Annabelle pursed her lips and said, "It's okay, I could understand your feelings."
"I knew Annabelle would forgive me," Ariana exclaimed, her eyes welling up with excitement.
Annabelle glanced lightly and felt a bit tired. She then said to Kendrick, "My eyes are uncomfortable, I need to rest early."
Kendrick patted her hand and said, "Okay, wait a little longer."
Then he turned to Ariana and asked, "I heard Seamus say that you were preparing to participate in a singing competition, so how did you suddenly come to Glubia?"
Ariana blinked her eyes and then shyly tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Actually, I came to see my fiancé, but I unexpectedly saw you, Ken and Annabelle, at the banquet. I immediately followed and wanted to take the opportunity to explain the previous incident and hope that you can forgive my immaturity."
As for this fiancé, he was actually someone who was introduced to her by someone else recently. Tha
Kendrick paused for two seconds, "Crying, is it because your eyes hurt?"Annabelle nodded silently, "Didn't I just say that I had just finished the surgery...""Can any eye drops work? I have some common medications, but I don't know if you can use them."Kendrick was feeling frustrated, wondering why he was so careless. His wife had mentioned that her eyes were hurting, but he was still preoccupied with other thoughts.This time, Annabelle would definitely feel that he only cared about her body and didn't care about her at all.Seeing Kendrick so anxious, Annabelle felt a little sorry and wanted to say that it's not serious and not to worry. But when she thought about how he had just bullied someone, she continued to worry with a small face and said, "You need a special eye drops for inflammation, the regular ones won't work.""Okay, I'll go look for it," Kendrick said, running his hand through his hair before hastily leaving the bedroom.
"Not intense enough is not acceptable! Can't be too excited!"Seeing Kendrick's eyes darken, Annabelle felt like a fish lying on a chopping board, begging for mercy with almost no hope.Kendrick gently stroked her hair, then ran his fingers along her face, finally letting out a long sigh."When can that be, I asked seriously."Annabelle had already forgotten that even if they were to meet again, it would still be a marriage of convenience, and she had also forgotten her previous determination to leave him.Just like being enchanted by his gaze, she blushed and stammered, "Th... Three months later, I guess."Kendrick smirked, "Anna, I could go ask the doctor myself.""Two months, two months later."Annabelle wished she could cover herself completely with a blanket. What was she doing, agreeing to meet him at that time..."Okay, then I'll wait until you fully recover."Afterwards, both of them washed up and returned
Kendrick finally did not make the call.Dealing with Emilia's situation was more difficult than he had imagined, as it became somewhat complicated once emotions were involved. Thinking about Emilia's current state, he sighed and decided to wait a little longer before saying anything.Kendrick quietly returned to the bedroom, and Annabelle was still sleeping soundly.He was afraid of his impulsiveness, so he took a cold shower before lying down. However, his body was still getting hotter and hotter. After Annabelle fell asleep, she wasn't particularly well-behaved. In no time, she turned over and hugged his waist.Lying face to face like this, Kendrick was increasingly lost in his thoughts until the latter half of the night, when the moon emerged from behind the clouds and shone on her face. Only then did Kendrick's body calm down.It has been so many days since they parted, but in fact, she was also thinking about him, right?Why else would
Kendrick could tell from her little expression that she was angry. Even though he shouldn't be happy when a woman is angry, Kendrick felt an unprecedented joy in his heart.She would be jealous, angry, and would question him early in the morning, precisely because she cared about his performance.So Kendrick recounted, sentence by sentence, the events of that day when he, Marvin, and Ariana met outside the old house, and he explained what the hug was all about.Annabelle sat in front of the dressing table, combing her hair one by one, as if she was absent-minded and not listening, but not a single word was missed.After Kendrick finished explaining, he walked behind her, embraced her shoulders from behind, and kissed her neck, asking, "Are you still angry?"Annabelle was originally angry, but now she can't really afford to be.She had been completely captivated by the almost naked man in the mirror.Seeing such a stimulating scene ear
"You are not allowed to mention that Master in front of me, otherwise I would get jealous and want to devour you."Annabelle could tell that Kendrick really cared about Master's matter.However, even if it is not mentioned now, Master cannot be avoided in the future."Master has been kind to me, and I promised him that I would repay him no matter what requests he made in the future."So even if Master asked her to leave Kendrick, Annabelle would still agree..."Then let's wait until he makes the request," he said, and then he kissed Annabelle again.If Master really came to snatch people, Kendrick would also stop him at all costs. In short, it is impossible for him to let his wife be given to someone else.The two of them were kissing passionately, unwilling to part. Suddenly, a child's clear voice rang out from the villa, "Annabelle, Dad is calling you to come home for breakfast!"Kendrick opened his eyes and looked at the wom
