Julissa sat quietly in the car, her body wrapped in Scott’s coat, the scent of his cologne enveloping her.The atmosphere was tense.She didn’t dare speak.Scott’s jaw was clenched, his fingers gripping the steering wheel tightly. Though he had stopped scolding her, the tension in his body made it clear—he was still angry.She bit her lip, unsure how to break the silence.Minutes later, the car pulled up outside her apartment complex.She hesitated. “Mr. Nichols, I can go up by myself—”He cut her off. “Get out. I’ll walk you up.”She blinked. “That’s not necessary—”“Get out.” His tone left no room for argument.Sighing, she pushed open the door and stepped out.Scott followed, his tall frame towering over her as they walked toward the building.The cool night air made her shiver, the dampness of her clothes still clinging to her skin.They stepped into the elevator, the small space amplifying the awkwardness.Finally, as the elevator dinged to a stop, she turned to him.“Uh… if you’
Julissa ate quietly, occasionally sneaking glances at Scott across the table.He seemed relaxed now, the tension in his expression softened as he focused on his meal.Finally, she couldn’t hold it in any longer.She set down her chopsticks and asked hesitantly, “Mr. Nichols… why did you come to the bar tonight?”Scott didn’t even pause. He continued eating as he replied, “I heard you were looking for Serena.”Her fingers tightened around her chopsticks. “Did Jerry tell you?”Scott smirked. “Of course. You thought I wouldn’t find out?”She swallowed. “I just… I overheard some employees saying that Time Group was in trouble because of me. That you lost a major project because of me.”Scott finally looked up, his dark eyes studying her carefully.“So, you decided to go and ‘fix’ it?”She nodded. “I thought if I apologized, she would let go of the grudge and reconsider working with Time Group.”Scott leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly.“There are two things I need to make clear,” h
Julissa pouted. "Sorry, Mr. Nichols, I didn't think it through...""This isn't your fault. I should have explained things more clearly to you," Scott said, surprisingly not scolding her. His gentleness made Julissa lower her head."However, I still think I should apologize today," she added.Scott chuckled and teased, "I'm actually curious. How did the fiery-tempered Julissa decide to humble herself and admit her mistake?"Julissa felt a bit awkward for a moment."Mr. Nichols, I've really reflected on my actions. I shouldn’t have struck first. When I did, it seemed like I gained some face, but in reality, I just put you in a passive position. I won’t do that again in the future."She looked like a child who had done something wrong, too afraid to look her parents in the face.Scott's gaze softened."When it comes to people you can't stand, if you argue with them, you’re lowering yourself to their level. Not only do you not win, but you also lose your dignity."Julissa nodded seriously
Julissa: “…”The sharp-tongued CEO truly wasn’t one for sweet words.But even in his bluntness, she could hear the affection he had for her.Compared to flowery compliments, she found his straightforwardness more sincere—more gentle, even.Lowering her head, she appeared to be focused on eating.In reality, she didn’t dare meet Scott’s gaze, nor did she have any idea what she was tasting.Her heart was in complete turmoil.After dinner, Scott observed her closely. Her face had regained some color, and her eyes looked brighter.It seemed her mood had improved.Checking his watch, he said, “Now, I really do have to go to the airport.”As he spoke, he picked up the coat draped over the sofa and put it on.Julissa wasn’t sure why, but watching him put on his coat and suddenly announce that he was leaving made her heart tighten.Just moments ago, she had thought he might find another excuse to stay.She had even planned ahead—if he stayed the night, she would take out the new set of bedshe
After reading the message, Julissa let out a silly laugh.It wasn’t anything particularly important—just a simple message to let her know he was safe.Scott’s text read: “Boarded. Landing at 5:40 AM.”She hesitated for a moment before deciding to reply with four simple words: “Safe travels.”A moment later, another message popped up.“Why aren’t you asleep yet?”Even through the screen, Julissa could almost picture Scott frowning at her.She couldn’t exactly tell him that he was the reason for her insomnia, so she made up a little lie.“I woke up and got a drink of water.”“Mm.”That was it. Just a single word.Scott was a man of few words, never one for long conversations.Yet, in that simple “Mm,” Julissa felt like she could hear his emotions, see his expression, and even understand the words he didn’t say.—The following two weeks were quiet, even empty.Scott was in Tokyo, where the time difference was only an hour.But ever since that first night, he hadn’t messaged her for anyt
Every day, Annabelle found herself playing hide-and-seek with reporters, making it nearly impossible for her to focus on school.The constant harassment was driving her insane.It got even worse when some journalists managed to sneak into the campus, lurking outside her classroom. Their presence disrupted not only her studies but also inconvenienced her professors and classmates.Left with no choice, Annabelle had to temporarily stop attending in-person classes and switch to online courses.That gave a certain someone an opportunity to gloat.Mr. Gregory wasted no time in commenting, “Didn’t I warn you? The moment you accepted that endorsement deal, your life would become much more difficult. See? Now you can’t even attend school properly.”It was already late at night. He was in bed, his strong arm wrapped around the petite woman’s waist.Annabelle turned her back to him, deliberately ignoring him.But Kendrick wasn’t done. “How about I talk to Simon and tell him we’re canceling the
