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;
Kendrick said earnestly, "Secondly, after celebrating that kid's birthday, come back immediately without any delay, I will personally pick you up at the airport."Annabelle couldn't help but laugh. Rarely did he make such a reasonable request, so she readily agreed, "Okay, I promise you."Actually, it was also very soon. In the second week after Kendrick left, it was Henri's birthday.Robin held a small party for his son, dressed in a little tuxedo, looking like a handsome little prince.The party invited his best friends on a regular basis. When the chubby boy saw Annabelle, he excitedly asked Henri, "Is this your future mom?"Annabelle thought that Henri would say "yes" without hesitation, but she saw Henri furrow his brows and say to the chubby boy, "No, this is my aunt. She is my mother's sister. Please stop saying things randomly."Annabelle was taken aback and looked towards Robin beside her.Robin smiled at her and then ruffled
A few minutes later, the plane had already climbed to an altitude of ten thousand meters and the interior gradually became stable.Annabelle took the plush blanket that Jax handed to her and was about to take a rest when she unintentionally noticed the long scar on the back of his hand, causing her pupils to shrink.Three days ago, when she was shopping on Glubia Street, Jax used his hand to teach a small thug who was trying to harass her a lesson.That scene, thinking about it now, still makes Annabelle's heart race.But it was also this hand that once held a small harmonica and sat by the lake playing a tune called "Oldloch". Although the harmonica had a few notes that were out of tune, the melody was heartfelt and enchanting, leaving a deep impression on Annabelle.Throughout, in Annabelle's heart, Jax has always been the type of person who speaks few harsh words. He is tall, strong, with neat short hair and an aura of solemnity, to the extent t
Annabelle asked Jax a question that she knew he would answer, "Jax, how old are you?""28."He was actually six years older than her.Remembering how she usually called Jax so smoothly, Annabelle felt a cold sweat on her back when the thought of calling him Jax crossed her mind. If she dared to call him that, Kendrick would probably either kill her or kill Jax.Annabelle pushed away her jumbled thoughts and continued to ask, "Did your family support you running around with Kendrick?""No family.""Sorry."Jax shook his head, meaning not to worry.Annabelle sighed, wondering if Jax had been abandoned by his family like her or if something had happened at home.This was not something that made people happy, so Annabelle quickly switched to the next question."When I was at Glubia, Kendrick said there was a room for you in the villa, but I noticed you rarely stayed over. Was it because he paid you too little, and you
When I left Elfhedge, it was still autumn. But when I returned, it was already deep winter.Thinking about everything that had happened in the past few months, Annabelle felt a wave of sadness.Kendrick walked towards her and took off his overcoat, wrapping it around her."Didn't I tell you about the temperature here? Why are you still wearing so little?"Although it had only been two weeks since they had parted ways at Glubia, seeing each other now made Annabelle feel as if it had been a long time.It seemed as if this was the true reunion.Annabelle wrapped herself in a coat that still had his body temperature, and her heart gradually warmed up. She said, "Thinking that I will get in the car as soon as I get off the plane, it's just a few steps away, I won't freeze."Kendrick helped her adjust the collar of her windbreaker again and then said to Jax, "You've had a tough journey. I'll give you a ride to the parking lot first, Jaime's
Ever since she smiled and said goodbye to Jax just now, Kendrick has been feeling sour.She was kind to people, which was her advantage. Kendrick also noticed it, and even Jax, who was extremely difficult to accept others, rarely showed a smile to her.You see, Jax had been following Kendrick for so long, and Kendrick hadn't even seen him smile much.But when she started praising other men, Kendrick felt very uncomfortable. Why could she always notice the good qualities in others but not see the good in him?Annabelle glanced at the rearview mirror again and remembered her conversation with Jax on the plane. She then said to Kendrick, "By the way, there's something I want to tell you, I hope you'll agree."Mr. Gregory, who was feeling sour in his heart, at this moment, did not look away and said calmly, "As long as it is reasonable."Annabelle couldn't help but squint her eyes. This sentence sounded very familiar, as if she had said it to hi
Annabelle was very thin-skinned. She thought he was still telling dirty jokes and wished she could plug her ears and not listen. So she didn't respond and stopped looking at him. She also didn't dare to mention anything about learning boxing from Jax anymore.Forty minutes later, the car drove into Violet Villa.The dim yellow lights on both sides of the corridor were quietly spread throughout the corridor, exceptionally tranquil and gentle.Annabelle couldn't help but roll down the car window, and the cool air seeped into the car. However, she didn't feel cold because at that moment, her heart was filled with a warm feeling of coming home.In the following period of time, I would live here, and not far away is Gauge's home, perhaps occasionally I could visit the very friendly Simon's home.With this in mind, Annabelle's mood became even more joyful, and the corners of her lips involuntarily curved upwards."So happy?""Well, it felt
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…”