"Go ahead and eat," she said in a very casual tone, as if she were coaxing a child.Griffith wasn't a big fan of candy, but he found it quite pleasant. He felt like he was on cloud nine. The only downside was that he was the only one feeling that way.Charlotte stuffed her face with snacks and said, "Last time I asked you about your nickname, what did you say?"She poked his face. "What does your mom call you?"This time, Griffith answered seriously. "Sweetheart."Charlotte clicked her tongue. "Your mom was biased."She didn't believe Griffith was a 'sweetheart' as a kid. Turning her face, she leaned on the bedside, looking at him. "I gave you the most suitable nickname—Mr. Snowflake. Look, your face is so fair and delicate."Griffith's lips curled up, then he pressed them down again, seemingly displeased. "Why didn't you call me Mr. Delicate when I was pulling you away from the bullets?"Charlotte snorted, giving him a sidelong look. She noticed that he had no strength. She co
Griffith obediently settled in for sleep. His motivation was straightforward—he wanted to maintain his dignity.Charlotte studied him, and he silently averted his gaze, reclining on the bed. They both tacitly acknowledged the recent almost-kiss, choosing not to bring it up."Sleep!" She repeated firmly.Griffith responded with a simple "mm" but turned his head to glance at her."Sit here. If you're tired, find a spot to rest on your own.""I'm going downstairs to find Lucy," she replied."If you encounter an assassin on the way, be careful."She rolled her eyes at his attempt to frighten her.After a brief moment of contemplation, she retrieved a blanket and settled in front of the large fish tank, facing the Devilfish. Due to the recent docking of the ship, they could only afford a short break.Sleep eluded Charlotte, and her phone vibrated. She gazed at the fish tank while checking her messages. It was a message from Benjamin, asking, "Are you safe?""All good," Charlotte r
Charlotte bent down, her gaze fixed on Griffith for a long moment. It was evident to her that he wasn't asleep, yet he kept his eyes shut, deliberately avoiding looking in her direction.Internally, she released a soft sigh and straightened herself, stretching lazily.Griffith, thinking she was about to leave, maintained his furrowed brow. He listened intently momentarily, only to realize she had settled back into her previous position.Soon after, he heard faint crackling sounds, most likely her peeling dried fruits. A sense of relief washed over him.Seated in the corner, Charlotte savored her snacks while watching a drama and responding to messages from various contacts.Ava had learned how to recite a prayer, claiming to have recited it twice for Brayden.Charlotte remarked, "He's not dead yet."Ava retorted, "He probably won't make it." Considering the amount of blood he had lost, the odds weren't in his favor.Charlotte was at a loss for words."Ava, given the money he h
Ash discreetly left, taking Julie outside to play while waiting for Charlotte and Griffith to conclude their business. This waiting period was extended until half past eight.When they finally got into the car, it was nearly nine. The group returned to the hotel, all feeling exhausted. Charlotte returned to the room she shared with Lucy and quickly settled in for the night.Lucy teased her, remarking, "You don't need to come and stay here just for me. I can afford the hotel room."Her eyes closed, Charlotte lay on the bed and responded, "I came down because I missed you."Lucy chuckled but didn't push the matter further.The following morning, Charlotte woke up a little past eight. She had arranged to meet Benjamin. He was about to depart for Ameriland for further rehabilitation training. Today's meeting was meant to serve as a brief farewell.The two convened at the hotel restaurant. Just as Charlotte placed her breakfast order, she glanced outside the glass window and noticed A
Upstairs, Griffith, dressed in pajamas, sat with a brooding expression on a massive plush sofa, a gift from Julie.Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, Julie, clad in a dinosaur-themed onesie, had rushed over to check on him, offering various care and concerns."Brother Griffith, please eat this."She handed him a small basket of dumplings. Griffith, seemingly emotionless, picked up the utensils from the small nearby table, grabbed a dumpling, and apathetically stuffed it into his mouth.On the side, Ash was diligently ironing his clothes.In the living room, a doctor contemplated the best course of medications. Even the air conditioning temperature was set to a gentle breeze.Everything appeared to be in order... except for Charlotte! Griffith checked the time; it was already half past nine, and she had yet to appear."Where is she?"Upon hearing the question, Ash turned and glanced at him, saying, "She's downstairs, seeing off Young Master Sterling."Griffith near
Observing Ash taking the elevator with a cat carrier, Charlotte felt curious. What was happening?She followed them, arriving at the door of Griffith's room. Julie opened the door. "Lottie, good morning."Charlotte gently patted Julie's head, still in her dinosaur onesie. "Good morning."Entering the room, Charlotte scanned the living room but found no sign of Griffith. Ash proceeded to take the cat carrier into the bedroom.Curious, Charlotte followed, only to discover Griffith reclining on a large plush sofa, donning oversized sunglasses, and basking in the sunlight.A designated area was cordoned off between his sofa and the floor-to-ceiling windows where Ash had placed Cracker.Charlotte stood for a moment, feeling somewhat neglected. She decided to initiate the conversation. "Did you arrange for someone to pick up Cracker?"Initially ignoring her, Griffith finally responded after a brief pause, his tone cold, "Mm.""Is Cracker's injury healed?""Whether it is or not, do y
