It took him a while, but Hanley eventually nodded before replying, “…Alright, I shouldn’t have met up with her, even if it’s only for work purposes… How’s this? If we ever need to discuss work again, I can just make her meet me at the lobby or I’ll just arrange all future work deals with her through video call. Is that fine…?” Though his suggestions were thoughtful, they weren’t what Fabiola wanted to hear. So… He still refused to share the truth after she had given him two chances, huh…? Realizing that Fabiola’s anger had not subsided, Hanley couldn’t help but purse his lips before gently holding her hand and asking, “…Hey… What happened? Did you perhaps misunderstand something…?” He sounded genuinely concerned… and after a short while, Fabiola clenched her fists and hugged him tightly. Before Hanley could say anything else, Fabiola’s lips were already on his! The next thing he knew, she had pushed both of them onto the couch… and it was only when he felt her hand feeling arou
To her annoyance, he tried calling again seconds later… and naturally, she rejected the call once more. After this repeated a few more times, Hanley finally stopped trying to call. Instead, he sent a text that wrote, ‘Please answer the phone so we can talk things out…’ As if there was anything more to talk about! Not even bothering to reply, she quickly blocked his number before tossing her phone aside. Maybe a bath would help… Since she wasn’t replying, Hanley eventually sent her another text… but it didn’t take long for him to frown. She… had blocked him? Clenching his fists, he released a heavy sigh before getting to his feet and leaving the room… Regardless, once Fabiola was done with her bath, she immediately got the biggest bowl she could find and filled it to the brim with snacks. She had hoped that hogging out and watching comedies would help with her situation, but… no matter how funny the things on screen were, she simply couldn’t bring herself to smile. If laughing w
Alas, with how fast she was driving, it wasn’t long before he completely lost her… and after failing to find her after a while, he eventually got his phone out to text, ‘Slow down. The road is wet.’ Fabiola naturally saw the message, but all it did was annoy her! Tossing her phone aside, she then headed straight for the mall where she met up with Lea… After picking the most expensive clothes she could find, she was about to pay when suddenly, a card appeared beside her… As expected, it was Hanley! Squinting slightly, she glared at the cashier before saying, “Use mine.” This, of course, left Lea slightly speechless. What was with this treatment? Weren’t the two all lovey-dovey just a day ago? In the end, she couldn’t help but ask, “…A bit cold, don’t you think…?” “Not at all since we’re not together anymore. Actually, that’s right. Are you free right now, Mr. Robinson? I’d like to discuss our divorce!” scoffed Fabiola, leaving Hanley wide-eyed. It took him a while, but he ev
At the time, Fabiola had just finished her shower and was draped only in a white bathrobe… and as she was drying her long hair, she finally realized that she wasn’t alone. Alas, before she could even turn around, she found herself being pinned against the wall! It was Hanley?! Despite her shock, she quickly snapped out of it and growled, “…Why the hell are you here…?! Get out!” Completely ignoring her words, he simply stared straight into her soul as he replied, “Since you keep refusing to have a proper conversation with me, I’m literally forced to do this… You said you were mad at me for not sleeping with you, right…? What would happen if I granted you that wish now…?” Sadly for Hanley, his words only pissed her off even more! What the hell was he even saying at a time like this?! Struggling to break free, she was quick to retort, “Fuck off! Let me go-” Before she could say any more, his lips were already planted on hers… and even though she tried her best to fight back, she s
Though she felt guilty for hitting him, she also felt that it was deserved. With that, she clenched her fists before quickly putting on her bathrobe again and growling, “…Leave. This is the last time I’ll say this before calling the cops!” Staring straight into her eyes, Hanley helplessly glanced out the window as he replied, “…Are you sure I can’t even stay until the torrential rain ends…?” When he said that, she finally realized just how disheveled he looked compared to usual… and though she had to admit that making him leave now felt rather cruel, she quickly shook the thought off. Knowing him, he was probably just using her pity to get his way! What’s more, if she let him stay, he’d surely get to sleep with her! That was his goal to calm her down, right?! With that understanding, Fabiola steeled her heart before retorting, “…Oh, you bet I am! I have no reason to let a person who only toys with my emotions stay!” Though Neal had said something along those lines before and he
...A smartly dressed Neal? It wasn’t Hanley after all… Actually, hold on, thank God it wasn’t Hanley! Watching as Fabiola shook her head, Neal took a moment to ask, “…Who goes fishing when it’s raining this hard?” Pursing her lips, she averted her gaze before muttering, “…As they say, heavy rain draws the bigger fish to the surface…” She looked genuinely exhausted, and… after a short while, he sat next to her and said, “I’ll keep you company, then.” Finding no reason to disallow that, Fabiola simply nodded before continuing to fish… It wasn’t long after when the rain grew even heavier, and even though their tent was starting to shake from the strong winds, Fabiola remained completely unfazed. Raising a slight brow, Neal eventually got up and draped his coat over her. What’s more, he even sat in the way of the wind so that she wouldn’t catch a cold. Even so, Fabiola remained silent… and after what felt like forever, she finally heaved a heavy sigh. “…This is pointless-”
