It was no secret that Abigail's first thought in any situation was inevitably Xander. Esther playfully protested, "Abigail, that's unfair. We all made the ravioli together, why does my brother get the first taste?"Abigail replied with a laugh, "Because Mr. Zane is my boss, and in my world, he always comes first. Everyone else has to step aside."Esther promptly asked, "So, what if it's between my brother and Nathan? Who would come first in your heart?""How can you compare?" Abigail asked, a woman who always kept her work and personal life separate. With her straightforward nature, she was not afraid to voice her thoughts. "Nathan is my husband, my closest companion. If all goes well, we'll be spending decades together. In my personal life, my first thoughts might be of Nathan, or perhaps my grandmother or my two close childhood friends, Felix and Melody. As for Mr. Zane, he's my superior, my employer, and someone I deeply respect. In matters related to work, he'd certainly be my f
Abigail could not discern anything from his expression and mistook his tolerance for preference, preparing to cook another batch of ravioli. "Mr. Zane, if you enjoy them, we can have some more."Xander nodded. "Sure."While Abigail went into the kitchen to prepare more ravioli, Esther turned to Xander, speaking softly, "Brother, if you don't like it, don't force yourself. You don't want to upset your stomach.""Do you think I, Xander, would force myself to eat something I don't like?" he countered."You don't seem to be far from that right now," Esther retorted. "You remind me of our old husky back home."Xander shot her a sharp glance. "What would you know?"His wife's handiwork filled his plate. His wife had minced the meat, made the ravioli, cooked them, even prepared the dipping sauce. No matter his preference, he was committed to eating, and not just a few bites. He was prepared to go the extra mile."Brother, I recall you saying that love is the most illusionary thing. You
The more Abigail kept mum about this, the more Esther wanted to know her stand on love. "Say something, Abigail. There are only the three of us today, so you can freely say what you think about love.""Everyone has their own view on romantic relationships, my view is but my opinion alone and doesn't amount to much," said Abigail as she looked at Xander who was sitting at the same table. Him not looking at her made her feel like he was not interested in her opinion at all."We just want to know your opinion on this, especially my brother." Esther tugged at Xander's sleeves. "Stop stuffing yourself full of ravioli and say something, Brother."Xander raised his head. He obviously cared about Abigail's view, but he acted indifferent. "Well, we're both married individuals, and should occasionally discuss how we manage our marriage so we can make our married life more fulfilling."Abigail immediately felt the mood change from a dinner on Easter night to a meeting where she was asked to s
"Were you suffering from a previous relationship, Abigail? Why don't you believe in love when you're still so young?" asked Esther directly."There was certainly some effect, though not to the extent of being hurt," said Abigail as the image of that person appeared in her mind, and she recalled what that person had said to her. Her disbelief in love may be due to the influence of that person, but it was not solely because of that person's influence.The prerequisite for a lot of marriages nowadays was to see how many physical possessions the other party had. Men looked for rich women so they could have a carefree life while women looked for rich men, so they did not have to worry about spending. Having seen many such cases, Abigail felt that marriage nowadays was more of a business deal than solely just a marriage. Couples did not marry to have a married life, but to live with more material possessions, akin to co-living with another person without love.Esther asked, "Does that mea
"Alright. I'll start preparing once I'm done washing the dishes." Abigail was a little disappointed for not being able to see the snowy night scene in Paridale Tower, but it was far from important as her work."Why are you busy working instead of being with your wife, Brother?" asked Esther, rolling her eyes in anger. "Can't you reject him even just for once, Abigail? Executive assistants are still humans after all, not robots. What's the point of working every day of the year? Didn't anyone tell you that earning money is so you can more effectively spend it?"Having the spirit of an employee, Abigail would prioritize working for her own keep over anything else. "We'd still have to earn money before we have any to spend with. Where else would the money come from otherwise?""Are the both of you working with each other to piss me off? Fine, I'll leave. I'll not get in the way of your work anymore," exclaimed an angry Esther as she huffed and puffed away downstairs while yelling, "Oth
Xander once again became the driver and Abigail remained in the front passenger seat. He did not say where they were going, so she had to ask, "Are we going to resolve the aftermath of the bomb attack, Mr. Zane?""Yes," replied Xander with a nod as he focused on driving Abigail through the streets.Abigail had no idea how to continue the conversation with him since he was focused on driving and did not speak, so she turned her head to look at the descending snow outside the window. The heavy snowfall had been ongoing for two to three hours. The trees along the road and roofs were covered in thick layers of snow, making the whole city look like a winter wonderland from a fairy tale."Do you like what you see?" asked Xander suddenly, his voice carrying his usual deep tone that was deeply intoxicating.Abigail nodded her head. "Yes."She was well aware of the relationship between them but would sometimes be captivated by his throaty voice. She could not help but imagine how perfect i
