Chapter 235 - 234: Helpless
After breakfast and a quick look at the financial news, Simon Lockwood went to change. He was tall with long legs, and the black, bespoke suit he put on gave him an air of noble, ascetic charm.
Joanna’s gaze slowly traveled up his body. She couldn’t help but gulp when her eyes landed on the red marks his collar couldn’t quite hide.
Joanna: "Cough, cough, cough..."
Joanna coughed until tears welled up in her eyes. Simon Lockwood reacted before he could think, immediately pouring a glass of warm water and handing it to her. He frowned. "What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?"
"Cough, cough..." Joanna took a few sips of water until the coughing fit subsided. She averted her gaze. "N-nothing."
Simon Lockwood stared at her for a moment. His gaze lingered on her flushed cheeks, and a flicker of understanding crossed his eyes. He then stood up, his expression unreadable. "Oh."
"I’m going to the office to grab some documents," Simon Lockwood said. "Be good while I’m gone. I’ll bring you back a treat."
Joanna mumbled a distracted "okay." She hesitated, turning the words over in her mind. Just as he was about to open the door, she finally burst out, her voice timid, "Um, about your neck... I-I could cover it up with my powder compact..."
Her voice trailed off, becoming nearly inaudible by the end. Simon Lockwood’s gaze swept over her flushed cheeks and her fingers twisting the hem of her shirt. A dark glint flashed in his eyes, but his tone was flat. "Don’t bother."
"No, you can’t!" Joanna insisted, her voice dropping to a whisper again. "What if your employees see it..."
Simon Lockwood wanted to say, ’Let them look,’ but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. He frowned. "Fine. Just a quick cover-up."
Given his permission, Joanna’s eyes lit up. She immediately took out her powder compact, which she had ready, and patted the seat next to her. "Sit here, I’ll take care of it."
"No," Simon Lockwood refused, his tone unhurried. "You come here."
Considering she was the one at fault, Joanna didn’t argue. ’Fine, I’ll go to him. It’s only a few steps anyway. That Simon Lockwood is so lazy.’
Joanna grumbled to herself and scurried over to Simon Lockwood.
It was the powder compact she normally used, with very fine powder. Joanna was a little nearsighted, and it was only when she got close that she realized the marks were worse than she’d thought. They practically formed a ring around his neck.
’Did I really use that much force?’ she wondered. ’Anyone who didn’t know better would think he’d been attacked by a terrorist.’
Joanna felt a pang of guilt, and her touch grew even lighter. "Does it hurt?" she asked intermittently.
"It doesn’t hurt..." Simon Lockwood said.
He lowered his gaze, taking in her long eyelashes. She was leaning against his chest with a serious expression, and her soft breath on his neck sent a tingly, itchy sensation across his skin.
Simon Lockwood’s fingers twitched. He slowly raised a hand and placed it on the small of her back. Meeting her questioning gaze, he explained without a change in expression, "In case you lose your balance."
"Oh, oh, okay..." Joanna didn’t suspect a thing. The thought that he might be taking advantage of her never even crossed her mind. Her attention was completely consumed by the red marks she had left on his neck.
’She’d managed to cover the ones on his neck, but the marks on his chin and cheek were trickier. After a careful look, Joanna decided to ignore his chin; it wasn’t that obvious anyway. She’d just cover the one on his cheek.’
She was a full head shorter than Simon Lockwood and couldn’t quite reach. She rose onto her tiptoes, not forgetting to remind him, "Hold me steady."
The large hand on the small of her back tightened its grip, while his other hand pressed against her upper back for support. The man’s voice was suddenly low and husky. "Alright..."
With this adjustment, Joanna was practically pressed into his arms, as if she were throwing herself at him. Yet, she remained completely oblivious, her focus solely on covering the small red mark on his cheek.
A few seconds later, she stopped and carefully inspected her work. Satisfied, she was about to say, "All done," when...
He gave the small of her back an unexpected squeeze. A jolt shot through her, making her knees go weak, and she nearly collapsed.
Before she could even protest, his voice was a low, deep whisper against her ear, "Joanie, is it all covered up?"
He was deliberately close, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. The pressure on her back wasn’t painful, but it was firm enough to keep her from pulling away. Joanna answered meekly, "It’s covered..."
"Well done..."
Joanna: "..."
Joanna deflated. ’Fine,’ she thought. ’I started it by getting fresh with him first. It’s only fair that he gets his revenge. An eye for an eye!’
Outside the villa, Jack Warren had been waiting for some time. When he saw his boss emerge, he couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination, but Mr. Lockwood seemed to be in a particularly good mood today. Miss Kennedy, trailing behind him, however, looked less than thrilled.
"It’s freezing, and you just had to make me come out to see you off! Are you a child or something?!" Joanna grumbled. "Simon Lockwood, you’re such a pain!"
Jack Warren: "...?"
Jack Warren’s lip twitched. He immediately looked straight ahead, minding his own business.
Simon Lockwood’s expression remained unchanged. "It’s your punishment."
Joanna: "..."
Joanna tossed her coat into the car, spun around, and marched back toward the villa. The door slammed shut with a BANG. Simon Lockwood chuckled softly and got into the car.
The car moved steadily down the road. Jack Warren kept his eyes fixed ahead as he delivered his routine report. "The economic development zone project, in cooperation with the authorities, has commenced. The initial investment is one billion for road construction."
"However, it seems they’ve run into some trouble. The authorities have already sent people to investigate. Should we dispatch someone to check on the situation as well?"
After finishing his report, Jack Warren waited for his boss’s decision. A moment passed with no response.
Puzzled, he glanced into the rearview mirror and saw the man leisurely wiping his neck with an alcohol wipe.
Jack Warren: "..."
"...Mr. Lockwood," Jack Warren began, trying to find the right words before giving up. "Did you... not shower yesterday?"
In the rearview mirror, the man’s hand froze mid-wipe. He lifted his eyes, and a single sharp glance was enough to make Jack Warren awkwardly rub his nose and shut his mouth.
Seeing that he’d fallen silent, Simon Lockwood spoke in that same unhurried tone. "You weren’t waiting too long just now, were you?"
Jack Warren was socially savvy enough to reply, "Not at all."
"Mm, that’s good." Simon Lockwood frowned, looking as if he were reluctant to bring it up, but explained anyway, "Joanna insisted on using her powder to cover up some marks."
’Powder? Marks? What was he talking about?’
Confused, Jack Warren risked another glance.
The alcohol wipe had been very effective, removing most of the powder from the man’s neck and cheek. It also revealed a ring of red marks around his neck and a distinct red imprint on his cheek.
Jack Warren: "..."
Jack Warren: "???"
Jack Warren: "!!!"
The corner of Jack Warren’s mouth twitched uncontrollably. He was so utterly thunderstruck he felt like he’d been fried to a crisp. He took one deep breath, then another, barely managing to stop himself from cursing out loud.
"I’m not used to those girly things, but it’s hard to refuse her," Simon Lockwood added in that same unhurried, helpless-sounding tone.
If you ignored the triumphant smirk playing on his lips, that is!