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
Julissa smiled helplessly, thanked him again, and politely picked up the small spoon.She couldn't help but think—even a coworker who barely talks to me is being this considerate and comforting, but my own boyfriend, Scott, hasn’t even acknowledged me since scolding me...Not a single word of comfort after that harsh reprimand. So cold, so heartless. Just thinking about it made her even angrier.She took one bite after another, quietly digesting both her cake and her grievances.But she had to admit—eating something sweet did make her feel a little better.That was why she had always loved desserts.While Julissa was being comforted by a kind male colleague, the culprit himself—Mr. Nichols—sat in his office, completely oblivious.It was only when he needed her for a task that he realized she wasn’t at her desk. Where did she go?Scott called Jerry into his office, assigned him the task originally meant for Julissa, and then casually asked, “Where is Julissa?”Jerry replied honestly, “
Tyler froze, his face turning red as if he found it difficult to say out loud.“It’s just… people are saying that you got this job by using your looks… that you and Mr. Nichols…”Julissa blinked. “So, you’re saying everyone thinks I’m really beautiful?”Tyler, a true science and engineering nerd, was clearly unprepared for this turn in the conversation.Scratching his head, he muttered, “You… you are very pretty…”Hearing that, Julissa happily took another bite of her cake.Tyler added earnestly, “Don’t worry, no matter what others say, I believe in you!”Julissa let out an awkward laugh. “Uh… thanks.”Well, this is awkward. She and Scott did have something going on, but she couldn’t exactly admit that—especially since Scott hadn’t made any move to make it public.The conversation was getting uncomfortable. She didn’t even feel like finishing her cake anymore and was about to excuse herself when her phone rang.A quick glance—it was the CEO’s office calling. She picked up immediately.
Scott pressed his tongue lightly against his teeth, his expression amused as he got up and walked toward Julissa.Sensing the change, she immediately stood up as well. Though she was a whole head shorter, she tried her best to maintain her aura of confidence, refusing to back down.“Miss Hickman, is this how you speak to your superior?”Julissa glared at him. “You may be my boss, but you’re also my boyfriend. Yet all you do is scold me. Scold, scold, scold.”“And why do I scold you?”“Because I made a mistake at work, and now you just can’t stand me and want to pick on me.” She puffed up like an angry little pufferfish.Scott chuckled and lifted her chin with his fingers. “Do I seem like someone who has nothing better to do?”“Who knows!” She huffed and swatted his hand away, turning her face away in a display of defiance.Since there was no one else around, she didn’t need to worry about preserving his CEO dignity. If she was unhappy, she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.“You know
Julissa’s mind went blank for a moment, unable to recover from the shock. All her emotions were being led by him, making it impossible to think clearly.When Scott’s kisses trailed down to her neck, Julissa gasped for air, finally regaining some oxygen. Her mind cleared up a little.What was this? During the day, he was the cold and fierce CEO, making her tremble in fear. Now, he had switched back to being her boyfriend, leaving her equally flustered.She pushed Scott away weakly and muttered, “One moment you’re a cold-blooded CEO, the next you’re a possessive boyfriend. Aren’t you afraid of developing a split personality, Mr. Nichols…?”The word "cold-blooded" made Scott sigh. “When have I ever made things difficult for you?”“You made me do all those reports!”“Did I really make you do them?”Wasn’t it just because another man invited her for coffee that he found an excuse to call her back?Hearing this, Julissa froze for a second.In reality, she had only glanced at a few pages bef
Julissa thought to herself: living in a big house, catching a ride to and from work with the CEO—how could that not be great?But if her parents found out…She shuddered.“No way! If my parents knew we were living together, my dad would break my legs.”“He wouldn’t bear to.”“He totally would! He’s serious!”Thinking back to her childhood, when her dad would tap her with a small stick whenever she misbehaved, Julissa still trembled.Even though she was a girl, her parents had never gone easy on her when it came to discipline.Scott was silent for a moment before saying, “Then move into my apartment. It’s not far from here, and the subway commute to work is very convenient for you.”Julissa considered it seriously.She was only staying at her parents' house as a temporary measure until she found a suitable place to rent. She had no intention of living under their watchful eyes forever.If Scott had an apartment near the office, it would be perfect—away from her parents' nagging, plus s
Julissa stole a glance at Scott.He looked perfectly composed, serious as ever.Sensing her gaze, he lowered his head and whispered into her ear, his voice gentle, “Don’t be afraid. I’ll give you time to think. I won’t force you until you completely trust me.”Warmth spread through Julissa’s heart. But the moment his deep, magnetic voice reached her ears, her entire body felt weak.She seriously suspected that while he claimed to wait for her consent, he was subtly seducing her at the same time.—At the apartment door, Scott scanned his fingerprint to unlock it.“I’ll add your fingerprint later. Come in first.”“Oh.”Julissa stepped inside as Scott placed her luggage down and took her hand, leading her on a tour.He called it a "small apartment," but in reality, it was a spacious three-bedroom unit.One of the rooms was a gym—so big that she could easily use it as her dance studio.Such a nice place sitting empty? Compared to her own miserable situation of being kicked out by her lan
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…”