Xander drove through several streets before parking in a parking lot. "There's no parking lot where we're going, Abigail. We'll have to park here and walk the remaining hundred meters or more to our destination.""Alright." Abigail pushed on her door and got down from the car. She tightened her down jacket when a sudden gust of wind blew the cold snow air toward her, making her shiver.When they got out of the car, Xander casually passed something to her. "Carry this," he told her.She instinctively grabbed at the thing and felt her hands warm up, only to realize Xander had passed a heating pad to her. "Does Paridale also sell heating pads that are similar to our country, Mr. Zane?"Xander smiled. "Paridale is a metropolitan, not some wilderness. You can buy almost anything as long as you have the money for it."Abigail was speechless. 'What he said made sense, but why would he bring a heating pad around when he should be immune to the cold?'Abigail, still having question marks
Hearing what he said, Abigail straightforwardly asked, "Then could I trouble you to take a few pictures, Mr. Zane?"Xander agreed, "Sure."Abigail took out her phone and passed it to him, having a lot of requests, but dared not to ask, so she said, "Please make sure the Paridale Tower is in the picture, Mr. Zane."Xander replied, "Alright."Abigail was not normally a photophilic person, and added with the fact that Xander, the CEO, was taking her picture; she could not relax her embarrassed expression. Xander could not help but laugh when he noticed she was embarrassed enough to almost start bursting into tears. "Abigail, everyone will mistake me for a bad guy if you keep that expression while I take your picture."She tried her best to maintain her usual smile, but her smile was diminished by the thought of having Xander see her every move through the camera. Coincidentally, a couple suddenly leaned closer to her, oblivious to their surroundings, and started hugging and passionat
Emma turned and dashed into the bathroom. She cranked the faucet on and splashed water on her face, aiming to soothe her nerves.Although they were engaged, they were still too young, with countless uncertainties looming over their future. The possibility of actually walking down the aisle was up in the air.Decisions made in a rush of happiness could eventually become sources of regret. And Emma knew all too well that she couldn't afford any regrets.She thought that fortunately, Ron hadn't pushed things further, which gave her time to cool off.After freshening up, Emma stepped out to find Ron on the balcony, a cigarette in hand.She couldn't resist chiding him, "I've told you to cut down on smoking. Why can't you seem to remember?"This time, Ron complied, snuffing out the cigarette. "We should get some sleep. We've got to put our best foot forward when we meet your family tomorrow.""Okay, I'll sleep on the couch. You take the bed," Emma responded.Ron simply replied, "As y
Ron looked at her dawdling pace with disdain. "If you, a lady, can handle it, why can't I, a grown man, stay?"His words sounded noble, but Ron regretted them the moment they arrived at the hotel.Despite now earning a decent income, Emma was still reluctant to spend money.This place was hardly a hotel; it was clearly a budget inn charging only a few dozen bucks a night. The hygiene was questionable at best, and safety seemed like a gamble.Ron turned on his heel, dragging her suitcase behind him. "We're leaving, now.""It's too late, and we can't get a refund for the room.""Are you trying to get us killed?"Emma fell silent, her thoughts a whirlwind of frustration. 'I told him he wouldn't be used to cheap places. He insisted on coming with me, and now he won't even let me stay here alone. Why is he so annoying?'However, considering Ron had rushed over in the middle of the night to help her, Emma decided not to hold it against him.Ron picked the best hotel in the area—the
Rebekah glanced over at Ron; she exchanged a knowing look with him before saying, "I'll have someone tidy up the rooms. Why don't you two stay here tonight and keep me company?"Ron replied simply, "Sure."Emma had purchased a midnight flight back to South Florivera, necessitating a rush to the airport, which made staying over after dinner impossible.Yet, she found herself at a loss for words, struggling to decline Rebekah's kind offer.As she hesitated, Ron stepped in to clear the air. "Mom, I've got something on tonight. After dinner, I'll drive Emma back to her dorm."Rebekah raised an eyebrow. "What's so important?" she wondered aloud, thinking, 'Wasn't he the one insisting Emma stay over? What's he up to now?'Ron kept it mysterious. "Life stuff."Rebekah could not help but chide him lightly, "You, always the joker."Right after dinner, Ron insisted on leaving to take Emma back to her dormitory. But as soon as they were out of the gated community, he asked, "So, you reall
