Selena was surprised. Aveline was usually a light sleeper, but the loud knocking hadn’t woken her. Maybe it was the alcohol.Not dwelling on it further, Selena yawned as she went to check the peephole. Seeing who was outside, she narrowed her eyes. Why was he here?Just as she was pondering this, the person outside started knocking again.Selena quickly opened the door to find Aaron with his hand raised, about to knock once more. If she'd been two seconds slower, his palm might have landed on her instead."What's wrong with you, pounding on the door in the middle of the night? Are you crazy?" Selena snapped irritably.Aaron lowered his hand and glanced at her. "It's just you here?"Selena yawned. "Who else would it be?"She squinted, as if remembering something. "Oh, and Russell."Aaron had started to relax, but his brow furrowed at her words. "You're saying Russell slept here?"Selena retorted, "How’s that your business?"Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the situation ha
"Aaron, what are you doing? Let go of me!" Selena kicked and struggled. She reached out to scratch Aaron's face but couldn't reach him!Aaron carried her down to the next floor, approached a door, entered a fingerprint code, and walked inside. Without saying a word, he threw Selena onto the sofa!"Ah!" Selena let out a short cry, only to find herself pinned beneath him!Her eyes widened slightly. "What are you doing?"Aaron gazed down at her. "Selena, it’s not just once or twice—do you really think my patience is limitless?"Selena suddenly felt a sense of danger. She swallowed hard, stopped struggling, and tried to calm both her emotions and his."Aaron, I was just joking with you. Do you really need to react like this?"Aaron responded coldly, "Do you realize how serious the consequences of this joke could be?"Selena pouted. "Even if it wasn't a joke, what does it have to do with you? Ave and that scumbag Lucas are already divorced. She has the right to be with whoever she wan
Aaron bit her earlobe. "This is the consequence of provoking me."Selena immediately bit down on his shoulder, but what followed left her unable to even curse.This man was truly a beast!...Aveline had a good night's sleep.Perhaps it was because Selena was beside her, making her feel at ease.She opened her eyes and said, "Selena, time to get up. I'll make some pasta for you. What kind would you like?"As Aveline spoke, she got up, but when she looked beside her, Selena was nowhere to be found.Where did she go?Startled, Aveline quickly put on her shoes and hurried out to look for her.But Selena was nowhere in the room.She quickly grabbed her phone and called her, only to hear Selena's phone ringing in the bedroom.Aveline's face darkened immediately!What was going on?Where did Selena go?Why didn't she take her phone?In the modern world, no one would leave their home without their phones.And when did Selena leave?Why didn't Aveline have any memory of it?As Aveline was lost
"Miss Young, hello. My name is Mason West.""And I'm Jason West."As soon as they finished speaking, the atmosphere fell into an awkward silence.Aveline asked, "That's it?"Mason and Jason exchanged glances before Mason dryly replied, "That's it."Aveline couldn't help but laugh. Then she asked, "What are your skills? And what are your salary expectations?"Mason and Jason exchanged another look and then both turned to Russell.Russell sighed and said, "Have a seat first."Mason and Jason sat down.Russell briefly introduced their situation and concluded, "As for the salary, just give them what you think is appropriate."Aveline shook her head, saying, "I can't just decide on a whim. They're responsible for my safety, and it isn’t exactly safe to be around me. This job can be quite dangerous. Whatever you're paying them, I'll double it."Russell raised an eyebrow, "You’re being so generous? Can I apply to be your bodyguard too?"Mason and Jason immediately became nervous.No way!Russ
"Alright." Aveline nodded and walked over to the elevator, waiting for Maria to return.She glanced down at her phone, and just then, the elevator doors opened, followed by a surprised voice."Mrs. Tudor?"Aveline looked up to see Desmond stepping out of the elevator, a hint of delight on his face. "Are you here to see Mr. Tudor?"Aveline's expression remained indifferent as she shook her head. "No."Desmond was taken aback, rubbing his nose awkwardly. It was clear that Aveline's attitude was cold, which made him smile uneasily before continuing, "Mr. Tudor was seriously injured. He's on this floor. Mrs. Tudor, are you really not going to check on him?"Aveline calmly looked at him and said, "Desmond, Lucas and I are divorced.""Ah?" Desmond was stunned for a moment before realizing what she meant. He smiled apologetically, "Sorry, Miss Young."Aveline's expression softened slightly at that.However, Desmond didn't leave and continued to stand beside her.Aveline asked, "Is there some
Vivian's expression darkened. "What do you mean by that?"Aveline let out a light scoff. "You can't figure it out? I'm mocking you. All you can do is sit in an office and throw out sarcastic remarks. If you were braver, you'd be an internet troll. Is that all you're capable of?"Vivian abruptly stood up, her face twisted with anger. "Aveline, do you think I'm afraid of you? You have no one backing you up now!""Oh? So what?" Aveline's expression remained calm. "Are you planning to kill me?"Vivian gritted her teeth, feeling incredibly frustrated. This woman used to stay quiet, but lately, whenever Vivian mocked her, Aveline would retaliate!And she couldn't even match her!Aveline looked away. "Instead of wasting time being jealous, why don't you focus on improving your performance? Jealousy won't make you better; it'll only make you uglier.""You—!"Vivian tried to rush at her, but two people quickly held her back.The atmosphere in the office grew tense as if a fight could break out
