Annabelle's mouth twitched slightly, "No."
Who would have thought that such shameless words would come out of Kendrick's mouth?
Those rumors about him being silent, aloof, elegant, and gentlemanly are definitely false!
This person is clearly a hypocritical scoundrel who loves to play rogue, isn't he...
After dinner, it was not yet time for the class Annabelle had to attend, so Kendrick offered to give her a ride to the music school.
The one I bought before, I lost it in the taxi last night. She was very regretful and needs to buy a new one.
After listening to her, Kendrick asked her if the piano was very valuable and if she wanted to retrieve it, he could find a way.
Of course, it was to have Mr. Frye return the piano properly. If he didn't return it, he could just wait for his misfortune.
But Annabelle said that when she bought it at that time, she only bought an entry-level one, which was not expensive. She only used it for a
Kendrick thought for a moment and concluded that, considering Annabelle's personality, the money couldn't have been given to her by someone else; she must have earned it herself.Thinking of this, Mr. Gregory pursed his lips in dissatisfaction.I felt proud that my wife had independent financial capability, but I felt frustrated because I had a net worth of over billions, yet I couldn't make use of it in front of her.There was also a sense of loss, as if he didn't understand her at all.And these things, Fabian definitely knew...Upon realizing this, Kendrick sourly remarked, "So, it turns out my wife used to be a rich woman.""I can't compare with you."In the face of ridicule, Annabelle didn't hesitate to reply.Kendrick put away his phone and said, "Alright, what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. After all, we have slept in the same bed, so I won't be polite with you anymore."Knowing that she was stubborn, e
Annabelle had a moment of doubt, but she didn't really care.Ten minutes later, a classmate who arrived even later than her entered the classroom through the back door.And at this time, the teacher had already started the class.The latecomer walked straight to her side and paused for a moment.Annabelle turned her head and glanced at a boy. He was tall, wearing a black T-shirt, and had handsome features, although his eyes seemed a bit arrogant.He didn't sit down and instead looked at her with an expression as if she had taken something from him.Annabelle felt a bit puzzled, but she couldn't be bothered to think too much about it, so she turned her gaze back to the book in front of her.At that moment, the teacher sternly said, "Gauge, if you dare to be late in my class again, you can forget about your final credits."The boy did not reply and immediately placed the things on Annabelle's table, sitting on the chair next to h
Gauge came from a family of medical professionals, but he loved music so much that he refused to listen to his family's advice. He didn't want to study business or inherit the family company; instead, he wanted to join the music department.Although not interested in medicine, I have been exposed to traditional medicine since childhood and have heard of some terms. Therefore, when I heard Annabelle mention the name of an acupuncture point just now, I seemed to understand medical knowledge, so I couldn't help but ask."Are you talking to me?" Annabelle took off her headphones and turned to look at him, her clear and clean eyes reflecting a sense of detachment.Gauge felt the indifference in her eyes and a strange feeling arose in her heart."Yes, you studied medicine?"Annabelle considered for a moment and guessed that he asked this question because he had just heard some of the content of his phone call. He nodded lightly and put his headphones bac
Annabelle immediately frowned and abruptly pushed away, staring at Gauge, "What are you doing?"Her expression was as if she had been touched by something unclean.Gauge was now certain that she had absolutely no interest in herself.This was really rare, and a little bit disappointing."Sit back."After Gauge finished speaking, everyone was stunned.The classmates thought that Gauge would be eager to drive Annabelle away, but unexpectedly, he was first subjected to Annabelle's cold words, and now he voluntarily let someone sit beside him.Everyone couldn't help but speculate, could it be that Gauge had fallen for this new girl, Anna? This girl with a shady background, who looked like a fox spirit?In an instant, those Gauge's fangirls were greatly disappointed."That female classmate, please sit down, we are about to start the class."The teacher spoke up to remind Annabelle, who was standing at the back row.
My friend then stopped in his tracks and quickly shook his head, saying, "I had a date with a beautiful senior to have dinner!"Gauge shook his head in silence, ignoring his friend and walked straight towards the music room.Annabelle had just arrived at the piano room.The classical guitar priced at 390,000 is indeed very different. Besides being expensive, it has no flaws at all. The tone and texture are all so captivating that Annabelle is completely immersed and unable to extricate herself.In my mind, Kendrick's face, sometimes cold and sometimes insolent, emerged again.I have to say, it was really great to listen to him and buy this piano.As the song ended, a clean male voice came from behind her."The piano is good, but unfortunately your finger technique was too stiff, and the melody of the second section was also not quite right."Annabelle frowned and looked over as she saw Gauge walk in with a guitar on his back. H
At that moment, Gauge said to her, "I drove, shall I take you home?"Annabelle looked at Kendrick in the distance, feeling a bit distracted. She hastily said, "No need, my friend is coming to pick me up."Gauge shrugged and continued with a cold expression, "Well, then I'll leave first."After speaking, he walked up to the Porsche 911 parked on the side of the road, opened the car door, and got in.Annabelle also walked quickly to Kendrick's front: "Have you been waiting for a long time?"Kendrick said with a displeased expression, "Thank goodness."Annabelle glanced at his face, was he angry?Did he think she was slow to come out? But she didn't ask him to come and pick her up in the first place, so who asked him to come?Annabelle's face also drooped."I didn't pay attention to the time while practicing the piano and accidentally got late.""Who was the boy who just came out with you?""Classmate."
