Chapter 30

Chloe carefully lifted a steaming bowl of millet congee from the insulated bag, her fingertips turning slightly red from the heat.

"I made this specially for you since you mentioned wanting to try it last time."

Nathan glanced at her flushed fingers, unlocked the door with his fingerprint, and stepped aside. "Come in."

This was the first time Chloe had stepped inside his villa in the three months they'd been dating.

Her nervous reflection stared back at her from the marble floor of the foyer. The six-meter-high ceiling in the living room caught the fractured light from the crystal chandelier. She recognized the Monet water lilies painting on the wall—they'd just covered it in last week's art appreciation class.

A Hermès scarf lay casually draped over the leather sofa, while a limited-edition Zippo lighter sat on the coffee table. The open-concept kitchen gleamed with cold precision from its imported German appliances.

Her grip tightened on the insulated bag's handle. Just last week, when her roommate had proudly shown off her new Chanel bag, Chloe had thought such luxuries were completely out of reach.

Nathan was already seated at the dining table. He took a spoonful of the congee, swallowed twice, then set down the porcelain spoon.

"Does it not taste good?" Chloe leaned closer, her hair brushing against the back of his hand.

"I already ate at a business dinner." He loosened his tie, the silver cufflinks glinting coldly under the light. "Why did you suddenly decide to make this?"

"No classes tomorrow." She rested her chin on her hand, her lashes casting delicate shadows. "I heard there's a Gemini meteor shower tonight. Maybe we could—"

"The forecast says it'll be cloudy." Nathan stood, the faint scent of cedarwood drifting with his movement. "I'll drive you back to campus."

Chloe suddenly grabbed his wrist. The lace trim of her low-cut dress slipped slightly, revealing a tiny mole near her collarbone.

"The dorm supervisor said..." Her voice was like melted honey. "I could apply to stay off-campus."

Nathan chuckled lowly, his thumb brushing her burning earlobe. "In such a hurry to be the lady of the house?"

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, koi fish sent ripples through the fountain. Counting the six-figure pebbles lining the pool, Chloe suddenly rose onto her toes and whispered near his ear, "That annex... is it a playroom for future children?"

The car keys spun a silver arc in Nathan's palm. As he pulled open the door, the night wind carried in the scent of wisteria. "We'll talk after you get into grad school."

Chloe turned at the threshold, her skirt brushing against his tailored trousers. "Want to make a bet?"