Chapter 13 The Charm That Women Like

Yvonne confessed openly, but Elijah's expression remained unchanged.

When looking at Yvonne, his gaze seemed to carry a few more sharp and cold qualities.

Yvonne's smile froze on her face, and the flattering words in her mind suddenly stopped.

Fortunately, Ryan came over at this moment, relieving her embarrassment.

"Finally solved a big trouble! Thanks, Yvonne." Ryan sat to Yvonne's right and beckoned a waiter. "What would you two like to drink? Tonight, it's on me, and we won't leave until we're drunk."

"I'll just have beer," Elijah said in a low voice.

"Mr. Winston strolled among the flowers and got stung by a bee in the eye."

Ryan chuckled helplessly. "Nowadays, any woman who looks decent would fantasize about becoming my wife after sleeping with me once, and they would use all kinds of tricks. Thankfully, Yvonne came to the rescue this time."

Yvonne took out a contract from her handbag and handed it to Ryan with a smile, saying, "Now it's up to your sincerity."

Ryan didn't even look at it and signed his name on the last page directly.

"Send me your company's bank account number, and I will transfer a $100,000 deposit. Tomorrow morning, I will have someone take you to the villa to have a look and finalize the renovation plan."

Yvonne hurriedly sent Ryan the company's account number.

Less than half a minute later, the $100,000 deposit arrived.

A long-awaited burden was lifted off Yvonne's heart, and she quickly expressed her gratitude. "You can tell me anytime if you have any requirements for the house renovation. My phone is always on."

"I won't have time to live in the house even if it's nicely renovated." Ryan shook his head. "Yvonne, just do it as you see fit, I trust your taste."

"I can't do that!" Yvonne quickly objected.

The two of them chatted very intimately, completely forgetting that Elijah was still sitting across from them, his expression growing increasingly gloomy.

"Elijah, I just found out yesterday that your fiancée is Yvonne's stepsister." Ryan suddenly changed the subject, smiling as he looked at Elijah, who had been silent all along. "This world is so small."

"Yeah," Elijah answered without much enthusiasm.

Ryan asked again, "How is your grandmother? Will she be discharged from the hospital in time for your engagement?"

"Not sure," Elijah said, raising his beer and downing it.

Philippe, Mason, and Louis arrived, and the atmosphere immediately became lively.

Yvonne took the opportunity to ask if anyone had friends or relatives in need of house renovations.

"You could easily rely on your looks to make a living, why work so hard?" Philippe joked with her.

"If I don't work hard, then who would support me?" Yvonne retorted.

Philippe laughed deeply, glanced at Elijah from the corner of his eyes, and said, "Even if I have the intention, I don't have the courage for that."

"Yvonne, when you truly want to rely on your looks, consider me!" Ryan also started teasing. "After all, both our families approved of us as potential partners."

"Sure!" Yvonne's smile was radiant as she echoed his words.

Mason and Louis weren't as sarcastic as Philippe and Ryan, but since Yvonne was having such a relaxed conversation, they joined in as well.

Their laughter and banter troubled Elijah, especially Yvonne's expressions, which felt like needles constantly poking at his heart.

"I have something to take care of, I'll leave first." Elijah grabbed his coat and left.

"Elijah had been drinking. I'll find a driver for him."

Mason unlocked his phone, but Yvonne stood up before he could finish, saying, "I still have some blueprints to finish drawing, excuse me."

"Say goodbye to Mr. Harper."

Elijah ignored Yvonne and walked out of the bar in a hurry, with Yvonne following closely behind.

Philippe laughed deeply, and Mason and Louis noticed something.

Ryan asked belatedly, "What's going on with them?"

"They're attracted to each other, that's what's going on," Philippe replied.

Ryan let out a long "oh" and said, "No wonder Yvonne hasn't paid much attention to me."

Yvonne didn't miss the opportunity to please Elijah, as she had been thinking about the decoration of the Harper Mansion. She followed Elijah into the underground parking lot from the staircase. Elijah found his own car and sat in the passenger seat, holding his forehead.

His first words after leaving the bar were directed at Yvonne. "You drive."

Yvonne immediately saw an opportunity to get a signature. She eagerly sat in the driver's seat and fastened her seatbelt, saying, "If you're not feeling well, you can keep the windows open."

Elijah remained silent. His alcohol tolerance was low, and although he had just been drinking beer, he drank too quickly and felt a bit dizzy.

Yvonne started the car and kept the speed at around forty to fifty kilometers per hour. Yvonne glanced at Elijah a few times, but he kept his eyes closed. When they were close to Rhode Hills, Yvonne parked the car in front of a pharmacy.

Elijah opened his eyes slightly and saw Yvonne get out of the car and enter the pharmacy. She was still wearing the white shirt and black skirt from the afternoon, and the black high heels accentuated the pleasing curve of her already slender legs. Her waist-length curled hair swayed slightly behind her.

He inexplicably felt a tightness in his chest. Indeed, one's appetite plays a role. He was not a man without desires and needs.

Yvonne quickly returned, holding two boxes of hangover remedies in her hand. "I bought the oral type. Since you seem so uncomfortable, why not take a couple?"

Elijah stared at the hangover medicine for a moment and then looked away toward the window. "Just blowing some cool air will be fine."

Yvonne was used to being rejected and wasn't annoyed. She put the medicine on the dashboard and started the engine again. Ten minutes later, the car was parked in Elijah's private spot.

