The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 431

Pierce made up an excuse to brush her off. "I called him earlier and thought I heard a woman's voice. So, what did you see?"

"It was Riley! She was giving him a medical consultation. I had no idea he suffered from insomnia. With so many people depending on him, the pressure must be crushing. I should learn massage therapy so I can help him relax..."

Pierce stopped listening after the first sentence. He couldn't care less about what Serena was babbling about.

Riley had actually gone to see Sebastian? She had rushed all the way there just during her brief lunch break. She had never been that clingy with him.

Sebastian was incredibly cunning and calculating; he had even managed to fool Pierce before. Riley was far too naive to handle a man like that.

If this continued, that vicious bastard would chew Riley up and spit her out.

He had to find a way to make Riley come back to him.

"Brother, are you even listening to me?"

Pierce snapped back to reality. "What did you say?"

"I said his uncle invited both me and Riley to The St. John Midnight Gala! I need to dress up and outshine everyone. Send me some money so I can buy a gorgeous gown."

Pierce knew all about the Gala. He had attended last year when Barnaby hosted. Practically every elite figure in Statenbury would be there.

This could be the perfect opportunity.

A calculating gleam sparked in Pierce's eyes. "I got it. I'll transfer the money shortly." He hung up and immediately called Scott Baxter into his office. He needed to plan this perfectly.

Inside the CEO's office, Sebastian closed the door and turned to see Riley looking thoroughly spooked. He took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Were you scared?"

How could she not be?

She didn't possess his unflappable composure. Sneaking around made it impossible to act confident. When Serena and Montgomery had been shouting outside, all she could think about was the sheer magnitude of the scandal if they were caught. The public backlash would drown them.

The eldest brother and his former sister-in-law. The gossip would be nuclear.

Her heart had nearly stopped.

She hadn't expected the sudden intimacy. Their breaths mingled. "We're eating," she whispered.

"I want to kiss you."

His voice was deep and husky, his eyes heavy with seductive heat.

Riley's fingers tightened around her fork. "Are we skipping lunch?"

"We'll eat after I kiss you."

She didn't argue, waiting for him to make the move. But he just kept looking at her, his eyes silently demanding: You kiss me.

She swallowed against her dry throat, leaned in slightly, and pressed her lips to his.

Satisfied, a smirk touched his lips. He cupped the back of her pale neck and deepened the kiss.

Before long, New Year's Day arrived.