The Billionaire's Canary

From the moment Tara uttered those words, until Ethan opened the door and walked in, Addison was a bundle of nerves.

The man gradually came into view. Closer and closer. Bringing with him his unique scent, a faint but unmistakable presence.

Addison kept her head down, silently shrinking into the corner.

Noah said, "Weren''t you having dinner with Bianca?"

Ethan''s tone was even. "Weren''t you the ones begging me to come?"

"You''d just ditch your girlfriend because we asked you to?"

"Did I step on your toes again?" Ethan asked coolly.

Noah: "..."

He coughed. "Never mind. I won''t ask."

Pop—

Tara opened several cans of beer. One for each of them.

"Tonight, we drink until we drop." Without the constraints of work, Tara, shedding the skin of a cool, collected lawyer, became as playful as a child.

Addison pursed her lips and spoke. "Tara, I''m not feeling well today, so I won''t be drinking alcohol."

"Oh, right, low blood. I know, Noah mentioned it to me a moment ago."

She fetched a can of bright red liquid. "Here, drink this."

Addison picked it up and looked. It was black wolfberry and rose tea.

She nodded in thanks.

The others drank heartily, enjoying themselves. Addison, cradling the warm can of tea, sipped it absently.

Ethan sat across from her. His gaze flitted over her, sometimes lingering, sometimes fleeting.

The tea''s effects were quick. Within moments, her cheeks were flushed, and the warmth clouded her eyes, creating a soft, vulnerable haze.

She took a sip, tilting her head slightly. From that angle, her long, slender, pale neck was fully exposed.

It was bare and smooth. Unlike before, when it was often marked with the evidence of his bites, marks that wouldn''t fade for days. Back then, she''d always carried concealer with her.

Ethan knew that she''d been more well-behaved than anyone else lately. She hadn''t let anyone touch her. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be so afraid to even look at him.

Ethan unconsciously drank quite a bit. The aroma of alcohol gradually filled the room.

Addison probably caught a whiff of the intoxicating scent, feeling a warmth spread through her body, her mind becoming muddled.

"Tara," she asked softly, "this stuff is really potent. Is it just ordinary tea?"

Tara''s eyes were slightly unfocused, a mischievous grin on her face. "Oh, there are a couple of strands of saffron in it."

Addison froze. Oh.

You weren''t supposed to drink that during pregnancy. Luckily, she hadn''t had much. Addison quickly put it down.

Her anxiety made her feel even hotter. She took off her jacket. Underneath, she wore a loose-fitting sweater.

She had a small frame and was slender. Her pregnancy, a few months along, wasn''t showing at all. She wasn''t worried about anyone finding out.

As they continued drinking, Tara asked Ethan, "Are you going to marry Bianca?"

Ethan remained his usual self, aloof and composed, except for the slight redness in his eyes. "No."