"She admires you and has feelings for you. It's natural for her to feel hostility toward me. She simply bumped into me when she rushed over and said some half-hearted words. She ignored my contributions just to get closer to you in front of me. She has no real impact on me," Liesel continued."She's just a naive student. How could she possibly insult me? You're the one who's gone too far."A sharp glint flashed in Liesel's cold eyes as she fixed her dissatisfied gaze on Jacob.Jacob looked at her impassively and gave her space to explain. Liesel seized the opportunity and calmly said, "You know everyone was watching her. They were waiting for her to be humiliated and forced to flee. They were waiting for her to be crushed by your disdain. Just as they expected, you responded with cold, harsh words. Maybe you don't care, and maybe she won't affect you, but your actions could ruin her life."Vivian hadn't actually done anything wrong. She was bolder and more calculating than the ot
Knowing that Jacob would keep his word, Liesel finally turned and left. After everything that had just happened, she didn't want to be near him. The very thought made her feel suffocated.As Liesel walked away, Jacob remained on the balcony. He was staring at the few faint lights glowing on the lawn.The warm yellow glow spilled from the grass, casting a subtle green hue around it. It shimmered like hidden fireflies in the night. To him, it was just another beautiful scene, one that only felt meaningful when Liesel was there.Shaking his head, Jacob pushed his swirling thoughts aside and returned to his indifferent state.He set his empty glass down and turned to leave. As he walked through the crowd, he passed well-dressed guests, tables laden with elegant dishes, and floral arrangements thoughtfully placed around the room.Everyone's gaze was fixed on him, each one brimming with a variety of desires—desires to attach themselves to him, manipulate him, or possess him. At the core
The night sky was empty, yet it seemed the whole universe was shining in Liesel's eyes.Jacob watched her.Liesel only cast a brief glance at him before shifting her gaze elsewhere.Jacob had always known that she was extraordinary.Since marrying him, she had gone out of her way to prove herself. She was always buried in complex plans and a packed schedule. Their interactions were mostly limited to work and the bedroom.He knew Liesel could play the piano, but he had never truly seen her play.Dressed in a fiery red evening gown, she radiated a brilliance so dazzling it seemed to light up the room.In his eyes, everything else faded into the background the moment Liesel entered.Her slender, graceful fingers flew across the piano keys, filling the room with a powerful and passionate melody. The music wasn't just beautiful. It was commanding. It added a striking strength to her already captivating charm.She was breathtaking.Not far from the stage stood a grove of locust tre
Liesel's irritation was growing."Ophelia, this is no longer his decision to make."Her smile widened. "Even if he gave me a choice, I wouldn't choose him. What we had is really over."Her voice carried a lightness. It was as if she had finally been freed.Ophelia sighed heavily, knowing there was no point in trying to convince her further. Still, she couldn't help but privately resent Natalie."When you met Natalie at Heritage Hotel, I happened to be there too. Ophelia, don't make it hard for her anymore. She's the kind of person who doesn't deserve your attention."Ophelia mumbled under her breath, "I just can't stand her arrogant attitude. She's a mistress and an illegitimate child, yet she acts so cocky. It's disgusting."Liesel couldn't help but shake her head slightly.Ophelia noticed and grunted. "Fine, I'll stop. I won't let that woman come near me again. If she does, I won't let her off easily. Liesel, I've got a dance to get to, so I'm leaving now."With that, Opheli
"Ms. Sharp not only looked at my notes but also borrowed them. She gave me her business card and offered me the chance for an internship. You all saw it from such a distance, didn't you?"Vivian felt even more grateful to Liesel now.Liesel must have known exactly what she would face when she returned, which is why she stepped in to help her beforehand. If not, things would have been much harder for her.Sheyna laughed mockingly."Now you're saying all that? Do you really think we didn't notice you were originally trying to get Mr. Ford's attention? In fact, Ms. Sharp nearly tripped over you when you bumped into her."Vivian's expression darkened. She felt a pang of guilt. Before she could respond, a soft laugh came from behind her."She came to find me. Do we really need to overcomplicate something so simple?"Liesel stood behind Vivian. Her gaze was firm and authoritative.Sheyna was stunned into silence for a moment before stammering, "She was clearly after Mr. Ford...""I
Liesel gave him a faint smile. Just as she was about to say something to Vivian, she noticed Sheyna in the banquet hall stumble and twist her ankle."Ah!" Sheyna cried out.The red wine she had been drinking dripped from her head, splattering onto her pristine white gown and leaving a messy stain across her chest.People around her glanced with disdain. It was almost absurd how someone could be so clumsy as to spill wine all over themselves.Vivian was momentarily stunned, and the people nearby exchanged confused looks at the scene.Liesel rubbed her temples and let out a sigh.The flustered Sheyna clumsily hurried toward the restroom. In her rush, her left foot tangled with her right, and she stumbled forward. She crashed into a long table piled with food.The white tablecloth flopped over her face, and instinctively, she reached out to grab it for support. A moment later, a loud crash echoed as the tablecloth came off, and the dishes piled on the table rained down on her.She
