Vivienne turned around and noticed Noah's burning gaze settled on her which made her pause for a moment. Noah stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder, pushing her against the bookshelf. "What now?" questioned Vivienne. "What did I do now to make you look at me so intensely like you want to eat me up?"The back of Noah's fingers brushed against the side of her face as he spoke in a low and deep voice, "I do want to eat you right now. And right here too.""Behave! This is your workplace," Vivienne put her finger on his chest and gave him a push but he did not step back at all. His presence was overwhelmingly enveloping her senses at this close range once again. It was making her thoughts hazy and her resolve, pitiable.Noah buried his nose in the crook of her neck and his hot breath made Vivienne arch her neck a little as she bit her lower lip in restrain. Earlier in the restaurant because of the mix of smells in the air, he didn't notice that Vivienne was wearing a perfume. B
Seeing such a focused expression on Noah's face, Vivienne was enthralled for a while and did not even dare to blink as if doing so would break this peaceful dream. It felt like a dream.No!How could it be a dream when she never even dared to dream about such a scene before?Vivienne was a very realistic person. The family environment she grew up in forced her to not only break away from fantasies but to be extra sensible and mature at an early age. She was always a person who kept her feet on the ground and never expected too much from anyone. In fact, it can be said that her expectations were also low.She had never even expected to have Noah's attention much less his love. But now he seemed to be not only attracted to her but was too attentive as well. It actually gave her a floaty feeling and she was trying hard to keep her feet on the ground still. She had to stand on the ground firmly. She couldn't allow herself to sway with the impact of his attention.Even though he allowed he
"Aren't you hoping for too much if you expect Noah Sullivan to stop working overtime?" "Exactly! I don't think our boss is a confused person. He had always been ambitious!""But things change once a person is in love.""Then let's wait and see if Noah also changes.""Shh..."The employees were joking and having fun when they noticed someone and immediately dispersed. A woman in high heels trotted over to their side with a stern look on her face. Her sharp facial features were a clear indication of the fact that she wasn't an easy character. Her brown hair was styled in loose curls that fell just below her chest and bounced with each of her steps making it seem like she was in a shampoo commercial.Her dark blue dress hugged her voluptuous figure enhancing the beauty of her perfect curves. She put on a polite smile once she came to the group of employees who had been having fun gossiping."What's so interesting? Why don't you share with me?"No one dared to reply to her right now as t
Vivienne's eyes widened and her heart jumped. His words, 'Promise me your tomorrow.' rang in her mind repeatedly in a loop. The afternoon sun had a red glow that illuminated the insides of the office and fell on Noah's figure making everything pale in front of him. In fact, everything already paled in Vivienne's eyes in front of Noah. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to Vivienne, there was nothing more attractive than Noah Sullivan.Seeing her expression, Noah's lips curled up as he rubbed her cheek with the pad of his thumb saying, "Let me rephrase that; promise me your time tomorrow. Remember our date? Tomorrow is Saturday and I want you to give me the whole day."Vivienne finally snapped out of her daydreaming and took a deep breath. She nodded in a daze at him and agreed to give him the whole day. "I should leave now," said Vivienne."I'll drop you.""No," refused Vivienne. "When I said earlier you don't have to, I meant it. I'm not just saying it. Aurora j
"Why are they still hugging?" questioned Noah impatiently. He wanted to go over and pull Vivienne away from this man. "Why don't you pull your boyfriend back?""He isn't my boyfriend!" gritted out Aurora."Then why do you look mad right now?" teased Noah. "You clearly have feelings for him. Are you playing the game of denial now? How old are you?""What is wrong with you, Noah?" asked Aurora as she faced Noah. "Vivienne told me that you have changed and I didn't believe it much but now, it seems like I didn't pay you much attention lately as I didn't even notice until now that you have changed so much.""I just think we are almost reaching our thirties now, we aren't teenagers!" stated Noah with a casual look but an unprecedented seriousness and maturity in his eyes and words. "What's the point of playing the game of hide and seek? If you find something pleasing to the eye, you'd want to always get that thing. The same way, if a person is attractive to you, what can denial do? Living
Only after sitting in the car did Vivienne understand the whole situation. Xavier was indeed the superior of Aurora, the same one who seemed to be interested in her but his way of showing that interest was quite off the mark. Vivienne had been unable to understand Aurora's boss's approach until she met Xavier. Knowing that the other person was her cousin, what could Vivienne not understand? Vivienne was quite clear about her cousin's character and personality. She knew that Xavier was an old-fashioned man and despite being in his early thirties, he had almost zero relationship experience. And his lack of dating experience made it difficult for him to understand that his stupid approach was doing more harm than good.Vivienne felt like she had to have a serious talk with Xavier. She had to help her cousin. Anyway, as for how they all ended up deciding to have dinner together was also simple. Xavier asked Aurora out for dinner as an apology for repeatedly calling her back on her day o
For the rest of the journey, Xavier was unusually quiet. This silence was only unusual to Vivienne but seemed expected to Aurora who was used to Xavier's silence. Because in her mind, Xavier was a serious, hard-working, diligent, and stern person at work. He rarely spoke without reason.However, the same person had a different image in Vivienne's mind. After all, Xavier was her cousin; one whom she really treated as a brother. She believed she was more familiar with her cousin's personality. That's why she was certain that Xavier had something on his mind which was why he was silent.Between the two of them, it was usually Vivienne who stayed silent while Xavier had to find ways to entertain her. They both were talkative people but Xavier was willing to make an effort for Vivienne because he really did not see her keeping to herself. Currently, as Vivienne had expected, Xavier indeed had something on his mind. Knowing that Noah was the so-called first love of Vivienne left him with a
