How About I Help You Win Her Over?

She was always so clear-headed and calm, with a perceptiveness completely at odds with her appearance.

Still, Stephanie's words did make Sean relax quite a bit.

The base flaws rooted deep in the human heart never disappeared. As Sean Wallop, Greed himself, he was even a little thrilled at the moment—Stephanie was helping him magnify those flaws, along with the justification behind them.

Perhaps sensing Sean's gradually relaxing, even pleased mood, Stephanie let out a coquettish huff with an expression utterly unlike her usual self.

"Mr. Wallop, your shamelessness far exceeds my imagination—after I've provided you with so much emotional support, even spared you some of your worries, your response is to secretly gloat inside?"

Sean cleared his throat and said solemnly, "That's slander. I'm not happy at all. I feel very sorry right now—"

Slender fingers covered his mouth. Stephanie said unhappily, "Pushing your luck invites retaliation."

"I wasn't..."

Stephanie looked over with sparkling eyes. "I've already been completely honest with you. Shouldn't you tell me about your real thought process?"

Sean caught her fingers and gently squeezed them a few times. After considering it, he said, "Based on the experience I've gathered over the years, in relationships between men and women, a man's sincerity often earns all kinds of praise. Things like, 'You're such a good person,' or 'Your feelings are so pure.' Unfortunately, that isn't appealing—not appealing to girls. Sincerity ends up looking dull-witted. Besides, I'm Sean Wallop, Greed and shamelessness incarnate. Being smooth-talking and handsy seems better suited to the image I ought to present."

"What image?" Stephanie smiled.

She did not refute Sean's point. Instead, she tacitly accepted it.

"A playboy?" Sean blinked.

"Very accurate." Stephanie raised her voice slightly.

Sean leaned closer. As he counted her long lashes and gently stroked her hair, he