"Alan, I'll give you one last warning: don't mess with Patricia. She's mine, and you can't handle the consequences!"Marcia's heart raced as she turned to look at Alan, who appeared pale, his lips almost white.His eyes were filled with a mix of shock and anger, jealousy flickering in his gaze as he watched their closeness.Elijah ignored Alan, looking down at Marcia with a gentle but resigned expression. "Cia, let's go home together!"He reached out his hand, and though Marcia's palms were slightly sweaty, she smiled back at him and nodded earnestly. "Okay."Alan could only watch as they walked hand in hand toward the villa. From behind, they looked like a couple in love...But as they left the park, Marcia instinctively pulled her hand away, feeling awkward. "Sir, thank you, but why are you out so late?""Hmm? Thank me for what?" Elijah replied, his brow furrowing in confusion. But when he saw the seriousness in Marcia's eyes, a smile crept onto his lips. "I came to take you home!"
After waiting a while in the lobby on the first floor, Marcia checked the time—it was already a quarter past ten. Realizing she still had to take minutes for the meeting, she felt a rising impatience."No matter how brilliant someone is, being late is inexcusable." She stomped her foot and turned toward the elevator.Just then, someone came up from the underground parking lot.With a "ding," the elevator doors opened.Marcia hurried in, intending to press the button for the 23rd floor, but saw the light was already on.She cautiously moved to the back, observing the people in front of her.There was a young woman dressed provocatively and a young man with a buzz cut, listening to music through headphones—neither looked like they belonged in a research setting.Her gaze landed on a middle-aged man with slightly graying hair, slim in build, wearing a simple white shirt and loose black slacks, with casual sneakers on his feet.How should she put it? Quite "fashionable"...Ding! The eleva
Marcia pushed him away in annoyance and walked straight into the conference room, taking a seat at the recording table.The atmosphere in the meeting room felt strange.She glanced at Elijah, whose face was icy, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table.Marcia was taken aback; though she maintained a calm exterior, her mind raced with questions. Elijah's behavior seemed casual, but after spending time with him, she knew he was angry—and not just a little.Elijah cast a disinterested glance at her before indicating Kevin, who was standing at the door. "This is the new head of the research department, Professor Kevin Franklin," he introduced flatly.Kevin seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere. He flashed a grin and waved cheerfully at everyone. "Good morning, everyone! We're all colleagues now, so just call me Kevin. Uh-oh, looks like there aren't any open seats?"He quickly turned and strode over to the empty chair next to Marcia. "I'll just sit here… you all go on with the mee
In the photo, Pag lay limply against Gary, her half-bared chest pressed against him as she fed him something, with a coy look in her eyes. Gary, clearly engrossed, had a lustful expression, while Alan watched from the corner with a glass of red wine and a knowing smile.Gary barely glanced at the photo, panic flashing in his eyes. Desperately, he protested, "Sir, this was from last month when I was in Liverpool, working on connections for Azure. I had no idea he'd even be there! Don't misunderstand—I barely know him! Someone must be trying to frame me with this!"He spoke tearfully, looking utterly distraught.But Kevin was unmoved, giving him a sly smile. "What a clever excuse! I practically had to scour Liverpool to get my hands on this tiny piece of evidence—people even thought I was stalling on purpose!"Marcia shot him a cold look. So he'd lied about not having a set work schedule, hadn't he?Kevin then turned, feigning hurt, and looked over at Elijah. Noticing Marcia glaring at
Seeing Marcia's dazed expression, Elijah's eyes held a touch of indifference."Patricia, I brought up the acquisition proposal to the board last night. A special task force will arrive soon, and I personally selected the team. This is your responsibility now—lead them well. I trust you."Marcia, struck by the pride and intensity in his gaze, forgot to respond.Watching Elijah's indifferent smile, she realized something—he wasn't wary or fearful of Alan. Instead, he seemed to relish the process of tormenting his opponents, breaking them down just before delivering the final blow.To him, this wasn't a battle; it was more of a game. Alan, in his eyes, wasn't even a worthy adversary."Understood," Marcia replied, bowing her head. However, a cold sensation crept into her heart.She had always been close to Elijah, especially since they'd been living under the same roof. But even she knew nothing about Kevin's sudden appearance.She had underestimated Elijah. To the public, he was ruthless
As Marcia finished organizing the documents, she noticed it was finally time for lunch. She shut down her computer and stretched her shoulders, only to feel a hand on her shoulder."Cia, tired from work? Let me give you a massage," Kevin's voice sounded too close for comfort.Marcia shot up from her seat, glaring at him. "Professor!"Kevin pouted, pretending to be wounded. "I'm only concerned for you, Cia. You're working so hard."Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Marcia replied through clenched teeth, "Professor, I don't know what I might've done to catch your attention, but please, can you keep your distance?"Kevin's expression turned wistful. "You really don't remember me, do you?"Caught off guard, Marcia hesitated but then shook her head. "Today was our first meeting. Please stop bothering me, or I'll have to refuse to work with you, regardless of the boss's orders."Kevin shrugged nonchalantly. "Cia, you're too tense! I only wanted to be friends.""Friends don't need to t