The next day, even before the sun came out, Vivienne had gotten up. It wasn't surprising though considering she never seemed to have a peaceful sleep and often woke up after a couple of hours. But the surprising thing was that last night despite the inexplicable excitement bubbling in her heart, she didn't toss and turn for hours and even was able to go to sleep without any dreams the whole night. But still, she woke up before the break of dawn looking energetic and refreshed.Vivienne had only slept for over five hours but this seemed to be one of the most peaceful nights of sleep in recent years. Before this, the night where she was able to sleep without any dreams and disturbance was when she slept with Noah on that fateful night. Actually, Vivienne knew what this anticipation and excitement in her heart was. Wasn't it all because she had a date with Noah today? How could she not understand it? She was just refusing to acknowledge her own feelings.Looking in the mirror, Vivienne
"What's wrong with you Dad? Why do you keep staring at me so strangely?" Noah couldn't hold back from asking as the silence between them was prolonged for far too long. It made Noah feel uneasy. So, he had to ask why his father called him aside. "If you have something to say to me, just say it already."Mr. Sullivan turned around to look at his wife who was happily chatting with Vivienne and his eyes were filled with a smile. He eased up his expression and asked, "Didn't you say last time that you had no time for dating?"Noah frowned, wondering why he'd ask this question at this time. "Dad, you wanted me to go on a blind date. Why would I have time for that?" He took a pause and looked at his father suspiciously, "Don't tell me that you are still planning to get me together with your friend's daughter."Mr. Sullivan waved his hand at him saying, "I have no such plans. Last time, it was he who insisted that I should arrange a meeting between our kids and who knows they might be compat
"Can you stop sarcastic for once?" Angelina rolled her eyes at Vivienne, "Sometimes, I can't believe you studied law. How can you be so speechless at times like this? Really, the more you care, the more you can't find the right words. At times like these, you need a friend like me."Only Mr. Sullivan had seemed to notice Angelina's words when she said that Vivienne studied law. Something finally flashed through his mind and the nagging feeling that he had finally became clear now. The image of Vivienne in his mind became clearer and he understood why Vivienne seemed familiar to him all this time. The way he looked at Vivienne changed at this moment and his smile also deepened.On the other hand, Angelina turned to Jeanine and said, "Jean, this is an exquisite piece. Don't you like it?""I just said that I love it," replied Jeanine. "But you know I don't accept expensive gifts.""Just as Vivi said, it's not expensive. At least not to her. It's absolutely free.""Huh?"Jeanine was confu
With the family gathered in the cozy warmth of the living room, Jeanine decided it was time to open her birthday gifts. One by one, she unwrapped each thoughtful present, her smile growing wider with every gift. Each family member had chosen something personal. Some thoughtful trinkets, her favorite books, and cozy items were all meant to show how much they cherished her. Jeanine was never fond of fancy things and valued the thought behind each and every gift rather than its material value.And from the look of it, she could tell that all the relatives had really put their heartfelt feelings into picking gifts for her. She valued this sincerity more than anything. Since the time she had a long battle of life and death with her illness, she had come to understand what really mattered in life. To her, the people around her matter more than anything right now. That's why she didn't throw those fancy and grand parties anymore. She loved to have this cozy time with close friends and relati
Vivienne entered Noah's childhood room which seemed to have frozen in time. It was filled with his memories from high school. He must have moved out after high school and that's why the things inside his bedroom were all from the year when he was eighteen. There were awards that he had won in programming competitions. There was also his favorite basketball lying on the shelf.Surprisingly, there was only one picture in his room and that was a family photo. Vivienne didn't expect it but then again, it also didn't seem as unexpected. He was the kind of a guy who valued family which seemed to have become quite rare in this generation. There was a solid reason why she said he was a little old-fashioned. "I thought your room would be filled with posters of favorite sports players or female celebrities. Why is it so clean? My ex's childhood room was filled with everything a teenage boy would like."Noah glanced at her and sighed, "Not everyone has the same interests. I don't like cluttered
Angelina smiled mischievously as she had knowingly asked that question earlier. She might have a little less understanding of Vivienne after such a long time apart but she had figured out one thing clearly and that was Vivienne's attitude and feelings toward Noah. A lot changed but Vivienne was still wearing her own filter when she looked at Noah even now. She was so predictable.After everyone had finished their dinner and the conversation naturally lulled into a comfortable hum, Jeanine looked across the table at Noah, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Noah,” she said with a knowing smile, “why don’t you show Vivienne your old room? I’m sure she had been wanting to see where you spent your time growing up.”“Oh, nonsense,” Jeanine replied with a playful wave of her hand. “I’ve kept it exactly the way you left it. Vivienne might enjoy seeing it. Besides, it’ll give you both a little break from all the family talk.”Noah stood up, offering his hand to Vivienne. “Alright then, come on.