Annabelle was completely confused, what future mother, countess...Where did this child learn all these sets of skills?Kendrick's face also darkened at this moment, as he looked at Annabelle and said, "Anna, where did this surprise kid come from?"Without waiting for Annabelle to answer, Henri exclaimed loudly, "I am not a surprise kid! I am the future count!"A small body with great energy, standing at one meter tall, yet roaring with the aura of someone who is one meter eighty.Annabelle could almost see what this child would look like in the future, and she felt that he wouldn't be any less impressive than Kendrick.But at the moment, this little person was clearly provoking Kendrick little by little.Kendrick said with a cold face, "Kid, I don't care who you are, but this is my wife, not your mother."He put his arm around Annabelle's shoulder and declared his sovereignty."You don't have to lie to me, I already kno
Annabelle was very good at hitting him where it hurt. Sure enough, as soon as she said that, Kendrick relaxed and added, "I am not unfriendly towards children, if that little one wants to come and see you, my estate is always open."Annabelle clicked her tongue inwardly, just now she was stingy, and now she had a very generous demeanor.Afterwards, Annabelle went back to her room and changed her clothes. Kendrick accompanied her downstairs and escorted her and Henri to the front gate.There was a small electric car parked at the entrance, specifically used for traveling around the estate. After Henri got on, Annabelle was about to get in the car, but Kendrick pulled her back into his arms."Anna, if you like children, we could have our own, or we shouldn't just become parents for anyone."Annabelle's face flushed, she lowered her head, and nervously her eyelashes trembled as she thought about the fertility medicine her grandmother had mentioned las
Annabelle sipped her coffee, nodded, and regardless of her relationship with Kendrick, her belonging was in Elfhedge, not here."Will you come back?" Robin asked, as if with a last glimmer of hope.Annabelle smiled and said, "Yes, if I had the chance, I would come back to see you and Henri."But this answer, obviously, was not what Robin truly wanted.He fell silent for a moment and asked, "If I asked you to stay, would you agree?"Annabelle lowered her head, she wouldn't agree, she thought, and Robin was well aware too.Robin smiled bitterly and said, "Anyway, thank you for accompanying me during this time."Annabelle shook her head and said, "It should be me who should say thank you."She put down the cup and looked up at Robin, saying, "Even though Kaila gave me her corneas, I can never replace Kaila, and you actually know that."Robin's eyes suddenly turned red. "I know, I'm sorry..."Annabelle shook her head;
What Gauge wanted to discuss with Kendrick was a strategic collaboration between their two companies.Since stepping into the family business, Gauge had discovered a series of issues.Although Lin Jewelry appeared to be thriving, its narrow focus on a single line of business had left it vulnerable to serious challenges.Therefore, Gauge was planning to expand the jewelry and watch business within the next five years into leather goods, fashion products, and the perfume industry.He also proposed merging the group's original real estate construction division with a subsidiary of Gregory's Group. Murphy's Group would retain only a small share—essentially, a disguised sale to Gregory's.But the reason they couldn’t call it a sale outright was because Murphy's Group had started out in the construction industry. Gauge’s father, Simon, still held an emotional attachment to that legacy and couldn’t let go entirely.After the merger of the construction branches, Gauge hoped to acquire Gregory
At first, Annabelle didn’t understand what he was up to. It wasn’t until they were back inside the house that she realized—Kendrick thought she looked a little too sexy wearing his oversized T-shirt, especially since it made it seem like she wasn’t wearing anything on the bottom. It sparked a lot of imaginative thoughts.Annabelle was both amused and exasperated. She lifted the hem of the T-shirt to show him: “I am wearing shorts! They’re just... a little short. But still totally decent!”But Mr. Gregory was persistent. In the end, Annabelle gave in and changed into her own clothes.Once they were both dressed, they returned to the courtyard.Annabelle noticed Gauge hadn’t touched the watermelon and asked why—after all, it was set aside just for him.Gauge pulled a ten-hole blues harmonica from his pocket and said, “If I eat now, I won’t be able to play.”She knew harmonica players had to keep their mouth clean before playing.Then, Gauge handed her his guitar. “Since we’re just hang
While Kendrick was cutting the watermelon, Annabelle couldn’t take her eyes off him.How strange—why did everything this man did seem so charming to her? Even slicing a watermelon looked handsome.It was as if her brain had automatically applied a beauty filter to him.Annabelle placed a hand over her chest, trying to calm her racing heart. But the more she tried, the faster it beat. The sweet words he had just whispered, every little expression and gesture of his, were now playing back in her mind like a movie…Kendrick held out the watermelon to her with a grin. “Little fangirl, stop staring. This handsome guy is your husband—100% confirmed.”Annabelle glared at him with a flushed face. “Narcissist!”Then she lowered her head, scooping out a bite of watermelon, determined to focus on eating.Just as she was about to take a bite, she noticed Kendrick had sat down.The other half of the watermelon was still sitting on the small stone platform by the well.“Aren’t you going to eat?”“Y
