Chapter 373

Luis instinctively turned his head toward the door and spoke with firm composure. "Come in,please." The door swung wide, and at the threshold stood Miranda, her figure striking, her very presence commanding attention.

She wore a playful smile, her eyes sparkling with hidden mischief."Mr.Sampson,ItrustI'mnotintruding?"

The instant Luis' gaze landed on her, a current of joy rushed through him.

Their last meeting had been at the hotel, and since then, his days had been swallowed by endless affairs,leaving him no time to breathe. Yet at night, she often lingered in his dreams like an unfinished melody.

It almost seemed that, after reaching an agreement with him the other day, she had cast him aside completely,never once taking the initiative to reach out.

Now, seeing her before him, Luis could not hide a flicker of surprise.He cleared his throat, gesturing toward a nearby sofa,his voice calm but edged with diplomacy. "I have matters on my plate right now. Please, make yourself at ease over there. You'll find fruit and desserts."

With that,he lowered his head, his long fingers swiftly pressing numbers on the landline.

Miranda,instead of obeying, stepped closer,tilting her head ever so slightly, her gaze glimmering with a teasing spark. "What's this, Mr. Sampson? Have your fortunes climbed so high that you've begun neglecting your guests?"

Luis paused, her words hanging in the air. He lifted his gaze, eyes narrowing slightly, as though trying to read the meaning behind her tone.

Sensing his confusion,Mliranda unzipped her bag and drew out a photograph.

Her slender fingers pinched the corner of the image as she slowly set it before him. "If I remember correctly, given the ties between the Sampsons and the Kirks, Sherwood counts as one of yours, doesn't he? Well, I had an outing with a friend last night, and the moment I walked into the club, I caught him skulking about."

As she recalled the sight, her eyes narrowed, her tone carrying an unconscious trace of judgment. "It struck me as odd, so l kept alookout. When I passed by his private room, I seized the chance to snap this before the door was completely closed."

Her voice was steady, deliberate, as she extended a finger to the photo. "The man seated across from Sherwood-I've crossed paths with him several times in Clokron. From what I know, he's the top boss of that illegal tade there."

Though she spoke vaguely, both knew what she meant.

Miranda leaned in, her eyes locked on Luis, probing."Luis, are you certain you want to be entangled in such murky waters?"

Luis lowered his gaze to the photo.

In the dim haze of the club's private room, the image revealed Sherwood opposite a corpulent man.

Sherwood wore a calm, dignified mask, his posture loose yet sharpened by a furrow of authority between his brows-a face often seen in business talks.

Across from him, the heavyset man lounged on a sofa,a thick cigar burning in his grasp. Smoke swirled upward, cloaking his features yet magnifying the shadow of his underworld weight.

From their gestures, Luis needed no further hint; something unsavory was clearly under negotiation.

Miranda's words and the image together drew the truth in bold strokes.

"So, that's how it is," Luis murmured, lips curving into a faint smile. "No need for further probing-the facts already speak."

His eyes narrowed. The picture was clear: Sherwood intended to drag both him and the Sampson family into this mire. And knowing Sherwood, he would not hesitate to wield the Sampson name as a shield for his deals. Once the scandal broke and the authorities stepped in, the Sampsons would fall. With their ruin,Sherwood would naturally rise, seizing the seat of Ochrerayd's tycoon.

Luis let out a soft laugh, bitter as it was mocking."Sherwood has indeed mnade a clever and profitable move."

Miranda,still seeing the Sampson-Kirk bond through the lens of Luis and Molly's childhood closeness, had no notion of the deep fissure now between the two houses. Thus, when she saw Sherwood's secrecy the night before, she never imagined any feud. Had she known, her temperament would have urged her to walk away without a glance.

But now, observing Luis' ironic smile and his apparent ignorance of Sherwood's schemes, the truth dawned on her.

Her eyes gleamed with sudden realization. Curving them into crescents, she smiled, raising her hand to lift Luis' chin with playful boldness. "It seems I've unwittingly handed you quite an advantage."

Her lips tilted into a seductive arc, her tone soft, yet teasing. "How do you plan on repaying me?"

Luis did not retreat from her touch; instead,his gaze locked hers with unwavering intensity.

He leaned closer, voice deep, resonant, carrying the weight of unspoken resolve. "Your timing spared me from a great deal of trouble."

Before Miranda could respond, Luis' arm encircled her waist,his hand fastening firmly around her slender form.

With an effortless lift, he set her atop the wide desk.

A shiver coursed through her. She drew in a sharp breath, her hands clutching the desk edge in startled reflex, torn between surprise and a strange thrill.

Her eyes widened, disbelief flashing as she stared at him.

But Luis only leaned closer, his gaze darkening,his pupils mirroring her flustered face. Miranda's lips parted, words trembling on the edge.Yet before she could speak, Luis' hand cradled the back of her head, and his lips descended upon hers.

The kiss came like a storm-impulsive, consuming-as though he meant to release days of pent-up fire in a single moment.

Miranda's mind went blank. What was happening?Wasn't she the one who came to tease, only to find herself ensnared instead?

Her resistance melted. Eyes closing, her hands slid from the desk's edge, wrapping tightly around his shoulders.

The office grew silent, save for the thundering of two hearts, each beat echoing against the other.

The air thickened, charged with rising heat.

Her fingers, as though moved by instinct, drifted across the hard planes of his chest,trembling as they unfastened his shirt button by button.

Yet when her hand reached the final clasp, Luis caught her by the shoulder.

He pulled back slightly, sweat glistening across his brow and slipping down his cheek. The sudden distance left Miranda dazed, confusion clouding her gaze.

And then she saw Luis slip a hand into his trouser pocket, draw out his phone, and press the cal button.