“Where is Ms. Cates?” the director asked when he couldn't see Annabeth Cates around.Josh Batton smiled and carefully picked up Candice Batton from the cradle. “She’s still sleeping, but it’s fine. You can start with us first. My wife just delivered not too long ago and needs her rest.” The director acknowledged with a nod.“Waah… Waah…”Candice suddenly started crying right then, making her father panic.He carefully rocked her in his arms. “What’s the matter, Honey? Hmm? Did you poop?”He placed her back on the cradle to check her diaper, making sure she wasn't soiled before he gently picked her up again. “Oh, I know. You’re hungry, aren’t you?”He handed his daughter over to Sharon Lindt before walking side to prepare a bottle of milk, using his wrist to test the temperature until he was satisfied.He returned to Sharon’s side and carried the crying baby into his arms before sitting on the white wool rug to feed her.He seemed so sure of what to do.Candice stopped crying
The breakfast laid out in the dining room looked sumptuous.The dishes included bird’s nests, a seafood stew, fried dumplings, soy milk, porridge, and many types of appetizers.Annabeth Cates found herself starving when she saw those delicious dishes.Sharon Lindt and Wilson Batton smiled as they watched her reaction, taking turns scooping food onto her plate and filling her bowl with bird’s nests.They did all these carefully as if they were looking after a child, invoking even more feelings of envy among the female crew members.After Josh Batton finished feeding Candice Batton upstairs, he made his way to the dining room and sat next to his wife. He then started eating.He also took good care of Annabeth.“Oh, Josh, we are running low on diapers, so you should go get some more,” Sharon said.“Okay.”“Also, buy some snacks Annabeth likes while you’re at it,” she added.“Okay, I will.”“Don’t buy anything that’ll upset her stomach, got it?” his father asked.He nodded obed
Josh Batton was speechless.“This is Annabeth’s favorite food lately. All six of these dumplings are reserved for her. They are not for you,” Sharon Lindt told him sternly.“I was going to get it for Annabeth. I wasn't planning on eating any,” he sighed.Only after hearing this did Sharon smile in a satisfied manner. “That’s good. I was wondering why you’d be so daft,” she replied, smiling in satisfaction upon hearing that.He remained silent and smiled awkwardly before reaching for one fried dumpling and placing it in front of Annabeth Cates, who seemed uneasy.“That’s not necessary," Annabeth spoke up. "I’m fine with eating just two. Don’t you all like it, too? You should all have some.”“We are fine. You can have it all. You’re the most important person in this family,” Wilson Batton stated, pushing the entire plate of fried dumplings over to her.The more they behaved like this, the more embarrassed she felt.Although it was only a plate of ordinary dumplings, she didn’t wa
“Didn’t you say that you have aches around where the doctor injected anesthetics into your body? Did it ache yesterday?” Sharon Lindt asked.“Yeah, it ached in the middle of the night, but it wasn’t too bad,” Annabeth Cates said with a nod.Ever since she'd received the anesthetics shot, the area of the injection site would frequently twinge with pain.She had tried many ways to make it go away, but nothing worked.The doctor and Xyla Quest had told her that it was a side effect of the shot. It would be difficult to recover quickly, so she would have to let it heal in time.“Did you ask Josh to give you a massage?” Sharon asked.She shook her head. “He was already asleep at the time.”“So what if he’s asleep?" Sharon responded indignantly. "Can’t you wake him up? He’s a man. He can take it.”“I didn’t want him to be too tired because we have a show to film today,” she explained.“There’s nothing wrong with waking him up once or twice. Right now, you are the priority," Sharon e
“Hahaha! Josh looks so weak and helpless. It’s clear where he stands in the family.”“I like the Batton family’s vibe the most.”“I find Josh very patient with his daughter. He’s the best husband in the world. Annabeth seems like she doesn’t need to do anything at home.”“Is her name Candice Batton? I envy this girl the most.”“Who wouldn’t feel envious of Candice? Everyone’s favorite idol is her father, and he’s extremely wealthy too. Candice is practically the main protagonist in a fairy tale.”Netizens were already making all sorts of remarks.Josh Batton showed Annabeth Cates all these comments on his phone as they watched the nannies feed their daughter some milk in the nursery.Annabeth subconsciously smiled when she read the netizens’ comments, agreeing with everything they said.Initially, Josh and the others wouldn’t allow her to take a peek at her phone, but she was dying of curiosity and managed to plead with her husband.She ended up reading all these and more as h
The topic occupied the number one spot on the list of hot topics.Netizens began to discuss in excitement—o “Josh is indeed an A-list celebrity. He’s practically the most popular celebrity in the entertainment industry.”“It feels great to be a fan of a top-notch celebrity. I feel lucky to be his fan.”“I heard Annabeth insisted on accepting the show offer. I want to thank her for that.”“As an observer, I have to say I’ve become Josh's fan after watching this show.”“I’m a sixty-year-old woman who has become a fan of Josh and Annabeth today. Watching them is so heartwarming. I’m going to start following them.”“It’s Josh Batton all right.”Georgie Clementine received multiple calls from various sponsors of maternal and infant products unexpectedly, with many of them fighting for the opportunity to have Josh Batton and Annabeth Cates as their ambassadors.Georgie rejected them all without hesitancy with the excuse that Josh was not accepting jobs at the moment.Even so, the
