โHmm?โHe raised an eyebrow, his cold and handsome features softening because of her, and he no longer looked harsh. He took a step forward, holding her cold hands and tucking them inside his coat, pressing them tightly against his waist.He bent down, and his handsome face came closer to hers, his nose touching hers.Harmonia instinctively wanted to step back, but his hand suddenly tightened, pulling her into his embrace.Her cheek hit his sturdy chest, and she listened to his strong heartbeat.Thump, thump, thumpโEach beat was knocking on the door of her heart.โI don't understand. Monia, can you explain?โ He pretended not to understand, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.She bit her lip, her fair cheeks blushing red.Her eyelashes fluttered, and snowflakes fell.That sweet voice, tender and not cloying, echoed in the silent observation deck. โThe snowflakes everywhere are love letters I wrote to you.โHer answer was obvious.In his deep eyes, there was only her fi
She had clearly prepared herself mentally, but those few words just couldn't come out of her mouth.โGrow old together,โ He said softly, uttering those four words.Harmonia suddenly looked up and met his gaze.โYou saw it?โ She asked. The words โSnow falls, and we will grow old togetherโ were carved on the boulder. โThe snow isn't thick enough, so I saw it,โ He explained.โThe scarf isn't big enough, so I saw it too,โ She retorted.He looked at her and smiled as he said, โDo you have to be so shy in front of your boyfriend?โโDimas Martinez!โ Harmonia huffed, playfully hitting his chest.He caught her hand, afraid that her punch would hurt herself.โMonia.โโHm?โโIsn't it inappropriate to call your boyfriend by his full name?โThe term โboyfriendโ was still new to Harmonia, and she felt unsure for a moment.She blinked, wide-eyed.However, she quickly recovered, suppressing a smile, and immediately replied...โCan't I call you by your full name? What should I call yo
โItโs impossible for me to simply look out for myself and be without a care in the world as long as this conflict involves you, but donโt worry. I won't let you have any worries.โShe would take care of herself, and she would protect herself. She wouldn't be his weakness, nor would she burden him.He gazed at her, and their eyes met. He knew his young lady was capable, but he couldn't be by her side, so he couldn't shake off his worries at all.The phone rang.Dimas answered the call, and Mac urged him. Time was tight, and there was no room for delay.Harmonia knew and understood it all.โWait for me to come back,โ He said in an extremely gentle tone as he held her delicate and beautiful face. She squinted her beautiful eyes as she smiled brightly. โMm-hmm. I'll wait for you.โTheir hands that were held together turned into intertwined fingers as they walked down the mountain. The cold breeze blew under the warm sunlight. The ribbons, which were tied to the fence not lon
Dimas smirked ambiguously and said, โYour assumption was indeed wrong. My woman is one of a kind. She has both an attractive appearance and an interesting soul thatโs unparalleled.โWhen Rio heard this, as the biggest fan of this relationship, he was screaming in his heart!Wasnโt the meaning behind his bossโ words obvious?!There was only one Miss Marsh in this world, and she already belonged to him!This was definitely sweet talk!So, why were they standing there dumbfounded? They should go and enjoy the sweetness and dive into it to the fullest.Harmonia reached out and tugged his sleeves lightly. โIโm not as great as you make me out to be.โHe lifted his hand and gently touched her cheek with his knuckles.โI really canโt praise you too much. There are plenty who covet you. Dealing with rivals is a waste of our time.โTime was precious.Harmonia blinked shyly and instantly felt as if she was about to blush. She finally understood that all the chaotic feelings were hin
Pennyโs whole body felt stiff all over. Even though her body was warm, she couldnโt move her torso at all. She was just a young girl and had not experienced the world yet. She had always been well protected, so she didn't know how to hide her emotions and unease at the moment.โSince you think of me as your sister, why donโt you tell me who that man is?โ Harmonia's tone was gentle without any intention to blame Penny in any way. She just wanted to understand the whole situation and even find a way to help her deal with it properly.โBlossomโฆโ Penny bit her lip and said, โI haven't been dating early.โโI believe you.โ Harmonia nodded confidently.โYou believe me?โโYes. Hiding a man and dating early are two different things.โPenny paused for a moment and murmured to herself, โIn that case, hiding a little man seems more serious, huh?โHarmonia rubbed her forehead and said, โSo, you know that too?โPenny pouted, looking pitiful and aggrieved as she asked, โBlossom, how did you k
โHuh?โโMr. Dimas and I are mutually infatuated.โPenny felt like she had been struck! A single person really had no rights! Even the air was filled with envy. After that, Penny assured Harmonia repeatedly that this was just a one-time thing and would not be repeated. Harmonia then asked to meet this little man who had captivated Pennyโs heart and said that the man would have to leave Blackath City, at least before Mac came back. Although Penny was reluctant, her rationality told herโฆ what would be the consequences if her brother knew about the little man? She might just get scolded or have to reflect on her actions, but the little man would definitely have a miserable outcome.Ever since Harmonia had helped her retrieve her mother's belongings, Harmonia had gained her trust. Combined with seeing her exquisite beauty and unbeatable charisma, Penny had long treated her like a sister. She absolutely believed in Harmonia and trusted her to handle this matter properly.Finally, Pe
