Chapter 479: Dancing on His Bottom Line

"The guy is so arrogant and narcissistic. And he’s not even that special-looking—just totally average. I wouldn’t even give him a second glance in a crowd. How could he possibly think I like him?"

"I’m just using him to deal with the Scotts. He’s just a pawn. Besides, I’ve got plenty of other options. I’d have to be blind to fall for someone like him."

"Ivy, you saw it too! He’s so full of himself. I’ve never met anyone more narcissistic. I can’t... I’m seriously dying of laughter!"

Ivy Sherwood propped her chin on her hand, watching Nina. ’There’s definitely something between these two,’ she thought.

Sometimes fate worked in mysterious ways. Some people started out mutually disliking each other, only to become bickering lovers, and then, eventually, fall for one another.

"Nina, I didn’t realize you had so much to say about my brother."

"I wasn’t saying anything good about him, so don’t get the wrong idea."

"I never said I did. Anyway, it’s not that my brother is confident. He has gynophobia."

"Gyno-what?" Nina found this hilarious. ’There are actually people with a fear of women?’

She had thought Miles Mercer was just a plain narcissist who looked down on all women equally, assuming they all approached him with an ulterior motive.

"Apparently, when he was just a teenager, people were already throwing women at him. You know the Mercer Family’s status. A lot of people tried to get close to them by sending women and things like that. Those women would try to deliberately fawn all over him. I think it traumatized him back then. Now, whenever a woman gets close, he instinctively gets scared and assumes they’re all after something."

"No way. He went through that before he even hit puberty?" Nina couldn’t help but find it amusing. She could just picture the scene.

A group of curvy, mature women surrounding a little boy who had just started middle school.

It was too cringe-worthy to even imagine!

"So that’s why he’s like this now. It’s not that he hates women. It’s more of a self-defense mechanism. He thinks staying away from them is the only way to feel safe."

"And here I thought he was some seasoned player. I never would’ve guessed he’s actually so innocent."

It was evening, and she didn’t have to work. Plus, she was in a great mood, so Nina Scott decided to have a couple of drinks.

But Ivy Sherwood couldn’t drink at the moment, so Nina had alcohol while Ivy had juice.

"Cheers!"

The two clinked their glasses and began to drink.

A cup of warm wine sent a pleasant heat through her body. However, Nina was a lightweight and was already feeling buzzed.

Ivy, intending to play matchmaker, sent a message to Miles Mercer.

Miles Mercer arrived quickly and looked at Nina Scott and Ivy Sherwood.

Miles Mercer: "..."

Nina Scott: "..."

The moment they saw each other, they were both speechless. The phone call from that afternoon still hung awkwardly in the air.

"Ivy, did you call me here to take you home?"

"Of course not. I have a ride. You’re responsible for taking my best friend home."

"I’m not taking her," Miles Mercer refused. "I can find someone else to do it."

With so many drivers available, finding someone would be a piece of cake.

However, Nina stood right up, slinging an arm around Miles Mercer’s shoulder. "I want *him* to take me!"

’So he has gynophobia, huh? Watch me cure you of that!’

As Nina leaned in, Miles’s body tensed up, every inch of him screaming resistance. His eyes seemed to plead with Ivy for help.

However, Ivy pretended not to notice. "Brother, I’m leaving my friend in your hands. You have to make sure she gets home safely."

Miles Mercer: "..."

The last time Ivy had said those words, he had inexplicably ended up as Nina’s fake boyfriend.

Tonight, he had a similarly ominous feeling.

Meanwhile, Ivy sent a message to Quentin Blackwood, asking where he was.

Quentin had told her to message him when she was done eating, and he would come pick her up.

What Ivy didn’t know was that Quentin had been nearby the whole time.

Soon enough, Quentin Blackwood arrived, so quickly that Ivy was surprised. "You’re here already?"

"Let’s go. Time to head back." Quentin didn’t even spare a glance for anyone else.

"Hey, Blackwood! Get your hands off my sister! How dare you touch her?"

Not only did Quentin touch her, but he took her hand in his. "See you next time, little brother-in-law."

"Who’s your little brother-in-law? You..."

Nina, for her part, held onto Miles, stopping him from chasing after them. "They’re a young couple in love. What’s with the overbearing parent act? Come on, take me home."

Miles Mercer: "..."

’This woman isn’t just crazy, she’s aggressive!’

...

"We’re here." Miles brought the car to a stop. He wasn’t going upstairs this time, lest some other "accident" happen.

However, the woman beside him seemed to have fallen asleep. Her head was tilted to the side. Miles called her name twice, but Nina Scott didn’t stir.

He had no choice but to get out of the car first, walk around to Nina’s side, and look at the woman with her eyes closed.

’She didn’t drink too much just so she could wait for me to carry her upstairs, did she?’

’Is this woman doing this on purpose?’

Miles waited a moment, but seeing no sign of her waking up, he had to lean down close to Nina to unbuckle her seatbelt.

Nina had indeed fallen asleep by accident. She had been incredibly busy lately. Her studio was constantly growing, and she barely had a few hours of rest each day.

But as Miles leaned over, Nina felt something tickle her neck.

She opened her eyes and turned her head, not expecting Miles to be so close. Her lips brushed right against his cheek.

Both of them froze. Then, they spoke at the same time: "You’re trying to take advantage of me."

"I didn’t do it on purpose."

She really hadn’t meant to, but since Miles said that, Nina decided to double down. She reached out, grabbed his collar, and pulled him toward her. The distance between them was less than four inches; any closer and their lips would have touched.

Miles’s breath caught in his throat. All he could smell was the strong scent of red wine, mixed with an indescribable trace of sweetness.

Nina, however, didn’t mind. It wasn’t like she had androphobia.

Then, with her other hand, she hooked his chin. "Alright, fine. I *am* trying to take advantage of you. What are you going to do about it?"

A playful smirk touched her lips. "Besides, weren’t you the one who leaned in first? I haven’t even accused *you* of having improper designs on me."

"Me? Have improper designs on you?" Miles could swear he had absolutely no such thought.

Seeing him like this, Nina found it hilarious. Before, she thought he was a narcissist; now, he just looked pathetic.

’Well, it was his own fault for always acting this way. According to him, getting close meant I wanted to take advantage of him, that I was into him.’

So today, Nina decided to be a little narcissistic herself. It was time to give him a taste of his own medicine.

"Am I wrong? Otherwise, why did you lean in? To use ’guy talk,’ aren’t you the one seducing me? Even if I did do something to you, I’d just be making the same mistake most men would make. Besides, you’re the one who threw yourself into my arms. If I don’t do something, wouldn’t that make me seem... incapable? And it’s not like I’m some perfect gentlewoman, anyway."

"You!"

The space between them was incredibly close. In the dark car, they could only see the light glinting in each other’s deep-set eyes.

Her hand was still on his chin, and she even gave it a little rub. ’Can’t deny it,’ she thought, ’this guy has really good skin.’

Miles stared at this unreasonable woman. She was gleefully stomping on every single one of his triggers.

’Just as I thought. She’s into me. Her true colors are showing.’

’And she just... she actually kissed him!’

’He felt... sullied...’