Julissa blinked.
She had kissed and hugged him while drunk, even made some rather suggestive remarks—shouldn’t he be angry?
Unless… Scott actually liked being taken advantage of by her?
The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
She looked up at him, only to find that his gaze was filled with a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite decipher.
Fragments of memories surfaced in her mind. She vaguely recalled that after carrying her to the bedroom, he had said, “Wait for me, don’t fall asleep.”
She had obviously fallen asleep afterward, but that also meant that last night, he had wanted to…
Julissa found it hard to believe. No, it was impossible.
Scott? Interested in her?
“Mr. Nichols, I don’t understand what you mean.”
Scott’s deep eyes locked onto hers. “Julissa, are you truly this clueless, or are you just pretending?”
Her heart pounded wildly.
She wasn’t stupid. Nor was she playing dumb.
She was j
Scott took a deep breath and said, “Julissa, I’ll give you one month to reconsider. Please think carefully before giving me your final answer.”Julissa felt an overwhelming sense of pressure and dominance, making her instinctively nod.But a moment later, she realized—Wait, why am I letting him control the situation?She didn’t need a whole month to think this over.“There’s no need to consider anything. I really don’t have those kinds of feelings for you. So, Mr. Nichols, you don’t have to force yourself to keep me employed. I’ll go to HR this afternoon to resign.”With that, she turned on her heels to leave.But before she could take a step, his cold voice rang out from behind her—“Stop.”His tone was sharp, intimidating.She flinched inwardly but stood her ground. When she turned back around, her expression was stubborn and defiant.
“Last year’s?”“Yeah. I’m sure of it because our company’s overseas department won the bid for this project in the end.”“So, this document is outdated? Then why is Scott making Julissa summarize it, saying he needs it urgently?”Kendrick smirked. “What do you think?”Annabelle processed the thought and then glared at him. “No wonder you two get along so well—you really are birds of a feather.”Why was Scott making Julissa work on an outdated document? Obviously, just to keep her by his side a little longer.His scheming and manipulative ways were exactly like a certain someone she knew.Annabelle thought about it, then smirked. Mimicking Kendrick’s tone, she sent a message to Julissa:“I’m not home, and I didn’t bring my phone.”She wanted Julissa and Scott to make some progress, so of course, she wasn&rsquo
Logically speaking, since he had confessed his feelings, he should be pursuing her now—shouldn't he be doing everything to please her?But he clearly had no intention of doing so.Had he given up after being rejected? Was the proud and aloof young master so fragile that he’d just walk away that easily?If he could give up so easily, then he probably wasn’t serious from the start.A wave of inexplicable anger rose in Julissa’s chest.She lowered her head and focused on eating, refusing to say another word.Just then, Julian came downstairs and happened to pass by the dining room.Scott set down his chopsticks and glanced at him. “Skipping lunch? Where are you going?”Julian took a few steps back to the dining room doorway, scratched his head, and grinned.“A friend called me out. I’m heading off—see you later, sis-in-law!”With that, he waved at Julissa.
Julissa hung up the phone and gestured for Serena to follow her.As they walked toward the CEO’s office, Julissa felt a little uneasy.The day before, at the engagement party, she had splashed a glass of wine all over Serena.Although Serena had provoked her first and had even picked up a glass to throw at her, Julissa had acted first by grabbing the glass and returning the favor.No matter the circumstances, she was the one who struck first.And the one who strikes first is usually in the wrong.Was Serena here today to settle yesterday’s score with Scott?Julissa glanced sideways at Serena, only to see a smirk playing on her lips, her expression full of confidence—like a victor certain of her win.Julissa was almost certain that Serena had come for her, not Scott.She wasn’t afraid of her.She just didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble for Scott.Lost in thought, she reali
After the board meeting, that veteran shareholder had even approached Scott to explain himself, hoping Scott wouldn’t misunderstand—he insisted that he remained loyal to the company.Meanwhile, Julissa, that clueless girl, had no idea that her straightforwardness had actually helped him.She had even apologized to him after the meeting, saying that she had spoken impulsively out of frustration on his behalf and promised that she would never speak out of turn again.If not for another assistant being present at the time, Scott would have really wanted to pull her into his arms…Back in the office, Scott cleared his throat, resting a fist against his lips, and said, “Then I’ll trouble Miss Hickman to make two cups of coffee. You can use the equipment in the break room.”“Understood, Mr. Nichols.”Julissa turned and walked off with an air of defiant pride, making Scott chuckle.He could cl
