Chapter 6 A Tumultuous Struggle

As Jeffrey spoke, the warm breath he exhaled seemed to playfully dance around Verena, evoking memories of their past encounters.

Unsettled, she felt a twinge of discomfort, and her ears flushed with embarrassment.

Jeffrey, perceptive to her reaction, teased her about her sensitivity.

"You've been in a relationship with Blaine for quite some time. Why are you so sensitive? Haven't you two been intimate yet?"

Verena understood that Jeffrey was insinuating that she was feigning innocence in his presence.

Despite the truth that she was still a virgin, expressing this to him felt awkward.

Feeling both embarrassed and annoyed at the misunderstanding, she impulsively uttered something she herself found hard to believe.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have pulled me so close to you!"

While playfully ribbing Jeffrey, she lightly tapped his thigh a few times.

A peculiar sensation washed over her; it seemed as though his entire being had stiffened in response to her simple touch. Even the breath that brushed against her ear carried an unexpected warmth.

Undeterred, she persistently continued her teasing. "Mr. Yates, why does a casual flirtation leave you in such a state?"

To her astonishment, he responded by gently kissing her ear and whispering, "Care for a change of scenery to witness my true prowess?"

Their banter unfolded, creating an atmosphere of increasing warmth between them.

Even the articulate onlookers chose to distance themselves, wary of overhearing or witnessing more than they bargained for.

For those who were SwiftGlide International's clients, the knowledge that Blaine and Verena had once shared a romantic connection was not lost.

However, the present situation, with Verena seemingly unable to strike a deal with Blaine and instead engaging in playful banter with his brother, added a new layer of complexity.

Verena and Jeffrey's proximity, amidst the well-heeled crowd, effectively kept others at a respectable distance.

Meanwhile, Blaine leisurely rode his horse ahead, swaying with deliberate slowness, patiently awaiting Verena's approach and, perhaps, a negotiated resolution.

After an extended wait, only the wealthy individuals chose to accompany Blaine.

Suddenly, a realization seemed to dawn on him, prompting an abrupt about-face.

Upon the grassy expanse, Jeffrey and Verena were astride a horse, engaged in conversation.

Verena, casting shy glances upward, shared a moment with Jeffrey, who reciprocated with a fond gaze. A kiss seemed imminent.

Despite Blaine's awareness that Jeffrey and Verena hadn't crossed any boundaries on horseback, a subtle alarm coursed through him. He gripped the reins tightly, and his joints paled from the strain.

*

Verena dismounted Jeffrey's horse and headed to change her attire, contemplating departure from the racecourse.

However, in the midst of this, Blaine barged in.

"Have you lost your mind, Verena? How dare you seduce Jeffrey?" Blaine accused, his eyes blazing with anger.

Undeterred, Verena faced Blaine, her own eyes aflame. "Why wouldn't I dare? If a cornered rat will bite a cat, imagine what I, a woman with a mind of her own, would do!"

Her words were delivered with a hint of hysteria, echoing through the charged atmosphere of the unfolding drama.

Blaine's audacity in posing such a question left Verena in a state of frustration, squarely blaming him for the predicament she found herself in. How could he have the nerve to interrogate her like that?

"If you can be with him, you can also choose to be with me," Blaine suggested, sensing an affectionate connection between Verena and Jeffrey that hinted at a potential intimacy later that night.

Recognizing the looming crisis, he threw caution to the wind and kissed her, disregarding his usual gentlemanly demeanor.

However, his impulsive move was met with a fierce response—his lips were met with a bite, and she slapped him with force.

"Blaine, you have a fiancee. If you have needs, seek her out. Don't sicken me with your antics here!"

After rebuking Blaine, she pushed him away, put on her coat, and opened the door to leave. Blaine, however, was not ready to let her go.

"Verena, I'll provide the loan right away. Don't go meet him..." Blaine pleaded, catching up with her.

In the midst of their struggle, a deep male voice interrupted their heated exchange. "Looks like I didn't get good timing."

Startled, Verena and Blaine turned to see Jeffrey, now clad in a meticulously tailored suit, standing outside the door. His gaze, cold and unyielding, surveyed the scene—the two in a tumultuous struggle and the telltale mark of Verena's bite on Blaine's lips.