The receptionist who had just greeted Eulalia watched her leave with an increasingly mocking look in her eyes."Amena, why did you let her wait outside? What if the boss really knows her?""How could he? Didn't you see the insulated box she was carrying? Everyone knows that the boss’s lunch is prepared by his assistant. She obviously has ulterior motives."Another receptionist shook her head: "But I still think you shouldn't have sent her out. We have a waiting area right here, and didn’t she just say she was going to make a call? You should at least let her make her call first.""Are you dumb? That phone call excuse was so obvious. She’d use it to make us call, and then try to trick the boss to come down.""How could the boss be so easily fooled?""Anyway, I've already sent her out. If she gets through on the phone, she can come back in," Amena rolled her eyes.Just then, there was a "ding" from the elevator. Amena was still puzzled when she saw Oliver hurriedly walk out."Oliver, ar
Jurach let out a long sigh, wearing a 'I'm-doing-this-for-your-own-good' expression, and said, "Ma'am, 25 is the perfect age for a woman to have kids. You've seen it today, our company's full of women, and even more excellent single ladies. Naturally, there are plenty hoping to get into the boss's bed. If you don't have a child by your side now, I'm afraid other women might beat you to it, and you'll end up losing out?"Eulalia's face remained calm, but she couldn't help frowning slightly as she felt a wave of nausea.What era are we in that people still say 'use a child to secure your position'?Eulalia propped her chin and watched Jurach perform solo. She thought about it for a long time but couldn't figure out why she would need to convince herself to have children."So, you want to get into Percival's bed then?""Ma'am, you're overthinking it. I'm just asecretary. I'm t
Eulalia had something on her mind. She initially planned to head home with Percival after work, but she felt a sudden urge to get a thorough health check at the hospital."I think I'll head back first?""Why? Didn't we agree you'd come home with me after work?""I'm feeling a bit tired and would rather sleep than hang around your office. Plus, hanging out with Misty at home beats being here."Life's really worse than a cat's, thought Percival grumpily, as he clutched the hand massaging his temples. "There's a rest area here. You could nap without being disturbed, and I'll wake you when I'm done.""I can't sleep in strange beds.""Are you sure you want to go back? Really sure?"Eulalia nodded.Seeing her determination, Percival reluctantly agreed, "Alright, I'll have the driver take you home.""No need to bother, I brought my phone. I'll just grab a cab on the road," Eulalia said, nuzzling into Percival's shoulder with a voice as sweet and playful as their cat at home.Despite her calm
Percival said the reason they couldn't have kids was because of him, but he always took precautions. She thought it was odd but didn't pry, worried she might hurt his pride.Eulalia put the condom on the bed, then went out to borrow a needle from Hayak... She had a gut feeling Percival was hiding something from her. If he wouldn't spill, she'd find out herself—truth can't be hidden forever.At four in the afternoon, Percival texted her that he’d be working late and not to wait up for dinner.Eulalia texted back a simple "Okay."With Percival out, Eulalia had dinner but wasn't in the mood for a walk. After sitting on the sofa for a bit to digest, she headed to the bedroom to wash up.She lay in bed waiting, and it wasn't until nine at night that she heard a car engine outside.The room was soundproof, so once the door was shut, she couldn't hear anything from downstairs.Eulalia went downstairs; Percival was already inside, lying on the sofa, looking exhausted with bloodshot eyes."Why
For a moment, she felt all her strength drained, as if she was nothing but a walking corpse, a hollow emptiness spreading through every corner of her body. She was anxious and her head began to ache. She thought about jumping out of the window, as if that was the only way she could meet the man from her dream.Suddenly, a hand caressed her cheek, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes: "Had a nightmare?"Eulalia, with a sobbing voice, affirmed, "Mhm," and then she flung herself into Percival's arms, clutching the bedsheet tightly, drawing warmth from his body.She trembled uneasily, leaving Percival momentarily at a loss, "What kind of nightmare made you cry like this?""I dreamt I went to the hospital for a check-up, and the doctor told me I had stomach cancer."Fortunately, it was still dark outside, hiding the change in Percival's expression."Dreams are the opposite of reality; you had such a nightmare because you had a gastroscopy today."Eulalia just nodded in agreement.