She was just making things worse by exaggerating, so it was better not to say anything at all. What kind of young girl would pick out the color of underwear for a man? It was so embarrassing. Harmonia suppressed a laugh, but Hector remained calm.After spending these days together, he already knew what kind of person Penny wasโquick-witted, straightforward, and innocent, without any scheming at all. However, helping him pick out underwear colors was something he never expected of her. He thought she had just randomly bought them. What was even more awkward was that he was currently wearing the meticulously chosen checkered underwear she had gotten him.As Hector thought about this, his calm expression finally showed a bit of fluctuation. Harmonia looked at him and continued to suppress her laughter.They then had breakfast together.Hector apologized to Penny, explaining that for safety reasons, he had pretended to be mute. Penny was not a petty person, and she was understand
โNo! Don't touch me!โโHelp! Help!!!โโAhโ"Cries and screams sounded together! Harmonia and Hector followed the sound and rushed into the alley. They then saw Penny, who was vulnerable and helpless, being dragged out from the corner by a pair of rough hands!Her clothes were dirty and almost torn apart! Hector cursed and swiftly rushed forward. He forcefully pulled the man away, delivered a fierce kick to his lower abdomen, then pressed his head hard against the wall. The man's head burst open from the impact, and he fell heavily to the ground!โPenny!โ Harmonia called out her name.Penny opened her eyes when she heard the familiar voice. She was overwhelmed with fear the moment she saw Harmonia and threw herself into Harmoniaโs arms.โHarmoniaโฆโ Penny sobbed.โDon't be afraid. You donโt have to be afraid anymore, it's okay.โHarmonia comforted her, quickly wrapping her coat tightly around her, intending to help her leave.Bang!At that moment, gunshots rang out again, an
Quinn was startled. โW-what?โโI wasn't locked up here because I ruined your father's business and he is seeking revenge on me.โโWhy are you locked up here, then?โAbsalom frowned and replied, โIt's complicated. It's not something that can be explained in a short time, but if I'm rescued, it means that there will be one more piece of evidence against your father.โQuinn bit her lower lip. She understood.If he were rescued, her father's actions of injuring him and imprisoning him would no longer be a secret.โYou're his daughter, and once he falls, you might not be safe either.โQuinn hadn't thought about it deeply before, but now, Absalom's words weighed heavily on her heart.Even though her father had never cared about her and was always distant and cold toward her, and even though her sister bullied her since childhood, every word and action showing contempt toward her, they were her family, and that was something she couldn't change.Moonlight shone into the cellar throug
Absalom froze in place while holding the snacks at the sound of those words. โSheโฆ She answered the call?โ His heart felt a sharp pain that hurt a million times more than the wounds on his body.That one word โauntโ was something he didn't want to hear but couldn't deny. They were together, weren't they?Quinn continued to disinfect his wounds, not noticing his expression as she went on and said, โYes. I've already told her about you. Don't worry, they'll definitely come to rescue you!โโI'm familiar with the paths at home. If conditions permit, I'll guide you when the time comes.โHe snapped back to reality, rejecting her without a second thought. โNo need. You've done enough for me already by saving my life.โQuinn looked at him and said, โNo. I have to see you alive and rescued before I can feel at ease.โโWhy?โ He asked.She was puzzled. โWhat do you mean why?โโNo one cares about my life,โ His eyes dimmed with sorrow.He even wondered if it would have been better if he
Castell looked at her. His gaze was devoid of warmth but rather, it was as indifferent as cold water.โTomorrow is your sister's assessment day, and I've been invited to Snow Manor.โQuinn nodded softly and asked obediently, โIs Nara confident that she will win?โUpon hearing this, Castell snorted with great dissatisfaction, โThere's no such thing as losing among the Kenwoods! She will definitely be the winner!โQuinn shrank back in fear when she saw the ferocity in his eyes, and she did not dare to say another word. She simply nodded, forced a smile, and said, โIn that case, Iโll stay at home and wait for Dad and Nara to come back victorious.โOnly then did Castell nod begrudgingly.โOkay, go to sleep now.โQuinn waved to him and then turned to leave.The helicopter slowly ascended, gradually disappearing into the night.After Castell left, Quinn entered the room under Mrs. Clint's watchful eyes.After about an hour, Mrs. Clint entered the bedroom, made sure Quinn was asleep
