Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 1081-1090

Slightly curious, Ruka asked, “Did he ever have any problems with his heart?”

“No. Sir has always been healthy. I assumed that it was because he was agitated over something today. Ever since you left the conference room back then, the colors on his face didn’t look so good.” Saying that, Elijah had an emphatic gaze on Ruka.

Ruka’s breathing became slightly irregular as she thought, Does this mean the reason that man is like this was because of me? Did my words agitate him?

“Miss Singed, you saw just how obstinate Sir was just now. If you don’t persuade him, he’ll definitely be going back home tonight. For the sake of his health, can you please restrain your anger at him for now?”

It’s not like I wanted this to happen either! She sighed inwardly. “Then I’ll persuade him to stay in the hospital.” She nodded.

“It’s best if you can stay here and take care of him as well, Miss Singed,” Elijah suggested.

This time, Ruka sighed outwardly, albeit faintly. “Fine, I’ll do it.”

At that, Elijah became secretly relieved. Since he had come to the assumption that Ren’s heart condition was related to Ruka, he had decided that the best way to cure him was to prescribe the right treatment for him, namely spending time with Ruka.

When Ruka went back into Ren’s ward, the latter was sitting on the couch and kneading his forehead with a tired expression. “You should stay in the hospital. I’ll stay and take care of you,” she said while standing behind the man.

“Weren’t you going to your friend’s place?” Ren tilted his head slightly at her, revealing just how beautiful his side profile was, as the features of his face were well defined.

Ruka replied in a helpless tone, “Your illness is much more important.”

Then, Ren turned his full attention to her with his deep gaze locked onto Ruka’s small face in an attempt to see if she was really willing to stay and take care of him.

As Ruka met the man’s gaze, she felt as though she was looking at the eyes of a spoiled brat rather than that of a mature man.

“Alright, I’ll stay.” Ren finally stopped throwing his temper and demanding to go home.

As Elijah had arranged dinner for the two of them, both Ruka and Ren sat by the window and helped themselves to dinner. Although they were in a hospital, the food here was delicious. Not to mention, Ruka was also hungry at this point.

On the other hand, the man sitting opposite her didn’t have much of an appetite, so he enjoyed the cup of tea in his hand while admiring the way the girl was eating instead. Looking at the girl now, Ren felt that she wasn’t much of a lady, as she ate a large drumstick with her hand.

She then asked, “When did you start liking me? Why didn’t I know?”

At that, he only smiled at her in response.

Recalling her past, Ruka had only returned to the country once every two years after she left for abroad at the age of sixteen. However, she never got to meet him every time she was back, so she disregarded the times she had been back. Hence, she was unclear just when Ren had started having feelings for her.

“When you were five years old, you were just a little brat that kept pestering me. You would not only tear up my homework, but you would even snatch my pen away from me. When you couldn’t get what

you wanted, you’d even start crying out loud. You were like a small little tyrant back in the day.” Ren reminisced about the past.

Dumbfoundedly staring at Ren, Ruka froze midway through eating the drumstick in her hand. “Don’t tell me you’re…”

As Ren’s face grew stern, Ruka immediately suppressed herself from finishing the sentence. With her cheeks blushing, she took a bite out of the drumstick before she resentfully said, “Weren’t you afraid that I would grow up to have a crooked appearance? Even if I was pretty when I was a kid, I’m sure it’ll be a different story for you if I grew up to be an ugly girl, right?”

Ren laughed soundlessly at Ruka’s question. “Are you that confident that you’re pretty now?”

Feeling her cheeks growing warmer, Ruka retorted, “If I wasn’t, I’m sure you wouldn’t have liked me.”

Ren locked his gaze at Ruka upon her words and shook his head. “I fell for you not only because of your looks.” In brief, the feelings he had for her were out of his control. Back when she was nineteen, she had returned to visit her relatives. He was in the garden when she had just gotten out of the car. Even though he was already planning to leave at the time, he couldn’t do so, as he was engrossed in looking at how innocent she was. It was then he realized the feelings he had for her weren’t the same kind he had when she was still a child, but it was the same kind one would have for another adult. She had held a small place in his heart until it was gradually fully filled by her.