Annabelle thought that no one was criticizing her anymore because her classmates' gossip had died down, but in reality, it was due to Kendrick's intervention.However, Kendrick both wanted her to know his good intentions and felt that doing such a small thing would be seeking credit, which was not generous enough.Driving, Jaime glanced at his boss's expression through the rearview mirror and keenly sensed his thoughts.Did you want to take credit for this, but felt too embarrassed to say it?So, Jaime cleared his throat and began, "Mrs. Gregory may not know, but actually Mr. Gregory...""Concentrate on driving your car."Kendrick abruptly interrupted Jaime's words.Jaime was completely devastated by the criticism.He was well-intentioned, but obviously the CEO did not appreciate it, nor did he need it.He had recently seen Mr. Gregory being gentle and indulgent towards Mrs. Gregory so much that he forgot the true nature
"Mr. Gregory, this is the budget for the second half of the year sent by the branch office. Please take a look," the woman said as she handed over the document, but her eyes couldn't help but drift towards the hands held by Kendrick and Annabelle.The woman smiled, but her face had already stiffened.As soon as she saw the president's exclusive elevator being used just now, she knew Kendrick had arrived. She quickly adjusted her clothes, touched up her lipstick, and happily waited at the elevator entrance.Unexpectedly, the CEO led Annabelle out, holding her hand tightly. When has the CEO ever treated a woman like this before?Kendrick paused for a moment and looked at the woman who was blocking their way.Not a familiar face, I recalled for a moment, it was someone newly selected from personnel to replace one of the secretaries who had resigned due to illness, I think her name was Zoie Shepard?Kendrick took the documents with one hand, whi
Scott looked down at her, eyes gleaming with a smile. He did look like a man who had gotten what he wanted—but more than that, he looked fulfilled, as if life itself had reached a perfect state.“Are you hungry?” he asked.Julissa had just had some intense ‘exercise’ and didn’t have much appetite. She shook her head.“Tired?” he asked again.“A little.”Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright like a mischievous fairy who’d just stolen a magical elixir—Scott couldn’t take his eyes off her. The desire in his gaze deepened.He flipped over, hovering above his little fairy. “Then… how about one more round?”…They started on the couch and ended in the bedroom.After this round, Julissa was completely wiped out, lying boneless on the bed. She no longer looked like a fairy who stole elixirs—more like someone who’d had her spirit energy drained.“Really tired?” asked a certain CEO with exaggerated concern.Julissa gave him a weak, death-glare.The man scratched his head and chuckled sheepis
Seeing the bright, playful light in her eyes, Scott instantly understood her answer. A slow smile spread across his face, and he didn't bother to banter anymore. With a swift, fluid motion, he lifted her into his arms, cradling her close to his body. The warmth of his touch sent shivers down her spine, and she felt a mix of excitement and nervousness wash over her.He kissed her deeply. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the intensity of their connection. The bedroom suddenly felt too far away, so they stopped in the living room, where the sofa beckoned with its wide, soft cushions.As Scott gently laid her down on the sofa, Julissa felt a surge of panic. That one time in the past—her memory was too fuzzy. She could barely recall anything. This felt much more like her first time.And when Scott took off his shirt, revealing his healthy tan skin and well-defined muscles, Julissa realized—it was really happening. She was unbelievably nervous. Her mind raced with a t
Julissa's heart raced as she met Scott's gaze. She knew exactly what he was asking, and the weight of his question pressed down on her. In the past, she would have replied without hesitation: Of course not! But now, the balance in her heart had already tipped. She knew how much she liked Scott. She also knew she longed for a deeper, more intimate connection with him. The thought of being closer to him, of sharing that level of intimacy, was both thrilling and terrifying.However, there was a promise she couldn't ignore. She had made a blood oath to her mom! She’d sworn that if she ever slept with Scott before marriage, she would lose her sense of taste and never enjoy food again. The memory of that promise was a heavy burden, and the fear of losing something so fundamental to her daily life was daunting. If that really came true, what joy would be left in the rest of her life?Scott looked at her, a bit anxious. His eyes searched hers, seeking an answer. “Why that expression? Are you
Julissa was on the verge of tears. She wanted to get up but, considering the state she was in, she felt too embarrassed. She forced out two words: “I’m fine.”Scott held her by the shoulders, helped her up from the ground, and pulled her into his arms.Because she was wearing so little, she shivered from the cold. Scott held her even tighter.Julissa buried her flushed face into his chest, feeling the chill of his body but also catching the fresh, masculine scent from his embrace.“Why did you suddenly show up…” she asked quietly.Scott gently ran his hand down her smooth back. “I’ve been following you the whole way. You didn’t notice?”Julissa looked up at him. “If you were following me, didn’t you see how heavy that jar I was carrying was? Why didn’t you help me?”Her little complaint sounded more like she was being coquettish.Scott replied, “It was something your mom gave you. Of course, you had to carry it yourself.”Julissa shot him a look, smiling.So petty—still jealous?“I di
