“No, it’s just that the sight of us sitting together like this reminded me of my brothers from my original family. There were three of us—my eldest brother, Drake, my second brother, Sean, and myself. We were as close as brothers could be. Sean was two years older than me. When I was nine, my uncle—the founder of Addaway Corporation and who later became my adoptive father—came to our home. He brought many gifts for us, including a topaz accessory. It was beautiful and priceless. Back then, the Addaway Corporation was still involved in the diamond industry. He asked us to examine the topaz and said he’d adopt one of us. Drake was out of the running because he had to take over for my father, so it was between Sean and me. Sean said the topaz was beautiful, and I said it was hard with great clarity and color. My uncle was delighted to hear that and gave me the topaz on the spot.” James continued, “It was only later that I knew he was actually selecting an heir, and the topaz was a gift fo
Calvin smiled mysteriously. “She didn’t, but I did. Why should she waste her time on things that have nothing to do with her?”“Wasn’t she with you last night?” James looked surprised. “Why did she miss it when you saw it?”Calvin’s smile grew. “Why don’t you have a guess?”Neil knew about their outdoor date last night, and had an idea of what had happened. He deliberately turned to Calvin and asked, “Did Ashlyn fall asleep?”Calvin turned to look out the window without a word.Then, he turned back to James and said, “Speaking of which, I should thank you on my mother’s behalf. I heard she received many orders from people wanting to buy drones, so thanks for the free advertising, President Addaway. Her company’s been developing a special drone for women, and she doesn’t have much stock. It seems she’ll only be able to fulfill the orders on the waiting list next year. Oh, who was the cheeky little thing in your message?”“Don’t you know the answer to that, President Conrad?” James
Men weren’t allowed in the clinic, so Ashlyn had to do this alone. She wasn’t pregnant; it was just some hormonal imbalance, perhaps due to her recently becoming sexually active.“What about my period? When will it come?” she asked.“Let me give you a little something to regulate your hormones. Your period should come once you’ve finished it,” the doctor explained.Ashlyn thanked the doctor and left the clinic.“Are you pregnant?” Calvin asked her.“No, but you’re still at fault!” Ashlyn pushed him lightly. “You made me hormonally imbalanced.”Calvin generally didn’t get angry at her over these things. “If that’s the case, you can’t get your wisdom tooth extracted for the time being. We’ll have to wait till you’re done with your medication and after your period is gone. Looks like you’ll be in for more days of pain.”“Sounds like you know what you’re talking about.” Ashlyn rolled her eyes at him.When she got home, she put the medication in her bedroom. To her, having sex with
“Why’d she give us this photograph?” Damien asked.“God knows. Why couldn’t she just tell us straight?” Neil said.“How well do Cassandra and James get along?”“No idea. Cassandra’s in Emmeria all year round because of her studies; she doesn’t spend that much time in Lesia.”“Let me sleep on it for a few days.” After that, Damien put the photograph in his room. “It’s been some time since I had the chance to show off my skills.”Now, it was finally his turn.Clarissa glanced at him. “Look at you!”Neil asked, “Dad, do you want me to help you?”“For something so inconsequential? No.” Damien was a little excited. He felt like his talents could finally be put to use again.A few days later, Ashlyn had her period.Calvin was busy when it was gone, so she wanted to wait until he had time before she had her tooth extracted.That night, she nonchalantly told her family that she was going to extract her wisdom tooth the next day because Calvin had time.“You need him with you even f
With her wisdom tooth extracted, Ashlyn had to cover the wound with some cotton for a while. She kept a hand on her cheek the whole time, making it inconvenient for her to speak.Calvin took her home.“Remember to put some ice on it,” he advised.“Okay,” she mumbled.“Forget it. I’ll do it.” He figured she probably couldn’t do anything in this state.She leaned against the sofa while holding an ice pack to her face. Calvin sat beside her.“Does it still hurt?” Damien’s voice rang out.“It probably does. The anesthesia’s just worn off,” Calvin said.Something suddenly occurred to Calvin. Does it still hurt…Now that he was starting to understand James more, he knew James was someone who looked upright on the surface but was sly and ruthless on the inside. Had James deliberately misled Calvin with his words?Perhaps he hadn’t been asking whether Ashlyn was hurt because of sex. Perhaps it was about something else.So, why was he asking Ashlyn whether she was in pain? That was t
Calvin was in a particularly buoyant mood tonight. It was as if all his problems had been resolved after settling this issue; he didn’t even feel uncomfortable anymore.On the other hand, Ashlyn tossed and turned, still feeling angry. Of course, it was also partly because Calvin sat beside her instead of joining her in bed.“Are you going to sleep here?” she asked.“No. I’m leaving after you fall asleep,” he answered.Ashlyn wasn’t happy with Calvin to begin with, so she didn’t want to let him off the hook so easily. She got up and clung to him like a koala bear. “Stay with me!”She traced his lips with hers.Calvin breathed in her scent, which mingled with the smell of alcohol from her tooth extraction. The mood between them immediately became flirtatious, but he still tried his best to resist her. “Ashlyn, you know this is killing me, right?”“That’s exactly what I want!” She nibbled on his ear.She wanted him to lose control.At this moment, someone knocked on the door.“H
