Ronald Richardson sat beside Murray, feigning nonchalance as he glanced to his left, where Haley Bertie was asking Jean Harry if she wanted some cake.Jean agreed, and Haley stood to fetch a slice from the table. Just as his hand reached for a piece of red velvet cake, Ronald abruptly stood up, stretched out his arm, and snatched the slice Haley was eyeing.In front of everyone, he offered it to Emily, "Try this? The best cake in Sandviken."Emily internally scoffed at his childishness but accepted the cake without a change in expression. Having only eaten lunch that day, she was famished and didn't care whose cake it was.Besides, she was a stranger to this group and unlikely to cross paths with them again, so she wasn't bothered.She tasted the cake, finding it delightfully soft and sweet but not cloying, perhaps the best red velvet she'd ever had.Undeterred by Ronald's public slight, Haley Bertie even smiled at Emily, asking warmly, "Do you like it?"Emily's eyes widened in surpri
Ronald Richardson fumed inwardly, his shots shaky, further marred by the poor angles of his initial attempts. After several strokes, the triangle formation remained unbroken."Damn it!" He cursed under his breath, shedding his carefree and rakish demeanor to focus on finding the right angle.With a series of sharp and precise shots, "thud, thud, thud," Jean stood firm and unshaken.Ronald was pleased. Straightening up, he began calculating: just three more shots and victory was his.Murray Gibson, rusty from years without play, was no match for him, and Haley Bertie, barely able to hold a cue, was not worth considering.This game was as good as won.A confident smile spread across his face. With two more strokes, only two balls remained under the wooden plank. One final shot and the game would be over.Bending over for his shot, Jean's foot shifted slightly, disrupting the balance. The board tilted, and she tumbled off the pool table.Fortunately, Haley Bertie, standing by, caught Jea
Suppressing the tumultuous anger brewing within her, Emily steadied her emotion.Having spent a year by Murray's side, she had studied ways to appeal to him. Although most attempts backfired, there was one tactic that never failed: showing vulnerability.Emily lowered her gaze to compose herself, then looked up again with a façade of frailty and helplessness, her doe-like eyes pleadingly fixed on him.Murray let out a faint chuckle, discarded his cigarette, and with three swift strokes, Emily found herself safely on the table. The night's victor was Murray.The crowd, led by Beau Acheson, began to cheer. "Gibson is unbeatable in everything he does, a source of envy for ordinary folks."Baird Brooke added fuel to the fire, "Murray has to treat us to late-night snacks tonight."Murray, discarding his cue, nonchalantly agreed, "Whatever."
Emily's blunt tone caught Stacey off guard. "Go ahead," she urged, perplexed.Emily didn't mince words. "Focus on yourself and mind your own business, thank you."Stacey, accustomed to a life of smooth sailing and rarely hearing a harsh word, was taken aback by such a direct rebuke from a younger woman, especially when she believed she was offering well-intended advice.Caught off balance, Stacey remained silent, relieved when a car horn indicated Murray's arrival.Without another word, Stacey headed straight for the car, following Emily.Once in the car, Emily instinctively sat in the back seat while Stacey took the front passenger seat.Upon noticing Stacey's sullen demeanor, Murray inquired, "Upset about waiting?"Stacey forced a smile. "What kept you so long?"As Murray maneuvered the car, he replied, "Had to take
Murray chuckled, "Just by asking one extra question, how does that mean I'm interested?"Stacey laughed along, "I know you asked because of Ronald."Murray cleared his throat, neither confirming nor denying.Stacey, as if struck by a sudden thought, perked up. "Do you think Ronald is after this girl because she reminds him of Jean from the past?"Murray stared ahead, his expression unreadable. "Not sure."Stacey turned to him, her gaze laden with meaning. "Do men always fancy girls in their early twenties?"Murray's lips curled slightly. "Not necessarily. It depends on the person. A woman's allure isn't tied to her age."Stacey was pleased with his response, affectionately brushing her hand against his handsome cheek.Seizing the moment, she asked a question that had lingered on her mind for a long time. "Why haven't you shown any sign since I returned? What are you waiting for?"Murray was briefly taken aback, then smil
Forced into another bath, Emily observed a stark change in Murray. Not only had his demeanor shifted dramatically from just moments before, but he was also efficiently handling work emails while seated on the sofa.Murray asked, "Can I use your phone?"Busy loading clothes into the dryer, Emily nodded towards the bedroom with her chin. "It's on the bed. You can get it yourself."Rising, Murray headed to the bedroom. Emily tossed his clothes, save for the coat needing dry cleaning, in the washing machine. Now, he was just wrapped in a towel.Moonlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a glow on his back. His figure was alluring.Emily couldn't help but admire the contours of his back and the indentation at the base of his spine, thinking to herself how unfairly blessed he was by nature.It felt unjust, but what was the use of being upset with fate?Nonetheless, Emily fetched Murray's clothes from the dryer and took
