Chapter 131 - Lavender

Jackson held onto Halia awkwardly and tried to stick his hand in her handbag to find a keycard for her room. Unlike last time she was spiked, he at least knew that she was staying in the casino's hotel. Finally, he pulled out a little golden card and handed it to Amelie.

"This must be the key to her room. Can you take her back? It might be better since you're both girls," he said.

But, Amelie's hands were busy trying to keep Emerson standing up, while Halia had her arms wrapped tightly around Jackson's waist. Neither of them could shake off the person they were helping.

"I think you'll have to take her, she doesn't seem to be letting go of you. I can take Emerson back. His driver is waiting outside. I'll make sure he gets home safely. I'm sure no one will suspect a thing in this situation..." Amelie sighed.

Suddenly, Emerson started dry retching and Amelie quickly looked at him in a panic. "Oh God, I better take him out before he starts vomiting everywhere." Amelie frowned as she dragged the man towards the exit.

Jackson glanced at Halia and shook his head in disappointment. "How did you get spiked again?" he asked dotingly.

He then lifted her in his arms and carried her out of the bar; it was the quickest way to get her out of there. As he passed by the suspicious man that had been following him all day, he deliberately said, "If my brother didn't like you, I would just leave you here."

The suspicious man watched as Jackson walked out with Halia and quickly grabbed his phone. He then typed a message: [Nothing suspicious].

A moment later, he received a reply: [You can go home. No need to follow from now on].

Jackson carried Halia into the elevator and watched as the suspicious man walked in the opposite direction and disappeared out the exit of the casino complex.

Finally, he wasn't being followed. 

Originally, Amelie and Jackson thought they weren't being followed the previous day because the culprit had let their guard down. But, after they realized they were being followed again that afternoon, they had a better theory: the culprit was at the dinner. Why would they hire someone if they could monitor them themself?

Someone in the family definitely tried to kill him!

As the elevator door closed, Halia and Jackson finally had some time alone; there was no one else in the elevator. Jackson checked the room number on Halia's keycard and pressed the button for her floor. Soft elevator music started to play as soon as the elevator began to move.

With a worried expression, Jackson stared at the floor number and waited for the elevator to rise to Halia's level.

But, just as the number '2' showed up on the screen, he suddenly felt the woman in his arms snuggle against his chest. He looked down and saw the woman furrow her brows uncomfortably in his arms and gently rubbed her arm dotingly. "It's OK, I'm here," he said in a comforting tone. Lucky he was there both times she got spiked, he thought to himself. Even though he had drunk quite a bit of alcohol, at least, he had a certain amount of self-control. Other men may not have reacted the same with such a beautiful woman in their arms.

As Jackson stared at Halia, the familiar floral fragrance of her shampoo wafted into his nose. He didn't know what flower it was before, but now, he knew it was the light scent of lavender. 

Back in France, Mrs. Martin had planted some lavender outside the country home. Lavender was said to ward off bugs including moths and flies, so she planted them all around the house as a natural repellent. Every morning, when Jackson stepped outside, the light floral fragrance of lavender would dance across the air, reminding him of the woman that was waiting for him in Beijing. That was when he realized Halia's shampoo smelled of lavender; the smell made him miss her more.

Jackson smiled as he breathed in the familiar scent. After an entire month apart, this woman was finally in his arms.

But, just as Jackson was savoring the nostalgic moment, Halia's head suddenly started inching upwards from his chest to his neck, turning the peaceful atmosphere into a highly ambiguous one.

Jackson's eyes opened wide in surprise.

He could feel her warm breaths on his jaw and her soft lips against his collarbone. It was ever so seductive, sending tingles down his spine.

What was this woman doing? If he was someone else, he would have pinned her against the elevator wall and pressed those soft lips against his. But, he needed to restrain himself. He remembered the last time Halia was spiked and how he had lost control. He had already acted out of line that time; he couldn't do it again.

But, just as he was trying hard to resist temptation, Halia's lips glided up his neck and to his ear. Then, in a soft and seductive voice, she whispered, "Interpol agent, Jackson Wu, is it time for our twosome yet?"

Jackson turned his head to face the woman. How did she suddenly know his identity? 

The smell of gin lingered in Halia's breath as her lips curved upwards slightly. Jackson looked into the woman's eyes curiously and realized she was completely aware of what she was doing. Did this cheeky woman trick him?

"Did Amelie tell you?" he asked.

Halia nodded her head.

With an evil look in his eyes, he leaned forward and asked, "You're not spiked, are you?"

Halia giggled and shook her head.

As soon as she did this, the elevator door opened on her floor. Jackson glared at the woman in his arms and carried her out domineeringly. 

"You're going to get punished," he said in an intimidating tone as he opened the hotel room door and stormed straight inside.