Power and Passion(1)

Author: Ni Hai

"Is my boss lady avoiding me?" He approached step by step, his slender fingers hooked into his tie knot and lightly tugged left and right, his movements elegant and sexy.

My heart was pounding uncontrollably.

"Jarred, if you have something to say, don't..."

My voice was hoarse and completely lacking in confidence, causing my face to instantly turn red.

"My boss lady," a triumphant light flashed in his eyes as he murmured softly, "We are legally married."

Okay, the plan to run away from home failed.

1

Jarred was indeed my husband, but at first, we weren't really married.

To be more specific, it all started from the first time I pounced on him.

That day, I woke up from a hangover and found a man lying next to me.

His facial features and physique possessed a tender charm...

Before I could even recall the absurd past, the man frowned, unhurriedly waking up, and unconsciously hugged me, his lips touching my forehead, giving me a good morning kiss.

The whole process was smooth and natural as if this scene had happened countless times before.

I shook off his hand, sat up, and half-squinted at the curtains, trying to maintain the composure of someone who's older.

"I drank too much last night. I broke the contract first, and I will transfer the penalty to your account within seven days. You can terminate our cooperation at any time. I have no objection."

As expected of me, organized and courteous.

After three months of marriage, finally having consummated the marriage with husband would be a happy occasion for a normal family.

But I was different from him.

Thinking about the prenuptial agreement I typed out letter by letter, my heart was aching.

Was there anything more foolish in this world than lifting a rock only to hit oneself in the foot?

Had I been aware of the possibility that we too might eventually face similar challenges, why would I have included a penalty for breach of contract in the first place?

The wine was really harmful.

He was going to make a fortune.

He uttered a low and husky "Uh?" that indicated he had not fully woken up yet, leaving room for suggestive thoughts.

The atmosphere suddenly became alluring and ambiguous.

I wished I could find a hole to crawl into.

"Boss lady, I had a great time last night." He leaned over, acting all cute and affectionate.

I stiffened and forced a dry laugh. "Jarred, can you be a bit normal...?"

"I am normal," he protested with a glint in his clear pupils, sounding somewhat aggrieved.

I avoided his gaze, realizing that he was indeed normal.

My face flushed even hotter, and I quickly jumped off the bed.

As I haphazardly wrapped my clothes around me, I said, "Sorry to disturb you, I'll take my leave."

He propped himself up on his elbow and spoke sincerely, "Boss lady, can I make a suggestion?"

I looked at him in confusion.

"Next time, don't keep asking me..." He sat up and looked into my eyes, saying something shyly.

Oh my god.

I'm not a decent person.

2

My marriage to Jarred was the result of a moment of my impulsiveness.

At the time, the man I had been chasing for years had intimated the day before that I should keep trying, but then the next day got engaged to a woman I disliked.

Regret, resentment, helplessness, anger, and other emotions intertwined and consumed my reason.

In addition, my parents and relatives were constantly pressuring me to go on blind dates and get married.

So, in a fit of pique, I took the path of getting married, hoping to find some peace.

The wedding was held a day before my crush got married, satisfying my childish desire to win.

I lost my mind, crossed the line, and had a relationship with Jarred, all because of him.

Not long ago, the man I had been pursuing returned to Albionia and caught up with me. I sadly discovered that I still had some unsavory thoughts about him, such as the possibility that he would get a divorce, regret his decision, and not be happy with his life...but the reality was quite the opposite.

He was successful in his career, had a happy family, and meeting me was just for catching up.

Feeling low and embarrassed, I said goodbye to my crush and went to a bar to get drunk.

Unknowingly, I drank too much and took out my intense emotions on the poor, innocent Jarred, completely breaking the peaceful and stable marriage life.

3

After washing up, I didn't say goodbye to him and left the hotel room.

While waiting at the traffic light, I saw an unread message on my phone.

It was from Jarred: "Boss lady, the memories of last night were particularly beautiful."

