Annabelle glanced at the screen and, to her surprise, it was a photo of her and Fabian returning to the apartment together!
"Who sent it to you?"
Seeing her nervous, Kendrick subtly raised the corners of his lips.
I didn't expect that Jax took this photo, and it had this purpose.
"Anonymously, in order to extort me, they said that if I don't give them money, they will expose this photo, and tomorrow the whole Elfhedge will know that I have been cheated by you."
Annabelle's mouth twitched.
She didn't expect this consequence.
"Did you give the money?"
"Of course I gave it, otherwise, once this news is exposed, not only will I be mocked by others, but the outside world will also speculate that our relationship is breaking down and we are on the verge of divorce. The collaboration between the Sanchez family and the Gregory family will also not last long, which will definitely have a big impact on the Sanchez family and also affect
Kendrick's kiss was oppressive, suffocating, and completely passive for Annabelle.Soon, she felt herself severely lacking oxygen, feeling dizzy and her body starting to weaken.And it seems like Kendrick hasn't stopped yet.She had to pat Kendrick's back.Kendrick caught her restless little hand and lifted it above her head, pressing it onto the bed, and continued kissing her.Annabelle couldn't bear it anymore and let out a painful whimper.Kendrick then raised his head slightly and whispered, "This is the price that makes me jealous, remember?"Annabelle pouted her mouth, feeling wronged and on the verge of tears.She felt like the fish on the chopping board, Kendrick could chop and eat her however he pleased."Remembered."Annabelle was scared of this guy and didn't dare to be tough anymore. She had to soften her tone and asked him.Kendrick finally gave in to the little woman and lay down on his side,
Annabelle had completely lost her temper. When faced with a rascal, if you couldn't be even more rascally than him, you could only admit defeat.The two of them had breakfast and went out together. Kendrick was driving the car, and Annabelle was sitting in the passenger seat."Don't you have to go to the hospital for an infusion today?"Annabelle noticed that he had dark circles under his eyes and his complexion wasn't very good. She estimated that he hadn't slept well on the sofa last night, and combined with the fact that he had been poisoned before, she couldn't help but worry about him a little."No need, you promptly took me to the hospital and it didn't cause any serious damage.""So you have to thank Gauge."If it weren't for someone driving Kendrick over at three o'clock in the morning, the situation wouldn't have been so optimistic.Kendrick glanced at her and smiled, "Isn't this just to personally come and say thank you?"
The car stopped outside the Murphy's residence, and after Annabelle got out, she went to the front gate with Kendrick.Kendrick rang the doorbell, and soon a man in his fifties came out to open the door."Good morning, Mr. Gregory and Mrs. Gregory! I am Kim Reid, the butler of the Murphy family. Sir is currently on a phone call in the living room, so I apologize for not being able to personally greet you. Please follow me."Annabelle was a little surprised and glanced at Kendrick.She thought she would come today just to meet Gauge, say thank you, and then go back. She didn't expect to also have a meeting with Gauge's father. Is it going to be this formal?Kendrick noticed her confusion and leaned in closer to her, whispering, "By the way, let's talk business."Annabelle nodded and didn't ask any more questions, following the butler into the house.Under the guidance of the butler, the two of them walked through the entrance hall and
Kendrick came to the Murphy's residence today to personally thank Gauge, as it was indeed thanks to Gauge that day.Secondly, it was also to let Simon know that Annabelle was his wife.Simon, being conservative and straightforward by nature, absolutely did not want his son to have too much intimate contact with Mrs. Gregory. Even if Gauge had any crooked intentions towards Annabelle in the future, as long as Simon was there to keep him in check, he would not dare to act recklessly.But why did he feel like Simon also liked Annabelle? Could it be that he was trying to help his son snatch her away?Thinking about this, Kendrick felt a wave of annoyance in his heart.However, he immediately dismissed this absurd speculation. Simon was definitely not a person without discretion. Sending an antique vase and inviting Annabelle as a guest was probably also a way to establish a closer relationship with the Gregory family.Annabelle was really surpri
Kendrick voluntarily put an end to the annoying "paper revision" topic that had been bothering him, and then expressed gratitude to Gauge for his previous help, before deciding to leave.However, before he could even get up, Simon asked Annabelle several questions.Kendrick couldn't leave immediately, so he calmly listened to how his wife would respond.As Annabelle answered, she pondered how Gauge's father suddenly became interested in her affairs.Just because she was his son's friend?Her fingers were almost numb from Kendrick's pinching.This guy was jealous. He saw Gauge's father caring for her as if he cared for his future daughter-in-law. When they went out for a while, would Kendrick take matters into his own hands and punish her on the spot?So Simon asked enthusiastically, and Annabelle answered nervously.In my free time, I would read books and practice playing the piano.I didn't dislike traveling, but I pref
