"Do they even realize what kind of people they've brought along? If they've hired them, they should be prepared to play house. Why the pretense?" Emily thought, watching Stacey with an impassive face.
"There are so many of us here, and it's not just up to you," Emily told Stacey. "Let's put it to a vote." She turned to the group. "For the decision to hire help, let's show our stance with a show of hands."
Atwood immediately raised his hand in agreement as Emily finished speaking.
Baird and Beau glanced at Murray, who stood aloof in the distance. Thought to themselves that they had already given Murray enough face by coming to this forsaken place; nobody wanted to suffer unnecessarily. They bit the bullet and raised their hands, "We agree too."
Emily looked at Ronald, who hesitated, his eyes on Jean.
Jean and Haley agreed, and Ronald, eager to please, quickly followed suit.
When Stacey saw Murray stop, she asked, "What's wrong?""Just tired, need to rest a bit," Murray responded dismissively. Seeing Stacey and the others preparing to stop, he added, "You go ahead."His tone was unusually cold and distant.Stacey was taken aback.The two 'darlings,' adept at reading the room, quickly stepped forward to pull Stacey along. "Let's go ahead. Mr. Gibson has an injury; he should rest.""I'll wait for you up ahead," Stacey said, her voice also cold, probably unaccustomed to Murray's attitude.As Emily and Moira approached, Murray stood by the path, holding a water bottle. Seeing them, he walked over and handed the bottle to Emily. "Help me open this."Moira, sensing something, smiled slyly. "I'll go find Atwood."Emily nodded.Once alone on the path, Murray reached for the z
Having selected the perfect spot for their camp, Jean seized the opportunity to confront Stacey."What's the meaning of bringing him along?""Are you not with Murray now? Why still entangle yourself with him?" Jean's tone was laden with accusation as she glared at Stacey. "If you wish to truly commit to someone, fidelity is fundamental."Stacey's eyes flickered a tinge of guilt in her voice. "I told him we'd cease our interactions. But he insisted that if I could help him get a feature in the Magazine, he'd leave me alone for good."Jean sighed, "Murray's affection for you is evident to us all these years. You must not betray him. Moreover, He's not the neglected Gibson boy he once was. Provoking him might bring calamity not just to you but to the Zechariah family as well."Stacey chuckled confidently. "No, Murray won't harm me. He's always listened to me ever since we were
Emily and Moira, hand in hand, carefully climbed the rocky slope, bypassing the waterfall to spot two enormous boulders stacked together.The muffled sounds of a man and woman intertwined in passion emanated from a crevice on the left side of the rocks.Emily glanced back at the flowing water, surmising its sound had masked their approach, leaving the couple unguarded in their intimacy.Moira, silent, gestured for Emily to move closer. Emily's heart raced with the taboo excitement of encroaching upon someone else's privacy.Moving at a snail's pace, Emily was suddenly pulled forward by an impatient Moira. Nearing the rocks, Emily pointed upward, and Moira nodded. They stealthily climbed atop the large boulder, using tree branches to obscure their presence. Their vantage point perfectly shielded them from the couple's view while granting them a clear sight.On the rough stone surf
Murray's gaze swept over Stacey's eyes; a faint voice murmured, "I'm hurt; I need to sleep alone."The statement left everyone speechless, unable to respond. The idea of sharing a bed with Stacey and Ronald, the lovebirds, was unthinkable. This meant someone would have to sleep outside. In a fit of anger, Stacey declared, "I'll sleep in the hammock."Stacey, after all, was a woman. Ronald couldn't possibly hog the tent and make a lady sleep outside. Besides, he dared not share a bed with Emily. He knew he was a restless sleeper and feared accidentally offending her in his sleep."You and Emily share the tent, and I'll take the hammock.""There's no need for that," Stacey said firmly before rifling through the equipment box to find the hammock, with Sam quickly following to help.Amidst this standoff, Jean said, "Let's do this: I, Stacey, and Emily will share a tent, and you three
Without hesitation, Emily rubbed her face against his arm and chuckled softly, "I know."She heard his declaration of affection as calmly as if he were merely stating a preference for a dish, for she had heard these words from him not so long ago and had already responded in kind.Murray paused for a moment, as if understanding her thoughts, and let out a resigned chuckle before adding, "Before, it was a physical attraction; now, it's emotional. Do you think they're the same?"Emotional attraction?Was this a confession?Emily reached out to touch his forehead, checking for a fever. When she found none, she wondered if he was just being playful due to the day's stresses.Steady now, don't panic.Emily's eyes flickered with thought, and she pulled his hand to her chest, "See, just a few words from you, and my heart beats like this. You can
"What secret?" Emily tried to appear nonchalant, but her rapid speech betrayed her inner urgency, inevitably catching Ronald's attention."You're not seriously into him, are you? Out of brotherly concern, let me warn you—he's not a good man.""How is he not a good man?" Emily straightened up, unable to hide her interest.Ronald's eyes darted away, his lips moving as if he was torn between speaking and staying silent, a picture of utter conflict.Emily snatched his cigarettes from the center console and held them out the window. "Speak now, or I'm tossing these."Without his cigarettes, Ronald was like an addict deprived of his fix, yelling out in haste, "He's got a mistress on the side."Emily scoffed, "That's the secret you're dying to tell?"Ronald chuckled, "Don't underestimate a mistress. Her existence could shake up the entire
Stacey couldn't accept Murray's answer. She grabbed her wine glass, took a large gulp, and then asked the question she most desperately needed an answer to: "Who is the person you like?"Murray paused for a moment, then said indifferently, "She prefers to keep it private for now. When she's ready, I'll let you know."Stacey's heart had never felt as sour as it did then. Murray was that kind of person; when he chose to care for someone, he could offer boundless tolerance and affection. He had been like that with her once.Now, all that love belonged to another woman, and Stacey felt a jealousy she had never known. She stared at Murray, convinced he had turned to someone else because of her hesitation. She couldn't believe he could just let go of so many years of feelings. She resolved to win back Murray's heart.Unaware of Stacey's thoughts, Murray believed he had clarified his feelings, and there wou
Emily's heart skipped a beat at the sight of Lydia Sander. She had thought their paths would never cross again after graduation, yet they were both in Bucapital. Emily worried about the possibility of Lydia spreading rumors about her relationship with Murray, which could be disastrous for her reputation.With a steadied resolve, Emily approached and sat beside Lydia, offering a friendly smile. "What a coincidence."With her arms crossed and chin held high, Lydia seemed to relish the perceived upper hand. "I got in here on my merit," she said coldly. "As for you, well, you know."Emily took a deep breath, acknowledging the truth in Lydia's words. She was about to say something to lighten the mood, but the training supervisor began the session, so she remained silent.The four-week training program included two rounds of interviews. Not everyone could stay; it all depended on individual performance sco
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