MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

"Don't mention her then," she said in a low voice.

Even being inexperienced as she was, she could sense Vanessa's hostility to her. Joshua suddenly mentioning her made her somewhat unhappy.

Joshua raised his eyebrows in surprise.

The reason why he suddenly mentioned Vanessa was that she suddenly mentioned he had promised her something when they played "Truth or Dare."

Vanessa was the daughter of a director of Denmark Group. Her father came to Joshua and asked him to help arrange a job for her at DenmarkGroup.

Joshua had always refused directors to place their children in the company. But Vanessa's parents were so close to his parents that he could not refuse them.

Fortunately, Vanessa's ability was not bad, so the other directors had nothing to say about placing her in Denmark Group.

That was what Joshua wanted to tell Hazel, but she didn't seem to care about it at all. He thought for a bit and never mentioned it again.

Back at Quantum University, Hazel asked Joshua to stop the car at a corner off-campus.

Joshua looked at the cold street and frowned. "There aren't many people now. I'll get you straight back to school."

"No!" She quickly waved her hands. "Your car is too conspicuous. It'll definitely get noticed."

Joshua frowned slightly. It looked as if he thought he would have to buy a less conspicuous car?

"I'm leaving." She pushed the door open, but Joshua got out of the car and followed her.

"Why did you get out?" she asked in amazement.

"To walk you home," he said gently.

"Don't bother." She got embarrassed. "It's only ten minutes to get to the dorm."

"How can you reassure me that you will be safe? It is so late." He raised his eyebrows. "If you're afraid of this being misunderstood, I'll stay behind you and keep my distance."

"Mmm..." She felt powerless as he insisted and compromised. "Then let's go."

She walked for a while and suddenly found that Joshua didn't catch up with her, so she stopped and looked back in surprise.

Joshua did, as he had said, just follow her from a distance.

She was speechless. She turned around and walked over to him.

He looked at her in wonder.

"Let's go together," she said, amusedly. "There aren't many people in school at this time. We should not be conspicuous on foot."

"Mmm." A smile curving her lips, he stretched out his hands and gently grabbed her palm.

Her cheeks were flushed, and she struggled bashfully, but Joshua tried a little harder, and she gave up struggling.

Walking hand in hand across campus, Hazel had butterflies in her stomach. Joshua kept her company until they were under the girls' dormitory.

"You may go home," she said.

"Look at that." He pointed to the gate of the girls' dormitory.

A couple was standing there, kissing intimately in the bright light.

Hazel was a little embarrassed. What did Joshua indicate?

She wanted him to leave, so she pretended not to understand what he meant. "I saw it. You may go ho…!"

He leaned over, his lips gently covering hers.

He moved his tongue to tangle with hers passionately. Her eyes were blurry. Such a deep kiss made her give up struggling.

"You don't like that?" He let her go, half laughing.

"... I don't like it." Her cheeks were a little red, and she thought Joshua still remembered what she had said during the "Truth or Dare."

"Let's do it again." He chuckled and kissed her again.

After another lingering kiss, he asked with a smirk, "Do you like it?"

"... Yes," she said shyly.

"Let's do it again since you like it." He kissed her again.

She was weak in his arms, she could not comprehend what was happening. Why did Joshua want to kiss her, whether she liked it or not?

Looking at Hazel's eyes, Joshua gave her a reluctant kiss on the forehead. "Go back to your dormitory."

"Mmm." Shyly, she turned around and ran back to her dorm.

Driving back to Denmark Residence, Joshua was surprised to see Vanessa waiting at the gate.

When she saw him get out of the car, she walked towards him, staggering. "Joshua —"

Joshua frowned as Vanessa leaned toward him. He quickly held out his hand to hold her.

"Vanessa, you're drunk. I'll ask the driver to take you home," he said with displeasure.

"I'm not drunk!" she said with a grievance. "Joshua, you don't really like Hazel, do you? How could you take a fancy to such a stupid, boring woman?"

"Vanessa, you're really drunk!" he said in a deep voice sternly.

"I said I wasn't drunk!" Tears running down her eyes, she grabbed him by the sleeve. "How could you love that woman, Joshua? Clearly, we first met first, and I wanted you first! I have loved you for more than a decade. Don't you understand what I am saying?"

"Vanessa, I think of you like a younger sister," Joshua said sharply, his eyes a little deep. "I don't have any other feelings for you. As for your feelings, they have nothing to do with me."

Talking about feelings was a messy situation that he did not want to be a part of. He had decided that once Hazel had fallen in love with him, he would not give any other woman hope.

Vanessa looked at him with a sad look on her face. She never imagined that Joshua would say such heartless and cruel words.

"Is that woman really so nice?!" she roared, refusing to accept it.

"Yes," he said, unhesitating.

Her face grew a little paler with more tears falling down."But I've loved you all of these years, Joshua. What do you want me to do? I beg you, beg you to spend one night with me and put an end to my ridiculous behavior over the last ten years. As long as you are willing to spend one night with me, I promise I will not bother you anymore…"

"Vanessa, go back home." He put up with his impatience and helped her get into the car.

"I don't want to go home!" She struggled hard and clung desperately to Joshua. "Just do it, Joshua. As long as you spend the night with me, I promise that I will only treat you as my brother in the future. I will never have any thoughts of you as more than a brother ever again…"

Joshua's face grew more exasperated, and his last ounce of patience was exhausted.

Suddenly, he stretched out his hand to strike her hard on the back of the neck. She rolled her eyes and immediately passed out.

Joshua threw her into the car and, with an angry tone, said to the driver, "Get her home!"

"Yes," The driver said quickly.

He gave the driver the address to Vanessa's rented luxury apartment. He shut the car door and let out a sigh of relief.