Jolie frowned. "Mom, I told you, I’m not close to Mr. Cooper."Daisy replied, "Of course, you won’t be close to him if you don’t stay in touch with him. The more you connect, the closer you will be. Get in touch with Mr. Cooper soon and let us know once you’ve arranged everything. We’ll handle the time and place."After saying that, she didn’t bother to see Jolie’s reaction and went back to arranging flowers.Jolie felt a deep sense of helplessness. How could they think she was close enough to Gavin to casually invite him to dinner? They were so confident, weren’t they? Jolie got up and left. She had originally planned to meet some friends for a photoshoot today. As a freelance photography enthusiast, she enjoyed capturing moments outdoors, but now, she wasn’t in the mood. She wandered around on her own. At the entrance of a mall, she unexpectedly ran into Selena. Selena had come to pick up something she’d forgotten to buy while shopping with Aveline yesterday. Neither of
Jolie followed Selena into the Cooper family villa. Neither Gavin nor Gernard was home. Gavin was at the office, and Gernard had already left for South Afreeca. Wilfried had gone fishing with an old friend, leaving only Aveline, Lucas, their two kids, and the household staff in the villa. “Ave,” Selena called as they stepped into the living room. Aveline was holding Pax, keeping him entertained, but she looked up at the sound of Selena’s voice. Surprised, she asked, “Back so soon?” Her gaze shifted, catching sight of Jolie trailing behind. “Miss Quin, hello,” Jolie greeted with a polite smile. Aveline returned the smile warmly. “Please, have a seat. Make yourself at home.” Selena had already washed her hands and returned to pick up Joy, gently coaxing the child with a soft tone. Jolie sat on the edge of the sofa, visibly tense. Noticing her unease, Aveline walked over and asked with a gentle smile, “Would you like to hold the baby?” Jolie blinked in surprise. “Me? C
After the two little ones fell asleep, the nanny carried them back to their room. Aveline stood up and said, “I’ve been working on some sketches lately. You two chat. I just had a spark of inspiration and need to put it down before I lose it.” Selena immediately made a show of trying to stop her from leaving, but Aveline only smiled faintly, giving her a meaningful look as if to say, “Take care of Jolie.” Selena was left speechless.She suddenly regretted bringing Jolie here. What on earth had possessed her to do that? Was she out of her mind? Aveline had already gone upstairs, and now Selena couldn’t just get up and leave. Glancing at Jolie, she asked, “Want to watch TV?” Instead of answering, Jolie asked, “Why did you bring me here, Selena?” Selena fell silent. Her irritation spiked. Why did everything have to be spelled out? Why couldn’t people just let things be? With a grumble, she snapped, “You probably think I’ve lost my mind, don’t you?” Jolie chuckled sof
After Selena finished speaking, she got up and left the living room. Jolie watched her retreating figure, her lips pressing together lightly. Did Selena really dislike her that much? If so, what was the point of staying here? After a moment of thought, Jolie stood and left. A housekeeper noticed her leaving and quickly informed Selena. Selena remained silent for a moment after hearing the news, then walked to the window on the second floor, watching as Jolie left. Her silhouette, so slender and delicate, inexplicably carried a trace of loneliness. "Since you brought her back, why not at least let her stay for dinner?" Aveline appeared beside her, also gazing at Jolie’s fading figure. Selena sighed lightly. "Ave, I just can’t bring myself to talk to her calmly." "That’s understandable," Aveline replied softly. Selena leaned against her, exhaling slowly. "It’s like I can’t let go of the things that happened in the past, even though I know none of it was her fault."
