Between Cold Aura and Fiery Temptation

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I had always been cool by nature, yet I married a CEO with a dangerously high appetite.

The latest time I turned down his attempt to get close, I saw floating comments appear in front of me.

[Three years of marriage, and this ice-queen supporting wife has never once let the male lead eat his fill.]

[Hes taking another cold shower. If hed married the siren-bodied heroine, I cant even imagine how well-fed hed be.]

[The siren heroine has already been hired as the CEOs secretary. She starts tomorrow. His good days are finally coming.]

[The male lead met with a divorce attorney today. He wants the divorce done fast, and this supporting wife is still working in the study. Im dying.]

I put down the file in my hand, got up, and knocked on the bathroom door.

The sound of running water stopped.

Nathaniel Crosss voice came out rough.

Something wrong?

Nervous, but still polite, I asked, Im done with work. Can I shower with you?

The bathroom went silent for a few seconds.

I thought that was his wordless rejection and was about to turn away.

Then the bathroom door opened a crack.

Nathaniels hand reached out, caught my wrist, and pulled me inside.

Before I could react, my back was against the bathroom door.

His handsome face was inches from mine.

Are you serious? His narrow eyes studied me like prey.

My gaze landed on his strong chest.

Lower were the hard lines of his abs, water sliding down the grooves before disappearing beneath the towel at his waist.

Remembering how intense he had always been, I started to feel a little scared.

I stammered, If youre already done, you can go out first

From the corner of my eye, I saw the faintest curve of his lips.

His hand settled on my waist. Heat darkened his gaze.

I can help you.

The comments drifted past.

[Shes playing hard to get again.]

[The male lead is already at the edge.]

[She delivered herself to his door. Thats not just fuel to the fire. Thats a whole matchstick factory.]

[No way he lets her leave.]

[Hehe. Tonight she probably wont have the strength to walk out of that bathroom herself.]

[Being carried out works too.]

[And they can keep going on the way]

[She wont pass out like last time, right?]

[He has the stamina for it.]

I shivered.

I had taken the initiative with Nathaniel before.

On our first wedding anniversary, I happened to have the day off.

On a whim, I prepared a candlelit dinner for him.

I even scattered rose petals in the bathtub.

That night, Nathaniel was passionate.

I passed out afterward.

I had only wanted a glass of water.

Nathaniel could drown me with an entire ocean.

Since then, I had not dared to be too forward with him.

After seeing those comments, I was afraid of repeating the past.

But the comments said Nathaniel had met with a divorce attorney today.

He wanted to divorce me as soon as possible.

Our marriage had been arranged by our parents.

My father had once done Nathaniels father a great favor.

At first, Nathaniel had not wanted his family interfering with his marriage.

I heard that when his father died, he had considered breaking off the engagement.

It was Old Mr. Cross who stepped in and forced the arrangement to remain.

The Cross family was old money at the very top. My family was comfortable, but ordinary by comparison.

Marrying into the Cross family was undeniably marrying up.

Fortunately, Nathaniel treated me well after the wedding.

Probably to repay that old debt.

I was a botanist.

To make it easier for me to observe plant growth patterns, Nathaniel had once waved his hand and given me an entire private ridge after we married.

The ridge was full of rare plants and medicinal herb fields.

Nathaniel spent a fortune building me a laboratory there, along with a small courtyard house that belonged only to me.

As Mrs. Cross, I never had to worry about daily trivialities.

I could devote myself fully to the plant research I loved.

So I did not want to divorce him.

If we divorced, he would probably take back the ridge.

Where else would I find a husband who could casually gift me a mountain?

Besides, Nathaniel was young, handsome, and built like a dream.

If my future child had such an excellent father, that child would already be winning at life.

These three years, I really had neglected him.

If he wanted a divorce because our marriage lacked intimacy

Then I could try to be a little more proactive.

An hour later, Nathaniel carried me out of the bathroom and gently placed me on the bed.

I was so tired it felt like I was lying on a cloud.

Exhausted, I said good night.