However, Ren was overwhelmed at the time—busy with his career, the election campaign, and the glory of his family. He hadn’t the time to meet Ruka, so he could only return to the Husson Residence from time to time. His sister, Scarlet, would always tell him about the pictures and videos Ruka had uploaded. Not to mention, she had even told him which school Ruka had gotten into. Looking at the girl in the photo, he felt his heart sink deeper and deeper into the pit known as love, as he was afraid to tell another soul about this burning passion he had hidden away. It was only when she had drunkenly

kissed him that night did he come to realize he couldn’t back down and watch her slip away from his side once more. He had to fight for her, even if at a cost. Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

Little later that night, Elijah had arranged for a set of clothes for Ruka. Upon opening the box, she found a set of her pajamas, normal clothes, and another set that belonged to Ren. She became slightly confused, as she wasn’t a very particular person, so it was acceptable for her to go one night without taking a shower, especially since it was winter now. When Elijah entered the ward again, she requested for a blanket since she planned to sleep on the big and wide couch tonight. To her, that couch was enough. In no time, Elijah brought her a blanket while thinking that it was actually fine for her to sleep with Ren in the same bed.

In the blink of an eye, it was already half past nine. Since Ren had left the ward to go through some checkups, Ruka took the opportunity to take a shower and changed into her pajamas. Since the pajamas were of a conservative design, they could also double as regular clothes.

When Ren returned to the ward, it was already slightly past ten. Following behind him, Elijah came in and said, “Sir, please sleep early tonight. The doctor has said that you shouldn’t stay up so late.”

Ren turned his head slightly and glanced at Elijah. “I don’t want people disturbing my sleep unless it’s something important.”

Naturally, Elijah understood what Ren meant, and he nodded. “Understood.”

Sitting on the couch, Ruka inexplicably became shy after hearing what Ren said. To her chagrin, she thought to herself just why did she need to stay here and care for the man. This guy looks just fine, so why did he have to make me embarrassed by insisting I stay here?

“Done washing up?” Ren took off his jacket and revealed a snug-fit turtleneck black sweater underneath. As the sweater stuck close to his body, it showed just how well-built his body was. This man had achieved the golden ratio for men’s bodies.

Just as Ren went to get a cup of water, Ruka couldn’t help staring at the man’s body. It’s no wonder Victoria is madly in love with him. Not only was he competent and talented, but he was good-looking and well-built as well. Unsure whether she should feel sorry for Victoria, she prayed for the latter to move past her obsession with the man and not torture herself like that ever again. Under the room light, she went into a daze with a book in her hand. When she came back to her senses, Ren came over and gave her a cup of hot water. After she took a sip from the cup, she froze in surprise as she realized that this was the same cup he had just drunk from.

Ren sat down and saw through Ruka’s thoughts. With a smile, he asked, “What’s wrong? Do you dislike the cup I used?”

Ruka acted naturally and intentionally took two more sips. “Nope.”

Satisfied, Ren picked up a book beside him and started reading beside Ruka. The latter then put down the cup in her hand and asked curiously, “How did the checkup on your heart go?”

“Normal,” Ren replied with his eyes never leaving the book.

“Does that mean your heart problems have something to do with me? Was it because of what I’d said previously?” Ruka looked at Ren with a remorseful expression.

Ren had to admit that his ever-healthy heart actually had symptoms of arrhythmia just because of a few words from Ruka, so he sighed and said, “Yeah. It was.”

Unable to stop feeling remorseful, she said, “How am I that important to you?”

With his brows raised, the man looked over to Ruka. “Does my feelings for you give you pressure?”

However, Ruka couldn’t deny that it was so. Not only that, but the stress was just as huge as a mountain that was suffocating her. She turned her head and stared deep into his eyes before she

nodded. “Yes, it does. A lot of it.”

Ren put down the book in his hand before he reached out and held Ruka in his arms, causing her body to turn stiff briefly. With how strong the man was, even if she was some distance away from him, he would still be able to drag her into his arms.

Ruka instinctively pushed him away, but Ren was forceful and wouldn’t let her refuse. He pulled her close into his embrace and put his chin on her head. ”All you have to do is just stay by my side, and I’ll handle the rest. I’ll handle it all, whether it’s from the public or the elders.”

At that moment, Ruka was concerned about him. Isn’t he tired from dealing with all these matters? she thought.

She felt aggrieved about this whole situation, and she pouted. ”I haven’t even had a proper relationship!” she said as if she silently protested that she didn’t want him to have his hands wrapped around her so quickly.

Ren couldn’t help but feel happy when he noticed that she had somewhat accepted him. He nuzzled his chin against the top of her head and asked, ”Then, how would you like to have it?”

Every woman longed for the type of love that was undying and dynamic in their heart, and so did Ruka. She longed for love as fiery as hers as they both did many things while creating many happy memories.

”I don’t know. I’ve never been in a relationship before,” Ruka grumbled in a low voice.

When he heard her words, he figured that she still retained some naivety as a child, and he ruffled the back of her head. Akin to a cat being petted, she let out a soft sigh of contentment in his embrace, which made his eyes darken. After he gently ran his fingers through her hair, he grabbed her chin with the other hand and lifted her face.

