I was puzzled when Wendy, sitting in a corner, stood up and waved at me. "Jen, over here!"I glanced in the direction Mrs. Walker had left, then went to Wendy's table and sat opposite her, asking, "Did Mrs. Walker have an urgent matter?"Wendy tilted her chin toward something behind me. I looked and saw a waiter cleaning up on the floor.A plate of sizzling steak had been spilled, splattering hot oil everywhere. The fragrant aroma in the air instantly revived my appetite."Did Mrs. Walker get scalded by the steak?"No wonder Mrs. Walker had left with a sour expression.As the prestigious Mrs. Walker—elegant and dignified—having her designer outfit soiled in public must have been mortifying for her."This is for your trouble," Wendy said, raising an eyebrow at me before taking out her wallet and handing a stack of bills to the restaurant staff cleaning up.The employee's eyes flashed with surprise, but he quickly composed himself. "It was our mistake that caused you distress. We
"We're about to celebrate our happy event. When the time comes, I'll personally bring Janet to deliver the invitation to you."After saying this, Carter glanced at me once more before leaving."That asshole!” Wendy glared at Carter's retreating figure and spat out a curse. "That scumbag is capable of anything. Honey, stay far away from him in the future."I had heard plenty of dirt on the second son of Kingston Industries before.I had already noticed his malicious glance, so I nodded. "Has Janet agreed to get engaged to him?""I haven't seen her since she returned to the country," Wendy said, her fingers lightly stroking the glass in front of her. "It's not that I haven't had the chance to see her; I just don't want to. Before she left the country, I repeatedly warned her not to contact family or friends for a while. I told her to wait until Carter lost interest in her, or until her family found a way to resolve their difficulties, before taking any action. But now..."Wendy see
"The fish tastes really good," Wendy said, placing a piece on my plate. "Try some, honey.""Thank you, Wendy.""Stephen is really something," Wendy criticized. "A leopard can't change its spots. Those three men who bullied Joey got decent jobs and good pay after a few years in prison. They've tasted the sweet life. Given the chance, it could reignite the evil and greed in their hearts. The Kingston family has given them so many benefits; they might have something that makes the Kingstons wary. Targeting them is the right approach, but Stephen just hasn't used the right method.""Please enlighten me, Wendy.""Are you trying to help Stephen or Joey? Those two seem to have found true love through hardship. She's seriously ill and facing prison, yet Stephen stands by her. If you play matchmaker, they could have their happy ending soon."I was speechless."There are so many temptations nowadays. There are plenty of ways to bankrupt those three men. When they hit rock bottom..."Wendy
Just as we left the restaurant, I noticed a familiar-looking license plate and couldn't help but take a second look.Stephen got out of the car, and I paused. "Mr. York, are you here for dinner?""I'm looking for someone," Stephen replied, his gaze falling on Wendy beside me. "Miss Smith, can we talk?""Dear Mr. York, I don't believe we're that close," Wendy said, standing on the steps. The LED lights at the entrance cast a glow on her meticulously made-up face, making her look strikingly beautiful yet cold. Her lips moved slightly as she continued, "Your constant harassment is disrupting my life. If I take action, it could affect your reputation. As a lawyer, you understand the law better than I do. Don't do things that harm others without benefiting yourself."Harassment... Has Stephen been harassing Wendy recently?!Hearing this, the polite smile on my face instantly vanished. I stepped in front of Wendy. "Mr. York, please control yourself!""Pfft..." Wendy chuckled at my seri
On my way home, I couldn't shake off the unease, so I pulled over and took out my phone to look up information about Stephen's law firm. Recently, they had won a few more cases, including one that was considered a lost cause, and their reputation was steadily growing.There was no negative news about the firm online.Stephen's so-called "harassment" of Wendy appeared unrelated to his career or any romantic interest. I racked my brain but couldn't figure out what value Wendy held that would compel him to go out of his way.Even after returning home, I remained troubled by the matter.I thought about calling Wendy but hesitated, not wanting to disturb her. She was tight-lipped, and if she didn't want to discuss something, it would be nearly impossible to extract any information from her.Feeling a headache coming on, I decided to distract myself by practicing my facial expressions in front of the mirror, hoping that one day I'd be able to control them effortlessly.After a long pra
