At that moment, Lucas suddenly turned his head slightly, causing Aveline's intended kiss on the corner of his lips to land directly on his mouth.Aveline froze and quickly sat back down, her ears turning red.Lucas' eyes darkened as he looked at her. "Is that all?"Aveline responded, "Lucas, don't push your luck."But Lucas chuckled softly. "Aveline, you're the one trying to please me right now. Are you sure you want to talk to me like that?"Aveline's gaze turned cold as she looked at him.He always used the threat of divorce against her but never followed through. What exactly did he want?Lucas watched her leisurely as if he was certain she would give in.Aveline, however, scoffed and turned her head away, ignoring him.Lucas' expression hardened.He stared at her face for a long time before finally starting the car and driving away.The car was filled with a stifling atmosphere, making it hard to breathe.Aveline lowered the car window, but within seconds, it was rolled back up.Av
Aveline made a simple meal and sat at the dining table, instinctively checking her phone.What's going on?Lucas hadn't come up yet?Where did he go?Her mind started to wander. She gripped her phone, staring at it for a while, then remembered what he said earlier. She needed to keep him appeased to get the divorce finalized. Otherwise, she'd remain trapped in this dangerous situation.Taking a deep breath, Aveline dialed Lucas' number.After three rings, the call was answered."When are you coming back?" she asked directly."You're so shameless! Lucas loves Sophia, not you. Why do you keep clinging to him? Because of you, they can't be together, and Sophia has depression!" The angry female voice on the other end wasn't Lucas.Aveline's expression turned icy. "Did you eat crap before leaving the house?"Sharon Walsh's face twisted in anger. "How dare you insult me?"Aveline sneered. "Did I insult you? I was just reminding you to brush your teeth. Even through the phone, your breath sti
Sophia's pale face showed a faint smile. "I'm fine, I was just too tired and fell asleep."Sharon retorted, "Nonsense, who falls asleep on the floor? The gas was on in the house, Sophia. Don't do anything stupid, okay?"Sophia replied, "Alright, I understand."At that moment, Lucas walked in, his eyes fixed on Sophia's pale face, his expression tense."Lucas, I'm sorry I scared you. I'm really fine. If you have something to do, you should go ahead," Sophia said, her face showing a gentle understanding.Sharon interjected, "What could he possibly be busy with? He was probably thinking about that other woman. Sophia, you shouldn't have saved him back then. You lost a leg for him, and now you almost died!""Sharon, stop talking," Sophia interrupted, then began coughing violently.Lucas stepped forward and handed her a glass of water.Sophia struggled to sit up but accidentally slipped. Lucas frowned as he saw her struggle.Sharon snapped, "What are you waiting for? Help Sophia!""I can ma
After leaving the hospital, Lucas called Aveline, but she quickly hung up on him.His brows furrowed.Their relationship had just begun to reach a delicate balance, but Sophia's sudden crisis had shattered it.Lucas had never felt so agitated before. He tugged at his tie, trying to release the frustration tightening his chest.But it was all in vain.Sitting in his car, he lit a cigarette. The smoke swirled in front of him as he half-closed his eyes, staring ahead.Just then, his phone rang. He quickly grabbed it, expecting it to be Aveline, but it was a message from Maria instead.“I've found Darren's location.”Lucas replied, “Send it over.”Maria texted, “No.”Lucas replied, “What?”Maria teased, “Haha, I'm just rebellious like that.”Lucas texted back, “Then you can spend the rest of your life being rebellious in the Southeast region. Don't come back.”Maria immediately apologized, “Boss, I'm sorry. I'll send it to you right away.”Soon, Lucas received Darren's current location.It
Aaron stopped him. "I know you're eager to drink, but you shouldn't rush it. You need a reason to get drunk. What's going on?"Lucas' eyes were cold as he looked at him. "Are you sick?"Aaron replied, "Lucas, what's your problem? I'm concerned about you, and you insult me? Don't you know this kind of behavior can hurt a friend's feelings? If you keep this up, you won't have anyone to drink with."Lucas just stared at him coolly.They were silent for a moment before Aaron raised his hand. "Fine, I give up. Drink all you want. Just don't end up crying on my leg."Lucas said, "I'll dig out your brain and cry into that."Aaron was speechless. "You're ruthless!"Lucas drank, the burning sensation spreading through his mouth. He frowned, leaned back, and covered his eyes with his hand.His voice was low and raspy, "Aaron, how did I survive until today?"Aaron replied, "Because you're lucky."Lucas fell silent.The conversation died immediately.There was a moment of silence in the room.Aaro
