Chapter 345 Say One Thing But Mean Another
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A surge of elation welled up in his heart. His eyes narrowed, fixated on Lenora’s retreating figure as if eying a prey before he strode forward.
Warmth gradually crept up Lenora’s checks as she quickened her pace.
As the footsteps behind her drew closer, she found herself almost breaking into a light run.
She stared at the ground, noticing the man’s shadow creeping closer, almost merging with her own. Her heart skipped a beat, and she swiftly ran off, putting distance between herself and Zachary.
Zachary’s lips curved into a smirk, and a glint of determination flashed in his eyes. With a few quick strides, he caught up to Lenora, his arm reaching out to grasp her wrist. In one swift motion, he pulled her into his embrace. His piercing gaze fixed on her, he asked, “Why are you running?”
“Why are you chasing me?” Lenora’s gaze flickered. She shoved him on the shoulder.
“Why do you think I’m chasing you?” Zachary raised an eyebrow, wearing an amused expression.
“How should I know?” She feigned ignorance.
She’s saying one thing but meaning another.
“I’ll let you know.” Zachary grasped the back of her head, leaning in to kiss her.
As their lips met, their breaths mingled in a slow, lingering dance. His lips were scorching, his kiss assertive, and possessive.
Lenora’s long lashes fluttered as she struggled to catch her breath, her legs growing weak. Clinging tightly to his collar, she held on desperately, fighting to stay on her feet.
The night was chilly, and a cold wind swept along the riverside, yet Lenora felt like she was burning. Heat radiated from within her, and a fine sheen of sweat glistened on the tip of her nose…
Zachary was captivated, his lips pressing passionately against hers, his kiss deepening with intensity. He wrapped one arm around her slender waist, drawing her closer, as if he wished to merge her into his very being. Under the dim streetlight, their figures entwined with fervor, as if they had been made from the same soul.
Overwhelmed, Lenora forcefully pushed Zachary away struggling to catch her breath
Zachary gently brushed against the tip of her tongue before slowly pulling away.
Lenora gasped for air heavily.
Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, her eyes moist and glistening. When she looked up, an unintentional hint of allure sparkled in her gaze,
Zachary’s heart tightened; he lifted his hand, gently gripping her chin to tilt her head up, and kissed her
once more.
“Mmph…” Lenora’s eyes widened. She found herself unexpectedly close to Zachary, so close she could
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Chapter 345 Say One Thing But Mean Another
make out every detail of his lashes from root to tip.
He’s pushing his luck!
After a long while, Zachary finally let go of Lenora.
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Lenora instantly pushed him away, retreating a few steps. She raised her hand and gently touched her lips, feeling a slight sting-
She shot Zachary a fierce glare before turning around to walk away.
Zachary gave an awkward chuckle, quickening his pace to catch up. “Nora, I’m delighted just now.”
He had only joked about wanting a kiss, never expecting her to actually do it.
As her lips met his, his heart raced wildly, a rush of warmth spreading through him. He felt as though he were floating, light and ethereal, caught in a moment that felt almost unreal.
Lenora shot him another glare. “Shut up.”
“Nora, we-”
With a raised eyebrow, Lenora glanced at him. “We don’t have any sort of relationship right now. Don’t get the wrong idea.”
It’s just a kiss. What’s the big deal?
Zachary chuckled lightly, playing along. “All right. We don’t have any relationship.”
Her feisty demeanor set Zachary’s heart racing, igniting a primal urge to claim her right then and there. Yet, he knew better than to rush–such haste could easily backfire. For now, he felt content; remarrying her wasn’t a necessity. As long as she didn’t push him away, he believed everything would fall into place.
“Let’s go.
“All right.”
The two of them put their helmets back on.
Zachary brought Lenora home on the motorcycle.
The incident of her photography piece being stolen way thoroughly documented and backed by evidence, leading Lenora to believe a resolution would soon be forthcoming. However, after two days, she received no response from the organizers; it was as if her email had vanished into thin air.
It was at this point that Lenora began to grasp the gravity of the situation. Why was someone else’s name attached to her work? She had only submitted those photographs for the competition via email; she had never shared them with anyone else or posted them on any social media platform. This meant that the alteration of credits and theft of her photos was something the organizers were either fully aware of or complicit in, whether implicitly or explicitly.
The ID “Panoramic” struck Lenora as familiar. After doing some research, she discovered that this individual had claimed second prize in the previous photography competition.
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The legitimacy of that award remained uncertain, and it was highly likely that it had been obtained through dishonest means as well. Should a scandal erup in such a prestigious competition, it would
rely tarnish in value and credibility.
Lenora remembered that Ezekiel was not only a judge for the Smada International Photography Competition but also one of its founders, with extensive connections among the organizers. Considering their relationship, she opted not to publicly denounce the situation. Instead, she discreetly compiled the evidence she had gathered and sent it to Ezekiel, providing a detailed explanation of the circumstances.
An hour later, Ezekiel responded. Nora, I’m really sorry. The announcement on the official website has been changed I will provide you with a satisfactory explanation
Lenora Thanks, Ezekiel ll be honest with you. This incident might be connected to the event organizers staff
Ezekiel: /understand, someone has already been sent to investigate
He sent another message. By the way, I heard you had an agreement with Donovan and Aunt Jasmine yesterday.
Lenora: Yes. I believe it’s already resolved.
At least it was resolved on her end. She didn’t know whether Donovan and Jasmine would hold grudges..
Ezekiel: Donovan was born with asthma, so Aunt Jasmine always treasures him. If the offended you in any way, please
Lenora: I understand, Ezekiel
Ezekiel: Among all the entries, I like yours the best. Keep up the good work
Lenora: Thank you.
Ezekiel set down his phone, gazing at Alex, who was standing before him. “Get Ms. Summer to come over? he instructed.
“Yes, sir.”
Alex had been by Ezekiel’s side for quite some time, and he could read the signs clearly: a single glance revealed that Ezekiel was seething with rage.
Before long, Summer pushed the door open and stepped inside. Her face, flawlessly made up, concealed the fatigue from the past two days. “You wanted to see me?”
Ezekiel lifted his gaze, his voice sharp and stern. “Who gave you the right to put your name on someone else’s work?”
The ID “Panoramic” belonged to Summer.
In the past, Summer had harbored feelings for Ezekiel, and in an effort to build a good rapport between them, she had taken up photography to share a common interest. However, she quickly realized she lacked a natural talent for it and made little progress.
Determined not to lose face in front of Ezekiel, she discreetly enlisted the help of the staff. As the young lady of the Hoffman family, she had no shortage of people eager to please her. They assumed her requests had Ezekiel’s endorsement and handled the matter ethiciently on her behalf.
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The reason Summer had only secured second place in the last competition was that the first prize had gone to a well–known photographer. At that time, she had yet to meet Zachary when she reached out to the staff for assistance. Once they connected, she promptly pushed the incident from her mind, never anticipating that it would eventually come back to haunt her.
Summer knew Ezekiel couldn’t tolerate any mistakes. She immediately admitted it, “I’m sorry. Ezekiel. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have done that. I promise it won’t happen again!”
Ezekiel stared at her coldly.
Feeling increasingly guilty, Summer urgently said. “I swear I realize my mistake. I shouldn’t have passed off someone else’s work as my