Ruka was enjoying the movements of his hands when she was suddenly forced to raise her head. Her dazed eyes were met with his passionate ones, and she knew what he was implying.

Before she could stop him, he had already leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.

”Hmph…” Ruka’s noises of refusals gradually became one of pleasure. This sparked something possessive inside Ren, and he wanted to pull her closer to him as if trying to mold her inside of him.

After some time, she slowly lost her breath as he kissed her like he was tasting something delicious. The kiss deepened as the atmosphere in the room heated up due to their arousal.

Then, just as she was breathless and too embarrassed to open her eyes, he suddenly let go of her. Is he finally satisfied? she wondered. It was also at this moment when Ruka felt herself being carried bridal style by Ren toward his bed.

”Ren, what are you doing?!” Ruka was getting anxious now as she figured she had just jumped into a dangerous situation.

”Let’s sleep together,” Ren replied.

”No, I’ll just sleep on the couch,” Ruka refused with a frown.

”But that’ll be heartbreaking for me to watch.”

”No, it’s fine. I like sleeping on the couch,” she retorted.

Unfortunately, they had already arrived by the bed, and he crashed into the soft bed with her in his arms. Before she even had time to react, his nose was already against hers, and he lowered his head and continued the kiss. His arms reached out, and with a flick, the lights in the room were gone, and only the dim light from afar shone inside.

In this situation, Ruka’s mind went blank. Not only was she getting breathless from the kiss, she also curled up her toes in nervousness as she couldn’t handle the animalistic passion Ren was exhibiting.

So, she tried to push him off her with all her might, but he was as heavy as a mountain and did not budge at all. On the contrary, she slowly stopped pushing him and was immersed in his kiss.

The kiss made her feel as if she was being treated like a precious treasure by him; she was being utterly loved and worshiped by him. The feeling was so intoxicating that she couldn’t help but dive into the sensation with him, not caring about the consequences.

Finally, Ren’s breath was getting heavier and he released her. His hot breath soothed Ruka’s heart, and she opened her misty eyes. Even though it was dark, she could still see his alluring eyes; it was as if they were sucking her in.

”Ruka…” Ren whispered. ”I love you.” His voice was deep and husky as he opened his mouth.

Ruka was overwhelmed by emotions when she heard his solemn confession. At this moment, she felt like apart from her family, there was no other man in this world that would love her as he did.

“You’re mine.” His husky voice echoed in the dark air with a hint of possessiveness.

It was filled with crazy dominant desire that Ruka felt she needed to do something to reciprocate. She gave it a thought and wrapped her arms around his neck. Then, forgoing all sense of shyness, she planted a light kiss on his lips.

Instantly, the man’s breathing became heavier in the dark as he praised her, “I like that very much.”

Her face continued to burn as a thought popped into her mind. She wanted to push him onto a bed but did not dare to do so. The atmosphere now was as dangerous as it could be.

“Ha…” The man pushed himself off her and pulled the blanket over her body. “You should sleep. I’ve got some work left to do.”

“But Elijah said you can’t work late,” she reminded him.

“Then, you want me to hug you to sleep? Mmm?” he murmured suggestively, plucking at her heartstrings.

She quickly pulled the blanket up to her neck and rejected his proposal firmly, “No.”

Ren planned on leaving but still bent down and gently kissed her forehead. It was as if he was making up for being unable to be by her side. He tucked her in, then stood up and left. A warm smile crept up as she stared at the ceiling in the dark.

She was exhausted after the long kiss they had. They kissed continuously for more than 10 minutes. She did not know how a man who had never been in a relationship could have such fantastic kissing skills. Ruka even suspected that he secretly had many girlfriends before her.

However, her mind was dizzy, and she did not have time to delve into that matter. Thus, she turned around, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

Elijah suppressed his exhaustion in the lounge next door as he accompanied his boss to work late at night. The hospital director heard of the news and even came in to advise Ren to rest, but alas, even he could not convince Ren to sleep.

They worked until 2.00AM before Elijah followed Ren out of the room while yawning. Ren pushed open the room door while Elijah found a couch and laid down.

Ren padded to the side of the bed, flipped the blanket open, and lay down. As he tenderly watched the girl in a deep sleep, he gently wrapped his arms around her so she could sleep in his arms. After he

had completed his work and satisfied some of his desire earlier, he could finally hold her and sleep soundly.

Still, before he closed his eyes, he gently kissed her forehead again. “Happy birthday, Ruka.”

The next morning, as the sun shone through the window, Ruka was the first to wake up and was startled to find herself sleeping in Ren’s arms. His handsome face was right in front of hers, a couple of inches away.