The butler was taken aback. It turned out that Sir Murphy had been so enthusiastic towards Mrs. Gregory earlier because he wanted to invite her to be a spokesperson."It's probably not very appropriate. She is the young lady of the Gregory family, how could she easily show up, especially as the brand ambassador for the Murphy Group."Simon nodded silently, "But I feel like only she is suitable."After leaving the Murphy's residence, Annabelle was in a good mood.Kendrick didn't bother her, and he also didn't expect Gauge's father to be so kind and enthusiastic.Especially when leaving, she even said that she could come and visit often in the future, making her feel like she suddenly gained an additional biological family.She opened the car window, letting a gentle breeze from outside blow in. She also thought about what Kendrick had said earlier, that he would be moving over here next week. This made her feel even more excited.But t
Annabelle was slightly taken aback and thought that Gauge was probably just joking, so she smiled and said, "Of course, it would be great to be neighbors with you."But she was not a person who was enthusiastic about socializing, so the real reason she liked the neighborhood was because of the natural wetland ecological area where the neighborhood was located.But it's no use saying anything now, the house has already been sold, we can't just snatch it back from someone else's hands."Don't worry, I will help you find a solution.""Hmm? What method do you have?"Gauge smiled faintly and said, "Although all the houses have been sold, the occupancy rate in the community is not high. Perhaps someone wants to sell. I will ask for you and give you a reply tonight."Annabelle nodded repeatedly and said, "Okay," also thanking him for his help.Gauge looked at her dim eyes, which brightened up a little bit. His mood instantly turned better, a
"Hey Kendrick!"Annabelle stood up and was about to snatch her paper back, but Kendrick immediately pressed his hand on top of her head."Wait a moment, let me check."Annabelle immediately shook her head, freeing herself from his grasp.Then Kendrick took the pen from her hand, looked at the bitten pen barrel, and frowned as he rubbed it on his own clothes. "What's wrong with this, it's like being in elementary school, aren't you afraid of bacteria?"Annabelle, who was being looked down upon, felt extremely embarrassed and slightly annoyed. "What we are learning now is different from what you learned ten years ago. You probably won't understand."Kendrick glanced at her, feeling upset after being criticized, and then attacked her age."Do you think I have gotten old?"Annabelle gave a faint smile and said, "I dare not."Kendrick clicked his tongue, clearly expressing his disdain."Do you know that older men are t
Seraphina understood exactly what Dereon meant—he was suggesting she sleep with the Young Master.But would sleeping with him really make him love her more?Seraphina knew very well: the reason the Young Master still had some affection for her was precisely because she knew her place and respected boundaries.She didn’t want to do anything that might make him hate her.Looking out the cabin window, Seraphina said calmly, “If the Young Master wanted me, of course I’d be willing… but I’m not going to take the initiative to do something so unnecessary.”“How is it unnecessary?!”Dereon slapped his thigh in frustration. Blood was still trickling down his forehead, running past his brow and onto his nose, making him look a little frightening. But his expression was that of a sleazy pimp, and Seraphina found it laughable.“You don’t have to convince me,” she said. “I have my own thoughts on this.”“Seraphina, you don’t understand men,” Dereon lowered his voice. “If you can hold on to the Yo
Ryan said, “That wasn’t the best opportunity just now.”“Why not?”Ryan rubbed his temples in exhaustion. “Can you use your brain before asking questions?”Seraphina quickly jumped in, “Dereon, didn’t you see that Gauge was also there?”“So what if Gauge was there?” Dereon retorted. “That kid clearly can’t fight.”Seraphina patiently explained.First, the Young Master didn’t hide his movements on this trip to South City. Running into Kendrick here was purely by chance.They weren’t prepared. Acting rashly could have led to failure.Even if they succeeded, since their movements weren’t concealed, it would be easy for the Gregory family to trace the incident back to them. And that old man from the Gregory family is no pushover.Second, Gauge was present. He’s friends with both Kendrick and Annabelle. There’s no way he’d stand by and do nothing.If Gauge got dragged into the mess, the Young Master would be making an enemy out of the Murphy family for no reason.The the Whitney Group is j
A private jet bound for Elfhedge took off smoothly from the South City airport.Inside the cabin, Annabelle was lying in a luxurious bedroom.Ryan stepped out of the room and said to Seraphina, who was standing outside the door, “She was poisoned by a type of floral toxin. It causes hallucinations and unconsciousness. She's fine now. Go get a clean set of clothes for her. I’ll help her change.”“It’s already prepared,” Seraphina’s gaze flickered slightly. She tightened her grip on the clothes in her hand and lowered her head. “Young Master, let me do it. This dress is a bit tricky to put on…”Ryan glanced at the dress in her hands, then looked deeply into her eyes. After a moment, he let out a bitter laugh. “Alright… if Anna knew I changed her clothes, she’d probably hate me even more.”Seraphina said nothing. Once Ryan stepped aside, she walked in with her head lowered.She carefully helped Annabelle out of her soiled clothes and put on the dress she had brought with her for the trip
