Chapter 358: Slap Him With a Shoe
My days in Snowville were shrouded in constant fear. From the Sanders family to Sadie, I watched familiar faces vanish one by one. An overwhelming sense of helplessness gripped me, tightening my nerves as I braced myself to confront the shadowy figure pulling the strings. Even with Carter by my side, the dread lingered, unchanged at its core.
But here, in this new setting, I no longer had to worry about unseen eyes following my every move. Within the walls of his home, Carter didn't have to feign his disability anymore. And in this moment, my yearning for him surged to its peak.
“Carter, Carter,” I murmured, planting desperate kisses along his throat and lips.
“Chloe, I’m here.”
Our breaths mingled, heated and frantic. Something about the unfamiliar environment or the presence of outsiders made the atmosphere feel even more electric. In the darkness, we were lost in the moment.
Just as things were escalating, Zoey’s voice pierced through from outside the room. “Sis, where have you been?”
Startled, Carter and I shifted positions. I pressed myself against the door while my jacket lay crumpled on the carpet. My slip dress had already slid off one shoulder, and Carter’s lips trailed from my mouth to the curve of my shoulder.
“Baby, just ignore her,” he murmured, his voice hoarse as his hand slid up the hem of my nightgown. “Right now, I only want you. Be good.”
But then Harlan’s voice cut through the air. “That’s enough. How could you stay in someone else’s house? Come home with me.”
“Get lost! Who gave you permission to touch me?” Zoey’s voice was sharp and defiant.
“Do I need your approval to sleep with you?” he retorted.
Zoey let out a cold laugh. “Sleep with me? Ha! Why don’t you aim for the stars instead? Look at yourself—how could you possibly compare to Carter? If I ever pick a man, it’ll be someone like him—someone who loves, spoils, and respects his wife. Why would I even consider sleeping with a trashy mutt like you? You’re delusional and ugly!”
“You’re into Carter, aren’t you?” Harlan’s voice darkened.
“I’m into your dad, too!” Zoey shot back, her words dripping with sarcasm.
“Watch your filthy mouth, Janice. You need to be taught a lesson.”
Zoey snorted coldly. “And who do you think you are to teach me a lesson? You—” Her words were cut off with a muffled sound.
I shoved Carter to the side. “Carter, I can’t let Harlan… Zoey…”
Quickly grabbing my jacket, I opened the door, rushing out to the hallway. The scene before me was shocking. Harlan had Zoey pinned against him, one arm wrapped around her waist and the other tangled in her hair, pressing her into a forceful kiss.
I couldn’t help but notice—Harlan looked striking in his crisp white shirt and black trousers. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing muscular forearms veined with strength. The undone buttons at his collar gave him a rugged, untamed air. At first glance, he resembled a polite rogue; and at that moment, he exuded the domineering aura of a warlord. Zoey, nestled in his arms, looked like a delicate wife in her gown. Together, they looked oddly perfect. If I didn’t already know about his childhood sweetheart, I might have been tempted to ship them as a couple right then and there. This man’s muscular arms alone exuded a charm worlds away from that pretty boy, Ashley. That smooth line was oozing raw masculinity.
I hurried out with the intention of stopping him, but instead, I found myself staring.
“Baby, is he good-looking?” Carter’s frosty voice startled me from my thoughts.
I nodded instinctively. “Yes…” But then I realized who had spoken and quickly corrected myself. “I mean, no! Definitely not! I hate muscle-bound men like him. They’re not elegant at all!”
Carter’s muscles were lean and refined, perfectly toned with a refined build and embodied elegance. Harlan, on the other hand, had a tanned, rugged physique—wild and untamed. There was no comparing the two.
Carter gave me a dark, icy glare as I turned to face him. He had never looked at me like this, not in this lifetime or the last. Raising my hands defensively, I stammered, “Carter, I swear, there’s no one in the world more attractive than you.”
“But I saw you practically drooling,” he said flatly.
“That’s not it! I just thought they looked lovely together. I swear, my heart only belongs to you.” I truly only saw Harlan from Zoey’s perspective, thinking about how well the two matched.
But Carter’s frigid stare was filled with disbelief; he clearly wasn’t buying it. His piercing stare seemed to question my sincerity. I fumbled to come up with an explanation.
Meanwhile, Zoey finally snapped out of her daze. She shoved Harlan away and slapped him across the face. “You pervert! What do you think you’re doing?”
Harlan fumed, “You wretched woman! You dare to slap me?!”
In the next second, Zoey lost control; she grabbed her slipper and began whacking him with it. The house was immaculate, yet receiving a shoe strike was the height of humiliation for a man. His eyes blazed with fury as he grabbed her wrist.
“All I did was kiss you. What’s the big deal? Don’t act like some innocent saint. You’ve been naked in front of me before, and I didn’t bat an eye. Why are you pretending to be so virtuous now?”
“Pretend? You motherf*cker!” Zoey spat.
Her shoe was her weapon, and she tried swinging it again, but Harlan pinned her wrist firmly. She couldn’t land another hit. Oddly enough, Harlan’s expression softened, his lips curving into an amused smirk as he watched Zoey flail. His eyes glimmered with mischief as he studied her fiery demeanor.
It was then that Carter’s cold voice broke through the commotion. “Have you two caused enough of a scene?”
Like chastised schoolchildren, the pair instantly quieted down. I’d always known that no one dared to cross Carter when he was in this mood—not even me. Zoey also toned it down, her face scrunched up as she looked at him pitifully. “C—Carter.”
Harlan licked his lips, about to explain, but Carter cut him off with an icy dismissal. “It’s late. We’re going to bed. You should leave.”
“My driver’s already gone,” Harlan said, clearly unfazed. “There are plenty of empty rooms here. I’ll just crash for the night.” He seemed to have a good time and had no intention of leaving.
Carter’s tone was colder than ice. “Damian.”
Within seconds, Damian appeared. “The car is ready, Mr. Pearson. I’ll drive you!”
Harlan was speechless. He glanced at Zoey and asked, “See? They’re kicking me out. Let’s go.”
“They’re kicking you out, not me. Carter would never send me away, right, Carter?” Zoey said, folding her arms defiantly. Her eyes seemed to dare him to contradict her. Her gaze was daring, as if to say, Go on, make your move. Remember, your wife is using my body. Are you sure you want to kick me out?
Carter clenched his jaw, then growled reluctantly, “Yes. Mrs. Pearson can stay.”
Harlan stared in disbelief. “Some friend, you are.”
Carter’s gaze flickered to Harlan’s exposed arms and collarbone. “Wearing something so revealing—who exactly are you trying to seduce? Disgraceful.”
Harlan was puzzled. “What?”
Damian gestured politely. “Mr. Pearson, this way.”
Harlan, though puzzled by Carter’s sudden outburst, knew better than to challenge him further. He turned to Zoey, leaving her with one last frosty warning. “Janice, don’t come begging for me to pick you up next time. You’re on your own.”