?<strong>Chapter 1229:</strong>


    This piqued Juliet’s interest. She leaned in closer.


    “So, are you nning to sleep with me tonight?”


    Cliff recoiled.


    “In our family, we uphold the value of no premarital sex.”


    Julietughed dismissively. It seemed absurd. If that were truly the case, why had Philip and Madison exited so hastily? Clearly, Cliff was the reluctant one.


    Driven by curiosity, Juliet probed further.


    “Have you ever been intimate with your cousin?”


    Cliff turned to Juliet, his gaze sharp and forbidding.


    “That’s none of your business.”


    “So you have,” Juliet said, somewhat resigned. After having been with someone as gentle and tender as Laney, Juliet figured it would be difficult for Cliff to take an interest in someone else so quickly. Cliff didn’t bother to respond.


    Juliet dered, “I won’t pry into your personal matters either.”


    Finding the conversation increasingly tedious, Juliet yawned and rose to leave. She asked coyly, “By the way, should I sleep in your bedroom?”


    “The guest room.”


    “Oh, how dull.”


    Meanwhile, Laneyy awake, restless. Her mind swirled with thoughts of Cliff. She resented him, yet the thought of him getting hurt pained her deeply. Her heart echoed his pain.


    Laney despised how he continually upied her thoughts.


    Suddenly, the door opened.


    g?lnσν???s﹒??o?? is where stories live


    Laney tensed. Even beneath the covers, she recognized the intruder. Only Cliff would enter without knocking.


    Cliff approached the bed and gently lifted the nket to look at her.


    Laney curled up, shielding her face.


    “Covering your head with the nket might suffocate you,” Cliff said, gently lifting the cover without turning on the light, illuminated only by the glow of the nightmp.


    Laney, uncertain of his intentions, resisted slightly.


    “Let me check your neck,” Cliff murmured, his tone brooking no argument.


    Feeling overpowered, Laney closed her eyes and submitted.


    Cliff warmed some ointment in his hands before gently applying it to her neck.


    “Does it still hurt?” he inquired.


    Tears welled up in Laney’s eyes as she opened them to look at him. She wanted to plead with him to stop, but the sight of his bruised lip silenced her words.


    “It doesn’t hurt. I’m not as fragile as you think.”


    Cliff watched her for a moment before pulling his hand back.


    “Do you want to apply some ointment for me?”


    Laney’s eyshes fluttered. She felt a surge of weakness.


    “Haven’t you treated it?”


    “No,” Cliff lied.


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