Marcia followed the two men expressionlessly, feeling equally irritated by Kevin's endless chatter and Elijah's silence.She didn't even understand why, but today, everything seemed to rub her the wrong way.Nicole had arrived wearing a white dress that accentuated her figure while giving off a pure and delicate vibe.Seeing them approach, she waved excitedly. "Eli, over here!"But when she noticed Marcia, who was also dressed in white, her face soured. "Why are you here too?" she muttered.Kevin, an old acquaintance of Nicole's, casually replied, "She's my date. What, you two can show up as a pair, but I'm not allowed to bring a gorgeous woman along?"Nicole scoffed, "Gorgeous?" Her blatantly judgmental look made Marcia even more uncomfortable."Of course! To me, she's the most beautiful," Kevin said, pulling out a chair for Marcia. "Come, sit here!"He shot a warning look at Nicole. "And wipe that look off your face before one of your haters snaps a photo and posts it online.""Oh,
After dinner, they drove back to the office. Before getting out of the car, Elijah coldly instructed, "Patricia, follow me to the office."Marcia's face paled, feeling a slight unease. Sensing her anxiety, Kevin patted her shoulder lightly before he left and whispered, "Don't worry. It must be for work."Marcia nodded, subtly putting some distance between them. "Please go back to your office," she replied politely.Their brief conversation didn't escape Elijah's notice, and a glint of coldness darkened his gaze.Following Elijah into his office, Marcia watched as he impatiently took off his suit jacket. She immediately stepped forward, taking it and neatly hanging it on the coat rack before standing quietly, waiting for his instructions."Patricia…" Elijah started icily, his tone heavy with disapproval. "I've always prohibited office romances."Marcia was taken aback. "I know, sir. I'm not involved with anyone in the company," she replied quickly, her sincerity unmistakable.Elijah's
Her hand fumbled across the bed, finally reaching the bedside lamp. "You lunatic! It's your fault, not mine. Why do you always blame others? Kate left with someone else—what does that have to do with me? Let go of me!"She rolled her eyes in defiance, but her arms were too weak to resist. Just a little more, and she could grab the lamp...Alan's eyes burned crimson with rage. "It's all your fault! I was fine with Kate before you came along! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have given her to Harold. That bastard said he just wanted her for one night, but now he won't return her! He's no different from Elijah—both beasts! No, fools! Secondhand goods, and yet they enjoy it so much! Is every woman I've been with so desirable? Marcia, tell me—who's better, huh?!"He lost all reason, furiously trying to tear off Marcia's pants. But in his drunken state, he couldn't manage. Frustrated, he pressed against her through her clothes and shouted, "Say it!
Meanwhile, back in his room, Booth snapped out of his daze.Covered in sweat and grime, he had no interest in showering after his conversation with Jane. Instead, he slumped onto the sofa, staring blankly into the distance.It was unclear how long he sat there before irritation drove him to his feet. Booth stormed into the bathroom, peeled off his shirt, and splashed cold water onto his face. Suddenly, something didn't feel right.Jane was staying on the 17th floor—that much he remembered clearly. So why had he seen her waiting for the elevator on the 22nd floor? This was a hotel, not a crowded office building where people often rode the elevator in the wrong direction just to secure a spot.A suspicion crept into Booth's mind—Jane was hiding something from him. He couldn't explain the feeling, but his instincts rarely failed him.Pulling out his phone, he tried calling her, only to find her phone was turned off."Damn it,"
Calvin walked into the hotel lobby and spotted the manager, Charles, speaking on the phone at the front desk.The moment Charles saw Calvin, he hung up immediately and greeted him respectfully. "Sir, would you like me to arrange a car for you?"Calvin raised an eyebrow. "Your efficiency is quite impressive.""My apologies for earlier, sir. I hope you'll forgive us," Charles said with a polite smile.Calvin replied casually, "You were just doing your job, ensuring the guests are taken care of. By the way, she...""Please rest assured, sir. We'll take excellent care of her. Mr. Elijah has already instructed us," Charles responded quickly, knowing exactly who Calvin was referring to.Calvin chuckled. "Seems like he's not too busy in America.""He's just concerned about his wife, that's all. Sir, this way, please. Your car is ready." Charles gestured respectfully. Calvin glanced in the direction Charles indicated, seeing a black Mercedes-Benz van parked at the entrance.Calvin gave Charle
