Whatever tomorrow might bring, whether storm or sunshine, she would remain steadfast.Until she received news of Kendrick, she would hold herself together and wait for his return.Just as Gauge said, since she chose him, she must become strong and calm.In the second game, Annabelle cleared her mind of distractions and focused on the chessboard.Gauge, however, grew increasingly distracted. The things Annabelle had shared with him tonight weighed heavily on his mind.He couldn't stop worrying about her future, wondering if there was still a chance for him to become a part of her life—to become her other half.As a result, he played terribly. Despite his usually superior skills, he lost to Annabelle.After her unexpected victory, Annabelle felt a shift in her mindset.She turned to Gauge and said, "We have filming tomorrow. I’m going to get some rest now. You should try to get some sleep too.""Alright."Annabelle brought him a thin blanket and a new pillow before returning to the inne
Annabelle wanted to find Kendrick, but on this unfamiliar island, she had no friends or anyone she could turn to for help. She didn't even know where to start looking.As for contacting the police, she decided against it for now.Since that mysterious Mr. Whitney dared to make a move against Kendrick, he certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to get caught by the authorities. Furthermore, if the police got involved, the news of Kendrick's disappearance would quickly spread back to China.This would deal a significant blow to the Gregory Group, which might be exactly what the the Whitney Group wanted.Unless she had no other choice or no leads at all, Annabelle wasn’t planning to call the police.If all else failed, she could return to China and track down Mr. Whitney herself. The the Whitney Group was well-known, and finding him wouldn’t be difficult. Once she located him, she might be able to uncover information about Kendrick.After thinking it through, Annabelle said to Gauge, “Let’s
Everything turned out to be much simpler than expected.As Annabelle plunged into the sea, the warmth of the water enveloped her. She felt as if the ocean itself was healing and soothing her, as though it was where she truly belonged.It seemed like she could hear a distant, ancient voice. The language was unfamiliar, but its tone conveyed deep, comforting affection.When Annabelle surfaced, her heart was calm and resolute. She glanced at the horizon and, for a fleeting moment, thought she saw a white boat approaching.Standing at the bow of the boat was a figure that resembled Kendrick.But before she could focus, the churning waves obscured her view. She dismissed it as an illusion. The distance was too far to see anyone clearly, yet her mind had conjured the image of Kendrick.Afterward, Annabelle climbed into the lifeboat. Gauge immediately draped a towel over her shoulders.“That was a perfect dive,” Gauge praised.Annabelle gave him a faint smile. “Your turn next.”“Mine’s much
This time, the distance was much closer, and Annabelle could see clearly. On the small boat was a round, stout man steering it.It seemed to be the same boat she had glimpsed earlier from afar. So, had it brought someone over? Could it really be Kendrick?Her heart pounded wildly.Afraid of disappointment, Annabelle didn't dare let herself feel too much hope.Her entire body tensed as she hurried aboard the yacht. She immediately grabbed a crew member and asked where the person from the boat had gone.The crew member pointed to the upper deck.Without another word, Annabelle rushed toward the deck, not even daring to ask if it was truly Kendrick.Barefoot, she ran through the long corridor. The reflective glass along the hallway showed her disheveled reflection. Her wet hair clung to her face, a bath towel draped over her shoulders, and her mermaid dress, still damp, clung uncomfortably to her body. But she didn’t care.All she could think about was reaching the upper deck.Finally, s
Annabelle frowned at him. "You weren’t testing me on purpose, were you?"Kendrick smiled faintly, neither admitting nor denying it."You really were testing me!" Annabelle raised her hand, ready to punch him again.He quickly caught her fist.In the past, a playful hit from her was like a tickle, but now he couldn’t take it. Even the simple act of grabbing her hand was already a struggle."Let’s go back to the room and talk," he suggested.Indeed, the danger had passed that morning, and he could have called Annabelle to reassure her. But he chose not to. He wanted her to understand that during tense moments, the most important thing was to remain calm and patient, never losing composure.The more challenges she faced, the more capable she would become when confronted with even tougher problems in the future.That way, even if one day, for whatever reason, he couldn’t manage the company, she would stand as the steadfast lady of the house, ensuring the company wouldn’t fall into chaos.
Kendrick suddenly remembered something. On his way through the city, he'd passed a candy store. Thinking of the "little one" at home, he bought a lollipop and tucked it into his pocket.Now, to distract Anna, he took out the lollipop.The moment Annabelle saw it, her face paled.It was exactly like her dream!In that unsettling dream from the morning, Kendrick had also brought back a lollipop. But it had fallen to the ground, turning into a pool of blood. She had woken up in terror.Could she still be dreaming? Was Kendrick not actually back yet?"This isn’t real. I don't want it!"Kendrick, his thoughts wandering in a more playful direction, was a little caught off guard by her reaction. When Anna demanded a real lollipop earlier, his heart had already started racing.He set the glass of water aside, pulled her into his arms, and asked in a low, hoarse voice, "Are you sure about that?"At this moment, the pain from his wound was forgotten, and even the bleeding didn't seem to matter.
