30 Days Till I Divorce My Husband novel Chapter 466

"What on earth is Taylor thinking? Can't he see her parents are right there?"

When she'd reluctantly agreed to his terms, he had promised her that her family would never find out.

Trying to calm herself, Leonora took a deep breath and swallowed hard, feeling her heart leap to her throat.

Maybe it was Taylor's commanding presence, or maybe it was his unwavering gaze that made her parents and the rest of the relatives stop in their tracks.

Sure enough, Taylor walked straight towards her. He stopped right in front of her, and Leonora looked up, forcing a smile. "Fancy seeing you here."

She hadn't expected her lie to unravel so quickly.

With a smile tugging at his lips, Taylor asked casually, "Having dinner with your family?"

Leonora, holding her breath, nodded slightly. "Yeah."

After her response, Taylor turned to greet her parents. "Hey there, Uncle, Auntie."

"Hello, hello," her parents responded quickly.

Sizing him up, they could tell he wasn't just anyone. How on earth did Arielle know someone like him?

After the pleasantries, Taylor turned back to Leonora, his voice soft. "Feeling better from your cold?"

Leonora felt like he was intentionally putting her on the spot, but she replied through clenched teeth, "Much better."

At her response, her mom glanced at her, puzzled. When had she caught a cold? Wasn't she always full of energy? But they didn’t call her out on it.

Taylor seemed relieved by her answer and then greeted the older relatives, introducing himself as Leonora's coworker who just stopped by to say hello.

Her family responded warmly, thanking him for taking care of Leonora and apologizing for any trouble she might have caused.

Leonora wished she could disappear until Taylor finally left, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief as she helped her grandmother to the elevator.

Once in the elevator, Peyton immediately turned to her. "Arielle, was that coworker of yours trying to woo you? He seems decent, pretty handsome too. Must be quite the leader at work, huh?"

"You, quiet as a mouse, but making big moves in silence, huh?" Peyton teased.

Leonora felt a headache coming on. "Peyton, what are you talking about? Why would he be interested in me? He's just approachable and nice to all of us at work."

Praising Taylor made Leonora want to slap herself. Sure, he had a good reputation at the office, but in private, he was a domineering tyrant who never listened to anyone.

Thankfully, he hadn't said anything out of line; otherwise, she wouldn't be able to clear her name even if she jumped into the Mississippi River.

"Arielle, I'm telling you, that guy likes you. He wants to pursue you. I could tell just by the way he looked at you," Peyton insisted, convinced of her intuition about Taylor's feelings for Leonora.

Taylor's brief appearance was, in fact, a move to create some ambiguity and stake his claim.

Given Leonora's age and the nature of such family gatherings, she was bound to face pressure about dating and settling down. His appearance would give the family something to think about, easing the pressure on her.

Taylor's little scheme was cleverer than anyone could have anticipated. And it was effective; Peyton was already convincing their mom not to worry too much.

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Inside, she found her favorite green tea cheesecake along with an assortment of snacks and fruits. She stared at the fridge for a while before finally taking out the cheesecake and solemnly returning to the dining table.

Before she could finish her slice, the door suddenly opened. Turning around, she saw Taylor had returned.

At the doorway, seeing Leonora enjoying the cheesecake, a smile immediately graced Taylor's lips.

Noticing his gaze, Leonora stood up and glanced at the fridge, explaining, "I found it in the fridge, didn't want it to go bad, so I ate it."

Her concern over the cheesecake expiring only made Taylor's smile grow wider. "It was prepared for you," he said.

He often had Leonora over, so he made it a point to stock up on things girls typically like to eat, but Leonora hardly touched anything. In the end, the cleaning lady would end up taking it all home.

This time, Leonora didn't hold back, and Taylor was actually quite pleased about it.

Seeing Taylor in a good mood, Leonora offered him a smile, then settled back down to continue with her cake. She wished she could make this cake last forever, just so they could avoid getting too close.

Taylor was skilled, and the experience was always top-notch, but he reminded her too much of Grant. Their relationship was complicated, and even with his skills, she was ready for it to be over.

Leonora kept on with her cake, while Taylor propped his arms on the table, trapping her in his embrace. He leaned in close to her ear and asked, "Is it good?"

The intimacy as Taylor drew near made Leonora's heart race unexpectedly. This kind of flirtation wasn't right for them; they were better off getting straight to the point.

Turning to face him, Leonora tried to keep her cool. "It's quite good, better than the matcha cake I used to get..."

Before Leonora could finish, Taylor kissed her. Her brows furrowed slightly, her grip tightening on her fork. Taylor expertly parted her lips, drawing her soft tongue into his mouth.