Cedric once believed marrying Sophie was an act of vengeance. However, when she vanished into the sea, he realized he desired her as his lifelong partner.Surrounded once more by his familiar scent, which intoxicated her like a potent aphrodisiac, Sophie bit her lip and summoned all her strength to push Cedric away. She needed to catch her breath.With shaky legs, she stopped at the door and said, "Cedric, if only everything could be undone with a rewind button…"'If only we could return to the beginning. I wouldn't have been so proud, he wouldn't have been so domineering, and there would be no Vivienne, no Tristan, no subsequent heart-wrenching pain. I would still be Mrs. Carlson, fervently yearning for happiness.'But that possibility had ceased to exist since that day over five years ago.Cedric suddenly grabbed her hand, thwarting her attempt to open the door. His urgent, cold breath left no room for escape. "No need for a rewind button, Soph. Let’s start anew from here and bu
Mrs. Carrie was puzzled when Cherry abruptly ended the call. "What's wrong, Cherry?" Still reeling from shock, Cherry gazed blankly at Mrs. Carrie for a while before mumbling, "Mrs. Carrie, who is my daddy?""Naturally, your daddy is Mr. Carlson."There had been wild rumors before, but Mrs. Carrie was certain Cherry was indeed Cedric and Sophie's child."Why him? Really him? Why him?!" Cherry babbled non-stop, her mind reeling from the revelation of Sophie spending the whole night with Cedric. Being young did not mean she was unaware of what could transpire over such a long night."What are you trying to say?" Mrs. Carrie was concerned by her unusual behavior."I need to talk to Godmother Jeanna," Cherry declared, dialing Jeanna’s number.Jeanna’s affectionate voice came through the phone. "Sweet Cherry, missing your godmother so early in the morning? How about I buy you a cherry cake tonight?""Godmother, my mommy... She seems to have lost her phone. If you see her, please te
After leaving Cedric's place, Sophie had intended to return home to change clothes. However, she worried about encountering Cherry, who had not yet gone to school, and didn't want to cause her any worry. Thus, she headed to the office instead, remembering that Linda had prepared a spare outfit for her there.As she hurried toward the elevator, she was stopped by the gasps and whispers of her female colleagues."Oh my God, that's really Mr. Carlson.""Did Ms. Luxford arrive together with Mr. Carlson?""Silly girl, Mr. Carlson's company is right next to ours. They commute together! How romantic is that?"Hearing "Mr. Carlson" mentioned repeatedly made Sophie tense up, her heart racing."Soph, you left your phone under the bed." Cedric’s low, seductive voice echoed from behind her, startling her and causing the gossiping employees to lose their collective cool.'The phone was under the bed? Doesn't that imply she spent the night with Mr. Carlson?'Sophie's face reddened instantly.
"Sean, what have you done this time?" Jeanna asked, her tone sharp and suspicious.Sean cautiously stepped back to keep a safe distance and replied with a wry smile, "I... I just helped to pair up a prideful duo of the animal kingdom.""You jerk!" Jeanna was upset that her suspicions were confirmed.Cedric was a fire pit, and she would have accepted it if Sophie had willingly jumped in. But Sean had gone behind her back to give her a push!Seeing Jeanna holding back her anger, Sean grinned cheekily and leaned in again. "Jean, it wasn’t blind matchmaking. Sophie still has feelings for Cedric. The past is the past. Why not give them a chance to start over?"Happiness isn't guaranteed, but they might find it this time. Love doesn’t always bring happiness, but without love, there’s no happiness. Can you bear to see Sophie missing out on happiness forever?"He began playfully, but his tone grew serious, "True friends seize every opportunity to bring happiness to those they care about.
The two men emerged from the Luxford Group building, their expressions radiating satisfaction.Sean nudged Cedric with his elbow. "So, about last night, I played a crucial role, didn't I? How much are you planning to spend at my bar?"Without Sean's clever intervention, Cedric doubted that he and Sophie would have reconciled, even after several more months.Cedric halted in his tracks and turned, his expression proud. His tone turned chilly. "I warn you, if you ever get her drunk again, you can forget about running the Crimson Bar."He couldn't risk her getting intoxicated and mistakenly wandering into the men's restroom again, witnessing things she shouldn't."Oh, come on. You can't deny you enjoyed last night. I don’t care, you’re responsible for my bar's revenue this year.""Return to your Crimson Bar and preserve your virtue," Cedric retorted, smiling disdainfully."Please, don’t pretend like you didn’t spend half the night doing... you know what and then smiling about it."
Cedric leaned casually against his car, his presence more magnetic than ever, starkly contrasting the man who once captivated countless admirers. His experiences over the years had lent him a deeper, more intriguing aura.Cedric was intently watching the building's exit, his patience resembling that of a predator in wait.As time passed, the crowd of employees thinned out, and Cedric glanced at his watch, estimating how much longer Sophie could resist.When Sophie finally appeared, he smiled faintly, betraying his anticipation.Sophie moved briskly toward the lot, bypassing Cedric, but he swiftly blocked her path."Let me drive you home.""There's no need, I have my own car," she said coolly, trying to sidestep him but stopping abruptly. Confused, she turned to him. "Where is my car?""One of your employees accidentally hit your car while reversing. I've sent it to the repair shop for repairs," Cedric explained nonchalantly.'My employee hit my car? And they didn't even have th
As the modest car swiftly passed Cedric, a shadow of anger crossed his face, tightly contained.Inside the car, the young driver stole glances at Sophie in the backseat, hesitant to initiate conversation."Mrs. Carlson, it seems like Mr. Carlson is following us," he finally said, breaking the silence.Looking back, Sophie saw Cedric's Bentley close behind. Worse, he even waved at her. Irritated, she urged the driver, "Excuse me, could you please go a little faster?""Sure."-Arriving at her apartment minutes later, Sophie quickly got out and thanked the driver.The driver peeked out with a smile and asked, "Mrs. Carlson, could you give me a good review for your ride?""Sure thing." Sophie nodded. Jeanna had introduced this ride-hailing app. It was said to be popular in Carlosia now. She did not think she would need it, but it came in handy today.The driver was thrilled to have served the city’s richest woman and drove away elated.Soon, Cedric’s car pulled up. He stepped
Cherry hesitated but stepped to the side with a slight motion, using her petite frame to subtly shield herself from Cedric while playfully chiding, "Mommy, the teacher said not to bring strangers home. You're being naughty."Cedric arched an eyebrow, amused and slightly taken aback by her words. 'A stranger, am I?'Mrs. Carrie chuckled to herself and resumed cooking, sensing Cherry's playful challenge to Cedric.Sophie felt awkward and unsure how to explain Cedric’s presence without admitting he had invited himself. Her gaze landed on the half-eaten cherry cake on the coffee table. She tapped Cherry lightly on the forehead before turning to Mrs. Carrie in the kitchen. "Mrs. Carrie, did Cherry trick you into buying her cake again?"Turning off the faucet, Mrs. Carrie asked in surprise, "Isn’t this cake the one you ordered for delivery?""Me?" Sophie was bewildered, her mind elsewhere today."Not Mommy? Then perhaps Godmother Jean bought it? We should ask her where she got it; it’s