Fifteen minutes later, everyone was seated in the conference room, including Mollie, their usually stern supervisor, who was now beaming with a bright smile.Whispers spread among the employees."Did Meanie Mollie win the lottery?""Maybe she found a new love interest!""Hahaha..."Mollie cleared her throat, her eyes flashing with a cold glint as she glanced at those whispering.The room immediately fell silent.With another smile, Mollie announced, "I have good news! Our company's boss, Mr. Thompson, highly values the film studio project! He will be visiting our department soon. It's an opportunity for all of you to shine!"She proceeded to rearrange the seating arrangement.Those who were skilled at flattery and quick to impress were assigned prominent spots, ensuring they would catch Nicholas' attention as soon as he entered.The more low-key employees were seated in the middle, giving Nicholas the chance to observe their consistent performance if he walked around.And as
After joking around for a while, two colleagues entered the pantry.Since they usually got along well, they exchanged greetings before one of them asked Lina and Renee, "Do you know why Meanie Mollie cleared out that area where your workstations are?"Lina paused, wondering what purpose that cleared area could serve besides placing desks, chairs, and stools. "What is it for?""Rumor has it that a new intern is coming!""Huh?" Lina and Renee furrowed their brows, looking at each other.Was it really just a new intern, or could it be someone in a managerial position? Did it warrant such a grand gesture?The other colleague chimed in. "According to some insider information, this intern has quite a background!""Do you know who it is?""It's... Meanie Mollie's niece. I think her name is Gia Chapman?""Yes, that's the name! She's from Jangasas."Lina froze, unable to recover for a while.The two colleagues continued discussing. "I'm sure I heard the name right. It sounded unpleas
Linda's face lacked a smile, instead revealing a flicker of pain and resentment in her eyes. Cordelia's heart sank as she hurriedly took Linda's hand, sensing a slight tremor and icy coldness. "Linda—""I-I want to report it to the police so badly!" Linda's eyes turned red as she harshly bit her lip. "I've been thinking these days, if those two people hadn't taken Pammy away, I wouldn't have lost my daughter for 20 years!""But... But try to see the positive side!" Cordelia tried to console her. "If it weren't for them rescuing Pammy, she would have died in that shipwreck! And over all these years, that couple has treated her as their own daughter, loving her just like their own...""But they're still to blame—completely at fault!" Linda snarled.Her depression sometimes made it difficult for her to control her emotions. The slightest thing would consume her thoughts and amplify her negative feelings. What others saw as a minor issue became a mountainous burden for her, suffocati
After Mollie's grand introduction of Gia, Lina noticed a hidden panic in Gia's eyes when their gazes met. Lina maintained a calm smile, knowing that Gia must be feeling uneasy about being assigned to the Thompson Group for her internship."Alright, everyone, take the time to get acquainted with your new colleague today. Let's work together and contribute to the company's success!" Mollie gave Gia a suggestive look, indicating the well-prepared excellent spot for her.Gia approached hesitantly, feeling an unsettling gaze that made her uncomfortable.During lunch break…Gia quickly entered Mollie's office, closed the blinds, and shut the door tightly."What's the matter?" Mollie thought Gia came to bring her a gift, crossing her arms and smiling. "We're family, no need to be formal! Even though I'm your distant aunt, we're both Chapmans. It's natural for me to help you! By the way, what did you bring me as a gift?"Gia stood there empty-handed, taken aback.Mollie's expression shi
Mollie's chuckle resonated lightly as she spoke. "So, I've heard your boyfriend comes from a wealthy family? Well, if he isn't rich, you might as well break up with him! The Thompsons are newcomers to this city, but our big boss, Mr. Thompson, has strong connections with the four major families of Centrolis! Especially the Hamertons..."If you can win over one of the Hamerton heirs, you'll live a life of luxury forever!"Gia couldn't help but recall Zuko's intimidating face and his seemingly dangerous fists. She took a deep breath, forcing a smile, and replied, "I have a great relationship with my boyfriend, really..."Mollie scoffed, glancing at her. She didn't think Gia—a naive girl from a small town who had never seen the world—could handle it."Alright, get back to work! We'll discuss work-related matters and interpersonal relationships in the future.""Okay," Gia winced. "Thank you in advance, Aunt Mollie!"She quickly left, her heart pounding with annoyance and speechlessne
"Ms. Chapman, I overheard a rough summary of the situation at the entrance just now," Gia said innocently, flashing a harmless smile.However, a dark shadow cast over Lina's eyes.Mollie gave Gia a strange look, pushing her glasses and shooting her a sharp glance that seemed to say, "What's going on? Are you siding with an outsider?"Gia pretended not to understand and continued to plead for the two interns. "They just wanted to find Mr. Sam's design sketches to study and learn from. This thirst for knowledge is something we should all admire! Ms. Chapman, you shouldn't scold them indiscriminately and deduct their bonuses!"Her words dumbfounded Mollie.It was the first time she encountered someone taking the side of an outsider!After a moment of thought, Mollie realized that Gia was new and needed to win people's favor. These two struggling students became her primary targets.Although Mollie didn't particularly like them, she reluctantly held back for the sake of her niece. "
