"Then think it over again." Scott's voice was cold.Mr.Howard frowned, unwillingly glancing at Julissa before leaning in toward Scott. "Mr. Nichols, she's just a small assistant. Is this really necessary? We're talking about a billion-dollar project."Julissa overheard Mr.Howard's words, but once she had alcohol in her system, her brain stopped working properly. The cryptic conversation went over her head, and she couldn't figure it out immediately.She only sensed that Scott was angry."I don’t do business by trading women. Mr.Howard, you must have misunderstood. My apologies."Mr.Howard froze for a moment before laughing heartily. He clasped his hands together in a gesture of apology. "That was my mistake. Let's discuss the contract another time."Julissa stared blankly at Mr.Howard as he walked away, puzzled. "Mr. Nichols, why didn’t you let me sign the contract? It was so close to being finalized."Scott’s face remained dark. "He wanted to take you upstairs to take advantage of yo
Julissa was already drunk, her mind foggy, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Ariana and Cael were up to something sneaky.Are they planning something against Anna?She knocked on her hazy head, trying to stay clear-headed.She stood up, intending to head over to Annabelle.Even if she didn’t know what she could do, at least being by Anna’s side would be better than nothing.But as soon as she got up, the world spun, and her legs felt like they were stepping on cotton. She couldn’t even stand properly.Scott caught her. "Where are you going?"Julissa raised her hand and pointed in Annabelle’s direction.Scott followed her finger, which was aimed toward the banquet hall's exit. Thinking she wanted to leave, he simply said, "Alright," and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her straight out of the hall through the side door.The pressure against her stomach from being carried made Julissa feel sick. She clutched Scott’s shirt tightly, burying her head in his chest, desperately hol
Julissa didn’t quite catch the implication of that "again."She thought Scott had simply seen through the crush she once had on him.But more importantly—how could he say such flirtatious things so casually, without even blinking?!"Mr. Nichols, don’t you feel embarrassed saying things like that?"He smirked lightly, amusement flashing in his eyes. "If you’re not embarrassed, why should I be?"Julissa tilted her head, grinning mischievously as she leaned in closer. "So… does that mean I can flirt with you however I want?"Scott flicked her forehead, shaking his head helplessly. "Julissa, I really should record you right now."Just then, the car arrived. Scott helped her inside, and they both sat in the back seat.The driver asked, "Mr. Nichols, to the office or…?"Scott originally planned to return to the office, but after glancing at Julissa—who had instantly fallen asleep the moment she leaned against the window—he sighed."Take us home."He was the one who got her drunk, so he had
After finishing in the bathroom, Julissa wobbled over to the pristine sink.Through the mirror, she took in her surroundings again—still the same high-end black, white, and gray aesthetic.The faucet, free of even a single water stain, gleamed with a cold metallic sheen. The marble countertop, with its rippling stone patterns, looked just as chilly.Julissa couldn't help but complain, "The designer of this hotel must be emotionally detached."Then, her eyes landed on a white ceramic tray on the counter. Several white and brown bottles sat neatly arranged on it.Probably just some basic skincare products, she guessed.Curious, she picked one up and squinted at the label—a jumble of blurry letters, not a single recognizable word.Looks expensive…She made a mental note to try them out when she took a bath later.Right now, though, she was too lazy even to wash her hands. She just wanted to sleep.She set the bottle back down, but her drunken clumsiness betrayed her—she knocked over the
Julissa flashed a mischievous smile. "Mr. Nichols, taking advantage of you in a dream won’t get my salary docked, right? lol…"Scott’s lips curled up slightly. "You can try and see."Julissa was a woman of action. If she thought about it, she would do it.She hooked her arms around Scott’s neck, tiptoed, and pressed her lips directly against his.His lips were slightly cool, his scent crisp and refreshing—like the air after a snowfall.Most importantly, the sensation felt too real.This dream was so wonderfully vivid that she couldn’t help but close her eyes and savor it.Scott watched her up close, even noticing the slight tremble of her long lashes.After so many days, he was finally kissing her again.The taste of this kiss… was almost identical to that night.Yet, at the same time, it was different.Because this time, Julissa knew who she was kissing.This foolish girl actually thought she was dreaming, so she was acting recklessly.But did that mean… deep inside, she harbored fee
