Chapter: 23

After unlocking the door, she kicked off her shoes and pondered the significance behind the number @825. He hadn't removed his tattoo, nor had he changed the password-0825 still held meaning in his heart.

Perhaps his sudden desire to marry was driven by a need to spite the girl he truly cared about, Likely Maddie Hinchcliffe, the head of the company's Legal team.

The key code to Jonathan's house was probably linked to her-B short for Bates, and H for Hinchcliffe.

Bethany was unsure how to process this revelation. Was she just a stand-in for Maddie?

Lost in thought, she shrugged off her coat and mechanically took her laptop out of her bag to get to work, but then her gaze landed on the bag of condoms at the entrance, likely dropped off by Jonathan's assistant.

There were more than ten boxes of brightly-colored condoms inside that bag.

Blushing furiously, Bethany coughed a few times and quickly sidestepped around the bag, as though she was avoiding the plague.

As soon as Bethany logged into the company's internal software, Aimee sent her a message.

"Who was the guy on the phone when I called you?" she asked excitedly.

"Just a doctor at the hospital," Bethany replied, opting to keep the truth to herself. The marriage was a temporary arrangement, meant to last only a year, and she hoped to keep it hidden.

After hitting send, Bethany got to work. She opened the files on the Zucron Company project and began to review them meticulously.

She was immersed in her research when she suddenly heard the door unlocking. Startled, she stood up and walked over.

Before she could utter a word, Jonathan's tall, strong figure pressed her against the living room wall. The overpowering scent of alcohol hit her as he kissed her forcefully.

“Hmm... Mr. Bates! No, not here... Please..."

"Okay," Jonathan murmured into her hair.

Bethany couldn't tell if he was drunk. If he was, then she could help him to the bedroom, and things would end there. But if he wasn't drunk, and he was just acting on a strong, human desire...

This man was completely different from the usually calm and almost cold CEO.

Bethany's mind started to swirl in bed with him, as though she too had drunk wine. Their intimate interaction seemed to go on endlessly, until she finally couldn't take it anymore.

Eyeing the tattoo on his collarbone, she opened her mouth and bit down on it-hard.

Jonathan abruptly stopped what he was doing.

"Sorry, I got a bit carried away..." he muttered hoarsely.

“Mr. Bates, this is the last round, okay?" she pleaded, her watery eyes looking particularly pitiful. "I can't take much more.”

Jonathan didn't answer. After a moment, he climbed off her and went to the bathroom.

Bethany thought she had found Jonathan's pause button-she had bitten his tattoo to remind him of the girl he truly cared about.