"Kendrick? Why aren’t you saying anything? What happened to Uncle Trey?""He’s fine. Out of danger now."Kendrick’s voice was hoarse. He wished he could leap through the phone signal, grab her by her little rabbit ears, and drag her straight back home."That’s good… that’s really good…"She sounded relieved.Just then, Kendrick heard a man’s voice from the other end."Anna, I need the phone. Are you done?"Kendrick nearly cursed out loud. Whatever trick Ryan had used to keep his wife there, it wasn’t enough — now he even controlled when she could make a simple phone call?"Kendrick, I have to go. The Young Master needs to use the phone.""Wait," Kendrick’s voice was cold. "Why can’t you come back to get treated? Do you think I can’t afford a doctor?"Anna explained, "It’s my face that’s injured. You know, after the burns, even though it healed without scarring under the Young Master’s treatment, my skin is much more fragile now. I just think he knows my skin condition better, and he h
The Young Master handed Anna a piece of paper and a pen. "Write down the prescription for the medicine. After Seraphina prepares it, I'll have her send it to Julissa at the hospital."Annabelle nodded, her emotions complicated as she wrote down the prescription and handed it to the Young Master."Rest for a while," Ryan said. "I'll give the prescription to Seraphina, and then I'll come back to change your dressing."Annabelle absentmindedly nodded, "Alright."Ryan walked out, his face darkening, his grip tightening around his phone as though he could crush the screen.Seraphina walked up from the first floor, noticing his mood and calling out to him in concern."Young Master..."Ryan waved her off. "Let's talk downstairs."Seraphina didn't say anything more and quickly followed him downstairs.They arrived at the living room on the first floor, where Ryan handed the prescription to Seraphina."Prepare it as soon as possible according to Anna’s instructions and send it to Julissa at th
Seraphina didn’t know whether she should feel heartbroken or touched.It meant that the Young Master had special feelings for her, but not love.It also meant that she would never truly win his heart.She was like Dereon, a trusted confidante to the Young Master. But in his eyes, perhaps she wasn’t even seen as a woman...At the moment when her tears were about to fall, Ryan kissed her eyes.Seraphina instinctively closed her eyes. His lips were slightly cold, and a bit soft, but the kiss was too light, too shallow. It didn’t last long enough to truly experience. It only brushed her eyelids before quickly pulling away.Leaving behind a great sense of loss.“Don’t make things difficult for Anna. Don’t force her to leave. Don’t hurt her. Let her stay as long as she wants. Okay?”Seraphina forced a faint smile. It was then that she realized that everything the Young Master had said and done earlier was only because he wanted her to be kind to Ms. Sanchez, not to hurt the woman he loved..
Seraphina smiled and nodded at her, "Yes, the Young Master you're thinking of.""You said Anna is with the Young Master, what does that mean?" Julissa asked again.The day before, Kendrick had come to see her and said that Anna couldn't visit her recently because she was a bit busy. Julissa noticed that Kendrick didn’t look too good, but didn’t think too much of it at the time.Now, after hearing Seraphina’s words, she seemed to understand a little.Kendrick must be anxious since Anna was now with another man... and not just any man, but her number one rival.Seraphina then said, “This, it’s better for Anna to tell you herself.”Julissa thought to herself that Seraphina was tight-lipped, not revealing anything. Well, she trusted that Anna knew what she was doing and wouldn’t jump to conclusions.“Please thank Anna for me, and thank you for coming all the way here.”Seraphina smiled at her. “No need to thank me. I wish you a speedy recovery. I’ll leave now.”She smiled and nodded at Sc
Scott lowered his head and looked at her, seeing right through her little thoughts.She wasn’t really feeling unwell; she was just overwhelmed by the difficulty ahead. It was understandable—she had just gotten injured and now had to use her brain to study. Of course, she wouldn’t be in the mood.But he didn’t know what else to do with her. He was only keeping her company while she studied to keep her entertained, not to turn her into a straight-A student.He grabbed Julissa’s small hand, which was resting on his arm, and held it in his own, gently squeezing it. It was soft, warm, and felt nice to the touch.However, Julissa’s palms began to sweat as she looked at Mr. Nichols nervously. Why did she feel a dangerous aura all of a sudden?“What are you thinking about?”Scott leaned in slightly and whispered beside her ear.“I want to kiss you.”His voice was low and seductive, making Julissa’s heart rate skyrocket to 120 in an instant. Her head buzzed, and she instinctively shrank her ne
This was their second kiss since getting together.Scott was gentle, but Julissa had little experience in this area. She quickly found herself short of breath, instinctively parting her lips as if fighting him for oxygen.This unintentional response, however, was taken by Scott as a sign of affection, stirring something deep inside him.He had been holding back these past few days.Julissa didn’t remember that they had already been intimate once, nor could she recall the details of that night.But Scott did. And he remembered it vividly.Now that they were officially a couple, his thoughts about that night had only grown stronger.It was like finally being given permission, only to be denied the reward—this frustration was something only he understood.He didn’t want to seem like a man who only thought with his lower half, so when he couldn’t be physically close to her, he exercised extreme restraint.After all, Julissa was still in the hospital, recovering from serious injuries. If h
Previously, Julissa had never formally introduced Scott to her parents. Every time they visited, she would find an excuse to send him away.Besides, Scott was busy during the day, with too much company business to handle. Most of the time, he only visited at night.Her parents had only met him once before, and at that time, Julissa had brushed it off, saying he was just a colleague.Well, that cover story wasn’t going to work anymore.Her parents had caught them kissing. There was no way she could still claim they were just coworkers—that would just be shameless.Julissa decided to come clean.“Dad, Mom, let me formally introduce you. This is my… boyfriend, Scott.”The word boyfriend still felt unfamiliar coming out of her mouth. She didn’t dare to look at her parents’ expressions, for some reason feeling like she had committed a crime just by being in a relationship.“Yeah, we figured,” her father said, clearly displeased that she had kept this from them.Then, he turned to Scott, hi
The husband and wife exchanged glances, instantly understanding each other's concerns.As for whether the young man's words were true or not, they would need to privately question their daughter—or better yet, do some investigating themselves.Scott sensed their unease and guessed they wanted to have a talk with Julissa. Understanding the situation, he tactfully stood up, saying he had work to attend to and would return later in the evening.Before leaving, he glanced at Julissa. "Get some rest. I'll be back later."Julissa waved at him absentmindedly, feeling a wave of relief now that the "meeting" was over. At least nothing too disastrous had happened.As soon as Scott stepped out of the hospital room, he let out a deep breath. His back was already damp with sweat.That was more nerve-wracking than a business negotiation...But he could tell that Julissa’s parents were honest, down-to-earth people who deeply loved their daughter. Growing up in such a warm and caring family, it was n
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…”