Julissa seriously considered it for a moment.If this really was a dream, she would probably forget everything when she woke up, so there’d be no awkwardness in facing him later.And wasn’t the whole point of dreams to let people experience things they couldn’t do in reality?She dazedly nodded.Scott chuckled. "Do you like me that much?"Julissa grinned cheekily. Who doesn’t like a handsome guy?"Of course! And if you don’t dock my salary, I’ll like you even more!"That simple sentence lit up the deep, brooding darkness in Scott’s eyes.He chose to believe that she meant it—that it wasn’t just drunken nonsense."Alright, I won’t dock your salary."Glancing at the bedside clock, he withdrew his hand from her waist."Wait for me. Don’t fall asleep."Julissa’s face flushed red. She didn’t know whether to nod or shake her head.She thought to herself, But I’m already asleep. Shouldn’t you be saying ‘don’t wake up’ instead?Still, feeling too embarrassed to correct him, she kept quiet.Sc
One hour ago, inside the hotel banquet hall.Ariana and Cael approached Annabelle, raising their glasses to her.Kendrick had just stepped out of the banquet hall to take an important call, leaving Annabelle alone for the moment.She stood up, accepted the drink handed to her by the waiter, and took a sip without much thought. After exchanging a few polite words with Ariana, she downed the drink.However, shortly after drinking it, she realized something was wrong.Her face felt hot, her breathing became short and feverish, and when she caught her reflection in the glass window beside her, she saw her own hazy eyes and flushed, alluring expression.This wasn’t the first time she had been drugged with an aphrodisiac, but this time, the effect was overwhelming. It was as if ants were crawling through her veins, an unbearable itch spreading deep inside her body, making it nearly impossible to maintain control.She could feel her willpower crumbling under the drug’s influence. If a man tr
As soon as she entered the elevator, Annabelle immediately reached for the emergency alarm button.Cael effortlessly caught her hand, smiling. "Ms. Sanchez, you'd better not make a scene. Be good and listen to me—I won’t hurt you."Annabelle loathed his touch. Even though her body felt weak and powerless, she still managed to yank her hand away."Cael, if you dare lay a finger on me, Kendrick will never let you go."He glanced at her and chuckled."To be honest, you are quite my type. But I know what happens when you offend Kendrick—I’m not that stupid."He paused briefly, then added with a sinister smirk, "Besides, this is my engagement party. Do you think I’d ruin it? I truly want to marry Ariana."For some reason, Annabelle found his smile extremely unsettling.Especially when he said "truly want to marry Ariana." A chill ran down her spine.It felt like there was something far more insidious lurking beneath his frivolous exterior—something devious, something dangerous.But that wa
Aside from the group of girls, there were also other people nearby watching the scene unfold. Although the crowd wasn’t huge, there were still about a dozen onlookers, both men and women.Watching drama had no borders…Especially when it involved two stunning women in a dispute—it naturally drew attention. Some were genuinely curious about the argument, while others were just taking the opportunity to admire long legs and tiny waists.Annabelle knew by now that her peaceful rest was out of the question. More than that, this was becoming troublesome.She draped a shawl over her shoulders and stood up, intending to find Kendrick.But the woman in the red bikini stepped in front of her, blocking her path.Annabelle glared at her. “I didn’t take anything of yours. Move.”She attempted to sidestep and go around her, but the other girls had already closed in, surrounding her.The woman in the red bikini smirked. “Steal something and think you can just walk away? You’re not going anywhere un
If she went over now, Kendrick might come ashore at any moment, interrupting her plan.But if she waited too long, they might leave together or stay glued to each other the entire time, and then she’d have no chance at all.As the woman hesitated, Kendrick stepped onto the shore.She watched as he walked over to Annabelle. The two seemed to be planning to rest under the umbrella for a while.She bit her straw in frustration, then set down her empty cup and turned away from the beach.A moment later, she bought another iced drink. Just as she stepped out of the shop, she spotted Kendrick and another man leaving the beach and heading into a bar.Judging from their interaction, she quickly made an assessment.It seemed Kendrick had run into a business acquaintance on the island, and they had gone to discuss work. Annabelle hadn’t joined them—either because she wasn’t interested or because Kendrick didn’t want her to.Either way, she was now alone and completely out of Kendrick’s line of
“He has something personal to take care of today. He’ll be off the island for the day and back tonight,” Kendrick said.Annabelle nodded and didn’t ask any further. Jax had done this before—when he wasn’t needed, he would go off to handle his own affairs.As for what those affairs were, Kendrick never seemed to ask, so Annabelle didn’t think too much about it either.Still, she couldn’t help but recall Jax’s past and wonder whether those enemies who had once hunted him were still active.“Let’s go eat.”Kendrick took her hand and led her toward the dining area, explaining their plans for the day as they walked.“After breakfast, we’ll take Little Yellow Dog for a walk. Then at noon, we’ll visit the old butler who hosted you last time. I’ve already let him know you’re coming—he was very happy to hear it…”Annabelle thought his arrangements were perfect. All she had to do was nod and say okay.“Since you don’t have any filming today, I won’t make you stick with the crew. No objections?”
