The atmosphere was tense.Aaron raised his eyebrows slightly, looking at Aveline's cold and beautiful face, and suddenly asked, "Am I being implicated here?""What?" Aveline didn't quite understand what he meant for a moment.Aaron's smile faded, and his tone turned colder as he said, "Haven't you been curious about why Lucas suddenly left Larbor City and hasn't contacted you for so many days?"Aveline's expression grew even colder. "That's his business. It has nothing to do with me.""Hah!" Aaron immediately let out a cold laugh. "So, it has nothing to do with you. Aveline, I used to watch the two of you fight and struggle. I was always just an observer, never getting involved in your affairs. “I even advised Lucas to figure out his feelings and not do things he'd regret. He was indeed changing, and I believe you noticed that too. But it seems to have been in vain. Have you stopped loving him? Is that why you're indifferent to the changes he's made?"Aaron's gaze was sharp, and he st
Selena's eyes widened. "You..."But Gavin stood up and walked toward her. "Are you getting a divorce?" he asked.Selena shook her head. "Why would I? There's no reason for that."Gavin stopped right in front of her, and without another word, reached out his hand.Immediately on guard, Selena took two steps back, her back pressing against the door as she eyed him warily. "What are you doing?"Gavin saw the caution in her eyes, his expression growing colder. He grabbed the doorknob, opened the door, and pushed her out."You're a married woman. It's not appropriate for you to stay in my room."With that, he closed the door."Hey, wait, you—"Selena stood there, stunned, staring at the closed door. For a moment, she was speechless.This... this guy...How could he act like that?Then again... it wasn’t completely unreasonable."Selena."Before she could dwell on it, Aaron's voice echoed from the other room.She turned to see him standing in the living room downstairs, looking up at her.
Selena looked into his eyes and fell silent.Cutting ties?That was impossible.The Fletcher family had intricate connections throughout Cloudflare City. Even at the most ordinary gatherings, they could easily cross paths. The only solution was to keep her distance and remain indifferent. Besides, there was no reason for her and Aaron to fall out over this."Alright then, if she ever contacts you again, you’ll let me know right away," Selena said, deciding not to dwell on the matter any longer.Aaron smirked. "I promise."He sat beside her and asked, "Ready to head home?"Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve, their first one since they got married, and after that, their wedding ceremony was right around the corner.Selena nodded. "Yeah."She stood up. "I'll go let Ave know."Aaron nodded. "Let's go together."As they walked out, Selena casually asked, "By the way, do you know what Lucas has been up to? It’s been a while since anyone’s heard from him."Aaron gave her a knowing look. "I just tal
Aveline still had her doubts, but as she studied Gavin’s composed expression, his lack of denial spoke volumes.So… it was true.If Selena found out, she'd be over the moon!Aveline touched her nose, shifting her gaze away....By evening, Wilfried had returned.With New Year’s Eve approaching, members of the Tudor family were arriving one after another, filling the living room with lively chatter. The house buzzed with energy.Aveline, feeling exhausted, had taken a nap upstairs. When she woke, she remained in bed, listening to the occasional bursts of laughter and the sound of children playing in the snow outside. Despite the warmth of the festivities, she felt a hollowness deep inside.Aaron’s words echoed in her mind, causing her lips to tighten unconsciously. She unlocked her phone, staring at the photo on her lock screen before her hand drifted to her stomach.Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Selena.“Oh my God!”“Ave, Lucas was shot! He’s been in a coma fo
Aveline’s sudden decision to leave caught the entire Tudor family off guard.Gavin and Wilfried hurried to her room, only to find that she had already packed her things. Their faces were filled with concern."Ave, what’s going on? Why the rush?" Wilfried asked, stepping forward.Aveline took a deep breath. "Lucas is hurt. I need to go see him.""This..." Wilfried was momentarily stunned.Hadn't she been avoiding Lucas just recently? She didn’t even want to see him. Why did she change her mind so quickly?Aveline’s eyes reddened as she looked at Wilfried. "Dad, I’m sorry I can’t stay and spend New Year's with you. But I have to go. If I don’t, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life."It was serious—too serious.Wilfried wanted to ask her to wait until after the holidays, but the words wouldn’t come out.Gavin broke the silence. "Let me find out exactly what's going on first."There was no stopping her, though. After all, Lucas was the father of her child.Wilfried sighed softly. "I thou
Aveline struggled to steady her emotions, glancing over at Aaron. "Can I go in?"At this point, could anyone say no?Aaron nodded, making arrangements right away.Once suited up in isolation gear, Aveline entered the ICU.The sharp smell of disinfectant seeped through her mask as she walked step by step toward the bed. Lucas lay surrounded by various machines, an oxygen mask covering his face. His once handsome features were now pale and gaunt.She approached him, reaching out to touch him, but stopped when she noticed the gloves on her hands. She couldn't feel anything through them."Lucas."Her voice was muffled, thick with emotion like her nose was stuffed.Aveline blinked, fighting to keep her composure. "Why did you leave without a word? Not even a message. Do you know how angry that made me?""And then there’s Maria—she works for you. Why didn’t you tell me that sooner? If you had just explained, how could I have stayed mad at you?"Her voice grew softer, more strained. "You're d
Well, that was the past.She came back, and that's all that matters. At the very least, they were in the same place now. They could sort things out after Lucas woke up....Aveline refused to leave, choosing to stay at the hospital to wait for Lucas to wake up. Selena had no choice but to stay with her, worried for Aveline, especially since she was still pregnant.The next day, Gernard arrived to find Aveline carefully and gently wiping Lucas down, her expression soft and patient."Sis, give our family a call. It’s New Year after all," Gernard said."Okay." Aveline nodded but continued tending to Lucas until she was done. Only then did she grab her phone, sit on the couch, and open the family group chat for a video call.It connected quickly, and Wilfried appeared on screen, wearing his glasses."Happy New Year, Dad!" Aveline greeted with a smile.Wilfried grinned back. "Happy New Year, sweetheart. How’s Lucas doing?""He’s out of the critical phase. Once he wakes up, he should be f
Lucas glanced at her and said, "Since when have I not been shameless?"Selena paused, momentarily speechless. Well, he wasn’t wrong, was he?Aaron chuckled softly. "Alright, let him be for now. You can say whatever you want once he's fully recovered."Selena rolled her eyes. "I didn’t even say anything bad!"The night deepened, fireworks bursting in the distance. Aveline gazed at Lucas’ handsome face before suddenly speaking up. "Lucas, I have a New Year's gift for you.""What?" Lucas looked at her in confusion.Aveline smiled softly, placing her hand on her abdomen. "I’m pregnant."For a moment, shock washed over Lucas' face. His dark eyes filled with disbelief as he glanced between her face and her stomach."Really?" His voice was barely a whisper as if he thought he might be dreaming.Aveline walked closer, taking his hand and placing it gently on her belly. "Can you feel it?"Lucas didn’t dare press too hard, his hand hovering lightly over her stomach. Of course, he couldn’t feel
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