Elijah's words made everyone swallow hard, a hint of regret flashing in their minds.If they had known, they wouldn't have indulged in gossip. Fortunately, none of them had said anything too harsh, because from the look on Elijah's face, it was clear they would have regretted it!"Is she really his wife?" someone whispered.Elijah smiled coolly. "It seems everyone is quite interested in my marriage, so I'll be upfront. The beautiful lady by my side is my legal wife. She's always been low-key and doesn't like to make it public, and I respect that. But it seems that some people have revealed it."His indifferent gaze swept over Alan, causing Alan to freeze in place. He forced a smile. "I..."But Elijah turned away, slightly tilting his body. His gaze was full of tenderness as he looked at Marcia. He spoke softly, "I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce my wife, Patricia Roberts. I first met her two years ago when she joined my company as my secretary, and I fell in love with her
"Hi, what a coincidence!" Nicole greeted the three of them with a smile.Kevin, who didn't seem to know Calvin, whistled lightly and chuckled. "Got yourself a new boyfriend?"For the first time, Nicole blushed at his words but didn't deny it. Kevin almost dropped his jaw in shock, tempted to call Hayden to confirm whether Nicole was possessed by a ghost!Marcia watched Nicole's reaction, a thought crossing her mind.Could Nicole actually like Calvin? But how did they even meet? One had been living in the U.S., and the other had always stayed in the country.Elijah extended his hand toward Calvin. "When did you get back?"Calvin glanced at Marcia, his eyes lingering on the arm she was tightly clutching around Elijah. "Oh, just yesterday."Marcia felt a strange guilt creeping in. She instinctively withdrew her hand, only to catch Elijah giving her a glance that was neither heavy nor light, leaving her unsure how to respond.Calvi
Calvin's face turned pale, and the usual warmth in his gentle eyes was replaced by an unmistakable darkness.Unable to hold back, he grabbed Marcia's arm, his voice low and firm."Cia, you're not suited for him. Elijah is far more complicated than you think!"Marcia lightly placed her hand over his, her expression tinged with a weary smile.Perhaps at this moment, the woman standing before Calvin was the most authentic version of herself—unveiled, confronting her inner turmoil without pretense.She sighed softly."Calvin, listen to me. From the outside, it's obvious that Elijah and I come from completely different worlds. Even if I were still the same Marcia Roberts I once was, I'd never be good enough for him. Honestly, I don't know why he wants to marry me, and I'm even less sure of his feelings. You say he's not simple—who is? Simple, naïve people end up as nothing but pitiful victims."Her gaze deepened as she met
"Hey, where's Eli?"Back in the living room, only Kevin and Nicole were seated on the sofa. Nicole's usual smile was gone.Hearing Marcia's question, she merely sipped her water, her hands trembling slightly. When she noticed the faint smile in Calvin's eyes, her expression grew even more sorrowful.Kevin glanced over, somewhat surprised, and replied to Marcia, "Eli? Oh, there he is! Ask him yourself."Marcia turned and saw Elijah walking towards them silently, his expression cold and distant. For a moment, she felt he might be angry, though she wasn't sure.She cautiously glanced at the clock in the living room. Thankfully, only a minute or two had passed since the five minutes Elijah had mentioned.Surely, he wouldn't be that petty, right? Besides, he knew about her relationship with Calvin—Calvin had even introduced her to the secretary job!Thinking this, Marcia gave Elijah a tentative smile. "Where did you go? I was just as
Elijah tossed the paper bag into the trash bin near the door, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Maybe she was just hungry and couldn't wait to grab a bite."Kevin shook his head. "Patricia called earlier, right? She must've had something important going on. Eli, I think you should trust her.""Trust her about what? That she married me out of love?" Elijah's lips curved into a smile, but it carried no warmth.Kevin opened his mouth, hesitating before muttering, "I just mean... look, they've known each other since childhood. If Patricia really wanted to be with Calvin, would you even have a chance?""You think so?" Elijah's voice was icy."Don't twist my words!" Kevin groaned. "Eli, you're normally the most confident guy around. What's with the mood swings today? You were muttering about starving her, but then ordered a pile of food you didn't let us touch, only to pack it all up for her! No wonder Hayden stormed off in frustration without finishing his
Marcia stood anxiously at the entrance of the emergency room, her entire body trembling uncontrollably.As soon as she entered the neighborhood, someone had rushed over to her. Seeing Marcia, the man called out, "Are you the one living with Claire from Building 3?"Marcia froze for a moment before urgently asking, "Yes, I am. What happened?""She was sent to the hospital! You should hurry and check on her. Honestly, how could you leave her alone so often when you know she's pregnant? If it hadn't been for the water leak from her faucet, no one would've known if something happened to her in there!"The security guard's words left Marcia stunned. She quickly pressed, "How is she? Which hospital?"Hearing the address, Marcia barely had time to respond before Calvin had already started the engine, heading straight for the hospital—a place that had once plunged her into despair.It was the same hospital where she had once undergone an abort
Marcia followed Claire back to the hospital room. Since Claire was still unconscious, Marcia moved a chair to her bedside, gripping her hand tightly and not daring to let go.The nurse smiled at Marcia. "Miss, she won't wake up for a while. Are you planning to stay with her?"Marcia bit her lip and nodded. "I'm afraid she'll wake up and need water or something... um, can I stay the night here?""Of course, Miss. By the way, did you pay her hospitalization fee?" The nurse seemed a bit embarrassed. "Since it was an emergency, you can pay tomorrow morning. She'll need to stay a few more days for some shots—one for fetal protection and another for nutrition.""Yes, I'll pay. Just give me the bill," Marcia replied.She took the bill from the nurse, looked at the amount, and nodded. "I'll go pay right away..."The nurse smiled gently and gave Marcia some final instructions. "Miss, if her temperature rises or drops suddenly, please press the
Kevin and Marcia chatted outside the hospital room for a bit. Upon hearing that Elijah's phone was unreachable, Kevin looked surprised. "He's not still mad, is he?"Marcia shook her head, equally worried. "I'm not sure. Anyway, Kevin, I'm thinking of taking a few days off to stay with Claire at the hospital. If he hasn't seen my text, could you talk to him when you get to the office? Please?""Don't worry, I'll head over now. Don't stress. Eli's just being like this because he cares about you."Marcia smiled weakly. "Thanks, Kevin. I really appreciate you helping out today."Kevin looked at her with an unamused expression, but she quickly added, "I won't say more, I promise. You should get some rest."He nodded and advised, "You should get some rest too. You don't look well. If you end up sick, who's going to take care of Claire?""I'm fine! I'm fine!" Marcia straightened up and smiled at him, trying to look more energetic.Kevin seem
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