Kendrick just shrugged and left with his arm around Annabelle.Watching them walk away side by side, Marvin felt more indignant.But he was not powerful enough to fight Kendrick, nor could he get Annabelle back for now. He threw away the umbrella in a huff and got into the car."Let's go back. Our first stop is Stellar Bar," he said to the driver in a low voice.In the meantime, Annabelle and Kendrick walked to the parking lot of Springvale Temple, sharing an umbrella.Kendrick asked faintly, "Why did you come to the mountains?"But in his heart, he wondered, "Did she and Marvin meet by chance or by appointment? If I hadn't come, would she have taken his car?"But Kendrick was too self-conscious to ask directly. He didn't want to sound like a jealous whiny man.Annabelle waved the painting before his eyes and smiled, "I heard that Ethan liked paintings of this style, so I asked a friend for one. It's a gift for him."Kendrick narrowed his eyes and nodded.It was a bit cruel to tell he
"Not a boyfriend. Ella got it wrong," Annabelle replied.The answer didn't make Kendrick feel better.He thought Annabelle must have been in the city more than once for the same man, so Ella asked if Annabelle was there for "her boyfriend".And Annabelle didn't deny this part.It suddenly came to Kendrick that Annabelle talked about moving into her friend's apartment the day he and Annabelle went to the City Hall.Kendrick guessed "her friend" was the man Ella mentioned just now.Even if Annabelle and that man were not in a relationship, he was special to Annabelle.Kendrick couldn't help but glance at her when she was looking out the window at the heavy rain. There seemed to be many things hidden in her indifferent eyes.He once thought Annabelle was just an ordinary girl who was abandoned by her family, but as they spent more time together, Kendrick began to feel that she was complicated.Annabelle didn't go to school but, judged by the books she chose to read, she was highly educat
In the last few days after Annabelle came back from Springvale Temple, Trey had been occupied with some matters at the Gregory's mansion and didn't have time to pay attention to Annabelle.Annabelle found that a relief. She didn't have to share a room with Kendrick and had a good sleep.In the blink of an eye, it was Ethan's birthday party.Kendrick prepared a dress for Annabelle. Unexpectedly, she had already got her own dress for the party, and it was a long dress with elegant colors.Such a tight dress demanded a perfect body shape, and it could highlight even a little bit of fat on a woman's body.Of course, it would make the most flattering outfit if it fitted.Annabelle had that kind of perfect body shape.She was curvy with a long fair neck and a tiny waist. The most attractive part was her slender legs, which could be seen now and then through the slits of the dress. No man could resist the temptation to peek.Kendrick looked at Annabelle in the sexy dress and put on a serious
Kendrick brought Annabelle to his grandfather, and they congratulated Ethan on his birthday together.Ethan smiled at his grandson and lovely granddaughter-in-law and nodded repeatedly with satisfaction."Kendrick, you finally came to your senses!""It's just that I hadn't met the right person before," Kendrick smiled and glanced at Annabelle beside him.Annabelle blushed slightly, thinking Kendrick knew how to put on a show in front of the elders.Then Annabelle presented the gift.She respectfully said to Ethan, "Grandpa, I heard that you like Melvin's paintings, so I got one for you. I hope you'll like it."As soon as Ethan heard the name of Melvin, his eyes lit up.But then Ethan thought it was impossible. How could his young granddaughter-in-law know Melvin?Annabelle grew up in Springvale Temple, and Melvin had secluded himself. Springvale Temple was thriving, so Melvin would not choose to stay there.As for Melvin's works, except for a few that were auctioned off, the rest were
Lisa was just thinking about how to deal with Annabelle. As soon as she heard that Annabelle had offered a painting by Melvin, she had an idea.Even Ethan didn't know Melvin. What could Lisa do? This was ridiculous.Ethan hurriedly said, "Hey, Lisa, if you want to appreciate the painting, why not wait until after the banquet...""Lisa, you don't want us to appreciate it openly. Are you afraid that Ms. Sanchez's painting is a fake?"That was a bit rude to say. Generous as Ethan was, he didn't take it to heart, though he felt a little embarrassed.Ethan replied lightly, "Annabelle will never give a fake one.""Why don't you let us appreciate it, Ethan? You are so stingy!"What Lisa said escalated the atmosphere. The guests around were old friends of Ethan, and they joined in, saying they wanted to appreciate the painting.Kendrick frowned unhappily, wanting to protect Annabelle from trouble. But after a moment of contemplation, he dismissed the thought.If something was concealed, it o
Marvin, as if enchanted, walked towards Annabelle. But suddenly, he noticed that Kendrick's hand was resting on Annabelle's waist.Marvin stopped in his tracks, and anger surged through him.His beloved woman was being embraced by another man openly.And Marvin didn't even have the qualification to stand by her side anymore.Marvin wanted to rush over immediately, pull Annabelle away from Kendrick's embrace, and then hold her hand, taking her home. Tomorrow morning, they would go to the City Hall to register for marriage...Fantasizing about these things, Marvin couldn't help but laugh out loud and felt even more bitter.He couldn't do that. Today was his grandfather's birthday banquet.In front of so many people, Marvin couldn't do crazy things again.Marvin closed his eyes. After taking a deep breath, he clenched his fist and restrained that impulse. Then he left the banquet hall.Lisa, who was resentful about the incident just now, saw Marvin's angry departure and had a brilliant i
