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
Gernard’s expression grew more serious. "Juliet, I can agree to anything else, but not this. You are the heiress of the Skyler family; you must not do something that would destroy someone else's marriage."“What do you mean by destroying someone’s marriage?” Juliet pouted. “I’ve already looked into it; they’re getting a divorce. Besides, didn’t you also hire a lawyer to help? You’ve done so much already, so why won’t you help me with this?”Gernard was surprised at how much she knew, his brows furrowing. “Juliet, why not like someone else? Why must it be him? Since you’ve investigated him, you should know he isn’t someone you can trust.”He tried to reason with her, “Aveline once saved his life, yet he wants to divorce her and has caused her so much pain. If that’s how he treats his savior, do you think he’ll treat you any better?”Juliet dismissed his reasoning, saying, “He dares to treat his wife that way because she has nothing. He wouldn’t dare do the same to me; I have the entire
They both lived in the same building, so it was inevitable they would run into each other.Inside the elevator, Aveline pressed the floor button and moved to stand in the corner. Lucas, tall and imposing, filled the space with a sense of pressure. His striking, sharp features showed little emotion as he watched her through the mirrored walls.“Want to come over to my place for dinner?” he asked.“No,” Aveline replied.She wasn't particularly hungry and hadn’t planned on having dinner.“Are you sure?” Lucas persisted. “Why not try my cooking and give me some pointers? That way, if we part ways in the future, I won’t starve myself.”Aveline was speechless for a moment. She glanced up at him and said, “Even if you can't cook, you wouldn’t starve.”With his skyrocketing net worth and status as the youngest Chairman in Cloudflare City, there was hardly anything he couldn't get. If he wanted something to eat, all he’d need to do was put out the word, and people would likely line up to bring
Aveline glanced at the menu and raised an eyebrow. "Aren’t you worried I’ll make you broke?"Selena waved her hand dismissively. "Order whatever you like! I'm not afraid!"Aveline smiled and ordered without being wasteful, choosing dishes she actually enjoyed. She called over the waiter, handed over the menu, and as the sliding door closed, she caught a glimpse of a few people passing by outside.Their eyes met briefly, and Aveline fell silent.Lucas, Aaron, and Lance were there.What a coincidence.The door slid shut, cutting off their line of sight.Selena started talking about her new job, filled with excitement and hope for the future. Aveline listened quietly before saying, "I'm planning to resign."Selena paused for a moment, then nodded. "That might be for the best. Once the court hearing is over and the divorce is finalized, you'll be free of any restraints."Aveline replied, "Let’s hope it goes smoothly."Selena smiled. "It definitely will."…In the private room next door, Aa
The faint scent of alcohol lingered in the air.The private room fell silent for a moment—not only there but even the room next door grew quiet. The lack of soundproofing made Selena's loud voice impossible to ignore.Aaron and Lance both glanced at Lucas, their expressions unreadable. Lucas’ striking face remained calm, betraying no emotion, though his fingers tightened subtly around his glass.After a long pause, a soft, clear voice came through from the other side, "No, I won’t."Lucas raised his glass and downed the drink in one go.Selena let out a chuckle. "That's the spirit! Why jump into a pit of fire over and over again? Unless you want to be burned to ashes with nothing left."Aveline's smile was faint, her tone calm. "You're drunk. Let's go."Selena cupped her face with a playful grin, "Alright, but I’m sleeping over with you tonight."Aveline stood up and helped her to her feet, and they left the private room together.At the same time, the door next door slid open, and a m
"Even the law gives people a chance to redeem themselves, but you won’t," Lucas remarked, his eyes on her. In the dimly lit car, the streetlights flickered past, but they couldn’t illuminate the darkness in his gaze.Aveline pressed her lips together and replied, "But you’ve hurt me. I have a fragile heart. I won’t touch anything that causes me pain again."Silence filled the car.For a moment, Lucas wished he could go back in time and slap himself. Why had he been so foolish?He closed his eyes...There was no turning back in this world, no way to undo what had been done. At this point, words felt utterly meaningless.They arrived at Maple Garden.Aveline parked the car and left, heading directly towards the entrance. Lucas remained quiet, following her silently into the elevator.The conversation in the car left them both in a heavy silence.Aveline suddenly realized that some words were not as difficult to say as she thought. Speaking them out loud actually made her feel a bit ligh
Maria sighed helplessly. "I should have seen this coming. From the very beginning, you were always thinking about leaving."Aveline lowered her eyes slightly, a faint smile on her lips, but she didn't respond. Taking this job had always been a temporary decision. Her goal had always been to move on and live her own life.“Alright, I’ll start preparing to hire someone new. But after seeing your designs, my standards have risen, so you’ll have to take responsibility. You’ll handle the interviews,” Maria said.Aveline nodded. “Sure, no problem.”She got up and left the office. As soon as the door closed behind her, Maria quickly dialed Lucas' number.“What is it?” His deep, cold voice came through as soon as he answered.Maria lowered her voice, “Bad news, boss. Aveline just handed in her resignation!”Lucas' tone grew even colder. “And you accepted it?”Maria replied, "What choice did I have?”Lucas responded flatly, “Then there’s no need for your studio to stay open. She leaves, and so
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