Jamie gazed at Paityn. His expression was inscrutable. After a moment, he finally released her delicate wrist. His voice was low and firm. “Finish the meal before you leave!”Paityn looked into Jamie's eyes, her calm demeanor betraying a hint of turbulence. After all, she was a person used to the business world. She wasn’t one to nitpick. After a brief moment of contemplation, Paityn took her seat again. The waiter began to serve the dishes. Jamie had arrived early, and he had ordered most of the food. Coincidentally, it was all her favorite dishes.Jamie’s domineering nature was something Paityn was well aware of, but she couldn't help but interject, “If it were anyone else on a blind date, the girl might not necessarily enjoy these dishes.”Jamie laid a pristine white napkin on his lap, his dark eyes showing a slight arrogance as he scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself, Paityn! Do you really think I ordered these for you?”Jamie paused for a moment, and his voice grew even deeper.
Servants bustled about in the villa's grand hall, attending to various tasks. Mason and Zoe sat on the sofa. She was flipping through bridal magazines, likely for Yanni's sake. Meanwhile, he sipped his tea, appearing relaxed but frequently glancing toward the entrance. Eventually, Mason let out a sigh of relief when the sound of a car engine echoed from the courtyard. Zoe spoke softly, "Why not call and ask if you're so eager for them to get together?"Mason chuckled lightly, "Why should I be nervous?"As the couple chatted, Jamie entered from outside, shrugging off his coat. He frowned slightly when he noticed the yellow hue of the blossoms on his shoulder. Then, a servant approached to take the coat, smiling as she said, “The winter jasmines are blooming exceptionally well this year. They say spring flowers symbolize mischief, but I believe it’s a sign of double happiness for our family. "Mr. Jamie must have hit it off during your blind date today. His eyes are sparkling wi
Paityn seemed distracted several times while she was discussing business with Gael in the private room. She was clearly influenced by Jamie.Gael coughed lightly, “What’s wrong? Still can’t forget about Jamie?”Before Paityn could deny it, Gael smiled again, “You had a thing with him. So, it's not surprising that you think about him. Although he has a bit of a bad temper, he is indeed quite handsome. "Also, any lady who marries into the Lockwood family would be dreaming with joy. From what I see, though, the lady he’s with today doesn’t stand a chance. Jamie seems to have a particular taste.”Gael is Jamie's former brother-in-law. Although their relationship wasn't great before, they were family at one point. So, he had a basic understanding of him. His conclusion was simply reliable.After Gael’s remarks, Paityn couldn’t help but laugh, “I didn’t expect you to know him so well. Did Yanni talk about him a lot in the past?”Mentioning his ex-wife, Yanni, made Gael feel a wave of
Jamie asked casually, “Did they leave together?” The manager nodded. Then, he noticed Jamie’s expression darken, and he thought he must have misspoken. He wanted to say something to remedy the situation, but Jamie had already opened the door and climbed into his black Cullinan. The early spring weather was chilly. Sitting in the car felt like being in an icehouse, but Jamie didn’t start the engine. Instead, he sat in the frigid vehicle. His expression was indifferent as he pulled out a cigarette. He lit it and began to smoke slowly.Pale blue smoke rose as Jamie raised his hand to crack the window slightly. In the chill of the wind and the haze of smoke, he thought about his past with Paityn, including the good, the bad, the sweet, and the angry. Jamie seemed to recall that Paityn was the only woman in his life. From a physical to an emotional level, it felt like she was the only one he had ever connected with. However, she seemed unappreciative. After all, she had so many pros
The door to the ward opened gently, and the maid looked somewhat panicked. She said, “Ms. Paityn. There’s a lady who claims to be your sister and wants to see you.”Paityn looked up sharply. Was Tegan here?Sure enough, a travel-worn Tegan stood at the door. The moment she saw Paityn, her first question was, “Who is Carol's father?”Paityn hesitated. She wanted to keep it a secret. With that said, she might be able to hide it from others, but she couldn’t conceal it from her own sister. Tegan slowly walked in, making her way to the small hospital bed. She looked down at the sleeping Carol. The little girl’s oval face was pale and reminiscent of Paityn’s own features as a child. It looked like she was already about five years old.Tegan trembled as she touched Carol's face, connecting with the child who shared her bloodline. After a long moment, she quietly asked, “Did you have her while you were in college?”As the elder sister, Paityn was usually an undeniable authority in fron
A week later, Carol was brought back to Brookesville.Initially, Tegan had intended to take Carol in. After some contemplation, however, Paityn decided to keep her daughter by her side. She told Tegan, “I can’t let Carol always be a burden to others.”Carol gently leaned into her mother's embrace on the private plane. Tegan reached over and stroked the little girl's head.…As the private jet landed, Paityn took Carol to her new home.When Carol stepped out of the car, she was wearing a pale yellow down jacket. Her little face bundled up snugly. She looked at the beautiful courtyard of the villa. Although it was winter, the lawn was still lush and green, and they were perfectly trimmed.Carol was overjoyed. She looked up and asked, “Will I be living here from now on, Mommy?”Paityn replied with a slight sobbing in her voice, “Yes. You'll be living here with Mommy from now on.”The accompanying nanny carried a small suitcase and gazed at the impressive villa. She couldn't help b
