She grabbed the apron hanging on the wall, and Alaric didn’t argue; he simply wiped his hands on a towel. Emerald tied the apron around herself with ease, moving naturally, like a couple married for years."I’ll wash some fruit, then," he said, taking some from the fridge.Unlike other men who needed prompting, Alaric acted on his own and always had something to do. He moved quickly and efficiently, while Emerald, in contrast, wasn’t as skilled in the kitchen. Despite her culinary training, she focused on Western cuisine, sashimi, and sophisticated dishes.When it came to food, she usually improvised. Living alone, she rarely cooked, often opting for just a salad.She stared at the live fish in the sink, feeling a hint of anxiety. Handling live creatures wasn’t her forte; she usually had her fish cleaned before buying. But Alaric seemed to prefer keeping the fish fresh.The fish lay in the water, eyes wide open, its tail flicking slightly. Though nervous, Emerald maintained her compos
When she returned, Alaric’s table was already set. Steamed fish, boiled shrimp, stir-fried shredded potatoes, and a light soup filled the cozy dining area with the aroma of homemade comfort.The tall figure beside the table carefully placed chopsticks and plates. Emerald noticed that his once-clean white shirt now had oil stains, but he didn’t seem to mind. Like a true gentleman, he pulled out a chair for her.Emerald remained silent, feeling a slight discomfort. She didn’t ask for much in life, just one simple wish.Three meals a day, with family, sharing warm food together.She remembered, as a child, handing her exam papers to her mother, hoping she would pat her head and offer praise. She imagined her father lifting her onto his shoulders for a stroll. But she rarely saw her father, and the idea of the three of them sharing a meal felt like an impossible dream.On the rare occasions he did come home, her mother would wake up early, prepare an elaborate meal, only for them to end u
After hearing Emerald’s words, Alaric seemed momentarily stunned."Somewhere else, where’s that?" he thought.He looked at her tear-streaked face, his gaze slowly drifting down to her lips—bright pink and slightly swollen. Her lips still bore faint bite marks from earlier, the vibrant color almost like she’d just put on a fresh coat of lipstick. They glistened softly, the edges shining under the light.Alaric felt a tightness in his throat and a warm sensation stir in his stomach.Meanwhile, Emerald looked at him with an innocent expression. Her face, neck, and even the backs of her ears were flushed from crying. Her nose and the corners of her eyes were red.Alaric mused how women, with makeup on, always seemed a bit intoxicated, and right now, Emerald looked the same. She was hard to refuse.He held her face, gently brushing his thumb over her lips. His voice was low and alluring, "How are you going to help me?"Emerald felt the warmth of his fingers on her lips and suddenly underst
In a flash, he was at the door, kicking it open with force.“What happened?” he demanded as he stepped inside, his handsome face now as cold as ice, his presence strong enough to drive away any ghost.A soaking wet Emerald rushed into his arms, her voice trembling, “Alaric, Alaric! A cockroach!”He smiled, both annoyed and amused, thinking the sky was about to fall, only to find out Emerald was afraid of a cockroach. Clinging to his chest like a small octopus, she was almost in tears.This little girl, still such a little girl.Holding back his laughter, he took the towel and wrapped it around Emerald, wiping the drops of water from her trembling body.“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. Just close your eyes.”Emerald closed her eyes. In truth, she hadn’t always been afraid of things like this. When she was younger, there was a time when Rose, her mother, lost financial support from Amalia and they lived in an old building without an elevator, where you could hear people in the units
Emerald knew Alaric had done enough for her. It wasn’t his fault that she couldn’t trust or decide to take the plunge for love. This was the path she had chosen. After walking it alone for so many years, she thought she should be used to it by now.She reminded herself in silence that it was just a cockroach, nothing more. She had left Rose behind, left the cabinet, left the darkness. She was no longer the child trapped helplessly in a closet. The cockroach she saw was now just a symbol of a deeper fear, a shadow she couldn't seem to escape, even now.Emerald’s body slid down against the bathroom tiles. She hugged her knees, burying her head in her arms as the shower water continued to cascade over her. Emerald had once suffered from mental illness, controlled only through medication. She had fought hard to appear &
She was beginning to feel a strange dependence and trust in him. It was a good sign. Perhaps one day, those feelings would grow into love—the most beautiful yet terrifying force in the world.Loving someone meant giving all of yourself, losing your sense of self. And when abandoned, it could drive a person to madness, turning them into something unrecognizable, like a ghost borne of despair.She feared… she feared one day she might become the person she hated most. Worse than a cockroach.Alaric lifted his head, locking eyes with her. He saw the hesitation, the fear, the vulnerability in her gaze. Sensing he might be coming on too strong, Alaric softened his voice."I know you’ve been through a fa