Being able to look at him up close took her breath away. He had such healthy, glowing skin and did not look like he was over 30 years old at all. His firm skin, prominent features, and thick curly lashes that cast shadows upon his face made him wholly captivating.

Her gaze inadvertently landed on his lips. She felt parched the moment she recalled last night’s passionate kiss that made her head spin.

She dared not wake him up because she did not know when he went to sleep. Hence, she slowly and carefully extracted herself from his embrace and got out of bed. As she checked the time, she covered her mouth in shock. It was 9.30AM. She had been sleeping for far too long.

Thus, she hurriedly opened the door and surprisingly found Elijah, the doctor, and the nurse waiting outside. She could not help but blush as Elijah inquired her about Ren.

“Is Sir awake?”

“He’s still sleeping,” Ruka answered.

“Okay. You might want to go next door to have breakfast, Miss Singed. We can let him sleep longer,” Elijah suggested. While eating, she received a call from her friend, Rita. Rita remembered her birthday and decided to treat her to a celebration meal.

Ruka was delighted to accept her invitation since her parents were not by her side. Scarlet and Walter were out of the country, too. Therefore, it would be an understatement to say that she would be more than happy to spend the day with her good friend.

“Where are you?”

“I’m at the hospital.”

“You’re sick?!”

“No, I’m just here to take care of someone.” Ruka did not dare reveal who it was.

“Oh, okay. We’ll meet at the mall’s entrance at 10.30AM.”

“Sure.”

After they decided when to meet, Ruka looked for Elijah and asked if there was anyone who could give her a ride. When Elijah heard of her plans, he immediately arranged for a bodyguard to escort her.

Afterward, she went back to the room and grabbed her purse. As she laid her eyes on the man, still deep in slumber, she left without saying goodbye.

Ten minutes later, Ren woke up to find her gone, and he was unhappy that she left so early in the morning. Thus, he sat forbiddingly on the couch while the medical staff fussed over him. As a result, it made the nurse responsible for drawing his blood nervous as she sweated profusely.

“Did she say where she’s going?” Ren gave Elijah a side-eye.

“Miss Singed only said she’s meeting a friend.”

“Guy or girl?”

“I didn’t ask, but I think it’s a girl.” Elijah smiled. After what happened last night, he did not think there was anything else Ren needed to worry about.

Although he dared not speculate what happened, he had a good guess based on Ruka’s flushed face in the morning.

At that moment, Ren’s phone rang. He took a look and picked it up. “Hi, Scarlet.”

“Ren! It’s Ruka’s birthday today. Can you arrange something to celebrate with her? Unfortunately, we’re not in the country. So, you’ll have to do it in our place.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make the arrangements.”

“I called her just now. She’s with her friend. Is she alright staying at your place?”

“I think she’s doing fine.”

“Alright. We’ll return once we’re done with work here.”

“Scarlet, you don’t need to rush. Instead, take your time and go on a vacation while you’re at it,” Ren suggested.

“Well, Walter wants to, but I’m worried about Ruka being alone back home.”

“Leave her in my care. Enjoy and have fun with Walter. It’s not every day he’s up for it.” Ren continued to persuade her.

“Okay. If that’s the case, we’ll stay a little longer.” Scarlet was instantly at ease by Ren’s reassurances.

After the phone call ended, Elijah curiously asked, “Sir, should we prepare a venue for Miss Singed’s birthday?”

Ren narrowed his eyes while he pondered the matter. “There’s no need for that.”

“What about presents?”

“I have a plan,” Ren answered. Then, he got up, wanting to return to the White House to settle some work.

On the other hand, Ruka met up with Rita, and they went shopping. They also found a seafood buffet and chatted while enjoying the food. As they were talking, Rita suddenly thought of something.

“Ruka, have you heard? I heard from a friend that Jaxton learned that his girlfriend was in contact with her ex. They had a huge fight, and he’s drowning himself in alcohol at a bar.”

Ruka blinked her eyes at the news and naturally wanted to know more.”What happened next?”

“My friend told me Jaxton was so drunk he got sent to the hospital.”

“And here I am thinking of congratulating them on getting back together,” Ruka sighed.

Rita then suggested, “Ruka, do you want to try and contact him? You’ve had a crush on him for three years. It will touch his heart if you show him that you care now.”

Ruka smiled and shook her head lightly. She was embarrassed to tell Rita she had found a new love. “It’s fine. I’m not the one for him.”

Rita dropped the topic when she saw that Ruka wasn’t interested. So, the two girls continued walking around in the afternoon. Then, they went to a coffee shop and shopped while gossiping about work. Time flies quickly when one is having fun; before they knew it, it was 4.30PM.

Ruka’s phone rang as they discussed where to go next while still in the coffee shop.