Just then, the electric kettle beeped three times—the water was boiling. It was time to make the coffee.Not being able to hear the rest of the conversation left a knot in Julissa’s heart.She wanted to keep eavesdropping, but their voices had gotten too quiet. All she could tell was that they were still chatting.Hah, they sure have a lot to talk about.To be fair, Serena was quite attractive—but she was also unbearably arrogant. Julissa had thought Scott wasn’t the type to be blinded by looks, that he could see beyond a pretty face. Turns out he’s just as shallow as the rest.Thinking this, she almost forgot about the coffee in her hands.According to Scott’s instructions, a pour-over coffee required two rounds of water after the blooming phase. But she had waited too long between the first and second pour. Would that affect the taste?Well, aside from that small hiccup, she had followed all his s
Julissa anxiously glanced at Scott, only to see him take a sip of his coffee, blow on it, and say, “What she said is actually correct. Brewing two cups of pour-over coffee at once requires some attention. If you don’t have experience, it’s easy to fail the first time.”Hearing him explain on her behalf, Julissa breathed a sigh of relief.At least, in front of others, Scott didn’t plan to reprimand her.She was about to slip away when she saw Scott take another sip of his coffee, his brow furrowing even tighter.Nervously, she asked, “Mr. Nichols, is it not good?”“Why don’t you try it yourself?”Scott pushed the cup toward her.Julissa quickly picked up the cup and took a sip, grimacing.It was so sour and awful—the coffee’s aroma hadn’t come out at all, and only the sourness stood out. Overall, it was weak and overly acidic.She felt so embarr
"Fine, if you're not interested in the project, then let's drop it. But your assistant publicly poured wine all over me—I need an explanation for that."Serena was not someone who could tolerate even a speck of injustice. She refused to accept any kind of humiliation.Originally, she had intended to use the contract matter as leverage to get Scott to fire Julissa.Since that plan failed, she couldn’t just leave empty-handed.She had to get an answer."Wait a moment."Scott picked up the landline phone and dialed the assistant’s office."Julissa, come to my office," he said coldly. He didn’t even wait for her response before hanging up.On the other end, Julissa listened to the beeping sound from the phone and suddenly felt uneasy.This is bad...Nervously, Julissa entered the office.Before she could say anything, Scott immediately asked, "I heard you poured a glass of champagne on S
The faint scent of alcohol lingered on his breath, making Julissa’s ears grow hot. She blushed and gave a small nod.“And you?”Scott pulled her into a tighter embrace.“If I didn’t miss you, why would I come back two days early?”Julissa was both amused and a little exasperated.This guy—he always spoke in rhetorical questions. Couldn’t he just say, I missed you?Even when he confessed before, it was the same thing—made her think for a moment he was actually insulting her.Like, If I didn’t want to see you every day, why would I hire an assistant like you?It took her a good while to realize that was his version of a confession.But thinking about it more deeply… sweet words are just that—words.Even if Scott didn’t know how to be verbally romantic, did it really matter?He had driven all afternoon just to get back from Shadelake and surprise her. He’d even thoughtfully prepared gifts for her parents.That kind of sincerity meant more than anything he could’ve said.Julissa turned ar
As Mrs. Hickman spoke, Julissa quietly glanced at Scott.She did hope he would stay.Not because she wanted a free ride to work the next morning.It was more like… she’d invited a friend over to play, and now that it was getting dark, she just couldn’t bear for them to leave—really wanted them to sleep over.But Scott smiled and said, “I’ll head back. It’s a quick drive anyway.”Julissa puffed out her cheeks and looked over at her parents.“Yeah, let him go. I’ve already set an alarm for 6 a.m.—I’ll get up early and squeeze into the subway. It’s fine, I can manage.”Scott frowned a little. “It is pretty far from your place to the office… want me to switch your schedule tomorrow?”Mr. Hickman glanced at his daughter and let out a small, helpless laugh.This mischievous girl… deliberately making herself sound so pitiful—early wake-ups, crowded commutes. But really, it’s just that she couldn’t bear to let her boyfriend leave.Oh well, daughters grow up. Might as well let her be.So final
Actually, Julissa had already noticed that there was still one paper bag left untouched among the gifts Scott brought upstairs.If it wasn’t something for her parents, then why would he have brought it up?Now that both her mom and dad had gotten gifts, maybe… that last one was for her?So she sat obediently on the couch like a kindergartener waiting for the teacher to hand out presents, eyes sparkling with anticipation.Scott chuckled, gave her hand a gentle pat, and sure enough, picked up the final pink bag and handed it to her.“Here. Yours.”Julissa’s whole face lit up in an instant—She knew it! There’s no way Mr. Nichols would forget her!Inside the pink bag was a cream-colored, sturdy gift box. It looked elegant and refined. What kind of surprise would he have picked out for her?Heart full of excitement, Julissa opened the box.She saw her gift.How to describe the feeling… She was happy. Really.But there was also the tiniest bit of disappointment.Inside was a box of pastries