Although Sheyna noticed everyone's doubtful gaze, she didn't calm down. Instead, she grew even more furious. She shouted, demanding an explanation from Vivian, and even insisted on reviewing the surveillance footage.However, no one had come near Sheyna. She had fallen on her own, and all of this was just nonsense.Whispers spread among the crowd, followed by mocking smiles.At that moment, Jacob raised his arm. Everyone turned to look, including Sheyna."Take her away. She's too loud," he coldly said. His tone carried a hint of annoyance.The farce had gone on long enough. Finally, a lecturer from the finance faculty stepped forward to apologize. He even went to assist Sheyna himself.His demeanor seemed gentle, but he was dragging her forcefully toward the door.Seeing herself in such a miserable state, especially in front of the person she admired, Sheyna couldn't hold back her tears. The rejection was too much for her. She burst into loud sobs.She struggled to break free f
Jacob made it a habit to leave early, but this time, it was for Natalie.Since they weren't standing too far apart, Liesel saw Natalie's call and smiled lightly. "Alright, Mr. Ford. Take care."Her elegant smile and demure demeanor felt both familiar and distant. Liesel always seemed like this nowadays.Jacob gave her one last, profound look before leaving.As he reached the door, he glanced back. His gaze was intense and impossible to read."Boss, where are you headed?" Drew asked.Jacob paused for a moment. "Back to the apartment."Drew was surprised but didn't question it. He got into the car and drove off.With Jacob gone, Alex and Denzel lost interest as well. Having had enough for the night, they said their goodbyes to Liesel and left.Liesel didn't linger much longer.After returning from the party, Liesel took a shower. With her hair still damp, she sat on the balcony to enjoy the breeze.The air conditioning was on inside, while the heat outside made for a strange m
Edward chuckled quietly in her ear. "Where do you want to go tomorrow, Ophelia? Should I take you on an overseas getaway? Or perhaps, we could take a stroll nearby and watch a movie.""I can't go overseas; I'm not on break yet. Let's go watch a movie," Ophelia replied. "I've only watched a movie with you as my brother. This time, I want to try watching a movie with you as my boyfriend."Although Edward was still the same person, his identity had changed.She could now touch Edward openly. She could hold his hand, hug him, and kiss him.It was… really great."Alright, get some rest today. I'll come pick you up tomorrow," Edward said.Ophelia nodded and walked him to the door. As soon as she shut the door, she pressed her hand to her chest, feeling her heart thudding rapidly from the kiss earlier.She hopped into bed and rolled from side to side.After Edward got into his car, he finally let out a loud laugh. He pressed his fingers to his lips, reminiscing about the aftertaste sh
As their tongues intertwined, Edward could taste a sweet and sour flavor on Ophelia's tongue. It tasted like she just had a piece of strawberry candy that made her entire mouth taste sweet.Even her breath smelled like this refreshing and saccharine fruity scent. It was as if she was enticing him to take a bite of her and swallow her.The more they kissed, the more forceful Edward got. The air around them felt syrupy and intimate."Are you sure you really have never dated before? Am I really your first? If I am… then why are you so good at kissing?" she asked like it was an interrogation.She didn't know how to kiss and was very inexperienced. However, Edward had practically conquered her. He kissed her until her knees went weak.At the thought of Edward doing this to another woman, her chest began to ache terribly.Edward played with her hair, which had become messy from the kissing. "Like I said, you're all I dream about. I don't even know how many times I've kissed you in my d
"How would you know that I also didn't have the same kind of thoughts when you secretly kissed me all those years ago?"You said that I was born in a tall tower, but I didn't get to choose my background. Meanwhile, you have climbed your way up to where I am to be with me."In ancient times, we would have been innocent and carefree childhood sweethearts. We would've been considered a match made in heaven."Edward, what I'm saying is the truth." Ophelia said each word solemnly. She stared unblinkingly at Edward as she spoke. "While you were struggling with these emotions, who said I was not struggling too?"However, I just couldn't forget you. I couldn't accept a future without you. What I wanted was to have you by my side. I wish you were my lover, and I want to be with you, Edward Ford."Her response was firm and resolute. It echoed with conviction.At the same time, she seemed to be giving her answer to the Edward who had been hiding his feelings in fear and panic for many y
