"Boss, you've been pretty good to your sister-in-law lately." Jepan said, driving the car, speaking to Bruno in the back seat.Bruno cast a glance at the bag beside him, lifting a thick eyebrow, "You're sticking your nose in too much.""Boss, I'm just concerned about you. And, of course, your sister-in-law." Jepan said with a grin."You seem to know too much." Bruno said indifferently, aware that even though Jepan was not often at the company, he was still attentive to these matters.Jepan chuckled, "Of course, I'm always interested in your affairs. And from my experience with countless women, your sister-in-law is far better than your lover.""Did Adeline upset you?" Bruno said with a smile. He knew that Jepan and Adeline didn't get along. One was his best friend, and the other was his lover, yet their relationship was strained."Boss, you know I don't squabble with women." Jepan said, pulling the car to a halt in front of a restaurant."A fondness for beautiful women can never go wr
Lizzie observed as Bruno hardly touched his food. "Can't you get used to it? Do you want me to prepare something else for you?" She had steeled herself to merely reheat the cold dishes, but upon seeing Bruno barely moving his chopsticks, her heart softened."No need," Bruno put down his chopsticks. "Finish your meal and clean up. Rest early." With that, he stood and left the dining room.Lizzie watched his retreating figure, then looked at the seat he had occupied. He had only eaten a bite or two of the rice. "How strange," she mused, "He was the one who wanted a midnight snack, but he hardly ate."When Lizzie finished cleaning up and returned to the bedroom, she saw Bruno already lying on the bed. She couldn't understand why he had started to share the large bed with her. Before, he used to spend every night in his study."Are you daydreaming? Do you want me to carry you to bed?" Bruno saw Lizzie standing there, lost in thought."No, no need," Lizzie quickly walked to the bed, took o
Lizzie glanced at him. He was visiting the orphanage only because of his business commitments, right? But why did he bring her along?Bruno turned to her, his gaze softening as he followed her attention to the children not far ahead."Go on. Don't stray too far. I'll come find you later," Bruno said, turning away to another building after speaking.As Lizzie approached, the children's eyes widened in curiosity.Among them, a little girl with two braids ran up to Lizzie. "Miss, you're so pretty! My name is Fu Xiaoxue. Like Brother Bruno, you can call me Xue. Miss, can you play with us?"Lizzie replied with a sweet smile, "Of course." Taking the little girl's hand, she headed towards the children."Miss, are you here with Brother Bruno?" The little girl asked as they walked."Yes," Lizzie nodded, "Does he come here often?"The little girl paused and looked up at Lizzie, nodding vigorously, "Mhm. But he usually comes with Sister Ye.""Oh." Sister Ye in Xiaoxue's words must be Adeline."B
Bruno fell into silence, his heart, did he truly comprehend?"Bruno, it's rare for you to bring her along today. Accompany her. Even if you two can’t be together forever, at least now, she’s still your wife." Xu Wan spoke to Bruno.She still remembered months ago when Bruno came to her, his face etched with distress, talking about not wanting to marry the heiress of the Jiang family. But she knew he had changed his mind later for revenge, to retaliate against Yelun’s ruthless abandonment of his mother years ago, leading to her eventual death due to illness. She didn't agree with his methods, yet she couldn’t stop him.Now, after meeting Lizzie only once, she could sense that she was a good girl, devoid of the usual arrogance and willfulness of a rich girl. Perhaps, she was the one meant for Bruno.But Bruno refused, "That won't be necessary. She would be more comfortable without me."Xu Wan didn't press further, she just watched as Bruno stood there.Lizzie walked around the rooms, th
Bruno shot her an intense glare. "Such a hassle," he muttered under his breath. He then scooped her up around the waist and headed towards the car parked not too far away."Hey! How am I a hassle? I didn’t ask you to carry me," protested Lizzie as she fidgeted in Bruno's arms."Do you think you can walk?" Bruno halted abruptly, locking his gaze on Lizzie."I...," Lizzie bit her lip, unable to deny that she was currently incapable of walking. The pain from her ankle was making her eyebrows furrow.Bruno softened his gaze and hesitated for a moment before continuing to carry her towards the car, carefully placing her in the passenger seat.Rubbing her ankle, Lizzie found that she was unable to alleviate the throbbing pain.But Bruno suddenly grasped her hand, asking, "Does it hurt a lot?""Uh, it's okay," Lizzie tried to retract her hand, but Bruno’s grip tightened around hers."You are so careless, not even looking where you’re going. Even if it hurts to death, it’s your own fault," Br
Jacob was sipping his coffee when he finally looked up at Lizzie, "Lizzie, I'm here to thank you."Lizzie, slightly shocked, raised her gaze from the fruit juice before her to meet his eyes, "Thank me?"Jacob replied, "Thanks to you, I managed to secure the new contract from the Lin family. I've been too busy recently and didn't have the chance to see you. Today, I've specially made time to meet you." Had he not been tied up with work, Jacob would have visited Lizzie sooner, trying to figure out if Bruno would target her after losing the multi-million dollar project.Lizzie rewarded him with a small smile, "Jacob, there's no need to thank me. I don't really understand business matters."Moreover, it was Bruno who had shown leniency."No, it has nothing to do with business." Jacob insisted, "It's because of you."Lizzie remained silent, looking down onto the table, unable to meet Jacob's intense gaze."Lizzie, would you like to join me for lunch?" Jacob's wishes and hopes were small, j
