Chapter 229

The mere thought of other men laying eyes on Susan's exquisite beauty ignited a surge of anger within Caleb. It felt as though his cherished treasure was being coveted and tarnished by the grubby hands of unwelcome admirers.

Undoubtedly, Susan had taken on a plethora of social engagements to secure her current position, and the future promised even more.

Caleb's possessiveness towards her fermented within his heart, a bitter brew that left him feeling betrayed.

Susan shot Caleb a glance, her cheeks flushed with annoyance. Her clear eyes sparkled with an indescribable coquettishness. "So, who is the most beautiful lady in the nightlife scene in this city? Would you like me to recommend someone, Mr. Eilish?"

"Are you trying to play the role of a matchmaker?" Caleb retorted, pinching Susan's chin.

A dull pain spread across Susan's face.

"Susan, is this how you used to deal with clients before?"

A twenty-eight-year-old woman who had risen to the position of a B-level designer at The Holland Group must have achieved significant results. Was this how Susan had climbed her way to success?

Susan responded with a hint of sarcasm, "If the clients are happy, then I'm happy too. It's a win-win situation."

"You-" Disappointment seized Caleb's heart.

Was there any trace of the bright and innocent girl he once knew left in Susan?

Susan had once been like a delicate flower in a greenhouse, a young girl in an ivory tower. Her life was carefree, and she pursued her passion for design with an unbridled enthusiasm that Caleb cherished.

Caleb had once envisioned a future where, post-marriage, Susan would stay at home and, if she desired, spend her days immersed in books. She wouldn't need to work, occasionally helping friends and family with house designs. She would never have to witness the world's dark underbelly.

But now...Susan seemed like a seasoned veteran in the field.

She was no different from the worldly women who thrived in society.

Susan noticed the disappointment in Caleb's eyes. Was it directed at her? He had once confessed that he loved her innocence the most, which set her apart from the other women in his life. But now, she had become one of "those women."

However, a woman's innocence often relies on living a carefree life under the protection of parents or a loving partner. After Susan became pregnant, her parents disowned her, and she was forced to develop a resilience to survive.

Susan's primary concern now was to earn a living to support her son, guided solely by her survival instincts. The luxury of a sheltered life was no longer within her reach.

Every step that led Susan to this point was a result of Caleb's actions. The only thing she thanked him for was giving her the most adorable son in the world.

Caleb forcefully suppressed his anger, a cold smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Playing matchmaker must be exhausting. Why don't you do it yourself? If you make me happy, I'll increase your cut tenfold."

Didn't Susan need money? Caleb had plenty of it! Susan blushed, anger flashing in her eyes. "I can't earn this money."

"How? You used to make me very happy."

"Susan, among the many women I've been with, you're one of the best in bed." Lust gleamed in Caleb's eyes as he stared at her, like a predator eyeing its prey. "Not many can moan as sensually as you."

Susan's face burned, her ears turning red. She wanted to spit in his face, but she clenched her lips tightly, unable to utter a word.

"Do you know? Turning you from a saint into a seductress, bit by bit, gives me more satisfaction than signing a billion-dollar contract."

"Do you know that you're the only one who can match me in this aspect? Sometimes, I was satisfied, but you hadn't..."

"Caleb, stop it!" Susan urgently interrupted, her body aflame.

In the past few years, Susan had hardly had any contact with men and was defenseless against his explicit words.

She reached out to push his hand away, but Caleb immediately gripped her wrist like a raptor.

"Susan..." Caleb's name was a desperate plea on her lips as she attempted to push him away with her free hand. The result, however, was predictably futile - both her hands were now ensnared in his firm grip.

"Why won't you say it?" he demanded, his voice a low rumble.

"Are you afraid of hearing it?" His question hung in the air between them, a challenge she wasn't ready to accept.

"Do you think you can simply erase our past? The intimacy we shared?" His words were a bitter reminder of their shared history.

"We're no strangers, Susan. Doesn't it disgust you, this pretense of innocence?" His accusation was pointed, a sharp jab at her pride.

"Let go of me, Caleb." Susan's voice was a strained whisper, her tone lowered to avoid alerting the people downstairs. She twisted her wrists in a futile attempt to free herself, her face flushed as she stared at him, her eyes full of defiance.

"You say 'let go', but weren't you the one who sought me out first?" Caleb countered. "Doesn't it exhaust you, Susan, this act you're putting on?"

"I joined the Eilish Group for work, not to cross paths with you," she retorted, her voice icy.

The stark disparity in their physical strength was a bitter pill for Susan to swallow. She loathed the feeling of being overpowered by Caleb.

"You knew I was with the Eilish Corporation," Caleb stated, his tone matter-of-fact.

"I didn't know. I thought you were in Europe," Susan replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Caleb's eyebrow arched at her words, his gaze deepening as if he'd caught onto something. "So, you've been keeping an eye on me?"

"With you in the news every other day, it's hard not to notice," Susan shot back.

"So, you've been avoiding me?" Caleb's question was pointed, leaving Susan momentarily speechless. Had she been cornered?

"Mr. Eilish, believe it or not, I have no intention of being involved with you any further. I can leave our past behind and even if we were to meet face to face, I can treat you like a stranger. It seems like you're the one who can't do that," Susan declared , her voice steady.

Susan's strategy was to provoke Caleb, knowing his pride would be his downfall. If she could irritate him enough to make him detest her, perhaps he would finally leave her alone.

As she had hoped, Caleb's anger flared. "You can treat someone you've been intimate with as a stranger? Just like that?"

"You are more entitled to answer that question than I am," Susan retorted, her words leaving Caleb momentarily speechless.

Caleb had been with many women in the past, from wealthy heiresses to celebrities. But after Susan, there was only her. For the past four years, he hadn't even touched Victoria, living a celibate life like a monk.

But in Susan's eyes, he was just a promiscuous playboy? Susan must really "think highly of him"! Although Caleb hadn't exactly been a widower for Susan, he was still annoyed.

With her wrist still under his control, Susan couldn't stay calm. "Mr. Eilish, if this is your attitude, I can't continue working for you. You should find someone else."

"So you want me to replace you?"

"Yes."

"Not a chance.""..."

What a detestable man!

He was playing with her!

"You can imagine me however you want, but at the very least, I know that a married man is off limits." Susan's breathing became irregular, her eyes turned red, resembling a stubborn cat. "Mr. Eilish, you have a successful career and a harmonious family, you can't afford the risk like I can."

Was she threatening him? Instead of getting angry, Caleb found Susan amusing. He didn't like this new, worldly version of Susan. But the thorn she had grown was giving him a sense of novelty. She used to be a lily, pure and fragile, someone to be protected. But now, Susan was a thorny rose, dazzling and passionate.

"You think you can destroy me, Susan?" Caleb sneered, his gaze full of disdain.