Chapter 31

When the photographer came back, he asked Isaac and Verena to shift into a different pose.

He decided on a pose that felt straightforward and did not require much interaction between them.

"Let's try to get the feeling right this time," he said aloud. "Mrs. Bennett, I want you to sit on Mr. Bennett's lap and loop your arms around his neck."

At the mention of "lap," Isaac's brow tightened. His legs might hold steady enough, yet the weakness in them meant that even the smallest slip could send her tumbling.

Catching on to his discomfort, Verena chose not to bring up his legs and instead teased lightly, "Relax, I'm not that heavy."

His eyes lingered on her, and a quiet warmth stirred inside.She clearly understood his concern had nothing to do with her weight.

Words were about to leave his lips when the photographer cut in, saying, "Mr. Bennett, if you think she might slip, hold her back and steady her head with

your hands."

Before he could even register the instructions, Verena had perched sideways on his lap, her toes brushing against the floor.

Since Isaac had no sensation in his legs, he never noticed that Verena was hardly placing her weight on him.

She slipped her slender arms around his neck, and her skin felt both cool and soft against him.

The brush of her skin sent a sudden tension through him, and his hands moved instinctively to steady her back. His legs gave him nothing, but his chest could not ignore the warmth pressing against it.

Balancing with the help of her legs, Verena leaned close enough that her upper body pressed against his.

When he lowered his eyes, he caught the sweep of her lashes, the sharp line of her nose, and the bold color painted across herlips.

So close to her now, lsaac breathed in a gentle fragrance, a sweetness that seemed to drift through the very air around them.

"That's it, wonderful!" said the photographer as he kept giving instructions. "Now lean in a bit closer."

At his words, Verena tugged Isaac's head lower toward her.

Leaning in, Isaac found himself staring directly into her eyes.

Not content yet, the photographer pushed them further, saying, "Closer. Closer than that."

On this attempt, Isaac leaned in without waiting,and before Verena could guide him, he was already close.A smile spread across her face, delighted by his initiative.

Verena's expression struck the photographer as flawless, and he nearly clicked the shutter right then.Yet when his eyes shifted to lsaac, he spotted the stiffness in Isaac's posture.

The photographer clicked his tongue thoughtfully and said, "Let's try something else. Touch noses for me,show a little more closeness."

Verena gave a small nod and lifted her chin, brushing the tip of her nose against Isaac's.

The moment Verena leaned closer, the photographer snapped the shot.

Her shift made Isaac's lashes tremble, and the hand resting at her back gripped more firmly without him

realizing it.

A faint wince crossed Verena's face as the pressure brushed against a bruise from earlier.

He quickly eased his hold and met her eyes with regret. "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

She gave a calm shake of her head, unbothered. "It's nothing. Let's keep going."

Holding her position steady, Verena stayed still while Isaac's thoughts drifted. "Did I hurt you..." The words echoed in his mind as if he had spoken them to someone once before.

Catching his faraway look, Verena angled her head and, to her own surprise, pressed her lips against his.

When her warm lips touched his cool ones, a fierce spark rushed through Isaac's thoughts like a sudden current.

In that instant, Isaac forgot how to think or move,and only the steady throb in his neck reminded him that Verena had kissed him.

Watching the scene unfold, the photographer's face lit with satisfaction, and he snapped the shot at once.

"These turned out better than l imagined." He stepped back,eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he studied the shots one by one.

At the sound of the photographer's praise, Verena eased back a little from lsaac.

While pulling back, she caught sight of something amusing. Isaac's ears burned red with shyness, yet his expression showed no trace of anger.

The look on his face tempted Verena, and she decided to tease him.

Following her playful impulse, she leaned in close,smiling as she whispered gently into his ear, "You were the one who got distracted, so I had to think of something. Otherwise, the photographer would grow impatient. And hey, we're getting married soon, so this shouldn't be that big of a deal, right?"

Her words came in a softened tone, and she tilted her head,looking straight into Isaac's eyes with a spark of mischief.

A visible swallow moved along lsaac's throat as her gaze held him, and he quickly lowered his eyes. His voice, rougher than he noticed, came out as he murmured, "Sure... it's fine."

Verena accepted his answer with a nod, let her teasing drop,and smiled while lifting herself from his lap.

After holding that posture for so long, her legs had gone numb, and her soles tingled sharply as though pierced by countless tiny needles.

Isaac saw the way she shifted her legs and caught the strain on her face, yet he chose not to ask about it.

Once that moment passed, the rest of the shoot moved along with unexpected ease, free from the serious look the photographer had stressed earlier.

By the time the session ended, the clock had slipped past ten in the evening. Isaac brought Verena home before telling the driver to continue on to the Bennett Mansion.

Inside the car, lsaac took the contract from his assistant's hand, but not a word on the page would stay in his mind. Instead, the memory of Verena's kiss kept replaying, the delicate warmth still lingering on his lips.

Caught in that memory, Isaac's fingers drifted up and brushed his lips without him realizing it.

The assistant repeated Isaac's name more than once,but no answer came back.

Through the rearview mirror, the assistant noticed Isaac's fingers resting against his lips.

In a louder tone, he called out, "Mr. Bennett,are your gums hurting?" Startled out of his thoughts by the sudden volume,Isaac pulled his hand back and gripped the contract,saying, "No, I.. only noticed a problem with the contract."

"What?" The word "problem" sent a jolt of tension through the assistant. As he turned to look, his mouth hung open in disbelief. "Mr. Bennett, you... the contract is upside down."

When Isaac glanced down and saw the words printed upside down, he quickly adjusted the pages,as though snapping out of a dream.

Noticing the shock on his assistant's face, Isaac cleared his throat and mumbled with unease, "Today ...the photo shoot wore me out a little."

The assistant could hardly believe it. Wore him out?

Never before had he heard lsaac, the tireless workaholic, confess to exhaustion.

Though surprised, he gave a nod, silently recognizing the effort Isaac had made.

After they finished taking the pre-wedding photos,Verena started getting busy with other things.

During her time overseas, she began taking patients suited for traditional treatments. Along with the newcomers, she still kept in touch with her longtime patients for regular follow-ups

On this particular day, Barrie was scheduled for his follow-up visit.

Her errands kept her out until late in the afternoon,after which she drove straight to the Lyons family's residence.

At the same time in the Willis Villa, Laura stood behind Kaia in the dressing room, resting her hands firmly on the girl's shoulders. With a tone both earnest and serious, she said, "Kaia, tonight marks Mr. and Mrs.Lyons' thirtieth wedding anniversary. Many powerful guests will be at the party. When you attend,you must build connections with them. Do you understand?"