If she chose to terminate it, Kendrick would never agree. And even she wasn’t sure if she could go through with it.But if she kept it… it would become a permanent bond between them.Her work would have to be postponed, and she wouldn’t even be able to finish school.Was this Kendrick’s plan all along? To use a child to keep her from taking the endorsement?The thought made Annabelle furious.“Kendrick, how could you do this?”Caught off guard by the accusation, Mr. Gu looked utterly bewildered. “Do what?”“You’re trying to tie me down with a child, aren’t you?”She turned around and glared at him through the lingering steam.Kendrick let out a sigh. “You really think so poorly of me, huh?”“Can you honestly say you didn’t do it on purpose?”For once, Kendrick actually looked a little guilty. His voice was low and hoarse as he admitted, “At first, it really wasn’t intentional… but later, you didn’t say anything, so I thought you had agreed…”Annabelle’s face instantly turned red. “I—
The next morning, Annabelle woke up with Kendrick and made him a quick sandwich for breakfast.But she didn’t eat anything herself.Kendrick frowned. “Why aren’t you eating?”“I don’t have an appetite right now. I’ll eat later,” she replied.He didn’t press further, but just as he was about to leave, he noticed her putting on her coat and shoes as well.“You’re heading out?”Her expression was serious. “Mm. I’ll hitch a ride with you to the pharmacy.”Concern flashed in his eyes as he reached out to touch her forehead. “Are you feeling unwell?”Annabelle blushed and swatted his hand away.Kendrick instantly understood.A sly grin appeared on his face as he grabbed a scarf and wrapped it around her neck.“Let’s go.”—Kendrick pulled up in front of the pharmacy.Before getting out, Annabelle turned back and reminded him, “Drive safely.”But when she returned, she found his car still parked in the same spot.“You’re still here?” she asked, surprised.“Get in.”Confused but not arguing,
Scott had already made his selection. He picked up two boxes, placed them into the shopping cart, and then walked toward her.Julissa's lips twitched slightly.Hadn't Mr. Nichols just said at home that there was no rush, that it was fine to take things slow? So why was he now picking out condoms… and taking two boxes at that?Her heart started racing again as her mind wandered to certain unspeakable thoughts. She quickly shook her head, trying to clear away the chaotic images.Scott was already standing in front of her, his expression as calm as ever. He even took the items she had just picked out from her hands and placed them into the cart.“Are we about done with the shopping?”Julissa nodded and silently followed him for a couple of steps before hesitating. She reached out and stopped the shopping cart, causing them both to halt in place.“What is it?” Scott asked.“This… isn’t really necessary, is it?”Her palms were sweating. She pinched the box lightly between her fingers, as i
Being held so tightly by him, Julissa felt flustered. She mumbled, “How can you just say ‘not going hungry’? That’s just the basic survival standard! We need to eat well…”"We," Scott repeated her words, a teasing smile playing at the corners of his lips as he leaned in closer. “So, you’ve thought about living with me?”Julissa blinked at the man so close to her.Inside her mind, a voice was screaming.His voice, his gaze, that dangerously handsome face—it was all shaking her already weak resolve.She wanted to tell him: Not only have I thought about living with you, I’ve even thought about how many kids we’d have…Beep—The fridge let out a loud warning sound, alerting them that the door had been open for too long.The noise snapped Julissa back to her senses. She quickly slipped out of Scott’s arms, shut the fridge door, and felt her face burning.“You… go wait outside. It’ll be ready soon.” She didn’t even dare to look up at him as she spoke.Scott stepped out of the kitchen as she
Scott straightened up, and Julissa, still feeling anxious, sat up as well."Are you… mad?" she asked hesitantly.Scott glanced at her.He wasn’t angry, but he did look disappointed—heartbroken, even.That look made Julissa feel so guilty that she almost wanted to take back her words and let him continue what he was doing…She tugged at his sleeve. "Mr. Nichols, can you give me a little more time?"Scott gently stroked her cheek, his gaze filled with tenderness."Maybe you still don’t believe we’ll last, but that’s okay. I’ll slowly make you believe."His words stunned Julissa for a few seconds.Then, she opened her arms, wrapped them around his neck, and threw herself into his embrace.There was nothing more touching than the promise of a future together.And nothing more considerate than the phrase take your time.Scott’s hand stroked her back, and Julissa felt an overwhelming sense of comfort and security in his arms.He smelled fresh and clean, and right now, he was her boyfriend—s
