She couldn’t see his expression, only his voice as he said, “Miss Ellie, I understand your feelings, and I appreciate that you like me. But first, Anna and I will never break up. Second, I have no feelings for you, nor do I believe I ever will.”Annabelle: “…”Kendrick, aren’t you being a bit too ruthless?Sure enough, Ellie’s eyes turned red. She said, “It’s unlikely, but still possible, right?”“No,” Kendrick replied calmly. “That was just my polite way of putting it. If you insist on me spelling it out so clearly.”Anna nearly choked.His bluntness made her feel good, but… wasn’t he being a little too cruel?Ellie said, “Even if you don’t like me now, that’s okay. Feelings can develop over time. I just wanted to tell you—I won’t interfere in your relationship, but life is long. If one day you and Ms. Sanchez don’t end up together, I hope you’ll at least look my way.”Anna pressed her lips together.Saying things like that—wasn’t it basically cursing them to break up? How pointless.
Kendrick’s words were filled with ambiguity. Annabelle didn’t even need to think to know exactly what kind of “crying” he was referring to…Seeing her face turn red, Kendrick chuckled and leaned away slightly. “Don’t overthink it. I’m not in any condition for that right now.”“...Who was overthinking?!”“The little puppy was.”For some reason, Annabelle could almost imagine two fluffy ears popping up on top of her head…A Private EscapeThat morning, the entire production crew left the island. Jaime left with them, but Jax stayed behind.Kendrick needed someone he trusted back in the company to keep him updated on everything and assist with remote work.Once everyone was gone, Annabelle and Kendrick left too.But they didn’t leave the Maldives. Instead, they boarded a seaplane to another island.As they neared their destination, Kendrick pointed down and said, “That’s where we’re going.”Annabelle looked down at the ocean.A crescent-shaped island lay quietly on the water’s surface, l
Kendrick’s kiss carried the fresh scent of the sea breeze and the warmth of the summer sun. His tongue traced her lips with tender precision, and when he finally pried them open, his dominance left her whole body weak.Annabelle felt like a scoop of ice cream melting in his arms—bit by bit, he consumed her.And he truly did consume her.She didn’t know when it happened, but at some point, she found herself lying flat on the bed.She didn’t know when, but at some point, her dress had slipped down to her ankles.And without any warning, Kendrick had taken her from head to toe.Her mind turned hazy, as if she were floating on the ocean, rising and falling with the waves he created.By the time she drifted back to shore, she opened her eyes slightly and found Kendrick lying beside her, watching her with a half-smile.He even considerately pulled a sheet over her. “Tired?”Annabelle’s face flushed.She hadn’t done anything, so naturally, she wasn’t exhausted.But the fact that she had no s
The call was from Jax.Kendrick swiped to answer."Did you find out?""Yes, Boss. Marvin should already know that Emilia is pregnant. Coming to the island might be her way of telling Madam, hoping to shake the relationship between you two," Jax reported.That was more or less what Kendrick had expected. "Anything else to report?""No, but..."Jax, usually straightforward, suddenly hesitated.Kendrick frowned. "Speak your mind.""Boss, it's not my place to comment on your private life. But if I may be blunt, Emilia and that child’s existence will hurt Madam. You shouldn’t do this."Kendrick raised an eyebrow. "Do what?""Wanting both."Kendrick rubbed his temples, feeling both annoyed and amused.No wonder Jax had been acting strangely toward him lately—he had mistaken him for a man who couldn't make up his mind.Turns out, even Jax didn’t truly understand him.And then there was that little bunny outside the door—without even realizing it, she had turned his private security consultan
Now that Kendrick’s wounds had healed, he was, of course, able to engage in certain activities again.But for some reason—maybe because he had been abstinent for days, or maybe for another reason—Annabelle felt that this time, he was way too aggressive and domineering.It was like a raging storm, almost too much for her to bear.Afterward, he didn’t say much—just pressed a kiss to her cheek before getting up to make a call.She overheard him talking to Jax, saying, “Yes, book an earlier flight for tomorrow…”That night, Annabelle finished packing, preparing to return home first thing in the morning.Yet, an odd atmosphere hung between her and Kendrick.They weren’t exactly giving each other the cold shoulder, nor were they having a fight.Fights always had a reason, and since they hadn’t argued, there was no war between them.Besides, it wasn’t like they weren’t speaking at all. Kendrick had even helped her pack her suitcase. During dinner, when she mentioned a dish was particularly t
Annabelle hesitated.It was rare for her to take the initiative—she had overcome a massive mental barrier to do so. But now, Kendrick was staring at her so fiercely, as if he was about to reject her outright. She didn’t want to embarrass herself like that.Yet, backing down so easily felt insincere.Fine, one more try.If he still acted like this, she swore she wouldn’t bother with him again.Lifting herself slightly, she moved forward until she was practically lying on his chest. Then, she pressed her lips against his.She had been kissed by him so many times before—she had already learned by heart.Just like he did to her, she kissed him carefully, savoring every movement. Finally, she hesitantly licked at his lips, testing if he would let her in.Kendrick didn’t.His lips stayed firmly shut, completely unresponsive.At first, Annabelle had been ready to give up. But his lack of cooperation suddenly ignited something inside her—her desire to conquer him.Now, she understood why in t
The two of them spent the first half of the night at the dock, but when the rain started in the second half, they returned indoors. All in all, it was a restless night.In the morning, Kendrick went to take a shower while Annabelle lay on the bed, resting.She regretted her actions deeply, swearing to herself that she would never tease Kendrick again. The price was too high, and the consequences were unbearable.Although her body was exhausted and she was incredibly sleepy, she forced herself to stay awake since they were supposed to leave the island soon.Just as Kendrick came out of the shower, he received a phone call. Annabelle watched as his expression shifted from gloomy to cheerful.Was something good happening?Wrapped in a white sheet, she sat up and waited for him to finish the call. Then she asked, “Why are you in such a good mood?”“The airport's experiencing heavy rain, and the flights are canceled.”Annabelle flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.No wonder h
Kendrick felt a pang of jealousy. In her eyes, Ryan really seemed perfect.She even remembered the tiny mole on his left earlobe, as small as a grain of rice. Her attention to detail was almost too much.Despite his sour mood, Kendrick didn't barge into the room. After all, she hadn’t done anything wrong.He just couldn’t shake the regret — when she needed someone the most, it was Ryan by her side, not him.After dinner, Annabelle was relaxing on the bench outside when her phone suddenly rang. The number was unfamiliar, but it was from China.She picked up the call.A familiar voice came through. “Anna, it’s me.”“Young Master?”Hearing that long-missed voice, a wave of joy washed over her.She glanced at Kendrick, who was working in the living room. Not wanting him to overhear the conversation through the open window, she decided to walk further away.The Young Master explained that the restaurant owner had informed him she couldn’t make it, so he called to check in on her.Without h
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…”