There was an eerie silence on both ends of the line. They had been together for quite some time, and yet Jamie had never uttered the words “I love you,” and neither had Paityn. Their relationship was always marked by sharp conflicts, each taking turns to humiliate the other. After such a long time apart, Paityn finally broached the subject of their feelings.However, what had Paityn said when they separated? She had declared that aside from their physical relationship, she never felt any romantic love for him. She had put it so harshly that it left no room for reconciliation.After what felt like an eternity, Jamie’s voice came through. It sounded cold and unyielding as if each word was forced out of frozen lips. “Still love you? Don't you think you're overthinking, Paityn? I would never tie myself to one lady. Also, let’s not forget what you said back then.“Now you’re playing another trick, aren’t you? You’ve found something to gain from me, and you’ll kick me aside once you’r
Paityn also extended her hand. She forced a polite smile. “Hello.” Paityn and Yara shook hands briefly before the latter turned to Jamie. Her excitement was palpable. “Let’s head in. Yanni just asked about us!” Jamie clearly doted on Yara. He nodded and briefly acknowledged Paityn before taking Yara by the hand and walking away. As the door closed behind them, Paityn found herself alone, with the large glass windows reflecting her solitary figure. She reached up to touch her face, easily recognizing how pale and strained she looked. A wave of self-mockery washed over Paityn. The fact was that it was her choice to end things. However, she was the one on the brink of tears now. For whom was she putting on this facade? After taking five minutes to compose herself, Paityn stepped back into the banquet hall, transforming once again into her flawless self until she was suddenly intercepted by Tegan. “Paityn!” Tegan called out. Her expression was serious when she blocked Pait
Molly was cradled in Ocelotte's arms. Her nose was filled with the familiar, masculine scent of Ocelotte, pleasant but now tinged with a more mature fragrance than before... She buried her head tightly, trying not to cry. She really did cry. She hadn’t cried when she was hurt, nor when Scarlett and Zahra were fighting, but at the unexpected gentleness of Ocelotte, she broke down… Molly let go of all her pride and whispered softly, “Do you still care about me, Ocelotte?” Ocelotte stiffened. After a moment, he gave a cold laugh. “You’re overthinking, Molly! Do you really think, after what you’ve done, I could still have feelings for you? Is there any room for us to develop feelings for each other?” As if that wasn’t enough, he added with disdain: “I’m just afraid that during sex with you, you’ll pass out.”Molly felt a sense of disorientation. For a long time, she quietly murmured, “I understand.” Ocelotte thought to himself, her skin really was thick. When
Scarlett had other plans. She felt that Molly and Ocelotte could work things out, but this naive girl wasn’t really cut out for the entertainment industry. Once she became the young mistress and enjoyed life, she shouldn’t forget about Scarlett. However, before Ocelotte truly felt any pain for Molly, Scarlett thought that Molly still needed to endure some hardship. Not playing any mind games, Scarlett made everything clear and visible—let Ocelotte see for himself! If he didn’t feel sorry for her, then with the money he’d given Molly over the past three months, that would be enough for her for a lifetime. Having been through the ups and downs of the entertainment industry, Scarlett had seen all kinds of disgusting things. Once you encounter enough demons and monsters, you begin to long for something beautiful. She hoped Molly would have a good future. Just then, Ocelotte’s call came through.Molly held the phone tightly and quietly told him that there had been some iss
Roselyn suddenly understood. "It's Ocelotte! Your grandmother has been talking about him all the time."Molly forced a smile.Roselyn didn't think this child seemed sweet at all. Although she was close to Molly and her grandmother, she had always been hired to do the work, so she didn't dare to say too much.Molly returned to her room and changed back into her clothes, thinking about her conversation with Roselyn.Grandmother knew about Ocelotte.When Molly and her grandmother were at their lowest point, barely surviving, she would tell her grandmother stories every day. Molly said there was a very good boy named Ocelotte, who had gone abroad to study. When he returned, he would be with Molly, and the family would have one more person.Though her grandmother couldn't see anymore, every time she heard about Ocelotte, she would unconsciously smile.Ocelotte, such a beautiful name.…Molly finished washing up and went to her grandmother's room. After she started earning mone