"Really?"Angelina was speaking with a proud smile on her face and couldn't resist sharing more about Vivienne's accomplishments with the Sullivans. "You know," she began, turning her gaze to Noah's family, "Vivienne's incredible blog is her sacred diary where she chronicles her travels around the world. It's not just your average travel diary, though. She makes it educational, weaving in the history, culture, and unique perspectives of every place she visits. It's like a guided journey that makes you see the world through a whole new lens."Jeanine's eyes lit up with interest. "Oh, that sounds fascinating! I've always admired people who can share their experiences in such a vivid way," she said, clearly impressed."And it's not just a blog anymore," Angelina continued, her enthusiasm growing. "Vivi recently landed a deal to turn her blog into a travelogue! Can you believe that? It’ll be a beautifully crafted collection of all her adventures, thoughts, and the stunning views she’s cap
Mr. Sullivan, seated at the head of the table, took a moment to glance at Vivienne again, his curiosity from earlier still lingering. He leaned in slightly, his deep voice cutting through the chatter as he addressed her directly. "So, Vivienne," he began, his tone friendly but probing, "tell me a little about yourself. How did you meet Noah? I imagine there’s quite the story there.”Vivienne paused, feeling the weight of his attention, but she met his gaze with that same calm grace she’d shown before. “It’s not as interesting as you might think,” she said, a soft smile playing on her lips. “We were in high school together. Later, I moved out of the country and recently, we reconnected at Angelina's wedding."Mr. Sullivan’s eyes narrowed in a thoughtful way, though his smile remained. “High school sweethearts, then?” he mused. “That explains why Noah seems... different tonight. A little more alive, perhaps?”"You have got it all wrong, Uncle," Angelina chimed in at this moment. "In hig
As everyone gathered around the grand dining table, the air was filled with the comforting scent of roasted herbs, garlic, and a hint of sweetness that promised an unforgettable dessert. The table was a feast for the eyes. The mood was warm, with light conversation buzzing from all corners of the room. With a proud grin, he placed the cake in the center of the table, its golden layers and perfectly whipped frosting hinting at the culinary skill of the man who seemed to do everything well, from managing a law firm to baking a perfect cake. "I hope it lives up to its reputation," he said with a twinkle in his eye, looking at Jeanine, who gave him an affectionate smile, her eyes full of pride and love.The family exchanged teasing looks. Everyone knew Mr. Sullivan’s love of cooking came out only on the most special occasions. And those occasions only had something to do with his wife. Jeanine smiled fondly at her husband, touched by the thoughtful gesture as always, while Noah, leaning
Mr. Sullivan's eyes swept across the room, his sharp gaze landing on each familiar face with a warm nod until he paused, his eyes narrowing slightly in confusion. He had spotted Vivienne, the only unfamiliar face in the living room. There was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes, the kind of look he reserved for puzzles he hadn't quite figured out yet.Jeanine, catching the subtle shift in her husband's expression, stepped forward with a smile that seemed to brim with a hint of mischief. "What are you looking at? Let me introduce you to Vivienne," she said, gently touching Vivienne's shoulder. "She's Noah's girlfriend."For a split second, Richard's face froze, his eyes widening in surprise. "Girlfriend?" he echoed, his voice tinged with disbelief before a delighted smile slowly stretched across his face. "Well, now, that’s certainly a wonderful surprise."He turned his full attention to Vivienne, his stern demeanor softening as he extended his hand to her. "Vivienne, it's a pleasure to