A few seconds later, Luke reversed his car and stopped right in front of me. He rolled down the window and glanced at the bouquet in my arms.Feeling his gaze, I quickly adjusted my expression, trying to hide the delight I felt. But when I looked up at him, I saw his eyebrows knit tightly together.“Do you like roses?” Luke asked.He sent these roses, right?My mother has always been a lover of flowers and plants, and growing up around her, I developed a fondness for roses. Although they weren’t my absolute favorite, I did like them. And because they were from him, I cherished them even more.His comment, however, left me confused.I looked at him, unsure of what to say.“You actually like such a cliché flower? That's bad taste.”I was speechless.From his words, it was clear that these flowers weren’t from him.“Get in the car. I need to ask you something work-related.”“I’m not ready for work just yet.” At that moment, my mood was anything but cheerful. Unlike before, when I would ea
I met Carter for the first time yesterday. His hair was slicked back so smoothly you could imagine raindrops sliding right off. He had a polished, pampered look, oozing the aura of a trust fund kid.This morning, he showed up in a sleek black tracksuit. His hair, no longer greasy, was neatly parted and looked fresh. Black-framed glasses gave him an intellectual air. He looked like a completely different person from last night.If Luke hadn't revealed his identity, I wouldn't have connected the two."She's just your assistant, not your girlfriend," Carter said, glaring at Luke with obvious irritation. "My interest in her is between us. It's none of your business. Why don't you stay in your lane?"His dismissive attitude made my blood boil. "You really are like a rat - sneaky and repulsive," I snapped.Someone ought to call pest control!"Open your eyes," Carter scoffed, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a gleaming Rolex. "Ever seen a rat this fancy?"The flashy watch was completely
I glanced at Luke before getting into the driver's seat.As we pulled away from the diner, I asked, "Did you notice Carter following me earlier?""When I passed by your place this morning, I saw a car parked nearby. The window was half down, and Carter was watching you with keen interest."His gaze was predatory, like a lion eyeing its prey."Is that why you followed my car too?"Luke replied, "There's a great bakery up ahead that serves amazing cinnamon rolls.""I prefer savory breakfast foods.""We can find a place that sells bagels and lox instead."Luke's eyes twinkled with amusement.His gentle words dissipated my annoyance. Realizing how emotional I'd been, I apologized, "I'm sorry, I wasn't angry at you.""I understand.""What do you understand?"Luke always seemed to see through everything, never needing explanations. I remembered my expression when I received the bouquet of blue roses—a mix of joy and shyness—and furrowed my brow."I understand your frustration at
Due to jet lag, I was already exhausted though it wasn't dark yet.Ian was drooping too, suddenly slumping against me.Worried he'd fall, I quickly steadied him.He glanced at me before contentedly closing his eyes again.He was completely worn out.Mr. Lloyd, who had been chatting with the director, noticed this and quickly wrapped up his conversation to join us.Still half-awake, Ian instinctively held onto my arm when his father reached for him."It's your Dad."At my words, Ian let go.Mr. Lloyd picked him up and strode toward the car, while I gathered Ian's things and followed.On the way back, I offered to drive.Mr. Lloyd was quiet. I turned on the car's music system, and soft music filled the space.Having debuted overseas as a trainee, Mr. Lloyd's fingers unconsciously tapped along to the rhythm on his leg.At a red light, I caught this movement in the rearview mirror.Mr. Lloyd had been an all rounder superstar - consistently among the top three highest-earning
Since Penelope was mid-flight and unreachable, I sent her a message and forwarded Sara's letter."Are you okay, Jen? You seem worried," Ian asked."Just blown away by your amazing performance. I'm still thinking about it."Ian was a natural - his acting could really move people."I might be cocky,” Ian grinned.He looked proud, and I ruffled his hair. "No chance of that."For a four-year-old, he'd shown remarkable composure during the preschool incident.Even after being cleared, he hadn't played the victim. That kind of emotional strength showed real character.A few compliments wouldn't change that.Ian's smile lit up his whole face, showing perfect baby teeth."When do you start filming your scenes?"The director was clearly impressed - Ian's role was locked in."Not sure yet."Ian looked up at his father."Soon," Mr. Lloyd said, clearly proud of Ian's performance. "I'll stay on set with Ian these next few days. Jen, feel free to explore the city. I'll call if we need
