Chapter 1267

Hazel stayed silent. She couldn't meet Shawn's gaze. He watched her closely. She didn't resist, though her shoulders tensed, and her face flushed a deep crimson as if the heat of the moment had settled beneath her skin. Shawn swallowed hard, inching toward her lips. This time, he wasn't forceful or demanding. Instead, he moved slowly and deliberately, like a scene playing in slow motion. Three inches… Two… One… Hazel had countless chances to pull away. Yet she stayed still, and Shawn continued, carefully observing her every reaction. Her mind raced at that moment. She remembered Grace's sharp but honest words. "Hazel, you're just confused." Indeed, she was. That day, Grace had given her an example. "Think of it this way. You're offered a job, one that's perfect for you and one you might even grow to love. But right now, you're still a student. You haven't yet entered the working world, so you resist it. You don't know if you should accept it. But rationally, you know you