Anna shook her head and smiled. “Nothing really. Let me do the cleaning—you’re definitely not as meticulous as I am. You go wait outside.”“No need…”“Go on, I’ll take care of it.”Annabelle was firm and took the duster from Gauge’s hand.But Gauge didn’t leave. How could he let a girl do the work while he waited outside enjoying the breeze?So the two of them cleaned together.While cleaning the room, Annabelle felt oddly emotional. Her mind was flooded with thoughts.Who was the woman who had once lived here? What kind of story did she have? What kind of mood had she been in when she left the village to live in solitude by the sea?As she wiped the mirror on the vanity, she could almost picture a woman sitting there, grooming herself in days long past.She must have been someone melancholic, yet strong-willed.A sudden wave of sadness welled up from deep within Annabelle’s heart.She couldn’t help but laugh at herself. Am I too empathetic? Why else would she feel so much for a compl
“Let’s go,” Gauge called out to her.Annabelle snapped out of her thoughts and walked toward the small wooden cabin.Gauge pointed to a patch of land behind the cabin and said that it used to be a small garden. There had once been a large tree with a wide canopy, and his father had installed a swing on one of its sturdy horizontal branches.Back then, his father often sat alone inside the cabin, sipping a couple of drinks.Meanwhile, Gauge would sit outside on the swing, watching the sea and listening to music.Looking at the now overgrown garden, Gauge showed a hint of melancholy.“Unfortunately, the big tree was cut down later, and since no one took care of the garden, it fell into disrepair. When my dad came here last year, he said he regretted not being able to maintain it.”Annabelle listened quietly. It seemed Murphy's father had deeply cared about whoever used to live here.Gauge had said before that he wasn’t sure if the person was a man or a woman—he just guessed it was a wom
Annabelle transformed visibly from a sweet little bunny into a puffed-up pufferfish, cheeks bulging with frustration.She got up to leave, but Kendrick pulled her back into his arms. He poked her puffed cheeks and chuckled,"You're really that scared someone’s going to steal me away?""If you could be stolen that easily, then you’re not worth liking."Annabelle wasn’t insecure to the point where a single text message from Kendrick would make her suspicious.But it was late, and the sudden calls and texts clearly meant something was going on.Still… she had to admit, she was just a tiny bit jealous."You jealous of Jaime too? I was on the phone with him," Kendrick laughed as he handed over his phone so she could see the call log.Annabelle glanced at it—sure enough, the call happened while she was playing the guitar. The corners of her lips twitched upward, but she still insisted stubbornly,"I said I was just casually asking."Kendrick then pulled up their group chat—the one with Jaim
Kendrick’s kiss was too passionate—so passionate it was suffocating, instantly awakening every cell in Annabelle’s body.His kiss was also too forceful—so forceful that Annabelle forgot to resist, and didn't want to resist.Because when Kendrick desired her so intensely, she too was equally, fiercely craving him.It suddenly dawned on her—she truly, deeply liked this man above her. She liked his scent, liked his voice, even liked the beads of sweat trickling down his spine.When did she fall this hard?Maybe it started back when they were ambushed and narrowly escaped death… when they lived in the hospital together… when she risked falling just to climb over the balcony and see him.When she brought herself to his bed, faced her feelings for the first time, and accepted him both emotionally and physically—she had already fallen.As for her heart… it had been open to him long before that.Maybe it started with his first kiss. From that moment, her heart had already begun to waver—she j
After his cold shower, Kendrick returned to the room and climbed into bed, but he still felt a bit restless.He gazed at the little woman for a while. She looked exhausted.Not wanting to wake her, he gently pulled her nightdress down and tucked the blanket securely around her.Then he turned around, facing away from her, closed his eyes, and tried to sleep.But in the twenty-something-degree room, Annabelle, now wrapped like a little cocoon, soon got uncomfortable and kicked the blanket off again.Not only that—she rolled over and draped her arm around Kendrick’s waist, hugging him from behind.Maybe because Kendrick’s body was still slightly cool from the cold shower, Annabelle loved the chilly "big body pillow" and even pressed her warm little face against his back.While tightly hugging her “old fox,” she continued her dream, still playing chess with the god of dreams.Kendrick let out a long sigh and gently held the hand around his waist, playfully tickling her palm.She didn’t w
Kendrick chuckled helplessly. “She really doesn’t use her phone much, so there’s no need to worry about her finding out on her own.”He’d seen Anna’s phone interface before—it was mostly filled with practical apps like dictionaries and period trackers. The usual social media apps? She had tucked them all away in a folder labeled "Rarely Used."Thinking of his quirky little wife, Kendrick’s mood lightened significantly.Of course, he knew that in this internet era, Anna might eventually come across the gossip herself. That’s why he hoped, by the time she did, he would have already taken care of everything.Then, when she found out, she’d know exactly where the "arrow" came from—and see clearly what became of the person who fired it.That way, she wouldn’t feel too anxious or wronged. At most, she’d just complain about how shameless the rumor-spreader was.It was the best way Kendrick could think of to minimize the harm.“Alright. I promise,” Gauge said solemnly.“Then that’s all,” Kend