“Hey, beautiful, the night is still young. Where are you heading? Why don’t you stay and have a few drinks with us?” The man with dyed blonde hair, clearly the leader, smirked as he eyed Aveline and Selena. His gaze lingered, clearly captivated by their beauty.Aveline frowned. “Not tonight, maybe another time.”She grabbed Selena's hand and tried to move past them. But the leader swiftly blocked their path. “So, when would be a good time, then? We’re not asking for much, just hoping to make friends with two beautiful ladies like yourselves. Come on, have a drink with us, and we’ll leave you alone. How about that?”Yeah, right! If they went with these men, who knew what might happen.Outnumbered, Selena chose not to provoke them. Instead, she discreetly pulled out her phone to call the police.“What are you doing, gorgeous?”Just then, a hand shot out from behind and snatched her phone away, smashing it to pieces when they saw she was calling for help.“Come on, beautiful, that’s not
Selena thought for a moment. It did seem like the right thing to do, so she nodded. “Okay, let’s go together.”At the police station, Aveline and Selena testified on the man’s behalf. Both the man and the blonde-haired leader were injured, but since the latter had been the one causing trouble, he would be held accountable. The man was allowed to leave after giving his statement.Outside the station, Aveline suggested, “Let’s go to the hospital and get those wounds treated.”The man’s forehead was bleeding from a cut, and blood trickled down from it.He looked at Aveline, suddenly breaking into a broad smile, his eyes incredibly clear and bright. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”Aveline hesitated, taken aback for a moment.Selena leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, “Sounds like a familiar line, doesn’t it?”Aveline was speechless.She looked at him. “Do you remember your name now?”The man nodded. “I remember a little… I think my name is Leo.”Aveline nodded. “Alright, Leo, let’s he
"Leo, every extra day you stay in Cloudflare City increases the risk of exposure," the voice on the phone warned.Leo replied calmly, "Relax, I know what I'm doing. Besides, the game has only just begun. I need to enjoy it thoroughly before I leave."With that, he ended the call. The night grew darker, and his figure melted into the shadows of the alley, soon disappearing completely.…Back at Maple Garden, the two of them had taken a shower and were now curled up in the media room watching a movie.Selena sipped on her juice and asked, “Ave, aren’t you even a bit curious about who this Leo guy is? It seems like he’s always popping up wherever you are.”Aveline, keeping her eyes on the screen, replied, “I’ve noticed. That’s why I said there’s no need to get to know him.”After all that she had been through, how could she not have developed a sense of caution?Leo’s identity was too much of a mystery. First, he claimed amnesia, and now he said he had recovered some of his memories. But
Lucas withdrew his cold gaze and said, "Get back to work."Desmond hesitated for a moment and then spoke, "Mr. Tudor, there's a message from the main house. Madam Barbara wants to see you."Lucas remained indifferent. "Okay."He only gave a curt acknowledgment without indicating whether he would go or not.Desmond carefully continued, "Mr. Tudor, no matter what Madam Barbara has done, she's getting on in years, and her health isn’t what it used to be. She just wants to see you… Perhaps you should consider—"Lucas glanced at him. "You're so diligent. Should I give you a raise?"Desmond was taken aback at first, then chuckled awkwardly. "Actually, there's no need for that trouble. A bit more in the year-end bonus would do.""You've got some nerve," Lucas said coolly.Desmond grinned. "Mr. Tudor, I'm just saying. You don't have to take it seriously. I’ve got things to do, so I’ll be going now."Before Lucas had a chance to get angry, Desmond made a quick exit!Lucas' eyes returned to the
Desmond heard Sidney's words and shot him a cold look. "Whatever's between Mr. Tudor and his wife is none of your business."Sidney paused and replied, "As Aveline's friend, I think it's perfectly fine for me to say something."Desmond countered, "You did say you’re Mrs. Tudor's friend. If that’s the case, you should understand the importance of boundaries."Sidney's brow furrowed.At that moment, Aveline spoke up, "The divorce will be finalized soon; we’re just waiting for the court date."Her words were both an answer to Sidney and a slap in Desmond's face.Sidney's tense expression relaxed into a smile. "I’m sure you’ll succeed.""Yeah." Aveline smiled back at him briefly, then bent down and got into the car.Desmond's face darkened slightly. He shot Sidney a cold glare before shutting the car door and moving to the driver's seat.As Aveline entered the car, she noticed Lucas sitting in the back.She paused for a moment, gave him a once-over, and said, "So you can move around just f
As she spoke, a smile appeared on Barbara's face, as if she could see those days all over again.Lucas’ expression remained indifferent. "Did you call me here just to reminisce?"Barbara looked at him again. “Lu, you're the last of the Tudor family now. I don't have many requests—just that you take care of the family. After all, you and your father are still bound by blood. Even if he made mistakes in the past, the Tudor Group is under your control now. Can't you find it in you to show him some mercy?”It seemed she had called Lucas here to plead on Frederick's behalf.Barbara seemed to know Lucas’ rebellious and stubborn nature all too well. As she spoke, her expression was soft and loving, like an elder giving their final instructions.Aveline stood quietly by, feeling a twinge of sadness. There was a time when Barbara treated her well. She had always remembered that kindness and never complained about the sudden change in Barbara’s attitude. If Barbara didn’t like her, she simply s
Barbara released Aveline's hand, her face showing signs of fatigue as she said, “I’ve talked enough; I’m getting tired now. You both should head back.”Lucas suddenly spoke up, “Grandma, if I remember right, you wanted to see me, didn’t you? So why, now that I'm here, are you barely speaking to me and just holding her hand?”Barbara sighed with a touch of exasperation. “Are you really going to fuss over such a trivial matter? No wonder Aveline doesn’t want you anymore—you’re too petty!”Lucas was speechless.Aveline chuckled and said, “I’m a bit thirsty. I’m going to step out and get a drink.”She turned to Barbara. “Would you like something, Grandma?”Barbara's eyes brightened. “Oh, yes, I’d love an orange soda.”Aveline nodded. “Alright.”With that, she turned and left the room. As the door closed behind her, the light-hearted atmosphere that had just been there grew cold and tense.Lucas' sharp eyes narrowed as he looked at Barbara. “Grandma, you’re doing all this just to protect yo
The setting sun cast a faint halo as the deep blue sky gradually enveloped everything, her figure shrouded and stretched out by the fading light.Lucas stood there, silently watching her for a long time as if trying to see straight into her heart.Sensing a gaze on her, Aveline turned and met his intense eyes. She blinked. "When did you come out?"Judging by his expression, he’d been there for a while.She walked over to him and handed him the orange soda she held. "Do you want a drink?"Barbara was too old, and her body couldn’t handle it, but Aveline had bought it anyway—she liked orange soda herself.Lucas took the drink and asked, "What do you want for dinner?"Aveline replied, "I’m eating at home."Lucas responded, "Can I come too?"His dark eyes were fixed on her, his voice low and pleasant, his tone soft as he made his request.Aveline shook her head. "No, you can’t."She had only come to see Barbara; if he wanted her cooking, he could keep dreaming.She took off the diamond bra
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