I quickly turned off my phone as my cheeks were burning.

Jarred had just turned 22 years old, three years younger than me.

Although he didn't explicitly state the reason for opting for an arranged marriage, he assured me that he would honor the contract and respect me entirely.

According to my good friend Hannah's analysis, he might have some unspeakable hobbies and needed to marry me to cover them up.

I had once thought that this was the truth and never thought of prying into his privacy.

But now, looking at his insatiable expression, I think I might have underrated his sexual preferences.

He could actually prefer both genders.

If it weren't for the various loans pressing on me, and the reluctance to pay the penalty for breaking the contract, how could I have agreed to use myself as collateral?

The more I thought about it, the more complicated my feelings became.

What kind of deal was it?

Did I get the short end of the stick?

"Don't mention it again." To focus better on work, I messaged Jarred as soon as I arrived at the company, with an unambiguous tone.

Soon, he replied: "Understood."

One word with a period, a very ordinary reply, but for some reason, I vaguely felt a bit lost.

I pushed this groundless emotion out of my mind and buried myself in my work.

In the afternoon, during the meeting, my boss assigned me a project that required a three-month business trip.

When he asked me if there were any concerns in my family, I shook my head without thinking.

It was a good opportunity to keep a distance from Jarred.

3

The more you don't want to see someone, the more likely you are to see them.

After work in the evening, I walked out tiredly with the crowd and immediately saw Jarred standing at the entrance of the office building, his hands in his pockets.

The evening light spilled onto him, casting a layer of hazy soft light on him.

He stood tall and slender, with his white shirt neatly buttoned up to the top, outlining the graceful and smooth line of his shoulders and neck. With his long and straight legs, he could easily be distinguished from the crowd by his youthful vigor, and he was a unique scenery.

"Jane, I'm here to pick you up from work." He waved his arms at me with a bright smile.

I walked over and glanced at his slightly red ear tips, not knowing what to say for a moment.

"Honey, I got my salary. How about I treat you to dinner?"

Thinking about going on a business trip for three months, I nodded. "Okay," I said.

The tension in his eyes disappeared instantly, and he naturally took my arm. "Let's go then."

……

He was really clingy to me the more we slept.

I missed the first three months of our marriage when we behaved with propriety and grace.

I quietly distanced myself from him, looking up and smiling at him, "Jarred..."

Before I could finish, he interrupted me, his eyes shining with tenderness. He said, "Boss lady, it's my birthday today. I want to hear you wish me a happy birthday."

Compared to being called wife, I preferred him to call me boss lady.

Every time he called me that, it ignited a sense of protection in me.

I pursed my lips, unsure of what tone to use.

An excessive display of femininity would make me uncomfortable, while a tone that lacks familiarity would make me feel cold-hearted.

How should I define this relationship?

After waiting for a long time, a look of grievance gradually appeared on his face.

My heart softened, and I tiptoed to rub his fluffy and soft hair. "Hey, Jarred, happy birthday! May you be gifted with life’s biggest joys and never-ending bliss."

Although it wasn't very creative, joy and bliss really were the best blessings in my opinion.

He tilted his head and smiled with satisfaction, revealing a cute little eye tooth.

It seemed as though Jarred had carefully planned his moves. He took me directly to an Italian restaurant that perfectly catered to my preferences.

I enjoyed the meal throughout, but he was so busy serving me food that he barely ate.

After we finished eating, I slumped into the seat, rubbing my stomach. "I'm going on a business trip the day after tomorrow, and I may not be back for a few months. I'm entrusting everything to you at home."

Jarred's eyes dimmed, and he pursed his lips. "Jane, do you have to go?"

I didn't say anything and looked towards the neighboring table.

A little child with a beaming smile and no teeth greeted me.

Jarred followed my gaze and suddenly thought of something. He quickly ran to my side and crouched down, "Honey, we can have a child too."

