“You really are pushing your luck,” Aaron muttered against her lips, his hand gripping her waist as if he wanted to pin her down on the dining table right then and there.Selena's breath was uneven, and it took a moment after he released her for her to catch her breath. "So, does that mean you agree?" she asked, still a bit breathless.Aaron lazily curled his lips into a smile. "Alright, girlfriend."Selena smiled back, getting up from his lap and settling back into the seat across from him. She pushed her plate of steak towards him and said, "Cut this for me."Her spoiled demeanor made Aaron's heart itch. His Adam's apple bobbed again.He had almost no experience with relationships, while she acted like a seasoned expert. It only made him feel more frustrated. If he didn’t know that her first time had been with him, he might have felt even more conflicted right now.Selena watched him cut the steak, amusement dancing in her eyes. The recent kiss had smudged her lipstick a little, mak
Aveline replied, "Couldn't sleep, so I just kept watching movies."Selena moved closer, sat beside her, hugged her arm, and rested her head on her shoulder. "Ave, I'm dating Aaron now," she announced."What?" Aveline looked at her in shock.Selena then recounted what had happened, finishing with a light laugh, "I didn't expect him to agree so readily."Aveline frowned. "Have you really thought this through?"Selena shrugged. "What choice do I have if I haven’t? I can't really afford to piss him off; if I do, I’ll be the one facing the consequences. If I can enjoy myself instead, why should I suffer?"Aveline pondered for a moment and nodded. "You have a point."Selena noticed Aveline’s serious expression and chuckled, "Oh, come on, don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing. Who knows, maybe in three months, we’ll actually develop feelings for each other. If Aaron ends up insisting on marrying me, wouldn’t I be the winner then?"Aveline was silent for a moment before saying, "I hope
“What’s wrong?” Aveline looked at him, puzzled.Sidney pressed his lips together, then released her hand and said, "Aveline, my mom's condition is not very stable. She gets confused sometimes, so if she says anything, please don't take it to heart."Aveline’s brow furrowed. “Is her condition that serious? Have you discussed it with the doctor?”Sidney gave a helpless smile. “Her health wasn’t great to begin with. After everything she’s been through, it’s only gotten worse. The fact that she’s still holding on is thanks to the hospital care here.”His voice was slightly hoarse, his eyes filled with deep, unshakable sadness.Aveline could feel that sadness as well.She nodded. “I understand.”Sidney tried to force a smile. "Thank you, Aveline."She responded, "Let's go in."“Alright.”The door to the hospital room opened.A voice came from inside, “Is that you, Sid?”“Yes, it’s me,” Sidney replied, opening a bag he held and taking out some of his mother's favorite fruits.“Mom, I bought
Sidney’s face showed a hint of helplessness. “My mom’s just joking, and you’re joining in?”Aveline raised an eyebrow, “Aren’t you younger than me?”Sidney looked at her seriously. “Only by a year.”Aveline smiled. “Still younger.”Sidney was speechless.He stopped arguing and thought he would let it go as long as it made her happy.Ruth watched them with a cheerful smile, though a faint sadness lingered in her eyes. However, with Aveline there, chatting with her for a while, her mood visibly improved.It wasn’t until Ruth grew tired that Aveline stood up to leave.Outside the hospital room, Sidney looked at her intently. “Aveline, really, thank you.”Aveline gave a reassuring smile. "There's no need for such formality between us. Your mother's health should be your priority right now. Why don't you let Maria know that you don't have to be chained to the studio? You could easily work on your designs here at the hospital too."Sidney nodded. “Yeah, I’ll do that.”He escorted her to the
Lucas called out her name."Yes?" Aveline replied, confused.Lucas asked, "Did you miss me?"Aveline was speechless.She hung up the phone, her face expressionless. What was wrong with this man?How could she possibly miss him?Moments later, her phone vibrated. She looked at it.Lucas texted, “I miss you, a lot, very much.”Aveline's eyelid twitched. She quickly put away her phone, her heart inexplicably racing out of control. She took several deep breaths to calm herself, suppressing the strange emotions rising within her. Only after regaining her composure did she exhale with relief.What on earth was that about?…Three days passed quickly.Aveline dialed Lucas' number again, "Are you back?"There was silence."Lucas?" Aveline called out his name again, glancing at her phone.“Yeah,” Lucas finally replied, “I’m at the Tudor estate. Come here.”Then he hung up the phone immediately.What was that about?Why did she have to go to the Tudor estate? Couldn’t they just meet at the vill
Aveline's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at him.Did he really just say that? Was he possessed or something?"You don't have to look at me like that," Lucas said, almost as if he could read her thoughts. A faint smile tugged at his thin lips. "In the past, I only thought about how much I liked your scent, your body, and having you by my side. Even if you were reluctant, as long as you were with me, I felt at ease. So, I never cared about your feelings or whether you wanted to be here or not—I just kept you by force."He continued, "Of course, I still feel the same way. But I think maybe if I try a different approach, I might have a chance to keep you here… to save this marriage of ours that’s on the brink of collapse."As Lucas spoke, he kept his gaze on her, his deep, dark eyes holding a hint of tenderness.A wave of bitterness rose in Aveline's heart. She couldn't quite describe how she felt.If he had done this sooner, would things have turned out differently?Aveline lowe
