At eleven o’clock at night, in the Bauhinias Residences, at Areli’s home.
In the bedroom where Darnell had once been, Areli was wearing a black nightgown, leaning against the window, her long legs crossed seductively.
She held a wine glass in her hand, filled with red wine that swirled gently as she moved it.
She seemed to be reminiscing about something happy, occasionally showing a silly smile and taking a small sip of wine.
After returning home from the celebration banquet and taking a bath, Areli stayed there like a statue. If anyone had seen her, they would have been shocked.
To many people, Areli was always a cold and proud woman who rarely showed happiness.
Indeed, before Darnell entered Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Areli was an icy woman focused on management and experiments.
She was decisive and efficient in her work, rarely finding joy. However, after meeting the peculiar Darnell, she gradually began to soften.
Especially after losing herself in drunkenness, the traditionally-minded Areli started to develop feelings for Darnell.
Tonight, she managed to get rid of Eliezer, leaving Roberto without his right-hand man once again. This turn of events filled her with a sense of satisfaction.
Thinking of all the benefits brought by Darnell, she began to recall their moments together. She realized that the person she once wanted to tear apart had left an indelible mark on her heart.
When Areli picked up her wine glass again and took another sip of wine, it was already midnight. She had drunk more than half a bottle of red wine.
Areli was not good at drinking. Half a bottle of wine made her face flush red, with a faint blush extending down her neck.
Her flushed face, combined with the fragrance after bathing and her seductive posture at that moment, would have driven any man present wild.
Areli didn’t care about her alluring stance. Supporting her head with one hand, she muttered to herself, “Darnell, you rascal.”
“Miss Fanshaw, I didn’t provoke you, did I?”
Almost as soon as she finished speaking, a familiar face appeared in front of Areli with a hint of grievance. “Why are you cursing me in the middle of the night?”
Seeing someone appear suddenly, Areli instinctively jumped up to scream but was stopped by a large hand reaching through the open window.
The hand moved quickly and covered her mouth with irresistible force. Areli’s struggle was as futile as grass bending in the wind.
“You…”
Areli was terrified. Her eyes widened in shock as her mind went blank.
She felt like she was suffocating under that hand. Her heart nearly stopped beating.
At that moment, a chiseled face appeared in her view.
The face was backlit by the wall lamp and shrouded in darkness, making its features indistinct but still exuding an aura of rugged handsomeness like a Rodin sculpture.
Especially those eyes, cold and deep, like lights just seen but quickly turning playful and nonchalant.
Darnell?
He hung by his legs on the window edge like Spider-Man, his right hand covering Areli’s mouth. “Miss Fanshaw, don’t make a sound or your bodyguards will kill me.”
Instantly recognizing Darnell, Areli slowly calmed down, her fear vanishing, replaced by astonishment and then anger. She bit down hard.
“Ouch!”
Darnell yelped in pain and slipped from the window frame, landing right between Areli’s legs.
Areli wore only a black nightgown with nothing but panties underneath. As Darnell landed awkwardly, her light gown floated up.
Darnell’s gaze instantly became intense. He saw her fair skin above the nightgown and her panda-patterned panties.
What a breathtaking scene!
Darnell marveled silently. He froze in place.
“Ah!”
Seeing herself exposed, Areli screamed, “You pervert! Get off me now!”
She slapped at Darnell until he scrambled off clumsily but accidentally lifted her gown higher.
The panda-patterned panties were now fully visible.
Darnell felt like shouting, “I want to feed them bamboo!”
Areli hurriedly pressed down her gown before grabbing a coat from the wardrobe to cover herself. She then angrily scolded, “You bastard! Climbing into my window at midnight, you tried to scare me to death?”
Darnell stood before Areli with a cheeky grin while closing the window. “Miss Fanshaw, it’s not me scaring you. It’s your poor security awareness.”
“Lying here drinking late at night without closing the window is like leaving a vault door open, practically inviting crime.”
He looked at her long legs with an urge for conquest but quickly dismissed it.
“Bastard! Scaring me yet blaming me?”
Areli fumed. “Have you no shame?”
Darnell replied earnestly, “It’s true, your sense of safety is weak. Even though you have many bodyguards now, that’s just a temporary fix and doesn’t address the root of the problem.”
“If someone like me were to sneak in using such methods, no matter how many bodyguards you have, you’d still be in trouble. That’s why you need to have a security alarm system by your side.”
“If anything goes wrong, signal your bodyguards so they can rush in to save you.”
He gazed intently at her. “You’re so beautiful. If anything happened to you, how could I live?”
Areli was momentarily stunned. Although he was being unreasonable again, she sensed his concern. She muttered shyly, “Do you think all guys are like you, climbing into windows at midnight?”
“And why are you here anyway?”
She glared at him. “If you don’t give me a reasonable explanation, I’ll call the police for trespassing.”
“Miss Fanshaw, I came to ask you to rescind your order. I don’t want to be the director of the sales department.”
Darnell almost knelt like Cesar, pleading, “Being an assistant manager is already my limit. I’m exhausted daily, and haven’t slept well for half a month.”
“I barely managed to pass the Python Team’s assessment, and now you want me to be the director? It’ll kill me.”
He wiped his eyes pitifully. “Miss Fanshaw, please rescind your order. I’ll repay your kindness somehow.”
“Get lost! Who wants your repayment?”
Areli shot Darnell a glare, then huffed softly, “And if you want to ask me to reconsider my decision, can’t you just come to the office tomorrow?”
“Showing up at my place in the middle of the night, don’t you think you’re making a big deal out of nothing?”
Darnell looked aggrieved as he said, “I wanted to wait, but feared you’d avoid me tomorrow. What if you issue written orders before I arrive? Then it’d be too late.”
“So it’s better seeing you now. I’ll do whatever you want, as long as you rescind it.”
“I didn’t refuse publicly at the banquet because I knew how important this position is for you, and how you didn’t want Roberto to take advantage.”
“But now things are settled. You can appoint someone better suited. Please remove me from this role.”
Areli wanted to kick him. He had guessed correctly, she did plan on avoiding him tomorrow while issuing written orders directly.
Despite being caught out, she maintained her stern expression. “Darnell, are you crazy? Refusing such an important position?”
“Do you know how prestigious being the director is? Not only do you wield significant power, but you also have a substantial budget at your disposal, along with a team of two hundred people at your command.”
Darnell shook his head firmly. “More power means more responsibility and more constraints.”
“I prefer freedom.”
He didn’t want power. He just wanted to enjoy life, joking and playing around with Casey and the others.
He looked at Areli with an eager expression and said, “Miss Fanshaw, please reconsider your decision.”
Areli didn’t respond with her usual harshness. Instead, her bright eyes softened, revealing a tinge of sadness.
“Darnell, I hope you can help me,” she said.
Darnell was momentarily taken aback, then, adopting the demeanor of a counselor, he encouraged her. “Come on. Tell me your story.”