Quiana Sutton's eyes opened slightly, looking at Durrell Landon who was so close, she suddenly smiled, "Mr. Landon, have you forgotten that we're preparing for a divorce?"
She had no reason to feel jealous of him.
She smiled openly, truly without jealousy, her eyes misty with a certain alluring charm.
His grip tightened slightly, he admired her calm composure, but at this moment he also hated her for it, hated her for being so unrelenting.
Unrelentingly seeing through his heart, unrelentingly telling him there was no love between them.
Her chin hurt from his grasp, she wanted to brush his hand away but found she was too drunk to do so swiftly.
Reluctantly, she spoke softly, "It hurts—"
As soon as she spoke.
Her lips were sealed shut.
Originally meant to be a kiss, it was hard to truly call it one, more like a form of punishment, devoid of any tender sweetness.
Even so, their breathing filled the air, spreading an irresistible sense of intimacy.
Already drunk, she was even more disoriented, every nerve in her body was activated, yet she forgot how to respond.
Then, from not far away, came a playful voice, "Doing such things in the living room doesn't seem quite right."
Durrell Landon and Quiana Sutton instantly sobered up, Durrell ended the kiss but did not immediately let go, merely looking down at her.
Quiana always felt that Durrell was looking at her differently than when he woke up from the hospital.
She seemed to have seen such a look on Durrell before he lost his memory.
Like a calm sea full of energy, ready to unleash a torrential wave when the time is right.
Out of nowhere, she felt a sense of danger from his gaze.
She realized she truly drank too much, to actually say such things to Durrell.
She desperately wanted to distance herself a bit from him.
Softly, she repeated once more, "It hurts—"
Durrell finally let go of his hand.
The moment he released her, Quiana immediately rolled off the sofa.
Turning around, she saw Oliver Gale not far away, watching them like a spectator.
"You both seem to be very enthusiastic, but I would still suggest moving to a room," he remarked.
Durrell Landon tidied his clothes slightly, looking at Oliver Gale with indifference, "Imperial View Manor is mine, so if I really want to do something in the living room, the person who should avoid it is you."
Oliver Gale almost slipped, unsure if it was his imagination, he felt Durrell was serious, that if he hadn't shown up, they might really...
He coughed lightly, "Durrell, your body hasn't fully recovered yet, I would still advise against such intense activities."
Durrell glanced at him sideways, saying nothing.
At this moment, his heart was very conflicted.
Earlier, he merely wanted to punish her slightly, but didn't expect at the moment of touching her lips, he greedily wanted more, his body moving faster than his thoughts, not only did he want her, but also to possess and destroy, ruthless and longing.
The feeling was very unfamiliar to him, yet he was also very aware, he couldn't allow anyone to surpass his rationality.
Quiana Sutton did not go to the master bedroom but chose a guest room, Durrell saw and did not stop her.
Tonight, they indeed were not suited to sleep in the same room.
Oliver Gale had never seen Durrell unable to control his emotions; he was known for hiding his emotions, his eyes now filled with curiosity:
"Durrell, what were you talking about just now?"
Durrell replied indifferently, "Nothing."
The stormy waves on his face had calmed, but the sea within his heart was still raging.
His mind kept replaying what Quiana had just said—
Are you in love with Evelyn Windsor because she meets your standards, or do you love her simply because she fits your standards, or would you love another woman if she meets your standards?
It was the first time someone seemed to see through his heart.
*
Quiana Sutton found a guest room, not as comfortable as the master bedroom, but good enough for her.
She took a cold shower in the bathroom, icy water droplets falling from her head, jolting her fully awake in an instant.
After the shower, as she came out of the bathroom, her hair still wet, she received several messages from Alexander Skylane.
[Hey Cece, tomorrow afternoon's flight, remember to pick me up.]
[If you dare not come, I'll tell your uncle.]
...
After reading, Quiana tossed her phone aside, annoyed that he dared to use her uncle against her. She could ignore anyone, but her uncle held a special place in her heart.
With a touch of disdain, she typed these words:
[I can pick you up, provided you can avoid those paparazzi yourself.]
Alexander Skylane happily sent her a flying kiss emoji, followed by an apology emoji.
Quiana waited for five minutes, but Alexander Skylane remained in the typing state, and she was getting a bit angry.
[What exactly are you trying to say? Stop dithering, are you a man or not?]
Alexander Skylane seemed a bit offended seeing this, [Do I need to prove to you whether I'm a man?]
She replied mercilessly:
[Get lost... If you don't speak soon, I'm going to sleep.]
Seeing her anger, Alexander Skylane quickly replied, [No, wait, I haven't finished my sentence yet.]
[I accidentally broke one of your jade pieces, please don't be mad.]
Quiana Sutton suddenly felt a bad premonition, [Which jade did you break?]
[It's Charlotte Sutton, that woman, who showed off the jade your mother gave you at her birthday banquet. I got angry and broke it.]
[Really, I didn't mean it, please don't be mad, I'll let you hit and scold me when we meet.]
Holding the phone, Alexander Skylane was anxious, waiting a long time before finally seeing Quiana's reply.
[If it's broken, it's broken, it wasn't that valuable a piece of jade anyway.]
Alexander Skylane knew, although it wasn't valuable, it was a gift from Quiana's mother, irreplaceable in her heart. If Charlotte Sutton hadn't been so excessive, he wouldn't have lost his temper and broken it.
Due to Simon Storm's connections, he had heard about the Sutton Estate's affairs; back then, when Quiana's mother gave birth, she suffered severe bleeding, nearly dying. Though saved, her health suffered greatly, declining year by year, and she passed away when Quiana was not yet five.
At age ten, she and her brother were kidnapped, and her brother sacrificed himself to save her, dying from a bullet to the heart. As her father brought her back, an accident occurred, killing him instantly, leaving only her alive.
The Sutton Estate elder lost both his beloved son and grandson that day, leaving only one granddaughter. Upon returning, he nearly strangled her in his grief.