"This is Haffen Cellar's 1998 Merlot. It boasts a rich, deep shade of purple and offers a clean, intense, and full-bodied flavor profile. Notable notes include black fruits, caramel, mocha, and lemongrass. It also presents a balanced combination of tannins and acidity ..."Landon stared in amazement at Lauren. She wasn't just a talented painter. She was also an amateur sommelier! Despite his years of running nightclubs and owning private vineyards in Furancia and Vitelia, he couldn't hold a candle to Lauren's wine expertise.She was a woman of substance.…On the other hand, Zoe and Betty were in no mood for partying anymore. The only thing they wished was to barge into Landon's lounge and drag Lauren out for a good beating."Zoe, I told you so!" Betty was holed up in the restroom, tears streaming down her face. Half of her fake lashes were in disarray. She exclaimed, "There's definitely something going on between Lauren and your brother! You saw it, too, right? He made such a
The light and shadows danced on the two figures who were entangled. Lauren's tiny frame trembled in his arms. She did nothing at all, but her innocence was a deadly attraction for Landon, who had breached the first base.Under the influence of the alcohol, he went all out. Lauren watched a flash across her eyes before feeling the weight of a man on her.Her body sank deeper into the couch, turning her into an imprisoned bird.Landon started breathing laboriously, but he continued kissing her aggressively and toying with her lips.At that moment, the female singer on the stage sang in a low and sultry voice, "I've been watchin' you for some timeCan't stop starin' at those ocean eyesBurning cities and napalm skiesFifteen flares inside those ocean eyesYour ocean eyes …"Lauren was dizzy from all the kissing, and her eyes were glossy."Mmph …" She struggled to breathe, then started twisting and turning underneath him. His eyes were burning from a new wave of desire she had j
Landon's sister?The two guys who shot up just now exchanged a look before sinking onto the couch again. The one with a bleeding head managed a feeble smile and chuckled, "Haha, it turns out it's Ms. Harper! Please forgive me!""Landon, what are you planning to do?" Zoe was spurting fire at the sight of Lauren in Landon's arms."Zoe, what are you planning to do?" Frowning, he shot the same question back at her."Hah, how dare you interrogate me? Is it because I am in your way? Do you feel like I've thwarted your plan?" She glowered at him.Landon responded, "I'm fine with you hitting him with a bottle because he disrespected you. But have you forgotten what I told you? I told you not to visit ACE unless necessary. Even then, you need to inform me beforehand, and I'll make the arrangements."Acting like a stern, concerned older brother, he continued, "Why are you always rebellious? You can't let me have a moment of peace. ACE is a rowdy place. I can't protect you in time if anythi
Alyssa did not have the time to blow her hair dry. She hastily put on a wool coat over her night robe and sped to KS World Hotel in her Bugatti with her hair still damp.During the drive, she made a rare call to Jasper after giving it some thought.Jasper was on a business trip at Edenfells City, approximately 62 miles from Solana City. The Beckett Group had bought a piece of land by the countryside to build a hot springs resort, which was already in the works.At that very moment, Jasper and Xavier, wearing safety helmets, were inspecting the construction progress under the lead of the person in charge.Just as Xavier was shining a flashlight for Jasper to read the blueprint, Jasper's phone rang. He frowned and impatiently dug out his phone. Alyssa's name lit up the screen, a golden glimmer amidst the darkness. He held his breath and felt his heart race. His hand was trembling slightly as he clutched the phone."I-It's Madam!" Xavier's face beamed with exhilaration."I know. C
The grating sound of the car tires against the parking lot ground echoed in the space. Sean watched as Alyssa drifted the Bugatti and parked it nicely into her parking spot.He wore a proud grin on his lips.Alyssa left her car, looking damp from the bath and seething in anger. She hissed, "Which room is that scoundrel in?""He's in the presidential suite on the hotel's top floor," answered a worried Sean. He lowered his voice and continued, "They just entered their suite. There's only one presidential suite on the top floor, so no other guests would be disturbed even if there's a commotion.""Got it."A few minutes later, Alyssa arrived at the door of the presidential suite in her stilettos, a bundle of murderous rage.Sean followed closely behind her. Judging by her demeanor, it seemed as though she was here to confront a cheating couple rather than rescue a young lady who had made a poor choice."Swipe the room card.""Of course, Ms. Alyssa," Sean acknowledged as he unlock
Landon's eyes widened at the perfect "couple" in front of his eyes. Jasper's remark was meaningless, but paired with his longing gaze and his deep, hoarse voice, he sounded like a man in love.After some contemplation, Landon's perspective shifted. He believed, to be precise, that Jasper was, at most, a man tormented by unrequited love.It was a pity Landon didn't have a phone with him. If not, he would have taken a photo of Jasper's cheesy expression and showed it to the latter."And it seems you never learn," Jasper frowned, his eyes simmering with anger as he chastised Landon. He continued, "We asked you not to make a move on Lauren, but you kept crossing our lines. Do you think it's unfair to be slapped thrice?"I, on the other hand, think that it's not enough. You should be slapped every time we run into you."We?Alyssa felt uneasy at the way Jasper had lumped them together. After all, he had once been a heartless man who wanted nothing to do with her."Mr. Beckett, pl
Was he the same man who had never performed an act of service as simple as pouring a glass of water?How could he have helped dry her hair? At that moment, it felt more like a horror story."Get your hands off me!" she hissed through clenched teeth, but the soft noises had stirred Lauren. Lauren curled up under the blanket but thankfully did not wake up."Go louder if you want to wake her up." Jasper curled his lips into a grin and went on drying her hair, happy that he had figured out her weakness."Well, at least be gentle! I've been dealing with hair loss, you know. Your rough handling might just make me go bald!" She scowled, her cheeks flushed with anger."Sorry. This is my first time drying someone's hair. I'm inexperienced …" Jasper apologized. As he worked the towel through her hair, he could feel a warm, fuzzy sensation inside.He promised, "I'll do it better the next time."Alyssa had goosebumps on her skin and retorted, "I'm only letting you do this because of Lauren.
After settling Lauren's matter, Alyssa returned to the villa with Sean. She replayed the scene where Jasper dried her hair, and she felt her throat drying.He had said to her, "Sorry. This is my first time drying someone's hair. I'm inexperienced …"That was bullshit. He had dated Liana for years. Even if they didn't score a home run, they must have done everything possible with each other. What was the point of acting all innocent?To her, Jasper and Landon seemed equally terrible. They were a bad influence on each other.Back home, Alyssa kicked off her heels and sat on the couch glumly instead of retiring to her bedroom. Sean handed her a glass of hot milk with concern. He advised, "It's way past midnight. Take some rest after you've had the milk.""How did Lauren and Landon run into each other? She has always been kept at home under the tight supervision of her family. So, what happened?" Alyssa wondered aloud.Alyssa did not feel sleepy at all as she couldn't shake off her