Good night.

Nathaniel paused, then bent down and touched my cheek.

Thats it? Youre sleepy already?

I nodded and said seriously, Mm. I came back from the ridge today. Im tired. You should sleep early too.

Nathaniel stared at me for a moment, looking like he wanted to say something but held it back.

At last, with both tenderness and disappointment, he said, All right. You sleep first.

I closed my eyes, refusing to look at the desire still burning in his gaze.

I had already been very proactive just now.

That should be enough, right?

The comments filled my vision.

[Is she blind? Cant she tell hes still unsatisfied?]

[She changed, but only a tiny bit. Nowhere near enough.]

[Does she misunderstand the male leads strength?]

[What Nathaniel did just now was basically a warm-up.]

[He was ready for a marathon, and she already crossed the finish line?]

[She gave him appetizers and soup. The main course hasnt even started. How could he be full?]

[If hed married the siren heroine, tonight wouldve been a feast.]

[What a waste. Such a fierce male lead married this cold supporting wife.]

[Ivy is always on that ridge. Sometimes she stays there half a month without going home.]

[Every time, Nathaniel has to drive up there to find her.]

[Even when he does, she still puts work first.]

[She throws herself into the lab and leaves him alone in the courtyard.]

[And she constantly refuses him because shes tired.]

[When shes busy, she can go three months without feeding him.]

[People get paid monthly. Shes out here giving him quarterly bonuses.]

[Any normal man would lose it, let alone a high-demand man like him.]

[If I were him, Id divorce her too.]

[Dont sleep, supporting wife. The male lead has enough energy to last until dawn.]

Maybe I had always been naturally indifferent toward desire.

That one hour in the bathroom had truly been enough for me.

I had no strength left to keep Nathaniel company until morning.

I thought that once I slept, I could make it up to him after I woke up.

With that thought, the guilt in my chest faded a little.

The moment my head touched the pillow, I fell asleep.

Half-asleep, I felt a pair of large hands pull the blanket over me.

I turned over and kept sleeping.

Nathaniel watched my sleeping face for a long time.

Long enough for the moonlight outside to be swallowed by clouds.

Long enough for the light in his eyes to fade completely.

Then I heard him say, Ivy, lets get divorced.

I opened my eyes and looked at Nathaniel.

His expression was dark and heavy. It looked like he had already made up his mind.

Maybe because the comments had spoiled it early, I did not show much shock.

I rubbed my eyes and asked quietly, Can we talk about it tomorrow?

The disappointment on Nathaniels face deepened.

Fine.

He got up and went to the study.

The comments appeared again.

[Im done. This woman has no heart.]

[Nathaniel brings up divorce, and she says talk tomorrow.]

[With that attitude, she might as well write I dont care on her face.]

[He must be completely disappointed now.]

[Nathaniel married her to repay the previous generations debt anyway. He never loved her.]

[After the divorce, he can feast with the siren heroine.]

[For Nathaniel, the sooner he leaves, the sooner hes free.]

The comments were twisting my meaning.

It was not that I did not care.

Last night, I had worked late in the lab and only returned to the courtyard at six in the morning.

I slept for four hours before my colleague, Rowan Pierce, called and woke me.

Recently, we had been researching a special vine.

Anyone pricked by its thorns would squeeze out pale blue blood.

Their body would become unbearably hot, similar to being affected by an aphrodisiac.

It could even become addictive. After being pricked once, people wanted to prick themselves again.

After repeated exposure, their constitution would begin to change.

We named it siren vine.

We did not know how many people had already been pricked.

Our current project was to extract the vines special components and develop an antidote.

Rowan said over the phone that he had discovered something important.

So I got up and rushed to the lab, then threw myself into the experiment.

I worked until six in the evening before driving back to the Cross estate.

After dinner, I went to the study to read papers and references.

The fact that I had not fallen asleep in the bathroom was already impressive.

At that moment, not even the sky falling could stop me from sleeping.

The comments kept going.

[Fine, fine, youre noble, youre cool.]

