Nancy laughed. She had been having a rough time lately, and now hearing that Sophia wasn’t faring much better, she couldn’t help but find it amusing. After listening to Sophia recount the events, Nancy laughed uncontrollably.
“I really want to know, what did you feel when you saw Andrea?”
“Nothing much,” Sophia said honestly. “I just wanted to sweetly call her ‘sister-in-law.’”
“Hahaha! ‘Sister-in-law!’ You really are something else!”
“And you? Enough about me. What’s going on between you and Lincoln Bright? He hasn’t come for his bee therapy the past two days.”
“What? He didn’t go? That’s not right…”
Nancy wasn’t sure what to make of it. Lately, she had been treating him like those scumbags who use women and then throw them away—except she was the one who used Lincoln Bright and then abandoned him.
Worried that he might be taking it too hard, she went to his house that night to check on him.
“Miss Smith.” Lincoln Bright’s assistant, saw her and hesitated before saying, “You’re here again?”
That “again” clearly carried an unwelcome tone, making Nancy feel a little awkward. “Where’s Lincoln Bright?”
“He’s resting in bed.”
“What happened?”
“Thanks to Miss Smith’s kindness, you left my young master all alone and didn’t check on him. The air conditioning made him catch a fever. You know his condition—though his health has improved under your treatment, he still can’t handle a fever.”
“He has a fever?” Nancy felt a pang of guilt. “I’ll go check on him.”
Lincoln’s assistant gave her a long look, unsure of what to say, and simply shook his head before leaving.
Nancy entered Lincoln Bright’s bedroom. She had been here before, but every time she came, something unpleasant seemed to happen.
Pushing open the door, she saw him lying there, looking pale and weak from the illness. His long eyelashes overlapped, giving him a fragile beauty.
Suddenly, Lincoln Bright opened his eyes. Nancy quickly asked, “Are you feeling any better?”
Lincoln Bright turned his head away, refusing to speak.
“Why are you turning away? I’m asking you something.”
“My legs don’t work. Unlike other men, if you run away, I can’t chase after you. Now, do I not even have the right to turn my head?”
Nancy forced a smile. “That’s not what I meant. Doesn’t your neck get sore from turning that way? Turn this way and look at me—I have something to say.”
Lincoln Bright sighed helplessly and looked at her.
“I’m sorry, Lincoln Bright. That’s not what I meant. I just don’t know how to face you.” She sighed and admitted, “At first, I only wanted a one-night stand with you. But when I woke up, I realized I had been too impulsive and didn’t know how to deal with it, so I…”
“You don’t need to explain,” Lincoln Bright interrupted with a self-deprecating smile. “I understand what you’re saying. Miss Smith only wanted a one-night stand but doesn’t want to take responsibility, right?”
“No…” Was that really what she meant?
“Alright, then let’s just keep it that way.”
“What?” Nancy’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“I said we’ll keep it as a one-night stand. I don’t need you to take any responsibility. That’s a man’s concern, not yours. If you like my body, you can come over anytime—I won’t refuse you. And if you get tired of me, you can find another man—I won’t stop you.”
Lincoln Bright’s words hit Nancy with a deep sense of guilt, stronger than ever. It made her feel even more like a heartless player.
“Lincoln Bright, you…” Staring at his face, she suddenly felt an urge to kiss and touch him. The words of refusal she had intended to say got stuck in her throat.
She had to admit—this kind of no-strings-attached arrangement was very tempting.
“You’ve really thought this through?” she asked.
Lincoln Bright expressionlessly nodded.
Nancy leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, saying, “I won’t treat you unfairly. I have a lot of money…”
Seeing his face darken, she quickly changed her wording, “I mean, we don’t have to worry about money. I can take care of you.”
Lincoln Bright sneered, “Let me remind you, Miss Smith, that while your Smith family is rich, providing for the household is a man’s duty.”
Nancy chuckled awkwardly. “You know what I mean. I just want to treat you well.”
“To make yourself feel less guilty? To ease your conscience?” Lincoln Bright pressed.
“Lincoln Bright, don’t be like this.”
Lincoln Bright sighed, relenting. “Alright, I won’t push you anymore. Just come here and keep me company.”
Nancy quickly took off her shoes and snuggled into his arms. His body was still cool—his fever must have just broken. His physique was different from most men’s, soft yet comfortable to hold.
His legs were thin, making him seem even more delicate and easy to pity.
As she held him, a mischievous thought crossed Nancy’s mind. Her hands started wandering.
She looked at his face and asked, “Uh… can you?”
Lincoln Bright scowled. “Are you underestimating me?”
“No, I just don’t want to tire you out.”
“Whether I get tired depends on you. With my body, you’ll have to be on top.”