Annabelle smiled softly, her eyes twinkling with a mix of amusement and affection. "Why do you always have to compare everything?" she asked, her voice gentle and teasing."I just want to know," he replied, his voice low and earnest. He reached out and tucked a strand of Anna's hair behind her ear, his touch light but intimate. "What it feels like for you to be with me."Annabelle fell into deep thought, her gaze drifting away as she considered his question. The room was quiet, filled only with the soft sounds of their breathing and the occasional rustle of the sheets beneath them. After a while, she still hadn't answered. Kendrick sighed, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Is it really that hard to answer?""Hmm... it’s hard to describe," Annabelle murmured thoughtfully, her fingers playing with the edge of the blanket. "Before, when I was with you, just seeing you would throw my heart into chaos. My pulse would race, and I could hardly catch my breath. But now…” She trailed off, h
Annabelle hadn’t slept so soundly in a long time.When she lazily opened her eyes and looked out the window, she realized it was already dark.Ever since arriving at her grandma’s house and staying in this quiet little fishing village—far away from her usual life—it felt like she had escaped to another world. Her entire being relaxed, with nothing left to worry about.Kendrick didn’t have to stress over the corporation anymore either.Their biggest daily dilemma had become: what should we eat for the next meal?If only life could always be this carefree...Annabelle slowly sat up. After sleeping for so long, her whole body felt soft and mushy. She got out of bed and wandered into the courtyard, where she saw Kendrick sitting at the small table, smoking.When he heard her, he turned around.“Awake?”Kendrick stubbed out his cigarette and patted his thigh.Annabelle walked over without hesitation or shyness and naturally sat on his lap, arms around his neck, resting softly against his s
Kendrick’s face darkened. “It’s better to date someone older. Look at Mr. Murphy—he’s too young, can’t even cook. How’s he supposed to take care of a girlfriend?”Annabelle raised her eyebrows and gave the sly old fox a glance. Flicking the water off her hands, she smiled and said, “But younger guys are energetic—and no generation gap!”Kendrick let out a sharp “hmph.” “You think there’s a generation gap between us?”“I didn’t say us,” Annabelle teased, eyes twinkling. “Why are you jumping to conclusions? Having a midlife crisis already, Uncle?”The little bunny was obviously up to no good with that mischievous grin.Kendrick glanced at the loquat tree in the courtyard, then squinted at the sunlight filtering through its leaves, trying hard to stay calm.After all, he was turning 31 after the New Year. Couldn’t let a little girl get under his skin, right?But midlife crisis? Really?He was in his prime. A young man!So this young Mr. Gregory looked into the reflection on the glass. He
So Annabelle thought to herself—was Mr. Gregory being a little too proactive?Kendrick asked lightly, “So, do you want to go swimming with him alone?”He deliberately emphasized the word “alone,” as if suggesting she had ulterior motives. Annabelle could only respond, “...I never said that!”“Then that’s that,” Kendrick said calmly, taking her hand and leading her into the house.After a short rest, the three of them began preparing lunch.Gauge was every bit the privileged young master—clearly someone who’d never cooked at home before. He practically didn’t know how to do anything.He was too rough when washing vegetables, to the point of mangling the leaves.Then they had him try chopping vegetables—but the young master, with his obsessive need for precision, insisted on cutting everything perfectly uniform, each slice as neat as the next. At the rate he was going, they’d probably be eating tomorrow’s lunch.Kendrick and Annabelle didn’t even bother expecting him to cook anything. T
Afterward, the three of them returned to Grandma’s house first.Gauge waited in the courtyard while Annabelle and Kendrick brought the things they bought at the market into the house. After grabbing the ingredients they needed for lunch, the three of them headed to Gauge’s place together.When they arrived in front of the white guesthouse, Kendrick couldn’t help but chuckle.That morning, he and Anna had passed by this very spot. He had been wondering at the time—the place had a fresh, elegant architectural style. But there was no signboard, so maybe it wasn’t a guesthouse after all. If it was just a private residence, then it probably belonged to someone with means.Sure enough, his guess wasn’t far off. What he didn’t expect was that this would turn out to be Gauge’s home.After stepping through the front gate, Annabelle couldn’t help but marvel.To build such a charming little courtyard on this sloped hill must’ve taken a lot of thought and care.“Come in, rest a bit. Have some wat
As Kendrick was lost in thought, Annabelle called out to him, “Let me help you carry a couple of those.”Just moments ago, Kendrick had taken all the shopping bags from her hands—he was carrying everything by himself now.Seeing his forehead glistening with sweat, Annabelle, who now had empty hands, felt both guilty and worried.Kendrick looked back at her, smiled, and said, “I could carry you on my back too, no problem.”“Stop messing around, give me two bags.”Seeing how serious she looked, eyebrows furrowed and all, he finally gave in and handed her two of the lightest ones.But as soon as she took them, Gauge casually took them from her without saying a word.Annabelle: “…”She felt like she’d just become the middleman in a hand-off.Kendrick glanced at Gauge. “Thanks, Mr. Murphy.”His tone and look were both laced with provocation.Even Annabelle thought he was kinda asking for a punch right then.Gauge snorted coldly, “Don’t thank me. It’s not like I’m helping you.”“Tsk, brat…”