Kendrick held Annabelle tightly, his entire body tense, and Annabelle could even hear his rapid heartbeat from the tension.
“Did you have a nightmare?”
“I dreamt that someone took you away.”
Annabelle smiled softly, her gentle fingers slipping into his hair, helping him press on some pressure points to relax him.
“You’ve been too tired lately. You should get some rest.”
“I’ll go to sleep now. If you’re willing to wait for me for ten minutes, we can go to bed together.”
He kissed her ear, seemingly thinking she just wanted to know what time he’d go to sleep.
Annabelle pressed her lips together and said, “Actually, I came here to confess something.”
“What bad thing did you do?”
Feeling a little guilty, Annabelle scratched her head and said, “Someone just sent you a message. You should reply first.”
Kendrick gl
Annabelle felt like there was something Kendrick wanted to say to her.Suddenly, she realized something and stared at him, asking, “Kendrick, could your friend be…?”“What?” Kendrick’s expression turned serious for a moment.“Is it that the father of the child isn’t around, or she doesn’t feel comfortable discussing it with the father?”Kendrick’s expression softened, but a hint of confusion appeared on his face.“Why do you ask?”“If that’s the case, why would she come to you to discuss whether or not to have the baby? Shouldn’t she be talking to the father?”Kendrick suddenly smiled and ruffled her hair.Annabelle, while smoothing her hair, asked, “Did I say something wrong?”“She messaged me earlier about something else,” Kendrick pulled her into his arms, “I know she has a heart conditi
Kendrick smirked, "If it happens this time, then we’ll keep it.""Who’s going to have a baby for you?"Annabelle blushed and pushed him away, heading for the bathroom. Kendrick followed her in, shamelessly trying to crowd under the shower with her to fight for the warm water, still asking, "Is it going to happen?"Annabelle answered firmly, "No!"She was well aware of her own menstrual cycle, and that's why she had allowed Kendrick to not take any precautions.Kendrick pursed his lips in disappointment, "Then I'll try harder next time.""..."That night, Annabelle was exhausted. After a shower, she quickly fell asleep.By the light of the moon, Kendrick stared at her peaceful and beautiful face.He had really wanted to tell her about Emilia earlier, but he wasn't sure how she'd react—whether she'd get angry or upset.Annabelle had been abandoned by her family before, and she was always cautious a
Marvin tugged at her collar and pulled her back."Where do you think you're going?""Mr.Gregory, I have no more value to you," Linda replied, her expression showing guilt.Marvin smiled faintly. "Not necessarily."An hour later, Marvin walked into the café with Linda.Annabelle had already arrived, sitting by the window in a loose ivory-colored turtleneck sweater. Her hair fell softly over her shoulders as she held a cup of hot coffee, staring out the window in quiet thought.Marvin paused for a moment, mesmerized by her.No matter how many times he saw her, every time he looked at Annabelle from a distance, he was struck by that same rush of emotions, just like the first time they met—his heart felt as though it was taken by her completely.He truly wished that Annabelle was his.Linda nudged his arm, pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked at her, irritated.Linda gave him a suggestive look. "Mis
Marvin was startled; he hadn’t noticed that the man was still there.He pursed his lips in silence and sat obediently across from Annabelle and Elio, next to Linda.Annabelle smiled apologetically at them and suggested they step aside. “Please excuse yourselves. I’ll be conducting a consultation, and since it involves private matters for a woman, it’s not appropriate for men to be present.”They nodded in agreement and moved to a nearby table, staring at each other from across the room.Annabelle then examined Linda's pulse on both wrists, her brows furrowing slightly. The pulse was slow and weak—certainly not a good sign. Observing Linda’s complexion, which was pale and fatigued, she noticed that when they shook hands, her fingers were cold to the touch. This woman’s illness was definitely serious.Annabelle maintained her calm expression as she continued asking about her symptoms.Since Marvin had coordinated with Linda earlier, she had been prepared to speak about women's issues, s
The man crossed the street and walked into the café, finding an empty table to sit at. He appeared like any ordinary customer.As he sat down, the tip of a knife accidentally poked out from his sleeve, but he quickly concealed it. In his haste, he accidentally cut his finger. The wound wasn’t deep or long, and he paid it no mind.It was his first time killing someone, and he had indeed been nervous. But now, he clenched his fist firmly.All he had to do now was wait for Annabelle to be alone. Once she was by herself, he would strike without mercy. He would not hesitate.…On Annabelle's side, Linda took an envelope containing ten thousand in cash from her bag and pushed it across the table toward Annabelle."Thank you for helping me with my health, Miss Sanchez. This is the consultation fee."This was what Marvin had arranged with her beforehand—ten thousand for today’s visit, and twenty thousand for the next.But Linda had no intention of coming back for a follow-up visit, nor did
Annabelle ultimately accepted the consultation fee.Marvin, sitting across from her, was in a good mood when he saw her take the money. After all, that was his money, and by accepting it, Annabelle was indirectly spending it.He believed that Annabelle had never really relied on Kendrick’s money. Given her personality, she clearly liked being self-sufficient. If that weren’t the case, she wouldn't have accepted his business offer in the first place, earning extra by seeing patients.Marvin felt a bit more at ease now. Since Annabelle accepted the money, it meant she hadn’t seen through his little scheme—that Linda was just a pawn he had planted.Speaking of which, that woman did look a little too thin, almost malnourished. Could she really be sick? She had probably gained a little advantage—acting as a decoy while also getting treated.While Marvin was lost in thought, Annabelle turned her gaze toward him, and Linda called out, "Marvin, we’re done, you guys can come over now!"Marvin
Inside the café.Annabelle watched Marvin and Linda leave before turning her attention back to her surroundings.The petite girl was trailing behind Marvin, chatting away. Marvin had a cold, indifferent expression while Linda playfully made faces at his back, even shaking her fist at him—completely unaware.For a moment, Annabelle couldn’t help but think that they made quite the pair. But when she remembered the girl's illness, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh.She was such a cheerful girl, just a couple of years younger than Annabelle, and yet her life, at the prime of her youth, was already on the brink of ending.Annabelle felt sympathy for her and truly hoped that Linda would come back to her soon. The longer she waited, the more likely her mild condition would worsen, and once that happened, the chances of a full recovery would be drastically different.But whether Linda could come to terms with her illness and decide to fight for her life was ultimately up to her."Madam, do
Perhaps it was a little awkward, Annabelle thought.After all, Jax was a straight-laced man, and he might think that eating dessert was a bit too "girly"?"Don’t be so polite. It’s me who should be thanking you for coming out with me today," Annabelle smiled.A short while later, the waiter brought over the desserts.Jax took the delicate plate with his rough hands and then used his calloused fingers to pick up the small spoon, starting to eat the cake.At a distant table, a man dressed in black ordered a second cup of coffee and glanced over at Annabelle from afar.That woman actually invited a bodyguard to eat with her.A hypocritical woman, just like her husband, Kendrick!If he went over now and slashed her throat as he passed her... Hmph, would she still be able to eat?But he forced himself to be patient, reminding himself that after waiting all these days, he couldn’t afford to waste it all.Over at Annabelle's table, she watched Jax carefully enjoying the cake, and an idea sud
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…”