No doubt about it, Percival has a handsome face, with deep, peach blossom eyes that curl up at the corners, giving you the illusion he's deeply in love with you when he looks your way.Despite having a face that screams romance, his lips are thin. She once read online that people with this type of lips are naturally heartless, even capable of being cruel to those they love.When she mentioned that he "looks good in a white shirt," Percival's hand, which was holding a newspaper, twitched. "I look even better in a white shirt?" he asked.Eulalia nodded affirmatively.He smirked, "Then I'll wear that from now on just for you."Percival had many haute couture shirts. When he opened his wardrobe, there were actually more dark shirts, which he preferred.Eulalia couldn't help but think more when she said, "White shirts look good." It reminded her of Vincent, who often wore white.After breakfast, Eulalia found the pet backpack and zipped up Misty, who curiously snuck inside. Once Misty got
Percival heard a scream from the bathroom and immediately rushed in. For a moment, seeing Eulalia lying on the floor felt like a heavy blow to his soul.Before his mind could even react, he had hurriedly picked her up and taken her to the nearest hospital.The medical results were not optimistic. Eulalia had always been frail, her stomach deteriorating step by step despite the use of the world's top cancer treatments which only offered relief, not a cure.The candied hawthorn had nearly cost her her life; she was allergic to hawthorn.Percival remembered how Eulalia loved those candied hawthorns, yet he had never seen her eat them.---Eulalia lay in bed and had that dream again that night, clearer than ever before. She could hear a man's voice.A man in a white shirt approached her with a candied hawthorn: "Here's a candied hawthorn for you, little crybaby. Eat it, and no more tears..."She heard it distinctly, and it was not Percival's voice.Who was the man in her dream?In a daze,
At the breakfast table, Eulalia ate her meal absentmindedly, appearing as usual on the surface, but she could sense something was changing.In the morning, Mr. Brooks came to check on Eulalia, greeting her like an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time, asking how she had been recently."I'm fine." The two hadn't seen each other for weeks, and Percival hadn't given Mr. Brooks much opportunity to chat with Eulalia.After lunch, as everyone returned to their tasks, Eulalia took her stomach medicine, which made her a bit sleepy."You should sleep if you're tired."Eulalia softly hummed in agreement, rubbing her misty eyes—she usually took a nap at this time, sleeping whenever she could.After watching Eulalia go to bed, Percival and Mr. Brooks entered the living room."What did you call me here for this time?" Mr. Brooks casually asked as he sat down."Do you have any drugs that can control dreams?" asked Percival, his expression serious.Mr. Brooks stiffened slightly, "What do you mea
#Barry AnimalAbuse#This trending topic suddenly appeared at the top of social media.Barry rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was hallucinating from stress or if there was an issue with her phone. Hadn't Evette just told her on the call that #Eulalia AnimalAbuse# was trending? Why was she seeing something different?Barry's heart pounded, and a growing sense of unease filled her. She carefully opened her eyes again and looked at her phone. Nothing had changed from what she saw earlier, except the trending topic kept rising in popularity.Barry's face went pale, and her breath grew cold. Though autumn hadn't arrived yet, she felt a winter chill. The air entering her nose felt like icy vapor, freezing her heart. The cold sensation spread down her spine.How could this be happening?Why was it completely different from what Evette had said?Didn't Evette say Eulalia was trending? Why was she herself the top trend instead?Though animal abuse wasn't technically illegal, and what's done wa
Victor's large, warm hands enveloped Eulalia's cold ones completely.Victor was the golden boy, a perfect specimen in the entertainment world. This perfection wasn't just about his looks, but also his voice and his very soul.They say that pretty faces are a dime a dozen, while fascinating souls are one in a million. Victor had both.Those who knew him well were aware of his quirks - he could be a total dork sometimes, clueless about romance despite being overly narcissistic. His face would betray his Evettery emotion, and his ears would wiggle when he got cocky. For all his self-admiration, he'd turn beet red whenEvetter his crush was near.With Eulalia, he was gentle, wanting to get close but afraid of scaring her off. When she was in trouble, he stood firmly by her side, even if she didn't spare him a glance.Victor's affection for Eulalia was obvious, but his approach was cautious.Eulalia watched his lips move, his soft voice reaching her ears like a gentle breeze, slowly soothin
Eulalia gently stroked the singed fur of the ragdoll cat, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. Her gray eyes were filled with moisture, stinging painfully.Her eyes were either unable to cry or unable to stop once they started. Now they seemed almost blind with grief. She tilted her head back, veins bulging in her neck, mouth slightly open and eyes tightly shut as she let out a hoarse, anguished cry.Her choked, raspy voice was broken, like a rusty knife scraping against a whetstone - so harsh and painful to hear that it made one's heart clench.Victor's eyes were red too, but he turned away silently. He couldn't show any weakness, afraid he wouldn't be able to support Eulalia if he did.Kneeling on the ground, Eulalia slowly scattered dirt over Misty's body, burying her until she was no longer visible. Eulalia's thin frame shook violently, her fragmented sobs growing from quiet to loud as her grief reached its peak.Eulalia had never imagined she could feel heartbreak like t
