The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 128

Riley felt a sudden rush of guilt, like a voyeur caught in the act. Her heart raced, and she quickly looked away.

Pierce noticed Riley's unusual reaction and placed a hand on her waist. "What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

The moment his hand touched her, the first thought that flashed through Riley's mind was that this same hand had touched Seraphina Sutton. It was dirty. An uncontrollable wave of nausea surged in her chest.

She subtly shifted her footing, taking a half-step away so her body slipped out of his grasp. "No."

Pierce's hand hovered stiffly in the air for a second before he pulled it back. Just then, someone approached to greet them. "Mr. Landon! An absolute pleasure."

Many in their circle knew of the connection between Pierce and Sebastian. Landon Enterprises also had operations in Statenbury and partnered with St. John Global. "A pleasure as well."

"And who might this be?" The man glanced at Riley and asked Pierce.

Pierce smiled and introduced her. "My wife."

"Ah, Mrs. Landon. You look absolutely stunning tonight."

Though Riley hated these superficial interactions, she had learned how to handle them during her year of marriage to Pierce. She offered a polite smile. "Thank you."

After that, Riley spent the evening mingling through the crowd by Pierce's side, playing the part of the supportive wife in every social exchange.

Before long, Riley felt a dull ache in her stomach. A heavy, dragging cramp settled in her lower abdomen, and keeping up appearances became increasingly exhausting.

Knowing Riley disliked these events, Pierce thought she was just getting annoyed. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Just hold on a little longer. Once Lady Eleanor makes her appearance and cuts the cake, we can head back."

The man's warm breath tickled her ear. Riley took a half-step away to escape his proximity. "Alright."

Businessmen were nothing if not perceptive. The man immediately laughed it off, apologizing for overstepping, then clinked glasses with Pierce before walking away.

Once the man was gone, the smile vanished from Pierce's face. He frowned at Riley, his tone laced with resentment. "Riley, you said you would cooperate."

The cramping in her stomach was getting worse. Riley instinctively pressed a hand against her abdomen. She bit her lip hard to suppress the pain. "My cooperation has boundaries."

As the CEO of Landon Enterprises, Pierce was used to people kissing up to him. He had been bending over backward for Riley these past few days, yet she remained completely unappreciative. Now, she was even embarrassing him in front of outsiders.

His patience finally snapped. "Sharing a toast crosses your boundaries? Your boundaries are awfully fragile."

Riley's stomach was in agony, and the fingers pressing against it curled slightly. She didn't have the energy to argue with him. "I'm going to the restroom." With that, she turned to leave.