Lina was taken aback when she saw the tall and poised lawyer approaching her with a sunny smile. Her heart sank at the sight.Gia leaned against Jacob's shoulder, exuding both sweetness and a hint of arrogance.Taking a deep breath, Lina needed a moment to adjust to this sudden change."Hello," Jacob greeted her. "I'm Jacob Welsh. We've met before in Jangasas, and…"He paused, smiling gently. "Someone must have mentioned me to you, right?"Lina hesitated, forcing a smile. "Yes, I remember.""Any misunderstandings we had before are cleared up, right?""Huh?" Lina was once again taken aback, realizing that when she didn't know Zuko's identity, she had assumed Jacob, the handsome lawyer looking for him, was involved in some special profession. She had even assumed Jacob wanted to recruit Zuko.Lina couldn't help but giggle."Now that the masks are off, we can get to know each other again," Jacob said, standing tall and radiant.However, his "getting to know each other again" sur
"Jacob came for Gia today."He's actually Gia's boyfriend!"Is he being deceived? Gia must have ulterior motives for dating him!"You need to persuade him tactfully, don't let him fall deeper and lose himself. He'll be hurt badly!"Zuko?"Zuko snapped out of his daze and looked at Lina with a hint of complaint in his eyes.Lina waved her hand in front of him. "What's wrong?"He grabbed her hand and held it in his palm, caressing it, while he spoke with a hoarse and aggrieved voice. "You've been talking about Jacob all night long..."Lina was taken aback. "Huh?""Can we stop mentioning him now?""Zuko, you—""I can't believe you're still worried about him getting hurt. By constantly talking about another man in front of me, I'm the one who's hurt the most!"Lina widened her eyes in exasperation."Zuko!" She lightly punched him. "If he weren't your best friend, I wouldn't bother!"Zuko smiled and gently embraced her, his large hand mischievously trailing along her slender w
"Only Morpheus and Sephy aren't like that. They respect and understand me. Sephy told me once, 'One's appearance doesn't indicate anything. A clean heart is what truly matters!'"Rebecca chuckled dismissively."You're a psychologist, yet you fail to grasp this," Wynn said coldly. "Actually, I pity you. You could have stepped out, yet you insist on dwelling on the trivialities."Morpheus has psychological barriers, a consequence of returning from the battlefield. No one has cured his PTSD except Sephy... It shows that a true psychologist is never just a title."What truly heals everything is love!"-One particular morning a year later, sunlight streamed through sheer cream curtains onto the floor.Persephone was sound asleep when she suddenly felt something pressing down on her... Then, Morpheus' strong arms wrapped around her slender waist. She drowsily opened her eyes to find him sealing her lips with heated kisses.Over the year, his kissing skills had improved, and Persepho
With Morpheus' involvement, the police didn't slack off and quickly found Rebecca.That day, Rebecca was preparing to escape from a small port. The boat she had found was an illegally operating one.As she was about to board, piercing sirens sounded nearby.The boat owner, enraged upon hearing the sirens, grabbed Rebecca by her hair and pushed her into the water.Rebecca screamed for help, but he roared, "I didn't expect you to be sent by the cops!""I'm not..." Rebecca choked on water. "Sir, let's leave now. Your boat is fast. As long as we reach the open sea, no one will catch you!""Dream on!" The boat owner wanted to strangle her. "Do you not understand? These sirens are from the royal guards! Who did you bitch provoke?"Rebecca was dumbfounded. Being a foreigner, she naturally didn't understand the local affairs in the Southeast Aciatic region.The police and royal guards quickly caught up, armed, and surrounded them.Rebecca turned pale and trembled all over, her gaze gr
"You had no choice on the battlefield."Persephone looked at him with her crystal eyes. There was a magical power in them. Even if a devil was tearing him apart, her eyes would always bring him back to light.She smiled and caressed his cheek. "Though you killed your father, you saved the country.""Do you really… think so?"She nodded. "You're not at fault. He was the one who made a mistake. You were just fulfilling your job as a general to protect the country."But I also understand that he's your father who brought you up, after all. You guys must have had happy days before that happened, right?"Morpheus held his head low in silence."You did well as the protector of the country," she said softly. "But as a son, you can secretly pay homage to him."Persephone held his hand. "Reconcile with your father, Morpheus. You'll also reconcile with yourself by doing that, okay?"He was stunned for a long time and felt a lump in his throat.-Morpheus stayed with Persephone in the