"Bruno, you're awfully sweet to my wife, aren't you?" Jacob said, looking tranquil as ever, revealing no trace of emotion on his handsome face.Lizzie approached Bruno, "Can we talk privately?" She whispered to him.Bruno neither nodded nor shook his head; he was waiting, waiting to see what Lizzie would do next.Lizzie picked up her purse from the chair and took Bruno's hand, leading him out of the dining area."Lizzie," "Bruno," Jacob and Adeline both spoke at the same time. However, without looking back, Bruno and Lizzie left the restaurant.Adeline turned to look at Jacob, "Jacob, it seems that you're the only one enjoying today's lunch."Her mockery made her seem ridiculous. After all, she was also alone.Jacob settled back in his seat, staring at Lizzie's untouched lunch, and let out a long, deep sigh.Was it now too much to ask for a simple lunch with Lizzie?"Jacob, are you disappointed?" Adeline asked as she took a seat across from him."I don't understand what you mean, Adel
"What, what is it?" Bruno's words finally caused Lizzie to cease her meaningless struggle, her gaze met his.Bruno's lips parted slightly, "Fall in love with me."Lizzie stared at him blankly. What did his words mean? Why did she feel like she was hallucinating?"That shouldn't be hard," Bruno noticed her astonishment, which was within his expectations. However, he didn't understand why he would make such a request to Lizzie.Did he want to possess this woman in his arms entirely?"No," Lizzie shook her head.She couldn't. How could she fall in love with him? She absolutely mustn't. That would be destined to hurt.Bruno's hand caressed her face, "you're afraid." Her retreating and fear made Bruno want her even more.Lizzie broke free from his hold and practically ran out of the restaurant. It wasn't until she had fled the restaurant that she realized she had left her handbag behind.What was she afraid of? Was she afraid that she would lose her heart? Could her once broken heart give
On a sunny weekend, a month later, Bruno drove with Lizzie to the orphanage.Although it was already afternoon, the orphanage was still bustling with activity. Bruno walked hand in hand with Lizzie through the sprawling garden, watching the children running around on the grass, unaffected by the heat. Among them was Adeline.Her once long hair had been cut into a stylish short style, making her look refreshed.There was a pure and genuine smile on her face, devoid of any traces of pain. She had forgotten the past, forgotten the pain she had endured. She was genuinely happy.Xu Wan approached them. "Adeline has been doing well during this time."She stood beside Bruno and Lizzie, reminiscing about Adeline's past. "Adeline used to have a strong sense of inferiority because she felt abandoned by her parents. She always wore a mask of strength and tried to distance herself from this place. But who would have thought that after all these years, she would come back completely transformed."
Bruno gave a nod, "Alright, I understand. I'll accompany Lizzie.""But, boss, what about Adeline?" Lycan spoke up, noticing that Bruno hadn't mentioned Adeline at all."How is she?" Bruno asked flatly. Even though Adeline had taken a bullet for him, his attitude toward her hadn't changed."The details are still unclear. She's currently in surgery," Lycan reported, "What if the situation isn't promising?" Given Adeline's critical condition upon being taken to the hospital, it was uncertain if she'd survive."We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Keep a watch on her and keep me updated. Lizzie was deeply shaken by this. I need to be with her." Having said that, Bruno retreated into the patient room.Watching the closed door, Jepan murmured, "Lycan, did you notice? The boss doesn't really care about Adeline, even if she took a bullet for him. He didn't even blink.""I know. In his heart, there is only room for Lizzie. She must be scared after what happened. And if the bullet had hi
Lizzie struggled with all her might, but her white blouse was ripped apart, buttons scattering across the floor.Charles stared at her exposed, smooth skin, his eyes locked onto her."Bruno certainly has a good eye," Charles remarked, tut-tutting softly.Lizzie pursed her lips in anger. The way Charles was looking at her felt like an insult."It's just the two of us here. Don't be shy." Charles pulled her close into his arms, planting a kiss on her cheek. The light contact made her feel nauseous from the bottom of her heart.Just as Charles was about to rip off the remainder of her blouse, a loud commotion erupted outside.Before they could react, the wooden door was kicked down. Bruno, dressed in a black suit, stood at the entrance."Bruno," Lizzie cried out in relief. Her heart, held tight with worry, finally eased. She tried to move towards him, but Charles held her back.Charles was taken aback by Bruno's appearance. "Bruno?""So you recognize me, and yet you dare touch my woman."