Her heart started beating wildly as she picked it up and looked at the screen. “I need to take this.” She told Rita and headed out of the shop.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?” A man’s deep, magnetic voice came through.

“Drinking coffee with a friend.”

“It’s your birthday today. How do you want to celebrate tonight?”

“Nothing much. There’s nothing special to do. Are you discharged from the hospital?” Ruka asked with concern.

“Yeah. Think about what else you want to do tonight.”

She furrowed her brows slightly and thought about it. “I just want to have dinner then maybe watch a movie. Whatever is fine!”

“Dinner and a movie?” he asked for confirmation.

Ruka scrunched her brows. Why? Is he going to celebrate with me?

“Enjoy your time with your friends first. We’ll talk later,” the man said and hung up.

She was stunned for a few seconds. What did he mean by that? However, she did not think much of it and went back to Rita to talk about their plans for the night.

Around 6.30PM, the sky had turned pitch black. But, as it was winter and nearing the new year, the whole city was illuminated with colorful lights and decorations.

At this moment, a notification popped up on Ruka’s phone. She looked and saw that Ren had messaged her.

‘Where are you?’

‘Shopping in the mall,’ Ruka replied.

‘Send your location.’

‘Are you coming?’

‘Yes!’

Her heart started to pound wildly in her chest. Is he going to come? With that thought in mind, she impulsively sent her location.

Finally, Ren replied, ‘Wait for me at the mall’s entrance.’

Ruka’s heart beat faster, and her face started to turn red. She could not believe what she had read. Is he really going to come? Whenever he went out, it was a massive spectacle with the number of guards protecting him.

Coincidentally, Rita also got a call from her parents to return home and take care of her eight-year-old brother because her grandmother had a bad fall and needed to visit the hospital. So, the two girls parted ways.

Ruka stood at the mall’s entrance. Her eyes were filled with anticipation as she stood there under the blinking lights. She kept looking at the cars driving past her to spot the motorcade he often went out in.

She was so focused on the vehicles before her that she did not realize a Black SUV was parked on the side of the street. Its doors opened, and a tall and handsome figure came out wearing a long gray

windbreaker and a black mask. He was covered from head to toe, and only his captivating dreamy eyes shone through his black hair.

His eyes immediately locked on the slender girl standing underneath the streetlight, and a smile flashed across his eyes. He leisurely sauntered to the girl and hugged her from behind unexpectedly. Finally, he placed his chin on her shoulder and tenderly called out, “Ruka.”

Ruka was initially frightened, but when she heard that deep voice, she was utterly shocked. She immediately swiveled her head toward the voice, only to discover that the high-ranking vice president had shown up alone in a busy crowd and was currently hugging her.

“You–” Ruka’s eyes widened. How could he come here alone?

The man only embraced her tighter and placed his huge palm on the back of her head. So there they were, hugging naturally under the streetlight and ignoring the stares from onlookers.

A few girls from the crowd were envious of them as they looked like an adorable couple.

Even though the man was covered from head to toe and only showed his eyes, his elegant posture and the outline of his face under the mask hinted at his good looks.

Ruka was currently experiencing a tangled ball of emotions. She went from feeling terrified to panicking, then to eager yet bashful. Yet, throughout the rollercoaster of emotions, she also felt the underlying thrill of excitement.

“Tonight, my time is yours. Whatever you want to do, I will do it with you.” The man’s magnetic voice sounded beside her ear.

Ruka could feel his breath on her ear and could not help snuggling into his embrace. Her heart was still fluttering when she suddenly thought of something and looked up at him. “You came out just like this?

Isn’t it dangerous?”

Her first thought was that this man should not be running around.

He smiled, turning his eyes to slightly crescents as he lightly tapped her pretty nose. “Of course, it’s safe. Let’s go. We’ll take a walk, then go get food.”

As he said that, he naturally held her hand, and they walked toward the city garden beside the mall. On the sidewalk, the trees were draped with colorful lights making the street incredibly romantic to stroll. There were also many couples there walking and taking pictures.

Ruka’s heart was filled with the sweetness of love. She never thought that she could walk hand in hand with him like this. In the crowd, the warmth coming from his hands was so real and heartwarming. Even though she was 5’5, she was still petite as she stood beside him.

“I want to take a picture.” Ruka wanted to keep this moment forever. Hence, she pulled him in front of a tree that was not as crowded as the others and fished out her phone. As she switched her camera settings to the front camera, she shyly but brazenly wrapped her arm around his shoulder. “Let’s take a picture together.”

The man bent down and touched her cheek with his affectionately. Despite not taking off his mask, his eyes gleamed with joy. Ruka took a few pictures and passed him the phone. “Help me take a few too!”

