Chapter 480: Let Me Explain

“Naked models?”

I tried to explain quickly, “Carl, no, I’ve never seen anything like that. I’ve only ever watched guys half-dressed, at most.”

Whitney stared at me, disappointment clear on her face, as though she couldn’t believe I was even saying it. Carter stepped closer, his hand coming up to pinch my chin. “How did I miss this side of you?”

I felt trapped. There was no way out.

“Zoey sent me that video. I only watched that one guy, and it was barely half a short. I clicked on it. Before I could blink, it was over. I didn’t even have time to look away!”

Wallace, ever the interrupter, added, “Yes, Mr. Bolton, Mrs. Bolton didn’t watch naked models—she just watched a man’s abs.”

“Exactly!” I jumped in. “Dr. Mervin said it! I’d never watch something like naked models. It could cause eye infections!”

But Wallace wasn’t done. “Also, Mrs. Bolton mentioned wanting to go to a club and pick out ten or so male models. She said looking at them could help her feel better and even extend her life. I can see the logic—different kinds of people have different charms. If you look at the same one all the time, it gets dull, right?”

“Of course, you two are deeply in love. Mrs. Bolton isn’t bored with you—she just wants a change. Pregnant women get cravings for strange things. Maybe for her, that means looking at men.” He added with a smirk, “Just different kinds of men, though.”

I turned on him, glaring. “Dr. Mervin, your name and your behavior don’t match.” I wish I had a way to shut him up.

Wallace responded calmly, “Thank you for the compliment, Mrs. Bolton. I won’t tell Mr. Bolton about the time you hired male models.”

Carter’s expression turned to one of fury. “Hired… male… models? Chloe, you’re really living it up!”

“No, Carl, just listen!” I protested, trying to explain myself. But he wasn’t hearing it. With one swift motion, he swept me up into his arms. “Alright, we’ll talk more in the room.”

I shot one last glare at Wallace, hoping for a miracle. Taylor, you better be ready—if I don’t find Whitney ten male models, I’ll never live it down.

Carter carried me back to our room and placed me gently on the bed. He tugged off his tie with one hand in an unreadable expression.

“Chloe, baby, how many times have you hired male models?”

I tried to scoot away, my heart racing. “Just… just once or twice.”

“Once or twice?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Two times. I swear, I didn’t do anything! Just helped a client, didn’t even touch them.”

He let out a low, cold laugh. “So, you didn’t touch them? Is that what you regret? Are you still thinking about it? What else do you want to touch besides their hands?”

I was stunned. How could he twist my words like this? “Carl, that’s not what I meant. I don’t even like that stuff, I just…” I faltered, noticing him untying his tie. “Why are you untying your tie?”

“It’s too tight,” he replied casually.

“But you’re the one who tied it!” I protested. “Carl, I swear, I wasn’t doing anything. I was just going along with Whitney. Don’t listen to Taylor—he’s the one stirring things up. He’s a Scorpio, you know. All that nonsense about a garden of flowers… I only have eyes for you, my perfect flower.”

But Carter wasn’t hearing it. Instead, he grabbed the tie and bound my hands together. I met his dark gaze, and in my softest voice I said, “Carl, my sweet Carl, I’m not even three months along yet. I can’t do anything inappropriate.”

He raised an eyebrow and let out a cold chuckle. “You can watch inappropriate things, but you can’t do them?”

I was speechless. Once again, I had made things worse, not better.

Carter leaned in closer, and I instinctively gasped. “Carl, no…” But he didn’t say anything; he just took my phone from my hands. I froze. My phone—he took it!

“Chloe, I’ve always believed that trust is important in a relationship. Normally, I wouldn’t go through your phone, but you… you’ve been naughty.”

“Please, don’t look,” I begged, panic rising in my chest. In that moment, I understood why people sometimes felt the need to delete their browsing history. What if someone found it after they died? It was beyond embarrassing. Zoey was partly to blame. She had kept sending me videos, and at first, I didn’t have the time to watch them. But now, with nothing to do, I… I had watched them.

With my hands tied, I had no choice but to nudge my face against him. “Please, Carl, don’t look.”

Meanwhile, Carter had already opened a video app. He scrolled through a few clips, each showing different men. Some were cosplaying, others showing off their abs, wearing masks, or dancing—there were even some dressed like corporate bosses. I cursed the algorithm. Once you watch something, it floods you with more of the same. Carter kept scrolling, clearly trying to see what I’d been watching.

He glanced at me sideways. “Your taste is… varied, babe.”

“I swear, it was an accident!” I said quickly, trying to explain.

He smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Do you think I believe that?”

Zoey, you’re impossible. I told you I didn’t want to watch it. Carter’s finger was poised over the screen, about to get into the page that showed all the videos I liked. It felt like he was about to push the button on a bomb. “Carl, I’m feeling weird. My hand really hurts,” I lied, hoping he’d stop.

He didn’t even seem to hear me as he continued tapping away.

“Over a hundred likes? Chloe, you’re something else.”

“It was an accident! Just a slip!”

It wasn’t over. It was about to get worse. A message popped up. Zoey, that troublemaker! I grabbed Carter’s sleeve, trying to stop him. “Carl, don’t look!”

But Carter was already opening it. The chat history between Zoey and me was… well, it was a disaster.

“Hey, babe, I’ve got two new hotties. Wanna see?” She didn’t even wait for my response and just sent the videos right over. And then in her own comment: ‘Look at these legs, that *ss! His torso? Totally insane!’

Carter scrolled through, and it didn’t get better. Almost every message was about guys. I swore I had only looked because I was bored. I was just responding to Zoey.

Carter smirked, and started recording the screen. He sent it to Harlan without a second thought. He put the phone down and gave me a pointed look.

“Chloe, looks like I’ve been missing something. Didn’t realize you were so active…, even while being pregnant. My bad.”

“No, Carl, it’s me. I swear, I won’t do it again, I promise!”

His fingers gently brushed my face as he stared at me; his voice almost teasing. “Baby, this isn’t a brothel. I’m quite sure we don’t have courtesans now as well.”

I just froze, unable to say anything.

“You really like those abs, don’t you?”

“I don’t! I only like yours, Carl. Can you please untie me?”

He grinned, looking far too amused. “I’ve been spoiling you too much, haven’t I? Didn’t know you liked it a little rough.”

“I don’t! I don’t like it like that, Carl; the baby’s still in my belly!”

“It’s fine. It’s still small and barely formed. It won’t understand.”

“Carl…”

His fingers traced my cheek and then slid down to my lips, pressing gently inside. He looked at me with a gaze that was almost too intense. “Keep it in your mouth.”