After Betrayal - I Married a Handsome Tycoon-Chapter 49: Pinning Her Down

In all the time Moira Sloan had known Connor Quinn, she had never once seen him smile.

Hearing his voice now and trying to picture him smiling was impossible. The thought alone made her shudder.

After a moment, Moira ground out, "What do you mean, *you* get to decide when we sleep together and when we don’t? We had an agreement from the start: as soon as I get a boyfriend, you get lost."

Connor Quinn’s voice was deep, as steady as a meditating monk. "Do you have a boyfriend now?"

Moira was speechless.

She wanted to say yes.

She wanted to bluff her way through it.

But she didn’t dare.

Between saving face with Connor Quinn and saving face with Shane Jennings, she chose the latter.

The call went silent for a moment. Moira couldn’t come up with a response. Connor said coolly, "Make up your mind. Either I go with you the day after tomorrow, or you conjure up a boyfriend right now."

Moira, "..."

Connor prompted, "Hm?"

Biting her nails, Moira Sloan seethed, "You go."

"Are you sure?" Connor asked.

’Beggars can’t be choosers,’ Moira thought, her resolve crumbling. "I’m sure."

Connor’s voice was crisp and cool. "Start packing. I’ll pick you up in two hours to take you to Atheria."

"Oh," Moira said.

Moira never knew a single "oh" could be so full of emotion.

Helplessness, anger, and utter humiliation.

After hanging up with Connor Quinn, Moira sat there for a long time, grinding her teeth.

She was furious.

But she was in too deep now. She couldn’t afford to have a falling-out with Connor.

Connor Quinn arrived to pick her up two hours later. Moira’s long hair was casually held up with a clip, a few stray strands framing her face. Her green chiffon dress shimmered in the sunlight.

Connor caught sight of her from a distance, and his gaze lingered.

As the car pulled up, the admiration in his eyes vanished, replaced by his usual indifference.

Moira opened the car door and got in without a word, her lips set in a pout.

Connor knew she was angry, so he didn’t speak either. Instead, he took a bottle of water from the center console and offered it to her.

Moira didn’t take it. She just crossed her arms, striking a defiant pose.

Connor held the water out for a moment before setting it down. He then leaned over to buckle her seatbelt.

Moira’s glistening eyes stared right at him, her displeasure practically spilling out.

Connor looked down and fastened her seatbelt without a word, then leaned back and sat up straight.

Moira, "!!"

On the way to Atheria, Moira kept her head turned toward the window.

She was acting out of spite, thinking that even if she couldn’t openly defy him, she could at least be difficult.

It was a petty, ingrained stubbornness.

At first, she really was looking at the scenery outside. But somehow, her gaze shifted and landed on Connor Quinn’s reflection in the window.

Before she knew about his connection to Shane Jennings, she’d never considered comparing their looks. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

But looking closely now, she could see a certain resemblance.

In the nose, for instance, and the mouth.

Their eyes were different. Shane Jennings’s seemed gentler, while Connor’s were much sharper.

As she thought about it, Moira’s brow furrowed slightly.

The thought of the connection between Shane Jennings and Connor Quinn was infuriating.

Anyone who didn’t know the full story would think she’d planned it all.

「Over three hours later, the car arrived in Atheria.」

After a long drive on the highway, even the hardiest person would feel worn out.

As they entered the city, Moira gave him the address of a hotel she used to frequent. It was a little pricey, but the atmosphere was second to none.

When they reached the hotel, Moira unbuckled her seatbelt and got out first.

In the few steps it took to walk to the entrance, two questions ran through Moira’s mind. ’First, should Connor and I get one room or two? Second, since he’s one of the Jennings family, is he rich or not?’

But all those thoughts vanished the moment she stepped into the hotel.

Because she’d had the misfortune of running into two people.

Shane Jennings and her frenemy, Rachel Yates—a woman who was once so close to her they were practically joined at the hip.

Seeing the two of them here together was, frankly... something else.

Especially since her "dear" best friend had clearly just taken a shower. She was still damp, and her hair was soaking wet.

The three of them stared at each other, and Shane Jennings’s expression was the first to change.

He took a step forward, as if to speak to her, but before he could get a word out, another voice—magnetic, stern, and cold—cut him off.

"I have your ID. How are you planning to check in?"