Annabeth Cates leaned against Josh Batton as she wobbled on her feet, only managing to leave the hotel with his help.As they walked out of the lobby, many fans who had followed them were already waiting outside.The fans were very organized despite the huge crowd.Everyone lined up neatly in rows on both sides of the entrance.Young girls began screaming excitedly when they saw their idols coming out—“Josh! Annabeth! We love you! We hope you’ll become more and more successful.”“Josh, take good care of Annabeth. Annabeth, did you have too much to drink?”“Josh, please start focusing on your career. We’ll be with you every step of the way.”Their fans were getting more deafening as their voices melded together.Josh and Annabeth couldn’t hear them clearly, but they still acknowledged them politely.At that point, the fans became even more excited and started cheering louder.Seeing how crowded it was, Josh didn’t dare linger any longer, so he carefully held Annabeth’s hand
As soon as the sunroof opened, the fans could see Josh Batton and Annabeth Cates in his car, and many of them started taking pictures of the two with their phones.Josh ignored them and gently leaned forward to strap on her seat belt.He did the same for himself before turning to press a tender kiss on the back of her hand. He then turned on the engine and drove away.His fans caught his actions, making them feel even more jealous.The young ladies began speaking one after another—“I’m so envious of Annabeth. Josh is so nice to her.”“Although I’ve already accepted their relationship and wish them happiness, I still feel jealous when I see them being intimate with each other. I can’t help it, but even if I’m jealous, I can’t stop being his fan.”“I nearly fainted when I saw him kiss her hand earlier. Josh is doing whatever he wants just because we love him. They look so good together.”“Does anyone think Annabeth looks better and better? She’s delicate and pure. She makes me f
Xyla quickly reached for Hannah’s hand. “Is that right? Hannah, you’re amazing…! You’re practically on par with Leon!”Hannah laughed, slightly embarrassed. “Not at all.”“Oh, cut it out. If you hadn’t helped me, how could I have improved so quickly?” Leon chuckled.“I guess I’ve lived up to my promise.” Hannah giggled along.Back then, she had promised Leon that she would become someone deserving of him.She claimed that she would grow with Leon.Without a doubt, she had done it.Now, Hannah had become a successful woman many would often speak of. She earned her rightful seat next to Leon as the CEO of Dragon Group.Stanley also turned to look at Hannah. “Yes, Hannah’s very capable. She’s our family pride.”Hannah laughed. “I was lucky to be accepted by your family.”In fact, Hannah genuinely felt grateful toward the Batton family over the years she had spent with them.They had helped her through all the hardship she encountered when she was poor and down on her luck.Aft
“Hannah, I’ve taken the first step for you. Are you willing to walk by my side for the rest of our lives?” Leon asked, serious.“Yes, I am…” Hannah answered without missing a beat.“I’ll protect you. From now on, you don’t have to worry about a single thing.” With that, Leon placed both hands on Hannah’s face and kissed her on the lips.The moment their lips touched, everything felt surreal…Hannah could feel pink, light bubbles floating all around her. It felt as if all the flowers in the world were blossoming at once.In Hannah’s dark, depressing life, Leon was her only salvation.He was a ray of hope that led her out of hell, so she could see light once more.Hannah thought she would never have anything to do with Leon after she quit school.Even until now, she still remembered how sorrowful she was on her last day of school.But now… Not only did she get the opportunity to interact with him once more, but they also became a couple.Their driver sighed to himself while
Over time, Leon’s feelings for Hannah grew deeper, stronger, and more intense.He had grown used to having her with him all the time.Thus, he hoped she would stay by his side for the rest of his life.Upon hearing his words, Hannah’s mind went blank.What did her dream guy just say?Was she dreaming?Hannah quickly pinched her palm at the thought in an attempt to discern between dream and reality.Her palm hurt. That meant this wasn’t a dream. It was real!Hannah felt even more dumbfounded…This meant Leon actually liked her! He was confessing to her, wasn’t he?Did her dream guy actually reciprocate her feelings?Never in her wildest dreams did Hannah imagine she would go through such an experience.Excitement jammed her mind, so much that she was rendered speechless. There were many things she wanted to say, and yet, she couldn’t utter a single word.Her heartbeat increased rapidly, and her entire body began to shake. Sensing her trembling body, Leon tightened his e