Jolie stared at Gavin in surprise. Under the flickering lights, his features were sharp and defined, his deep, dark eyes fixed on her without wavering. She had to take it herself? She thought she must’ve misheard him. But before she could process his words further, the sounds of her friends cheering in the background reached her ears. The corners of her lips curved slightly, and she took a step forward. “Thank you, Mr. Cooper.” Her slender, delicate fingers reached for the cool metal of his belt buckle. She fumbled, unfamiliar with how to undo it. After all, this wasn’t something she had experience with. The situation was undeniably awkward. The proximity between them was far too close. Gavin’s intense gaze bore into her, radiating an inexplicable pressure that made her palms sweat. Why was this thing so hard to figure out? Just as her frustration peaked, his fingers suddenly covered hers. Guiding her hand, he directed her to the right spot on the buckle and pressed g
The night breeze carried a faint chill, prompting Jolie to rub her arms as she glanced at the app to check on her ride. She had indulged in a few drinks tonight. Otherwise, she would have driven herself home. Just then, a sleek black SUV pulled up in front of her. The tinted window rolled down, revealing a chiseled, serious face. “Mr. Cooper,” Jolie greeted with a polite smile when she saw him. Gavin rested one hand casually on the steering wheel, his deep gaze briefly sweeping over her. “Get in.” What? Was he offering to give her a ride? Jolie hesitated, instinctively shaking her head. “There’s no need, Mr. Cooper. I’ve already called a car.” Gavin’s voice was calm but firm. “You still haven’t returned my belt.” Oh. Right. Jolie quickly fished the belt out of her bag, the black leather contrasting starkly against her fair hands. The striking visual caught Gavin’s attention, and his gaze lingered on her fingers—slender and delicate, so pale they seemed almost fragil
Jolie jerked her hand back instinctively, but before she could fully retreat, her wrist was firmly caught in a hot, unyielding grip. Startled, she looked up and found Gavin awake, his dark, piercing gaze locked onto hers. She hadn’t even noticed when he’d opened his eyes, but now he was staring at her with an intensity that made her skin prickle. “Mr. Cooper, you’re awake?” Forcing a stiff smile, she tried to play it off casually, her tone light but betraying her unease. “What were you doing?” His voice was deep, steady, and laced with suspicion as his sharp eyes bore into her. “I saw you were asleep and thought I’d just let myself out to head home,” she explained quickly. “I didn’t mean to touch you. It was an accident. My apologies.” Her flustered tone melted into something more composed, her lips curling into a picture-perfect smile. The shift was almost seamless like a sly little fox slipping its mask back on. One moment she was frazzled; the next, she was polite and po
"Alright," Gavin agreed without hesitation. Jolie fell silent.She led the way out of the car, her expression less than pleased. This wasn’t how the night was supposed to go. She and Gavin were from two entirely different worlds, and there was no reason for their paths to cross like this. Where had things gone wrong? As they walked, an image flashed through her mind—Gavin’s gaze when he looked at Selena. At that moment, her eyes grew colder. Her apartment was on the 17th floor. At this late hour, the elevator was empty, leaving just the two of them. Jolie stood in front, the reflective elevator walls showing Gavin’s sharp, handsome features. He kept his gaze lowered, his face expressionless. Ding!The elevator doors opened, and Jolie stepped out first, entering her apartment by scanning her fingerprint. She opened the door and retrieved a pair of men’s slippers from the shoe cabinet, placing them in front of him. "Please, Mr. Cooper." Gavin’s gaze flickered briefly
The reason it wasn’t the same was simple—her plan would fall apart if she got caught.Of course, that wasn’t something she could admit.Jolie simply said, "I just don’t want any unnecessary complications. Since you’ve already arranged the flight, let’s just leave directly."Gavin’s dark eyes fixed on her for a moment, but he didn’t press the issue.It was clear she didn’t want to talk about it any further, so he let it drop.When the elevator doors opened, the two of them walked out together. A car was already waiting at the entrance. Gavin, ever the gentleman, opened the door for her.The car pulled away from Cooper Enterprises, and Gavin asked, "What do you want to eat?"Jolie, busy typing on her phone, replied, "I know a good restaurant."It was a cozy place she loved, one she often visited with her friends."Alright," Gavin replied, pulling out his phone to respond to some emails. With his work condensed into such a tight schedule, he seized every spare moment to handle it.Jolie p
Gavin suddenly recalled Wilfried's words, "That girl doesn’t even like you."Lowering his gaze slightly, Gavin pushed the thought aside without explanation, his expression remaining cool and indifferent as he watched her. After Jolie finished looking through the photos, she turned to him and asked, "Why do you have pictures of all these women?" "My father brought them over," Gavin replied. "Oh." Jolie nodded knowingly and didn’t press further. It was easy enough to figure out—the Cooper family obviously wanted him to consider an arranged marriage, so they sent over these photos for him to choose from. She could understand that. In fact, she even helped him look through them, just in case one of these women turned out to be a good match for him. After all, their relationship wasn’t meant to last forever. When he grew tired of her and she had her fun, they’d part ways, and everything would return to normal. As she neatly organized the photos and placed them back on the ta
It was Jolie’s first time visiting Cooper Enterprises, and she couldn’t help but feel a sense of curiosity about the place.No, to be precise, it was her first time stepping into any corporate office. The Quin family also had company, but she had never visited, nor had Daisy or Terence ever asked her to.The private elevator for the CEO was stunningly opulent, its polished surface gleaming like a mirror, perfectly reflecting their images. Jolie’s heart began to race with an inexplicable excitement.The assistant glanced at her and said with a warm smile, "Miss Quin, there’s no need to be nervous. Mr. Cooper will definitely be delighted to see you."Jolie nodded and replied, "I’m not nervous."The elevator moved swiftly, and as they neared the executive office, Jolie adjusted her cap and mask, pulling them snugly to hide her face as much as possible.Meanwhile, near the adjacent employee elevator, Rosalie was holding a stack of files, ready to head downstairs.She froze the moment she s
