I”m terrified of being alone with Luke now, worried he might discover my secret.I looked at Wendy hopefully, silently begging her to end the call.Luke didn't take long to decide. "I can include her in my morning runs.""Great! I'll leave Jen in your care then!"Me: ...Did they even ask for my opinion before making this decision?Just as I was about to speak, Wendy quickly hung up. "Jen, starting tomorrow, you'll be working out with Luke in the mornings. He's been keeping fit for years! With all those endorphins flowing during exercise, make sure you can control yourself!"Wendy winked at me. "It's okay if you can't hold back. You're both adults, if something happens...""Wendy, can we talk about something else, please?"With Wendy's suggestive comments, an image of a shirtless Luke flashed in my mind.Luke had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, not an ounce of fat on his torso. His six-pack abs were like a washboard, exuding strength, making one want to touch them.The m
"Richard's good performance made his colleagues jealous. A coworker found this video on Richard's computer and asked about its source. Richard was vague. At that time, your photo was on the desk, and he turned it face down. The colleague thought he was trying to hide something. When spreading the video, they told others you were the main character."Wendy had some connections in Johnsonville, so the police didn't hide anything. "Richard tried prevent his colleague from associating it with you. He didn't expect it would backfire and damage your reputation.""So, I should thank him then!" Wendy's beautiful eyes flashed coldly, like a hunter spotting interesting prey. Her expression lightened considerably.Learning that Richard had left the police station after giving his statement, she hung up the phone."My ex-boyfriend turned out to be quite a character."Due to her family background, Wendy preferred simple, straightforward people without ulterior motives.The guys she dated, in
Wendy's gaze quickly scanned her, settling on her wrist. "Do you like bracelets?""No... not really," the receptionist stammered, tugging her sleeve to cover a handmade bracelet on her wrist."That bracelet looks quite old."The receptionist remained silent."Your shoes are well-worn too."Wendy glanced down at the receptionist's feet.The receptionist pulled her feet back slightly. "There are many loan platforms these days. If you were vain, you wouldn't dress like this."Fearing Wendy might notice something, the receptionist unconsciously shrank into herself.It was a form of self-protection."Do you like Richard?"The receptionist maintained her silence."He's just a scumbag! He tricked you into withdrawing the money, taught you to convert it to cash, and handed it over to him for his enjoyment. When things went wrong, he washed his hands clean, leaving you here to take the punishment."Wendy was trying to drive a wedge between the receptionist and Richard. "I've heard p
"Please send me a copy of the surveillance footage, Detective North."Steven was efficient. After hanging up, he sent the video to Wendy's phone.Wendy opened the video, and I leaned in to watch with her.Nancy and Richard didn't arrive at the hotel together. Each time, she would book a room and pay, then Richard would show up with a woman wearing a hat and mask, or wrapped in a scarf."He's booking rooms so frequently. Nancy's salary can't possibly cover all these hotel bills! What kind of leverage does Richard have that makes Nancy willingly do this for him?"Wendy's voice was full of contempt."Steven found out that besides working at the gym, Nancy has two part-time jobs."Nancy was a hard worker. She'd wake up at 4 AM to do work at a butcher shop, then wash dishes at a breakfast restaurant in the morning.She lived frugally, with little desire for luxuries.It was despicable that Richard would take advantage of someone struggling so hard to make ends meet.Wendy had a so
Wendy casually displayed her designer accessories while chatting with the regulars.The women, recognizing quality, noticed Wendy's wealth and accepted her invitation.After finishing their workout and freshening up, Wendy took them to a nearby upscale café she frequented.Wendy placed the menu in front of them, saying, "It's fate that we met. Order whatever you like; it's my treat.""Oh, we couldn't possibly," the regulars said, exchanging glances and politely declining."It's just afternoon tea. Next time, I'll treat you to a shopping spree," Wendy said generously. "I'm treating you today to thank you for posting that video online, exposing how my membership was cancelled without my knowledge. After the story went viral, the police took it seriously and solved the case quickly."In today's social media age, the gym had a reputation in Johnsonville. The news spread rapidly, prompting many members to check their accounts for unauthorized cancellations. Some even cancelled their m
Good thing we had enough information to work with.Steven, being a long-time detective, had many ways to get the information he wanted.We had just left the café when Wendy shared our leads with Steven. He quickly marked two names and sent them to her phone."Steven truly deserves his reputation as Johnsonville's most expensive private detective. In such a short time, he got all of Richard's client information and investigated their backgrounds," Wendy praised Steven. "Once we have solid evidence, let's see how that scumbag tries to weasel out of this!"Wendy sent the hotel surveillance video to both Mrs. Marshalls' phones.The Mrs. Marshalls responded quickly.One replied with "???"The other's response was more agitated - "Where did you get this surveillance footage?"She quickly realized her mistake, deleted the message, and went silent.Wendy looked thoughtful. "Jen, who do you think is in the video?""The second Mrs. Marshall seems more suspicious. Or maybe the first one
