The next day, when Marcia woke up, her body felt sore and achy.Getting out of bed, her legs gave way briefly beneath her.She glanced at the empty bed and thought to herself that perhaps waking up without seeing Elijah was a good thing.A faint, indifferent smile tugged at her lips—who would have thought seducing Elijah could be so simple?Picking up the clothes strewn across the floor, she found they were torn beyond repair.She opened the wardrobe, grabbed a random outfit, and slipped it on. Heading to the bathroom, she splashed her face with cold water.Wiping the fog off the mirror, Marcia stared at her flushed face, and her mind drifted to her conversation with Claire.(Flashback)"I'm getting married to Elijah," Marcia said.Claire hesitated, her gaze filled with uncertainty. Marcia simply smiled. "I'm marrying such a great man. Shouldn't you be happy for me?""Then why are you staying at my place?" Claire asked, her hand resting on her stomach. After a long pause, she added in
The entire company could sense that the boss was in a foul mood today.From the moment Elijah stepped into the office, an oppressive atmosphere settled over everyone. Conversations died down, and even the sound of typing on keyboards became noticeably quieter.Marcia propped her chin on her hand, staring at the closed door with growing unease.Elijah hadn't eaten breakfast this morning.She glanced down at her foot, guilt gnawing at her. Perhaps she had been too harsh earlier. If she had just gone along with him… it might not have been such a big deal after all.By noon, Elijah still hadn't come out of his office. Kevin strolled over, as nonchalant as ever, and casually invited Marcia to lunch."Still locked in there?" Kevin asked, pointing toward Elijah's office. Then, with a teasing grin, he added, "What's going on? Did you two fight?"Marcia sighed. "No, we didn't."Kevin smirked knowingly. "Oh, I see. Trouble in paradise? Or is it—" he leaned closer, dropping his voice, "a little…
For Marcia, getting married—or not—made little difference. Even if the groom was Elijah, it wasn't particularly enticing.She cared even less about who the boss of Azure was; her mind was entirely consumed by thoughts of revenge.But when she heard Louis's furious roar, "You idiot! Are you trying to destroy yourself? Do you even know who she is? If you dare marry her, don't ever call me your father again!"Marcia felt an inexplicable pang of sadness. She could almost understand Louis. After all, when she had insisted on marrying Alan back then, her father had looked even more enraged.Elijah, as usual, remained calm and composed, not even sparing a glance at Louis. He responded with a detached tone, "What I've decided, no one can change."Sometimes, such nonchalant words could be even more infuriating.Louis, a former military man who lived by the principle of obedience, had always expected others to follow his lead.At 60, his physique was still robust, and even standing beside the t
Marcia felt a soft pang in her heart, mixed with guilt, as if Elijah's words were breaking down her defenses.Yet, the image of his mother's meaningful gaze surfaced in her mind. She huffed, signaling her disdain.Elijah's voice deepened, carrying an air of contemplation. "Why didn't you wait for me to come out?""It was the end of the workday.""Your boss didn't give you permission to leave. Aren't you afraid of having your salary docked or being fired?"Marcia muttered unhappily, "Do whatever you want. You're the boss; your word is law.""Idiot." Elijah gently stroked her short hair, his voice sighing in her ear, neither too close nor too far. "I don't like hearing you say things like 'we don't have to get married'""And I hate it even more when you leave without a word.""You could've asked me what I discussed with them. If possible, I'd much rather we face everything together. Patricia, running away won't help. Keeping everything bottled up is worse."Marcia's heart churned with c
Outside the house, the night was pitch black, with no lights to illuminate the scene. Marcia's piercing scream echoed through the darkness, chilling and desperate.The security guard at the community gate heard the commotion and rushed over, gripping a baton as he shouted, "Who are you? Let her down, now!"Elijah's aura was cold and menacing, like a messenger from hell itself. He spat out a single word with icy disdain, "Scram!"His demonic glare was so terrifying it nearly made the guard's legs give out. Frozen in fear, the guard dared not utter another word.Marcia, hanging upside down, kicked her legs wildly in front of Elijah. Her head throbbed with blood rushing to it, making her feel dizzy. "Elijah, are you insane? Put me down now!" she cursed.Without hesitation, Elijah landed a hard slap on her rear, this time using his full strength without the slightest hint of mercy. "I told you, I'm truly insane! So you'd better behave and stop provoking me!"Marcia let out a yelp, the sti
Premeditated schemes or impulsive decisions—whatever it was, the moment Marcia held the marriage certificate in her hands, she finally realized this wasn't a dream.Despite a sleepless night, Elijah appeared full of energy. He carefully tucked away the marriage certificate and said to Marcia, "Let's grab some breakfast. After that, I'll take you home to rest."A gentle breeze swept by, lifting the ends of Marcia's hair. Annoyed at how messy it looked, she muttered, "I'm not hungry."Elijah frowned, clearly displeased by her response. "Do you know the essence of marriage?" he asked.Marcia shook her head. "You've said it yourself—marriage is pointless. If someone's going to cheat, they'll cheat regardless!"Elijah was speechless for a moment. He flicked her forehead lightly and said, "Is that what you took away from my words last night?"Sliding his arm around her shoulders, he added with a subtle tone, "The essence of marriage is three meals a day and sharing a bed at night. Four thin
When Marcia woke up, it was already afternoon.Elijah, for once, was still asleep beside her, sleeping deeply. Even in slumber, his brows were furrowed slightly, his expression cold and unapproachable.Unable to resist, Marcia gently reached out to smooth the crease between his brows. She found herself staring at his sleeping face, lost in thought, when something on the floor caught her attention with a sudden glint.Carefully slipping out of bed, she bent down to pick up the scattered clothes and realized it was her phone. She hadn't even known she'd brought it along. Unlocking the screen, she saw a message from an unknown number:"This is Eli's mother. Do you have time to meet me?"Marcia's hand paused. She hesitated, typing a few polite words, but deleted them. In the end, her reply was simple: "I'm free."A response came almost immediately, detailing the time and place for the meeting.Marcia quickly headed to the bathroom for a shower. Staring at herself in the mirror, she knew t
"Stop right there! Where do you think you're going?!"Pag, who had been locked in a heated argument with Cara, immediately chased after Marcia upon seeing her grab another dress and head for the door.She yanked Marcia's hair, her voice full of rage. "Do you think you're allowed to touch the clothes in this room? This space is reserved for us! Who gave you permission to come in here?!"Pag's grip was so strong that Marcia's scalp stung. Marcia spoke in a low voice, "Let go!""Oh, I won't let go today! First, you seduced a man as his secretary to get yourself a backer. And now, in a place full of women, who are you going to use those tricks on, huh?" Pag spat venomously. "Let me tell you something: I've been at Demon for three years. I know most of the clients here like the back of my hand. Even if one of them takes a liking to you, I'll make sure you don't get a single job! If you're smart, you'll get down on your knees and apologize!"The other women in the room crossed their arms, w
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