Lizzie was tied up, unable to move. Even if she wanted to escape from the high-rise building, she was trapped.Footsteps echoed from outside. The sound of shoes on concrete indicated there were a lot of people approaching. Lizzie shrunk into a corner as the door was thrust open, and to her surprise, Charles was the first to enter."You," Lizzie looked up at him."Miss Lizzie, hello. We meet again." Charles approached her, looking down from his superior height."What do you want?" Lizzie was taken aback; she never expected it would be him.Charles crouched down to her level. "Of course, I've been thinking about you." He caressed her face gently, "I've missed this soft cheek of yours."He was ready to risk it all for her. Bruno had canceled their partnership because of her. Charles wouldn't be lenient either.Lizzie turned her face away, "Don't touch me. Take your dirty hands off me." Was this man really intending to possess her? Just because of that one meeting at the nightclub?"Miss
Just as Lizzie had risen and was attempting to guide Yelun back to the villa, two men suddenly appeared beside her. They forcefully shoved Yelun's wheelchair away from her grasp. "You guys..." Lizzie advanced to grab the wheelchair, but was held back by one man gripping her arm, preventing her from moving forward.Helplessly, Lizzie watched as Yelun's wheelchair rolled a considerable distance before tipping over, taking him with it.She tried to scream for help, only to realize the park was eerily devoid of people."Who are you and what do you want? Let me go!" Lizzie struggled in vain against their firm grip."Dad!" She yelled, but was swiftly restrained by the two men and forced into a vehicle.With the engine roaring to life, Lizzie watched as the park faded into the distance. She frantically pounded on the car window shouting, "Let me out, let me out!"The car sped further away, and Lizzie swivelled around to look at her captors. She reached for her mobile phone, only to realize i
Bruno rose from his seat and walked over to her. "How did you get here? Did you drive yourself?" he asked. "Yes," Lizzie nodded. "Don't worry, I drove carefully." She was aware that her driving skills were not the best, so she seldom drove on her own. "Next time, let me know if you want to go out. I'll come pick you up," Bruno said, gripping her hand tightly. Lizzie nestled into his arms with a smile. "Understood. You must be hungry. Let's eat before the food gets cold. I made this meal myself." She led him to the couch, opened the lunchbox she had brought, and prepared to serve the food. "Nothing beats having a wife who knows how to take care of me and cook such delicious meals," Bruno said, wrapping one arm around her while picking up the chopsticks with the other hand. He reached out to feed her a bite. "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Try this." "I had a late breakfast. I'm not hungry yet." Despite her words, Lizzie accepted the piece of braised pork he held out to h
"Bruno, Bruno," Adeline watched as the elevator doors closed, was he really so heartless? Just to go back to Lizzie, he could abandon her so easily.Jepan stood beside her, watching Adeline's pale face, "Adeline, should we go? Do you need me to carry you?" he teased, grinning wickedly.Adeline was about to respond when Jepan interrupted her, "I might have thought about it, but I don't have the guts. I don't want to be misunderstood by Louise.""YOU!" Adeline glared at Jepan, who had never shown any kindness towards her. Especially now, when even Bruno had abandoned her, he became even more ruthless."No need, I can walk on my own." Adeline hobbled slightly as she entered the elevator, Jepan followed with a leisurely laugh.Bruno drove back to the villa at top speed. The villa was still brightly lit, were they not sleeping yet?In the living room, Lizzie held their son, both sitting there. Lizzie had a finance magazine in her hand, and their son was playing video games in front of the
The hotel banquet hall, Bruno in a black suit, with Jepan trailing him, still dressed casually."Boss, did you come in person because you wanted to confirm something?" Jepan asked."Isn't Charles coming too?" Bruno looked at Jepan, his smile inscrutable.Jepan nodded, "Boss, I bet you don't know someone else is coming.""Who?" As Bruno's words fell, a familiar voice came from behind."Bruno." Adeline, dressed in a graceful purple, approached from behind.Bruno's face fell as he watched Adeline approach him."Boss, I guess I'll go in first." Jepan wisely withdrew, regretting he hadn’t warned Bruno earlier.Seeing the gloom on Bruno's face, Jepan figured it was best to make himself scarce.Bruno was about to move forward when Adeline grabbed his arm, "Bruno, we're not strangers, are we?""How did you get here?" Bruno halted, addressing her."Bruno, I knew you were coming. You don't want to see me, but I had no choice but to come here." Adeline clasped his arm.Bruno pushed her hand away
Bruno held her tightly, "You should go home early today, I have things to do tonight.""Okay." Lizzie nodded, understanding that he didn't need to tell her everything, aware that he was very busy. Although there was nothing she could do to help, she didn't want her presence to disrupt his work.Before the end of the workday, Bruno had his driver take her back to her apartment. Lizzie had a small meal, her appetite wasn't great. She made herself a bowl of noodles, but only ate a few bites and settled in to watch TV. Bob, her dog, was sitting next to her, more engrossed in the TV than she was.Bruno and Adeline sat in a French restaurant that evening. The dim yellow light and soothing music made the atmosphere elegant and romantic."Bruno, I ordered a couple's set meal, hope you don't mind?" Adeline had already ordered when they were seated."Of course I don't mind, as long as you like it." Bruno was not particularly fond of Western food. As he looked at the premium steak set meal in fr