Chapter 18 Extreme Enthusiasm

“Auntie, just call me Myles. Since Annie is already married to me, taking care of you two is my responsibility. I’ll send someone to fetch you tomorrow morning.” Myles’ expression was a little cold, but a gentle light emanated from his eyes. Annie felt like she was getting to know him anew for the first time. He had a face like a ten-thousand-year-old block of ice, as if he did not know how to smile, and he always treated people with cold indifference. However, now as he stiffly expressed his concern for Sharon, his rigid tone made Annie feel a warmth spread in her heart. Could it be that he just did not know how to express himself? “Er… Annie, what do you say?” Sharon rubbed her hands together uneasily. She looked like a nervous child, face slightly red, but her gaze held a few dashes of hope. At that moment, Annie was a little moved and felt that she had someone to rely on for the first time. “Mom, listen to Mr. Jennings… I mean, Myles.” Annie assertively reached out a hand and put it over Myles’ but did not look at his face. This was a sign of her gratitude. “Okay…” Sharon nodded again and again, only raising a hand to wipe the tears at the corners of her eyes as the car departed. “Annie’s mom, is that really your son-in-law? He must be very rich, isn’t he?” That group of middle-aged women was still gathered at the alleyway. They had been watching the scene earlier with protuberant eyes, and their tone as they spoke to Sharon contained some jealousy. “It’s alright.” Sharon had always kept a low profile and was not used to conversing with others. It was because she was steady and honest that she had managed to bag most of the nearby laundering business. However, her current radiance was a bit too outstanding, and it made everyone forget her honest and awkward personality. This made the middle-aged women feel she was looking down on them instead. “Tch, what’s there to fuss about? Leaving with a man before getting married isn’t anything good.” Some people just could not stand to see others happy. When Sharon, who had not walked too far, heard this, she froze up. She was a little unsettled. Meanwhile, sitting beside Myles, Annie’s feelings were also rather complicated. James had already called her countless times today. Thinking about how he must be seething with rage at the moment, Annie was a little upset. It was not that she was afraid of him. Although she would not acknowledge him as her father verbally, she still could not help but care about him. “Answer.” Myles sat beside her, his face composed. His deep eyes reflected the color of the dimming sun, and his dark gaze was unreadable. Myles’ steady voice comforted Annie quite a bit, but… what should she say if she answered? “I’ll just leave it. The Lane house must be a mess right now. Susie and Sophie are definitely causing a racket. James won’t help me.” Annie had never called James “Dad” in front of outsiders. She had never called James that ever since she was little either. It was not that she did not want to, but she nursed a grievance. “I’ll help you.” Myles said this very calmly. The despair in Annie’s face reflected in his eyes and unexpectedly made him feel troubled. Annie’s body shuddered at his words. She turned to look at him. His expression was as serious as usual, and his entire body exuded an air that could keep the gods at bay. The way he spoke was cold, but Annie found it contradictorily warm. She had already gotten used to handling her fights alone. “I can deal with it myself,” Annie replied lightly, hiding the moved expression in her eyes and turning her head to continue watching the scenery outside the window. She was used to fighting alone. She did not want to rely on others in fear that she would get nothing but disappointment. Just like Mason. She had laid her entire heart bare in front of him, yet he had mercilessly thrown it on the floor and even stomped on it a few times for good measure. Having been hurt by someone she deeply loved, Annie was unable to easily trust in others, but the man beside her kept breaking down her heart’s defenses over and over again. Could she really trust him though? Lost in her thoughts, Annie did not notice Myles’ attention. When the car was parked, before Annie even had the time to admire the villa outside, Myles pressed his body over hers. Seeing the magnified face inches from hers, Annie was so nervous her heart nearly jumped out. “You… What are you doing?” Before Annie could finish speaking, Myles’ lips closed over hers, preventing her from speaking. Then, before she could react, Myles used his hand to hold the back of her head, deepening the kiss. While Myles was losing himself in the kiss, feeling reluctant to let go, Annie’s brain detonated like a bomb inside her head, all sense knocked out of her during Myles’ sudden kiss. “Mmph…” Annie was jolted awake by a sense of deprivation, and it made her very frantic. “Mmph…” Annie felt like she was going to suffocate soon.