Free Web NovelChapter 72: Chapter 72: Breathe, Take a Breath
### Chapter 72: Breathe... Inhale...
Maxine Rhodes gently set down her pen, a faint, almost imperceptible smile gracing her lips as she looked up.
"Vice President Thorne has a point." Her voice was soft, but a subtle glint shone in her eyes. "However, I believe truly impressive men detest being the subject of gossip."
She elegantly adjusted her cuffs, her tone nonchalant. "For instance, in his exclusive interview on the finance channel yesterday, Mr. Hawthorne specifically emphasized that he most admires professional, independent women."
Coco immediately took the hint and chimed in, "Exactly! And Mr. Hawthorne also said he can’t stand people who try to latch onto others using their professional connections!"
Maxine Rhodes lifted her teacup, the rising steam softening the beautiful contours of her profile. "So, Vice President Thorne, rather than worrying about what Mr. Hawthorne said this morning..."
She gently blew away the froth from her tea and looked up at Lydia Thorne, her smile flawless. "...perhaps you should focus on how to present the quarterly report this afternoon? After all, people who let their performance speak for them never need to borrow someone else’s light."
Though her words sounded gentle, they were like a velvet hammer, causing the smile on Lydia Thorne’s face to crack inch by inch.
「That evening」
Maxine Rhodes pushed open the door to her home, bringing a chill from the night air in with her.
The motion-sensor light in the entryway flickered on. Before her eyes could fully adjust, she saw a tall, slender figure leaning in the shadows at the end of the hall.
It was impossible to know how long Ethan Hawthorne had been standing there. He had changed into a dark gray, silk pajama set, the collar hanging loosely open, giving him a lazy, casual air.
The warm yellow light cast shifting shadows across his well-defined profile. His deep-set eyes were locked on her, unblinking, a hidden, dangerous light flickering within them.
"You’re back?"
Maxine Rhodes’s heart skipped a beat for some reason, but her expression remained placid.
She bent down to change her shoes. "Yes. Mr. Hawthorne, why are you back so..."
Before she could finish, Ethan Hawthorne crossed the distance in a few strides. He wrapped an arm around her, cupped the back of her head, and pressed her against the wall by the door.
A crisp scent, mixed with his own unique fragrance, instantly enveloped her.
He leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers, his nose lightly brushing against hers. Their hot breaths mingled without reservation, every wisp carrying a scalding heat.
Maxine Rhodes felt her heartbeat stutter. Forcing herself to stay calm, she raised her fingertips to poke his chest, her voice carrying a soft, tender quality she herself didn’t notice. "Ethan Hawthorne, what... are you doing?"
Ethan Hawthorne’s voice was intoxicating and tingly, like an electric current shooting straight to her heart.
"Settling a score."
Before the words had even faded, he lowered his head and captured her lips.
The kiss was gentle and lingering, yet carried an undeniable force, savoring her taste as it deepened step by step.
In the middle of it, the man suddenly released her swollen lips. His deep, slightly breathless voice, carrying a searing heat, whispered in her ear, "Breathe. Inhale."
Kissed until she was weak in the knees, Maxine Rhodes’s eyes grew hazy as if veiled by mist. Her chest rose and fell against his, and she could only rely on the arm he had wrapped around her to stay upright.
He didn’t give her much time to catch her breath. His kisses fell again, a dense and unbroken chain tracing her delicate jawline downward, leaving a trail of damp, hot sensations. Just as he was about to reach the fine skin beneath her collar, Ethan Hawthorne stopped.
He buried his head in the crook of her neck, his fiery breath spraying across her sensitive skin and sending a subtle shiver through her.
After a long moment, his muffled, slightly hoarse voice finally rumbled, "How many more days?"
The heat he had stirred within Maxine Rhodes had not yet faded. Her own voice, breathless and alluringly soft, whispered back in his ear, "Five days."
Those two words were like a final pardon, yet also like a crueler set of shackles.
A dark tide surged in Ethan Hawthorne’s eyes. He took a deep breath, his Adam’s apple bobbing violently. Finally, he forced a single word through gritted teeth: "Fine."
With that, he pulled away from her and strode toward the bathroom.
Immediately after, the sound of rushing water came from inside.
Maxine Rhodes slowly slid down the wall to sit on the soft mat in the entryway. She raised a hand to gently touch her numb and swollen lips. Her collarbone, seared by his breath, still tingled with the memory of his lips’ touch and warmth.
’The five-day wait would be even more agonizing,’ she thought, ’but also all the more worth looking forward to.’
In the bathroom, an icy stream of water poured down over his head. This was the first time Ethan Hawthorne had ever counted down the days so clearly, feeling them to be both unbearably long and yet thrillingly close, making his heart race with a sure and certain anticipation.
’He had meant to settle a score with her, so how had he ended up being the one so utterly routed...?’
「Recently」
News that Celestia, the premier jewelry brand under the Hawthorne Group, was about to launch a global search for its brand ambassador sent massive waves through the business world. This wasn’t just about an astronomical endorsement fee; it was a symbol of status, prestige, and access to top-tier fashion resources.
This news naturally reached the ears of Benjamin Sterling. He tapped his fingers unconsciously on his desk. If his company could land this endorsement, its valuation would at least double! But then he recalled how his previous attempts to collaborate with the Hawthorne Group had all been soundly rebuffed, and his heart sank.
’No, I can’t give up.’ He shot to his feet and decided to call a project meeting immediately.
The atmosphere in the conference room was tense.
Benjamin Sterling swept his gaze over the executives present, cleared his throat, and spoke in a commanding tone that left no room for argument. "Everyone knows about the Celestia ambassadorship. I don’t care what methods you use, we must fight for this opportunity! And what’s more, failure is not an option!"
The moment he finished speaking, a wave of suppressed whispers rose from the attendees.
Whispers immediately broke out among the group.
"President Sterling, this... our company’s main business is brand marketing. We have nothing to do with celebrity endorsements."
"The Hawthorne Group’s standards are too high. We can’t even get a foot in the door."
"I heard only top-tier celebrities are competing for this. What makes you think we have a chance to get involved?" freёwebnovel.com
Benjamin Sterling slammed his hand on the table. "Use your heads! If we can’t land the endorsement itself, can’t we take on their marketing project? The budget for Celestia’s global promotion is at least a billion! If we can just get one piece of that pie, it would be enough to sustain us for three years!"
His words made everyone suck in a sharp breath. A one-billion-dollar marketing budget was indeed worth fighting for.
"But, President Sterling," the marketing director said, steeling himself, "the Hawthorne Group only ever works with 4A agencies. A local company like ours doesn’t even qualify to bid."
Just as the meeting reached an impasse, Maxine Rhodes gently closed her laptop. The crisp snap drew everyone’s attention to her.
"Actually, there’s a ready-made opening."
"Oh? And what brilliant insight might that be, Director Rhodes?" Benjamin Sterling leaned forward slightly, as if grasping at a lifeline.
But Maxine Rhodes’s gaze slowly turned to Lydia Thorne, who was sitting across from her, her expression becoming meaningful.
"We may not have any connections with the Hawthorne Group," she said calmly, each word crystal clear, "but Vice President Thorne does."
