Chapter 203: A Kiss

Although Stefan was often surrounded by many noble young ladies vying for his attention, he rarely spoke words of affection. As a result, he often felt uneasy and a bit shy. Stefan gently pressed Irene's head against his chest and continued, "I don't smoke, I don't gamble, and I don't drink. Our personalities are very compatible, and I'm good at making money. I hope you'll seriously consider me." Irene's cheek rested against Stefan's chest, and she silently counted his heartbeats. She could hear his heart beating, "thump thump," slightly faster than normal. Despite his outward calmness, Stefan sounded a bit flustered. Irene had initially just wanted to know what Stefan had been hiding from her. This situation was something she hadn't encountered before. In her previous life, she had dated quite a few boys, but they were all well-behaved and never acted like this in front of her, so she had no experience with this kind of situation. Stefan whispered, "I remember we already established our relationship, didn't we? Being a fiancé is more convenient than just being a boyfriend." Stefan's voice was low, as if gently coaxing her. Irene softly replied, "I don't like dealing with a fiancé's romantic escapades. I've heard that many girls in the capital fancy you." Stefan chuckled. "Don't worry. I only like you, no one else. I've always adhered to the principles of being a gentleman." Irene slowly curled her lips into a smile. She indeed liked Stefan, but she was still considering everything. She raised her head, about to discuss this matter with Stefan. Just then, Stefan lowered his head, and their lips gently touched. Both Irene and Stefan froze, pausing in the moment. As they gazed into each other’s eyes, Irene clearly saw the awkwardness and affection in Stefan’s expression. Irene, with her lips still brushing against Stefan's, gave a small smile. She pulled back slightly and noticed Stefan’s Adam's apple moving up and down, his eyes fixed intensely on her, those deep blue eyes becoming even more profound. He looked incredibly attractive. Irene’s gaze flickered. Among all the boys she had encountered in her past and current lives, none had stirred her desires like Stefan did—a desire to keep him to herself, away from anyone else. It was like a dragon guarding its treasure. Just then, Mr. Robertson walked into the room, holding a bouquet of flowers and laughing heartily, "Daughter! You'll definitely like this! What are you two doing?" Mr. Robertson’s eyes widened as he stared at Stefan. He had seen this kind of thing online before. His daughter was a good girl, and he was certain that it was Stefan who had led her astray! This... this... Mr. Robertson silently cursed. He had always known that men were all the same! No matter how handsome or ugly they appeared, no matter how much they pretended to be uninterested in women, they would always reveal their true, ugly nature when faced with the woman they loved! Despite his initial outburst, Mr. Robertson kept his composure in front of Irene. He continued to smile warmly as he handed her the bouquet. Watching Irene hold the flowers and gently inhale their fragrance, he then shot Stefan a fierce glare. Stefan, however, acted as if he hadn't noticed Mr. Robertson's glare, maintaining his smile. In reality, he was feeling a bit emotional and hadn't realized what he was doing. Irene was still young; if he had truly done something, according to federal law, he would have ended up in jail. Moreover, it wouldn't be fair to Irene to do anything without solidifying their relationship first. Clearly, some arrangements needed to be made with his family. As Stefan pondered this, he absentmindedly touched his lips with his fingers. It wasn’t until he noticed Mr. Robertson’s suspicious look that he quickly lowered his hand. He then rubbed his fingers together, still feeling the soft touch lingering on his lips. The emotions surging inside him felt like a tidal wave, threatening to break through the defenses he had just built up. Stefan pressed his lips together, forcing down the restless feelings, even shifting his posture to maintain control. Harper, standing nearby, glanced briefly at Stefan’s pants. When Stefan caught him looking, Harper quickly averted his gaze, though he couldn’t help a small, secretive smile. Thanks to Irene, Harper felt like the gap between his boss and ordinary people had lessened. Irene, holding the bouquet, smiled more deeply, which made Mr. Robertson feel quite pleased with himself. “She really is my daughter!” Mr. Robertson thought. “Even her taste in flowers is just like mine!” Irene took a deep breath, inhaling the rich fragrance of the flowers. No matter how many secrets Stefan kept from her, he clearly had an effect on her. Irene wasn’t one to dwell on things for long. Since this had happened naturally, and given the prophecy, considering Stefan seriously didn’t seem like a bad idea. However, she would need to adjust her plans. Her handsome boyfriend had quite a few secrets, and plenty of dangers surrounded him as well. But based on the current situation, those dangers wouldn’t come for him just yet. At least, he should be safe for the next two years. For now, Irene had more pressing matters to attend to. First, she needed to understand why her teacher, Kelly, had arranged a husband for her. Second, she had to figure out the strange dream she had, where she saw herself, her parents, and the familiar yet detested Alice, but none of her seven brothers. Third, she needed to determine if the curse on Mack was real, and if so, who had cast it. Irene didn’t like such manipulative methods. According to Kelly’s teachings, only evil people used such methods, and they were often hunted by the church. In fact, there were special hunters in the occult world who sought out and killed evil witches. Even harmless witches who knew about curses could be killed if discovered by these hunters. This issue had sparked considerable debate in the occult world, becoming one of the most important topics of the past century. These were all things Kelly had taught her. And then there was one more crucial task—retrieving her headband. All of these matters pointed to one place: the capital. Just then, Irene received a message from Hausman, saying that the descendant of the antique dealer had moved to the capital, and the old antique dealer himself was now living in a retirement home there. It looked like it was time for Irene to return.