Jane reached out to steady Marcia's back and said softly, "Sir, my name is Jane. May I ask for yours? I joined Sin Corporation the same year as Patricia—quite the coincidence, isn't it?"Calvin frowned slightly at Jane's sudden familiarity but answered curtly, "Calvin."Unbothered by his aloofness, Jane smiled and scanned the room numbers as they walked. "Oh, here it is—2711! Calvin, I almost forgot. Do you have her room card? Without it, we can't get in."After a moment of hesitation, Calvin handed Marcia's bag to Jane. "It should be in her bag. Check inside."Jane accepted the bag cheerfully and rummaged through it. "Found it!"She held up the card and swiped it against the door lock. With a soft beep, the door to 2711 clicked open."Come in, Calvin," Jane said, stepping aside.Calvin nodded and entered quickly, not noticing that Jane discreetly slipped the room card into her own pocket instead of returning it to the bag."Lay her down on the bed," Jane suggested. She glanced at Cal
Calvin didn't drive. Partly because he had been drinking, and partly because it had been a long time since he had been this close to Marcia.Marcia was light as a feather on his back as he slowly carried her toward the hotel.He had grown used to keeping track of Marcia's every move, but her heart had always been out of his reach.As a child, Marcia would cling to his arm with a sweet smile, half-coquettish, half-pleading, as she said, "Calvin, when I grow up, let's get married, okay?"She was just speaking innocent words of a child, but he took them seriously.Her casual remark stayed with him all these years. He had waited for her to grow up, imagining her as his perfect bride. But when she finally did, she showed up holding Alan's hand."Calvin, this is Alan. I...I want to marry him. You're the most important person to me, so you're the first to know," she said.Back then, Alan was a nobody, his humble demeanor barely concealed by his clean, smiling face.Calvin couldn't recall wha
Some people completely lose their memory once they get drunk.After just three glasses of red wine, Marcia had already lost all self-control.Kevin was slightly better off, still holding on to a sliver of rationality as Booth supported him. Kevin managed to exchange a few polite words with Bill and Cliff, ensuring they left the Cote Bistro with the contract in hand.Only after confirming its authenticity did Kevin collapse onto the sofa in the lobby, refusing to move no matter how hard Booth tried.After a chaotic mess, Booth entrusted Kevin to the lobby manager and went back to look for Marcia, only to find Calvin already carrying her. "I'll take her back to the hotel," Calvin said indifferently before striding off.Booth instinctively wanted to follow but was stopped by a waiter. Apparently, someone else had passed out in the private room.Pushing open the door, Booth found Myron slumped awkwardly in a corner, dozing.What's worse than one drunk person? Two drunk people—and worse st
Kevin's eyes were slightly red, but he let out a hearty laugh. "Look at what you're saying. It's an honor for Azure to have you both here today!"With that, he downed another glass of red wine.Marcia hadn't expected him to drink so heavily and looked at him with concern. Just as she was about to intervene, Myron gently shook his head. "Gentlemen, Kevin is like a brother to me. We're mainly here to catch up today, so I won't say too much. Let me also raise a glass to you both! Even though Eli isn't here, I hope you'll consider working with us on my behalf."After speaking, Myron downed his glass in one go. This time, Bill and Cliff clinked glasses with him and took a sip of their own drinks.Bill set his glass down and chuckled. "Myron, I'll toast with you today, but next time, you'd better bring a wife, or marry Nancy already! Otherwise, don't even think about getting me to drink again."Cliff, after finishing his glass, was stopped by Alison, who took over drinking on his behalf.Ma
After laughing, Marcia felt she had been too distant with Calvin, so she smiled at him and said, "Calvin, since you've returned to the country, I haven't properly hosted you. When are you heading back to Liverpool? Let me treat you to a meal before then.""I'll contact you after I get there," Calvin replied with a gentle smile, raising his glass toward her.Marcia nodded firmly and responded enthusiastically, "Alright."Just then, there was a knock at the door.Knock, knock, knock...As they were chatting, Booth pushed the door open and entered."Ma'am, everyone has arrived!" Booth announced.Marcia and Kevin exchanged a glance before quickly heading toward the door. Three individuals entered slowly as introductions were made, and the group exchanged pleasantries before taking their seats with smiles all around.Due to Elijah's influence, the guests were exceptionally polite. Myron also played the perfect mediator, lightening the atmosphere with a few jokes, making everyone laugh.Mar
Calvin looked at Marcia's surprised expression and let a faint smile tug at the corners of his lips. "Are you really that shocked to see me?" he asked softly.Marcia shook her head with a light laugh. "I should be asking you that! You disappeared from the hospital that day without a word. What brings you here?""Elijah personally invited me. It's hard to say no to his invitations, don't you think?" Calvin chuckled. "I'm here representing Shine Glow Group."Kevin, who had been wearing a playful expression, paused for a moment, raising an eyebrow curiously. "SG Group?""The owner of SG, John Linton, is my uncle. He's not feeling well and specifically asked me to attend in his place," Calvin explained, extending a hand toward Kevin. "I'm Calvin, Marcia's childhood friend."Marcia couldn't help but laugh. "We grew up as neighbors. He's closer to me than a real brother. But wait—how did I not know John was your uncle? You don't even share the same last name!""It's through my mother's side