Selena ruffled her hair in frustration. Just then, her phone rang again. It was her boss calling.Taking a deep breath, Selena answered, "Hello?""Selena, Mr. Fletcher has an issue with the blueprint and says you're not answering his calls. Are you trying to ruin our entire studio? Call Mr. Fletcher back immediately...""I'm quitting," Selena replied calmly.There was a pause on the other end. "What did you say? You're quitting? Are you joking? You know the consequences of resigning, right?"Selena responded, "Yes, I know. I'll bear all the consequences myself."The person on the other end was completely stunned. "Are you crazy? If you finish this project, you'll earn a substantial income."Selena tugged at the corner of her lips. "But what if it never gets done? Aaron keeps giving me a hard time. I'm tired. I don't want to play his games anymore.""You..." The person hesitated, unable to find the words.Selena said calmly, "That's it. Goodbye." With that, she hung up the phone.It wa
The tide started to rise.The distant shipping containers loomed like monsters in the darkness, slowly swallowing anyone trapped inside. Aveline stared calmly at the scene, though the encroaching darkness made it hard for her to clearly see the tide's advance.Her mind drifted to the time when she was trapped inside a container, her hands and feet bound, filled with despair and helplessness.She watched as death approached, powerless to stop it.“Sophia, is this how you feel now?” Aveline thought and lowered her gaze slightly, choosing not to look any longer.Just then, a phone appeared in front of her."Hmm?" Aveline looked at Russell in confusion.A faint smile appeared on Russell's strikingly handsome yet cold face. "I installed a camera on top of that container. You can watch Sophia's entire descent into despair."He gazed into her eyes. "Do you want to see it?"Aveline was taken aback, not expecting him to have gone to such lengths.Russell added, "No need to be shocked. I just be
Lucas responded in a calm, low voice, “You won’t get that chance in this lifetime.”Selena huffed. “You better hope so!”She lifted her chin defiantly and then playfully winked at Aveline. Aveline smiled softly, a hint of exasperation in her eyes. When would these two ever stop bickering?Once they arrived at the mall, Selena dragged Aveline into a whirlwind shopping spree. Whatever caught their eye, they bought—no hesitation, no restraint. It felt exhilarating to indulge so freely!Lucas followed quietly behind them, occasionally making a few phone calls and handling work without missing a beat.After shopping all morning, the group started to feel tired. Selena led Aveline into a restaurant across the street.“I read reviews on this place, and they say the food is amazing. They’ve got some dishes from Cloudflare City too. It’s been a while since you’ve been back—want a taste of home?” Selena asked, grinning while flipping through the menu.Aveline nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been craving it
Daisy’s expression darkened slightly at Jolie’s words, but she held back from lashing out. “That’s all in the past. What’s the point of bringing it up now? You and Selena are sisters, after all. You should reach out to her more. Convince her to come back. She’s still part of the Quin family.”In recent years, both her parents, especially her father, had become fixated on reconnecting with Selena. Despite multiple attempts, Selena had kept her distance, and even after finally making contact, she barely exchanged a few words with them before cutting off all communication again. The more they tried, the further she drifted away.Jolie remained quiet, observing Daisy. She had no right to criticize her mother—after all, it was she who had always been favored growing up. The Quin family had never done anything wrong by her.“I understand. I’ll try,” Jolie finally relented, though the thought of facing Selena’s distant and prickly demeanor again made her uneasy. Perhaps, deep down, her sist
“Got something on your mind, Dad?” Gavin asked, noticing Wilfried’s serious expression as he entered the room. His own demeanor softened a bit.Wilfried didn’t waste time, sitting down heavily on the sofa with a stern look. "What are you planning to do about what happened today?"Gavin froze for a moment, realizing that the whole situation had become an open secret within the family. His response was calm, though. "I don’t have any specific plans."At this, Wilfried’s expression darkened even further. "That won’t do. You’ve taken advantage of someone, so you need to take responsibility. I’ll have someone look into that girl’s background tomorrow, prepare the bride price, and we’ll go make the proposal immediately."Gavin blinked, his typically composed expression faltering slightly. After a brief silence, he replied, "Dad, I’m willing to take responsibility, but what if she doesn’t want to marry me?"Wilfried paused, momentarily caught off guard by this possibility. His gaze swept over