Annabelle put herself in his shoes. If the roles were reversed, she knew she wouldn’t be happy either.So, she carefully explained everything to Kendrick again—why Gauge had to be the male lead and why the final shot of the commercial shouldn’t be a lovers’ kiss fading into the distance, but rather an extreme close-up of the Mermaid’s Tear necklace resting on the heroine’s chest.This approach would subtly avoid any sensitive scenes while shifting the audience’s focus away from the characters and onto the product itself.After all, this wasn’t a romantic drama; it was a jewelry advertisement, and the brand should be the highlight.Annabelle wasn’t an advertising expert, but as a consumer, she believed this kind of storytelling would be more effective.After listening to her reasoning, Kendrick playfully tapped the tip of her nose.“Smart. This is definitely a better approach.”Annabelle pursed her lips, a smile blooming on her face.His approval meant a lot to her. She wasn’t even sur
Annabelle gradually let go of all distractions, allowing herself to sink into the moment.Perhaps it was because she was far from the familiar, but she suddenly felt bolder. Being out in the open like this, under the vast sky, didn’t make her feel shy at all.The night breeze caressed her skin gently, awakening every cell in her body. As her gaze drifted away from Kendrick’s face and up to the star-studded sky, her mind went blank.It was as if, in the boundless universe, only the two of them existed.Her body instinctively arched back, her waist lifting, curving like a bow...—Afterward, she lay in Kendrick’s arms for a long time, still catching her breath. Neither of them spoke, simply holding each other in quiet intimacy.Once she had calmed down, Annabelle hesitated before murmuring, “About keeping that script from you... I wanted to explain—”“It’s fine.”Kendrick interrupted her, tucking a loose strand of her wind-blown hair behind her ear. “Just do what you want. I’m not that
Annabelle had already left long before.Since she wasn’t sure if Kendrick was still working, she decided not to disturb him.He has to sleep eventually. I’ll just apologize and explain everything before bed.Now, she was at the dock, sitting on the ground, staring blankly at the deep blue sea.Under the glow of the moon and the soft lighting around her, the water shimmered like a sheet of scattered silver, breathtakingly beautiful.But her mind was too preoccupied to appreciate it.Before the meeting ended earlier, the director had actually proposed another option for the male lead.If Gauge couldn’t accept the role, there was a backup actor available. His agent had already confirmed that he was free and willing to step in at the last minute.Since it was just a short commercial, it wasn’t a big deal for him.But after a quick search, Annabelle discovered a troubling fact—this man had a history of inappropriate behavior.He had taken advantage of a co-star during an intimate scene, ev
The walk back was silent. With Jax escorting her, Annabelle returned to her villa.It was a beautiful seaside retreat, with a back porch extending into a small private dock—almost as if the entire Indian Ocean was her personal backyard pool.Unfortunately, she had no time to admire or enjoy the scenery.Right now, all she wanted was to find Kendrick and explain her thoughts to him.As she passed by the study, she saw Kendrick sitting at his laptop, frowning as his fingers clattered across the keyboard. He was clearly busy handling work.Annabelle hesitated for a moment but chose not to disturb him. Instead, she headed to the bedroom to unpack.The moment she walked away, Kendrick glanced up from his screen, pressing his lips together.She had already reached the door—why didn’t she come in?Ah, right. That little woman was stubborn.She was probably debating whether or not to apologize. Maybe she didn’t even think she had done anything wrong.Fine. He’d let her stew for a bit longer.
Annabelle felt frustrated.How was she supposed to coax him now?The real issue was, no matter how she comforted him, he would never allow her to film a kiss scene with another man—even if it was just an illusion created through camera angles.He wouldn’t even be able to tolerate seeing that kind of scene.Her original plan was to keep Kendrick from watching the final scene and only let him know after everything was filmed.But now, things had gotten complicated...Meanwhile, Jax followed Kendrick out of the restaurant.Kendrick stopped in his tracks and said, “I’m going back to the villa first. You stay behind and make sure Anna gets home safely.”“Understood, Boss.”Kendrick took two steps forward, then suddenly turned back.“If Anna asks whether I’m mad, tell her yes. Very mad.”Jax’s face darkened.So Boss was making him the messenger just to emphasize how angry he was?Clearly, he wasn’t really that upset.He was probably just feeling a little jealous and needed some comforting.
Malina took a deep breath but didn’t answer Director William. His expression was extremely unpleasant.Annabelle could tell—he really didn’t want to play the male lead.She imagined what it would be like acting alongside this proud, perfectionist designer.This guy had a nasty temper and was completely self-centered. He wouldn’t be as easygoing as Julian.And she had to gaze deeply into his eyes with affection?Ugh. Just picturing it felt awkward. Impossible.After a moment, Malina finally spoke.“I won’t do it either. I can’t act, and I have zero chemistry with Annabelle. Instead of making me the lead, why not get Gauge?”The moment those words left his mouth, Annabelle blinked rapidly.Gauge as the male lead?Perfect. Absolutely perfect!They were good friends, often played music together, and had great chemistry. More importantly, he was one of her own!Little did she know, sitting across the room, Kendrick nearly jumped up at the mention of Gauge.Gauge? No way. I’ll do it!Fortun