Burning Passion

CHAPTER 268: NINA'S DILEMMA

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The next morning, Harry rolled around in his bed. His head is severely throbbing. He hadn't sober up but was having a hangover. 

He dragged his body toward the bathroom and took a shower. He needs coffee to sober up. Harry thought to himself. He hurried to wash his body and then put on winter clothes. 

He was entering the kitchen to be surprised seeing Kristina there. He then remembered last night. He passes out from drinking too much. "Hi" 

Kristina was in front of the cooking stove, stirring something in a big casserole. "Hi, Harry! Good morning! Oh, it's noon already, so you need lunch instead of breakfast." with a smile she jokes.

Harry chuckled. He walked toward Kristina, stood beside her to check what she was cooking. "That looks good for a hangover." 

Kristina chuckled, and she responded to Harry. "You guys need it. Sam is still in bed." 

"Oh, they're still here?" 

"Yes, and Lee." 

"I see. Great, then. It's raining last night, and they also drank a lot," said Harry, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Where's Seth?" 

Harry remembered that guy. Since Lee and Sam are still here, then that guy and Lucy are also here. He mused.

"About that…" Kristina tilted her head toward the pool area. 

Coffee in his hand, Harry peeping in the door. He found Seth cleaning around the pool area while Lucy seated in front of the bonfire, eating some fruits and dessert. 

Harry chuckled, shaking his head with amazement. He walked toward the counter, placed his mug, and took a stool. 

"That guy. Is he trying to impress Lucy?" he muttered amusingly. 

At the moment, Kristina is setting the table. She glanced at Harry, nodding, and replied, "Ever since last night." 

"Hm. Oh, are you done cooking?" he asked, noticing the stove now turned off.

Kristina smiled, she declared. "Yes. I will prepare the table, and then I will call everyone." 

"Okay." Harry watched Kristina moving around in the kitchen. She is not bad. In fact, Kristina is a pretty, smart, kind, and very interesting girl. Maybe it's not bad to date her. Harry mused. 

Heaving a frustrated sigh, Harry scolded himself. 'What are you thinking, Harry? You are using another girl to forget her? You are the worst!' 

In the middle of his thought, Seth suddenly appeared in front of him. He didn't hold himself not to cuss. 

"Damn, shit! Are you giving me a heart attack!?" he yelled at Seth. 

Lucy, who is walking toward the dining table to help Kristina. She steps backward after she hears Harry screamed. Kristina quickly approached her and explained the two boys' interaction. 

Meanwhile, Harry keeps scolding Seth. The poor guy could only twitch his face and scratched the back of his head. 

"Eh??? I thought you saw me walking toward you?" he reasons out. 

"Hey, come closer." Harry gestured his left index finger. 

Seth anticipated Harry would do something; he only shook his head and said, "Don't want to. I need to take an arm away from you." 

Narrowing his brows, he told Seth, "I just want to ask you something. So hurry!" 

Nervously, Seth slowly walked close to Harry. "What is it, brother Harry?" 

"Lean closer to me." 

"Eh? Are you that…" Seth purposely hung the rest of his sentence. 

"Hey!" Harry grabbed Seth's shoulder and pulled him closer, he whispered. "Tell me… Did Sam and Lee think that my guest room is like a motel room?" 

Harry was very careful that he said it in a low voice. Seth, on the other hand, takes several moments to process what Harry is asking him. After he realized and understood, he was nodding endlessly. 

"Alright. Tell them later to clean the room and wash the sheets." 

"Eh! Why should I be the one to tell them? I have no experience and…" 

Harry snaps the other word that will come out of his mouth. "It should need that? Just say what I told you!" 

"Eh? Why don't you tell them when you are the owner of this house?" Seth hardly found an excuse.

"Aren't we brothers?" said Harry, tearing a grin across his face. 

Poor kid, it dumbfounded Seth. He mused, 'This guy actually knows how to mess up someone's innocence! I won't taunt him from this day onwards!' Seth swears to himself. 

"Brother Harry... Hu hu... Don't measure our brotherhood like this!" he begged Harry, although it sounded like he was only kidding. "You're heartless! I'm only a minor!" 

Lucy and Kristina, who have no idea what they were talking about, Kristina whispered to Lucy.

"Told you… that's how they interact. So, just don't mind them. Okay?" 

Lucy, who now understood, nodded and pushed a shy smile. 

"Okay! Let's finish setting the table and eat first. Let's not wait for Mary and Sam." Kristina knew why those two couples hadn't come out yet. But she won't dare to bother them. 

In the afternoon, Sam and Lee left with their girlfriends, Lucy and Kristina. Staying behind, Harry was grateful that the nosy guy was still here to accompany him. Seth has been glued to him ever since then… 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nina keeps sneezing… In the past two nights, she has been attending parties with Steven and her Aunt Annie and Gregory. Annie chose for Nina to attend these parties because these people are very well-known in the Business World in Europe. Annie already prepared Nina's path as an heir to the Li Empire. 

But because of the weather dropping below zero, Nina caught colds. 

"Steven, what are you doing?" she scowled at him.

Nina was seeking heat under her comforter. But Steven was here insisting on taking care of her. She wanted to take a nap, but she didn't want to sleep when the guy was there. 

At the moment, Steven was lying beside her. His reason, he will keep her warm. But the guy keeps stealing a kiss on her lips, nose, forehead, or cheeks. 

"Why don't you stay away from me? You'll catch a cold as well if you stay in my bedroom." 

Steven doesn't like that Nina keeps giving him poor treatment. But it worried him that Nina got sick. He has to go back to New Jersey in about two days. He loves her so much, and he wants to make sure he attends to her needs as if she was thirsty or hungry. Sometimes she was coughing constantly. Right now, Nina's voice is hoarse. She shouldn't talk much. 

"Just let me stay here with you. I'm worried. About you, of course." 

Frowning, Nina heaves a silent sigh. She wouldn't mind him doing such things. But she is uncomfortable that Steven is touching her. It was her reason she didn't want the guy around. Maybe if it was Harry, she won't mind at all. 

'Harry… I missed you....' she then drifted into a beautiful dream.