll be right here waiting for you.”
Dexter’s heart raced. Although it was just a superficial peck on the lips, it sent butterflies fluttering inside him.
He ran his fingers across his lips, a surprised smile forming, “You’ve got some nerve.”
The culprit beamed a mischievous grin at him, delighted with the success of her playful act.
In the following days, Josie stopped accompanying Dexter at the Russell Group. It was too ostentatious and boring, not nearly as exciting as her modeling gigs.
But no matter how busy Dexter was, he always came home in the evening and slept beside her. His arm would be her designated pillow cushioned under her head, providing a sense of security. Josie couldn’t help but feel distressed at the thought that his tenderness might fade one day, leaving her deeply saddened.
The mere thought of that day approaching caused her present sense of happiness to fade suddenly, replaced by a hollow emptiness.
Only then did she grasp the meaning of ‘extreme joy often leads to profound pain.