"He should face consequences for his actions!" Richard became more anxious hearing Wendy's words. "I'm not pleading for him, I'm just...""Why are you making such a big deal?" Wendy said impatiently. "I'll get a lawyer for your colleague, reach a private settlement, and try to keep him from being charged."Richard: !!Wendy hung up, laughing heartily. "He's no match for me! I'll make him feel under attack from all sides, unable to eat or sleep in peace!"Richard's colleague, after being taken to the police station, had realized he'd been set up. Full of resentment, he definitely wouldn't let Richard off easy once released.Wendy's move was brilliant.When Richard failed to achieve his goal, he called Wendy again about thirty seconds later.Wendy blocked him. "I wonder which Mrs. Marshall will contact me first.""The second one," I said.Judging from their earlier reactions, the second Mrs. Marshall seemed more hot-tempered."The first Mrs. Marshall comes from a middle-class f
”My wonderful Wendy doesn't need her family to arrange a partner for her!" I exclaimed."You've hit the nail on the head!" Wendy raised an eyebrow at me. "When I meet the right person, I'll make the first move myself!""I trust your judgment, Wendy. Go for it!" I encouraged her.As we were chatting, an unknown number called.Wendy's eyes lit up. She cleared her throat and swiped to answer."What do you want?" she asked directly."I'd like to make a deal with you," the caller replied.Wendy had already guessed the caller's identity from their words. She got straight to the point."How much money do you want?""Asking for money would be extortion. Please don't try to trap me, Mrs. Marshall."The caller fell silent. Wendy was very patient, her fingers tapping lightly on the steering wheel.She had leverage over the other party, who couldn't hold out for long and spoke again, "What's your goal?""You get the secret about Nancy from Richard's hands, and I'll send you the video.
We both knew how we felt about each other, but neither of us made the first move to confess.“I gave birth to him in circumstances I couldn’t control,” Molly said, her hands tightly clutching her cup, fingers unconsciously tracing its edge. “I used to think about fighting back against the people who hurt me, but reality forced me to wake up. I couldn’t afford to lose everything.”She hesitated, her gaze dropping. “There are things from back then that I just can’t bring myself to tell him.”When I arranged for Luke and Molly to spend some time alone, the two of them mostly sat in silence.“Mrs. Walker couldn’t have children for years after her marriage. Luke was just a tool to help her secure her place in the family,” Molly explained.Mr. Walker was handsome, wealthy, and from a good family. After getting married, women constantly threw themselves at him. According to the information Wendy had dug up, Landon didn’t exactly push them away.In such a situation, Mrs. Walker, Ashleigh
Molly poured four glasses of juice and sat across from Luke.She looked like she wanted to say something but didn’t know where to start.I gave Ian a quick look.Ian took a sip of his juice and said, “Miss, the juice is sweet and sour—it’s so good!”“Drink it up, and I’ll pour you some more,” Molly offered.Luke interjected, “It’s almost time to rest. Don’t drink too much juice.”“I’m sorry, I don’t have experience taking care of kids,” Molly said, lowering her head. After a pause, she quietly repeated, “I’m sorry.”She was probably thinking of Luke as a baby.I clutched my stomach, pretending to wince. “Excuse me, Molly. My stomach hurts; I need to head back to my room.”As I stood, I grabbed Ian’s wrist.Ian caught on quickly. “Jen is a girl. She’ll get scared going back alone—I have to go with her.”Not giving Luke a chance to respond, I opened the door and said, “Mr. Walker, you stay and chat with Molly. Ian and I will be back in a bit.”In the hallway, Ian looked thoug
Molly wasn’t the type to make things difficult for others. She didn’t give the hotel manager a hard time.After the staff left, Molly turned to thank Luke and me. “Thank you for staying with me and helping me handle this.”Luke glanced at her but didn’t say anything.The silence grew awkward, so I quickly broke it. “You don’t have to thank us. We didn’t really do much.”“Would you like to come in and sit for a while?” Molly invited us into her room.Before either of us could respond, Ian, who’d been holding back his excitement, eagerly chimed in, “Yes, yes! Let’s go!”I sighed internally.Molly finally noticed the little one in Luke’s arms. “And who’s this?”“I’m Ian Lloyd,” he introduced himself cheerfully.But the moment he got a good look at Molly’s face, he let out a small “Huh?” and then turned to look at Luke.Luke frowned slightly, and their eyes met—a silent understanding passing between them. Ian immediately shut his mouth and swallowed whatever he’d been about to sa
