Chapter 138: Not Quite Yet

"What's all this!" Maggie exclaimed.

Her head swam, but she fought back the urge to faint.

A row of rolling clothes racks displayed a bizarre assortment of outfits: school uniforms, flight attendant uniforms, maid dresses, and bunny suits. Various flashy lace trims and silky fabrics adorned everything, creating an overwhelmingly extravagant effect. Even the less flamboyant pieces seemed imbued with some sort of hidden meaning.

"What's with the long tail?" she wondered. "Sexy little fox?"

Maggie couldn't resist picking up one garment, her face a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Nathael! He's into this kind of thing! she thought. The person from my past life was nothing like this…

She hung the clothes back up, closed her eyes, and felt a deep sense of unease. So, did Nathael call me to get back at me for that cross-dressing stunt?

She sank back onto the sofa, eyeing the garish display with mounting frustration. She longed to leave. But then, Ericko called.

"Ericko," she answered.

"How's it going there?" his gentle voice asked.

Maggie sighed, calming slightly. "It's fine." (Except for running into Nathael, the crazy pervert!) she thought.

"Do you think Nathael… would help the Camerons family…?" she blurted out.

Ericko remained silent for a moment before answering gently, "He's always been a free spirit, so it's possible."

Maggie's heart sank. She slouched on the sofa, staring blankly at the clothes.

Ericko had reasoned that if Maggie insisted on helping the Camerons, even Nathael's disapproval might not deter him. It was similar to the Chronopolis project; unknown to others, Ericko had considered canceling his cooperation with the Adams and using the project to support the Camerons when Maggie had initially approached him.

Ericko certainly didn't anticipate his words would completely bewilder Maggie.

After hanging up, Maggie started to leave, but paused, her eyes drawn back to the clothes. Actually… some of them don't seem too bad, right? Is it just because they're all mixed together that they seem so hard to accept?

She tried to reassure herself. Fueled by a sudden impulse, and perhaps a little alcohol, she grabbed a school uniform and headed into the bathroom. Just wear it, spice things up a bit! she thought. If Nathael isn't afraid, why should I be?

Minutes later, she was dressed in a navy blue checkered uniform. Looking in the mirror, she was speechless. Indeed, I overthought it. Is this even a normal outfit? Why is the top so tight and the waist so high? Why is the skirt so short?

She sighed, planning to choose something more conventional, but as she stepped out of the bathroom, she heard the door unlock.

Maggie froze as the door swung open, revealing Nathael, in a crisp white shirt. Their eyes met.

Maggie was stunned, her cheeks flushing crimson. Nathael, too, paused. If not for the fact that the person before him was the one constantly on his mind, he might have thought he'd entered the wrong room.

Time seemed to stop. Nathael's gaze swept over her before he closed the door. His eyes darkened.

Maggie possessed a small, delicate face with bright almond eyes, which, veiled in a light mist, gave her a somewhat lost look. Now, her lips were pursed in a mixture of grievance and annoyance. In her short uniform, her slender waist, full chest, and well-proportioned legs were undeniably alluring, stirring an inexplicable heat within him.

Maggie hadn't expected his return; she wasn't prepared. Under his gaze, she acutely felt his unmasked desire. His gaze was dark and intense.

Maggie's throat tightened; she felt both embarrassed and annoyed, wishing she could disappear.

Nathael glanced at the clothes and raised an eyebrow. It's unusual for her to put in so much effort to please me, he thought.

He walked to the sofa and gestured for her to come closer, his voice low. "Come here."

Maggie's lips pursed; she felt dizzy and hesitated, moving only when Nathael's patience wore thin. She slowly approached him.

He grabbed her wrist, pulling her onto his lap. Before she could react, his lips pressed against hers, his hand holding her waist possessively. Maggie felt herself melting, her breath shaky. She wanted to close her eyes, but couldn't resist peeking at his expression.

Actually, I don't know him that well, do I? she thought. Even after years together in their past lives, they'd built walls, never truly opening up. He had his secrets; she harbored resentment. He had his reasons and thoughts; she had her plans and schemes. She hadn't truly listened to him, or perhaps hadn't believed him, and she hadn't shared her own thoughts, distrustful and guarded.

Now, even if things weren't as expected, every moment—of joy, anger, and confusion—felt real. They were human, with desires, jealousy, and worries; moments of anger, doubt, and second-guessing.

Life was a long journey, and sometimes Maggie wondered where her determination came from—to move forward, to trust despite setbacks and fears, to offer warmth amidst hurt and loneliness. She found the strength, pushing through the pain to walk a difficult path. So did Nathael.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Nathael slowly opened his eyes, looking at her delicate face, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Maggie smirked mischievously, playfully teasing him. She touched his lips with her finger, a gesture filled with allure and uncertainty, and whispered, "Are you happy now, Mr. Harris?"

Nathael's obsidian eyes glinted. He gripped her chin, his voice low and husky. "Not quite yet."

Maggie blinked, her rosy lips like a dew-kissed rose. Seriously? What exactly does he want?

"Why not quite yet?" she asked.

Nathael kissed her fingertips, his gaze darkening. Then, lowering his head to kiss her neck, he murmured seductively, "Change into something else."

(End of Chapter)