Damien was going to get some sleep, but Calvin wanted to see Ashlyn.“I’m going to check on her,” he said.“Go on.” Then, Damien retired to his room.Calvin slipped into Ashlyn’s room. The sky was starting to light up, and the dim light made Ashlyn look like a beautiful porcelain doll.She was clinging to an oversized stuffed toy, soundly asleep.“I thought I’d spoil her rotten, but you’re worse than me. She hasn’t been through much hardship, so you’ll need to work hard to keep protecting her.” Damien’s earlier words reverberated in Calvin’s mind. He couldn’t help chuckling.He caressed her supple skin tenderly and placed a hand on her cheek for a long time.Then, he said, “Ashlyn, I need to go. To Emmeria.”She was still asleep; there was no way she could respond.He placed a tender, loving kiss on her forehead.Then, he left.He walked out of Hill Villa without turning back.…Neil was dumbfounded when he received Calvin’s resignation.He had emailed Neil about it witho
“Dad, what did you say to Calvin last night? Why did he leave so suddenly?” Ashlyn asked.“Oh? What happened?” Damien looked calm. “You two look anxious.”“Did you know about Calvin’s resignation?” Ashlyn still couldn’t speak too clearly because of her tooth extraction.“Oh, that. I didn’t say much, I just told him to think things through. You should, too. Think about whether you like him being so capable and pliant, or whether you like him as a person.” Damien looked straight at her.From his words, Ashlyn could tell Damien had instructed Calvin to resign and go abroad. She thought it was to test her.“Dad, doesn’t loving someone mean that I love their personality? James may be more handsome and rich, but he gets on my nerves. Everyone has their own personality, and I love Calvin all the more for it! Isn’t that the way things should be?”Damien nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right.”“Where is he, Dad? Tell me!” Ashlyn clung to him anxiously.“It’s not time yet.”She was taken a
Benjamin walked to her side and suddenly hugged her. It was as if there were thousands of words that could not be said. Jacey did not refute. It was as if the two of them had known each other for a long time. It was as if they had known each other for a long time."Your mother did a good job with this exhibition," Jacey said."It's good. After all, you're an expert in this field," Benjamin said. "Or if you have any requests when you get married, tell my mother and let her customize the most beautiful jewelry for you.""Married?" Jacey didn't understand.She had never thought about marriage. Why did she feel so close to her when Benjamin mentioned it?She still felt quite confused."I'll treat you to a meal later?" Benjamin said. "What do you want to eat?"Jacey's eyes lit up. "Hotpot? How about a hotpot?"Benjamin smiled and said, "I thought you had a profound hobby. This is it."Jacey smiled again.Jacey didn't like the feeling of being surrounded by people, so she chose the
Kenny smoked as he spoke. He had the look of a veteran in society. It was hard not to believe that he was a nouveau riche who did not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of his subordinates to save money."Sir, you've found the right person. Come and take a look." The workshop owner said. Then, he whispered a few words into Kenny's ear and asked, "Can you accept it?""What's so unacceptable about that? I'm definitely showing it to Party A. These people grew up in the countryside. What kind of milk have they drunk? I can't tell if it's true or not," Kenny said."Alright, alright," the workshop owner said with a smile."Just don't make it obvious. I'll go take a look at the manufacturing workshop." Kenny said.The owner of the workshop was initially quite shy, but Kenny said that he had ordered a lot, so the other party agreed.As soon as he entered the workshop, Jacey secretly turned on the pinhole camera when the workshop owner was not paying attention and filmed the production proce
Jacey felt that under Kenny's serious and unsmiling appearance, there was a soft and warm heart.This note looked like it had been around for a long time. It was unknown how long Kenny searched last night before he found it and gave it to Jacey so easily.Jacey left.However, she did not expect that something would happen on her first day there.She brought a vacuum camera and made her clothes look like rural women's. After finding the milk production point, she said that she wanted to order milk in large quantities because she heard that the milk here was very cheap.The people in the workshop looked at each other and said, "I'm not selling!"The people in the workshop were very smart and vigilant. Their workshop had a fixed delivery channel. This woman was alone and was unlikely to be here to order. They found an excuse and sent Jacey away.No matter how much Jacey dawdled, the other party refused to let her in.For a moment, Jacey didn't know what to do. She was quite depres
