Love at First Sight? Mr. Harrison Has Been Scheming All Along-Chapter 161:

Rory Linden thought for a long moment before saying, "I don’t know anything about this, so you can just decide."

"Okay," Sean Harrison said. "Actually, my assistant already found a house. You have tomorrow off, so let’s go see it together and decide then."

"Yeah, that works."

Rory Linden agreed.

She had the day off tomorrow anyway.

After they got home, Sean changed his clothes and went into the spare bedroom.

"I’ll sleep in the spare room. You take the master bedroom."

Rory watched him enter the spare bedroom, hesitating a moment before following.

When she went in, Sean had just taken off his shirt. Under the light, his lean, powerful muscles were on full display.

And then there were the scars on his back...

Her gaze fell on the numerous scars covering his back. After a moment’s hesitation, she asked, "Are we... always going to sleep in separate beds from now on?"

"..."

"Why don’t you just tell me what you dream about? Can’t you?"

Rory wanted to know about Sean’s past.

She walked over step by step, stopping less than two feet away from him. Tilting her head up to look at him, she said, "If you don’t want to talk about it now, then wait until after we’re married. By then, we’ll have a marriage certificate, and there’s a cooling-off period for divorce. You can tell me then."

He lowered his gaze, looking at the woman before him.

The spare bedroom was unnaturally quiet...

Rory pressed him again, "So, is that okay? Otherwise... are we really going to sleep in separate beds for the rest of our lives?"

Hearing this, the man finally relented. He placed a hand on the crown of her head and replied earnestly, "Okay. I’ll tell you after we’re married."

He didn’t want to take the risk.

At the same time, he didn’t plan on telling her everything.

Even though he believed he had his reasons for doing those things...

...the process had been too brutal.

Rory was a doctor. She might not be able to accept it.

’But I won’t do those things anymore. I’ll be a good husband. I’ll make sure Rory never regrets marrying me.’

Afraid he would go back on his word, Rory simply raised her right hand, holding out her pinky. "Then let’s... pinky swear."

Sean froze for a second.

That was something little kids did when they made a promise.

He had heard other kids say it when he was young.

He had never done it himself.

He looked at her outstretched pinky and said sincerely, "I don’t know how."

Rory had only done it on a whim.

She hadn’t expected that he had never actually done this before.

"I’ll teach you." Rory wiggled her hand. "Hold out your right hand, just like me..."

She taught him how to do it, step by step.

Once their pinkies were hooked together, Rory said, "Pinky swear, for a hundred years, no changing. Whoever lies is a puppy."

Sean lowered his eyes, quietly watching her recite the children’s rhyme.

Finally, Rory held out her thumb.

"Seal it!" Their thumbs pressed together. She looked up at him. "My mom told me that once you pinky swear, you can’t go back on your word."

"Okay."

Sean leaned down and kissed her forehead.

He thought...

’Since I’ve already promised, I should just tell her.’

’Maybe the outcome won’t be as bad as I’m imagining.’

His kiss traveled down from her forehead, tracing the tip of her nose before landing on her lips.

Next to them was the spare bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling window.

Sean’s kisses forced Rory to retreat step by step, until her back was pressed against the window.

"Want to see the view?" Sean wrapped his arm around her waist, turning her around.

Their apartment was on the 47th floor.

From this angle, they could take in the entire winter nightscape of Veridia.

It happened to be a full moon.

The moon hung in the sky like a silver platter, making the city’s nightscape seem even colder and clearer.

But at that moment, she was in no mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery.

The man behind her leaned over, brushing her long hair aside to kiss the nape of her neck.

Although the temperature outside was near freezing, the room was exceptionally warm.

His fingers, with their prominent knuckles, undid the buttons on her shirt one by one...

"I don’t want to look anymore..."

Rory protested.

"Why? The view will be different once we move."

As Sean spoke, his lips were pressed against her neck.

His warm breath ghosted across her skin, sending tingles through her.

Rory’s face flushed. "Not here... What if someone outside sees us..."

"The glass is one-way, they can’t see in." Sean thought for a moment but stopped anyway. "But... since you don’t want to, let’s go to the bed."

As soon as he finished speaking, he bent down and scooped her into his arms.

He walked straight toward the bed in the spare room.

For convenience, they kept condoms in a few places around the apartment.

Naturally, the spare bedroom had some too.

Considering they had to go look at the house the next day, they only did it twice.

When Rory got up to take a shower, she picked up the last used condom from the floor and tossed it into the nearby trash can.

Sean had a habit of tying a knot in the condoms after using them.

After she threw it away, she turned back and noticed what looked like... a small, unidentifiable patch left on the floor...

’Did it leak?’

"Don’t worry about that." Sean reached out and straightened her clothes. "Go get some rest after your shower. We’re seeing the new house tomorrow morning."

"You should sleep in the master bedroom..."

Rory straightened up.

"This is our home. It doesn’t matter who sleeps where; we don’t need to be so rigid about it." Changing tactics, Sean offered, "Are you tired? I’ll carry you."

Rory quickly refused, "No, I can walk on my own."

She was afraid... if he carried her, they’d end up in the bathroom together...

...and they might continue what they were just doing.

They had to see the house at ten in the morning tomorrow, so they needed to get to bed early.

-

「The next morning.」

After breakfast, the two of them set off to see the house.

Ethan Dixon was already waiting for them.

The house was located in a very well-known neighborhood in northern Veridia. Although it wasn’t a new development, there were no tall buildings for two miles in any direction, so the view was excellent.

It was also in a convenient location.

It was considered one of the most outstanding upscale neighborhoods in Veridia in every respect.

The house had three floors.

It took them a little over half an hour to tour the whole house.

As the real estate agent was showing them around the neighborhood, they passed by an artificial lake.

It was the middle of winter, and the lake’s surface had frozen over.

The group had already walked past it...

...when Rory glanced back toward the lake.

There was a hole in the ice.

She could faintly see a small hand flailing twice in the icy water...

...before it quickly sank.

Unsure if she had seen it wrong, Rory, without a second thought, dashed over.