With that, she stood gracefully under the colorful tree and put a hand in her jacket’s pocket. She slightly tilted her head and smiled sweetly.

He etched her beautiful sweet smile into his memories while holding the phone and taking her pictures. No matter how she grew and changed, everything about her was his favorite thing in the world.

When Ruka was done posing, she shyly took her phone back. Then, she backed up a few steps hurriedly and took a picture of him. Ren was worried he was not photogenic and did not know how to pose for the photo. All he could do was stare at her with his deep eyes and smile at the camera.

Her heart started to pound again. No matter how she took the pictures, this man was magazine model material. He looked good in every shot.

When Ruka was satisfied with the pictures she took, she slowly walked toward him while looking through them. She almost bumped into someone, but Ren was quick to react. So, two seconds before Ruka bumped into that person, he was by her side and pulled her into his embrace.

She was utterly caught off guard, so her face crashed into his muscular chest, and she heard him whisper, “Careful.”

She smiled and kept her phone in her purse. Then, she grabbed his arm. “We’ll go eat, then watch a movie. Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

“Then, I’ll make a booking for the tickets. There’s a large cinema in the mall.”

“Sure. Go ahead. I’ll reimburse you tomorrow.” He was adamant about not letting her spend her money.

She beamed at him. “I’ve been staying and eating at your place for so long, though. Are you going to make me pay you back?”

Ren narrowed his eyes and thought about it. “Mmm. You’re right. Maybe I should collect some interest.”

Ruka let out a laugh at his response and did not think much about what he meant by collecting interest. Instead, she went on her phone, found a movie she liked, and booked a couple’s seat. This way, they would be able to watch in peace.

“I’ve got the tickets. Let’s go to dinner. There’s a place with great ambiance. I booked a private room so no one will see you.” Ruka was cautious due to his status.

Ren had been working in politics for a few years, so he had professionals taking care of everything for him. So now, he needed to rely on Ruka, for he was unfamiliar with these things. Hence, he nodded his head in agreement. “Sure. You decide.”

The restaurant was conveniently situated as it was within walking distance. So, they continued to walk, holding hands. It was a pleasure to enjoy the view and experience the busy atmosphere right before the new year.

When they reached the restaurant, Ruka led him into the private room and made themselves comfortable. She passed him the menu, but he asked her to decide. So, she ordered soup and four other dishes.

Once the waiter left, Ren finally took off his mask. Under the light, his handsome face was revealed. He looked mature, outstanding, and elegant while his dark eyes shone with wisdom.

Ruka propped her chin on her hand and stared at the man opposite her. She felt like she was admiring an art piece as adoration filled her heart.

She picked up her phone and blatantly started taking pictures of him. Unfortunately, even the camera’s high-definition pixels could not fully capture the man’s charm.

He knew she was taking pictures, the corners of his lips curved up, and his dimples faintly appeared.

She saw his dimple and had the sudden urge to kiss it. She truly wanted to kiss his dimple when he smiled.

Of course, it was only in her head. She did not dare to do so as she would be in danger if she did.

While she was deep in her imagination, she heard a knock. It was obviously the waiter who had come bearing their dishes. Therefore, she hurriedly reminded Ren, “Quick, put on your mask.”

He listened to her and put on his mask. After the waiter placed their food down and left, only then did he take it off. He repeated that for all five dishes, they could finally eat peacefully.

“The movie starts at 8.30PM. So, we have plenty of time to eat,” Ruka said, placing some food on his plate. “This is delicious. Try some!”

Ren picked up the food she served him and asked, “Have your parents called you?”

“Yup. They called in the afternoon and said they would send me a gift.” Ruka could not hide her joy.

As he dotingly watched her child-like excitement, he smiled. “Then, are you excited about my present?”

Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately waved her hands. “No. You don’t need to give me anything. You’ve given me presents over the years, and I’ve not even said thank you.”

“That’s easy. You can just show me your appreciation this year.” Ren narrowed his eyes and looked at her intently. His gaze fell on her plump red lips for a few seconds.

She lowered her head shyly and questioned, “How do you want me to thank you?”

He had everything and used only the best things. So, what else could she use to show her appreciation?

“You just need to give me a kiss.” He did not demand much.

Ruka’s face flushed crimson again, and it had become the norm whenever she was with him. She bit on the fork and asked bashfully, “Can’t I do something else?”

“If you’d like to use your body. I would like that even more.”

Ruka felt blood rushing to her face and even felt heat wafting off her face as she retorted, “Let’s stick to the kiss.”

“Haha!” The man laughed out loud, showing off his pearly whites and his dimples that deepened with his smile.