[Career first, male lead second.]

[To be fair, Ivy having ambition is good.]

[But Nathaniel needs someone who provides emotional value.]

[So theyre fundamentally incompatible.]

[This marriage was forced together. Both of them are tired.]

[Nathaniel has had enough of being neglected.]

[Hes drafting the divorce agreement in the study right now.]

[Ivy can go marry her laboratory.]

Even my dreams were full of experiments.

I dreamed that just as I was about to develop the antidote, the lab door slowly opened.

Nathaniels bodyguard took out a seal and pasted it across the door.

With perfect respect, he said, Mrs. Cross, Mr. Cross is reclaiming the ridge. The lab will be sealed. You have three days to move out.

The dream shifted.

I hugged Nathaniels leg.

No, Nathaniel. Can you not divorce me? Can you not take back the lab?

In the dream, Nathaniel threw the divorce agreement onto my face and said coldly, No.

The next morning, the comments woke me up.

[Hahaha, what kind of ridiculous dream was that?]

[Its kind of funny. In the dream, she actually hugged his leg and begged him.]

[The contrast is wild.]

[If she had that awareness in reality, Nathaniel wouldnt be divorcing her.]

[Nathaniel went to work at Cross Group early this morning.]

[Before he left, he took the divorce agreement he drafted last night.]

[This afternoon, hes meeting Attorney Locke to discuss the divorce.]

[Ivy finally gave herself a day off. Might as well pack and leave.]

I rubbed my temples.

Last nights dream had indeed been dramatic.

Nathaniel had always been generous. Even if we divorced, he probably would not cut things off that harshly.

If we truly had to divorce, maybe I could try to negotiate for the lab.

But I really did not want to leave.

Nathaniel had always supported my career.

He had also given me enough space to pursue the work I loved.

I knew it would be hard to find a better partner.

I also knew that during these three years, I had fallen for him.

I made my decision.

I would win him back.

As long as I had not signed the divorce papers, there was still a chance.

The comments cut in.

[Probably no chance.]

[The siren heroine is delivering coffee to him right now.]

[She could tell at one glance hes been starving for a long time.]

[Men like that are the easiest to tease.]

[The moment the heroine makes a move, the CEOs office becomes their battlefield.]

[Hehe, Nathaniels office has a private suite and bathroom.]

[He prepared all kinds of tricks and props.]

[But no matter how often he hinted, Ivy never went to his company.]

[Now he can use all of that with the siren heroine.]

[Top-tier soundproofing. They can be as wild as they want.]

I shot out of bed.

I decided to dress carefully and bring afternoon tea to Cross Group.

I made the desserts myself.

The little cakes were decorated with flowers, fruit, and green leaves, full of spring.

The comments drifted by.

[Didnt expect that. She actually made cakes for Nathaniel.]

[The makeup, the dress, the cakes. Theres some sincerity here.]

[Has she finally understood? This doesnt look like shes delivering afternoon tea.]

[Shes delivering herself.]

[Where was this effort before?]

[She waits until he wants a divorce to start winning him back.]

[Too late. The male lead and heroine are already burning up in the office.]

I still trusted Nathaniels character.

Even if he wanted a divorce, the process had not begun yet.

He should be able to control himself.

[Not necessarily.]

[He can control himself around other women.]

[But Sienna is the heroine of this story. Nathaniels heroine.]

[When the male lead and heroine meet, theres chemistry. You get it.]

[Besides, Ivy knows how long its been since she let him enjoy himself.]

I drove my SUV toward Cross Group.

As soon as I entered the lobby and prepared to ask the front desk for directions, the receptionist recognized me.

Youre Mrs. Cross, right? Ill call Mr. Cross now.

I paused. You know me?

After all, it was my first time coming to Cross Group.

The receptionist smiled and explained, Theres a photo of you and Mr. Cross in the company culture display.

Then she dialed the CEOs office extension.

Mr. Cross, hello. Mrs. Cross is here, on the first floor

Nathaniel said on the other end, Bring her up.