Ron chuckled. "I didn't know you were aware that even a cornered rat will fight."Emma shot him a glare. "Are we going or not?"Ron quickly said, "Of course. When Miss Blue commands, how can I dare not obey?"Fearing another of his notorious driving escapades, Emma hastily buckled her seatbelt as she settled into the car.Thankfully, this time Ron kept it smooth, driving steadily.As they neared their destination, Ron finally spoke up, "You know, that Tucker guy is a married man. Don't let his kindness fool you into being the other woman."Emma's gaze on Ron was fiery, seething with anger. "Do you even hear yourself? Is that what you think of me? For the last time: Tucker and I share nothing more than a mentor-mentee relationship. There's nothing else between us.""I'm just looking out for you, worried you might get deceived," Ron said, witnessing Emma's fury for the first time. Yet, he could not help but find her anger not at all intimidating, but rather endearingly foolish.R
The two sisters had a pact: no cell phones at home to keep their secrets from the prying eyes of the Blue family. Thus, Emma could call only at prearranged times, the sole window for Rihanna to catch up.Rihanna's voice bubbled with excitement over the phone, as she chattered away about her life's minutiae.Knowing Rihanna was doing well eased Emma's mind.Just as Emma was about to end the call, she heard Rihanna's voice, soft and wistful. "You're really not coming home for the holidays? If you don't, I'll be all alone."Emma's heart clenched at those words, and she made up her mind in an instant. "I'll come back the day before New Year's Eve."The Blue family had their hands full with festivities that day, too busy to notice Rihanna's absence. Emma figured slipping back unnoticed then would be her best shot.After hanging up, Emma immediately booked a flight from Valtara to South Florivera. With her ticket secured and her last bit of work finished, Emma prepared to leave her off
Emma had no interest in romance, let alone the audacity to dream that Ron might fancy her.This time, she did not pick up the thread of conversation.After dinner, Ron, as usual, drove Emma back to the university.Before parting, Ron said, "Winter break is almost upon us, and the dorms might be off-limits. Are you sure you don't want to stay at my place for a couple of months?"Emma offered a smile in response. "Thanks for the offer. I've spoken with the dorm supervisor and submitted an application in advance. I'll be able to stay over the holiday period."Ron paused before saying, "Well, if you need anything, just let me know. I'll text you my number in a bit; make sure you save it."Emma nodded. "Sure."Without further ado, Ron drove off.Upon returning to her dorm, Emma saw Evelyn and Cassie, busy packing their bags, surrounded by gifts for their parents bought from Valtara.Evelyn asked Emma, "Are you really not going home for the winter break?"Emma replied, "No, I won't
Emma did not have the guts to risk failure because she did not have a safe haven to fall back on.Lucas kicked Ron in the shin. "Come on, if you fancy her, out with it. No Hagrid heir dithers like this."Ron glared at him. "Mind your own business." In his head, Emma was already his. The thought of losing her was unimaginable.Lucas said, "Without my meddling, she'd never be yours."Ron changed the subject. "I called you here for a serious discussion."Lucas replied, "No matter how serious, it can't outweigh the matter of your lifetime happiness."Ron was exasperated. "Lucas!"Lucas relented. "Alright, alright, you talk, I'm all ears."Ron spelled out Emma's music venture with Tucker. After hearing it all, Lucas could not help but see Emma in a new light."Never pegged Emma as such a dark horse," Lucas said.Silently listening to their conversation, Emma was thrilled to have her work recognized.Lucas said, "But, getting back to it, whether a song makes money, and how much, d
Ron barked, "Lucas!"With a chuckle, Lucas responded, "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing Emma. I'm starving. Let's grab some food and talk business while we eat."Ron snapped, "Get lost!"Lucas could not help but revel in Ron's frustration. "Ron, have you fallen so quickly? Who was it that told me they would never accept an arranged marriage?"Emma was increasingly confused by their banter. "If it's inconvenient for me to be here, I can just take a cab and leave."Ron said, "Call you dumb and you won't admit it!"Emma thought to herself, 'I didn't want to be a third wheel, cramping their style. Was that really so wrong? No good deed goes unpunished, apparently.'Suddenly, Ron grabbed Emma's hand and led her inside. "It's cold out; let's go inside."Emma had to quicken her pace, practically being dragged along.Seeing them together, Lucas laughed heartily from behind. "Ron, oh Ron, never thought I'd see the day.""Don't laugh too soon. Your day is coming," Ron shot back.Th
Emma said, "Okay."Ron asked, "Have you won over your crush?"Lucas responded, "Secret."Ron replied, "Looks like you haven't won her over."Lucas said, "As long as I make a move, there's no girl I can't win over. But I haven't made a move yet because the timing isn't right."Ron asked, "Is it because of the Sandow family?"Lucas answered, "The Sandow family wants to marry their daughter to me, and my family wants me to marry her too. But I've told them long ago that I'm not willing to do that. Nobody can make me marry a girl I don't like."Emma remained silent. 'I didn't expect that Lucas would also have the same problem as me and Ron.'It seems like the wealthier the family, the more they'll arrange marriages based on social status without considering personal preferences.'Lucas seemed to sense Emma's thoughts. "Emma, my situation with the Sandow girl is different from yours and Ron's. Don't lump us together."Ron looked at Emma and suddenly said, "There isn't any other gi