"Don't flatter yourself." Annabelle turned her head away and stopped looking at Kendrick.From Annabelle's expression, Kendrick could tell that she was putting up a tough front.Kendrick really cared about his opinion.Realizing this, Kendrick couldn't help but smile."When Lisa was giving you a hard time, it wasn't because I was afraid you would humiliate me, but rather her actions annoyed me."After a pause, Kendrick continued patiently, "Besides, I don't know if you know Melvin or if you can tell authentic paintings apart. If you brought a fake painting, it was probably because you were deceived. In that case, I would say it was a painting I arranged and had nothing to do with you."Annabelle looked at Kendrick in front of her, her eyes flickering.It turned out that when Annabelle thought she was alone and helpless, Kendrick was not only standing up for her, but he had also thought of how to help her out.As for whether Annabelle knew Melvin, it seemed that Kendrick didn't care. H
Lisa chatted with Annabelle for a few moments and then casually found an excuse to leave.Soon, Annabelle felt a wave of dizziness hit her.This was strange. She didn't drink alcohol. Why did she feel like she was drunk?Could it be too stuffy here?At that moment, a waiter approached Annabelle and said, "Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Gregory is waiting for you in the garden. He wants you to go over now."Did Kendrick finish talking with his friends so quickly? Why did he want her to go to the garden?Annabelle was feeling extremely dizzy and wanted to get some fresh air in the garden, so she left the banquet hall and headed toward the hotel's rear garden.Annabelle walked along the path and arrived at a secluded spot, but she failed to see Kendrick.A stronger wave of dizziness came over Annabelle, causing her to stagger and fall.Just when Annabelle thought she was about to fall to the ground, a pair of men's arms caught her shoulders."Are you drunk?"Annabelle lifted her head at the sound of t
Hmm? She has no intention of compensation at all. This guy is just looking for reasons to tease her...Annabelle muttered to herself, giving him a glare, whispering, "Did you grow four kidneys or something?"Kendrick chuckled softly. "If you really think that way, Annabelle, you might just turn into a bad girl.""..."Annabelle inwardly sighed in exasperation. Why is she always being teased, no matter the situation?Just when she thought most of the guests had arrived and were chatting in the living room, Annabelle planned to sneak back to her room. But just as she was about to enter the elevator, a middle-aged woman, whose exact relation to the family was unclear, grabbed her wrist."Annabelle, come, come, don't go yet! Let me tell your fortune! The first fortune of the new year is always the most accurate."As she spoke, she tried to pull Annabelle towards the sitting room.This enthusiastic woman, plump and dressed in a purple dress, with her hair elegantly styled and heavy makeup,
Annabelle fell into deep thought. While she hadn't learned music to please others, under the circumstances, she decided to bend a little for the big red envelope. "Well, when we get home today, how about I play you a song?" Kendrick curved his lips, lifting her chin, and said with a mischievous smile, "It better sound good." "Of course." Annabelle thought to herself, *Even though my physical skills are practically nonexistent, I can still play the piano!*Last time, when she played a piece for Kendrick during the school anniversary, his reaction showed that it was pretty good. Besides, she had plenty of pieces she was good at, so this wouldn’t be hard for her. Thinking that, she found herself looking forward to getting home sooner. However, Kendrick said they had to wait until after lunch on New Year's Day to head back, so Annabelle spent the morning with Trey in the little garden, trimming the plants as a way of ushering in the new year. Annabelle had never trimmed such
Annabelle thought to herself, *I've already given myself to you, and you're still asking me this question? You're really getting a bargain and still acting coy.* In the past, she had thought she shouldn't accept these red envelopes as a fake daughter-in-law, and she planned to return them all when they divorced. But after being so intimate with Kendrick, she had unknowingly accepted the role of the Gregory family's young mistress. Her mindset changed, and for issues that weren't major, she no longer cared too much. For example, the New Year red envelopes… "You did say that what’s mine is yours, and what’s yours is mine," Annabelle said with a smile. "Ugh—why didn’t I notice you’re such a little money grabber?" "I’m just curious," she replied. She still hadn’t told him that she really wanted to buy a little wooden box to store her favorite jewelry in. She was afraid that if she told him, he'd just buy it for her—after all, that amount of money meant nothing to him. But Anna
