The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 44

When Riley and Pierce had first started dating, Pierce had been ecstatic and arranged a gathering with his inner circle to introduce her.

At the time, she was swamped with preparations for her PhD transition exams, which made her run late to the event.

When she arrived at the private room, she reached for the handle, only to hear his friends talking loudly inside.

"Sure, Riley is the campus beauty, and yeah, she's a brilliant med student fast-tracking her PhD, but her family is dirt poor. She's miles beneath you, man. You two have zero future together."

"Pierce is definitely just having fun with her. There is no way a woman with her background will ever step foot into the Landon family."

"Honestly, I can't stand her. Just because she's gorgeous and smart, she acts like she's better than everyone else. So fake and aloof. But look at her now, practically falling into Pierce's bed for a piece of the pie."

The sheer contempt and arrogance in their voices drained the color entirely from Riley's face. She had been on the verge of walking away when Pierce's furious voice echoed through the room.

"Riley is my girlfriend. If you ever run your mouths like that again, we're done. Friendship over."

For Pierce's sake, she had stood frozen outside the door until she forced her composure back. Then, she walked in, pretending everything was perfectly fine.

But after that night, whenever he tried to bring her around that specific group, she always found an excuse. She claimed they had nothing in common and that it was too awkward.

Even after they got married, she completely boycotted his gatherings with them.

Over time, everyone in Pierce's elite social circle—both men and women—labeled her as a cold, unapproachable snob.

Whenever they inevitably bumped into each other at high-society galas, people always pointed fingers. They whispered that she was a fake elitist, a trailer-trash nobody trying to play the part of a wealthy heiress, daring to put on airs around true old money.

Riley had zero interest in associating with people like that.

"I'll pass. Alora is still waiting for me at the recovery center. I'm heading back."

Pierce frowned. "You still don't trust me?"

"If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have come looking for you in the first place."

"Then you're not mad at me anymore?"

"No."

Pierce took his daughter from the maternity nurse and planted a gentle kiss on her soft, rosy cheek. "Did Lory miss her daddy?"

Knowing Pierce rarely got alone time with Riley these days, Quinn sliced the cake, dropped off her gifts and well-wishes, and quickly excused herself.

Before leaving, she leaned in and whispered in Riley's ear, "Pace yourselves. You still haven't been cleared for intimacy yet."

Riley flushed a deep crimson. "Shut up!"

Quinn left with a triumphant laugh.

Shortly after, Mrs. Gable and the maternity nurse took the baby out for a specialized infant swim and massage session, leaving Pierce and Riley completely alone in the sprawling suite.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, his dark gaze locked intensely onto hers. "You look absolutely stunning today."

Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs, a feverish heat crawling up her cheeks. As he slowly leaned closer, the seductive tension practically crackled in the air. She fluttered her eyes shut, breathless with anticipation.

Just as his lips were about to claim hers, his phone violently shattered the silence.