After Betrayal - I Married a Handsome Tycoon-Chapter 42: The Iron Tree Blossoms

Moira Sloan had always been black and white when it came to love.

When she was in, she was all in. When she was out, she was gone.

If she and Shane Jennings had simply fallen out of love and gone their separate ways, she would have accepted it.

You can’t force fate.

But they had broken up precisely because of his incompetence and cowardice. So for her to magnanimously wish him happiness and a bright future? Not a chance.

Hearing the mockery in Moira’s tone, Flora Rhodes teased, "Wouldn’t you call this karma?"

Moira scoffed, stating with conviction, "Oh, he’ll definitely get married."

Flora asked, "He’s that spineless?"

Moira gave a contemptuous smile but didn’t answer.

’If he had any backbone, they wouldn’t have ended up breaking up in the first place.’

When Connor Quinn came out of the kitchen, Moira Sloan had just hung up with Flora Rhodes.

Their eyes met. After a week apart, the palpable, intimate tension between a man and a woman instantly flared.

Moira sank languidly into the sofa, a slow smile playing on her red lips.

Connor didn’t say a word. He strode over, swept her into his arms, and carried her into the bathroom.

...

Afterward, Connor Quinn carried Moira Sloan back to the bedroom.

He dried her hair for her, his voice low as he said, "I want to buy some things to keep here."

Moira glanced up at him, her voice languid. "What?"

Connor said, "Men’s slippers, and some basic personal items."

At his words, a flicker of alarm entered Moira’s clear eyes.

Seeing her reaction, Connor explained, "The slippers you have here don’t fit; they’re uncomfortable. And I never have a change of clothes for after."

Moira said nothing.

Connor’s reasons were solid, but Moira was still wary of him.

’It feels like he’s trying to move in on my territory.’

They locked eyes, staring at each other. Connor put down the hot hairdryer, tilted up her chin, and asked, "What are you afraid of?"

Moira scoffed. "Me? Afraid?"

Connor said, "Relax. I won’t get clingy. The moment you get a boyfriend, I’ll disappear."

Moira huffed and pushed his hand away. "You’d better keep your word."

As usual, Connor didn’t stay the night.

After he left, Moira slumped in a chair, biting her nails and wondering when that bastard Shane Jennings would finally get married.

’If he doesn’t get married soon, I’m afraid I’m going to get in way too deep on my end.’

Meanwhile, after going downstairs, Connor first stopped by the convenience store at the complex entrance to buy a pile of personal items for himself before driving off.

He had driven a short distance when the phone on the center console started ringing.

He glanced down at it, a hint of coldness rising in his dark eyes. After a moment, he swiped his finger across the screen to answer.

"Yeah."

Connor’s voice was so cold and hard it made the person on the other end of the line pause.

After a long moment, the person said with a placating laugh, "Connor, Shane’s getting married. Would you be free to be his best man?"

"No," Connor said coldly.

Hearing his reply, the person laughed awkwardly. "Well, will you come back for it?"

Connor remained aloof. "We’ll see."

The caller tried again. "Connor, Grandpa and the rest of us have been thinking about you and Verdi all these years. You..."

Connor’s tone was distant. "I’m driving. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up."

With that, before the other person could reply, Connor hung up the phone.

The call had barely disconnected when a message popped up on the screen.

Looking forward to our family reunion.

Connor glanced at it and looked away, a bone-deep indifference radiating from him.

Twenty-some minutes later, his car arrived at a residential complex.

Connor pushed open the door and got out. His long legs had just touched the ground when he heard a whistle from behind him.

He turned at the sound as a set of car keys was tossed toward him in an arc.

As he reached out to catch them, the person who had thrown them took the opportunity to lunge at him.

At this, Connor’s eyes narrowed. He caught the keys, parried a couple of moves, and ended up pinning the man against the car by the neck.

The man’s triumphant expression instantly turned into a pained grimace. "Connor, my bad, my bad..."

Connor scrutinized him, a half-smile on his face. "Want another round?"

The man shook his head. "Nope, I’m done, I’m done."

Then, with a cheeky grin, he said, "So, Connor, I heard hell froze over and you’re seeing someone. Playing the secret lover, no less? Heh, didn’t know you were into that."