In the cat enclosure, the little kitten lay on its pad, soundly asleep. Griffith clicked his tongue and noticed Charlotte standing at a distance, looking down at him with a smile.Realizing that he had been played, he felt annoyed. However, Charlotte continued to gaze at him and then suddenly leaned over, leaving him bewildered.She pressed against his chest, pinning him to the sofa, and reached inside to retrieve the kitten. It wasn't until she stood up, cradling the kitten in her arms, that he reacted.Charlotte looked at him with a smile and playfully remarked, "Silly."Griffith was left speechless.She settled down next to him, woke up the little feline, and fed it some softened cat food with sheep's milk."Some people struggle to manage their temper, yet they aspire to raise a cat," she said.Griffith gave her a sidelong glance."Be good and eat," Charlotte coaxed as she lifted the kitten's head to prevent it from burying its face in the bowl. "Griffith, have you had break
The restaurant downstairs began serving meals, filling the long table with various dishes. Charlotte and Griffith sat facing each other on their respective single sofas, with a small round table in between.Charlotte remained seated while Griffith retrieved whatever he needed from the long table, and she would eat whatever he brought back. Surprisingly, he accurately selected the dishes she liked every time.Both of them enjoyed a plate of shrimp, leaving only one piece.Charlotte didn't want to eat anymore; she wanted to feed the kitten."Hey, pass me the shrimp," she said.Thinking she wanted to eat, Griffith didn't hesitate and handed her the shrimp.Charlotte took the shrimp and fed it to the kitten. Realizing that she was feeding the cat, he glanced at her.Charlotte smiled and remarked, "I didn't know you wanted some."Griffith was left speechless.Seeing his expression, Charlotte playfully kicked him lightly."Why the long face? You were so obedient and cute yesterday.
Tanya's previous full-length mirror was still usable, but because it was small, she had to walk a bit farther every time she used it. Eli had long wanted to replace it.Little did he know, she got rid of many things in the house to make room for the new large sofa for him, including that old full-length mirror."How do you like it? Surprised?" He patted the mirror.Tanya smiled wryly and pointed to the large sofa. "And you? Surprised?" Only then did Eli notice fewer small items in the living room and a large new sofa. He suddenly chuckled. It was quite nice.He thought of her, and she thought of him. This winter was truly warm.Tanya abandoned the egg tart and hugged him again. "Oh no, this mirror is so big. There's nowhere to put it."Eli carried her with one hand and moved the mirror to the corner with the other. Sitting on the sofa, he thought for a moment, then hugged her and said, "Tanya, let's move to a bigger place."Tanya knew he had been thinking about this all along.
Eli found it amusing. He pushed the head of the small money jar and couldn't help but say, "You gold digger! You love money so much, then why did you give the check I gave you to Soraya?"Tanya blinked and chuckled. "I only acquire wealth in the proper way. To be honest…" She pondered for a moment, then turned to look at him. "Probably because, at that time, I was just too fond of you like I am now."Hearing this, Eli felt a pang of heartache and leaned down to kiss her forehead. Tanya smiled, moved the gifts aside, and made some space for him.Just as they were about to talk, Eli's phone vibrated continuously. It turned out that Bridget was sending over the detailed preparation process for the wedding.Tanya scrolled through it and suddenly felt overwhelmed. Eli looked at it and also felt a headache coming. The two glanced at each other, sighed simultaneously, and leaned back.After they publicly disclosed their relationship, life continued as usual but became busier due to the w
Eli being married was shocking enough, but then his wife was hiding right in the office. In the next half hour, Tanya heard wailing from all around.The atmosphere in their office was quite good, and everyone got along well. After coming clean, everyone joked around and teased each other."Nia, don't forget Mr. Ted, he's been cursing at you all along!""Yeah, he's been calling you a fool!""I heard it, I can testify!"Ted was furious and rushed out to hit someone. Tanya followed with laughter.Before leaving work, Amy indeed brought the cake and candies, sharing them with everyone in the building. Thus, the entire group gave them their blessings.From the office to the parking lot, Tanya received blessings. When she got into Eli's car, her heart was still pounding.Eli was happily eating his candy, feeling good. Especially now that he didn't have to sneak around anymore, he even turned the steering wheel effortlessly.Tanya, holding the cake, asked him in surprise, "Were these