“…And why is that?” asked Neal, his gaze slightly darker. When she didn’t reply, he couldn’t help but add, “…Hanley mistreated you, didn’t he? That bastard…! I’m teaching him a lesson-” “Don’t! I… Look, I’m starving, so let’s eat already!” interrupted Fabiola who really didn’t want to bother with that man anymore. Though reluctant, Neal eventually sighed before nodding… and after making sure that everything was packed up, he led her toward his car… It was about twenty minutes later when they arrived at a rather well-known restaurant. Not even bothering to look at the menu, Neal immediately began ordering a slew of dishes the second they sat down! “Pork Rib Roast, Lobster Thermidor, Crab Cakes, Charcuterie Board, Baked Eggs, and a jar of fresh Orange Juice. Oh, and no vinegar for any of the dressings.” Smiling when he heard all that, the waiter couldn’t help but say, “As usual, you remember all her favorite foods… Really, your thoughtfulness knows no bounds! Speaking of whic
Not wanting to bother with him, Fabiola immediately turned to leave… but to her dismay, Hanley simply walked up to her and blocked her path! “…Did you break up with me because of him?” Though Fabiola wanted to tell him that that wasn’t the case, she didn’t want him to get that satisfaction either. With that, she pursed her lips before scoffing, “Use your head.” Following that, she attempted to leave again… but once more, Hanley stopped her. Glaring straight into her eyes, it took a moment for him to ask, “…Are you with him again?” Rather than angry, his voice sounded… Hurt. Why the hell was he talking like that when she was the one who had been scarred? Taking a deep breath, she eventually growled, “…So, not only are you stupid, but you’re also blind…?! If you want a straight answer, then yes! Neal and I are back together again, so stop coming back to me already! Leave-” “Am I really the one at fault when you were the one who came to me asking for marriage? The one who want
Staring in shock at the kneeling man, Yulia mustered her remaining sanity as she replied, “B-but you’re younger-” “Even if that’s the case, doesn’t that mean that I’m much more ‘capable’ than your older pursuers…?” …Why were his words so suggestive all of a sudden?! Forcing herself to calm down, she took a deep breath before saying, “…Elliot, I’m not sure what spurred this decision, but… I’m not the one for you. Please find someone your age. I’m sorry.” After saying that, she strode straight for the car… but before she could start the engine, she couldn’t help but notice how desolate he looked standing under the pouring rain… Clenching her fists, it took her a while to finally sigh and walk back to him… “…Are you really sure about this?” asked Yulia, much to Elliot’s delight. “I am! Please! Give me a chance! You won’t regret it!” …When he put it that way, all Yulia could do was help him up before finally deciding to return his kiss… Sure, things had taken a sudden, unex
She stared in horror as he removed his shirt right there and then! “W-what are you doing?!” yelped the startled woman as she quickly looked the other way. “…Huh? I mean, I’m drenched, so…” “E-even so, you shouldn’t change right in front of me!” “…Yulia, we bathed together as children… It’s not like you haven’t seen everything already…” “Y-you can’t compare that to this situation…!” “Fine, fine, I… Um… Go cook, I guess… I’ll go get a change upstairs first…” muttered Elliot as he headed upstairs. Yulia herself had to try her best to calm down! After all, Elliot had been plaguing her mind in the past few days, and… she even had dreams where he had… …No! She couldn’t be thinking about such things! She needed to cook! Maybe that would help get her mind out of the gutter! Once that was done, she’d leave and finally start devising a plan to get rid of him…! As Yulia scurried off, Elliot himself was currently staring at an old photo that showed him eating some candy in Yulia’
Just as she had arrived at her car, the president of the Halls Group suddenly walked up to her, a bouquet in hand! The Halls Group had collaborated several times with the Burtons before, and because of that, she was well acquainted with the man. Sadly, he had also proposed to her on multiple occasions… and though she kept rejecting him, he never seemed to get the hint! “There you are, Miss Burton… Since you’re off work, I was wondering if you’d join me for dinner tonight…” asked the charming man. Feeling awkward, she was just about to come up with an excuse when Elliot suddenly grabbed her by the waist and said, “Oh? Another one of your admirers, Yulia…? Sorry, but she already has a boyfriend, my man. If that doesn’t deter you enough, then you should know that she prefers her partners younger. Now please leave.” Startled to hear that, the man glanced at Yulia, his eyes begging for an explanation… Yulia herself was eager to just escape this embarrassing situation, but before s
