Aveline found herself isolated at work. She was removed from the project team collaborating with Brighton Enterprises since the project was nearing completion and her presence was no longer required.When Aveline was informed of this, she wasn't surprised. She remained calm, focusing on her daily tasks. However, her colleagues also noticed her isolation, and those who used to curry favor with her began to distance themselves. This newfound solitude actually brought her some peace.Around noon, a deliveryman approached, calling out, "A package for Aveline Young!"Aveline paused. She hadn't ordered anything, so where was this package coming from? She took it from the deliveryman—a small box that rattled lightly when shaken. The sender was anonymous.Hesitant, she decided not to open it immediately. Given her previous experiences of being stalked, dragged into the woods, and receiving bloody photos, she wasn't about to open an unknown package without caution.Leaving the package on her d
Aveline looked at her coldly. "You touched my things without permission and then made such a fuss about it. Don't you have any sense of shame?"Zoe's face darkened. "How dare you insult me?""If you say another word, it won't just be an insult," Aveline replied coldly.Zoe's face grew uglier, and she immediately went to find the manager.Gwen Scoot, the manager arrived quickly. When she saw what was inside the package, her expression changed instantly. She turned to Aveline and asked, "Is this yours?"Aveline's expression remained cold. "What do you mean?"Gwen said, "Why bring such disgusting things to the office? If you don't want to work, do you expect others to not work as well?"Previously, Gwen wouldn't have dared to speak to Aveline like this. Not only because she was responsible for Brighton Enterprises' projects but also because of the boss' ambiguous attitude towards her.Today, however, Gwen received a notification from Desmond himself, instructing her to remove Aveline from
Aveline paused for a moment before walking straight past without glancing to the side. Desmond took a deep breath and approached her. "Miss Young."Aveline stopped. "What is it?"Desmond pulled out a document, a professional smile on his face. "You should sign this. It will be better for both you and Mr. Tudor."Aveline's expression darkened as she looked at the document in Desmond's hand. "What do you mean? Are you going to bring a new one every day as long as I refuse to sign? And target me in the company?"Desmond replied, "That's how it is, but I didn't instruct anyone to target you."He couldn't let himself be falsely accused.Aveline's tone was cold. "If it wasn't you, then it was Lucas. It makes no difference."Desmond was taken aback. Should he explain that she misunderstood something? He decided against it. Better to inform Lucas first; he wouldn't want to act on his own and displease him.Desmond handed the document to Aveline. "Miss Young, please sign it."Aveline took the d
Aveline's gaze turned icy. "Do you have any proof?"Sophia responded, "He got poisoned after eating the food you prepared. What more evidence do you need?"Aveline retorted, "He bought the ingredients himself. By your logic, could I say he poisoned himself to frame me?""You!" Sophia's face darkened. "Miss Young, that's unreasonable!"Aveline replied, "It's better than twisting the facts."The tension between them was palpable."Enough!" Lucas finally spoke. His handsome, stern face was dark, and his gaze was cold as he looked at Aveline. "Do you not know why I want a divorce? Aveline, I don't want to be harsh, but you better sign the papers, or else...""Or else what?" Aveline stared directly at him, the man she once loved and shared a happy life with, her heart full of mockery. "Are you going to kill me?"Her voice was light, like a feather landing on Lucas' heart, yet it irritated him for no reason. Wasn't she the one who wanted a divorce? Why was she saying this now?Lucas' tone gr
Lucas looked into her clear eyes, noticing her still-pale face. Her expression darkened.Suddenly, Aveline sat back down. "Forget it. You've already dirtied yourself. I don't like you anymore."Lucas' voice turned cold. "What did you say?"Aveline replied, "It's something that was going to happen sooner or later. Is there anything wrong with me saying it now?"Seeing her indifferent and even apologetic expression, Lucas felt a surge of frustration in his chest."Aren't you here to discuss the divorce?" he asked.Aveline acted as if she had just remembered. "Oh, I almost forgot."She picked up the divorce agreement, glanced through it, then sneered and tore it up right in front of him."I've decided not to divorce," she declared, tossing the shredded paper into the trash. Ignoring Lucas' darkened expression, she turned and walked away.That's right. She came to provoke him. Why should he dictate whether they divorce or not? Why should he control everything while she suffered all the gri