Emerald was startled when he gently brushed her hair.“You don’t have to do anything. Just stay where you are, and let me take care of everything. Let’s give this a chance, and if, in the end, you want to be more than friends, that’s wonderful. If not, I won’t pressure you. What do you think?”Alaric, a seasoned businessman, hadn’t gained anything from this arrangement—in fact, he’d given more than he’d received.“It doesn’t seem fair to you,” she said softly.Alaric chuckled. “Silly girl, fairness is business.”As he said this, he held her wrist gently and shook his head slowly.“Like before, you don’t have to give anything. Just stand there. If I make you uncomfortable, you can walk away at any time. No strings attached.”To Emerald, it felt like a gift from above—something she wasn’t sure she deserved.He lowered his head, kissed her neck, and teased her earlobe, making her breath hitch. Taking advantage of the moment, he whispered softly, “Alright, Teacher Greene?”Emerald closed
“Good morning, baby,” Emerald greeted warmly.She felt no barriers with James, and her affection for the boy grew stronger.She ruffled his hair.“Hurry back to class; morning exercises are about to start.”“Okay.”As Emerald walked away, James watched her, imagining how amazing it would be if Emerald were his mom. She was beautiful and kind.---Yosef lightly tapped James on the head with a small fist, his cute face scrunching up as he glared at him.“Stop with those crazy ideas, that’s not happening.”The two pretended to get along in front of Emerald. James crossed his arms over his chest, giving Yosef a cold look.“Are you itching for another beating?”Yosef and James were worlds apart—one cool and handsome, the other soft and cute. But they were both equally stubborn.Yosef leaned in closer to James, lowering his voice.“Don’t go running to your dad for backup. If you help Teacher Ru get the land, you win. My dad’s coming back here soon.”James sneered. “So what? You think your d
Emerald woke up with a sore back, immediately regretting how far she had pushed herself last night. The man was nowhere to be seen, but the once-messy room had been cleaned up—clearly his doing. She glanced at the time. It was already past midnight.Dialing Alaric’s number, she spoke, her voice hoarse."When did you leave?""Around nine-thirty. Just waking up?" His voice was gentle, the kind that always put her at ease.She smiled. "Yeah… and I’m already missing you."Alaric was just finishing his meal when he heard her soft confession. A small smile played on his lips."How much do you miss me?""Enough to want to merge with you."He chuckled. This girl was unpredictable sometimes. But her honesty? It was endearing."Then maybe you should start thinking about marrying me—becoming Mrs. Corrigan in name and honor."Normally, Emerald would’ve brushed him off without hesitation.But tonight, she paused for a few seconds before saying, "Let me think about it."Alaric froze, expecting her
As soon as she stepped out, the black Audi’s low beams flickered on, casting a soft glow to light her way. Emerald took a few steps before suddenly stopping beneath a streetlamp. With practiced ease, she slipped off her high heels.Ethan knew this habit of hers all too well. She would wear heels everywhere—no exceptions, except at home. He used to tease her about it, saying that even in death, she’d probably insist on being buried with her favorite pair.The car door opened. A tall figure emerged, leaning casually against the hood. Emerald gathered the hem of her dress in one hand, clutching her heels in the other, and ran toward Alaric like an excited little bird.She was smiling—soft, radiant, carefree. Ethan had never seen her like this before. Whenever they met, he was always the one waiting, always the one filled with anticipation.But Emerald?She was always composed, always rational. She had never once run to him like this. Yet now, she was sprinting toward another man, complet
Had it not been for the presence of so many high-society elites, Iris would have whistled on the spot.So. Damn. Cool.She had always felt that Emerald was different from the rest of them.She wasn’t just talented—she was born for the spotlight.If this were a novel, Emerald would be the heroine.Even if her beginnings were humble, she was destined to rise.And people like Iris?They were just NPCs, background characters meant to highlight the brilliance of the protagonist.But strangely, that thought didn’t bring bitterness.Instead, she felt something warm, something oddly paternal—pride.Like an old father watching his daughter finally take flight.She had struggled, she had fought, and now, she stood in the center of the stage.And Iris couldn’t be prouder.Mrs. Florida heard the thunderous applause echoing through the hall.Her grip on her handbag tightened as she turned to Samantha, her voice sharp with urgency."Sam, it's your turn. You have to work harder—don’t lose to that li
Pantaleon finally snapped out of his shock. He had no desire to witness a scene like this. To him, an illegitimate daughter was someone who should remain in the shadows her entire life.Between Emerald and Samantha, there was no question—he would always side with Samantha.With a stern expression, he turned to Emerald and said coldly, "Haven't you caused enough trouble? Why are we making this a family competition? Just leave already!"Emerald looked at the man who was supposed to be her father. His coldness toward her was nothing new. Maybe it was because she had grown up without a mother’s love, but she had always craved warmth—even more than she feared rejection.But that slap… it ended everything. She no longer had any expectations of him.Her voice was icy as she said, "Mr. Valentine, you've made it clear how you feel. You have no right to tell me what to do.""You don’t even have a piano. What’s the point of embarrassing yourself here?"A voice suddenly cut through the tension."
