She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 420

Melanie slapped her hand right over Preston's mouth.

But it was too late. A massive crowd of employees had already stopped to stare, and even without looking directly at them, Melanie could practically hear the gossip machine firing up.

"We are literally standing in front of my office building. Stop calling me that."

Melanie dropped her voice to a furious whisper, glaring at him warningly.

"Besides, we literally just started dating. We need to be careful about public displays of affection."

Preston calmly reached up, peeling her hand away from his lips. He looked entirely unfazed.

"Why? We don't even work at the same company, so it's not some taboo office romance. And who exactly is our kissing bothering?"

Preston delivered the logic flawlessly, even turning his head to survey the growing crowd of onlookers.

The audience was only multiplying by the second. After all, they were a devastatingly attractive couple; people were naturally going to stare.

"They look pretty entertained to me. I'd say we're making a positive impact."

Positive impact, my foot!

Melanie realized attempting logical communication with Preston in this state was absolutely hopeless.

She spun around to make her escape, only for him to catch her wrist again.

"So you're just shy then, sweetheart?"

Her cheeks burned a furious shade of red. Melanie genuinely hadn't expected Preston to be this aggressively forward, let alone this incredibly clingy.

"Call me that one more time and I am seriously going to be mad at you!"

Melanie shot him her most threatening glare.

Though she knew perfectly well her attempts at intimidation were utterly useless against a man like him.

Preston fell completely silent.

With that sudden silence, the air between them seemed to instantly freeze.

A sharp pang of regret hit Melanie's chest. Had she been too harsh?

They were officially a couple now. Was it really that big of a deal for him to call her sweet pet names in public?

The guilt gnawed at her, and she opened her mouth, desperately trying to formulate an apology.

Suddenly, Preston stepped forward and wrapped his arms securely around her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Then I apologize. Please don't be mad at me, sweetheart."

A collective gasp and excited murmurs rippled through the crowd of employees. Melanie's face burned so hot it could have melted steel.

"Okay, okay, I really have to get to work now."

Melanie gently pushed him back.

If they kept acting this intensely affectionate, her lunch break would be entirely over.

"I'll come pick you up when you get off."

She also undeniably didn't want to broadcast their relationship to the entire world just yet.

Preston adored her.

And she really liked Preston.

But...

She deeply felt that she didn't truly know him.

Conversely, Preston knew everything about her.

Far more than she had ever realized.

This bizarre, highly uneven dynamic planted a quiet, lingering seed of insecurity in her heart regarding this brand-new relationship.

It was exactly that lack of security that made her so hesitant to go public.

"Ms. Royce... Ms. Royce?"

Melanie snapped back to reality.

"What are you thinking about? You look so serious."

"Hey, dating a guy that hot is a win no matter what happens! Even if you guys don't end up together forever, it's still a massive flex!"

"Exactly!"

Listening to her young coworkers' enthusiastic chatter, Melanie gave a small shrug, a faint, bitter smile tugging at the corners of her lips.