Of course, Mr. Cross.

After hanging up, she led me to the CEOs private elevator.

The CEOs office was on the ninth floor.

The moment I stepped out, I saw Sienna Vale walking out of the office.

She bumped straight into me, knocking the cake box from my hand.

Sienna was different from what I had imagined.

She looked fair, clean, and innocent, with a pair of glasses perched on her nose.

Though she wore office clothes, she looked like a fresh graduate who had just entered the workforce.

Im sorry, Im so sorry.

Sienna hurriedly picked up the cake box.

Unfortunately, the cakes inside were ruined.

Seeing that, Sienna looked like she was about to cry.

Mrs. Cross, Im really sorry

Before I could speak, the comments exploded.

[Sienna didnt do it on purpose. Ivy wont make a scene, right?]

[The cake fell, so what? Nathaniel doesnt even like sweets.]

[Even if it hadnt fallen, he wouldnt have taken a bite.]

[Does Ivy think shes above Sienna?]

[After being Mrs. Cross for three years, she forgot where she came from?]

[She wont slap Sienna, will she?]

[After all, Sienna is about to replace her as Mrs. Cross.]

The comments were good at stirring trouble.

Sienna and I had only just met.

Before we understood each other, we should not treat each other as enemies.

I ignored the comments and said to Sienna, Its fine. Please help me throw it away.

Sienna looked at the cake with visible regret.

What a shame. It was such a lovely cake.

The CEOs assistant came to lead me in.

Mrs. Cross, Mr. Cross and Attorney Locke are inside. Ill take you in.

The comments continued.

[She actually didnt make things hard for Sienna. Is she acting?]

[Attorney Locke is the divorce lawyer Nathaniel hired.]

[Either way, this divorce is basically set.]

I entered the CEOs office.

Nathaniel and Attorney Locke were indeed discussing the divorce agreement.

Nathaniel deliberately glanced at my hands.

As if he had been expecting something.

When he saw I was empty-handed, he quietly looked away.

He said to Attorney Locke, Please step outside for a moment. I need to speak with my wife alone.

Of course, Mr. Cross.

Attorney Locke stood and brushed past me on his way out.

Only Nathaniel and I remained in the CEOs office.

He spoke slowly.

Ivy, are you here to talk about the divorce?

My gaze fell on the two copies of the divorce agreement lying on his desk.

You already drafted the agreement?

I picked one up and flipped quickly through it.

He had already sorted out the agreement.

If I said I did not want a divorce now, wouldnt I only humiliate myself?

According to the terms, if we divorced, I would receive two full pages of assets.

I searched carefully.

The only thing missing was the ridge and the lab.

The things I wanted most.

I spoke before thinking.

Why isnt there

Nathaniel lifted his eyes and finished for me.

Nothing you want most?

I nodded. Exactly.

A hidden expectation appeared in his gaze.

Ivy, what do you want most?

What I want most

I was about to say the lab.

But just as the words reached my mouth, I suddenly realized I could not say that.

If I told him the lab was what I wanted most, Nathaniel would surely be disappointed.

The comments were frantic.

[Say it!]

[Are the words the lab burning your tongue?]

[As long as you say it, hell give it to you.]

[You get what you want, give Nathaniel to Sienna, and everyones happy. Isnt that great?]

I knew why I had come today.

I had come to win him back.

I did not want to divorce Nathaniel. Not only because he had given me a ridge and a lab.

I truly felt he was a good partner.

So I turned the words around.

Nathaniel, what I want most is you.

Light appeared in Nathaniels eyes in an instant.

He stepped toward me and pulled me tightly into his arms.

He kissed my forehead, his voice trembling.

Ivy, Ive been waiting for you to say that.

I let out a soft breath.

He was surprisingly easy to coax.

One sentence, and all his defenses fell away.

Did that mean we did not have to divorce?

The comments went wild.

[Male lead, dont believe her. Shes lying.]

[She doesnt love you. Shes sweet-talking you because she wants your money.]

[Your heroine is waiting outside.]