Yvonne got out of the car and waited for three minutes, but Elijah still didn't move, keeping his eyes closed. Yvonne glanced inside and noticed that Elijah's face had turned pale, and one hand was covering his chest below the heart.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick in your stomach?" Yvonne knocked on the car window.

"You can go. I just need to rest for a bit." Elijah persisted stubbornly, but his expression became even more painful.

"Stubborn." Yvonne cursed softly and got back into the car, driving toward the nearest hospital. Elijah was assisted by Yvonne as they entered the emergency room.

The doctor said it was a gastric ulcer caused by drinking alcohol. The doctor's treatment plan was to start with an intravenous drip and decide whether hospitalization was necessary depending on the recovery.

Elijah insisted on taking some medicine back to Rhode Hills, but Yvonne forcibly dragged him into the hospital room. Yvonne understood his concerns.

Yvonne specifically paid extra money for a single-patient ward. Outside, the night was dark, and Elijah lay on the hospital bed with closed eyes, unable to find peace in his heart.

Yvonne sat on the companion bed, scrolling through her phone.

"Yvonne," Elijah suddenly called her name.

She jumped off the bed eagerly and asked, "Did they insert the needle?"

"No. There are nurses outside. You can go," Elijah replied.

Although Elijah's words were a dismissal, Yvonne sensed a tenderness she had never felt before.

After all the effort she had invested, both financially and physically, Elijah hadn't given her the renovation contract for the old house. If she were to leave now, wouldn't it all be in vain?

"The doctor said you need to stay in the hospital for observation tonight. I can't sleep either, so why not chat with you?" Yvonne sat down on the companion bed, pulled up the blanket, and lay down.

Elijah slightly turned his body, leaving space for Yvonne.

Yvonne recalled his frenzy on the bed and silently cursed him for his hypocrisy.

"Mr. Harper, since your stomach isn't well, you should drink less alcohol in the future." Yvonne started to get closer.

Elijah softly responded with a simple "Mm."

Yvonne continued, "Your kitchen is so clean as if it has never been used. Eating outside for all three meals is not good."

Again, Elijah replied with a simple "Mm."

"Can't you say anything other than 'Mm'?" Yvonne laughed and lay down next to Elijah.

Elijah wanted to create some distance between them, but Yvonne's upper body had already pressed against him!

"Don't move, Mr. Harper. It's not fun if the needle comes out of your wrist." Yvonne's makeup was smudged, and her face was only an inch away from Elijah's.

Elijah's gaze no longer evaded, as he stared straight into Yvonne's eyes, and she responded with passionate intensity.

Familiar ambiguity erupted between the two in their fiery gaze.

Yvonne sensed that Elijah liked reserved women and prepared herself for his kiss. But she gradually realized that the desire on Elijah's face was dissipating.

"Get off." Elijah's tone turned cold.

Get off?

Absolutely not!

Yvonne cupped Elijah's face in her hands and kissed him!

Their lips met, and Elijah didn't resist at all. Yvonne was surprised to find Elijah's hand had already slipped into her skirt...

Although Elijah had one hand connected to an IV drip, it didn't affect Yvonne's experience at all.

With each encounter, Yvonne felt more excited with Elijah than before.

After it was over, she smiled as she climbed off Elijah's hospital bed, while he returned to his usual icy demeanor.

"You speak with a forked tongue. You act differently once you put your pants back on. No wonder you're Winslow's most powerful lawyer," Yvonne scoffed.

A few minutes ago, he was passionate, but now he had a cold, distant expression. Yvonne couldn't help but tease him, feeling unsettled in her heart.

Expressionless, Elijah glanced at the IV bottle above him and said, "Help me call the nurse."

Yvonne raised her hand and pressed the call button on the wall.

Soon, a young nurse holding a bottle of brown liquid came in, skillfully changing Elijah's clothes and lingering around after delivering the instructions.

Thinking that something was wrong with the medication, Yvonne asked hurriedly, "What's the matter?"

The nurse blushed and looked at Elijah. "Mr. Harper, my sister is studying law and will graduate after Christmas. Her biggest wish is to get into WIN Law Firm. Can I add you on WhatsApp so I can recommend her? She wants to ask you a lot of questions."

Yvonne sneered at the poor acting and lies.

Elijah said in a deep voice, "You can have your sister follow the official WIN account online. The recruitment and requirements for next year are all posted there. Adding me on WhatsApp is unnecessary."

The nurse, with thin skin, stood still for a moment, blushing, before leaving.

Yvonne finally found some balance in her heart.

It turns out that she wasn't the only one hitting a roadblock with him.

"You seem to be quite popular among women," Yvonne sarcastically praised.

Elijah, detecting some mockery, retorted, "Miss Brooks is quite popular in the men's circle as well."

Yvonne was about to argue, but immediately changed to a more flattering expression. "Mr. Harper, that unreliable Ryan has given me the responsibility for the villa's renovation. The refurbishment of your old residence..."

"I said I would compare three suppliers, let's wait a bit longer," Elijah interrupted, adjusting his pillow with one hand and lying down.

Yvonne was furious, but she dared not offend him. She lay down on the accompanying bed, pulled the blanket up, and fell asleep.

At that moment, Elijah's phone suddenly rang.

"I'll be right there." The usually calm Elijah sounded extremely anxious.

Yvonne turned in bed and saw Elijah unplugging the needle with his hand.