Alaric was dressed in a black suit and leather shoes, sitting comfortably in the backseat. He wasn't doing anything in particular, but his presence was so commanding that anyone who encountered him would be struck by his appeal. He looked extremely formal, with not a wrinkle in sight on his clothes. Emerald thought he might have just come from work, but he appeared as fresh as if he had just stepped out of the house.Alaric’s entire demeanor exuded a coldness that kept strangers at a distance, especially his stern expression, making him seem even more unattainable. Emerald assumed Iris was sitting in the passenger seat, but she was startled when Iris spoke from behind her."Em, get in. We can't leave with you just standing there," her friend urged, suddenly pushing her inside.“Iris—!” Emerald lost her balance, tripping on her heels, and ended up falling straight into the backseat, landing on Alaric’s chest. She grabbed onto his chest in fear of falling further, inadvertently pulling
Angered, Yvo sped up without hesitation. The area was already quite spacious, but Emerald wasn’t paying attention. Without a seatbelt on, she was instantly thrown off balance. It was too late to grab the armrest, so she closed her eyes and braced herself, bumping into Alaric's arms.The faint scent of cedar from his body filled her nose as Alaric took the opportunity to hold her waist and steady her. In her panic, Emerald clung tightly to Alaric.She suddenly remembered her dream from the night before.In the dream, just like now, she was held tightly in Alaric’s arms. In the darkness, the man’s hands roamed up and down her body. Thinking about what he said, inappropriate thoughts began to flood Emerald’s mind for no apparent reason.She seemed to forget that Iris and Yvo were sitting right in front of them. All she could feel was Alaric’s hand on her waist growing hotter and hotter. He wasn’t even doing anything, but Emerald’s breathing became faster and faster…Emerald wished her bo
In the midst of the darkness surrounding them, Alaric slowly lifted Emerald and pulled her onto his lap. Emerald gasped in surprise. She was facing away from him, still in shock, until Alaric wrapped one arm around her waist, clasped her chin with the other, and kissed her from the side.“You can moan quietly, baby…” Alaric whispered in her ear before deepening the torrid kiss.Although they had explored many positions in bed, this was the first time they found themselves in such an intimate position in a car. Her blouse was thin, and her skirt was short, so she could feel the heat of Alaric's body searing through her skin. The firm muscles of his chest pressing against her back and his strong thighs beneath her only intensified the heat coursing through her body. It spread rapidly from her face down to her feet, as if she were being consumed by fire.When Emerald tried to pull away from the intoxicating kiss, Alaric only deepened it, as if he wanted to drown her in the sensation. His
Emerald’s eyes darted to the man who was grinning at his phone. When their eyes met, his perfectly chiseled jaw tightened, and his soft gaze locked onto her. She could see his eyes linger on her shoulders. Who would have guessed that just a minute ago, he’d been doing whatever he wanted to her in the dark?She looked away in a panic, only to find that the black bow on her shoulder had come undone at some point. The black lace now draped softly across her pale shoulder, giving her a different kind of allure.Another message popped up on her phone.Alaric: Damn it. You’re so sexy, I would love to continue right here, right now.Emerald caught a glimpse of Alaric tidying up from the corner of her eye. His left hand rested on the armrest, revealing an expensive watch. At first glance, he seemed like a decent man—well-educated and gentlemanly. And while Alaric certainly was educated, Emerald wasn’t sure how much of his charm was real, at least when it came to her. After everything they ha
He wore suits and leather shoes, and his features were sharp—especially his serious eyes, which were like unpolished gems, hiding something noble and mysterious. The words he spoke didn’t match his identity at all, leaving Emerald momentarily speechless.Before her entire system could go haywire, Emerald shot him a sharp look. “Whatever!” she hissed shyly, turning on her heel to walk away.Everyone could hear the sound of her heels stomping on the concrete as she walked off with her cheeks and ears burning red. Alaric’s hearty laugh echoed behind her as he followed her into the restaurant.Yvo had already reserved a dinner date for himself and Iris a few days ago, but when his girlfriend mentioned that she would be bringing a friend along, he quickly changed the reservation. A four-seater table for a double dinner date.Emerald and Iris sat together on one side, while Yvo sat across from Iris. Emerald glanced at the empty seat next to Yvo, across from her. Before she could ask, Alari
Sensing the argument brewing, Yvo quickly stepped in to diffuse the tension.“Miss Greene, why don’t you order something else? The salad’s great, but I know there are some excellent main dishes here. Want to give them a try?” Yvo smiled at her, pulling her attention away from Alaric.“I’m fine…” she muttered.“Alright. Let me see—”“Let me see the menu again,” Alaric interrupted Yvo, taking the menu from him. Yvo gaped at Alaric, staring in disbelief.“I’ll order for Miss Greene,” Alaric said, looking over the menu with intent.Yvo felt unsettled. He’d known Alaric for a long time, and this was the first time he’d seen him take the initiative with a woman. He studied them both, trying to figure out if there was something between them, but he saw nothing. They looked like strangers.Besides, it was unlikely that Alaric would be interested in a woman so easily, especially when it came to sex. So why was he suddenly so eager to please Miss Greene?Little did Yvo know, Emerald’s leg was s