"No way!" Christopher smirked, glancing at Morpheus. "To him, you're his only princess! I just got lucky for the princess carry, thanks to you!""Yeah, at least you're self-aware!" Persephone nodded, rubbing her chin."We've known each other for so long! What kind of person do you think I am?" Christopher laughed. "I can be a bit shameless at times, but..."But upon learning that the one she loved was the unbeatable god of war, he willingly stepped back, offering his blessings with a smile."Okay, okay. You two stop crowding around me!" Christopher waved his hand. "Sephy needs more rest, and I'd like to get some more sleep, too! Once we heal, let's go out and have some fun together!""You're still thinking about fun?" Morpheus' deep voice intervened with a wry smile. "With the factory explosion incident, the royal family is furious and will thoroughly investigate it. Many people will probably be coming to talk to you both in the next few days. After all, you two are the most direc
"Let's get out first!""Hey, wait..." Persephone pointed to the other side.In moments of life and death, it wasn't appropriate to laugh, but Morpheus still chuckled. The young Prince Christopher was sprawled on the floor in a very ridiculous pose, and they almost forgot about him!"Don't worry," Morpheus whispered. "I won't let anything happen to him."He had Persephone cling to his back and then carried Christopher.Christopher was a tall fellow, so it took some effort to carry them both to a safe place.Fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars rushed in. Their sirens pierced the sky, startling a flock of birds.The fire was soon extinguished, and Persephone and Christopher received timely treatment. Luckily, their burns weren't too severe, and even more fortunately, their faces were unharmed.When Christopher woke up, he felt bandages wrapped around his head, and his skin had a burning sensation. His heart sank, and he was almost on the verge of tears."Tell me the truth! A
There was fire everywhere. Flames rushed toward Persephone like menacing dragons. Her consciousness grew increasingly blurred, but the searing pain coursing through her body became clearer. She struggled to get up, the agony almost unbearable.Despite several attempts, it was futile...Something was pinning her feet down, and stones kept falling on her. She couldn't even muster a shout.Many images flashed through her mind in that fleeting moment, each frame featuring Morpheus' face…She remembered the times they had spent together in Flinge, how he had initially distanced himself from her, then later had exerted every effort to protect her. She recalled how he would gently ruffle her hair and call her "silly goose"..."Morpheus, I'm afraid I might have to go first..."The fire grew fiercer, explosions resonated continuously, and she could no longer hold on.Christopher, who was nearby, wasn't any better.Amidst the roaring flames, he couldn't see anything clearly, only pulling
"No need, you can go back first." Morpheus glanced at him. "I'll wait here for her a little longer.""Prince Christopher wouldn't do anything to Ms. Hamerton...""Alfred, what are you thinking?" Morpheus couldn't help but chuckle. "I know exactly what Christopher is like, but I just want to wait here for Sephy. Christopher mentioned that she'd specifically designed these fireworks for me. Hah! I'm the useless one. I don't even dare to go inside and take a look.""Sir, don't say that.""If I wait here, will it count as accompanying her in her efforts?"Alfred nodded.Morpheus smiled and sent Alfred back. He continued waiting under the tree.The air in Southeast Aciatic was hot and humid. The shade of the banyan tree offered some relief, but it couldn't completely dispel the oppressive heat.Morpheus took a deep breath, about to move elsewhere, when he glimpsed a suspicious figure swiftly darting through the factory's side gate.The security at the side gate was lax, making it e
Christopher struggled to swallow the bite of the sandwich in his mouth for what seemed like ages. He gazed at Persephone, his mind wandering back…He didn't just know Morpheus. He had been close since childhood to the children of the two prominent military families in Southeast Aciatic.Compared to the Harrises, he preferred visiting the Ortons, especially when he got to spend time with Morpheus. He considered Morpheus a friend, a brother even, having engaged in countless mischief together, much to their parents' dismay.In his memory, Morpheus was someone who smiled a lot, radiating warmth and brightness like the Southeast Aciatic sun when he did.However, from the moment Kaiden betrayed the country, Morpheus never smiled again, gradually growing distant from Christopher as well.It wasn't until that evening at the gates of the palace that Christopher felt like it had been a lifetime."I... I don't know him." Christopher forced a smile. "Where would I have met your boyfriend!"
Morpheus wasn't just an ordinary person!Christopher wholeheartedly accepted his defeat to Morpheus."Then... I'd like to invite you to come over to my place for a while as a friend. That's fine, right?"-A few days later, Persephone finally ran into Christopher, who had been missing in action for days, in the classroom."Hey, you finally showed up!" She dashed over, plopping down in the seat beside him and handing him breakfast. "You haven't eaten, right? Let's eat together!"Usually, Christopher would readily accept, but he waved his hands now. "No, no, no!""What's wrong?" Persephone widened her eyes. "This breakfast isn't poisoned!"Christopher awkwardly smiled. "You have a boyfriend, so maybe... we should keep some distance."Persephone burst into laughter. Then she remarked, "Strange... Morpheus was right!""Uh, what?""My boyfriend!" She chuckled. "He made this breakfast. I asked if he could also make a portion for you, and he said sure, just worried you wouldn't tak