Aveline looked at Aaron with a faint smile. "Would you dare to say that to him when he's sober?"Aaron was speechless for a moment.He looked at Aveline for a while, then suddenly turned to the semi-conscious Lucas and said, "Buddy, you're going to have a tough time in the future."Aveline still showed no intention of letting them in. "You should go back to wherever you came from. You're not welcome here."With that, she lowered the baseball bat and slammed the door shut.Aaron stood there, taking a deep breath before turning around and supporting Lucas as they left." Ave..." Lucas mumbled drunkenly.Aaron sneered. "Your Ave doesn't want you anymore. Go ahead and keep acting out."Back in her bedroom, Aveline lay down and closed her eyes but couldn't fall asleep.She opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts a mess.Why did he go drinking again?Wasn't he supposed to see Sophia?Did he feel so heartbroken about her depression that he drank to drown his sorrows?Wow, how se
Aaron lay on the hospital bed, his head wrapped in bandages, his handsome face looking somewhat weak. However, the look he gave Selena was one of fury.Selena instinctively hid behind Aveline.Inside the room, it wasn’t just Aaron. Lucas was sitting in a chair nearby, exuding a powerful and cold presence. As soon as she entered, his gaze fell on her.Aveline ignored Lucas and addressed Aaron. "Mr. Fletcher, my friend didn't mean to hurt you. She will cover all your hospital expenses and compensate you for any losses. What do you think?"Aaron sneered. "I think I'd like to hit her on the head with a fire extinguisher."Aveline frowned. "Violence is not the answer."Aaron's mouth twitched, glaring at Selena hiding behind Aveline, and then glanced at Lucas before saying, "As for compensation, I don't need money, but I do need a nurse."Selena offered, "I will hire the best nurse to take care of you."Aaron replied, "I don't want that."Selena asked, "Then what do you want?"Aaron stated,
Aaron's eyes widened in shock. He quickly tried to explain, "No, wait, this isn’t... I didn’t mean..."The more he tried to clarify, the less sense he made. He had just said it was all because of Lucas, but now Aveline was calling him a good person. What did that make Lucas?Aaron felt a chill run down his spine and looked at Lucas in a panic. "Lucas, she’s just talking nonsense..."Lucas simply looked at him coolly.Aveline said, "Mr. Fletcher, please rest well. We won’t disturb you any further."With that, she pulled Selena out of the room."Hey, don’t go!" Aaron was so anxious he almost jumped out of bed.What on earth was going on?He looked at Lucas. "Lucas, I was trying to help you, I really was."Lucas said, "You truly are a good person."Aaron was speechless. He felt like dying.Outside the room, Selena couldn't stop laughing. "Ave, you’re brilliant! Did you see Lucas' face? It looked so upset. How satisfying!"Aveline remained calm. "I can see through their intentions. There's
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
The lighting inside the cinema was dim, making it hard for Gavin to see Jolie’s face clearly. However, he could sense her stiffness. He glanced at her deeply before his gaze shifted back to the screen.The movie ended, and their hands remained intertwined the entire time. The warmth on Jolie’s cheeks had subsided as they stepped outside. Glancing at the tall, handsome man beside her, her heart skipped a beat uncontrollably.“Jolie?”At that moment, a voice called out from not far away. Jolie froze, not turning around. The voice carried a hint of uncertainty, and the person’s companion spoke in confusion, “Are you sure? Didn’t they send Jolie abroad?”The speaker was Jolie’s cousin, Rosalie Quin, from her uncle’s family.Frowning slightly, Rosalie replied, “But she really looks like her.”Her friend scoffed. “You must be seeing things. Wasn’t Jolie sent abroad? Didn’t you mention her family even cut off her cards? I still can’t believe she’d go to such lengths over a guy.”Rosalie lowe
Jolie fiddled with her phone, trying to find the perfect angle for a good photo. Less than ten minutes later, there was a knock on the private dining room door. “Come in,” Gavin said calmly. A man in a tailored suit entered, holding a professional camera in his hand. Jolie looked at him in confusion. “Who’s this?” Gavin replied, “He’s an excellent photographer, a first-place winner in an international photography competition. Let him take your photos.” “What?” Jolie blinked in disbelief, glancing between the man and Gavin. So, because she complained about his lack of photography skills, he brought in someone with top-tier skills? And not just anyone—a world champion? Oh, dear! Jolie was suddenly at a loss for words. She opened her mouth but struggled to find the right thing to say. After a moment, she stammered, “Uh… actually, it’s not necessary.” “Not taking pictures anymore?” Gavin asked. Jolie shook her head. “No, I’m not. I’m hungry.” Having someone else tak