“What kind of deal did Miss Powell offer you?” Maria asked leisurely.Sidney froze, surprise flashing in his eyes as he looked at her.“Don’t look so shocked,” Maria said, flipping her hair with a casual grin. “I’ve got some connections in Cloudflare City now. The circle isn’t that big. I hear things when something stirs.”Though his initial surprise faded, Sidney’s expression remained cold. “That’s none of your business.”“Oh?” Maria raised an eyebrow, her gaze drifting from his face to admire her freshly manicured nails. “She wants a fake marriage to avoid an arranged one, right?”Sidney’s face grew even colder. The idea that his private matters were so easily known left a bitter taste in his mouth.“Sidney, are you really going to agree? You already don’t know what to do with me. How do you think you’ll handle the Powell family?”She took a step closer, reaching up to touch his face.Sidney quickly pulled away from her hand, his voice even frostier. “I told you, this has nothing to
Aveline was surprised—she hadn’t expected Maria to actually fall for Sidney. If that was the case, things were about to get complicated. Sidney knew Maria’s true intentions from the start, which meant he was likely guarded and resentful toward her. If Maria hadn’t developed feelings, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but now that she had...What was she going to do?After a moment of contemplation, Aveline asked, "What do you plan to do next?"Maria sighed. "I’m not sure. I’ve been wondering if I should try to be with him. But it feels like such a long and difficult path ahead, and I don’t know if I have the endurance to see it through."Maria was someone who hated complications. That was why, unlike Brian and the others who practiced martial arts, she had only pursued her expertise in computers. Learning to fight seemed like too much hassle. Pursuing Sidney, with all the challenges it entailed, felt equally daunting.What was she supposed to do?Aveline’s voice softened. "Maybe you need t
Maria let out a short laugh, almost as if she had just heard the most absurd joke.Fawn frowned. "What’s so funny?"Maria took a sip of her coffee, then said calmly, "Miss Powell, you’ve misunderstood. I didn’t stop him from doing anything—it was his decision.""That’s impossible!" Fawn didn’t believe her. "If you hadn’t said something, he wouldn’t have refused so decisively!"Tears began streaming down Fawn’s face, her expression filled with frustration. "You ruined it for us! Now I have to marry that old man! He’s nearly sixty, and I’m only twenty-three! Why should I marry him? Don’t you worry about karma for what you’ve done?"Maria raised an eyebrow at her, a bit surprised by the outburst. "Miss Powell, am I your parents? Am I the one forcing you into that marriage?"Fawn bit her lip. "If you hadn’t said anything to Sidney, he would’ve agreed!"Maria’s eyes grew cold. "You’re only thinking about yourself. You believe marrying him would solve your problems, but have you thought abou
Maria’s gaze lingered on Sidney like someone eyeing their favorite toy. His expression grew colder as he looked at her and asked, "Can we talk now?""Here?" Maria smirked, "I’m not really fond of standing in doorways. It’s exhausting."Sidney remained silent, unmoving.With a casual smile, Maria unlocked the door with her fingerprint and stepped inside. Sidney followed her in, and as the lights gradually brightened, Maria stopped, her back to him.Sidney stood near the entrance, quietly watching her.Without turning around, Maria spoke. "Miss Powell came to see me today. She wanted to know why I stopped you two from getting married."She chuckled, finally turning to face him. "Sidney, you didn’t handle things well. Now I’ve got this mess, and she’s blaming me for everything. I’m not exactly pleased—what do you suggest we do about that?"Sidney frowned, his tone apologetic. "I didn’t know she would go to you. I’m sorry."Maria raised an eyebrow. "Why are you apologizing?""I’m apologiz
"But what?" Sidney asked, still puzzled.Maria sank into the couch, her slender body relaxed as she gazed at Sidney. "Miss Powell's suggestion actually gave me an idea. If you and I got married, the studio would become shared property. You wouldn’t have to pay a cent to run it, and I could take off and live my carefree life."Sidney stared at her, utterly bewildered. "Marriage?""That’s right." Maria nodded, resting her chin on her hand and giving him a playful wink. "What do you think? Interested?"Without a word, Sidney turned and headed for the door.This was insane.First Fawn, now Maria—was every woman in his life losing their mind?"I’m telling you, if you walk away now, this opportunity won’t come around again. I’m being reasonable today, but who knows about tomorrow?" Maria called after him, her tone teasing but calm.His only response was the sound of the door closing behind him."Tsk..." Maria muttered to herself.He had his principle, huh? Men with that kind of integrity we
"Mmm..." Maria sat on Sidney’s lap, genuinely contemplating his offer, though she certainly wasn’t sitting still. Her soft hands wandered, occasionally brushing against his chest muscles, then his abs.Her legs were no better—tightening and loosening, shifting against him in a teasing rhythm.Sidney’s throat tightened, and with a sudden grip on her waist, his voice came out hoarse. "Can you stop moving?"Maria shook her head, a playful glint in her eyes. "Nope."Without warning, she leaned in and kissed him.This time, Sidney didn’t pull away—he couldn’t. Her lips were soft, full of temptation, and her cool hands slid under his shirt, exploring his toned muscles.Every inch of Sidney’s body tensed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. Suddenly, he took control, cupping the back of her head and deepening the kiss.A flash of triumph passed through Maria’s eyes as she let him take the lead, enjoying the way he kissed her back.The car was soon filled with the sound of heavy bre
Sidney glanced down at Maria in his arms. Her eyes were closed, and a soft blush still colored her cheeks, her expression one of complete satisfaction. The hint of seduction lingered in the curve of her lips, which were now swollen from their earlier kiss.His breath deepened as he recalled what had just happened in the car. Tightening his hold on her, he strode purposefully toward the apartment building.Maria remained still, enjoying the warmth of his embrace. The corners of her lips tugged upward in a subtle smile.When they reached her door, Sidney said, "Unlock the door."Maria, half-asleep, lazily lifted her hand from under the jacket and pressed her fingerprint to the lock. The door clicked open.Sidney shook his head with a trace of amusement. "Still too weak to do anything?"Maria nestled closer into his chest, murmuring, "Mmhmm.""Not even enough strength to open the door?" Sidney asked, his tone teasing.She chuckled softly. "Maybe just enough for that."She reached out
In the photo, Maria’s elegant smile lit up the frame, her eyes fixed on the camera with effortless grace, while Sidney’s gaze rested on her, clear and steady, tinged with curiosity. His sharp, clean-cut features only added to the charm of the moment, creating a sense of intimacy in the captured image. Sidney noticed the picture but didn’t protest—at this point, he was indifferent to what she did. Their relationship was complicated enough as it was.Maria, on the other hand, was thrilled with the photo. She immediately set it as her lock screen and posted it on her social media. Within minutes, she received a flood of likes and comments, but she ignored them for the time being.Putting her phone aside, she rested her chin on her hand and gazed at Sidney."You said you were hungry," Sidney commented in his usual calm tone.Without missing a beat, Maria replied, "Haven’t you heard of the saying ‘feast for the eyes’?"Sidney paused mid-bite, casting a cool glance her way. "If you’re no
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