"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
Maria came out of the restroom, drying her hands, and spotted Sidney standing a short distance away, his dark eyes fixed on her.She flashed a smile. "What's wrong?"Sidney’s tone was cooler than usual. "What are you doing here?"Maria walked slowly toward him, tilting her head slightly. "As your boss, I thought I'd check in on an employee’s family. Is that not allowed?"Sidney replied, "It’s not necessary.""You're so cold," Maria teased, stepping a bit closer. "But that wasn't the case when we were at the hotel."Sidney’s expression instantly turned icy. "What are you trying to do?"Seeing his tense and guarded look, Maria’s smile widened. "Do you always do whatever I say?"Sidney pressed his lips together, remaining silent.Maria brushed her hair back over her shoulder. "I want you to kiss me."Sidney’s gaze grew colder, and he turned to leave without another word.Maria couldn’t help but laugh softly. "Let's see how long you can hold out, Sidney."…Back in the hospital room, Ruth
A vein throbbed at Sidney's temple, and without another word, he turned and walked away.Maria chuckled softly, watching his retreating back. There was no need to rush.…Aveline threw herself into work, heading out the next day to inspect the plot of land Patrick owned. It was surrounded by a vineyard, making it an ideal location for a winery. Patrick's main goal was to build a resort-style winery, catering to the elite for leisure and entertainment, so he was particular about every detail.After gaining a general understanding of the terrain and Patrick's vision, Aveline returned to the studio and began working tirelessly on the designs, sketching day and night.When the first draft was ready, Myron called to inform her that the court date had been set for a week from now.At the same time, Lucas also received the court notification.He was dining at Club Nine with a group of business partners. After hanging up the phone, his strikingly handsome face remained as impassive as ever,
Lucas suddenly moved closer to her, his voice low. "Then let's do something more interesting."As he spoke, he grabbed her hand and pressed it against the fingerprint lock."What are you doing?" Aveline froze, staring at him. This man was losing his mind again!His cool fingertips brushed against the skin of her wrist, sending a chill through her. His grip was firm and unyielding."You were the one who said you wanted to try something interesting."They were now standing very close. His clean, crisp scent filled the space between them. With his other hand, he swiftly opened the door and stepped inside, pulling her in with him.Aveline’s inner alarm bells were ringing loudly.Trying not to provoke him further, she stayed calm. But as soon as the door closed, Lucas spun her around and pressed her against the door.His tall frame loomed over her, and he moved in to kiss her.Aveline turned her head away, dodging his lips.His hot breath brushed against her cheek, and he froze in place. H
Aveline smiled slightly and said, "I’ve been good, just busy."Gernard gazed at her and remarked, "You seem to have lost some weight."Aveline touched her face. "Really? Well, in that case, I won’t have to go on a diet."Gernard wanted to say more, but he suddenly realized this conversation seemed a bit too intimate. Thinking about what his sister intended to do, he sighed softly in his heart. He glanced at the two lawyers. "You all continue; I won't disturb you."With that, he made a move to leave."You aren’t disturbing us," Aveline interjected. For some reason, she suddenly wanted Gernard to stay, to hear what was to be discussed next. It felt as if having him around provided a sense of security. This feeling was strange, catching her off guard, but she had already spoken.Gernard decided not to leave. "Very well, I will be there at court tomorrow too, so don’t worry.""Alright." Aveline nodded.As the two lawyers continued speaking, Aveline listened attentively while Gernard occas
Why?Why would Lucas target Gernard? Aveline couldn't figure it out, no matter how hard she thought. "What are you thinking about?" Gernard's voice came from beside her. Aveline snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. "Nothing. Let's go." "Alright." Gernard responded with a nod. As they exited the restaurant, his phone suddenly rang. He took it out and saw that it was a call from Juliet. "Hello, Juliet." As he answered the call, Gernard's tone softened unconsciously. Juliet's playful voice came through, "Gernard, where are you? I'm so bored. Can I come find you to hang out?" Gernard asked, "Have you had dinner yet?" Juliet replied, "Yes, I have." "I'm planning to head back to the hotel," Gernard said. Juliet immediately sounded like a deflated balloon. "Going back to the hotel this early? Aren't you considering any nightlife at all? You're getting older, and Mom and Dad keep pushing you to get married, you know." Gernard chuckled with a mix of help