Iris almost choked on the lemonade she was drinking at that moment, reacting to Alaric’s comment. She clicked her tongue and gently nudged her friend’s arm.“Hey! Mr. Corrigan doesn’t even look old. Actually…” Iris paused and looked at Alaric.“You’re not old at all, Mr. Corrigan. You’re like a Greek god, not a regular person. If I listed you in my online shop, you’d sell out in no time, no matter how high the shipping cost. That’s how handsome you are!”Yvo's jaw literally dropped at what his girlfriend had just said. When he looked over at Alaric, he was even more shocked to see him laugh. In Yvo’s experience, Alaric was always quiet and grumpy, never easy to get along with. That's why seeing this kind of interaction between them caught him off guard! Alaric was actually responding to all of Miss Greene’s teasing, which was something new to Yvo.Shaking his head in disbelief, Yvo reached for Iris’s hand. “Baby, you nailed it. But maybe don't do it next time,” he said, worried Alar
Like Emerald, her mother, Esperanza Greene, was a strikingly beautiful woman. Men were easily drawn to her, just as they were to Emerald. After the incident with Emerald’s father, Eula stopped begging for his attention and instead focused on finding other wealthy men to marry. It seemed her plan was to elevate her social status and prove to Emerald’s father that she could secure a better life. Yet, no matter how many expensive bags or pieces of jewelry Eula collected from these men, none ever dared to marry her.Frustrated by her own failures, Eula shifted her focus to Emerald, who was still young and untainted by the hardships of life. She decided that Emerald would be the one to fulfill her dream of marrying into a wealthy family. Eula used the money she received from her lovers to groom Emerald, training her to attract the attention of rich men.According to Eula, sugar was useless—it brought no benefits other than weighing down the body and accelerating aging. Emerald still vividl
At night, after Emerald had fallen asleep, she would secretly call her mother—until Alaric caught her in the act.At the shareholders' meeting, Alaric eliminated four people and uncovered the one who had been secretly buying up scattered shares.It was Griffin.In a final twist, Mr. Corrigan betrayed him, and Griffin realized too late that he had been played.Alaric regarded him with an icy stare. “Did you really think I’d invite you here for anything else?”He took slow, deliberate steps toward Griffin. “You wanted Teacher Greene to forget me. But in the end, she forgot you instead. You schemed and plotted, but did you ever consider that this would be the outcome?”Griffin let out a bitter laugh, his eyes filled with resentment. “Alaric, you’re unbelievably lucky. Fate favors you—again.”His voice turned sharp with frustration. “Why does it always have to be you?”Alaric’s expression remained unreadable. “I know you blame me. You think your father abandoned you and your son.”Griffin
Now that Alaric had decided to marry Emerald, he naturally had to address the issue of inheritance.He had promised that he wouldn’t let Emerald suffer any injustice.James was thrilled but hesitant to believe it. He looked up at her cautiously and asked, “Can I really call you that?”Emerald knew that despite his tough exterior, he was actually very sensitive.She crouched down, gently running her fingers through James’s hair. “Of course, if you want to.”Without hesitation, James threw himself into her arms. “I do! Of course, I do—Mom.”His tears fell onto her neck, and Emerald’s lips curved into a soft smile.I just got a son this big out of nowhere.James was so attached to her that even when they walked, he would hook his little fingers around hers.It all felt like a dream.When Emerald looked up, she noticed Jamilah standing on the terrace, silently watching her. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Jamilah quickly turned away.James sighed and explained, “Mom, my sister ha
"Get ready, that’s where we’re landing," Alaric whispered in her ear.As they descended, Emerald noticed the intricate details within the rose fields—windmills, charming fairy-tale cottages, and delicate pathways weaving through the flowers.It was the kind of place that would go viral the moment people saw it—a dreamlike destination straight out of a storybook.Under Alaric’s steady control, they landed smoothly on the soft grass. The moment Emerald unbuckled her harness, she threw her arms around him, holding him close.The air was thick with the intoxicating scent of roses, and amidst it all, she could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat."Emerald Greene, I will never let anything hurt you again. From now on, I will make sure you're happy—forever.""Mm. I believe you.""Wow! This is straight out of a movie!" Iris gasped, pinching Gio’s arm. "I must be dreaming—this kind of romance isn’t even this dramatic in films!"Gio winced. "Ow!""That hurt!""Of course, it hurts! You pinch