After dinner, they left the restaurant as the servers kept whispering behind them. They noticed Ren’s tall stature and were curious about how he looked. But he had his mask on the whole time, so they guessed he must have been some big shot or, perhaps, even a superstar.

Even with the mask on, it could not hide his aura of elegance. They walked toward the mall as the movie was about to start. There were so many people at the mall that it was so cramped up and hard to breathe in the elevator. Ruka was worried for Ren and looked up at him. It was good that the mask covered his face well and only showed his eyes. Nobody would be able to recognize him.

Just then, another group of people walked in, pushing Ruka toward the back that she bumped into Ren. There was a man beside them reeking of smoke that made her turn around and hug his waist while nestling her face into his chest.

While she inhaled his cool and exquisite scent, she greedily buried her face into his chest further. He had one hand on the back of her head in case people bumped into her.

Finally, they reached the 8th floor, exited the elevator, and walked to the cinema entrance. Many young people were there waiting around. Nevertheless, once Ruka and Ren appeared, the young people’s attention was on them.

They were an eye-catching couple. Even though he wore a mask, people still envied Ruka because of his fantastic body, which stood out from the rest. Moreover, his elegant posture made people wonder about the handsome face hidden under the mask.

The movie was about to start. So, she collected the tickets and went to the hall with him. She also bought a bottle of water for him and lemonade for herself. As they entered the hall, she efficiently found their seat, and they sat in the couple’s seats, providing a good space for privacy.

As the lights in the cinema dimmed, it allowed many couples to be more intimate. It would not be a problem to hold hands and hug.

At first, Ruka was a little reserved. Still, she carefully scooted over toward him when he suggestively tugged on her. Finally, he stretched his arm and pressed her into his embrace.

Ruka felt her heart pounding against her chest as she stayed beside him and looked at the screen. At that moment, a fiery scene between the male and female leads was playing on the screen.

There was a huge bed on the screen, and the male and female leads were in a passionate tangle. Ruka’s face turned beet red, and she hid in Ren’s chest while covering her face.

His hands that were on her waist tightened for some unknown reason.

Eventually, the scene passed, and the plot returned to normal. Rika sat upright as the starry sky attracted her. Then, a scary scene flashed on the screen as she picked up her drink to take a sip. As a result, her heart trembled with fear, and her hands touched something she should not have in her panic.

The man’s reaction made her heart skip a beat. She gasped as he looked down and locked eyes with her. The desire in his eyes was so evident in the dark that she gulped due to nervousness.

“I wasn’t doing it on purpose,” she whispered.

He grabbed her hand and hoarsely instructed, “Focus on the movie.”

She turned her attention to the front with her red face. The movie was her favorite science-fiction genre, but that was the last thing on her mind now. Instead, she found herself unable to focus on the film at all.

At that moment, she noticed her phone buzzing and flashing in her bag. It seemed like someone was calling her. She sat up from Ren’s embrace and took her phone out to find Elijah’s call.

As she pressed the answer button, Elijah’s anxious voice came through. “Miss Singed, is Sir with you?”

“He’s with me.”

“Where are you both?”

“We’re watching a movie.”

“What? Are you guys at the cinema? Miss Singed, please ask Mr. Husson to return immediately. If not, we’ll have to come personally and pick him up.”

A surprised Ruka questioned, “Is he in danger?”

“We’ve lost contact with him for three hours. Please ask him to return. If not, we will initiate first-level security. That will cause huge problems and confusion,” Elijah said grimly.

She was utterly stupefied as she thought to herself. Is the situation that bad?

“Okay. I’ll get him home now.” She could only promise Elijah and cut the date short.

“Send us your location as well. I’ll send someone over. His safety cannot be compromised, Miss Singed. So please cooperate with us.”

“Alright. I know,” Ruka answered and then sent their location to him. But, to be honest, she was still in a daze. So, the man beside her had escaped Elijah’s eyes to come to her.

Affected by Elijah’s anxiety, she was wholly concerned about his safety as she immediately pulled on Ren’s sleeve and whispered into his ear, “Elijah’s been looking for you. Let’s go back.”

His brows furrowed tightly. “What did he say?”

“He said they’ll initiate first-level security measures if you’re not back. Ren, let’s go! I’m begging you. We have to go back.” Ruka got more fearful the more she thought about it. How could she let this man accompany her to a movie alone?

If anything happened to him, she was to blame.

“Please, I’m begging you. Let’s go back.” Ruka was so worried that she started to beg softly in his ear.

He caved to her plea and took her hand while getting up, and they left the cinema before the movie ended. Ruka nervously held onto him as they walked to the elevator. Whenever people squeezed into the elevator, her heart beat faster, and she would look at them, fearing they would pose a danger to him.

