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
"Aveline, I know you plan to leave, but you're still here, still in this position. You have to complete your responsibilities. The studio isn't just mine," Maria said firmly.Aveline's eyelashes fluttered slightly before she replied, "Alright, I understand."Though her relationship with Maria was friendly outside of work, here in the studio, they were just employer and employee. Aveline's sudden decision to resign hadn’t angered Maria, likely out of respect for their past friendship. But if Aveline were to do nothing now and simply wait to leave, she’d be taking advantage of that friendship.Maria reached out and squeezed her shoulder gently. "Thank you for understanding."Back in the meeting room, Aveline continued discussing the contract details with Patrick. He had considerable assets, so he had no objections to the costs involved in building the house.After they finished going over everything, Patrick paid the deposit. Aveline would need to visit the site for an inspection and th
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