Tanya walked out of the room with her guard down and came face to face with Ted's sneaky expression. She paused.Ted gasped, his brain instantly turning blank.He looked at Tanya, covered his mouth with his left hand, and placed his right hand over the left with his eyes gradually widening.God! This was insane!Tanya regained her composure and glanced in Eli's direction. Eli remained calm, glanced at the fruit plate on the table, and said, "Should we take some down to share with your colleagues?"Tanya nodded. She glanced at the still-disheveled Ted and kindly handed him a tangerine."Sir?"Ted swallowed, looked at Tanya, then at Eli. Finally, he settled his gaze on the tangerine in her hand, mechanically accepting it.Tanya turned to look at Eli. 'Look, you've scared my superior.'Eli shrugged."I'm leaving," she said.Eli nodded and escorted her to the door.Ted followed them out and was sent into the elevator by his boss. As the elevator doors closed, he let out a long
The deep blue bedsheet was neatly spread out. But the two pillows lacked pillowcases, exposed in a sorry state.Eli placed his hands on his belt and turned to look at Tanya. "Is this also your doing?"Tanya leaned against the door frame, only poking her head in, smiling sheepishly."I accidentally drooled while sleeping that day and dirtied the pillowcase. Knowing that you're a neat freak, I took them all off to wash," she said. She raised her hand and swore, "The pillowcases have been washed and are in the cabinet at home."Eli wasn't interested in the pillowcases' whereabouts. He remembered when Amy called him, saying Tanya missed him and wanted to touch the sheets and pillows after waking up.Nonsense!He took a deep breath, then turned his head to Tanya with a frightening smile. Tanya realized the danger and tried to run, but he grabbed her by the waist."Hey, what are you doing?" she said.Eli tossed her onto the bed and followed suit."What are you doing?!""Collecting
Tanya sat upright in the office. Eli stood before her with his hands behind his back. "Come on, explain."Tanya's eyes darted around. "Do you believe me? It's because I missed you too much. When I came to your place, I couldn't help but take away everything related to you." Eli scoffed. "Including the toilet paper?"Tanya pondered seriously.Eli tapped the coffee machine and pointed to the plug that had been pulled out, saying, "If the coffee machine wasn't too heavy, would you have taken that too?"'This brat has no conscience at all. Does she even understand what a cold shoulder is?'While he was reminiscing in her room, she made a fortune in his office!Tanya blinked and gave him an embarrassed smile. "If you think about it from another angle, I love you deeply. If we couldn't reconcile and you came back to see all this, you would hate me. Hate represents love, and love means you can't forget me. My obsession is so deep; I want to stay in your heart forever."Eli fell silen
"You should buy something while visiting. Do you have enough money in your account? If not, I will transfer some to you," Mrs. Moran said on the phone.Tanya didn't want money; she just wanted to hear some advice. She knew her parents' financial situation wasn't good. Due to illness, her stepfather had retired from his position as a butler of the Sterling family. Although the Sterlings provided a retirement package, Mr. Moran was getting old, and he had a son. She heard that his son's business had lost a considerable amount of money in recent years. As a stepdaughter, she had already received enough help from them, so how could she ask for more money?During her university days, she didn't ask her family for money. If she could find a part-time job, she would, and if not, she would endure it just to avoid causing her mother trouble."Mom, I don't need money. I have enough."When Mrs. Moran heard this, she felt even more sorry for her.Since her ex-husband was useless, Tanya suffer
After breakfast, Eli called Bridget."Why did you send her a check? Do you have nothing better to do?"Bridget had just arrived home and begun playing poker with a few old friends.She threw out a card, rolled her eyes, and said, "It's the first time I've met my daughter-in-law! What's wrong with giving her some money!"Eli was speechless."Madam, you came up and threw 500,000 dollars just like that. Aren't you afraid of scaring people?""What should I do? Throw 50,000 dollars instead? That's too stingy."Eli was speechless. Holding onto the railing, he glanced downstairs and saw Tanya ironing her coat in the living room."I almost got dumped because you caused a scene," he joked.Bridget threw the cards while chuckling. "It's good to be dumped. With your unruly behavior, someone should make you suffer a bit.""Are you really my mother?""If you still want to be a good son, hurry up and go through the procedures, live a proper life with Tanya, and try to give me a grandson n
"What did Her Majesty tell you?"Tanya nearly lost her composure, fighting back laughter.Bridget said nothing more as she left with Benjamin, leaving Tanya and Eli to return to the apartment. The journey back was silent, with Tanya deep in thought. Upon entering, Eli halted her at the entrance.Exhaling deeply, Tanya reached into her pocket and withdrew a check. Eli's gaze fell upon it, noting it was only for $500,000. As he moved to take it, Tanya tucked it back into her pocket. On the bar, a spread of breakfast awaited them - fried eggs, sausages, fruits, and vegetables. Despite the inviting display, Tanya's attention was on Eli."Don't you want breakfast?"With the situation still unclear, Eli's appetite waned. Nonetheless, knowing Bridget's nature, he remained calm. Seating himself opposite Tanya, he nibbled at a sausage, noticing her lack of interest."Is everything alright?" he asked, concerned.Tanya shook her head.The oversized sandwich Bridget had ordered had already