Annabelle shot him a glare. She wasn’t looking for any signs of another woman.What she noticed was Kendrick’s pale complexion and the sweat beading on his forehead — it didn’t seem like sweat from heat. More importantly, he carried the distinct scent of medicine and blood."Let me see your wound."She tossed the towel aside, quickly twisting her damp hair up, already preparing to check his injury."I’m fine," Kendrick said. "Jax’s injuries are worse. The smell is just from tending to his wounds."Annabelle reached out, touching his forehead. It was slightly warm, but not burning. She then held his wrist, carefully checking his pulse."Your pulse is weak. It feels like your body has been affected by cold and your blood flow is compromised. It seems..."She frowned, staring at him. "Just how much blood did you lose last night?"Kendrick blinked, inwardly sighing. Marrying a little doctor really did mean there was no hiding anything."Not much. Don’t worry so much."Annabelle pursed her
Annabelle thought for a moment. Since Kendrick was well enough to work, his condition probably wasn’t too serious, so she set aside her concerns."Has everyone else left the boat?" she asked, glancing outside.Kendrick nodded and explained that the others had taken a seaplane back to the island. There were still two scenes left to shoot, but they were all Gauge’s, so the crew didn’t wait for her.He then suggested that if she wanted to explore Malé City, he could accompany her. But if she preferred not to, they could return to the island directly by seaplane.Knowing that both Kendrick and Jax were exhausted and injured, even if their injuries weren’t severe, it seemed unreasonable to make them accompany her shopping. Annabelle quickly decided they should head back to the island.The three of them disembarked and boarded a seaplane, flying back to the island.By the time they arrived, the crew had wrapped up filming. Annabelle returned just in time for the celebratory group photo.Aft
Seeing who it was, Scott pressed his lips together in mild disinterest.“What is it?” He glanced at his younger brother, Julian.Julian smirked. “Figured you weren’t asleep yet. I couldn’t sleep either, so I thought I’d come have a smoke with you.”As he spoke, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes, handed one to his brother, then flicked open a lighter, lighting Scott’s cigarette before lighting his own. He took a slow drag.“Why did Julissa leave?”“Mm.”Scott’s posture was lazy, making it clear he had no intention of explaining.“Bro, are you serious? Still haven’t gotten the girl?”Scott frowned. “Did you come here just to talk nonsense?”“I told Mom and Dad that you’re dating.” Julian flicked off some ash with a grin.“I planned on telling them after getting the marriage certificate. You sure are quick to run your mouth.”Scott’s gaze was distant as he looked out the window.Back then, no matter how much he pleaded or tried to convince them otherwise, his parents had been determined
Julissa twitched the corner of her mouth. “Thanks, I guess.”It wasn’t like she had fought off some wild beast—just caught a cockroach. Did that really count as brave?Then she glanced at Yvette, who still looked pale and shaken. Suddenly, Julissa felt like a tomboy.She hadn’t been raised as a delicate, pampered lady and didn’t quite understand the refined way some women viewed the natural world.To her, she had simply disposed of a bug. If cockroaches weren’t such notorious pests with insane reproductive abilities, she might have even let it go.“How about we switch you to another room?” Scott suggested.Yvette hesitated before asking, “If a room hasn’t been used for a long time, isn’t it more likely to have cockroaches?”Julissa pressed her lips together. Oh, so what now? You want to stay in my boyfriend’s room? His is occupied often—probably no cockroaches there.Scott glanced at Julian, as if suggesting his younger brother switch rooms with Yvette.Julian looked troubled. “Bro, m
Julissa was completely under Scott’s control. She wavered, forgetting all of her mother’s warnings and her own principles.At some point, her dress had been pushed up to her waist, and her shoulder straps had slipped down her arms.The cool air on her exposed skin made her shiver, but the heat from Scott’s body pressed against hers made her burn. Just as she was about to give in entirely, a woman’s sharp scream pierced through the night.Both she and Scott froze, instinctively turning their heads toward the door.Scott let out a long sigh, clearly trying to rein himself in.Finally, he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek before getting out of bed.“I’ll go check.”He walked to the wardrobe, pulled out a fresh set of pajamas, and put them on quickly. As he reached the bedroom door, he turned back to ask the still-dazed Julissa, “Do you want to come with me?”Her senses snapped back into place. She hurriedly pulled her fallen shoulder straps back up and straightened her dress before noddi