Scott agreed so easily that Julissa couldn’t help but feel a wave of disappointment.But there was nothing she could say, so she sulkily repeated,“Then go ahead and move back home.”For the rest of the workday, Julissa remained in a listless, melancholic state.When it was finally time to leave, she clocked out as usual and headed to the elevator with Mr. Nichols.She pressed the button for the first floor.Scott, meanwhile, pressed B2—the underground parking level.Julissa really wanted to cancel her floor selection and go with him, but she held herself back.When the elevator reached the first floor, she turned to look at Scott.“Then… I’ll get going first…”The CEO smiled and said,“See you tomorrow, Miss Hickman.”She gave him another glance, puffed out her cheeks, then walked out of the elevator with her head down.Since her apartment was close to the office, she could just walk home.Clutching a jar of salted eggs in her arms, Julissa trudged down the sidewalk. The jar felt rid
Julissa suddenly heard her name mentioned and instantly sat up straight.Please, please, let Mr. Nichols not say I was eavesdropping… That would be so embarrassing…Thankfully, Scott wasn’t that blunt.“Julissa’s busy downstairs,” he replied.“Did you need something from her?”“Not really,” Yvette said. “I came to see her a while ago and said some inappropriate things. I feel really sorry about it. I was hoping to apologize in person, but since she’s busy, could you please pass along my apology?”“Sure, I’ll let her know.”Hearing this, Julissa finally felt a sense of relief.She understood Senior Yvette better now. And she understood Scott even more.All her worries had been unnecessary—Scott had clearly known exactly what he was doing all along.As for Senior Yvette’s feelings toward him, they were just a projection of her longing for happiness after a failed marriage—nothing more.Thankfully, she had figured it out in the end.Julissa stopped listening to the rest of the conversati
“It’s alright, I’m not busy right now,” Scott said.“Come sit over here.”Julissa kept her ears trained on the sounds outside.She could tell that Senior Yvette and Scott had moved over to the sofa area and sat down.Then she heard Senior Yvette speak first:“This is the key to your family house. Julian gave it to me before. He’s not in Elfhedge right now, so I’ll return it to you.”“You’ve decided to go back to Tokyo?”“Yeah. My parents have forgiven me, but after all these years apart, living together again feels… awkward—for all of us. I can already imagine, pretty soon they’ll start trying to set me up with someone again. But I just want some peace and quiet for now, so I’ve decided to go back to Tokyo. I’m used to life there anyway.”Scott paused for a couple of seconds.“As long as you’re sure.”Yvette continued:“Oh, and… you helped me hire a lawyer, paid for my treatments—it was a lot. I went through all the expenses and put the total in this card. The PIN is the last six digi
After hanging up the phone, Scott turned to Julissa and said,“Don’t leave yet. Yvette is here. Go wait in the lounge for a bit.”Julissa paused for a moment.Letting her stay in the lounge… wasn't that basically asking her to listen in on their conversation?“If I’m in there, I’ll hear everything you say. Is that okay?”Scott walked up to her and gave her cheek a gentle pinch.“It’s because I don’t want you overthinking things that I’m letting you stay and listen.”Julissa rubbed her cheek, muttering lightly,“Well, you’re the one letting me hear it—don’t blame me for eavesdropping later.”“Mm, I’m letting you,” Scott nodded with a soft smile, looking at her like she was a little kid.Julissa didn’t care about that look.Honestly, she did feel a bit uneasy about how close Senior Yvette and Scott seemed. So if she could listen to their conversation, why not?With light steps, she walked into the lounge and gently closed the door behind her, leaving it slightly ajar.Ever since Yvette
Scott chuckled helplessly. “The perfumer remembers the formula. If you like it, I’ll have her make a few more bottles for you to keep. You can have as much as you want in the future.”Only then did Julissa relax.She had thought it was a one-of-a-kind custom blend, something Scott had specially commissioned—a limited edition, gone once used up.“You should’ve said that earlier, Mr. Nichols. I was worried I’d run out.”Scott smiled faintly, reaching up to pinch her soft earlobe. His voice dropped low: “And the clothes—did you wear them?”Julissa’s cheeks flushed. She gave a sly grin: “Not telling you.”Scott’s lips curled slightly. This little woman had gotten bolder and bolder. Did she really not realize how dangerous she always was around him?“Then I’ll see for myself.” As he spoke, his arm tightened slightly.Julissa found herself pressed against him, and what really made her heart race was that his hand had already landed on the second button of her blouse.His fingers toyed