Playing the Villainess, He Fell for Me

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...............

The air was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

Joanna paced back and forth, one hand on the stair railing, the other resting on her stomach. Her hair had fallen into some disarray, and her cheeks were rosy. When she suddenly saw the tall, elegant man standing behind the door, she froze in place.

Simon Lockwood frowned and walked over. "What are you up to now?"

"..............."

Joanna didn’t speak. As the man drew closer, she slowly raised her eyes, her gaze fixed on him, unwavering, practically sizzling with heat.

Simon, suddenly conscious of his outfit, looked a bit uncomfortable. He tucked her hair behind her ear, his voice low. "What are you staring at?"

"You..." Joanna answered instinctively.

A simple off-white sweater, dark wide-leg jeans. Simon Lockwood had a great figure; he somehow made the simple outfit look like high-end couture.

His short black hair fell in a fluffy, tousled way that looked eminently touchable. With his refined features, when he glanced over gently, Joanna almost saw the boy from all those years ago.

Refined and aloof, full of youthful spirit, like a resilient poplar tree that had just endured winter.

The stuffy classroom, the rustling of plane tree leaves outside the window... she had only to lift her eyes to fall right into her own personal springtime.

The converging timelines made her heart skip a beat...

"You... why are you dressed like this?" Joanna managed to say, her burning gaze still fixed on him, never leaving for a second, as if trying to see right through his clothes.

Simon Lockwood: "............"

The strange thought that popped into his head made the tips of Simon’s ears turn red. He averted his gaze, feigning indifference. "Just threw something on. What’s wrong with it?"

His wardrobe was a uniform sea of suits and shirts; a glance was all it took to see that black, white, and gray dominated the entire closet. Following Sean Grant’s suggestion, he had dug this more "youthful" outfit out from a corner. It was probably a complimentary item that came with a purchase from some brand.

"Does it look bad?" Seeing Joanna continue to stare at him, Simon suddenly felt a bit insecure. He hadn’t dressed like this in a long time. Was it too childish?

Simon Lockwood furrowed his brow. "I’ll go change..."

Before he could finish, a pair of arms suddenly wrapped tightly around his waist. The girl buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled. "It looks great..."

"It looks amazing. Simon Lockwood, how can you be so handsome..."

’He was tailor-made for her tastes.’

’The mature, steady Simon Lockwood; the cool, boyish Simon Lockwood... she adored them all...’

The girl’s voice was sincere. Simon knew she had a thing for handsome faces, but this gave him a much clearer understanding—Joanna was a true sucker for a pretty face.

He couldn’t quite describe the feeling. Maybe he was just used to it, but Simon actually felt a little grateful that he was blessed with a decent-looking face, one that could capture Joanna’s attention.

Joanna nuzzled against the man’s chest until her face was completely red. In the end, it was Simon who pinched her chin and pulled her away, both exasperated and amused. "Trying to suffocate yourself?"

Joanna’s heart, still reeling from the shock of his beauty, had yet to calm down. She blinked her big, sparkling eyes, a hint of excitement within them, and said in a clear voice, "Simon, let’s go to the bedroom!"

Simon Lockwood: "............"

Simon Lockwood: "?!"

Simon Lockwood: "??!!"

Simon’s mind went completely blank. He didn’t even react until the girl had already pulled him into the bedroom. A deep blush spread rapidly from the tips of his ears down his neck, showing no signs of stopping.

He grabbed her hands, which were roaming all over the place, steadied his own ragged breathing, and forced his voice out, strained. "Joanie, don’t mess around."

’A young lady shouldn’t be saying such things, especially in broad daylight...’

Her wrists were held fast, and the man’s arm was still around her waist; she couldn’t move at all. Joanna felt wronged. "Why not?"

’I never resist when Simon wants to, so why is he so against it when I’m the one to make a move?’

’What a double standard!’

Joanna said angrily, "Let me go!"

The girl’s face was red with anger. Not giving up, she started pulling at his clothes. Simon, afraid of hurting her, had to let go of her wrists. Instead, he pulled her into an embrace, pressing her head against his chest. His Adam’s apple bobbed violently. "Be good. Stop messing around..."

’It’s three in the afternoon,’ Simon thought, still holding on to some semblance of sanity. ’If we really get into it, she won’t be in any state to celebrate her birthday tonight.’

"Be a good girl, and I’ll take you out tonight," he coaxed softly.

Having been suppressed again and again, Joanna’s annoyance had long since eclipsed her arousal. She bit down hard on his shoulder through his sweater. Only when she felt the large hand on her waist tighten did she give two satisfied huffs.

She lightly bumped her forehead against his shoulder, asking, "Where are we going?"

"Don’t move," Simon’s voice was tight and strangely hoarse. He took a deep breath and pressed a hand to her forehead to still her. "You’ll know when we get there."

"Oh."

Joanna wasn’t happy about him being so mysterious.

He told her not to move, so of course she moved. She kissed Simon’s chin and squirmed restlessly like a hyperactive child, not noticing the darkening look in the man’s eyes.

By the time she sensed something was wrong, it was too late. The grip on her waist tightened, making her shudder. Her eyes flew wide. "!"

Simon’s actions were forceful, leaving no room for resistance.

In a daze, Joanna had only one thought: she had still underestimated Simon Lockwood.

’The man’s a beast!’

’And to think I’d eagerly served myself up on a platter to tease him. Was there any difference between that and feeding the enemy a kill?!’

Simon’s voice was low and husky. "Focus..."

Joanna was speechless. ’And he tells *me* to focus?’

An unknown amount of time passed, long enough for the sun to set in the west. Joanna drifted into a groggy sleep, the corners of her eyes unbelievably red. Her long eyelashes were damp with tears, and she had the pitiful look of a bullied kitten.

Simon found it amusing. He gently pinched her rosy cheek, his voice a low, pleasant murmur. "You little lightweight..."

’She’s so easy to tease.’

Joanna had no strength left. Listlessly, she let the man carry her out and then place her in the car.

The sun was gradually setting. A black Maybach drove smoothly down the road. Simon felt the gift in his pocket and glanced in the rearview mirror at the soundly sleeping girl. The corners of his lips couldn’t help but curve upwards.

The vehicle turned off the main road onto a smaller one, then stopped by a large tree at the entrance to a narrow alley.

Passersby turned to look curiously. In an old alley like this, everyone knew everyone. They’d know if a family bought a new appliance, let alone a car.

Recently, many families had received their demolition compensation, and some had even bought cars. But none of them came close to this one. It looked incredibly expensive, especially the license plate.

Who in Aethelburg could possibly have a license plate with "888" on it??

The car door opened, and a man slowly stepped out. He was tall and elegant, exuding an aura that was completely at odds with the old, worn-out alley.

’Whoa, which rich guy took a wrong turn?’