Too Late, Mr. Cooper: Your Bride Ran with Your Baby novel Chapter 35

Linton's face turned gloomy.

He refused to let her go, stubbornly holding the struggling woman against him. He lowered his head, kissing the top of her hair, murmuring soothing words over and over, trying to calm her down.

Naturally, Liliana wasn't buying it. She was furious, her gaze turning as sharp and cold as the tip of a blade.

“Linton, if you don't let me go, I swear I'll die right here.”

That one sentence stopped him cold. Linton's dark eyes bored into hers, his expression severe. He was clearly losing his temper as well. He let out a short, humorless laugh, forcing himself to remain patient as he gave Aiden a curt nod. “My apologies for the scene.”

Then, in the next second, before either of them could react, he hooked a strong arm under her knees, swept her off her feet into a princess carry, and strode out of the restaurant with a thunderous expression.

He left everything behind, his mind consumed by a single, frantic thought: he had to get Liliana home.

Liliana was stunned into silence in his warm, sturdy embrace. It had happened so fast that she couldn't even process it. By the time her senses returned, she was already being deposited into the passenger seat of his car.

Linton’s face was grim, but his movements were surprisingly gentle as he carefully fastened her seatbelt. Once he was sure it was secure, he braced his hands on the car's frame, leaned in, and pressed a soft, placating kiss to her cheek.

“Stay put,” he murmured.

Liliana stared at him, completely baffled by his sudden, erratic behavior.

“What about your contract?” she asked blankly.

“Not as important as you,” Linton replied, walking around to the driver's side.

Seeing her feigned indifference, the pressure in the car dropped several degrees. Linton’s brows knitted together. He figured she was still upset, so he decided to try a little harder. He’d been coaxing and coddling this girl since they were children; a few more placating words wouldn’t hurt. Linton let out a low chuckle.

“Alright, you didn't ask. My mistake for being presumptuous.”

Liliana glanced at him. She suddenly remembered something she’d read in a book: a man who truly loves you will be jealous of your relationship with any other man. She was certain Linton didn't know Aiden. He had no idea she had minored in jewelry design.

Tonight was the first time he had ever seen him. “Aren't you curious who I was meeting tonight?” she tested.

Linton’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. He slowly lowered his gaze, his lips pressed into a thin line. The truth was, Linton knew exactly who Aiden was. Back in college, Linton had been juggling his studies with running the company. He was so busy he rarely had time to spend with Liliana.

But in the few moments he could steal for himself, he would drive to her university and stand outside her classroom, just to catch a glimpse of her focused expression as she listened to the lecture. The campus sunlight was always bright and brilliant, spilling across her delicate face, illuminating her flower-like beauty and the sweet curve of her smiling eyes. She was at her most captivating then.