Chapter 770 Made the Heart Skip Faster
After hearing Daphne's words, Louis stared at her in silence, his lips curled in doubt as he looked into
her eyes.
In the meantime, she returned his gaze with determination gleaming in her eyes. She wanted him to
know that he should not tie himself down regarding certain matters.
Following a brief period of silence, the lights around them dimmed.
"What about you?" he asked softly, seemingly out of nowhere.
Daphne stared blankly at Louis for a moment after he asked that question, and it took her a while to
figure out what he was getting at. "Me… What?"
"Did you reject me because I should not have been responsible for certain consequences?"
After hearing this, she gaped at him in the dim light, not knowing what to say. Is this a trick question? I
can't give a satisfactory response to his question because there is none. After all, the fact that I reject
him has nothing to do with this. Why does he mention I turned him down? Also, why does he suddenly
bring it up again? In the few seconds since the silence had descended, millions of thoughts raced
through her mind, and she had never felt so trapped that she could not utter a word. When his phone
finally rang at that crucial moment, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Soon, the stairwell lit up again as the lights turned on in response to the sound. Consequently, Louis
could take in Daphne's lost and panicked expression.
However, she seized the chance to look away and said, "We've been away for quite a while. We… We
should head back."
She had just turned around when he remarked, "There's a lingering odor of smoke on me."
After hearing that, Daphne whirled around to face him. "In that case—"
"Can you help me?" Louis interrupted.
"How do I do that?" she asked, puzzled.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAs soon as she uttered those words, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his embrace. Then, he
said, "Your perfume should cover up the odor."
His actions rendered her speechless.
She was only partially encircled by his arms because he was only giving her a half-hug, so there was
plenty of room for her to escape his grasp if she so desired. However, that only made her heart skip
faster. Later, the lights dimmed again, and she could hear her heart beating rapidly. "That night, were
you down there the whole night?" she whispered.
After a brief pause during which Louis made no denials, he finally hummed.
"Why?" Daphne asked.
"I was afraid Theodore would seek you out again." He paused, then continued, "Are you going to ask
why I was afraid he'd seek you out again?"
Your response is crystal clear. As she contemplated her response, he received silence. A moment later,
she said, "Louis McKinney, I have never..."
Your response is crystal clear. As she contemplated her response, he received silence. A moment later,
she said, "Louis McKinney, I have never..."
This is the first time I can recall that she has addressed me by my full name. In response, Louis
stepped back and calmly stated, "We still have work to do. Let us remain calm and relaxed."
When she heard that, Daphne quickly stifled the words on the tip of her tongue. He's right. Making
things awkward now will make future meetings even more uncomfortable, thus affecting our work. She
suddenly realized why he had been so vague in the past; he must have already known that she would
not agree to date him.
After leaving the emergency exit and realizing she needed to change, he said, "I'll head on over first."
After a beat, Daphne responded, "Okay."
Meanwhile, Zoe was talking to Leanna when Louis walked over. Zoe's eyes immediately lit up when
she saw him and exclaimed, "When did you turn into such a handsome man, Louis? You get more
handsome by the day."
Her words rendered him speechless.
After that, she nudged Leanna with her elbow. "Do you see this, Nana?"
Leanna chuckled and stated, "I do."
After that, Zoe couldn't help but pull out her camera and snap pictures of him as she tutted. "Your looks
are enough to kill off the careers of so many celebrities. His company has struck gold with him!"
Suddenly, she smelled the faint scent of perfume on his shirt. "You use cologne?" she asked
incredulously.
"It might be from the dressing room," Louis replied.
Zoe hummed in response and then raised an eyebrow at Leanna because she could sense the whiff of
gossip.
Seeing that, Leanna dragged Zoe back away from him. "Alright. That's enough out of you. Remember
to take decent pictures of him."
"Oh, yes, yes," Zoe said. "Hold still, Louis. I need a few more photos of you. They'll be put up on the
studio wall. We'll be swarmed with fans by then."
On the other hand, Louis had gone through a promotional photoshoot for the reality show he was in, so
he was not a stranger to photoshoots. Soon, Zoe's camera was filled with photos of him.
As she continued to take pictures, she exclaimed, "Nana, I think we should expedite the development
of our men's line products. A day without it is a major loss of profits."
"Okay. I get it," Leanna said, chuckling. Although I have never given it much thought, I could expand
my business to include jewelry design for men.
By the time Louis' photoshoot was finished, Daphne was done changing and entered the studio. She
was dressed in a tailored dress from a certain luxury brand, and every piece of jewelry on her, from the
tiara to the earrings and the necklace, was designed by Leanna. The air seemed to shimmer as she
approached them.
At that moment, he pursed his lips when he saw her.
"You're gorgeous!" Zoe gasped. "I just knew we had great taste in models!"
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmDaphne accepted the compliment with a smile as she briefly locked eyes with him before quickly
averting her gaze. "Let's start," she said with faux calm.
"Okay. Listen up, everyone! We're starting," Zoe called out.
In the meantime, Leanna could not help with the filming, so she waited by the side.
"A penny for your thoughts?" Freddie inquired as he walked over to stand next to her.
Leanna sighed in response and turned to look at him. "It's nothing. What is it?"
"I've done as you asked. When can I get my treat? Let me know early so I can prepare my stomach for
the feast," he answered.
After hearing that, she was at a loss for words. Then, she uttered, "In a few days. We still have to film
the outdoor scenes, so there's much to do."
"What is Aidan up to lately?" Freddie asked.
"He's at the Crossley Group. Are you looking for him?"
He went silent upon hearing that. Aidan has been ignoring me since I assisted Oscar in transporting the
child from Highside to Jamesdon. Still, I need to find an opportunity to prove my innocence. It looks like
I made the right choice. It is inexcusable for Aidan to not thank me for my efforts, but it is beyond the
pale for him to disregard me entirely.
After a moment of silence, Leanna asked, "Are you still in contact with Oscar?"
When he heard the name, he swallowed back the words hovering at the tip of his tongue. "Well, I can't
lie—" he muttered in defense.
"Yes or no? I'm not going to do anything," she interrupted. "Is he in Highside?"
"Yes, but he's investigating something and can't meet anyone now," Freddie replied. "I can pass a
message for you."
Leanna considered the offer and said, "I have nothing to tell him. As for the situation between him and
Aidan... We can talk about it later."
While Oscar had always helped Aidan, it was true that he had an ulterior motive and had lied to Aidan
for over a decade.