Chapter 334 Lighter and Photograph
After a slight pause, he spoke, "Are you sure you just want to punish that woman, not to return to Sebastian's side?"
Upon hearing his words, a barely perceptible smile tugged at the corner of Lynda's mouth. She knew she made it.
She sniffled, looking pitiful, and followed Samuel's lead. "I haven't thought that far ahead. I simply want to punish the wrongdoer. While I can't let go of the feelings I have for Sebastian, I am determined to win back his heart. However, when it comes to Isabella, I refuse to let it go so easily."
To Lynda's surprise, Samuel remained silent. An air of scrutiny and calculation appeared on his face, akin to that of a cunning fox.
A jolt ran through Lynda's heart. Could it be that... Samuel had no intention of helping her?
But didn't he like her?
A surge of anger rose within her chest.
"Never mind." Lynda concealed her anger and wiped away her tears despondently, "This is indeed a difficult matter. I was too impulsive. Under Sebastian's protection in Maple Valley, who could possibly lay a finger on Isabella?"
She let out a weary sigh and stood up, "Samuel, forgive the interruption."
Samuel was indeed contemplating whether it was worth getting involved in a dispute between Lynda and Sebastian. In Silvercrest, he was a ruler, but in Maple Valley, not quite so.
Furthermore, there were ongoing collaborations between his company and the Lawrence Group, which could have far-reaching consequences.
But the woman before him...
Samuel gazed at Lynda and admitted that she had been the only woman on his mind all these years.
"Lynda." Samuel grasped Lynda's wrist. "Wait."
With that, he stood up.
Lynda bit her lip, turned around, and maturely said, "Samuel, don't feel obligated on my account."
She raised a quizzical brow, furrowing her brows slightly, reaching out to smooth the crease formed on Samuel's forehead. "Don't furrow your brow for me. It pains me to see."
Samuel thought of his mysterious aunt who had ventured to a distant land for love and finally made up his mind.
He locked eyes with Lynda. "Lynda, I can help you. However, I am a businessman and believe in fair exchanges."
Blushing, Lynda replied, "What exchange? I... I have nothing to offer in return. Samuel, please don't trouble yourself for my sake..."
She understood everything, but she had to pretend to be shy and innocent because she knew what men liked.
Samuel pulled her into an embrace. "Since you don't plan on rekindling things with Sebastian, then... entrust yourself to me."
He smirked, lifted Lynda, and as they moved towards the bed, he said, "I will assist you in dealing with your enemies, in helping your friend to escape."
Lynda had never really held onto the idea of preserving her chastity, but handing her first experience to Samuel left her feeling somewhat disheartened.
She had planned to reserve her first time to Sebastian. But now, she had no choice. Verbal manipulation was perhaps not enough to control a man frequently.
Yet, she still looked down on Samuel.
Her heart had issues, and that was something he was well aware of, but he didn't care for her; he was only thinking of his desires.
In this aspect, Samuel paled in comparison to Sebastian.
With this thought in mind, Lynda became even more resolute in her determination to win Sebastian back.
"Samuel, how could you..." After concluding, tears welled up in Lynda's eyes, disappointment evident in her gaze, "How could you treat me this way?"
While her words spoke against it, her body lay honestly down on the bed.
On the large bed, with Samuel above her, Lynda's tearful eyes, pale face, clutching the sheets, body trembling incessantly.
Samuel was cunning; he never lost out.
He kissed away Lynda's tears, his gaze sly as he whispered in her ear, "This isn't mistreatment. This is love."
Implying a calculated strategy, Lynda initially resisted but eventually gave in. Blushing, she said, "Samuel, please be gentle. It's my first time."
Samuel's gaze deepened. His eyes lit up. This was quite the gain.
In a hoarse voice, he said, "I will treat you well, Lynda."
The sounds of thunder, rain, and wind outside could not muffle the intertwined voices of the man and woman in the room.
The Lawrence Group.
Isabella slept through the night, only waking up when her stomach growled. If not for hunger, she might have slept until midnight.
In the lounge, a dim orange light flickered, creating a cozy ambiance.
Isabella enjoyed this warm atmosphere. A slight smile played on her lips as she lingered in bed, cocooned under a thin blanket, hand resting inadvertently on her chest.
At this moment, her heart still raced slightly.
Recalling the events of the afternoon, Isabella's body softened, her heart rate quickened, and her cheeks flushed gradually.
She cleared her throat and rubbed her head, silently repeating, "Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm."
Gradually, her emotions settled, and Isabella changed into the clothes Sebastian had prepared for her in advance.
Afterward, she got out of bed and bent down to put on her shoes.
Perhaps due to the swift movement, her elbow accidentally knocked over the nearby trash can, causing it to tumble to the ground.
Isabella finished putting on her shoes and reached to set the trash can upright.
As she did so, her gaze inevitably fell on the trash can.
With a furrowed brow, she stared at the familiar object lying quietly in the trash can—the lighter she had gifted to Sebastian.
Was it broken? Was that why it was tossed away?
Isabella lit the lighter, and the flame flared up.
Why did Sebastian discard it?
Suddenly, Isabella's heart clenched. The smile on her face gradually faded.
She closed the lighter and paused for a moment before lighting it again.
Subsequently, she glanced at the trash can once more and discovered a burnt photograph.
Isabella picked it up.
The burnt photo, originally facing downward on a white background, was flipped over by Isabella without hesitation.
The flame from the lighter illuminated the partially burnt photograph.
Unexpectedly, Isabella met her gaze in the photo, locking eyes with herself.
It was a selfie they had taken not long ago, with contemporary effects, a bit comical.
In the photo, she smiled, her smile bright yet tinged with hints of nervousness and pain.
Even though the whimsical rabbit ear effect obscured many real emotions, as the person involved, Isabella could discern clearly that in this picture, her smiles were bittersweet.
Yet...
She remembered that when she took that photo, Sebastian had caught her and promptly deleted it.
At that time, she had felt quite uncomfortable.
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