The others were nowhere to be seen, and Aveline had no idea where they had all gone. She glanced suspiciously in the direction of the office; at this time, Maria should have been there."Hmm..."Just as she was about to walk over, another sound reached her ears. She paused, stopped in her tracks, and left directly.Inside the office.Maria was gripping Sidney’s tie, looking at his furrowed brows. She teased, "What's wrong, little Sidney? Did you have too much to drink at lunch? Want me to help you?"Her eyes were sultry, her soft body brushing lightly against his.Sidney’s body tensed instantly, the veins on his forehead standing out, his refined, handsome face showing a hint of restraint. His breathing became heavy as he abruptly pushed Maria away."What... are you doing?"Seeing him trying to keep his composure while also holding on to his self-control, Maria couldn't help but look at him with newfound interest."Can't you see?" Maria's eyes seemed to draw him in, staring straight at
Aveline was downstairs, sipping her coffee. When she casually glanced up, she caught sight of Maria and Sidney leaving together. A trace of doubt flickered in her eyes.They were heading out again?She didn’t think much of it and waited for a while before finally heading back to the office. After finalizing the contract, she received word from the finance department that the final payment had been settled. She let out a big sigh of relief.Taking out her phone, she contacted Myron. After explaining the situation, he assured her that he would inform her once the date was set.Sitting in front of her computer, Aveline felt a weight lift off her chest, like a string that had finally come loosened....Nearly a week later, Juliet's subordinate came to her with the results of their investigation. Juliet was shopping in the mall, and upon hearing the news, her expression shifted dramatically.She never would have guessed that Lucas' wife was Aveline!Whatever thoughts crossed her mind, she q
Jolie frowned. "Mom, I told you, I’m not close to Mr. Cooper."Daisy replied, "Of course, you won’t be close to him if you don’t stay in touch with him. The more you connect, the closer you will be. Get in touch with Mr. Cooper soon and let us know once you’ve arranged everything. We’ll handle the time and place."After saying that, she didn’t bother to see Jolie’s reaction and went back to arranging flowers.Jolie felt a deep sense of helplessness. How could they think she was close enough to Gavin to casually invite him to dinner? They were so confident, weren’t they? Jolie got up and left. She had originally planned to meet some friends for a photoshoot today. As a freelance photography enthusiast, she enjoyed capturing moments outdoors, but now, she wasn’t in the mood. She wandered around on her own. At the entrance of a mall, she unexpectedly ran into Selena. Selena had come to pick up something she’d forgotten to buy while shopping with Aveline yesterday. Neither of
As soon as Jason Lowe got home, he told his mother, Wendy Evans, all about what had happened at lunch.Wendy immediately passed the news on to Daisy, saying, "Oh Daisy, Jolie is really something! I didn’t realize she knew Mr. Cooper! You should’ve told me earlier—we’re friends, after all! “If I’d known she had that connection, we could’ve avoided all those setbacks. You should talk to Jolie. Let’s arrange a dinner with Mr. Cooper for both our families. It’ll help strengthen ties and make the partnership even smoother."Jolie, observing her mother’s bright, eager expression, could already guess what she was thinking. She frowned slightly and said, "That guy from the Lowe family basically told me that if I 'entertained' him, he’d consider giving the Quin family a bit more influence in the deal."Daisy’s smile vanished instantly. "How outrageous!" Her expression darkened with anger. She had never imagined Jason would be so shameless and despicable. Jolie was the daughter she had care
Selena continued her playful banter, even giving Lucas a pointed glare without missing a beat.Aveline stifled a laugh, listening carefully to the story Selena was recounting. After a moment of thought, she asked, "So, you stayed downstairs that long because you were planning to help out?"Selena's expression shifted to one of mild discomfort, her tone defensive. "I wasn’t going to help. If she’s getting pushed around, she deserves it!"Her words didn’t fool Aveline. She had known Selena for years and was well aware of her complex feelings toward the Quin family. While Selena often expressed her disdain for her parents, she had never spoken ill of Jolie.It was clear to Aveline that Selena cared about her sister, even if she wouldn’t admit it outright. But since Selena wasn’t ready to talk about it, Aveline decided not to press the issue."Alright, let’s eat. The food’s here.""Good idea."...Downstairs.After the man had scurried off, Jolie looked visibly more relaxed. Once she had f
"Yes, sir," replied the man across from Gavin, who was clearly his assistant, Quentin Rhett.Jolie had figured out the situation. The Southside business district project was primarily led by Cooper Enterprises, with various companies competing for the most lucrative contracts and land rights. It seemed the Lowe family’s bid had been favored so far.The arrogant man sitting across from her immediately adopted a more respectful demeanor upon recognizing Gavin. "Mr. Cooper, our bid is solid. There are no issues."Gavin, still ignoring him, continued with his meal.Jolie smirked slightly before standing up and walking directly to Gavin’s table."Hey, you—" The man started, then quickly silenced himself, nervously watching Gavin's reaction to her. If they were connected, his earlier attitude would make things extremely awkward for him.Without hesitation, Jolie called over a server, requested utensils, and casually began eating at Gavin’s table.Quentin, surprised by her boldness, spoke up,
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