The CEO's Midnight Remedy novel Chapter 277

Chapter 277

The unexpected mention of Calvin Reed caught me off guard. “What does Calvin Reed have to do with anything?”

Devon’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “You tell me. My sources say you’ve been getting quite cozy with the Reed Group CEO.

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I felt my cheeks flush with irritation. “If by ‘cozy‘ you mean ‘secured a major contract for Harper Group,‘ then yes. It was purely business.”

“Nothing is purely business with you, Aria.” Devon moved closer, and I caught the faint scent of his cologne. “You have a way of mixing pleasure into everything you touch.”

“That’s rich coming from you,” I snapped, immediately regretting how defensive I sounded. “Look, if me being here bothers you-

“I didn’t say that.” He stepped closer, his eyes never leaving mine. “But hearing you’ve been spending time with other men… it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable.”

The Chinese word slipped out so naturally that it took me a moment to process. When I did, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Did you just say I make you feel uncomfortable?”

His expression darkened. “Is that funny to you?”

“No, it’s just… unexpected.” I steadied myself against the counter. “I didn’t think you cared who I spent time with when we’re not together.”

Devon stepped forward until mere inches separated us. “You should know better by now.”

The air between us crackled with tension. I couldn’t tell if he was angry or aroused–perhaps both. After a moment, he abruptly turned and walked toward his bedroom.

“Stay if you must,” he called over his shoulder. “But we’re not finished discussing this.”

Ten minutes later, he emerged from his walk–in closet holding what appeared to be a silk nightgown. The deep midnight blue fabric shimmered under the apartment’s soft lighting.

“Put this on,” he said, extending it toward me.

“I brought my own clothes.”

“Consider it your apology for making assumptions about my feelings.” His tone left no room for argument.

I took the garment, its cool silk sliding between my fingers. “I need to shower first.”

‘Don’t take too long.”

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16:54 Wed, Jan 7 d.

Chapter 277

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In the bathroom, I stared at my reflection as steam filled the mirror. The woman looking back at me seemed different somehow–more determined, yet more vulnerable. I showered quickly and slipped on the nightgown, which fit perfectly, as if it had been made specifically

for me.

When I emerged, Devon was waiting in bed, his back against the headboard, scrolling through his phone. He looked up, his eyes darkening

as they traced the silk clinging to my curves.

“You weren’t this shy when you first approached me at the Pinnacle,” he remarked, setting his phone aside.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “That was different.”

“Was it?” A small, knowing smile played at his lips. “So between us, who shouldn’t be feeling uncomfortable about whom?”

I felt my defenses crumbling. “Devon-”

“Come here,” he commanded softly.

I moved to the bed, hesitating at its edge. He reached for me, pulling me down beside him with surprising gentleness.

“You’re an enigma, Aria Harper,” he whispered against my hair. “Always calculating, always planning your next move. What am I to you?

Another piece on your chessboard?”

Before I could answer, his lips found mine in a kiss that was both possessive and questioning. His hands moved over the silk covering my

body, and I felt myself responding despite my earlier resolve to keep boundaries clear.

Later, as we lay tangled in his sheets, I noticed something remarkable. Devon’s breathing had steadied, his face relaxed in sleep. The perpetually tense set of his shoulders had softened, and the furrow between his brows had smoothed out.

I’d heard that Devon suffered from chronic insomnia–that he rarely slept more than three hours a night. Yet here he was, deeply asleep

beside me, one arm still draped possessively across my waist.

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As I watched his chest rise and fall in the dim light filtering through the curtains, a startling thought occurred to me: perhaps Devon needed me for more than just the physical release our arrangement provided. Perhaps, in some strange way, I gave him something no one

else could–the ability to truly rest.

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