Ren sensed that she was panic-stricken out of concern for him, so he wrapped his arms around her. Remorse flashed across his face as he comforted her, “Nothing’s going to happen. Don’t worry.”

As soon as they left the elevator, Ruka grabbed his hand and dashed toward the mall’s entrance. When they exited the mall, she was shocked to see flashing lights from a big group of special forces convoy.

Elijah came out from behind with a few people trailing him. “Mr. Husson, please return to the White House. If we still can’t find you, I’d have to contact Mr. President and notify your parents.”

Ruka was obviously frightened by the scene before her. Ren narrowed his eyes and coldly demanded, “Stop talking.”

Then, he led Ruka to a car.

After that, the cars gradually left the place. On both sides of the motorcade were heavily armored Humvees that led the way. While Ruka sat in the car, she still felt cold sweat dripping down her spine. At this moment, she finally understood how important this man was.

On the other hand, the man who snuck out behind his secretary’s back took off his mask while looking frustrated and displeased. Nonetheless, Ruka was very touched that he took two hours of his precious time to spend with her, not to mention the fact that he compromised his safety while doing so.

“It’s okay! Don’t be angry. Elijah was only concerned for your safety,” she gently advised him while hugging his arm.

Ruka thought of talking to Ren since she was worried Elijah would be reprimanded when they got out of the car.

“Ruka, if we can no longer go shopping, eat out, or watch movies together as normal people do, are you still willing to date me?” Ren asked hoarsely, and his dark eyes were fixated on her intently.

She paused as she remembered the excuse she had used for rejecting him: he couldn’t go shopping, enjoy meals outside or watch movies with her. So, he ignored his safety so that he could do all these things with her? She felt guilty, worried, and most of all, highly emotional about it since he had risked his life in order to be with her.

Wait, what did he say? Whether or not she was willing to date him if he could no longer do those things with her? Did he want to date her?

Ruka pursed her lips. “If you want us to date, please look out for your safety. Don’t worry Elijah the way you did today.”

“You seem to care a lot about what Elijah thinks. Do you fancy him?” Ren felt jealous of Elijah, and she had brought him up way too many times today.

She had wanted to praise Elijah for being so competent in his work, but now she felt like she was just making everything worse for him. Thus, she shook her head quickly. “Of course not. Please don’t misread everything. I just don’t want you to reprimand him.”

“Why are you so worried about him?” Ren asked, feeling more and more jealous by the second.

“Well, he worked hard to ensure your safety today. He’s been accommodating and responsible.” Yet, Ruka felt that she was making everything worse with her reasoning.

Suddenly, she realized that Ren’s face had become closer to hers. She was already sitting up against him, so now they were nearly face-to-face. She didn’t have a good feeling about the whole thing and was about to retreat, but he had already anticipated this. He placed a hand on the back of her head to prevent her from moving away and then tugged her face towards his.

He kissed her aggressively as if he was punishing her for repeatedly defending a man that wasn’t him. Her lashes fluttered against his cheeks as she panicked. They were in a moving car flanked by escort motorcycles. Couldn’t he be more tactful?

Ruka’s worries were unfounded since they had heavily tinted the car windows to protect the passengers’ privacy, so they were safe from prying eyes. Nevertheless, she could still see their surroundings from inside the car. This made her nerves prickle with anxiety, and she tried pushing him away. But, alas, he continued kissing her so hard she felt herself beginning to sweat with how hot and bothered it was making her.

Oh God, she must be going crazy. He had been the one determined to keep their relationship under wraps, yet here he was, kissing her recklessly. Not to mention, his bodyguard was still in the driver’s seat.

Ruka pushed against him harder, and eventually, Ren took pity on her and released her. He leaned his forehead against hers, and his hot pants brushed against her face. “Do not fancy anyone other than

me.”

She was still dazed from the kiss and responded affectionately, “Okay!”

When he heard her immediate agreement, he smiled in satisfaction and glanced at his watch. “I’ve spoiled your birthday celebration. I’ll make it up to you.”

It was the first time she had experienced such a grand exit, and she couldn’t help but feel respect for the man. His societal position was such that they probably wouldn’t have met if she hadn’t grown up in the Husson family. She glanced at the girls looking around by the street and knew that in a different life, she would be as distant to him as they were now.

Ruka became unhappy at that thought. Life was so strange sometimes.

A large hand then rested against her cheek. She looked up at Ren, eyes damp with tears.

“What’s wrong?” Surprised by her sudden change in mood, Ren cupped her face with his hands tenderly. She shook her head in response because she couldn’t share her thoughts with him. Besides, she didn’t know why she had gotten so miserable either.