Even Iris was moved. She grabbed the back of Gio’s hand excitedly. “This is so emotional! Wow, no wonder Ember plays the violin so beautifully—it turns out she’s the apprentice of a world-renowned master!”Gio glanced at his hand, which was already turning blue from her grip. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he muttered, “I get it, I get it… but can you let go first?”Meanwhile, the embrace between Rice and Emerald was nothing short of legendary—what people would call the reconciliation of the century.But for the Valentine, it was an absolute disaster.Samantha had meticulously planned everything for today. She secured the venue in advance, bought trending searches, and invested heavily in PR to ensure maximum publicity.The moment the event wrapped up, her team was supposed to flood the internet with glowing headlines about her performance.Instead, the entire scene had backfired spectacularly. What was meant to be a dazzling moment of glory had turned her into the laughingstock
Even Ethan, whom she had fought so hard to win, seemed completely disinterested now. His eyes weren’t on her—they were stuck on Emerald.Mrs. Florida naturally noticed the shift in the atmosphere.She had never liked Emerald. In her eyes, after leaving Ethan, Emerald would never find a man of better status—she was supposed to fade into insignificance.Yet now, standing before her was a woman whose circle was far beyond the Florida's reach. It was an embarrassing reality Mrs. Florida was unwilling to accept.Her lips curled into a sneer. “Look at that vixen, always scheming to climb higher, just like her shameless mother. How can she ever compare to our daughter? Samantha is generous, refined, and outstanding.”Mrs. Valentine quickly chimed in, eager to agree. “Of course! But it doesn’t matter. He will be here soon, and Samantha and Rice will naturally be together. That little vixen will never reach that level in her lifetime.”And as if summoned by their words, Rice arrived.The room
Emerald was restless, even in his sleep. His brows remained furrowed.Alaric watched her sleeping face with a gentle gaze, then pressed a soft kiss between her brows. "Little Moon, you'll get everything you desire."The Next DayNews of the Valentine's grand music dinner had been circulating for a while. Everyone knew that the internationally renowned chef, Rice, wouldn't just be performing at the event—he was also set to take Samantha as his final apprentice.Because of this, the dinner was an extravagant affair. As the pride of the Valentine, Samantha had sent an invitation to Emerald early on, eager to have her attend.She wanted to use this opportunity to flaunt her success.Samantha had always been the one to win. Taking what belonged to Emerald came easily to her, trapping her in an invisible cage with no escape.She had done it since they were children. But what she never expected was that today, Emerald would finally strike back.Emerald touched her ear. After days of adjustme
Alaric was sharp—too sharp for something like this to be a coincidence. It was entirely possible he had orchestrated the whole thing.“Even if he had his own agenda with you,” Alaric said calmly, “why shouldn’t I turn the tables on him?”So Lance had made the first move today. No wonder Emerald had found it strange that a family as prestigious as the Stevens would set her up on a blind date.Alaric must have caught wind of it in advance, which was why he had hijacked Lance’s setup and turned it into his own game.She sighed, shaking her head. “Aric, I can’t even imagine what you’d do to me if you ever became my enemy.”Alaric’s expression turned serious. “Are you scared?” He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a murmur. “Teacher Greene, I won’t let anyone take advantage of you. As long as I can keep you by my side, I don’t care what it takes.”On the screen, a gruesome scene unfolded—a wife who had been murdered years ago had returned, now lying under the bed, her bloodshot eyes
Emerald wanted to cry but had no tears. The woman clung to her like an overenthusiastic pendant—poking her cheeks, touching her arms, and even wrapping her arms around Emerald’s small waist.If she hadn’t firmly gripped her own body for dear life, this woman would have reached her thighs by now!Alaric’s so-called blind date was terrifying. She just wanted to go home.“Enough.” Alaric finally scolded in a low voice.Emerald looked at him with deep gratitude. Yes! Finally, some control!Take care of your own blind date, or she’s going to devour me whole!She gave him a pleading look, silently screaming for help.But instead of rescuing her, Alaric turned serious and said, “You’re not allowed to touch my wife. Hands off.”Wife?!Nina clicked her tongue, withdrawing her hand but not without squeezing Emerald’s waist one last time.“So stingy,” she huffed before smirking. “Tsk, tsk. What a soft waist.”Emerald was this close to crying.What kind of blind date is this?!Wait—no. Why were t