Madam Judd's tone was gentle yet firm.Nara was stunned.โThatโs impossible! How could I get it wrong?! You must have made a mistake!โShe gritted her teeth at the last sentence.Madam Judd chuckled and said, โAll three of these are fake.โNara had an incredulous expression as she shone the flashlight on them again.โThe jade has been soaked in strong acid, impurities washed away, then injected with glue. The methods of counterfeiting are becoming more sophisticated, reaching a point where it's hard to tell real from fake. To discern the authenticity of jade, one needs keen eyesight and extensive experience to make judgments. Just because you've seen more and possess more jade doesn't mean you understand more. Do you understand now?โThe proud Nara was embarrassed by Madam Judd and couldn't find a way to save herself from embarrassment for a moment. โUnderstood,โ Harmonia nodded.Nara had to reluctantly say, โUnderstood.โMadam Judd then immediately began the lesson.Though
She had an uncontrollable nosebleed as blood kept dripping from her nose. She hurriedly bent over, and the drops of blood fell into the sink. Despite the flow of water, it was still extremely alarming.Harmonia did not know what was wrong with her, but after about a minute, she managed to stop the bleeding. She frowned, suspecting that it might be due to heatiness. With about fifteen minutes until nine o'clock, she quickly changed her clothes and hurried toward the appraisal room.Even before the training began, Jenell had already made arrangements for preparations at Snow Manor in advance. The tools in the appraisal room were already prepared.Harmonia and Nara arrived successively.At nine o'clock, Jenell appeared.However, the person who appeared with Jenell shocked Harmonia! It was actually her!Jenell introduced, โThis is the jade appraisal expert, Madam Judd.โHarmonia and Nara greeted her. โMadam Judd.โMadam Judd nodded, pretending not to recognize Harmonia.โLet
Both Jasper and Nancy were dumbfounded. Dimas simply stood there with a strong, calm, and intimidating aura, which made people tremble with fear even without him losing his temper. Jasper and Nancy obediently admitted their mistakes. One was in his early twenties, and the other was about to become an adult, but here they were, behaving like kindergarten kids, loudly promising to be model siblings in the future.Harris laughed heartily, his face showing an expression of โeven these two rascals have their daysโ.Coincidentally, Mac walked out.โWhatโs going on?โHarris immediately explained, โThe siblings were quarreling, but their father isn't here right now, so the elder brother stepped in as a father figure to educate them properly!โMac burst into laughter, โI donโt want to say too much, but you should quarrel less with Nancy. She's not in good health, so you should be more considerate toward her.โAfter Jasper calmed down, he also realized his mistake deeply. He was born w
โTwo people, two favors.โ Two was two and could not be less. Harris failed to play dumb. โYouโre really good at calculating!โHowever, he had no other choice. After all, he could not handle these two people on his own! His head would ache whenever they argued. โOkay, two favors it is, then!โ Harris agreed. Dealing with those troublemakers really gave him a headache.โTell me, what two things do you want me to do for you, then?โ Dimas said calmly, โIโll leave Moniaโs safety in your hands in ten days.โHarris was taken aback. โHuh? Isn't that girl at Snow Manor? With your mother there, her safety should be absolutely guaranteed.โโIโm still worried.โโWhy don't you take care of her safety yourself, then?โAs he spoke, Harris counted his fingers. He suddenly came to a realization.โIn ten days? Wouldnโt that be the day when Harmonia and Nara will be taking their assessment together?โDimas nodded.โYou're leaving the base?โ Harris understood and asked.โYes.โโWhere are you
โYouโre really killing me.โHarmonia whispered goodnight to him again, then stuffed her cell phone under the pillow as she prepared to have a good sleep.Dimas, who was at the base, also put down his cell phone at the moment. He looked at the simple layout diagram carved on the bottom of the box and turned on his laptop immediately to reconstruct it. At the same time, he called Mac to investigate Castell's second daughter.At first, Mac thought Dimas was joking. Everyone knew Castell only had one daughter, Nara. How could there suddenly be another daughter? Dimas then told Mac about the content of the phone call Monia had received. Mac immediately realized the seriousness of the matter. Before confirming whether Absalom was really in the wine cellar in Kenwood Mansion, he needed to confirm whether Castell really had a second daughter.After hanging up the phone, he acted quickly. Since she was a living person, there was no way she could not be traced.Mac's efficiency was
The air seemed to freeze at this moment.The phone clearly displayed the โcall in progressโ message, but it was as if it was affected by signal interference, and nothing could be heard until his cold voice broke the icy silence.โI will.โHarmonia heaved a sigh of relief, feeling worried as she said, โBut rescuing someone from Kenwood Mansion won't be easy, right? That place is definitely a dangerous spot. How do you plan on rescuing him? Furthermore, we can't guarantee that this isn't a scheme orchestrated by Castell.โHaving finally received news of Absalom, of course, it couldn't be given up on, but the authenticity of the news also needed to be confirmed.Dimas simply smiled without answering Harmonia's question but instead changed the topic and asked, โMonia, what did you have for dinner tonight?โJust as Harmonia was about to answer, a knock sounded at the door. Her heart jumped, and she acted swiftly and quickly tucked the phone under the blanket.She then pretended to be