“Hmm, you’re right. I’ll talk to your brother and see what he thinks,” Wilfried said thoughtfully.Aveline nodded and went on her way....In the study, Gernard sat on the sofa, a mischievous grin plastered on his face. “Brother, why didn’t you let me finish? I was about to spill the best part.”Gavin ignored him and pulled out a document, handing it over. “Take a look at this. If everything’s in order, you’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow.”“What’s this?” Gernard blinked, taking the file and flipping it open. His eyes widened as he scanned the pages.He shot up from his seat, staring at Gavin in disbelief. “Wait, you’re serious? You’re actually sending me to South Africa? Do people live there? When did we even expand into that region?”Gavin, seated in his leather chair, remained cold and composed. “Recently.”Gernard’s face twisted in disbelief. After a long pause, he finally blurted out, “No way. I’m not going.”Gavin’s gaze flickered over to him, calm but stern. “You don’t hav
“What gossip?” Aveline's interest was instantly piqued, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Gernard.Gernard leaned in conspiratorially, about to spill the juicy details. “It’s about Brother. You won’t believe what happened today…”“Ahem!”Before he could finish, Gavin appeared, clearing his throat just loud enough to interrupt. He grabbed Gernard’s arm, pulling him away. “Let’s talk about the company,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.Gernard protested, “Brother, wait, I wasn’t finished!”Aveline, her curiosity fully ignited, took a couple of steps forward. “Hey bros, don’t leave me hanging! Finish the story first!”Without slowing down, Gavin replied, “He’s headed to South Africa soon. Work comes first.”“South Africa?” Gernard’s jaw dropped. “Wait, since when am I going to South Africa? I didn’t hear about this! What’s going on?”Aveline stopped in her tracks, equally puzzled. “South Africa? Does the Cooper family even have projects there?”Just then, Wilfried walked
"Got too much free time on your hands?" Gavin’s cold gaze fixed on Gernard.Unbothered, Gernard strolled over and patted his brother's shoulder, grinning. "So, what’s your plan now? I got a little bored and did some digging on the Quin family. Guess what? Turns out they’re Selena’s birth family. She left them ages ago to make it on her own, but the girl you were with? That’s Jolie Quin, the pampered princess of the family."With a knowing smirk, Gernard added, "Brother, I couldn’t help but notice—Jolie and Selena do look a bit alike. Could that be why you…?""Get lost," Gavin cut him off, not in the mood for Gernard’s teasing. He brushed past him, heading downstairs.Of course, that only fueled Gernard’s enthusiasm. "Hey, don’t walk away! I haven’t finished my gossip yet!" he called after him, but the conversation came to an abrupt end as they reached the main floor, where the guests were still gathered for the celebration....Aveline noticed Selena seemed a bit distracted and asked,
One of Jolie’s long, slender legs was exposed to the cool air, and Gavin’s fingers instinctively tightened, as if they could still feel the smoothness of her thigh under his grip. His gaze darkened, though his expression only grew colder. His sharp, chiseled features gave him a distant, unapproachable aura—a man who seldom smiled and whose demeanor warned others to stay away.He was cold, almost like an ice block."Debt’s owed," he said flatly, tossing out the two words before sitting on the sofa and picking up the phone to make a call.Jolie blinked in surprise, processing what he said. Debt owed?Was that something you could even keep on hold?But thinking about it, he probably didn’t need anything right now. So, if he wanted to leave the debt hanging, so be it.Stretching lazily, Jolie sat up and said, "Have someone bring me a change of clothes."With that, she pulled the blanket aside, slowly rising from the bed despite the discomfort between her legs and headed toward the bathro
As the effects of the drug finally began to fade, Jolie lay exhausted on the bed, her body drenched in sweat. Her skin, especially across her delicate shoulder blades, bore faint marks from their encounter and her breath ragged as it brushed against her own back. Her vision was hazy, and she barely had the strength to speak."I... I’m fine now... you can stop," she murmured, her voice weak and broken from the strain of what had just happened.The madness of moments before still pulsed through her, the aftershocks of it lingering in her body. She never expected that grabbing a random man for help would lead to this, nor did she expect him to have such relentless stamina.Yet, the man behind her didn’t stop. He didn’t respond either. His large hands remained firmly gripped around her slender waist as if he were trying to squeeze the very breath from her."Stop... I told you to stop, didn’t you hear me?" Jolie’s anxiety spiked as he continued. What was wrong with him? They’d agreed he was
Gavin said nothing and simply hung up the phone, his expression darkening by the second.Behind him, Jolie’s soft, pained whimpers filled the air. She was writhing on the bed, her delicate skin flushed a faint pink.Gavin clenched his jaw, tugging at his tie. It had already loosened from when she’d pulled on it earlier, and with a rough yank, it came completely undone. Frustration simmered beneath his calm exterior.Where was Selena? She was supposed to be finding help, but she still hadn’t returned.His frown deepened as he reached for the door, ready to leave."Please… help me…"Her desperate voice, laced with a hint of a sob, echoed from behind him. The softness of it hit him like a lit match to his chest, sparking a heat he wasn’t used to feeling. "Please… I’ll pay you… I won’t take it for free…" Jolie’s voice broke as tears streamed down her face. She was sobbing now, her words dripping with helplessness and shame, as if offering him money would somehow make her request more bear