Five hours later, we arrived in Sharonville.Before the trip, Luke had everything arranged. After landing, we took a car to the hotel he’d booked in advance.In the hotel lobby, we ran into Molly. She was walking with two middle-aged men in sharp suits, smiling as she chatted with them.When her eyes met Luke’s, her smile froze for a moment, then slowly softened as she stared at him without blinking.Luke didn’t acknowledge her. He walked right past, brushing by her shoulder as though she wasn’t there. From the corner of my eye, I saw her eyes redden.The two men exchanged glances but didn’t say anything. That night, however, they sent two young, handsome men to Molly’s room.Our room was on the same floor as Molly’s. After dinner out, we returned to the hotel and saw her standing at her door with the two young men.Their faces were powdered with heavy makeup, and they looked eager to please, practically glued to her.My thoughts immediately took a less innocent turn.Luke co
Amy messaging me at this hour was probably another complaint about other agencies trying to poach her, or how stressed she was about it all.The underlying message? She wanted me to contact Mr. Lloyd to secure better resources for her—a thinly veiled threat, essentially.Since several popular artists left One Entertainment, the company’s resources had started to dwindle.Mr. Lloyd’s return wasn’t just because of his love for acting. He also wanted to support the company’s artists, giving them more opportunities to shine.Amy had already begun to stand out. If she simply focused on honing her craft and stayed patient, she’d get her share of the spotlight.When Mr. Lloyd founded the company, his goal was to grow it into a powerhouse that protected its artists. Now, he had adopted a more laid-back approach: if an artist wanted to leave, they just needed to pay the penalty fee.Amy’s tactics wouldn’t change anything.I went back to reading my book.My phone buzzed again, and I ass
Mr. Lloyd's words carried a hint of reassurance for me.“Jen, Uncle asked me to create a travel itinerary!”Luke had been telling Ian lots of stories about Sharonville, and Ian had also looked up a ton of information online. He now knew every street in the city and how many shops were on each one.Carefully folding his sweaters, Ian placed them neatly into his suitcase, which was decorated with a cheerful Doraemon sticker.“I’m really looking forward to your travel guide, Ian!”“I’ve already finished most of it!” Ian was a serious little worker who never did things half-heartedly. If he said it was nearly done, he was probably putting on the finishing touches.I praised him warmly.“Jen, since the three of us are traveling together, we need to consider everyone’s preferences and suggestions.”“So, you want to get my input to finalize it?”“Exactly.”“Well, wherever you want to go is where I want to go. This trip, I’ll leave the planning to you.”Luke had work to handle in Shar
For the past few days, Luke has been picking me up and dropping me off at work.Reporters often linger outside One Entertainment, and it took a lot of effort for rumors about me and Luke to die down. I didn’t want them to resurface.Luke understood my concerns, so he always parked his car a block away from the company. Once he sent me a message, I’d grab Ian and head over.That evening, Luke prepared another full table of dishes for dinner.Ever since things thawed between us, I hadn’t said much during meals, but the atmosphere was much more relaxed than before.“She’s already in Sharonville,” Luke said.“Hasn’t she been out of the country for years? Will she be safe there alone?”He was talking about Molly.The Walker family has been a prominent family in Sharonville for generations, with deep-rooted connections and influence. Mrs. Walker is a respected figure, and many people in Sharonville owe her favors. It wouldn’t be surprising if someone decided to teach Molly a lesson on
I watched the behind-the-scenes footage, and Mr. Lloyd looked great. After stepping out of the spotlight for a few years, his demeanor has become even more composed and sophisticated, perfectly matching the calm and collected surgeon he portrays in the show.“He’s as brilliant as ever,” Beatrice said, her eyes filled with admiration. “As long as the co-stars hold their ground, this show is bound to be a hit.”“He has an exceptional eye for picking scripts,” she added, her gaze glued to the screen.I didn’t interrupt her. Instead, I got up and went to the kitchen to check on Ian’s progress.For someone so young, Ian took everything seriously. Standing on a small stool to make up for his height, he carefully worked on brewing coffee, his movements precise and methodical.“Waiter Number One, Ian Lloyd, at your service. Your oat latte will be ready soon,” he announced cheekily.I laughed at his playful tone and played along. “Waiter Number Two will now deliver orange juice to Mr. Ian
While Beatrice chatted with Ian, I brought the gifts to the living room."You're too kind, Ms. Middleton.""Ian bought these with his pocket money."I winked at Ian.He caught on quickly, nodding.Beatrice warmly invited me to sit.Fresh fruit and two plates of nuts were on the coffee table.She placed a fruit bowl before me. "Yesterday's blueberries are fresh—crisp and sweet."The large blueberries were covered in bloom. I took one and made space for Beatrice."What would you like? Coffee or juice?""Fresh orange juice for me, and Jen likes oat milk latte," Ian said, playing with a doll, squishing its face into different shapes.Suddenly remembering our earlier conversation, he dropped the doll and ran to the kitchen. "I've learned lots from Jen. I can make juice and coffee!"Beatrice praised him: "How impressive!"She started toward the kitchen, concerned.I held her arm. "Ian's a quick learner. He does everything properly. We can trust him.""He gets along so well wit