"I remember now, you saved me!" Aveline said, looking at Sidney with a face full of surprise.Sidney shyly lowered his head and smiled. "It was nothing, really. I'm just glad you're okay.""I wouldn't be okay if it weren't for you." Aveline stood up and walked over to Sidney. "What's your phone number? When do you have a day off? Let me treat you to a meal!"Sidney was a bit taken aback by her directness and shook his head slightly. "No need, I'm just glad you're alright."Selena came over, smiling. "It's just a meal, don't be shy, handsome. You saved our Ave, which makes you a big hero to both of us. Here, take my card. If you ever need anything, just contact me."She handed her business card to Sidney.Sidney reluctantly accepted it, looking a bit overwhelmed.Selena turned to the other guys. "You all can leave now. He can stay."The other guys, except for Sidney, gradually left the room.Only the three of them remained in the private room.Selena invited Sidney to sit down. "Come on
As Aveline came out of the restroom and passed by the elevator, Aaron happened to see her emerging from it.He was on the phone and, upon noticing her, raised his eyebrows slightly before saying, "Guess who I just saw at Club Nine?"On the other end of the line was Lucas, his voice cold. "Your dad?""Fuck!" Aaron cursed, then said, "Not my dad! Your precious little sweetheart!"Lucas' tone grew even colder. "Are you sure you didn't see wrong?"Aaron scoffed. "I'm not blind. She walked right past me. She looks like she's had quite a bit to drink. Tsk, she sure knows how to entertain herself at night."Lucas hung up immediately.Aaron looked at his phone. "What's his problem?"Despite his irritation, he was curious about who Aveline was drinking with, so he headed towards the room where she had disappeared.At the door, the music inside wasn't too loud, and through the frosted window, he could see that there weren't many people inside.Aaron slightly pushed the door open and peeked in.
Selena wore a fawning smile, but it was clearly fake.Aaron, unimpressed, lounged on the sofa and watched her unsteady hand gripping the wine glass. "If you spill that on me, you'll have to lick it clean," he said coolly.Selena was speechless.Damn it! How did this jerk guess what she was thinking?She immediately steadied her hand. "No way, I'm sincerely offering you a toast. I would never do something so disgraceful."Aaron chuckled but didn't push the issue further. He picked up his glass and clinked it with hers.As Selena raised her glass to drink, she felt a sudden dizziness, probably from having drunk too much earlier. Her hand wavered, and the wine spilled all over Aaron's pants.Selena fell silent.She stared in shock. "I didn't do it on purpose!"Aaron's face darkened as he slammed the glass onto the table. "Selena, you never cease to amaze me!"She cursed herself silently while cleaning up the mess.Selena pulled out a napkin to wipe him down. "I'm really sorry, it was an a
Aveline was stunned, looking at Sidney in confusion.She wanted to speak, but with the grape in her mouth, she had to eat it first.At that moment, a tall figure walked in.Aveline squinted, recognizing Lucas.She instinctively sat up straight, quickly chewing and swallowing the grape. Why was he here?Oh, right. If Aaron was here, it wasn't surprising Lucas would find his way here too.Lucas exuded a cold aura, his narrow eyes fixed intensely on Aveline's face as he sat down on the sofa."Is it sweet?" he asked.Aveline, slightly dazed from the alcohol, nodded instinctively. "Yes."Lucas' expression darkened, though the corners of his thin lips curled into a mocking smile. "Good. Pick one for me too."He looked at Sidney.Sidney, feeling the pressure, immediately placed the whole plate of grapes in front of him. "These grapes here are not bad.”Sidney sensed the tension. Lucas' gaze held a hint of menace, but he didn't act on it, leaving Sidney puzzled.Aveline finally swallowed the g
"Ugh!"Aveline hadn't noticed when Lucas shoved another grape into her mouth!If Sidney feeding her a grape caught her off guard, Lucas' action left her feeling deeply humiliated.Lucas was deliberately making things difficult for her!She spat the grape out immediately."Lucas, are you insane?"She struggled to get off his lap, not wanting to have such intimate contact with him at all.Lucas, however, wouldn't let her go. His eyes darkened with cold fury as he glanced at the spat-out grape. "Aveline, are you looking to die?"She ate grapes from another man, but not from him. Damn it, she was really testing his limits!Sidney stood up abruptly and walked over, trying to pull Aveline out of Lucas' arms. "Sir, can't you see she isn’t comfortable with what you’re doing? You can't force her!"Lucas' eyes were filled with murderous intent as he glanced at Sidney's hand on Aveline's arm. "If you don't want your hand, just say so."That look made Sidney feel the phantom pain of his hand bein
The suit jacket was draped over her shoulders, enveloping her in a strong, fresh scent."Aveline, this is the first and last time. If I catch you in a situation like this again, neither of us will have any peace."Lucas stood up, looking down at her, his eyes cold and devoid of any warmth.Aveline, covered by his presence, remained silent.Lucas turned and walked away without caring about her response. When he spoke, she had to comply, or he wouldn't make things easy for her! As for Sidney, his presence wouldn’t be welcomed in Cloudflare City anymore!Aveline followed him out of the private room in silence. As they entered the elevator, she suddenly remembered Selena and quickly reached to press the door open button."What are you doing?" Lucas asked coldly."I need to find Selena," Aveline replied."Aaron will take her home," Lucas stated.Aveline didn't trust Aaron and stubbornly insisted on going out to find her friend. Just then, her phone rang. She looked at it and saw that it was
Aveline hurriedly said to Sidney, "You should go back to work. You really don't need to worry about me."Seeing her discomfort, Sidney nodded. "Alright, if you need anything, you can contact me."Aveline thought, “Not talking to me right now is exactly what I need!”Under Lucas' cold stare, Sidney turned and left.Aveline looked at Lucas. "Aren't we going home?"Lucas's icy gaze fell on her, sending an involuntary shiver through her.He turned and walked away, and she quickly followed.The night breeze blew away any remaining traces of her intoxication....Aaron entered the restroom with a grim expression, looking down at the stain on his pants before turning to face Selena, who had followed him in.Selena wore an apologetic expression and bent down. "I'll clean it up for you."The spilled drink had spread a large stain across Aaron's thigh, especially noticeable against his white pants.However, her attempts to clean it only made the stain worse.Aaron's face grew increasingly dark.
"Why are you running?" Aaron looked at her with a dark expression."Why are you grabbing me?" Selena looked at him in horror. "Let go of me, you pervert! I'm telling you, I won't do anything with you, so just give up!"Aaron laughed in exasperation. "What are you thinking? Do you really think I'm interested in you?"Selena suddenly stopped struggling.What was wrong with her?He wasn't interested in her?She turned to look at him. "If you're not interested, why do you have an erection?"A flicker of surprise crossed Aaron's eyes; he hadn't expected her to say that."You...""What about me?" Selena raised her hand and pointed at his chest, speaking slowly and clearly. "Aaron, admit it. You've liked me for a long time, haven't you? Why else would you keep showing up in front of me? Once or twice could be a coincidence, but this has happened way too many times. Haven't you even thought about it yourself?"She felt her argument was spot on, her eyes sparkling with confidence as she raised
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