"If you're ever unhappy, you can come find me anytime. I'll always be here for you."This was Edward's promise.These were the moments when Ophelia had seen Edward smoking. Each time, it seemed to have something to do with her.She recalled the past. The way Edward always looked at her became even clearer in her mind. Back then, she might not have understood the struggle and yearning in his eyes.But now, she thought she understood.Her mind was filled with too many thoughts, and their embrace had lasted far too long.She wanted to push him away, but at that moment, he suddenly whispered in her ear, "Your first kiss wasn't him. It was me."What?Ophelia was stunned. She even thought that she'd heard wrong.When had she ever kissed Edward? How come she never knew about it?She pushed him away. Her doe eyes widened."You're lying. E-except just now, we've never kissed before!""The night before I left the country, you held onto my shirt and refused to let me leave. After you
Ophelia still remembered the melancholy and confusion that she'd seen in Edward's eyes. He had looked like a young boy who couldn't find his way home.The moment Edward saw her, he stubbed out his cigarette. Holding her hand, he led the bleary-eyed Ophelia back to the bedroom.Worried that she'd catch a cold from the freezing winds, he made her a cup of hot chamomile tea. She didn't like the taste, so he had to try his hardest to coax her into drinking it.Upset, she said to him accusingly, "Edward, I feel I'm turning into a chamomile plant."Edward laughed.He was handsome. Even when he laughed, he looked attractive. Amusement bloomed on his charming and elegant face.She complimented him dazedly, "Edward, you're really good-looking."Even though she was still mad that she'd been coaxed into drinking a whole mug of chamomile tea, she still found herself lost in his handsomeness. Edward's eyes were curved from his broad grin, and he reached out to rub her head."You're very goo
"So it is because of Stanley.""Well, I'm much older than you. Stanley is young so there wouldn't be a generation gap between you two. You must like someone younger."That's not all. Stanley has excellent grades. I naturally understand that you'd choose him. After all, he's the first guy you've ever called your boyfriend."You don't have to say anything; I understand. I'm not up to standard. Stanley will definitely achieve greater things than me in the future, so I shouldn't keep clinging to you…" I must have put you in a difficult position. If I had known that you had picked Stanley, I wouldn't have come back and disturbed you. I've disturbed the peace in your life."Every single word Edward said felt like a stab in Ophelia's heart.Was he crazy? Why was he talking about Stanley in every sentence?Ophelia tried her hardest to bite her tongue, but in the end, she failed to hold her anger in."You keep talking about Stanley, but didn't I already tell you that we've broken up? A
Ophelia snatched the junk food box in a huff to fill the gift boxes with snacks."You! Stop causing trouble!""Okay, okay! I'll stop messing around." With that, Joseph muttered, "It was just a few sweets…"Ophelia glared at him. Joseph immediately cleared his throat and no longer uttered a word. Instead of teasing her, he also began helping her pack the boxes. Not trusting him, Ophelia intentionally inspected each box. She only felt assured to hand him the boxes once she was certain none of the chocolates or snacks were missing.Not long after Joseph started packing, he began looking around absentmindedly. He looked down and noticed many private messages on Ophelia's phone. Those still part of Yvonne's fandom had sent those messages. They were scolding Ophelia.Ophelia merely glanced at the messages before nonchalantly turning off the phone screen. Not only were she and Joseph done wrapping the boxes, but Edward had finished preparing breakfast as well. Edward prepared all of
"Oh!" Joseph exclaimed. He whirled around and took a step back before patting Edward's palm. "Shouldn't you give me something in return for my advice? A present or something, right?"Edward came off as rather domineering as he asked icily, "Tell me which car you want. What model and series? When do you want it?"Yes, Edward had brought up cars. Joseph's eyes lit up. "I want the latest SUV from Land Rover within the next three days."It wasn't as if Joseph couldn't afford the car. He simply liked messing with his friends. After all, free things were the best. "Sure." Joseph continued flatteringly, "Bro, this is how it works. Women are usually more soft-hearted, especially someone like Ophelia at her age. You should give in sometimes."Be shameless if she ever tries to drive you away. Hug her and act pitiful by saying that you don't want to leave her. Say that you can't sleep or will have nightmares if you don't see her. You can even be more dramatic."Joseph was quick-witted enou
Ophelia was left dumbfounded after hearing Joseph's advice. What nonsense was he talking about? He was supposed to be on her side, not sabotage her. Edward shoved Ophelia out of the kitchen. "Something's wrong with his brain, so just ignore him. Go and rest."Ophelia was still perplexed as Edward pushed her out of the kitchen. However, she didn't probe further since she refused to speak to him for now. Once Ophelia was gone, Joseph immediately cursed. "You're such a beast. 28cm, 28cm. Why don't you cut off that thing of yours? Did you think your sweetheart is someone who appears in those adult films?" Edward's eyes twitched. He finally understood what Joseph had been blabbering about. Joseph was such a pervert through and through. Edward slammed the knife onto the chopping board. "I'm talking about my age. What's gotten into you?""Oh, it's your age." Joseph sighed in relief. He had been worried about how Draskia could have such a pervert like Edward.After a while, Joseph e