Real Heiress: Flash Marriage With Boyfriend's Uncle - Chapter 359

Chapter 359: Past her lips
“I’ll check my schedule and let you know tomorrow. How does that sound?” Ivy asked.

“Wonderful,” Roderick replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. As he spoke, his gaze drifted to her mouth, where a faint trace of chocolate remained.

Unaware of his lingering stare, Ivy exhaled softly. “I burned all the memories I had with Elliot,” she admitted. “Everything from the past… gone. And you know what? I actually feel lighter and it feels like a heavy burden has lifted off my chest.”

Roderick leaned back slightly. “So, you’re finally moving on,” he mused in understanding.

“Yeah. And there’s one more piece of good news,” Ivy said, a slow smile forming on her lips.

Roderick leaned forward slightly, intrigued. “What is it?” he asked, his eyes filled with curiosity.

“My father’s business has finally turned profitable,” Ivy announced, her tone filled with relief and pride.

Roderick’s expression brightened. “That’s amazing! Looks like the dark clouds are finally lifting,” he said warmly.

“Thank you,” Ivy suddenly said, her gaze steady on him.

Roderick frowned slightly. “Why are you thanking me?”

“Because your family’s name helped my dad get back on his feet. You agreed to pretend to date me, even when you knew my heart belonged to someone else. You’ve done so much favours on me, Roderick,” she admitted, sincerity shining in her eyes.

Roderick shook his head. “Favors are meant to be repaid. I never saw it that way. Let’s just say—I helped you because I wanted to,” he corrected with a soft smile.

“Hmm,” Ivy murmured.

“Finish your hot chocolate. I should get going,” Roderick said as he rose to his feet.

“Oh. I’ll walk you out,” Ivy offered, setting her mug down before heading toward the door.

Roderick watched her leave first, sighing softly. He had wanted to tell her about the smudge of chocolate on her lips, but the moment passed. Shaking his head, he followed her out.

The living room was quiet, and with no one around, Roderick made his way to the front door. Outside, Ivy stood by his car, tugging her cardigan closer to shield herself from the cold.

“It’s freezing tonight. Drive safely,” she said, glancing up at him.

Roderick was already standing right behind her, making her jolt in surprise. She instinctively took a step back, her heart skipping a beat.

“You should wipe your lips,” Roderick said, his gaze lingering on her mouth.

Ivy instinctively touched her lips before running her tongue over them, tasting the faint sweetness of chocolate. “Is it gone now?” she asked, unaware of how her lips glistened under the warm glow of the lamps.

As she absentmindedly licked them again, Roderick took a step closer, closing the distance between them.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked.

Ivy’s breath caught in her throat. This wasn’t the first time he had asked. The last time, he had been drunk. But now, he was completely sober, and so she was.

Roderick didn’t wait for an answer. His hand cradled the back of her neck while his other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. Ivy melted into his touch, her body instinctively leaning into his warmth.

The moment his lips pressed against hers, she shut her eyes, surrendering to the feeling. Maybe she had wanted this for a while but never had the courage to admit it, not even to herself.

The taste of chocolate lingered between them as Roderick deepened the kiss, his lips moving slowly and deliberately. He nibbled at her lower lip, coaxing her to part for him. When she hesitated, he bit down gently, drawing a soft gasp from her. Taking the chance, he slipped his tongue past her lips, claiming the moment with ease.

Ivy responded, her hesitation fading as she matched his fervor while their breaths mingled in the cool night air. Roderick pulled away slowly and his eyes glued to hers.

“You’re a good kisser,” Roderick murmured.

Ivy met his gaze with a small, teasing smile. “I have experience too,” she whispered, but the boldness of her words didn’t last. Her cheeks warmed under his intense stare, and before he could respond, she hurried inside.

Roderick watched her retreat, momentarily dazed by the way she fled. Then, chuckling to himself, he shook his head and got into his car, a smirk still playing on his lips as he drove off to his house.

Ivy curled up beneath the warmth of her blanket, her fingers absentmindedly grazing her lips. ‘I wasn’t supposed to reciprocate…’ she murmured to herself, shutting her eyes as if that could erase the memory of his lips on hers.

Pressing a hand to her chest, she felt the rapid thumping of her heart. ‘You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s normal in a relationship…’ she tried to reason with herself. But a different thought slipped through her defenses, making her stomach flutter. ‘Then why does it feel like I’m already giving my heart to him? This soon!?’

She buried her face in the pillow, hoping to drown out the overwhelming emotions swirling inside her.

Her phone buzzed. Peeking out from under the blanket, she grabbed it and saw a message from Roderick.

“I just got home. The first kiss between us was sweet. I hope everything only gets sweeter from now on.”

A deep blush crept up Ivy’s cheeks. She bit her lip, staring at the message for a long moment before hugging her phone close to her chest, a small, shy smile tugging at her lips.

“I can’t believe I am falling for a jerk. But he’s no longer like that. I can see the visible changes in him. I feel he’s turning to be better day by day,” Ivy mumbled to herself. She lowered the phone and typed a message for him.

“I hope the same.”

While sending the message, she mistakenly ended up clicking a wrong emote, which was a red heart. “No,” she screamed in a low voice and deleted it immediately. “That was a wrong emote.” She sent and turned off her internet, tossing the phone away.

Roderick chuckled seeing her response. “That’s what you feel in your heart for me,” he murmured.