With that tale done, it was now time to return to Yulia’s story… Ever since she was a child, she had undergone countless hardships with her mother… and even after she was able to reunite with her father, things didn’t go much easier from there. To make matters worse, Fabiola ended up getting kidnapped for the longest time, resulting in Frank ending up the way he was today… Because of all that, it only made sense that she’d mature much sooner than others her age, and unlike the naïve girl she used to be, she was an extremely competent woman today. Alas, because of how used she became with working, she soon lost the urge to find herself a romantic interest… Things continued that way until… Well, that time that Elliot… …Wait, what was she thinking?! He was younger than her, for heaven’s sake! Quickly shaking her head, she attempted to force herself to concentrate on work again… But before long, a knock was heard on the door. After being allowed in, the department manager entered t
Knowing that there was no point in keeping things a secret anymore, Rea took a deep breath before saying, “…Alright, so… The truth is, I’ve always been highly competent, but… I’ve been pretending to be useless just so that you’d eventually marry me… The trip my parents are taking… That was my suggestion too…” Feeling speechless, it took Frank a long while to reply, “…So you weren’t really drunk when you did all that last night?” Pursing her lips, Rea awkwardly muttered, “…I wasn’t… Luna suggested it, and since it sounded like a good idea to accelerate things…” …Fucking hell, to think that he had fallen straight into her trap without even putting up a fight! Watching as he glowered at her, Rea gulped before adding, “A-anyway, now that we’re married and there’s potentially a baby in my belly, you won’t divorce me, right…?” “…Oh, believe me when I say that divorce is the easy way out! From today onward, I’m making you pay for your actions for the rest of your life!” Fast forwa
Fast forward to the next morning, Rea awoke with a yawn… What a nice sleep… Wait. Why was she naked? And why was Frank…?! Her following scream immediately woke the icy man up… and upon looking at her, he was immediately reminded of what had transpired last night! Essentially, Rea ended up clinging to him, and though he initially wanted to just carry her to bed to let her rest… Damn it! Had she really been that sensual?! How had he lost control so easily?! His train of thought was cut short when he realized that Rea was bawling her eyes out… and after rubbing his temples, he was prompted to say, “…Why are you crying when you’re the one who initiated this? I’ll have you know that I never forced you-” “I-I know, but…! I’ve just…! This is my first time…!” whimpered the quivering woman, prompting Frank to purse his lips. As if he wasn’t in the same situation… “…You’re not alone there.” “It’s not the same! Men are free to sleep with whoever they want but when it comes to women, I’l
“Say, wouldn’t you agree that the food smells delicious…? Why don’t I teach you how to grill, Rea…? Oh, but make sure to take your clothes off first before we start! Wouldn’t want them to get dirty…” With how drunk Rea was, she wasn’t able to fully register his words… and just as he was about to touch her clothes, an icy voice roared, “Stop right there…!” Instantly feeling a shiver run down his spine, the man turned around… and to his horror, it was Frank! Young Master Burton’s perpetually icy son…! Why the hell was he here?! Before the frightened intern could think of how to even react, Frank walked up to him and growled, “Leave now before I chop your hands off…! Don’t make me repeat myself!” Nodding in terror, the man frantically bolted off… and once he was out of sight, Frank glared at the tipsy Rea before adding, “This is what you meant by learning how to be more responsible…?!” “Huh…? But the food really did smell super good… I want to learn…” mumbled the drunk woman.
After leaving his office, he headed off to look for Rea. She had said that she wanted to use the bathroom, but… It had already been half an hour since she disappeared. What trouble had that idiot gotten herself into this time? Thankfully, it wasn’t long before he found her laughing along with some of his interns… When the interns saw him, they were quick to bow and say, “Good morning, Mr. Burton.” Barely even glancing at them, Frank looked at Rea and said, “It’s time to head home.” “I… Won’t be following you back…” “…And why is that? Are your parents back?” “No, it’s just… These are my good friends back from school, and they’ve been staying together to learn to be more independent… With that said… I think that staying with them will be a good start for me to learn more about how the world works. Thank you for taking care of me up till this point, Frank… I won’t bother you anymore.” Raising a slight brow, Frank then looked at the interns for a while before saying, “…Are you
Regardless, after leaving her in the room, Frank returned to the shower to cool himself off… but no matter what he did, he simply remained irked. It got to the point where he couldn’t relax at all, and after wrapping a towel around his waist, he grabbed his phone to send his father a text. ‘Was there really nobody else who could’ve taken care of Rea?’ ‘What? Can’t even care for a woman properly.’ ‘I’m a busy man.’ ‘I trust in your time management skills.’ …Though he really wanted to tell Zivon that he had misplaced his trust in him, he didn’t want to disappoint his father either. With that, all he could do was clench his fists before giving Rea’s parents a call… “Hello? Frank? Why are you calling at this time of night?” “…When are you and Uncle Saltman returning, Aunt?” asked Frank who wanted them to take back their idiot already! “…Huh? What was that? Sorry, the line isn’t very good… I hope Rea isn’t giving you too hard a time! Don’t worry, we’ll be back after about a