Immediately after, the men in black pulled out guns from their pockets, which they aimed at Raymond’s head.Raymond panicked instantly, going pale.He subconsciously retreated a step back. “Who are you? Don’t you know what you’re doing is illegal?”Leon sneered. “You don’t deserve to know my name. In this city, I am the law.”Leon’s domineering words made him seem even more imposing.At this moment, Hannah felt as if he was a guardian angel sent from Heaven to protect her.Something about him seemed oddly sacred and heavenly.“Mr. Batton, do I shoot him in the head?” One of the men dressed in black asked.“Mr. Batton? Are you Stanley Batton’s son?!” Fear was beginning to spread through Raymond. For one to have Batton as his surname and act this arrogantly in Atlantis, he could be none other than a member of the renowned Batton family.“How dare you address our president by name?!” Another man in black leveled Raymond with a chilling glare.Suffice to say, Raymond was terrif
Terrible pain ached at every part of Hannah’s body as she collided with the cold, hard ground.The pain was such that all her bones felt close to breaking. Everywhere hurt badly.At that moment, Hannah felt like a fragile doll made of clay that had been forcefully slammed hard against the ground until it broke into small pieces.Her mind went blank from the stinging agony.She braced herself and looked at the cold eyes staring back at her, filled with terror. Stammering, she asked, “Mr. Gray… What is the meaning of this?” “What’s the meaning of this? Ha! Don’t you know what’s good for you? You dumb b*tch… You’re lucky that I set my sights on you!”“How dare you refuse my feelings! Not just that, but you even made up a story to deceive me!”“Even when you saw me, you tried to trick me again!”“Do you think I’m stupid? That I can’t think? Do you honestly think I’d fall for your lies again and again?” Raymond went, his tone steadily rising into a furious roar.He then got on o
Although the sun had long sunk beneath the horizons and darkness had set in, the lively city wasn’t about to be silent anytime soon. Hannah felt deeply unsettled, so much that she didn’t leave right away.Instead, she waited in front of the bar, filled with hesitance and anxiety.Should she really leave?Would Rihanna truly be able to sort things out?The man was Raymond Gray… Neither Rihanna nor the bar could afford to upset him, lest they face terrible repercussions.Hannah remained standing on the same spot, uncertain. She really didn’t know what to do.Finally, she came to a decision. She took out her phone and tapped open a ride-hailing application on her phone.Yet just as she did that, she instantly closed it. Afterwards, she began pacing back and forth in worried circles, going to and fro aimlessly. Right as she was trapped in her worried musings, a group of people exited the bar. Raymond Gray, dressed in black, sporty attire, led all of them in a flamboyant manner.
A handsome waiter quickly walked in and looked at Rihanna. “Ms. Jensen, Mr. Gray out there insists that Hannah should get on stage to sing another song. I told him that Hannah would only sing three songs today…”“He lost his temper and claimed he’d destroy our bar if Hannah refuses to sing another song…” The waiter added. He was visibly trembling by the end of the sentence.Hannah figured Mr. Gray was probably the only son of the new mayor of Atlantis there weren’t many people with Gray as their surname in Atlantis. There were even less people who were arrogant like him. He was the only one.Hannah had heard about how terrible this person could be. He was known to be a womanizer too.Due to his powerful background, he looked down on everyone else. He didn’t respect women at all… Moreover, he had a relatively cruel personality. One could almost describe him as being a pervert.There was once when an owner of a bar offended a female internet celebrity he was dating. He directly hired
Hannah Roland smiled politely at Lina Cohen. “Nice to meet you… Thank you in advance!”“No problem… Do let me know if there’s anything you don’t like about your makeup too,” Lina said.Hannah nodded. “Okay, sure…”“By the way… Do all the signers here get such good treatment? I’m surprised we’re even assigned our own makeup artists,” Hannah asked carefully as she wasn’t aware about things like these..However, Lina smiled without answering Hannah’s question directly. She held Hannah’s hand casually the next second, “Come here. I’ll start doing your makeup now…”Hannah nodded…Lina was a very professional makeup artist. She took an hour to finish Hannah’s makeup.An hour later, Hannah’s appearance transformed completely.Lina permed Hannah’s long, black hair into natural-looking curls.Hannah had intricate peach-colored makeup on her face which made her appear lively and youthful.Once Lina was done with Hannah’s makeup, she happily retrieved a long, white dress from a clothes
Hannah Roland smiled without saying anything.***Hannah arrived at the bar where she worked at seven o’clock the next evening and walked into Rihanna Jensen’s office.Rihanna was going through paperwork in her office. When she saw Hannah, she immediately stood up and smiled at her. “Hannah, you’re here…”“Here’s the contract…” Rihanna said before pushing a thick stack of paper to the center of the table.Hannah quickly stepped forward and skimmed through the document. She then picked up a pen and signed it…Rihanna smiled upon seeing this. “Okay… I’ll transfer the money into your account tonight… I’ve told our big boss about your situation. He’s fine with my decision to pay your salary in advance. In fact, he even told me I did a good job…”“He said you can sing without worrying about a single thing… If you need any help in the future, do let us know…” Rihanna added.Hannah felt glad when she heard this, and became teary-eyed. “Thank you… Please thank our big boss for me too.