Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 280: Kiss me. Now

The plan Ryan had in mind completely fell apart the moment he saw Alice. He never expected things to unfold like this.

Wasn’t Alice supposed to pin him down and vent her anger? Why was she dressed in a way that seemed… a little seductive?

Alice’s mood had just hit rock bottom, and her status had entered “???”, which usually meant things were about to get really bad.

But instead of freaking out, Alice had changed into an evening gown and suddenly announced they were going to a banquet. The shift in mood was way too drastic.

“Do I need to change?” Ryan asked, glancing down at his casual outfit. Standing next to Alice, he felt completely out of place.

He had already left his jacket in the living room, which meant the tracker wasn’t on him anymore. Ryan asked, hinting at something.

“No need. Just wear whatever feels comfortable,” Alice replied, not forcing him to put on a suit, even though she had already had clothes bought for him.

After a moment of hesitation, Ryan went to the coat rack in the living room and grabbed his jacket. Since he was going out with Alice, the tracker didn’t really matter anymore. After all, what could be more intense than Alice’s own watchful eye?

As they stepped outside, there were no bodyguards in sight. Instead, a line of maids stood on either side, bowing respectfully to Alice.

It seemed like Alice was deliberately avoiding the gaze of men. Even the driver had been swapped out for a woman. So far, Ryan was the only one who had seen this side of Alice.

Was this intentional on her part?

But why was she doing this… for him?

Everyone has a range of emotions, and when certain feelings take over, they can make a person act out of character.

Alice had been provoked by Mia and Anna, and now she was trying to show a different side of herself to Ryan. She was becoming someone she normally wasn’t.

And Ryan? To him, Alice’s behavior was a signal. He couldn’t quite decipher it, but the mysterious and dangerous vibe was unmistakable.

Alice was undeniably attractive. Her natural beauty could easily rival that of any major celebrity, and now, with her carefully chosen outfit, she was practically irresistible to Ryan.

“A girl dresses up for someone she cares about…”

Sitting in the car, Ryan still felt like this wasn’t real. The thought popped into his head, and once it did, it spread like wildfire, burning in his mind.

Alice hadn’t checked her favorability rating with Ryan in a while, but it had been holding steady at 75 points.

Anything above 70 meant their relationship had crossed the line from close friends to something more. Ryan wasn’t sure what came next. Lovers? A couple?

After getting in the car, Alice took a moment to calm her nerves. The dress she was wearing stirred up conflicting emotions inside her.

She wanted Ryan’s eyes on her, but at the same time, she couldn’t handle the intensity of his gaze. It felt like she was on fire.

“Ryan, what are you thinking about?”

Ryan seemed distracted by Alice’s question. It wasn’t until she repeated herself that he snapped out of it.

“Like…”

“What did you say?”

Alice’s heart was racing. She wasn’t sure if she had really heard that word come out of Ryan’s mouth. He had spoken so quickly and unclearly. She pressed him for an answer, not realizing how excited she looked.

“N-nothing.”

“I was just asking if there’s anything I should know about when we get there.”

Ryan rubbed his nose, trying to deflect. Alice’s hands were already on his shoulders, gripping him so tightly it felt like she might crush his bones.

He quickly made up an excuse to dodge the situation. That thought had been growing in his mind, and just now, it had slipped out uncontrollably.

Ever since the whole tracker incident, Ryan had been confused and frustrated. He couldn’t understand why Alice, with such a high favorability rating, would do something that showed such a lack of trust.

But what if Alice’s strange feelings toward him were… love?

Could that be possible?

Now, it seemed like he was starting to understand something. He was beginning to see why Alice always seemed so conflicted around him.

But the realization was heavy and bizarre, and he wasn’t ready to accept it just yet.

“Tonight, there’s no real plan. Just stick by my side, and you’ll be fine.”

Ryan was clearly avoiding the topic. No matter how Alice pressed him, he wouldn’t say anything more. Her eyes darkened slightly, but she quickly masked it perfectly.

She had heard that word. She was sure of it. Ryan had said it.

Even if he couldn’t face it right now, the mere possibility of it was enough to give Alice hope. One day, she would get what she truly wanted.

And that day wasn’t far off.

The atmosphere in the car grew quiet again. Both Alice and Ryan were lost in their own thoughts, neither of them speaking first. The faint, cool fragrance in the air seemed to silently push their relationship into a more delicate, subtle space.

Ryan stared out the window at the passing scenery, but the reflection in the glass showed Alice’s graceful figure. At the same time, Alice was also watching his reflection.

“Miss Alice, I wasn’t thinking clearly before. I wanted to apologize.”

Their eyes met through the glass, and Ryan, feeling a bit embarrassed under her gaze, lowered his head and spoke softly.

He wasn’t sure what Alice truly felt about him. All he knew was that his head felt foggy at the moment.

At least he could manage to apologize properly. That was the whole reason he had gone upstairs earlier.

Ryan’s sudden apology caught Alice off guard. She furrowed her brows slightly, and after realizing what he was apologizing for, a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

Smiles were rare on Alice’s face, but now, as she gently pinched the hem of her dress and gave a soft, restrained smile, she looked as beautiful as a blooming peach blossom—stunning beyond words.

Her smile overlapped with the image of her younger self in old photos. Perhaps she didn’t even realize it, but the dark cloud that had been hanging over her heart had dissipated with Ryan’s simple apology.

She almost felt it was unfair to herself. As the boss of a mafia family, wasn’t she a little too easy to please?

Suddenly, something seemed to cross her mind. Her eyes sparkled as she glanced up and down at Ryan, then she cleared her throat softly, dispersing the smile from her face and returning to a more serious expression.

“So, you know you were wrong?”

“I do…”

“But just knowing isn’t enough. You apologize, then make the same mistake again. That won’t work.”

“You need to be punished, or maybe agree to a few conditions. I need to see your loyalty before I can trust you again.”

Though Alice was trying hard to maintain a serious demeanor, there was something different about her. She didn’t seem as cold as she usually did. Ever since Ryan had complimented her appearance, it was as if she had become a different person.

Even now, the so-called “punishment” felt more like an excuse for her to express her true feelings. Ryan didn’t call her out on it. He just nodded, quietly letting things unfold.

The dangerous flower had already extended its vines, and for some reason, Ryan didn’t refuse. He wanted to test his theory, and his heart had never raced like this before.

“Kiss me. Now.”

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