I sprang to my feet.

Had he forgotten that we had a marriage of convenience? Or did he think that since we had broken one rule, the others didn't matter either?

I couldn't blame him when I met his eyes.

The little boy looked up at me pitifully with wet, glittering eyes, double eyelids, and a small mole just below his slightly upturned eyes.

I swallowed my saliva unconsciously.

"Jarred, let's just enjoy the moment. Don't say things like that again."

His face lit up. He stood up instantly and put his arms around my waist.

He was really quick-witted.

4

Before I left on my business trip, I spent a night with Jarred and then rushed to the high-speed rail overnight.

"Janie, why do you suddenly look so good? You seem to be living a pretty good life." When I was fixing my makeup at the hotel, a female colleague came over and smirked.

I looked at myself in the mirror, touching the small red spots on my neck, and suddenly felt proud.

"What kind of lustful expression is that? Do you want to go downstairs to the bar and have some fun?" My colleague winked at me.

Well, a change of atmosphere could help me calm down.

As soon as my colleague and I arrived at the bar, some men came to chat with us.

For some reason, I wasn't interested in them and kept unconsciously comparing them to Jarred.

"The best hunter is often disguised as prey." My colleague suddenly came over and whispered in my ear.

After she finished speaking, she hugged a muscular man and left gracefully.

She just left like that?

Being unmarried was so good.

Watching her carefree figure, I came up with this idea.

"Jane Hart, what are you doing here?"

A familiar voice rang out, and when I turned around, it was Oliver Hudson - the man I couldn't forget.

Today, he was wearing a black suit, with two buttons on his white shirt undone, revealing his delicate collarbones. A pair of silver-framed glasses rested on his high nose, and his thin lips were slightly open, giving off a casual and carefree vibe.

For a moment, I thought of adjectives like elegant scum and sexy beast.

"Relaxing," I replied.

"You look worried about something. Are you alright?" He sat beside me, leaning on his elbow and gazing at me with his chestnut-colored eyes.

I turned away uncomfortably. "It's just...about marriage. You're married, so you should understand."

I sounded a little jealous.

He chuckled and said, "I just completed the divorce formalities."

My curiosity was piqued all of a sudden. I pretended to be calm, raised my glass, and clinked it with him. "How come you're divorced? Wasn't it going well when we last talked?"

A moment of silence followed, he stood up, patted my shoulder gently, leaned down, and whispered in my ear, "I'll tell you when you're divorced."

I really couldn't take it anymore.

My heart raced. I swallowed and looked up into his eyes.

The bar was dimly lit, and the music could play with one's heartstrings.

He was so close, and I could smell a faint wooden fragrance from him.

In an instant, I thought of the clean scent that only belonged to Jarred when he was a teenager.

I felt guilty, and pushed Oliver away, squinting and smiling, "I don't understand what you mean."

He nodded, sat down again, and took a shallow sip of his drink.

I felt that the atmosphere was getting dangerous, so I decided to escape before anything bad happened.

As soon as I got outside, Oliver followed me, dragged me to a nearby emergency exit, and pushed me into the fire door.

He held my shoulders as he angrily said, "Jane, you're really good at restraining yourself." His voice was muffled in the shadows, and I couldn't see his face clearly.

The man I had been daydreaming about for years was so close that I could have kissed him with a slight movement.

"Oliver, I don't like you anymore," I looked into his eyes, "or rather, when something is handed to me on a silver platter, I don't want it that much."

He was unforgettable, occupying my entire naive youth, but at this moment, I suddenly felt that everything in my memories was filtered through rose-colored glasses, and looking back through time, it was beautiful, but touching it in reality would only make all the beauty fall apart.

Oliver lowered his eyelids and pushed his glasses up his nose with his long, slender index finger. "Is that so?"

He whispered in my ear, his warm breath brushing against my skin. I stopped breathing.

"I'll be waiting for you to change your mind."