Emily's eyelids drooped, a single tear tracing down her cheek, shimmering briefly before falling to the floor.Murray watched the tear disappear into the darkness, unmoved.He leaned forward to grab Emily's phone, unlocked it in front of her with a few taps, then tossed it back onto the table, his voice cool and detached, "I really dislike these little games of yours!"Realization dawned on Emily as she saw the images of the man and woman in the photo album. In her haste to lock the screen, the interface had stopped on the photo of Stacey and the man at the restaurant.Murray had stumbled upon these photos using her phone and assumed she was scheming, intentionally trying to slander Stacey.Understanding the reason behind his anger, Emily found herself regaining composure.She laughed, her voice even colder than Murray's, "Did I take the phone and show it to you myself?"Murray didn't respond, just stared at her.Emily co
"Can't you even recognize your boyfriend's voice?" came Ronald Richardson's passive voice over the phone."Fuck off, asshole."Emily hung up the phone, wishing to smash the screen. Ronald was like a plaster that, once applied, was impossible to shake off.No sooner had she hung up than the phone rang again. She didn't answer, staring blankly at it.Suddenly, she remembered what Murray had said to her last night. He had mentioned he didn't mind sharing her with Ronald Richardson.As she thought about it, a smile crept across her face, like a rose dipped in poison, beautiful on the outside but filled with deadly venom.The phone kept ringing stubbornly, and Emily finally answered."Don't hang up; I need to talk to you," Ronald Richardson said, probably fearing she'd cut him off again. His tone was much more serious."Speak." Emily stirred the boiling noodle soup with her chopsticks."Where are you now?""At a friend
In the coffee shop, Murray pushed aside his sugar-added coffee, a gesture Stacey noticed as her hand paused, spoon in mid-air. "What's wrong?""I never add sugar to my coffee," Murray said with a smile."Before..." Stacey started, then stopped, realizing the significance. What used to be was in the past; now it was a different story."Why did you ask me to come here?" Stacey dropped the spoon into the cup, a droplet of dark brown liquid splashing onto the white saucer, starkly visible.Murray looked puzzled. "Wasn't it you who invited me?"Stacey, half amused and half irritated, pulled out her phone, tapped a few times, and pushed it toward Murray.A message inviting her for a meeting, signed by Murray, flashed on the screen.Murray frowned; he had received a similar message from the same number. He dialed the number from Stacey's phone, which was quickly answered. "How is it going? Did Murray show up? Talk it out. After so many
"Is it well peeled?" Holding up the neatly peeled apple, Emily smiled with her eyes curving into crescents. "Look, I didn't break the peel even once."Elton opened his mouth but suddenly found himself at a loss for words. An invisible wall stood between them, unseen yet palpably separating them."Mr. Cromwell, may I come in?" Sandy stood at the door with her laptop, her arrival seemingly a rescue for Elton."Come in."Emily stood up. "If you need to discuss work, I won't intrude."Elton politely insisted it was okay for her to stay, but Emily mentioned that now that she, too, worked at the company, it was proper to follow protocol.Elton didn't press her to stay any longer.Before leaving, Sandy gave Emily a knowing wink, and Emily nodded in understanding.Once outside the hospital, Emily searched on her phone for the nearest mall. She planned to do some shopping. Ronald had called her, pleading for her to attend his mother's b
Entering the office, the supervisor perused Emily's file, her brows knitting into a tight knot. This resume was the most outlandish she had ever seen since joining the company. However, the more outlandish it was, the clearer it became that this girl was no ordinary employee.She gestured for Emily to sit, her tone softening slightly, "Your team members have formally accused you of malicious competition."As Emily predicted, those two must have claimed that she had hidden other members' reports to favor her own.Emily remained expressionless. "Was it Lydia or Karen?"The supervisor was taken aback by her directness. "Both of them have made allegations.""Oh," Emily nodded, meeting the supervisor's gaze calmly, "I assume you investigate such claims."The teacher's eyebrows lifted in surprise; the young lady didn't seem like a novice in the workplace. "Indeed, at Bucapital, a major company, we don't target any employee based solely on an accus
