Sam Noah shifted a little away from the bed, distancing himself from her. He was afraid that if he got too close, he wouldn’t be able to suppress his primal instincts, but even so, it didn’t help; her shadow was everywhere, her scent lingered all around, her voice calling for jelly in a spoiled manner, her sweet tongue, her soft body.
It was driving him mad.
In the end, Sam Noah couldn’t stand the torment any longer; he got up and went outside. The rooftop was empty, and he stood by the railing, the night breeze blowing, washing over him with a coolness that alleviated some of the annoying heat.
Sam Noah took out a cigarette and lit it. He heard footsteps behind him and knew it wasn’t her, so he didn’t bother to turn around.
“It’s so late, and you’re still not asleep. You weren’t chased out by your wife, were you?”
Norah walked over, tilting her chin with a teasing look. At this moment, Sam Noah was only wearing a bathrobe, the collar wide open, the belt loosely tied, exposing his taut neck and firm chest, with his abdominal muscles faintly visible along the opening of the robe.
Norah’s gaze inadvertently swept over these, and her originally teasing expression flickered for a moment before she almost panicked and looked away.
Sam Noah turned to look at her, a slight curve at the corner of his mouth, his eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were smiling, but it was hard to tell if he was happy or angry.
“It’s so late, and you’re not sleeping. What are you doing here?”
Norah crossed her arms and snorted lightly, “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d take a walk. I saw you standing here all alone, so I came over to take a look.” She raised an eyebrow, her tone mischievous, “Seeing you looking so pitiful, this young lady can reluctantly keep you company for a bit.”
“Oh? How do you want to keep me company?”
Norah stepped closer to him, extending her hand to slide her fingers over his robe, speaking slowly, “After all, we grew up together, and we almost got married. If we can’t be a couple in name, being a couple in fact isn’t bad either.” Her fingers slid to his belt; with a gentle tug, it could come undone.
However, before she could make a move, she felt a sharp pain in her wrist; Sam Noah’s grip was strong, as if he would crush her bones at any moment.
Norah winced in pain, angrily saying, “Sam Noah, let go of me! Why are you pulling my hand? You’re a big man; don’t you have any compassion?”
Sam Noah slowly extinguished his cigarette, smiling elegantly, “Since we grew up together, you should know I’m not someone who shows compassion.” His gaze fell on her, his demeanor calm and graceful, yet the strength in his hand didn’t lessen, revealing a hint of cruelty.
After saying that, he suddenly kicked her hard on the knee, and Norah cried out in pain, kneeling on the ground.
He looked down at her, “This kneel should have been for her, but since she’s asleep now, I’ll accept it on her behalf.”
This position made Norah feel insulted; she cursed angrily, “Sam Noah, you even lay hands on women! Are you a scoundrel? You ungrateful bastard! If it weren’t for my father, would you be where you are today?”
Sam Noah remained unaffected, still elegant, “Don’t forget, this is the Sam family’s business, not the family’s. Cherish your father’s contributions; if I were you, I would learn to be more content.”
After finishing, he shook her off and turned to leave.
Sam Noah didn’t return to his room; he went directly to the distillery. He lay down there for a while, and as soon as dawn broke, he got up to prepare for a meeting.