Julissa closed her eyes for a moment. Even though she had expected this outcome, her heart still felt heavy.She steadied her emotions and continued asking, “Then… do you have a lot of experience?”Scott didn't know how to respond. Should he tell her that, at almost thirty, he had only ever been with one person—and that person was her?If she found out that, before they even knew each other, he had taken her to a hotel when she was drunk… Even though she had been very willing at the time, she had still been intoxicated. It could be considered taking advantage of her…What would she think of him if she knew? Would she see him as frivolous, reckless, even a bit predatory?Even if he explained that he hadn't known what came over him that night, that he had been utterly captivated by her and had been searching for her ever since—would she believe him?With a quiet sigh, he decided that no matter what, he hadn't handled that situation well. He didn't want to bring it up.“My experience is…
Scott was momentarily stunned, then chuckled. “So you were bothered by this?”“Why?”Seeing how determined she was to know, Scott decided to explain.“The pajamas Yvette wore were actually meant for you. The last time you got drunk and stayed over, there weren’t any suitable pajamas for you, so I thought I’d get you a couple of sets.”“You thought I would come back then?”Scott smiled slightly. “I figured you’d come to me sooner or later.”Julissa couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter at his confident and possessive words.But she quickly refocused on the main issue.“If they were meant for me, why did Yvette wear them?”Scott shrugged. “It was Julian who gave them to her. She came to Elfhedge in a hurry and forgot to pack pajamas.”This explanation eased Julissa’s mind a little.However, the clothes originally meant for her had ended up on another woman, so Scott shouldn’t be wearing the same set of pajamas.“You should take your clothes off,” Julissa said, her voice a little ster
Scott stood by the bed, dimming the bedside lamp before sitting down. He didn’t look at her, as if his earlier request was the most natural thing in the world.Julissa felt like she had been put under a spell. She obediently walked over with the blanket in her arms, placed it on a nearby chair, and sat on the edge of the bed, feeling incredibly restrained.A sudden realization hit her—wasn’t she just delivering herself straight into the big bad wolf’s den?Scott, however, didn’t do anything inappropriate. He simply scooted to the other side of the bed, making room for her, then lifted the blanket and patted the mattress.“Put your legs in.”“M… Mr. Nichols…” Julissa’s voice trembled as she stared at him, feeling so nervous she could cry.Wasn’t this just her voluntarily crawling into his bed?!Scott glanced at her bare legs and chuckled. “I’m just worried you’re cold.”She was wearing a nightdress, and she was feeling chilly.But the real question was—if she got into his bed, could sh
The thought that Scott might be a seasoned flirt—that everything he had said and done to her, he had also done to other women—made Julissa’s heart sink. She lowered her head, feeling a pang of sourness in her chest.But it was already late. She didn’t dwell on it any longer, quickly drying her hair before getting into bed.No matter what, the sun would still rise tomorrow. She had work, she needed to earn money to support herself, and she had to find a new place and move out…With so much to do the next day, she forced herself to stop overthinking and shut her eyes, willing herself to sleep.However, after lying there for a while, not only did sleep evade her, but she became more awake—because it was just too cold.The blanket she had was way too thin. It was basically a summer quilt!The weather wasn’t warm enough for something this light. Did Scott not have common sense? Was he bad at taking care of people? Or… did he do this on purpose?She tried to endure it, but the cold seeped t
Scott responded casually, “So? Do you need me to carry you out again?”Julissa’s face heated up. Sometimes, Mr. Nichols is really so… improper.This also confirmed one thing—this guy was definitely the reserved-but-secretly-wild type, and his desire seemed very strong.How do you deal with a man like that? Simple—flirt with him, tease him, but never let him have his way! lol…The corners of Julissa’s mouth curled into a mischievous smile. She was starting to feel more like a seductive villainess.She cleared her throat and said, “That’s not what I meant. I just wanted you to hand me my clothes.”As soon as she finished speaking, Scott pushed open the door and entered, holding a set of her sleepwear.Julissa had already hidden herself beneath the water, only her delicate collarbones visible above the surface—one of her proudest features.She pointed to the chair beside her and, blushing, said, “Mr. Nichols, just leave them there.”But instead of placing the clothes down, Scott caught h
“That’s enough, Mr. Nichols,” she interrupted him. “I don’t need all those complicated settings.”“Alright, then. You go ahead and wash up. Call me if you need anything.”Julissa nodded silently. If something went wrong halfway through her bath, could she actually call him in?Some rather colorful images flashed through her mind—doing this and that in the bathroom…She quickly shook her head, feeling like she was beyond saving.Scott didn’t say anything more and turned to leave the bathroom.Suddenly, a thought struck Julissa, and she quickly called after him. “Mr. Nichols, my luggage is still downstairs!”“I’ll go get it now. You just take your bath.”“The main thing is… my change of clothes is in my suitcase…”Scott paused for a moment. “I’ll bring it up for you.”Julissa wanted to ask him, How do you even know what I’ll wear? But before she could, he had already left the bathroom. She decided not to overthink it and just let him handle it.Once the bathtub was filled, Julissa slipp