The atmosphere in the elevator was tense, an odd mix of coldness and faint relaxation. The oppressive mood seemed to dissipate only when it encountered the light conversation between Russell and Aveline, creating a strange and suffocating feeling.The elevator continued its smooth ascent. Not long after, the doors opened, and Lucas strode out, his expression unusually stern.Russell raised an eyebrow in mild surprise as he watched Lucas’ retreating figure. He hadn’t done anything, which was completely out of character for him. Could it be that he had really given up on Aveline?As the elevator doors closed, Russell’s gaze shifted to Aveline, who was staring at the closed doors, lost in thought.No, she wasn’t staring at the doors—she had been watching Lucas.Now that the doors were shut, her view was simply blocked.A cold glint flickered in Russell’s eyes as he asked, "What are you thinking about?"Aveline’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. "I’m just wondering what role he’s playing in a
Aveline was speechless.Although she had already noticed something off between them, hearing it directly from Selena left her at a loss for words.It wasn’t entirely surprising that things had escalated to this point. Aaron’s attention on Selena had always been unusually intense, and Selena hadn’t been cautious enough.But… wasn’t it a bit late to be thinking about leaving now?Aveline voiced her concerns.Selena leaned in closer and whispered, "Ave, I’ve got it all figured out. I’m not going to leave by plane or train. I’ll take a bus, one that goes through the countryside on back roads. Once I’m safely out of Cloudflare City, he won’t be able to find me even if he tries."Aveline frowned. "But that’s not safe."Selena replied, "What’s safe anymore? Staying in Cloudflare City is the real danger. Besides, I just decided to leave on a whim—he won’t know when I’m actually going."Aveline still wasn’t convinced and asked, "What about your job?"Selena answered, "I quit. I’ve already start
Aveline packed the small cookies into the bag, making sure everything was secure as she said, 'Since we’re short of time, I made some food that will stay fresh and still taste good. You can eat it on the road.Selena blinked, then quickly ran over and hugged her tightly. "Ave, you’re too good to me! Why don’t we just run away together?"Aveline smiled. "Alright, enough of that. Go wash your face—I’ll drive you to the outskirts."Selena needed to be at the bus stop in the early morning, so she had to head out tonight.But Selena shook her head. "No need. I’ve already arranged for someone to pick me up. You should stay home and rest. I’ll be fine."However, Aveline insisted, "No, I won’t feel at ease unless I personally take you."Seeing how determined Aveline looked, Selena knew Aveline had made up her mind. She hugged Aveline tightly and said, "I’m really going to miss you!"Aveline guided Selena to the bathroom and watched as she freshened up, while she went over the packed items one
Selena couldn’t sleep at all. Lying in bed, she felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. The thought of finally leaving Cloudflare City—and getting away from that insufferable Aaron—filled her with anticipation. She found herself practically counting down the minutes."Bang! Bang! Bang!"Suddenly, loud knocks came from the front door, startling Selena. She quickly got up and looked toward the door. The young girl with her woke up, confused. "What's happening?" A sinking feeling of dread washed over Selena. Could they have found her already? So soon?She got out of bed and said, "I’ll go check. You two stay here."The girl looked uneasy. "Selena, are you sure everything’s okay?"Selena nodded. "Don’t worry, it’ll be fine."She quickly dressed and stepped outside. "Who is it?" she asked cautiously."It’s me, Selena. Hurry, come out!" It was Aveline’s voice at the door.Selena was taken aback and quickly opened the door. "Ave, what are you doing here?"Hadn’t she already gone home? B
And yet, she had no relationship with him.The car came to a stop, and the light in Aveline's eyes gradually dimmed."Selena, do you like him?" Aveline asked softly.Selena replied, "No, I don't."Aaron had targeted her so many times that she had lost count. It was just a few casual encounters—how could she possibly like him?Aveline responded with a nod, then quickly opened the car door and got out."Ave, where are you going?" Selena, seeing this, also stepped out of the car.At this moment, they found themselves surrounded by several vehicles, with the bright headlights illuminating the small area around them.Aaron slammed his car door shut. Seeing Selena stepping out of Aveline's car, he immediately burst into laughter.He strode over, his presence radiating a dangerous aura.Aveline swiftly pulled Selena behind her, her gaze calm as she looked at Aaron. "What are you doing, Mr. Fletcher?"Aaron was dressed in a white shirt, the collar open, and his body still carried the scent of
"You!" Aveline's expression darkened. Aaron's attitude made it clear he saw Selena as nothing more than a plaything.If that was the case, there was no way she would let Aaron take Selena away tonight."Fine, let her go. You have no right to take her, and even less right to interfere with her freedom," Aveline said coldly.Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Aveline, I'm being civil because of Lucas. Do you think too highly of yourself?"Aveline's gaze remained icy. "You don't need to consider him at all. I have nothing to lose. If you insist on taking her, you'll have to go through me first."There was a fierce determination in her eyes. She was resolute in protecting Selena. Selena was her only family now.Moved by Aveline's resolve, Selena suddenly bit down hard on Aaron's hand, causing him to release her in pain.Selena quickly ran to Aveline's side. "Ave, I won't go with him!"Aveline nodded. "I’ll protect you."Selena was overwhelmed with emotion, nearly ready to pledge her life to Aveli
"Is that so? Was I mistaken?" Aveline thought before replying, "Alright, I understand. Get some rest; I won't be going out today.""Okay, Miss Young."...After a quick wash, Aveline lay down on her bed. Her mind was still a mess, but her body was exhausted, and she quickly fell asleep.When she woke up, it was already afternoon.She picked up her phone and saw numerous messages from Selena, all detailing her escape plan.Aveline replied briefly, then got up to wash her face before heading to the kitchen to cook.Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang.Aveline paused, her expression turning cold. Who would come at this hour?She walked to the door and looked through the peephole. Upon seeing who it was, her face became even more indifferent.She ignored it and continued cooking.After waiting for a while, Lucas realized Aveline wasn't going to answer the door.Undeterred, he kept knocking, showing remarkable patience.It was only after about half an hour that the door finally opened.Av
Aveline eyed him warily, his dark, piercing gaze fixed on her as if she were already his prey.Memories of past traumas resurfaced, and she bit her lip, suddenly raising the kitchen knife to her own throat."You're right, I don't dare to hurt you, but that doesn't mean I won't harm myself. Lucas, if you take one more step, I'll cut myself. Let's see if you can keep talking like this while facing a corpse!"Lucas stopped in his tracks, the playful expression vanishing from his face as he glared at her, his gaze dark and intense. "Put the knife down!"Instead of lowering the knife, Aveline pressed it closer to her neck, stubbornly saying, "Get out! You're not welcome here!"Lucas remained still, his gaze locked on her with a menacing intensity.Seeing his hesitation, Aveline gritted her teeth and pressed the blade even closer. Her delicate skin barely brushed the knife's edge, which had been sharpened—just a slight touch and it immediately left a thin line of blood on her slender, pale n
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