[Can you stop being fooled by her?]

Nathaniel held me for a while, then took out his phone and called Attorney Locke.

Attorney Locke, you can head back. My wife and I

A message came into my phone.

I pulled out of his arms and opened it.

Rowan: Ivy, the plant factor in the flower I found on the cliff may suppress the effects of the siren vine.

Rowan: Unfortunately, this flower is about to wilt. I need your help.

Rowan: [Image]

Excitement shot through me.

I immediately threw one sentence at Nathaniel.

Nathaniel, I need to go to the ridge. I wont be back tonight. Well talk later.

Nathaniel was still on the phone with Attorney Locke.

The words he had not finished were swallowed back.

He caught my hand and asked gently, Can you not go today?

If I did not go today, that flower would wilt.

The follow-up research would be interrupted.

Rowan had nearly risked his life climbing down a cliff to retrieve it.

So far, we had found only one.

Flowers had seasons. If the research was interrupted, we had no idea when we would find another.

Reviving wilting plants had always been my specialty.

The lab needed me.

I had to go.

Its important. I removed his hand and asked seriously, Didnt you say you would support my career?

Nathaniels gaze turned possessive.

More important than me?

I coaxed him softly. Im sorry. I really cant delay.

I thought I could make it up to him when I returned.

This time, I would compensate him more.

Until he was satisfied.

But Nathaniel picked up one copy of the divorce agreement and handed it to me.

With disappointment in his voice, he said, Ivy, if you insist on leaving, sign this first.

10

In my impression, Nathaniel had always been gentle and easy to talk to. He had never truly argued with me.

This time, the possessiveness in his eyes grew darker.

The comments appeared.

[The male lead finally grew a backbone.]

[Choose one. Career or the male lead.]

Suddenly, I felt both sad and helpless.

I was naturally cool and needed a partner who was not clingy.

Nathaniel had high needs and needed someone who placed him first all the time.

Neither of us was wrong.

We simply were not suited.

Maybe I really should return him to the heroine.

I picked up the pen, signed the divorce agreement, and handed it to him.

If you want a divorce, then lets divorce.

Nathaniel froze in place, his fingers whitening around the agreement.

I opened the office door and walked out quickly.

Behind me, Nathaniels gaze turned darker and colder.

In the elevator, the comments filled my vision.

[Wow, she finally signed the divorce agreement.]

[With mutual consent, they can get the divorce certificate in a month.]

[Nathaniel must feel awful right now.]

[Its fine. Sienna is there.]

[Sienna will comfort him.]

[Shes bringing him coffee right now. Perfect chance to take advantage of his pain.]

[Our heroine didnt mean to seduce him.]

[But she has a siren constitution. When it flares up, its unbearable. She needs someone close.]

Sienna had a siren constitution.

I suddenly thought of something and wanted to ask Sienna for her contact information.

Just before the elevator doors closed, I stepped out and turned back.

To reach the CEOs office, I had to pass through the secretarial area.

Before I got close, I heard Siennas soft, alluring voice from inside.

Can I go to your place tonight?

I wanted to hear Nathaniels answer.

Instead, I heard Sienna make a muffled sound.

As if she had been kissed.

I stopped walking.

The comments were thrilled.

[Nathaniel kissed Sienna. This progress is flying.]

[So good. Love this.]

[Why isnt Ivy walking forward?]

[Is she scared to see the thing she least wants to see?]

[She abandoned Nathaniel first.]

[Now that Sienna stole him, Ivy is reaping what she sowed.]

Nathaniel had always respected me.

Even when he could not help wanting to kiss me, he would first test with a light touch.

Then he would ask, Can I?

Only after I nodded would he deepen the kiss.

Now, in front of Sienna, he finally did not have to restrain himself.

I wanted to take one more step and see the truth.

But a faint ache spread through my chest.

If I saw it with my own eyes, wouldnt it only hurt more?

Emotional fluctuation would affect my experiments.

I turned around, walked quickly into the private elevator, and left without looking back.