Millie thought Pierce brought up marriage during the press conference to deal with his parents. But when she saw the news about Atkinson Group's stock soaring, she realized he was all about business.Pierce was upfront about being married. His sense of responsibility made people more confident about him taking over Atkinson Group.People on the Internet usually shared this same attitude. "A man who's willing to take on family responsibilities is usually a good catch. He's miles ahead of those who are secretly married and cheating."Thanks to Pierce's reputation and his honest demeanor, Atkinson Group's stock kept going up. It was hard to tell if the increase was due to the chip development or his charisma.The press conference at Atkinson Group swiftly made it to the top of trending topics. Many people talked about it on the Internet.Everyone started to wonder who Mrs. Atkinson was. She was so lucky to land a guy like Pierce, and she probably smiled in her sleep every night.Mil
Pierce pursed his lips and continued, "The wedding dress is for Sammy."Millie was taken aback and felt a little embarrassed. It turned out she was overthinking it. "Are you looking for anything in particular?""Go with what you think looks good. I want it ready for her to wear when she gets married. She's around your height and build, so just use yourself as a reference.""Sure, I'll take care of it. Just a heads-up. Making a wedding dress is a lot of work and can take some time.""Take your time."They went back together after dinner. The next day, Millie found out at her studio that Celia had closed a deal. However, the client had requested to meet with the designer. They preferred to see a portfolio to clearly understand her work."Alright, let's have Julian handle it.""But the client requested the clothes for his wife, so it's probably better if you go instead, boss."Mille nodded in agreement. She was indeed the better candidate for the task.The appointment was sched
Alex asked, "Did you bring your measuring tools? How about you take my measurements and make a custom set for me?""We have a male designer in our studio. I can introduce you to him and get you a discount," Millie responded."I don't want anyone else. I want you to do the design. Hurry up and take my measurements. Make sure you do it right.""Let's leave it for next time, Mr. Thorne. We can go over it when Cindy is here. I've got other appointments, so I'll head out now."Alex's lecherous demeanor was gross, and he kept crossing the line with Millie.Fuming, Millie grabbed her things and tried to leave. But as soon as she stood up, she felt light-headed, and her vision went dark.What went wrong? She didn't touch the drink Alex ordered at all.Puzzled, Millie looked at the glass before her, having not taken a sip."There's nothing with the alcohol; it's the lemonade. Didn't you notice it yet?"Alex chuckled.Millie's heart raced. A waiter brought over the lemonade, so she tho
Millie struggled to open her eyes, trying to make out who it was. But with the light streaming in behind them, all she could make out was a tall silhouette and nothing else."Who are you? How dare you mess with me? Do you know I'm—"Before Alex could finish, the newcomer sent him flying with a heavy kick. The next moment, Millie found herself in a warm embrace.Millie couldn't open her eyes because her eyelids felt too heavy. Despite that, she could vividly sense his presence. The newcomer had to be Pierce. After all, she felt a cold and aloof air, as if he stood apart from everything.The worry that had been weighing over her chest melted away. Having him nearby always brought her comfort.Pierce gently brushed Millie's cheeks with his hand. Even in her unconscious state, she winced in pain.Feeling a pang in his heart, Pierce withdrew his hand because he was scared of hurting Millie further. He gently set her down on the couch and draped his coat on her to keep her covered. T
Pierce could feel Millie's warm tears seeping through his shirt.After some time, Millie finally returned to her senses. She looked up, teary-eyed."What are you doing here?""I heard you calling for help."They were destined to meet. Whenever she was in danger, he always managed to show up in the nick of time. He was like her lucky star."Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"Mille shook her head."Are you tired? You should take a nap.""Stay with me," Millie asked softly. She knew she was being unreasonable, but she was still shaken from the ordeal. Alex's touch made her feel like she had fallen into an abyss. That was her greatest fear.Pierce pursed his lips as he made up his mind. "Alright. I'll stay with you.""Not on the couch. Stay with me by the bed. Is that okay?" Millie pleaded. Having him closer would make her feel safer."Alright. Whatever you say."Pierce was incredibly gentle and patient that night. He complied with all her requests.Millie leaned
Millie's hand froze in place, awkwardly lingering where it had landed. At that moment, she wished she could just disappear."I was just checking out your chest muscles. You work out a lot, so I wanted to see how they were."She tried to sound calm as she slowly withdrew her hand, patting his chest. "It's not bad. It feels quite firm. Impressive."Pierce raised an eyebrow and watched as she babbled on with a straight face."I'm going to freshen up." Millie turned and quickly left without looking back, feeling the weight of his intense gaze on her the whole way.Once inside the bathroom, she locked the door and leaned against the wall. Of all the times for him to wake up, why did it have to be right then?After washing up, she came out and saw Pierce changing clothes. His back was facing her, and his pants were already on, revealing his strong and muscular back.His body was covered in scars, some from bullets, others from sharp weapons. He wore each one like a badge of honor.A
Since Pierce had made his decision, Millie decided she wouldn't be concerned with it anymore.While she was resting at home, Samantha completely ignored her. Her attitude was arrogant and dismissive. Millie didn't bother with her either. Samantha had returned to Atkinson Group to work as Pierce's secretary. Everyone knew her status. Even Tobias had to show her some respect.Two days later, the mark on Millie's cheek had faded, but there were a few bruises on her body that would take longer to heal. Celia immediately burst into tears when she saw Millie return to the studio."Why are you crying? I'm fine, aren't I?""It's all my fault. If only I hadn't messed up. If only my stomach didn't hurt that day, I could've gone with you. Then, that Thorne guy wouldn't have dared to do anything to you!" Celia cried."How could anyone have known what would happen? It's not your fault. I don't blame yourself, and I haven't given it a second thought." Millie tried to make Celia feel better.
Millie froze when she heard those words.Samantha wasn't biologically related to the Atkinson family. She was adopted. No one outside the family knew about it. This meant it had been kept a tight secret.Samantha stared at the frame, caught in a daze. It was obvious she was deeply in love with Pierce.No wonder Millie always felt uncomfortable about the sibling's close relationship.Millie froze, feeling like she had stumbled upon a huge secret. She didn't know if she should be there. She staggered away and hurried back to her studio, locking herself inside her office.That would explain why Samantha didn't like her. She was her love rival.Millie wondered if Pierce felt the same way about Samantha. Perhaps he refused to accept his feelings for her because of societal boundaries, or maybe something else was stopping him.Millie recalled his gentle tone toward Samantha on the phone. He had never spoken to her that way nor to anyone else. He adored Samantha, and he was aware the