"I’ll wait for you to come back," Jolie said softly before hanging up the call. The phone let out a soft beep, and the beautiful girl on the screen disappeared. Gavin frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure flickering across his face. She ended the call without letting him say anything. But as he replayed her soft words about waiting for him, the irritation quickly faded. When his assistant walked in, the first thing he noticed was Gavin staring at his phone, an unreadable smile tugging at the corner of his lips. The assistant froze, momentarily feeling as though he’d seen a ghost. Blinking hard, he looked again. Phew! It must have been his imagination. Gavin still wore his usual cold and impassive expression. "Mr. Cooper, these are the proposals submitted by the planning department," the assistant said as he placed the documents on Gavin’s desk. "Mm," Gavin acknowledged, immediately opening the files to review them. "Mr. Cooper, I’ve also finalized your schedule for
It sounded so much like Jolie! The thought stunned Rosalie. Jolie had a boyfriend, and she got sent abroad because of him. How could she possibly be in contact with Gavin, let alone on a video call with him? Still, an uneasy suspicion gnawed at Rosalie. If she could just take one glance at the woman in Gavin’s video call, she could put her mind at ease. Gathering her courage, Rosalie lifted her head and looked in Gavin’s direction, her gaze fixed on his phone. The next second, a figure stepped in front of her—Gavin’s assistant. With a cold stare, he blocked her view. Startled, Rosalie’s face turned pale. By now, Gavin had already entered his office. The assistant looked at Rosalie, his voice icy. “What are you trying to do?” “I-I…” Rosalie hadn’t expected to be caught so quickly. Her heart leapt into her throat as she scrambled for an excuse. “I just wanted to check if Mr. Cooper needed anything.” “That’s not your job,” the assistant replied firmly. “You may be the
Aveline held Joy in one arm and looked at Selena, asking, "What are you doing?" Selena replied, "Do you know what I just saw?" Aveline shook her head. "No idea." "Hickeys!" Selena pointed exaggeratedly to a spot on her neck, saying, "Right here. And I don’t think it’s just one spot. There’s probably a lot more below. Tsk tsk!" She clicked her tongue twice, shaking her head as she added, "Who would’ve thought Mr. Cooper could be so... ravenous." Aveline was amused and said, "Well, it makes sense. After all, he's already thirty, never had a girlfriend, and now that he finally does, of course, he’d go all out to spoil her." "Go all out to spoil her..." Selena drew out the words, mimicking her tone as she leaned in closer. "Ave, you’ve really been corrupted by Lucas, that scoundrel. You never used to talk like this." Aveline responded matter-of-factly, "I’m the mother of two now. What’s there to be embarrassed about?" "Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Selena made a playful, teasing expr
The corners of Gavin’s lips curved into a faint smile.The subordinate giving the report froze, his eyes widening in shock.What on earth?!Did he just witness that?Their notoriously serious and unsmiling boss—especially during work—had just smiled. In the middle of a meeting at his phone.Several others in the room noticed it too. Their gazes darted between each other in silent but frantic communication.What’s going on?Did Mr. Cooper just smile? At his phone? During a meeting?“Is he… dating someone?” everyone thought.“Ahem!”Gavin’s assistant cleared his throat, immediately breaking the silent chaos. First, it was a warning to the staff to rein in their imaginations, and second, it was a subtle reminder to Gavin, who was typing a reply.Even the assistant couldn’t help the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.Who would have thought?The president of Cooper Enterprises, a man known for his iron will and unshakable focus, was texting his girlfriend during a meeting… and smilin
Rosalie said, “That must be tough for you. But why did Uncle and Aunt suddenly decide to send you abroad?” Jolie’s eyes flickered. So, her parents hadn’t told their relatives the real reason? How typical.Of course, they’d be too embarrassed to admit it. Shipping their daughter abroad just to force her to break up with her boyfriend? What a humiliating thing to confess. Jolie replied calmly, “I wanted to study abroad to gain some experience. It’s for my future photography exhibition. I still have a lot to learn.” “Oh, I see,” Rosalie responded, feigning understanding. Then she added, “Where are you staying? If I get the chance, I’ll come visit you.” “There’s no need, but thanks for thinking of me,” Jolie said lightly. “I’ll only be gone for a year. I’ll be back before you know it.” Rosalie smiled on the other end. “Alright then. If you need anything, just let me know.” “Sure.” After a few more polite exchanges, the call ended. Rosalie stared at her phone, gripping it
"Beep! Unlocked!" The electronic voice of the fingerprint lock sounded unusually clear in the quiet night. As soon as Jolie stepped through the door, Gavin wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her into a warm embrace. His hot breath cascaded down onto her ear and neck, making her breath hitch instantly. She didn’t even have time to take off her shoes before she was swept up into his arms. His kisses were relentless, stealing her breath and unraveling her control as her emotions rose and fell with his every move. Before she knew it, she was seated on the entryway cabinet. Her dress had been pushed up to her waist, and her legs were forced to cling to his lean waist. His fingers trailed over her skin, leaving traces of his presence wherever they went. “Mm…” A soft whimper escaped her lips as his kisses marked her skin. Each mark, blooming like crimson flowers against her fair skin, painted a vivid contrast on her porcelain complexion. The room remained pitch dark, but