Forbidden Passion
Chapter 690 The Cunning Little Fox

Outside the Empire State Building.

Theodore leaned against the car door, rocking a tuxedo with a pocket square tucked in.

He had this aristocratic vibe, just standing there with his broad shoulders and long legs. The tux looked pricey, but he made it look even better.

Theodore was waiting for Phoebe, all chill, when he heard the click-clack of high heels from inside the building. He quickly looked up.

A slender, graceful figure caught his eye. Phoebe was lifting her dress, walking like a queen stepping down from her throne.

In an instant, she dazzled him and stole his heart.

Theodore couldn't take his eyes off her, filled with a possessive intensity.

He suddenly regretted it. He shouldn't have given her that dress, shouldn't have brought her to the banquet. He couldn't stand the thought of others ogling her beauty. Just imagining all those eyes on Phoebe made Theodore want to whisk her away to the Imperial Apartment and keep her hidden, never letting anyone else see her. Phoebe stopped in front of Theodore, tilting her chin up to look at him.

The sunset's glow bathed them, and Phoebe's eyes seemed to sparkle.

Phoebe said, "Sorry to keep you waiting, let's go."

Theodore felt a rush of heat, almost unable to resist kissing her as she looked at him like that.

He didn't want to mess things up, so he turned his gaze away, using the act of opening the door to ease his longing.

Theodore opened the car door and said, "Please, get in."

Phoebe didn't notice anything unusual. She bent down and got into the car.

The dress was huge and hard to manage. Theodore leaned in to help Phoebe gather the part of the dress that had fallen outside and placed it inside the car. Theodore closed the door and got in from the other side.

Jack was still driving. Earlier, when Jack was in the driver's seat and saw Phoebe walk out, he almost didn't recognize her. Phoebe, with makeup on, was a complete transformation.

Jack said this because Phoebe used to work as Theodore's chief secretary. Even though she appeared strong, she couldn't help but seem a bit pretentious, with an underlying sense of insecurity. However, ever since Phoebe returned from Caneda, she was no longer that fragile and insecure woman. She had grown into a true female CEO.

The insecurity that Phoebe once had was gone. Now, she was more like a radiant sun, attracting everyone's attention.

As the car drove off, Jack sincerely complimented, "Ms. Ziegler, you look stunning today!"

Jack couldn't find a more fitting word to describe Phoebe's beauty today.

Unfortunately, Jack had stolen Theodore's line.

Theodore glanced at the rearview mirror, catching Jack's sneaky look. Jack, feeling guilty, quickly looked ahead, not daring to glance around anymore. "Thank you," Phoebe said.

Theodore turned his head to look at her, his gaze falling on her slender neck. She wasn't wearing any jewelry, making her neck appear even more graceful. Theodore took out a jewelry box from his suit pocket and retrieved a sapphire necklace from it.

Phoebe recognized it as a high-end piece from Buccellati, each series like a work of art, both luxurious and noble.

Before Phoebe could refuse, Theodore leaned in slightly, extending his long arm to place the necklace around her neck.

The pendant, cool to the touch, settled right at the center of Phoebe's collarbone. Theodore's fingers brushed lightly across the back of her neck.

A jolt of electricity shot through Phoebe, making her flinch and scoot to the side, her ears turning bright red.

Theodore's hand froze mid-air. Seeing her ears go crimson, his eyes darkened.

After a beat, he finally looked away.

"Sorry!" Theodore's voice was rough, making Phoebe's nerves jump. Her fingers, resting on her knees, curled slightly.

"I'll have someone return the dress and necklace to you later. Thanks for saving me the hassle of finding an outfit," Phoebe said, trying to keep her cool and stay professional. Honestly, Phoebe didn't want to get too tangled up with Theodore again, fearing they'd end up as messy as they were three years ago.

But since she chose to come back, she couldn't avoid running into Theodore.

If Theodore had moved on and treated her like a stranger, that would've been perfect. She could focus on her career in Kedora. But Theodore wasn't about to be a bystander.

He kept offering her perks, signaling he wanted back into her life and work, making it impossible for her to escape him. Although Phoebe didn't play with Theodore's feelings, she didn't hesitate to take advantage of the benefits he offered.

They played this silent game of chase and dodge. As long as no one said anything outright, Phoebe stayed polite to Theodore.

Theodore looked at Phoebe. She had definitely learned a lot from that old fox Milton while she was abroad.

He pursed his lips slightly and said, "No need. If you return them, they'll just gather dust in the closet. You might as well use them."

Phoebe thought about the dress and necklace worth over a million dollars each and said, "Mr. Reynolds, you're so generous to your ex. Won't your current partner get jealous?"

Theodore looked at Phoebe with a smile but dodged her question. Instead, he asked, "Would you get jealous?"

"Why would I get jealous?" Phoebe felt the topic was getting dangerous and quickly changed the subject, "Does Ollie like the toys?"

Theodore's eyes showed a hint of helplessness. She'd rather talk about a cat than discuss her own matters.

Theodore replied indifferently, "Yes."

The car soon stopped outside a five-star hotel. The doorman quickly ran over to open the car door, and Phoebe stepped out, lifting her dress.

Reporters were waiting at the entrance, mistaking Phoebe for a celebrity. They frantically snapped photos, the flashlights going off like crazy.

Theodore walked around the car to Phoebe's side, raising his arm to signal her to link arms with him as they entered.

Phoebe didn't refuse. If she wanted to gain connections from Theodore, she had to keep him happy. Their deal was mutually beneficial, and there was no need to create trouble right now.

Phoebe placed her hand on Theodore's arm. Theodore glanced at her in surprise, seemingly taken aback that she didn't walk away with a cold face.

It seemed that Phoebe had become much more tactful during her two years abroad, no longer clashing with him head-on. Theodore didn't know whether to feel relieved or heartbroken.

Theodore and Phoebe walked into the hotel ballroom amidst the flashing lights, and everyone turned to look at the entrance. The ballroom suddenly fell silent for a moment, as if someone had hit the pause button.