When Molly came out of the bathroom, she was wearing the hotel's bathrobe. It was loosely draped over her slender figure, accentuating her delicate frame. The bedroom was brightly lit. Ocelotte had just washed in the bathroom next door. He was leaning casually against the large bedhead and flipping through a hotel magazine. He was only wearing black pants, and his long, fit body was on full display. Molly didn’t dare look at the water droplets on Ocelotte's body. She carefully held onto the edge of the bed and knelt beside him. With a memory of how he had looked before, she leaned in to kiss him. A large hand grabbed the back of her head, urgently pulling her toward him. Then, all the fiery memories came flooding back. Molly had sex with Ocelotte.…Ocelotte’s continued entanglements had stretched over several rounds. By the time they were done, it was nearly 2:00 am.Molly lay there, nearly lifeless, while the man remained full of energy. He rolled off the bed, heading to t
The parking lot was cold, making Molly shiver. Ocelotte opened the door of gray Cullinan, gesturing for Molly to get in. She hesitated, afraid that the wine stains on her clothes would dirty his car. However, it was clear that he didn’t mind. Ocelotte's eyes showed a hint of displeasure as he commanded, “Get in.”Only then did Molly cautiously get in, trying her best not to dirty his car. After a moment, Ocelotte followed and got into the car. Inside, the only sound was the faint click of seat belts, and that small noise made Molly feel like a startled bird. She turned her head slightly and whispered, “Where are we going?”Ocelotte buckled his seatbelt, his dark eyes deep and unreadable. After a long silence, he replied with a touch of mockery, “To the hotel. "What’s this? After a few years in the entertainment industry, you’ve learned how to play hard to get with men and pretend to be innocent?”“I haven’t,” Molly quickly responded. Her voice was husky and tinged with hes
The private room immediately fell silent. At first, someone muttered something like "crazy" under their breath. When they saw it was Ocelotte, however, no one dared to say another word. Ocelotte slowly stood up. He stepped over the red wine stains and walked straight to Molly’s side. He looked down at her from a height, taking in her disheveled state. He looked at the red wine stains on her long lashes. Her lips were bitten and broken, and a bloodstained mark on her pale neck. Molly tilted her head back, and her body trembled slightly. Their gazes intertwined. Ocelotte’s voice was low and hoarse as he stared into her eyes and asked, “Is this the life you’re chasing? Are you happy? Is it a good feeling, being humiliated for a little bit of money?”The people in the room were quick-witted, and with just a glance, they knew exactly what to do. The female stars and models immediately opened the bottles of red wine. Then, they poured the wines over themselves, dousing thei
In the private room, about ten people were there, including Ocelotte. The atmosphere was lively. Except for Scarlett, no one knew that Ocelotte and Molly were old acquaintances. So, when the second-generation rich were acting up, they didn’t spare Molly. Since she was the most attractive one in the room, they particularly forced alcohol on her. Three glasses of red wine were neatly placed on the coffee table. A man named Mayson Hogan took a check for 10 million dollars from his pocket and pointed at the three glasses of wine.Mayson said to Molly, “Don’t you want to pull in some investments? Drink these three glasses, take this check, and consider it my investment.” If Molly drank those three glasses, she’d either be dead drunk or fall over. Scarlett immediately forced a smile, saying, “Molly still has to play cards with you. Let me drink this wine. How about I pour three more glasses, Mr. Mayson?” After saying that, Scarlett poured two more glasses. Before she could dr
An hour later, the gray Cullinan slowly drove into the Sanders Manor. Ocelotte opened the car door, his tall frame of six-foot-two passing through the foyer and into the living room. Although it was already the middle of the night, the Sanders Manor was still brightly lit. Noah was waiting for his youngest son to return late. Hearing the noise, Noah put down the chess pieces in his hands. He looked up and smiled at Ocelotte, who looked heartbroken. "Out prowling in the middle of the night? Did you catch anything?" Ocelotte took off his coat and casually tossed it onto the sofa. Then, he instructed the housekeeper, "Make me some sandwiches, Kendra." Kendra had always been fond of him. She quickly untied her apron and went to the kitchen. A little while later, she brought over some sandwiches.As Ocelotte ate the sandwiches in large bites, Noah silently walked over. The latter watched his son and silently urging him to hurry up.Ocelotte put down the sandwich and said indif
The night was as dark as ink. The gray Cullinan blended into the night, slowly fading away in front of Molly, the red tail lights glimmering like fleeting fireworks. Ocelotte was here one moment and gone the next.“I miss you, Ocelotte.” Molly stood in the darkness, murmuring softly. The wound on her knee split open, blood dripping onto the gray concrete floor, forming a stark and heartbreaking contrast. Her small, almond-shaped face looked pale, almost ghostly in the black night. Suddenly, the car ahead came to a stop. With tears at the corners of her eyes, Molly's lips trembled uncontrollably. Yet, she managed to force out a fragile smile. Ocelotte! Ocelotte! Molly ran toward him quickly, forgetting the bleeding knee and the boundaries Ocelotte had set for her. She was to never appear before him again.Molly only wanted to go to him and see him once more, just to get a chance. The expensive car and the distinguished man still made her hesitate just one meter awa