Scott had seen plenty of Julissa’s careless moments.He especially remembered the time she casually grabbed a handful of tea leaves, tossed them into a cup, and poured in some hot water—voilà, tea.He’d never imagined that this same girl—his girlfriend—could be so calm and graceful.But right now, watching her quietly make tea, he realized: this quiet elegance seemed to reveal something deeper, something true to her nature.He had always felt that Julissa was a bundle of contradictions. Sometimes she was fiery and full of uncontainable energy, other times she was incredibly patient and resilient.Now, watching her make tea, sharing a meal with her parents, seeing their everyday family life up close—Scott finally started to understand.Julissa’s cheerful, sunny personality came from this warm and accepting little family of hers. But her quiet strength and simplicity, those clearly came from her down-to-earth parents.And the more he thought about it, the luckier he felt to have met som
Scott helped clear the table, but Mrs. Hickman chuckled as she took the empty plates from his hands.“Scott, go relax in the living room, I’ll handle the cleanup.”Then she turned to her daughter,“Julissa, don’t make more trouble for me—go brew some tea instead. It’s his first time visiting, you should keep him company.”Only then did Julissa give up her rare burst of enthusiasm for dishwashing and lead Scott out of the kitchen.First stop: washing their hands.While standing at the sink, Julissa whispered to Scott,“We have very clear division of labor at home. My dad cooks and mops the floors. My mom does the dishes and laundry. Basically, if she doesn’t like doing something, my dad does it.”Scott nodded with an expression of dawning understanding—no wonder her dad had vanished after dinner and was now chilling in the living room watching TV with zero guilt.“Then what about you?” he asked. “What’s your job?”Julissa blinked. For a second, she was stumped.What was her job at home
Mr. Hickman nodded,“You went to Shadelake for business?”“Yes,” Scott replied, “Had to attend a branch office opening.”Julissa sneaked a glance at him and noticed that whenever Scott spoke to her father, he was especially well-behaved—gentle, polite, not a trace of that usual icy CEO demeanor.Tsk tsk, she thought. Is the aloof version fake, or is this obedient one just an act?Either way, Julissa kind of loved this extra-sweet version of her CEO.After the brief greetings, Mr. Hickman returned to the dining room, while Mrs. Hickman fetched an extra set of chopsticks and a bowl for their guest.Scott changed into the house slippers and took off his suit jacket. Julissa quickly took it and hung it on the rack for him.“I’m going to wash my hands. Where’s the bathroom?”“I’ll show you.”So off she went, leading her boss boyfriend to the bathroom like a little tour guide. While Scott washed up, Julissa stood nearby with sparkly eyes, waiting patiently to hand him a towel.“Here, use mi
Mrs. Hickman’s eyes lit up.“Scott’s here?”Julissa looked completely confused.“I don’t know! He’s supposed to be on a business trip, said he won’t be back till the day after tomorrow. I’ll go take a look.”As she spoke, she was already slipping on her shoes and rushing out the door—her heart pounding like crazy the whole way down to the first floor.The moment she stepped out of the building, she saw a black SUV parked beside the path.And right next to the car stood none other than her devilishly handsome, endlessly charming CEO boyfriend—the very man she’d been missing day and night!He wore a deep navy designer suit, tie-less, with the top two buttons of his dress shirt undone—just the right mix of sexy and restrained.He looked like he’d just stepped out of a conference room, too busy to change into anything casual before rushing straight over.Scott spotted her too, a faint smile curling at his lips.Julissa’s heart basically took flight.Almost on instinct, she broke into a ru
Scott replied:“I’ll be back the afternoon after tomorrow.”Julissa slumped over her desk, resting her chin on the back of her hand as she typed one last message with the other.“My parents just got back from their trip. Anna dropped off some local goodies today—I'm bringing some over to my folks tonight, so I’ll stay at home for the next couple of days.”“Okay. Let’s talk tonight, after my meeting.”“Mm, okay.”After sending it, she turned off her screen.Saying “let’s talk tonight” basically just meant a one- or two-minute call.Scott’s schedule was packed down to the minute—there was no way he had time to stay on the phone chatting about “I miss you” or “I love you” type stuff.So even though they only talked for a few short minutes each night while he was away, Julissa still felt content.Besides, he really did try to meet her halfway—asking her what she had for dinner, how her day went, little things like that.And just thinking about their nightly check-in already had her lookin
“Anna, you must have plenty of love rivals too—how do you deal with them?”Julissa asked, still brooding.Annabelle thought for a moment.“I don’t think I’ve ever really had to deal with them… Kendrick usually handles it himself.”“...”What else could Julissa say to that?Seriously, finding a mature, level-headed man who knows how to handle relationships—That was peace of mind money couldn’t buy.To be fair, Scott wasn’t bad in that regard either, but that didn’t stop people from liking him.And that—that was what annoyed her.Annabelle chuckled.“Your Scott is excellent—of course people are going to like him. You can’t control that. Just make sure he only likes you. That’s what matters.”Julissa nodded silently. “Makes sense.”Funny thing was, that was exactly the kind of thing she used to say to Anna.She never thought that once it happened to her, she’d be the one overthinking everything.“Alright, enough of that—come look at the local goodies I brought you.”And just like that,