Although Julissa's mother liked Scott as a person, she still found it hard to believe that such a high-status man would genuinely date Julissa.It felt unrealistic and unstable.Their family wasn’t rich or powerful, and they weren’t the kind of people who would eagerly throw their daughter at a wealthy man just because of his status.In fact, the better Scott’s conditions seemed, the more cautious they became.On this, both Father and Julissa's mother were in full agreement: their precious daughter must be given to someone who sincerely cherished her—someone truly outstanding and driven.Money and status were just illusions. Scott needed further observation.Even though Julissa's mother wasn’t particularly old-fashioned, she still worried that her daughter might suffer losses in certain aspects, which was why she kept reminding her.Hearing this, Julissa immediately covered her face.“Mom! What are you even thinking…? We haven’t! And we won’t do that kind of thing!”Julissa's mother s
Over the years, Kendrick had grown accustomed to living under constant threats. Apart from Ryan, many others wanted him dead.If he lived in fear every day, he wouldn’t have needed an assassin to kill him—he would have scared himself to death long ago.“Go handle your work.”“Yes, Boss.”After Jax left, Kendrick fell into deep thought.It made sense that Ryan would try to assassinate him to fight for Anna.But what puzzled him the most was that Ryan had started planning these assassinations before Anna married him.No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t figure out what grudge existed between them that made Ryan so determined to eliminate him.This mystery had been bothering him for a long time. And solving it might be the key to ending their deadly feud.—Meanwhile, Annabelle was enduring the “devil training” of Teacher Maria.It was tough and painful, but she never once considered giving up.No matter how much it hurt, as long as she wasn’t dead, she would keep training. No room f
Annabelle shot Kendrick a glare.Not only had he just implied that Marvin was idle and carefree, but he had also mocked him for being single.Mr. Gregory, that was too harsh.Marvin, however, merely smiled. “Since my dear brother needs it so much, you should have it. Just be careful not to overdo it—too much of a good thing can be harmful.”With that, he released his chopsticks.Annabelle sighed inwardly.Seems like this one isn’t exactly kind-hearted either.Feeling the need to clear things up, she decided to speak on Kendrick’s behalf.She didn’t want people thinking she was like those imperial concubines who supposedly drained their emperors with excessive indulgence.Besides, Kendrick was not weak…She said earnestly, “I only made this for him because he’s been working so hard lately. I can’t help him with anything else, but at least I can take care of his nutrition. Don’t worry—his health is just fine.”Kendrick smiled and picked up the sea cucumber, chewing it slowly.Good, he t
Marvin took a bite of the food and remarked, “Anna, your cooking is really good.” Annabelle smiled. “I’m actually not very skilled at cooking.” “It’s already very impressive,” Marvin praised sincerely. She glanced at Kendrick and noticed that the sly fox was still smiling, though it was obvious that he was extremely displeased. Well, whose fault is that? You were the one who started talking unnecessarily, Annabelle thought, feeling no sympathy for him. The meal continued in silence. Though everything seemed peaceful, Annabelle felt a little awkward. Looking at Marvin—her ex-fiancé. Then at Kendrick—her current husband. And these two just happened to be brothers. It wasn’t just outsiders who would find their situation intriguing; even those involved couldn’t help but marvel at fate’s sense of humor. Despite their hidden agendas, the two men were sitting down for a meal together. She really didn’t understand the way men’s minds worked. Instead of dwelling on it, she focused
When their eyes met, both Annabelle and Marvin were momentarily stunned.Marvin then stepped closer and glanced at the lunch bag in her hand. “Bringing food for Kendrick?”Since their last meeting in the Maldives, they hadn’t seen each other again.Marvin had heard that she had left for a while and later returned.He had wanted to check in on her but was afraid of bothering her, leaving him conflicted for days.Now, having run into her by chance, his heart felt a small surge of joy.Annabelle smiled at him and nodded. “Are you working from here today?”“Mm.”Marvin stared at her, lost in thought.He liked the way she spoke to him so calmly, but at the same time, he felt a hint of sadness.Is it because she neither dislikes nor likes me that she can greet me so indifferently?He even suspected that she spoke to the company’s security guards with the same level of warmth.Suppressing the tinge of disappointment in his heart, Marvin said, “I need to see him too. Let’s go up together.”Wi
The three senior executives—all men—exchanged glances upon hearing the woman's cry from the president’s private lounge.A woman's voice… coming from the president’s resting area!Who else could it be? It must be the little wife their president cherished so dearly.“Give me a moment,” Kendrick said as he stood up.The three executives immediately responded, “Of course, President, take your time. We’re in no hurry.”As Kendrick entered the lounge, the three men outside kept their expressions neutral, but their ears were perked up, listening intently.Inside, Kendrick asked, “What’s wrong?”A pitiful voice replied, “My legs hurt even more now…”He continued, “Can you get out of bed?”The little woman whined, “Not really… I need a moment…”Outside, the three men exchanged looks—one shaking his head, another stifling a laugh, and the third feeling oddly sentimental.President, you’re too much… You’ve completely worn her out to the point she can’t even get out of bed!Must be nice to have t