Julissa lowered her gaze to the hand holding hers, then looked up along the arm to Mr. Nichols’s face, her eyes silently questioning him: Mr. Nichols, are you sure about this?Wasn’t this basically making their relationship public?Scott didn’t look at her. He simply used his index finger to lightly scratch her palm—casual, teasing.Through the mirrored elevator walls, Julissa discreetly observed the reactions of the other people inside.Some stared at the ceiling, some looked at the floor, but all had faintly amused smiles. Clearly, they were internally gossiping about her and Mr. Nichols.The new female employee, however, pressed her lips tightly together, her face pale—clearly shaken.Tyler, on the other hand, looked at her with an expression of pure shock, even resentment.As if she were some vain, opportunistic woman who used her looks to climb the corporate ladder.Julissa sighed internally and lowered her gaze.She figured quite a few people would think that way.But still… she
After Scott hung up the phone, Julissa asked, “Did something happen?”She had heard him mention a hospital room number and noticed his grim expression. Her first thought was that a friend or family member had been hospitalized.“Yvette suddenly collapsed and is in the hospital. I’m going to check on her,” Scott said while putting on his suit jacket.Julissa quickly asked, “How is she now?”“They’ve already stabilized her. It shouldn’t be too serious.” He glanced at the time. “There’s still an hour left before you’re off work. Keep working for now. After you finish, head home first. I’ll go to the hospital, and if everything is fine, I’ll come to the apartment to see you.”Julissa initially wanted to ask if she should go with him, but hearing how he put it, she swallowed her words.After all, she wasn’t close to Yvette—they had only met a day ago.But Scott and Yvette were longtime friends. In this dynamic, Julissa was the outsider. If Mr. Nichols didn’t want her to be too involved, th
Julissa wanted to push the door open and ask these people—do they even have eyes? Where exactly did she look “not good enough”? She wanted to tell these foul-mouthed gossips that she never asked Mr. Nichols for an apartment—she was just staying there temporarily. She never asked Scott to buy her gifts. And more importantly, she had never even slept with him! Her hand was already on the doorknob, ready to push it open. But in the end, she let go. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to stay calm. “If you waste time arguing with these kinds of people, you’re only dragging yourself down to their level.” That was something Scott had told her before. For those who slander you, the best way to shut them up isn’t by arguing—it’s by proving them wrong through your own strength. After all, you can’t silence every rumor just by trying to stop them. Silently, she left the company. This wasn’t her usual way of handling things. But ever since she started being with Scott, she found h
Rewind to three hours earlier.It was 9 PM.After finishing her training, Anna left the dance studio and headed to the parking lot. Just as she was about to get into her car, a sudden cramp seized her calf muscles.She leaned against the car door, sucking in a sharp breath from the pain.A tall figure appeared in front of her.Anna looked up and was surprised to see him.“Young Master… why are you… here?”Because of the pain, Annabelle’s words came out in fragments.He didn’t answer her.Instead, he walked up to her, crouched down, and gently placed his hand on her left knee.“This leg?”Annabelle gritted her teeth and nodded. “Muscle… cramp… It’ll be fine… in a moment.”“Hold onto my shoulder and stand properly.”She hesitated, then placed her hand on the car door instead of his shoulder.He didn’t say anything about it. He simply held her ankle with one hand and pressed against her knee with the other, adjusting her leg the same way Kendrick had done before.Soon, the pain faded awa
Annabelle lowered her head, not responding to his words.She had been busy and exhausted lately, temporarily pushing thoughts of the Young Master out of her mind.But with just one sentence, he brought back memories of that day when they climbed the mountain together.His confession.Everything he had done for her.It all came crashing down like an invisible weight on her heart, suffocating her.Julissa always said she was carefree and rational, that she always knew what she wanted.But Julissa didn’t know—being rational and carefree didn’t mean she never felt sorrow.She knew she had chosen Kendrick.She had almost completely cut ties with the Young Master.But the guilt and remorse had never lessened.“…Young Master, I’m sorry.”Ryan let out a soft chuckle.“You don’t need to apologize. I was just one step too late.”That was how Kendrick found his opening.But it was fine.He believed—no, he was certain—that one day in the future, he and Anna would return to the home that truly bel
Kendrick stood in front of her car, his own vehicle parked not far ahead.From the coldness in his gaze, Annabelle knew—he had seen everything.Including the Young Master kissing her.Her mind buzzed. Instinctively, she wanted to lower her head, pretend she wasn’t there.But Kendrick had already seen her.And her car.There was nowhere to hide.The two men were still locked in a silent standoff.She didn’t know if they would start fighting.But she thought it was a real possibility.Taking a deep breath, she opened the car door and got out.No matter what, she couldn’t let the two of them come to blows.But what she feared didn’t happen.Just as she stepped out, a black Bentley pulled up beside the Young Master.Clearly, it had come to pick him up.The Young Master turned to look at her.His gaze lingered briefly on her lips before he curved them into a slight smirk.Then, he got into the car.Now, only she and Kendrick remained.Under the streetlamp, they stared at each other.His ex
After Kendrick finished speaking, he walked out of the dressing room.Watching his retreating figure, Annabelle felt a deep sense of grievance.Her nose tingled with the threat of tears.Why wouldn’t he just listen to her explanation?She hadn’t gone on a secret date with another man.What happened in the car wasn’t what he thought…It was the Young Master who suddenly kissed her.How could she have predicted that? And she had pushed him away immediately!Dazed, she followed Kendrick toward the bathroom.The door opened.Then— Bang!It shut.Annabelle’s heart trembled.She stopped in her tracks.She wanted to rush in.But the closed door in front of her was a clear sign of Kendrick’s attitude.He didn’t want to talk to her.At least not right now.Maybe after he finished showering, he’d cool down a little—then she could explain.Annabelle returned to her suite and took a quick shower.Her mind was still preoccupied with Kendrick, so she didn’t linger.After drying off, she slipped int
Annabelle blinked.Even on the first day they met, Kendrick had never been this restrained or polite.This rare display of self-control left her momentarily at a loss for how to respond.She hesitated for a second before murmuring, “No…”Kendrick lowered his head again.Annabelle felt completely shut out.Clearly, he had no intention of talking.Or perhaps—he didn’t even want to acknowledge her presence.Maybe after seeing another man kiss her, he now found her repulsive?Maybe he didn’t even want to waste another word on her?She could understand.If she saw Kendrick being kissed by another woman, she would be just as upset.She wouldn’t want to talk to him either.She might not even want him to touch her again.Annabelle pressed her lips together, turned silently, and walked toward the door.It seemed like the only option was to let him cool off on his own.She would explain when he was ready to listen.But just as she reached the doorway, a cold voice rang out behind her—“Stop.”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…”