Chapter 89: An Eccentric Man

Jeremiah remembered instantly.

In the next moment, he had her pinned against the wall. His towering figure enveloped her, his dark eyes intensely fixed on hers, his handsome face serious. Cornered, Raylee was startled. “What are you doing?” she asked.

His gaze remained intensely locked on her face. "The pebble on your bracelet—a gift from your ex-fiancé, wasn't it? Didn't you throw it away? How did you retrieve it and make it into a bracelet? Are you still hung up on him?"

Trapped in his embrace, Haylee felt a tightening in her throat. Looking at his displeased face up close, she began to explain, "I'm not… He insisted I wear it."

"The choice was yours. Could I have forced you? Admitting you were willing isn't a big deal, but don't take me for a fool!"

Jeremiah's aura was terrifying, like a tiger descending a mountain, ready to bare its fangs. Haylee, suffocated by his hostility, apologized. "Sorry, if you don't like it, I won't wear it anymore."

"Putting it on? Why wouldn't you?" Jeremiah's warm smile bloomed, calling her "darling." His expression changed so rapidly it seemed a different person had been angered.

Before Raylee could breathe, he released her. He gently cupped her chin and leaned in. Her eyes widened. She had no idea what he planned to do. Jeremiah's lips halted less than half a centimeter from the corner of her lips.

From across the room, he observed her like a dog, his gaze incessantly roaming her features. After restless pacing, he stopped near her car. His voice was harsh: "Darling, you smell so good, I could devour you…"

His ambiguous gestures and unsettling tone suggested a predator eyeing its prey. The scene would have been gruesome in the animal kingdom.

Raylee, unable to bear the torment, pushed him away, yelling, "Are you out of your mind! I'm not some dish for you to devour! Back off! You're all nuts, every single one of you!" She yanked off the bracelet, hurling it from the window, then stormed off.

Casimir was a lunatic, and so was Jeremiah.

Baylee returned to the tea party. Jeremiah followed, casually dressed yet elegant, handsome as a comic-book character. The socialite ladies were charmed. One by one, they admired him, even brainstorming names for his future children.

Jeremiah abruptly grabbed Raylee's hand, pulling her close. Raylee's eyes widened, unsure of his intentions. Amidst the crowd, he produced a bracelet, placing it on her wrist. "Don't lose it again, my dear fiancée," he advised, his gaze intense, his smile captivating.

"Huh? He's already engaged? What a pity!" The socialites sighed admiringly.

Layla, envious, said, "Jeremiah, many of my friends are single. Could you and your future wife please stop flaunting your love here? But this bracelet is beautiful. You have good taste."

Raylee felt trapped. Jeremiah was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Instead of sensing affection, she found his behavior baffling. He knew the bracelet's origin, yet retrieved it and, publicly, helped her put it back on. His behavior was peculiar, leaving her unsure if he was angry or happy. Suddenly, Samuel's straightforwardness appealed to her. His emotions were always clear.

Raylee no longer wished to stay. Being around Jeremiah was awkward, and the collection room's contents made her heart pound.

"Jeremiah, Layla, I'm not feeling well. I need to leave," she said.

"What's the matter?" Layla asked anxiously.

"My apologies. An old ailment has returned. I must leave." Raylee hurried from the villa. Jeremiah caught up. "Let me take you home."