"Joey, about what happened back then...""Don't tell me what's done is done!" Joey's voice rose, her emotions flaring as she turned to glare resentfully at Stephen."Why does she always interrupt at the crucial moment?" Wendy muttered quietly, crossing her arms.From Stephen and Joey's reactions, it was clear that past events had deeply affected them both. Wendy felt a strong curiosity, as if a cat were clawing inside her. She was itching to rush over and demand the details of their past."Joey..." Stephen tried again."If you want to make amends, don't bring up irrelevant things," Joey said forcefully. "I'm tired. Let's go back to my room."Stephen stood still, not moving.Joey, certain he would give in, didn't push further.After a few minutes, Stephen composed himself and turned the wheelchair around, immediately spotting Wendy and me standing nearby.Joey's face suddenly changed. "How long have you been here?""I can't remember exactly when we arrived," Wendy said, "but I
"Let's treat your wound first."Stephen pulled Wendy along, striding past me. It took me a moment to react, and I rushed to stop them."Jen, you take care of things here. I'll be back soon," Wendy said, shifting slightly to block my path and giving me a meaningful wink.Suddenly, I remembered that Stephen had evidence of Joey's involvement in our kidnapping. Wendy was going with him to try and extract information.As a lawyer, Stephen was quick-witted and tight-lipped. Wendy had her work cut out for her.I silently cheered her on.Behind me, Joey started to move her wheelchair. I turned and blocked her path. "Why did you have me kidnapped?""What would I gain from kidnapping you?" Joey tapped her head. "Jen, you should learn to think before you speak. Otherwise, you'll make a fool of yourself.""It's your overthinking that leads you to scheme against others.""Without evidence, you're just slandering me. I could sue you for that.""Your threats don't scare me.""We'll see if
Luke's eyes, which were warm when they passed over me, turned icy cold when they landed on Joey.He exuded authority, his gaze sharp as a knife. Joey momentarily panicked and quickly lowered her eyes."Ms. Middleton, please return to your room. I need to discuss something with Ms. Parker," Luke said."Yes, Mr. Walker," I replied, turning to walk towards the hospital entrance.Catching my reflection in the glass doors, I saw my own beaming face and suddenly froze.Why... why was I smiling so happily at the sight of Luke? All my confusion and anger had vanished in an instant.If I had to describe it in a word, it was "dazed." My mind and heart were filled with thoughts of him! I had even forgotten to tell him about Joey being behind the kidnapping!I remembered how I felt when I first started dating Max, realizing I had perfectly recreated my younger self in the throes of first love.Had I... fallen for Luke?The realization hit me like a thunderbolt.I thought about going back
My overwhelming emotions gradually faded as Wendy spoke. I smiled, watching her head to the kitchenette in search of food.Thirty minutes later, Luke knocked on the door. Upon seeing him, Wendy immediately spilled the beans about Joey being behind the kidnapping, like a child tattling on a playground bully."Stephen has the evidence. I'm sure you can get it from him, Luke," Wendy said."The police will investigate," Luke replied, his expression unchanged.Wendy frowned. "Did you already know Joey was behind this?""I found out recently.""Then why aren't you acting on it? Get her locked up!"Wendy touched the bandage on her wrist, biting back some choice words.Luke remained silent."Don't worry, Wendy. The police will handle it," I said."I was just saying," Wendy muttered, pulling out her iPhone. "I need to make a call."Mary had gone home, leaving Luke and me alone in the room.Now aware of my feelings for Luke, I found it increasingly difficult to act normally around hi
"Luke left so abruptly," Wendy said as she entered the room. I quickly regained my composure."He had a business dinner. He just stopped by briefly," I explained."I'm not sure if it was just a quick visit, but I can tell you're upset," Wendy said, studying my face. "You know, a little flirting can make a difference. If you want Luke to stay longer, drop some hints. He's smart; he'll catch on.""Are you feeling alright, Wendy? Asking my boss to hang out?" Her teasing managed to lighten my mood a bit."Jen, you didn't deny wanting Luke's company," Wendy raised an eyebrow."Wendy, my heart belongs only to you," I said dramatically.Wendy cringed at my cheesy line. "Jen, you've become quite the smooth talker."I was considering how to bring up Joey's situation when there was a knock at the door.Before I could respond, the door opened and Joey appeared."Why are you still bothering us?" Wendy said impatiently, shooing her away. "Leave before I make you pay for the kidnapping!""
"He made that decision with Joey because of the company. I'm part of the company, so my apology is just from me personally.""Since he's helped me before, I'll let this slide. But I hope Luke only compromises this once. If there's a next time, I might not be so understanding.""As his secretary, I'll make sure to convey your words to him accurately, Wendy."With the air cleared, I felt somewhat relieved.That night, unable to sleep and not wanting to disturb Wendy, I lay on my side. Scenes of my interactions with Luke flashed through my mind like a silent movie.His presence always stirred my emotions. If this continued, I feared I might reveal my deepest secret to him.He was my father's student who, out of respect for old ties, had assisted me after my parents' death.I was aware of the gap between us, yet I had developed feelings I shouldn't have. He had someone he wanted to protect, and I couldn't burden him with my emotions. Resigning seemed like the best solution.This wa
Luke must be overwhelmed with dealing with this mess, and as his assistant, I was completely unaware of it."Joey's gone crazy! She's dragging others down with her!" Wendy exclaimed."She..." She's always been crazy. She's been on medication for years.Remembering my promise to Stephen to keep quiet, I paused before saying, "Luke wouldn't have initiated this deal. Joey must have planned it."I had suspected this earlier, but after reading the report, I became even more convinced."Do you really have that much faith in Luke?" Wendy asked."Don't you trust your own judgment, Wendy?"With her extensive work experience, Wendy saw things more clearly than I did. Although we didn't know all the details, she had likely figured out the general idea."Joey is playing a dangerous game," Wendy glanced at the gifts Mrs. Walker had just sent over. "Stephen must have played a significant role in convincing Luke to agree to Joey's deal.""Stephen is Luke's friend. He wouldn't help Joey set L
"Wendy...""Jen, I understand everything you want to say," Wendy continued getting ready. "For him, as long as it wasn't Sarah's three kids who hired someone to kidnap me, he won't care too much."Henry was concerned about the potential family conflicts that could lead to a chain reaction affecting the company.Understanding the meaning behind Wendy's words, I stopped trying to comfort her.When I emerged from the bathroom dressed, Wendy was also ready."You're leaving the hospital too?" I asked."Without you here, I'd be bored to death alone," she replied."But what about your injury?" I inquired."Our injuries are about the same. If you can leave, why can't I?" Wendy quickly packed her things. "I've called a car. It'll be here in five minutes. Hurry up, I'll drop you off at the office.""Okay."Unaware of the situation at the office, I didn't want to bother Brian or Zac. I went downstairs with Wendy, carrying my belongings.With time running short, I left a note for Marian
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