The few older men who might have wanted to keep joking felt\u00a0<\/p>\n
too embarrassed to say anything more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had shown them complete respect.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAs for our marriage\u2026\u201d Adrian said, his tone turning a bit more\u00a0<\/p>\n
serious as he glanced back at Rebecca.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRebecca and I both believe that a marriage is about two people\u00a0<\/p>\n
forming a new family, not about one person joining the other\u2019s.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They looked at each other, their gazes full of tacit\u00a0<\/p>\n
understanding and composure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI do research at the university. I wouldn\u2019t call it relaxed, but my\u00a0<\/p>\n
schedule is relatively flexible. Taking care of Rebecca is my\u00a0<\/p>\n
responsibility, and being with her is my blessing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As Adrian said this, his eyes were filled with unconcealable\u00a0<\/p>\n
sincerity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the future, if she needs it, I\u2019m of course willing to give her my\u00a0<\/p>\n
full support so she can focus on her own career.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 309\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian didn\u2019t directly refute their live\u2013in son\u2013in\u2013law implication;\u00a0<\/p>\n
instead, he deftly sidestepped the implication.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After all, it was their life to live, and the gossip of others\u00a0<\/p>\n
couldn\u2019t change anything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He just needed to put Rebecca at ease, and that was enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The older men, who had been teasing before, now looked a bit\u00a0<\/p>\n
more serious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Plus, Mr. Whitman was also speaking up for Adrian. Since the\u00a0<\/p>\n
Whitman family was in the pharmaceutical industry, he naturally\u00a0<\/p>\n
understood Adrian\u2019s value in the field better than these other\u00a0<\/p>\n
executives.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing all that praise, you\u2019d think Mr. Whitman was just\u00a0<\/p>\n
showering Adrian with over\u2013the\u2013top compliments.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kids will be fine on their own. Let\u2019s not get in their way, us\u00a0<\/p>\n
old folks. Come on, I\u2019ve got good tea and wine over there. I\u2019ll\u00a0<\/p>\n
take you to try some.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that, Mr. Whitman led the group to the other table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After they left, Rebecca finally walked over to Adrian, tilting her\u00a0<\/p>\n
head to gaze at his gentle profile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 309\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNot bad, Professor Shaw. I thought you were just cooped up in\u00a0<\/p>\n
your lab all day analyzing data, unable to handle the\u00a0<\/p>\n
pleasantries.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca had been incredibly worried about bringing Adrian to\u00a0<\/p>\n
the birthday party.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was worried Adrian would say the wrong thing, worried her\u00a0<\/p>\n
dad and his friends would give him a hard time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After all, the financial gap between them was huge. They\u00a0<\/p>\n
weren\u2019t in the same league at all. In this circle, there were too\u00a0<\/p>\n
many snobs, and someone was bound to say something nasty\u00a0<\/p>\n
to his face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Adrian handled it very well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t just pleasantries.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian\u2019s lowered hand gently took Rebecca\u2019s. \u201cI meant every\u00a0<\/p>\n
word. When you want to fly, I\u2019ll be down below watching,\u00a0<\/p>\n
making sure you can always come back to my arms when\u00a0<\/p>\n
you\u2019re tired.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca stared into his eyes, her heart fluttering as if a feather\u00a0<\/p>\n
had gently brushed against it, sending out tiny ripples.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 309\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWow, Professor Shaw\u2026 I\u2019m really touched.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then she leaned in and whispered, \u201cIt\u2019s a shame there are so\u00a0<\/p>\n
many people here, or I\u2019d really give you a kiss.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian, who was always composed and restrained, found his\u00a0<\/p>\n
breathing becoming uneven.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked up helplessly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hmm\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
There really were a few too many people.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He smiled and leaned close to Rebecca\u2019s ear, \u201cThen think about\u00a0<\/p>\n
how you\u2019re going to make it up to me later.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The words seemed proper enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But why did they sound not so proper?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s ears felt a little hot. Afraid someone would notice,\u00a0<\/p>\n
she shot Adrian an annoyed glance and quickly tucked her hair\u00a0<\/p>\n
behind her ear to hide it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Worried that Adrian would feel uncomfortable in this kind of\u00a0<\/p>\n
setting, Rebecca kept him by her side wherever she went.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 309\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a round of greetings, everyone knew that Rebecca was\u00a0<\/p>\n
dating a professor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Well, when people get together, there\u2019s bound to be gossip.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRebecca\u2019s boyfriend looks quite handsome, much better\u00a0<\/p>\n
looking than that other person\u2019s partner.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the use of being good\u2013looking these days? Haven\u2019t you\u00a0<\/p>\n
heard? He\u2019s just a university professor. It sounds like a high\u00a0<\/p>\n
social status, but he actually has no money or power.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t say that. As long as the girl likes him, that\u2019s all that\u00a0<\/p>\n
matters.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, what\u2019s the use of liking him? It\u2019s because she likes him that\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019m worried. What if he\u2019s just after the Whitman family\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
money?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a lot of messy gossip.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Although they didn\u2019t say it to Rebecca and Adrian\u2019s faces, they\u00a0<\/p>\n
still overheard some of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 309\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once they found an empty corner, Rebecca pulled Adrian\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
hand and lowered her head guiltily.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t think it through before bringing you here, and I made\u00a0<\/p>\n
you listen to those unpleasant things.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adrian saw her nervous expression and thought something was\u00a0<\/p>\n
wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After listening, he chuckled softly, turned his hand to hold Rebecca\u2019s, and gently caressed the back of her hand with his fingertips, offering some comfort.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella\u2019s storytelling style is immersive and addictive\u2014perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.<\/p>\n
Night Carved Paths Into Silence by Zyrel Ash ` 309 The few older men who might have wanted to keep […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-heart-surgeons-last-patient-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29606","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29606"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29606\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}