Iris, still stunned, turned to stare at him. "Wait… is he that rich? So rich that he could casually win the title of ‘Little Prince’ or something?""He is the one who is the one who is the one.""Brother, why didn’t you tell me he was this handsome?! He’s so young and fair-skinned—he looks like he stepped straight out of an anime! Not a trace of that tacky, nouveau riche vibe at all."Even Emerald was taken aback, though not nearly as much as Iris.Noticing that the young man wasn’t much older than herself, she stepped forward, bent down, and offered him a hand."Are you okay?" she asked.Yngrid grabbed her hand and stood up, flashing a bright, friendly smile. “Don’t worry! Second Sister-in-law, you’re so beautiful! So gentle! No wonder Second Brother has been thinking about you for years—he finally got you.”Alaric frowned, glancing at the knife embedded in the table. “How many times have I told you? Stop running around with a knife in your hand.”Yngrid looked utterly clueless. “But
Emerald was sharp enough to catch the implication. This man was clearly from the Corrigan, but how could he be Alaric’s second brother?Nancy smiled. "It’s a long story. Sister-in-law, come inside quickly. Gabbi has been preparing all morning to welcome you."Gio, who was usually the most lively among them, suddenly looked uncharacteristically serious and polite. "Sorry to trouble you, then."Nancy turned his gaze to the other guest. "Welcome. You must be Ms. Benitez."Iris straightened up, her usual playfulness replaced by a bit of nervousness. "That’s me. Hello, hello."As the group walked inside, Gio trailed behind, but Iris discreetly poked his waist. "Who is he? You seem a little scared of him."She had met Gio’s friends many times, but she had never seen him act this cautious.Gio lowered his voice. "You may not recognize him, but you’ve definitely heard of the Medical Research Institute."Iris froze. "You mean the world’s number one pharmaceutical company?"Her mind was spinnin
The sun shone brightly, and magpies chirped from the branches—a perfect day.Iris, already waiting downstairs, let out a low whistle. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Interlocked fingers? Teacher Greene, Mr. Corrigan, could you two be any sweeter?”Caught off guard, Emerald instinctively tried to pull her hand away.But Alaric tightened his grip. “Don’t let go.”Her cheeks flushed, and she nodded. “Okay.”Iris was about to whistle again when Gio quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. “For the love of god, stop teasing them. My Alaric is the most patient guy—until he’s not.”Iris blinked. “Huh? But Mr. Corrigan seems so refined and gentlemanly.”Gio scoffed. “That’s just for women. When it comes to me, he’s got a double standard.”Clearly, Gio had endured Alaric’s ruthlessness one too many times. If Iris kept poking fun at him, Alaric would undoubtedly find a way to get back at them both.Completely oblivious, Iris had no idea what was happening. She tried to push Alaric into the front passenger seat,
"I won’t say things like that again," she murmured. "If I do, I’m not just belittling myself—I’m belittling your love, too.""That’s right." Alaric rubbed her head gently. "The past is heavy baggage. If you can, let it go. The future will be so much better."She smiled. "Your little Greene has finally grown up.""You have a daddy boyfriend, so you have to grow up."Emerald wrapped her arms around his neck, her voice soft. "Thank you… for teaching me how to love.""It’s my greatest honor to receive Teacher Greene’s love."Their eyes met, the space between them shrinking as they leaned in—Then Alaric’s phone rang.He exhaled sharply, turning it off without hesitation."Sorry. Let’s pick up where we left off."The caller was persistent. Emerald sighed, nudging Alaric playfully. "Go on, Mr. Busy."He had already spent so much time with her over the past two days, and she was more than content.But Alaric never returned after heading to his study. Emerald waited alone until eleven o’clock
At first, Emerald worried that Gio was just fooling around and that Iris would end up getting hurt. But later, through Alaric, she realized that Gio was genuinely working hard for their future.It was only then that Emerald recognized how extreme her past views had been—believing that marriage was a trap and love was nothing more than fleeting sweetness.Iris, in her simplicity, had understood something far earlier than she did: love is about two people growing together, striving toward a shared future.Even someone like Iris, who had spent years drifting through life, was now determined to change. And that alone was a good start.Gio had seen all kinds of people in his world, but it was Iris—pure and untainted, like a blank canvas—who truly captured his heart. She made him want to protect her.Now, Emerald could finally put her worries to rest.The so-called unreliable playboy hadn’t even touched Iris all this time. That fact alone proved he was someone she could trust."Ember, I'm n
Alaric stared coldly at the woman standing before him, utterly unfazed by her desperation."It doesn't matter who it is. I don’t owe you an explanation."Yngrid’s emotions spiraled out of control again, but before she could lash out, Winston’s expression darkened. The usual elegance in his demeanor vanished, replaced by an icy sharpness."Do you need me to remind you of your place?" he said, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.Emerald watched the scene unfold, quickly deducing that Winston held Yngrid’s fate in his hands. Yngrid’s reluctance was obvious, but in the end, she had no choice but to submit.She took slow, deliberate steps toward Emerald. "Emerald… I’m sorry for what happened," she forced out. "I apologize."Emerald didn’t miss the unwillingness in Yngrid’s eyes. And to be honest, she had no desire to accept it.But she also knew that she had finally convinced Alaric to reconcile, and the partnership with the Santos had been secured. Yngrid’s presence here w