As much as she wanted to block out the world, cruel voices kept invading Eulalia's ears. Misty wasn't just a cat; she had saved Eulalia's life. They had promised to be together forever. Misty was family, a lifeline in her darkest moments, a light in the shadows.Eulalia's voice was hoarse, her tear-choked words barely intelligible as she called out "Misty" over and over. The pain in her chest was unbearable, desperately needing something to fill the void. Her grip on Victor's shirt loosened as she clutched Misty's collar tightly to her heart."Eulalia," Victor whispered. The girl in his arms was ice-cold, shivering uncontrollably. Her anguished sobs had faded to quiet whimpers.Even after crying her heart out, Eulalia wasn't feeling any better. Her veins were bulging, her temples throbbing. Her body alternated between freezing shivers and feverish heat, her back burning and itching.Victor's heart clenched. He opened his mouth, but no words of comfort came out.Kneeling down, Victor g
Eulalia's hands trembled as she reached out to touch Misty's wounded body. Her hands came away bloody. Ropes had cut deeply into Misty's limbs, and blood covered the cat's body, tail, paws, and head."Misty..." Eulalia's eyes were terrifyingly red, dry from the intensity of her grief. The pain was so extreme she couldn't even cry.In a daze, Eulalia somehow managed to untie the ropes binding Misty. All she could see were the burn wounds on Misty's skin and the blood oozing from four small punctures in the cat's mouth. Misty's sharpest fangs had been viciously pulled out. How much agony had Misty endured?"Misty, I'm here now. Look at me. Didn't we promise to always be together?" Eulalia's body shook as she cradled the bloodied cat. "I'll cancel all my work... I'll stay by your side from now on. I'll never leave you with anyone else again. Please, just hang on a little longer..."Misty lay in Eulalia's arms, struggling to open her eyes at the sound of Eulalia's voice.It's Eulalia... E
Barry noticed the collar around the cat's neck and tried to cut it off with a knife, but it wouldn't budge. Frustrated, she gave up—she couldn’t waste time on a collar.Gripping the cat's jaw, she forced its mouth open, grabbing its sharp teeth with pliers. "You want to bite me? I’ll pull out every last tooth and see if you try that again."Misty trembled, lying helpless on the ground, bound and unable to move. After all, it was just a cat—no way to beg for mercy.Barry's eyes darkened, and with a sharp tug, a sickening crack rang out, like bones being torn from flesh. Misty's scream filled the air."Meow..." Blood spilled from the cat's mouth, staining its once-pristine fur. Misty lay there, defeated, and in that moment, all it could think about was Eulalia."I just wanted to spend more time with you... I wanted to see you again…"...After dinner, Eulalia was told to get ready for the next scene. She glanced at the door, feeling uneasy—Jane hadn't returned yet. Eulalia called her, a
Eulalia took the phone Jane handed her and attached the tracking device to Misty’s collar. “Misty's well-behaved; she won't run off.” “I know, but just in case… too many people dislike me. If they can’t get to me, they might target Misty. A tracker at least adds some safety.” Eulalia focused on the device, missing the brief flicker in Jane’s expression. Jane pressed her lips together, hesitating like she wanted to say something, but held back. “All done,” Eulalia returned the phone, noticing Jane still looked tense. She ruffled her hair. “If something’s on your mind, tell me, don’t bottle it up.” “I…” Jane started, then glanced at Misty in her arms, “I’m fine, really.” “Alright, if you say so.” Eulalia could sense something off, but couldn’t quite place it. Maybe Jane had issues at home these past few days. It wasn’t her place to pry if Jane didn’t want to talk.Just then, Reid called, telling Eulalia to get ready for her scenes. The day was packed with her shoot, and wrap
Percival’s heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand arrows at the thought of Eulalia in bed with Victor. It was only 1 a.m. when he glanced at the clock, and he reached under his pillow for the wedding photo of him and Eulalia. In the picture, she smiled cautiously, her dimples soft, eyes gentle. The photo wasn’t big, but he pressed it to his chest alongside the well-worn journal he often read, then lay back down.That night, he didn’t dream. But when he woke, his eyes were damp, his face sticky with tears that left his skin stinging.As a cancer patient, Percival's body was weak, and he often caught colds easily. The open window and a night of cold wind, combined with the emotional breakdown after seeing the picture Victor posted, left him feverish.The housekeeper was the first to notice and rushed to inform Mr. Lee, who promptly called for a doctor. The doctor came, measured Percival's temperature, and set up an IV. But as the doctor tried to insert the needle, he noticed
Eulalia had never seen a post about herself deleted so quickly before.She sat cradling Misty in one arm, absently fingering the tag on the cat's collar. After a few minutes, her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number:"Eulalia, I don't want you as a replacement anymore. Stay by my side and I can protect you. Percival is ruthless - if you want a better life, stay far away from that madman."Eulalia frowned as she read the message. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard to reply "Go to hell," but she thought better of it and deleted the draft. There was nothing worth saying to someone like Trent. She blocked the number and set up a custom auto-reply instead.Meanwhile, Trent was anxiously awaiting Eulalia's response. He thought he had made himself clear - surely the small-town girl would get the hint. But after half an hour of silence, doubt crept in. Had she not seen the message? Or was she too afraid to reply?He sent another text:"If you come back to me obediently, I'm will