Aveline said, "That does sound like a solution."Yvonne's smile deepened. "Actually, I do quite like you. If you and Lucas could stay together, it would be wonderful."Aveline gave a faint smile. "I'll think about it."Yvonne nodded. "Alright, if you need anything, just let me know. I will certainly help you.""Thank you, Mrs. Tudor."Aveline was polite on the surface, but she suspected Yvonne might have ulterior motives. However, given Yvonne's status, Aveline didn't have the leverage to confront her. So, she just went along with whatever Yvonne said, but whether she would act on it was another matter.Aveline stood up. "Mrs. Tudor, I need to go home now. Goodbye.""Alright, take care."Yvonne smiled and watched her leave, sipping her coffee leisurely. She then took the phone from her lap and pressed the button to end the recording. A dangerous glint flickered in her eyes before quickly disappearing....When Aveline got home, she received a call from Selena. She put it on speakerpho
Aveline was startled. Russell was nearby?"Oh, okay."After hanging up the phone, Aveline went to the door. Soon, the doorbell rang. She opened it to see Russell standing there with his signature purple hair."Russ, you're here," Aveline said with a slight smile.Russell smirked, his already strikingly handsome face becoming even more roguish. His captivating eyes seemed to draw people in. "What's going on?"Aveline let him in and briefly explained the situation.Seeing the vegetables on the table, Russell raised an eyebrow. "So, you left the police station earlier because of this?"Aveline nodded. "Yes."Russell continued, "Why didn't you tell me when I asked?"Aveline felt awkward and rubbed her nose. "I hoped this matter could be resolved quickly, but the police's efficiency isn't that high. I didn't want to carry this burden any longer, so I wanted to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible."She paused. "I thought it would be too much trouble to involve you, but now I have no
Aveline asked somewhat nervously, "Is it... not good?"Russell looked at her and suddenly said, "Just one meal isn't enough.""Huh?" Aveline was confused. "Then how many meals would be enough?"Russell laughed at her puzzled expression and held up three fingers.Aveline laughed too. "Three meals? No problem. Just let me know when you're free, and I'll cook for you."Her respectful and humble attitude made it clear she saw him as a friend. Russell felt a strange sense of familiarity with this dynamic and slowly lowered his hand. "We'll see when I'm in the mood.""Sure, no problem," Aveline agreed readily. Cooking a few meals wasn't a big deal. She just wanted to repay this favor.Despite feeling a bit uneasy, Russell had to admit Aveline's cooking was really good. It suited his taste perfectly. He ended up eating two extra servings!Seeing the dishes nearly empty, Russell began doubting his own appetite.Aveline came over to drink some water, glanced at the table, and asked, "Russ, was
Jolie stirred, her eyes fluttering open in the dimly lit cabin. The sharp, handsome features of the man before her were so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath. His lips, carrying his familiar scent, gently traced hers, as if torn between waking her and letting her sleep. Her breath hitched, a brief moment of confusion washing over her. Gavin noticed and, in response, pressed a firm kiss to her lips. "Did I wake you?" "You did that on purpose," Jolie replied, her voice soft and husky from sleep. "Mm." Gavin didn’t deny it, his tone unapologetic as he leaned down to kiss her again. Still groggy, Jolie found herself caught off guard, his lips capturing hers with a growing intensity. By the time she realized what was happening, he had deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing and tangling with hers in an intoxicating rhythm. Her breath quickened, and she instinctively pushed against him. Gavin pulled back, only to trail kisses along her cheek and down her neck, his
