Chapter 2 Night-long Cuddle

Annabel didn't realize that this room belonged to someone else. When she saw that the bathroom was stocked with only men's products, she just assumed that the Bentons were trying to get on her nerves.

"What an incredible family!" she muttered sarcastically, walking under the shower.

She only had to put up with this for three months. She had struck a bet with her grandfather. If she still had no feelings for Rupert after staying here for three months, their marriage would be called off.

A maid brought in dinner for her once Annabel got out of the bathroom. She ate it and fell asleep almost immediately.

It was already midnight when Rupert finally came back home from a business dinner.

He was aware Annabel was arriving today. Bruce had told him to pick her up, but he refused under the guise of having many things to do at work. He had no interest in his fiancee. As far as he was concerned, the marriage would be canceled sooner or later.

Rupert was fagged out. He managed to take a shower and went straight to bed.

He was very drunk, so he didn't notice that someone else was in his room until he lay down on his bed.

The large bulge under the quilt startled him. He moved away abruptly. The room was dimly lit, so he couldn't see the woman's face clearly. Before he could think straight, she rolled over and hugged him. She muttered, "Teddy, don't be naughty. You should sleep now."

Rupert froze completely.

This woman had a very familiar scent, just like that girl...

It was soothing as his nose pressed against her neck. For some reason, Rupert found himself hugging her back. He fell asleep with Annabel in his arms.

Strangely for an insomniac, Rupert didn't wake up at any point during the night. He slept like a well-fed baby.

He had a dream that night. It was about what happened to him ten years ago. In a dark room, a girl embraced him tightly and said in a sweet voice, "Don't be scared. No harm shall come to you. I'll protect you."

Later in the dream, he met that girl again. It felt so real.

The next morning, Cathy woke up at the crack of dawn. She had been hoping to hear the news that Annabel was thrown out of the room once Rupert got back home. But the maid said nothing of such happened.

Why was that? Didn't Rupert come back home last night? But his car was in the garage.

Rupert hated anyone being in his space. He couldn't possibly have slept in the same bed as a strange woman.

Consumed by curiosity and uncertainty, Cathy went to knock on Rupert's door. "Hey, Rupert! Breakfast is ready. Don't you have a meeting this morning? You should get up now!"

The noise woke up the two people who were fast asleep at the same time. Annabel immediately felt the warmth of someone else. Her head wasn't on a pillow but on a hard chest.

She looked up, only to meet the sharp eyes of a man. She sat up immediately and was wide awake. "Who are you?"

Rupert's eyes darkened. "Annabel Hewitt?"

Since he knew her name, Annabel assumed that he was her fiance, Rupert. But why was he in her room?

She was just about to question him again when he uttered, "You came to my room and slept in my bed on your first day in this household. I must say that you are really something!"

"What?" Annabel looked completely confused. He just said this was his bed? How was that possible?

Was every member of this family mad and troublesome?

"Oh my!" Annabel exclaimed as her mind went to the men's products she saw in the bathroom yesterday. It seemed Cathy had tricked her.

In haste, Annabel got off the bed and looked at him coldly. "Just to be clear, I didn't mean to sleep here. Cathy told me this was my room. No offense but I'm not in any way interested in you. Come to think of it, I fell asleep alone. Why didn't you realize that someone else was in the bed when you got back? And why did you hold me in your arms for the whole night? Don't tell me you have a crush on me?"

A look of embarrassment clouded Rupert's face when he heard her words. He couldn't deny that he held her in his arms for the whole night.

Just like last night, he was stunned when he met Annabel's eyes.

Her beautiful eyes were just like that girl's.

Annabel squinted at him with a smile.

"What? Why are you staring at me like that? Are you obsessed with me?"

Rupert came to his senses. His face darkened again. He ordered coldly, "Get out! And don't come into this room ever again!"

Annabel sucked her teeth. She then left with her belongings without hesitation.

This was their first meeting, but they already didn't like each other.

Cathy, who was still at the door, was surprised to see Annabel come out.

Annabel said with an ambiguous smile, "Good morning! As you wish, your cousin held me in his arms and slept for the whole night. We got along pretty well. You must be happy about that."

"Nonsense!" Cathy's face was livid. She didn't believe that at all.

In her opinion, there was no way Rupert would like Annabel, let alone hold her in his arms for hours.

But the fact that they had slept together for the whole night was plain to see.