Selena gritted her teeth. "Fine, I'll be there soon!"She hung up and put on a dramatic, mock-angry performance using her phone. Aveline watched, thoroughly amused.When Selena finished her act, she let out a heavy sigh and said, "Aveline, I can't stay with you tonight. Will you be lonely by yourself? How about I find you a hot guy? How about Sidney?"Aveline gently pushed her head. "You can just go peacefully.”Selena pouted and cried....Aaron's place was only a twenty-minute walk from Maple Garden. When Selena arrived, she rang the doorbell, glaring at Aaron with a stern expression.Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Cosplaying at this hour?"Selena asked, "Mr. Fletcher, what exactly about the blueprints do you find problematic?"Aaron smirked and invited her in. There were slippers ready at the door. Selena noticed them and slightly curled her lip.She sat down on the sofa without hesitation. Noticing the fried chicken and drinks on the coffee table, she didn't hold back. If she had to wo
Selena's eyes flicked over Aaron's lower body, her expression revealing a hint of something unreadable.Without another word, she opened the door and walked out of the study.Aaron paused, surprised by her boldness but not expecting her to be so audacious. A subtle excitement began to stir within him as he watched her retreating figure, his eyes growing darker.Selena reached the sofa, grabbed her bag, and prepared to leave, but Aaron blocked her path.She looked at him coolly and asked, "What do you want now?"Aaron stared at her for a long moment before asking, "Do you want to have some fun?"In the quiet of the night, alone with him, the meaning behind his words was unmistakable.Selena was taken aback by his directness. After their previous encounters, she thought he would have lost interest, but it seemed his curiosity had only grown.She stepped closer, her fingers tracing down his chest, following the contours of his muscles. Her innocent face contrasted with the playful glint i
He stared at his phone, thinking about sending a message to Snow, but his fingers hovered in midair, unable to type a single word. Frustrated, he tossed the phone aside, grabbed a bottle of liquor from the cabinet, and poured himself a drink.The sharp taste burned down his throat, momentarily washing away his irritation. Aaron downed the entire glass in one go....As soon as Selena left the building, she breathed a sigh of relief. She frowned, trying to understand what had gotten into Aaron. Just two nights together, and he seemed emotionally attached?The thought made her shiver with disgust.Determined to mess with him further, she pulled out her phone and logged into her alternate account.Snow texted, “Aaron, have you been busy lately? Check out my graduation gown. How does it look?”She sent a picture she found online, showing only from the neck down.Normally, he would reply instantly, but this time, even after she got home, there was no response. “What’s going on? Is he de
Lucas' expression hardened, his eyes turning icy as he stared at her. He had been waiting for her to return, but thirty minutes had passed without a trace of her. He texted her but got no response. He called, but she didn't pick up. A chill ran down his spine.He had someone locate her, only to discover she was at the movies with someone else. Was she really so engrossed in a film that she couldn't even reply to him?"Get in the car," Lucas said icily.Aveline slipped her phone into her coat pocket, shaking her head. "You're a bit scary right now. I'm afraid you'll kill me if I get in.""Heh!" Lucas let out a cold laugh. "At least you're self-aware."Aveline replied, "I'm standing under the surveillance camera. No matter how powerful you are, you won't do anything to me."Her fearless expression inexplicably made Lucas uneasy. He pushed open the car door and got out, his tall figure instantly overshadowing her. An invisible pressure enveloped her."You are right," he said in a dee
Aveline averted her gaze. His eyes were too intense, and she realized she couldn't resist them. Keeping her distance was a better idea.She walked into the villa and looked at Lucas. "Can you tell me now?"Lucas responded coolly, "It was an overseas virtual number. I had someone trace it, and it turns out it was one of the Tudor family's bodyguards."Aveline frowned. "Who instructed this bodyguard to send me those photos? What's the purpose?"Lucas asked, "What was your first thought when you saw the photos?"Aveline pressed her lips together. "Compassion. I wanted to rescue him."Lucas' tone grew colder. "But you know I won't release him. This goes against what you want. The person who sent you the photos wants to see us turn against each other."Aveline said, "That's what I suspected too."Lucas looked at her in surprise. "You figured that out?"Aveline replied, "I'm not stupid. Also, I suspect that my previous imprisonment in that warehouse was intentional. How could it be such a c
Aveline was startled and turned to look, but she only saw the shadow of the speeding motorcycle gradually disappearing from view."Thank you," she said, turning back to the person who had grabbed her. When she saw his face she was slightly taken aback."You're welcome," the young man replied. He was tall and lean, wearing a mask that revealed only his eyes. His bangs naturally fell over his forehead, partially obscuring his stern expression.Aveline was momentarily dazed. This man looked like Lucas!The man turned to leave."Wait!" Aveline quickly blocked his path, hesitantly asking, "Have we met somewhere before?"The man, still wearing the mask, spoke in a muffled voice that revealed no emotion. He shook his head. "No, I don't know you."Aveline asked, "Did you work part-time as a waiter at the Tudor residence?"A memory flashed in her mind - the waiter who'd rushed out just in time to stop Barbara from tumbling off the cliff at her birthday party. Suddenly, the image of that wait
Aveline thought about Lucas' proposal for three days but couldn't come to a conclusion. That afternoon, she received a call from Barbara. Aveline was quite surprised and immediately asked, "What’s the matter?"Barbara's aged voice came through, "What? After the divorce, you don't come to see me anymore? I admit I said some harsh things before and forgot some details. Lucas has told me everything; I wronged you."Aveline was taken aback. This proud old woman was actually apologizing to her? She almost wanted to check if pigs were flying outside.However, considering she was a sick elderly woman, Aveline decided not to hold a grudge. "I've been busy with work. I'll make time to visit you."Barbara replied, "Come over this afternoon. I'll send someone to pick you up. There are many things I don't understand, and I want you to explain them to me."Aveline instinctively frowned. "But..."Barbara interrupted, "Do I have to invite you personally?"Aveline felt a hint of pressure. The current
The sunlight streamed in at an angle, casting a soft glow on the hospital room's white walls. Barbara sat on the hospital bed while Sophia sat beside her, feeding her fruit. Aveline stood at a respectful distance and greeted, "Madam Barbara."Barbara didn't even glance at her. Instead, she said to Sophia, "It's a good time now, how about you take me for a walk?"Sophia nodded. "Alright."She and the nurse helped Barbara from the bed into a wheelchair, and then pushed her out of the room. As they passed Aveline, Sophia glanced at her with a cold smirk.Aveline frowned slightly and turned to follow, but a bodyguard at the door stopped her."Madam Barbara instructed you to wait here.”Aveline's heart sank with a sense of foreboding. She stepped back a couple of paces, and as the door closed, she pulled out her phone to contact someone, only to find there was no signal. The room was equipped with a signal jammer!Her expression darkened immediately. What was Barbara up to? Why was she bei
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