The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 36

"Everything is normal, except I'm a bit anemic."

A wave of guilt washed over Pierce's eyes. "It's all my fault."

Of course she was anemic; she had suffered a massive hemorrhage.

But Riley wasn't the type to hold a grudge. Since she had chosen to forgive him, she wouldn't keep bringing it up. Holding onto bitterness would only drain her emotionally. "It's in the past."

Pierce supported her toward the bed.

Riley stopped in her tracks. "I don't want to sleep right now. Let's sit on the sofa. We need to talk."

"Alright." He led her to the couch and sat down beside her. "What's on your mind?"

Riley turned slightly to face him directly. "I smelled Seraphina's perfume in the elevator."

She didn't elaborate further, keeping her eyes fixed on him, unwilling to miss a single shift in his expression.

Pierce blinked in surprise. After a moment, as if recalling something, he said, "Her perfume smells a lot like Lydia Sterling's. I remember you saying you hated that cloying, sweet scent."

"Who is Lydia Sterling?"

"One of my business partners. A real powerhouse in the industry."

So it had just been a misunderstanding?

The perfume in the car, and the scent on his clothes—it wasn't Seraphina's, it was Lydia's?

Seeing Riley remain quiet, Pierce asked, "Why bring this up all of a sudden?"

Riley believed honesty was crucial in a marriage, so she didn't hold back and voiced her concerns openly.

Listening to her, Pierce looked at her in disbelief. "You don't actually think there's something going on between me and Seraphina, do you?"

"The moment I smelled her perfume, I definitely suspected it," she admitted frankly.

Their last kiss had been nearly two months ago, and this sudden proposition...

Riley felt a jolt of nervousness, mixed with a faint trace of anticipation. She slowly closed her eyes.

His warm breath drifted closer. Riley unconsciously curled her fingers. Just as their lips were about to meet...

"Look at her swimming with that tiny neck float! She is just too adorable!"

Mrs. Gable's voice echoed from outside.

Riley's eyes snapped open, and she shoved Pierce away. She scrambled to straighten her clothes, looking entirely guilty, as if she'd been caught doing something illicit.

Moments later, Mrs. Gable walked through the door carrying Alora, followed by the maternity nurse holding the baby's bath supplies.

Riley immediately stood up and practically sprinted to the bed. "I'm exhausted. I'm going to sleep for a bit." She kicked off her slippers, dove under the covers, and pulled the blanket over herself in one seamless motion.

Her hilariously guilty reaction made Pierce burst into laughter. They were legally married—why was she acting like they were having an affair?