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
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…
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 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
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 mumbled under her breath and gave Scott a pitiful look, hoping for just a little sympathy from her CEO boyfriend.Scott stepped closer, frowning. “I never said I’d dock your pay. Why do you look like I bullied you?”His tone was still cold, and his expression wasn’t great, but his gaze had softened.Julissa knew it—the big boss wasn’t really mad.Her mood instantly brightened. She flashed a playful smile, wrapped her arms around his, and shook it gently. “Then thank you for your mercy, Mr. Nichols!”Scott couldn’t help but smile. He leaned in and murmured, “Once we get to the office, don’t act this spoiled.”There was a teasing threat in his voice, laced with a deeper, more dangerous intent.Julissa blinked at him, fearless. “Or what?”Scott narrowed his eyes slightly and whispered in her ear, “Then I’ll finish what we didn’t last night… in the office. I’d love to see Miss Hickman take responsibility for that.”Julissa’s brain short-circuited. This man… in broad daylight… just
The roundtable conference room was filled with employees.When Scott’s sharp question rang out, Julissa froze, caught off guard and a little nervous.“Y-yes… I did it…”“So, Miss Hickman, are you planning to cover the extra one million yourself?”Julissa quickly glanced at the projection screen. Holy crap, she really messed up. She had accidentally added an extra zero—120,000 had turned into 1.2 million. The difference was over a million!She snuck a guilty glance at her CEO boyfriend. “I’m sorry, Mr. Nichols. I added an extra zero by mistake…”“I don’t want to see such a basic mistake happen again. If it does, you won’t need to do this job anymore.”Julissa blinked. Why is he being so fierce…It reminded her of the terrifying math teacher she used to have in middle school.She glanced around the conference room. The other employees were looking at her with sympathy.Scott was known to be a strict boss—he was hard on himself, so he naturally held high expectations for his subordinates
Scott raised an eyebrow and glanced at her before picking up the document for a quick review."Alright, I'll take a closer look later."He checked his watch. "It's lunchtime. Bring my meal to the office—I won't be going to the cafeteria.""Yes, Mr. Nichols. What would you like to eat?" Julissa responded with a professional smile."I thought Miss Hickman knew my preferences." Scott gave her a deep look.But Julissa remained serious. "Understood, Mr. Nichols. I'll prepare it now."With that, she turned and left the CEO’s office.Ten minutes later, she returned with the meal, including the one Yvette had prepared for him.Scott was on a call at the time. She placed the food down, and he gave her a nod.Without saying anything, Julissa turned and left.Once he finished his call, Scott looked at the meal on the coffee table and let out a helpless chuckle.He picked up his desk phone and dialed Julissa’s number.She answered quickly. "Mr. Nichols, is there something else?""So now you're no
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…”