The next morning, Annabelle woke up feeling sore all over. It was a struggle just to move her fingers, and her legs felt like jelly. This was partly due to falling into the water last night and, of course, partly due to the person responsible for it.She opened her eyes, turned her head, and shot a glare at the man lying next to her. But when she looked at him, her irritation softened. He’d seemed genuinely concerned last night, hadn’t he?She remembered the complicated look in his eyes when he carried her back to the room. He seemed both frustrated and self-blaming for not saving her in time. He always treated her like she was a child, constantly looking after her.Annabelle bit her lip, reaching out to gently touch his eyebrow bone. She had to admit—this guy was handsome, really handsome. He took after both his parents' best traits.But then she started getting irritated again. Being this handsome was a curse! He’d be attracting all sorts of attention!Just as she was lost in her th
"Mom, let’s not talk about that night anymore."Whenever the topic of getting Annabelle drunk came up, Marvin felt a headache. He regretted letting his emotions get the best of him and ruining all the good will he had built with her.But Lydia wouldn’t drop it. She gave him a long speech, saying, "Son, women—especially ones like Annabelle, who are more reserved—once you’ve crossed the line with them, things change. After becoming intimate, you’re no longer just a friend in her eyes. And if you’ve got some evidence, well, she’ll follow your lead."She continued, "You’ve got to repeat your efforts to get closer to her. The more you 'cook' together, the more intimate you’ll become. She won’t be able to get away from you. And once her relationship with Kendrick cracks, well, she’ll be yours."Marvin felt a bit embarrassed, his face burning up."Mom, is all of this really... necessary?"Lydia sighed deeply, "Son, this is the law of survival in this world. It’s a dog-eat-dog world. If you w
Kendrick furrowed his brows and fell silent for a moment before replying, “Emilia was a girl I met during a difficult period in my life. We were never in a relationship, and I have no intention of breaking up with Annabelle.”As for the rest, Kendrick didn’t think it was necessary to explain further to his grandfather.“Alright. As long as you know your limits. My stance is simple—we men must be responsible. I admire Annabelle. If you ever think of doing anything foolish, I’ll be the first to break your legs.”“…"Kendrick almost wanted Annabelle to hear those words. Maybe it would make her feel more secure.After leaving his grandfather’s suite, Kendrick returned to his own room. Annabelle was curled up, looking cold. He climbed into bed and pulled her into his arms.He wasn’t sure if Lisa had mentioned Emilia to Annabelle, but no matter what, Kendrick was wondering if he should tell Annabelle about Emilia.Meanwhile, in another suite, Marvin spent a sleepless night. After rescuing A
Wilson thought for a moment and said, "The young master is strong and healthy, so he doesn’t really need any supplements. But since he works so hard, taking some extra nourishment could help. This recipe is mainly to strengthen his body, boost his immunity, and keep both him and the young lady in good health—it won't harm their bodies."Trey took the prescription and promised to deliver it.After Annabelle fell asleep, Kendrick quietly left the suite. He went to his grandfather’s room.Staying up on New Year's Eve was a tradition for his grandfather, and with everything that had happened tonight, he certainly wouldn’t be going to sleep.When his grandfather saw Kendrick enter, he was holding a small set of polished rosewood prayer beads. He came into the living room of the suite.“How is Annabelle?”“She’s asleep. She’ll be fine.”“That’s good. Lisa is in the basement nanny’s room; her condition is stable for now.”After a pause, his grandfather looked at Kendrick and said, "What are
"Ah!" Annabelle exclaimed; her entire body already being lifted out of the bathtub by him.He wiped the water stains off her body with a towel while kissing her lips, but because both of them were a little excited, the wiping was extremely perfunctory. Soon, Kendrick carried Annabelle to the bed.Kendrick, who had regained the initiative and control, almost swallowed her whole...Until the sound of knocking on the door came.Annabelle looked as if she finally saw the shore, opening her misty eyes, hoping Kendrick would stop. However, he seemed to not have heard the knocking sound.Annabelle just clenched her lips tightly, preventing herself from making any ambiguous sounds.Seeing her being so patient, Kendrick developed a mischievous interest, which almost made Annabelle unable to hold back.The sound of knocking on the door came again, persistently and tenaciously."Mr. Gregory, I am Wilson White. May I inquire about the current condition of Mrs. Gregory?"Outside the door, Wilson k
"Don't... how strange..." Annabelle felt so embarrassed in the water.Kendrick gently brushed aside her damp long hair and kissed her fair and smooth back, trailing his kisses along her spine, gradually arousing her.Annabelle remembered the historical romance novel she had read, where the general had to leave on his wedding night and didn't even have time to unveil his bride's red veil. A year later, the bride braved the wind and snow to visit the military camp.On that snowy night, the general carried his young wife into the military tent and ordered someone to heat up water. He then placed the frozen young wife into a wooden tub to bathe and warm herself. Later on, the general also got into the bathtub, and as they continued washing... they proceeded with what was supposed to happen on their wedding night.When Annabelle watched that scene, she also wondered a little bit. How would the general and his wife in the barrel..."Don't want to give it a try?" Kendrick whispered.Annabell