"Starting to check up on me now?" Murray teased as he playfully kissed Emily, pausing between each peck.Emily dodged his kisses with a smile, "If you're avoiding answering, you must have had dinner with a woman."Murray pinched her cheek lightly, "Even if there were women at the dinner, they were business partners. Does gender really matter?""Fair enough," Emily said, pushing his shoulders to sit up. "I have a question for you."Seeing her serious expression, Murray couldn't help but smile."Be serious, don't laugh," Emily chided, tapping his shoulder.Murray composed himself, waiting for her question."If, and I'm just saying if, someone made you choose between me and Stacey, who would you pick?"Murray frowned, "What kind of childish question is that?""Just answer me," Emily urged, shaking his arm.Murray squeezed her hand firmly, his voice cold, "I'd choose to eliminate the person forcing me to make that cho
Caught under the intense gaze of such a handsome man, Donna couldn't bring herself to look up, her face flushing like pomegranate seeds.Emily, noticing Humphrey's look, immediately understood his intentions. She swiftly pulled Donna behind her, speaking firmly, "I'm warning you, don't even think about it."With a puzzled expression, Donna thought to herself, 'The boss is interested in me? Is this really happening?'She discreetly poked Emily's waist, internally pleading, 'Please don't stop the boss from showing interest in me.'Emily, misunderstanding Donna's gesture as fear of offending Humphrey, reassuringly patted her shoulder, "Don't worry, I'm here. He won't dare do anything to you."Humphrey raised an eyebrow and leaned forward to get a better look at Donna. As someone experienced in reading women, he was well aware of what they desired and confident in his allure.Humphrey snapped his fingers at Donna, tilting his chin suggestively,
As Elton left with Odelia, he avoided Emily's gaze. However, Emily stopped him with a smile, "You should go to the hospital first."Elton looked up, meeting her smiling face. She spoke with concern, but her eyes lacked their usual sparkling brightness. Suddenly, his steps felt unbearably heavy, as if they were laden with lead."Are you coming or not?" Odelia impatiently tugged at his sleeve.Regaining his composure, Elton sighed, hunched over, and slowly shuffled out."If you want to cry, just let it out," Humphrey, lounging on the sofa, his arm supporting his head, said to Emily with an amused smile.Emily sensed a change in the atmosphere after the two left. Humphrey's demeanor shifted from malicious mockery to a gentle familiarity, unintentionally lowering her guard.Standing for so long, her legs had become numb. Emily moved to sit on the sofa opposite Humphrey, her tone calm, "Why should I cry?"Humphrey, lips curled in a meaning
As he spoke, Humphrey paused briefly, his gaze unabashedly sweeping over Emily."Out of the two, one must stay with me today. As for who stays, you decide."He leaned back into the sofa, seemingly amused by his own game. Resting his chin on the back of his hand, he chuckled lightly.Emily looked at Elton, seeing him clench his teeth, his eyes bloodshot with anger.Clinging to Humphrey's leg, Odelia complained, "I'm your girlfriend; how can you say such things in front of me?""Girlfriend?" Humphrey laughed so hard his shoulders shook. He wrapped an arm around her, his voice soft but his eyes chillingly cold, "I have many pets, but certainly no girlfriend."Odelia turned pale, incredulous, "You see me as your pet?"Humphrey laughed again, "You're not even a pet, to be precise, a toy.""No, that's not true. You've
Emily donned a sleek, all-black ensemble, complete with a baseball cap, and just before stepping out, she clipped a pen to her waist.In the car, her thoughts were in turmoil. She hardly knew Humphrey, but it was clear that he was not someone to be trifled with.Yet, Elton had insisted on keeping the Cromwells in the dark. Contacting the police would blow their cover, so she pondered texting Murray for help but ultimately decided against it, not wanting to drag him into this messy affair.Parking on the Road, she didn't head straight for the back streets. A glance around revealed two traffic officers at the street corner, offering a slight reassurance.She then fished a tiny pepper spray from her pocket, holding it tightly in her palm, before venturing into the dark alley. Fortunately, it was short, and she emerged quickly.Outside, she spotted a tall, lean young man leaning agai
After work, Emily stepped out of the skyscraper, not wanting to return to the villa. She walked slowly along the sidewalk, the city lights just beginning to twinkle. The streets bustled with traffic, and the colorful lights on the overpass lit up like a rainbow arching over the city.The CBD, every inch of it worth its weight in gold, seemed like two different worlds by day and night. The aroma of various street foods wafted from the carts lining the road, stirring up a voracious appetite in passersby."The hustle and bustle of life, it truly soothes the soul," Emily thought, looking up and taking a deep breath. Then, she pulled out her phone and ordered a takeaway for two, hoping to share it with Donna.However, Donna was out at a dinner party.It seemed every time Emily called Donna. Lately, she has been at some social events. Emily couldn't help but wonder what kind of entertainment company Donna