The night air was cool, a gentle breeze slipping through the car window and lifting the strands of hair framing her face. They fluttered across her vision, briefly distracting her, yet she could still clearly see his eyes. At that moment, the unease and uncertainty stirring in her chest melted away, replaced by an inexplicable sense of calm. It felt as though there was nothing he couldn’t handle. As long as he wanted to. Jolie smiled softly and said, "Alright." When they arrived at the private airstrip, the captain came forward to exchange a few words with Gavin. Standing nearby, Jolie watched and couldn’t resist asking, "How long will you be staying?" Gavin glanced at her. "How long do you want me to stay?" The overly intimate tone of his words, spoken with such casual ease, caught her off guard. Her cheeks flushed immediately—especially since there were others around to hear it. Lowering her gaze shyly, she murmured, "You can stay as long as you want." She turned he
Gavin looked at her, his gaze steady, and replied in a calm voice, "You’ve got the leverage to do it." Oh... Jolie’s heart skipped a beat, her pulse momentarily thrown off rhythm. What was this feeling? It was as if someone was spoiling her, cherishing her unconditionally. Even though it was just a simple conversation, it carried a warmth she couldn’t ignore. For a moment, she realized that what she once thought was affection and care had been nothing but an illusion. A smile unconsciously curved on her lips as her eyes lit up. "Does this mean I can walk around Larbor City like I own the place?" Gavin raised an eyebrow. "Are you a crab?" Jolie burst into laughter, her mood instantly lifted by his quick-witted remark. Her earlier irritation dissipated, replaced by lightheartedness. Whether or not he meant it, the fact that he sided with her made her happy. "I’m full. Should we head out?" she asked, her appetite long gone after everything that had happened earlier.
The girl stared in disbelief, her hands clutching her face. "You hit me?" Jolie blinked innocently at her. "Weren’t you the one insisting I hit you earlier? I just gave you another slap to match your story. You should be used to it by now." "Jolie Quin!" Ian had reached his limit, his voice full of anger as he glared at her. "Apologize to her!" Jolie glanced at him, her expression calm but icy. "Get lost." She had thought he might be reasonable, but clearly, he was blinded by infatuation. She had no patience to deal with him any longer and turned to leave. Before she could take a step, Ian grabbed her arm roughly. "Jolie, you’re not leaving without apologizing! I don’t think I’ve ever wronged you, have I? We used to get along just fine, didn’t we?" "Let go," Jolie said, her brows knitting in disgust. She hated being touched, especially by someone she considered beneath her. Ian tightened his grip, his hand digging into her arm hard enough to cause pain. "Jolie, yo
Jolie was completely baffled, a string of question marks running through her mind. But when the girl suddenly dropped to her knees, it genuinely startled her.She quickly reached out to help her up. "Get up first. We can talk properly."Before Jolie could react, the girl grabbed her hand and slapped herself hard across the face with it.Smack!The crisp sound echoed in the quiet hallway, leaving Jolie frozen in shock."Why did you hit me?" The girl, who had just been crying like an innocent damsel in distress, now clutched her face and loudly accused her. "Ian and I are the real couple! You’re the one coming between us. How could you hit me?"Jolie blinked, completely dumbfounded, as the girl’s voice rang out.A few passersby paused, glancing over to witness the commotion.Meanwhile, Ian, who had been waiting and wondering why his girlfriend hadn’t returned, came looking for her. The scene he walked into—his girlfriend on the ground, crying and accusing Jolie—made him stride forward,
The person in the hallway glanced at her briefly but quickly looked away, as though she were a stranger. Jolie’s hand, lifted halfway to wave, stalled in mid-air.What... was that? Gavin noticed her reaction and asked in a low voice, "What’s wrong?" "Nothing," Jolie replied, shaking her head and brushing it off. The man outside was Ian. Pretending not to know her was probably his way of avoiding unnecessary trouble—after all, they had already "broken up." The door to their private room shut completely, and Gavin hadn’t seen Ian or his group. He turned back to her and asked, "Do you come here often?" "Yeah," Jolie nodded. "I come here a lot with friends." So, this was one of her favorite hidden gems. The fact that she was willing to share it with him felt significant somehow. Gavin caught himself lingering on that thought and was momentarily taken aback by his own reaction. He kept his expression neutral, not letting on what had crossed his mind. The food arrived qui
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