The One He Dismissed Became The One He Died For novel Chapter 55

Miles pulled his zipper all the way to the top.

Claire scoffed. "Stingy."

Outside, the rain poured down harder, showing no signs of stopping. Miles sat at the small desk, scrolling on his phone.

There was only one bed, and the floor was covered in muddy puddles. Neither of them could sleep on the ground.

Claire broke the silence. "Dr. Zimmerman, I'll take the inside. You sleep on the edge."

His thumb stopped moving. After a long pause, he hummed his agreement.

A spark of triumph lit up in her chest. She obediently shuffled to the far side of the mattress, leaving just a sliver of space for herself, closed her eyes, and pretended to sleep.

In the dark, he approached the bed and lay down carefully, hanging off the edge.

The wooden bed was pitifully narrow. Their bodies were inevitably pressed together.

Even through their clothes, she could feel his searing body heat.

It was their first time sharing a bed, and Claire's nerves were slightly frayed.

Moving with excruciating slowness, she rolled over. Her right arm casually flopped down, landing heavily across Miles's waist, pulling him close.

Through his thick jacket, she felt his body go instantly rigid, his heat skyrocketing.

Hook, line, and sinker.

Claire kept her body perfectly slack, even letting out a soft, sleep-heavy mumble.

She played the part flawlessly.

His muscles were as hard as steel, his breathing growing rugged and deep.

In the dark, her lips curled into a victorious smile.

But after faking it for so long, she actually fell asleep...

Miles felt the soft weight of her arm against him.

His body tensed, the scorching heat flooding his senses until rational thought evaporated.

In the pitch black, he turned his head to look at her, a burning intensity in his gaze.

When dawn broke, Claire woke up groggy.

She didn't elaborate on what had happened, but her breathless tone was enough to let everyone's imagination run wild.

Vivian's lips trembled with rage. She shot a desperate look at Miles, begging him to deny it.

But he just looked down at Claire.

He saw right through her little game.

Like a kitten testing its claws, terrified of being swatted away.

Miles said nothing, but a faint, indulgent smirk flashed in his usually placid eyes.

Though the rain had stopped, things in Westhaven were bad.

The storm had flooded the mill, ruining most of the stock. Silas and the locals tried to salvage it, but over half the inventory was destroyed.

Claire stepped forward.

"You have the nerve to show your face? Nothing good ever happens when Sterling is involved!"

Silas's eyes were bloodshot. "We haven't had a storm like this in years! This is on you! You're cursed!"