Jacey was a little stunned. She really didn't know much about what the parents were talking about.Moreover, she hadn't interacted with Benjamin for a few days. Moreover, when Ashlyn came to visit this time, she didn't say a word about him. It made her feel very uneasy. She even wondered if he didn't mean that at all. It was all her own wishful thinking…For the past few days, Benjamin had not come to look for Jacey. She had not contacted him either.However, a few days later, Jacey received a Whatsapp message from Benjamin. There were many photos. It was a rather high-class living room. There were boxes in the living room. The living room was simple and noble, like a top-notch courtyard house.[This is the showroom and display cabinet for my mother's medieval jewelry. How about letting your mother take a look?] Benjamin said.[Where is this place? This place is so beautiful.][My mother's dowry. The courtyard house in Genovia.] Benjamin said.Jacey thought to herself, "As expec
Today, Benjamin had already returned home."How is it? How's your first time meeting your in-laws alone?" Calvin teased Ashlyn."It's quite good. I'm preparing to hold a medieval jewelry exhibition and then let my employees learn medieval video skills. I said that I wanted to use their jewelry as an exhibition, but they didn't even want the deposit. How generous," Ashlyn said lazily as she leaned against the sofa."It's… it's over?" Calvin looked at Ashlyn and said in surprise.Benjamin sat there and smiled."What else?" Ashlyn asked."What are you going to do this time? Aren't you going to look for your daughter-in-law? Did you see what she looked like?" Calvin poured a cup of tea for Ashlyn.After so many years, Ashlyn still hadn't changed from her usual macho self. In fact, she was even more macho than before. Perhaps Calvin had been the one to deal with everything after marriage, developing Ashlyn's habit of not using her brain.Of course, it only meant that she didn't use
For some reason, Ashlyn felt like crying when she saw this. In the past, these jewelry had traveled to another country. Now, these jewelry were all back with stories.She thought about how the person who owned these jewelry had brought them overseas and brought them back…She felt that the Irving family was worthy of admiration.Linda had gone out at some point. Seeing that Ashlyn was looking at her very seriously, she didn't disturb her.When she came in again, she was carrying a cup of coffee. The fragrant Americano she'd just ordered from the coffee machine on the first floor. It was made from good coffee beans.She handed the coffee to Ashlyn."Have a cup of coffee when you're tired. Anyway, these jewelry don't have long legs. They won't run away on their own," Linda said. "You can come and take a look whenever you want. I've always been here."Only then did Ashlyn feel that she had been watching for an hour or two, but she had always been like a pious primary school student
On Saturday afternoon, Ashlyn drove to Jacey's house, a very simple villa.Ashlyn knew that writers liked to live in such a quiet place because they had inspiration in such a place.Jacey's mother, Linda, was already standing on her steps to welcome her.Linda was dressed in a Chinese-style robe. She looked very ancient, but because she was slender, she looked especially good. She looked like a fairy.Ashlyn was dressed in a very fashionable modern outfit. She was wearing a knee-length skirt, pearl earrings, and earrings. She looked especially round and beautiful. One look and one could tell that she was the kind of person who had never experienced the blow of life."I'm Jacey's mother. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Conrad." Linda reached out and held Isobel's hand. "Jacey said that you're coming to our house to take a look. I am so happy. I specially brought all the jewelry from the other houses here and packed them up. If these jewelry can be displayed in the exhibition and let everyon
"Excuse me, how did you know about me?" Jacey asked."Oh, Benjamin's phone was on the table that day. He went to the washroom and I happened to see the photo album he was looking through. I picked it up and saw these few pieces of jewelry. You know it too. As jewelry makers, we won't let go of those rare jewelry no matter what. I asked Benjamin where these pieces of jewelry came from and he told me about you," Ashlyn said neither servile nor overbearing.She understood a girl's mentality very well. She knew that if the woman found out that the man had taken the initiative to leak her news to her parents, she would be very disgusted and feel passive. Therefore, she did not say that. Instead, she said that she had seen it herself. She even said that Benjamin was looking at these photos at that time.Jacey's heart would probably feel warm. After all, a man was looking at her photo behind her back. She should have a good impression of this man.Jacey really thought so. When she heard A
After Benjamin returned home, he showed Ashlyn the jewelry he had taken for Jacey.Ashlyn was very knowledgeable. One look at this jewelry and she knew that it was priceless.Moreover, the girl wearing the jewelry also had extremely good skin and was extremely delicate.Calvin, who was sitting at the side, also watched.However, Ashlyn didn't just look at the jewelry. She said, "You only bought jewelry. Who is this person wearing jewelry behind you?"Ashlyn asked Benjamin gossipily."Don't ask," Benjamin said.Ashlyn smiled. "You said that you only took photos of the jewelry but didn't take photos of her. Aren't you trying to arouse my curiosity? Now that I'm curious, you're not making a move. However, I've been working on researching National Jewelry recently, so I'm lacking samples in this area. When are you going to ask this girl out? Let me take a closer look. From her appearance, I think she's dressed very well. Moreover, I can see her face from her bone structure. I think