Chapter 482 Why Are You Avoiding Me
“Nathaniel?” Anya was surprised to see the man present, as that meant she wouldn’t be able to enter and search for the flash drive.
Nathaniel remained composed and cold, his eyes sparkling with a concealed intensity. He reached out and drew Christina closer to him. “Why did you come back so late?”
His tone carried a hint of complaint, and upon detecting a faint smell of alcohol, he furrowed his brows.
The woman’s face was flushed, and her eyes were glimmering with tears. After all, it was customary to share a meal and enjoy a few drinks with colleagues.
Why does he look so displeased, as if I have committed a mistake?
Anya wanted to follow them inside, but Nathaniel casually closed the door in her face.
As the door slammed shut, she was left standing outside, her frustration mounting.
She couldn’t wait any longer. If she failed to find the flash drive, she would be in danger once Christina returned to Hallsbay.
As Anya walked away, she called Madison. “What’s going on? Christina was away for so long, so why haven’t you managed to snag Nathaniel yet?”
With Nathaniel around, it was difficult to go after Christina.
Madison had been feeling despondent ever since she dropped off Nathaniel at Scenic Garden Manor as he had been ignoring her calls.
Moreover, their collaboration with Taggart Group was not renewed when the contract expired.
Anya never expected Madison to be so incompetent. If she had known, she would have just found a random woman to get close to Nathaniel and obtain some intimate photos.
“We’re at the resort. Hurry over here, and find a way to keep him occupied.”
Madison’s hope ignited once again. “Quick, give me the address.”
Once Christina was inside the room, the alcohol from the drinks she had indulged in earlier finally kicked in, making her feel increasingly dizzy.
She made her way to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. When she felt a bit more alert, she proceeded to undress.
After clumsily wrestling with her buttons for a while, she finally managed to undo them. As she lifted her head, the movement caused a sensation of oxygen deprivation to wash over her. Her body tilted before she slumped against the wall with a thud.
She closed her eyes, lost in a daze.
Suddenly, the door was pushed open. Nathaniel had heard the loud thud and feared she might have injured herself.
“What happened?”
Christina could feel the warm palm resting on her delicate shoulder and the support around her waist. She lifted her gaze and met the man’s dark eyes. Her breath hitched slightly as she whispered, “I’m fine.”
“Let’s go out first.” Nathaniel supported her and tried to lead her outside.
“I’m all right. I just lost my balance carlier. You can go out. I want to shower,” Christina said. She did not want to go to bed with the smell of alcohol on her.
“How are you going to shower like this?” Nathaniel scanned the delicate figure in his arms, the soft illumination accentuating her fair complexion. Her clothes were partially undone, revealing her S**y collarbones.
“I can’t sleep without showering.” She had even been to the construction site today, so her clothes were dusty.
Nathaniel lifted Christina in his arms and pressed her against the washstand. “Should I help you?” he suggested.
As he spoke, his hands started to lift her clothing. The scorching heat of his embrace ignited her blood like a flame, causing her vision to become hazy.
Christina’s cheeks turned crimson as she pushed his hand away. Shoving his shoulder, she said, “I don’t need help. You should leave.”
She had only consumed a few drinks; there was no need for anyone to help her with showering.
Moreover, she wasn’t foolish enough to willingly surrender herself to Nathaniel, especially with his hungry, wolf–like gaze.
“When are you going to stop avoiding me?” Nathaniel tightly held Christina’s hand, but she stubbornly refused to meet his gaze.
“I’m not avoiding you,” she replied, feeling trapped under his scorching gaze. She felt like a helpless animal with nowhere to escape.
Nathaniel grasped her delicate shoulders with both hands. “You know it was a misunderstanding that night. Why do you keep giving me mixed signals and ignoring me?”
His anger seeped through his words, rendering Christina speechless. Despite comprehending that it was merely a misunderstanding that night, she couldn’t completely embrace their relationship in her heart.
“I don’t want to discuss this issue, okay? I have a headache!” Christina pushed his hands away, unwilling to dwell on the matter further.
Witnessing her continuous attempts to evade him, Nathaniel was overwhelmed with a sense of remorse, as if he were tormenting a helpless creature.
He sighed softly and left the room in disappointment.
The bathroom door closed, enveloping the space in a soothing silence. Christina ma*saged her temples with her fingertips and descended from the washstand, preparing herself for a refreshing shower.
The warm water cascaded over her fatigued body, washing away the weariness of the day.
When Christina emerged from the bathroom, she found the room devoid of Nathaniel’s presence. However, his faint scent still lingered in the air.
She breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for his absence. Confronting each other would only intensify the already palpable awkwardness between them.
Christina settled into the bed and soon drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, a knock reverberated through the door, stirring Christina from her slumber. When she swung the door open, she was greeted by a fully geared–up Anya.
“We’re going rock climbing today. Hurry up,” Anya urged impatiently.
Christina grunted in acknowledgment before shutting the door in Anya’s face, causing the latter to scowl. She quickly changed into her climbing gear and shouldered her backpack before heading out. They met their colleagues at the restaurant, had breakfast, and officially set off.
After a short ten–minute drive, they arrived at the climbing area. Upon inquiring, they were informed that all the indoor facilities were fully booked, leaving only the outdoor area available.
Anya and the others discussed for a moment before their gaze landed on Christina. “If it’s okay with you, shall we book the outdoor area?”
Christina was hesitant to venture outdoors because of the unfavorable weather. However, she did not want to dampen everyone’s spirits by returning back to the hotel. “Okay, let’s book for three hours.”
Anya and a colleague went to purchase the tickets, and soon the staff led them to the outdoor section.
After hearing the instructions and safety precautions, they began their ascent.
Christina followed closely behind Anya as they climbed together. Their stamina and physique were similar, so their progress was somewhat on par.
After reaching the summit, the two of them descended together along the path. The climb had already drained Christina’s energy significantly. As they made their way down, Anya struggled to keep up with her.
“I can’t believe you have such good stamina,” Anya scoffed.
Christina cast a wary glance at Anya, uncertain of her motives. She decided to proceed with her descent cautiously.
Just then, the sky had turned dark with clouds, indicating that rain would likely arrive soon.
As Christina disappeared from view, Anya retrieved a small knife from her pocket, a smirk curling her lips. With Christina out of the picture, she believed that no one would be able to impede her position within the Gibson family. It did not matter if Christina had any leverage on her if the former couldn’t do anything with it.
She aimed the knife at the rope securing Christina and began cutting it.
Unaware of the danger closing in on her, Christina continued her descent.