Just when they thought they'd found hope, the bad guys caught up with them.During their escape, his best friend fell off a cliff. When Bobby was finally rescued and led them back, they found his friend's body, mangled beyond recognition. He was devastated."I'll start now!"In an instant, Ian transformed. He walked heavily toward a chair, his expression gradually filling with pain.Kneeling beside the chair, he reached out as if to touch "him" but couldn't bring himself to do it. Tears silently rolled down his face.The director checked the script and signaled his assistant to remove the chair, simulating the scene where the friend's body would be placed in a body bag.At this, Ian broke into heart-wrenching sobs.His emotional outburst impressed everyone watching on set.Mr. Lloyd looked proud, and the director, as if discovering a treasure, praised Ian after his performance: "Your acting reminds me of your father in his prime.""If I'm as good as Dad was at my age, imagine
I'd dug my own grave, hadn't I?I swallowed my food, took a sip of water, and kept my head down while eating.Luke pushed the mild seafood soup toward me. "This is less spicy."Stubborn as I was, I ignored him.Luke called the server over, trying to order milder versions of the fish and pork."Don't bother, I love extra spicy food."Even though I needed water after every bite, I was determined to finish what I'd ordered.Seeing my stubbornness, Luke apologized to the server and let her go."Jen...""Don't talk while eating."By now, my soul had practically left my body from the spice. I wasn't in the mood for conversation.My throat felt like it was on fire as I gulped down more water.Luke quietly refilled my empty glass. He'd barely touched his seafood soup, his elegant movements making me feel even more ungraceful.I was suffering from my own spite!I wanted to throw down my chopsticks and leave.No, stay calm!I tried to maintain my composure, fighting the urge to d
Just as I finished speaking, my stomach let out an embarrassing growl."There's an excellent Chinese place around the corner," Luke said."You've been here before?""No.""..." Then how did he know about a good restaurant?Did he research every place this thoroughly?He'd make a perfect travel companion.I later learned he'd researched local restaurants knowing my passion for food.I'd only had water since waking up. The film crew would have finished lunch by now, with no leftovers available. I needed to find something on the way.Being in a bad mood lately, I hadn't researched any local restaurants before coming here.Craving authentic Chinese food, I decided to take Luke's suggestion.It was an upscale Chinese restaurant specializing in spicy cuisine. As soon as we sat down, a cheerful server brought out place settings and started listing their specialties."Our portions are generous. For a couple, I'd recommend one appetizer and a soup to start.""We're not a couple," I
Luke came to search for his birth mother himself?As I looked at him, he noticed me too.I greeted him and was about to get a taxi to the set."If you have time, can you show me where you saw her yesterday?""I... okay."Mr. Lloyd and Ian would be fine - finding Luke's mother was more urgent.After weighing the pros and cons, I agreed.Luke hadn't brought an assistant. I waited outside while he took his luggage to his hotel room, then we walked to where I'd seen his mother yesterday.It wasn't far from the hotel, so we went on foot.Without thinking, I kept about three feet between us.Luke: "Do I look like some kind of monster?"With his model-like features that made you want to break rules just looking at him, how could he possibly look like a monster?I shook my head."Then why are you keeping such a distance?""..." So that's what he meant...Though I'd decided to stay just friends, my heart - already full of him - still skipped beats when we were together.He was t
"If you can't find her, Luke can! Now that he has a general area, he can track her down quickly.""I'll let him know."Mrs. Walker was also searching for her, planning to use her to manipulate Luke. We needed to contact her before Mrs. Walker did.After hanging up with Wendy, I looked at Luke’s number on my phone. Several times I almost called him, but kept backing out.After hesitating, I tried calling Emily, but hung up just before it connected.Although Emily had been open with me, I couldn't be sure if she was genuinely helping Luke.To be safe, I called Luke instead. He answered on the first ring.Luke stayed silent."Mr. Walker, this is Jen.""I wasn't planning to cut you out of my life completely. I kept your number."Me: ...There he went again with his sharp tongue. I almost hung up, but remembering how much he'd helped me, and that I could finally do something for him, I told him about possibly seeing his birth mother near the hotel.After a moment of silence, Luk
"Dad, he's a bad guy!" Ian pointed at the man who was already several yards away.The robber was huge - well over 6'2", wearing a denim vest that showed off his muscular arms. Mr. Lloyd probably couldn't take many punches from him, and we didn't know if he was armed. It wasn't worth the risk.I ruffled Ian's hair. "Let's go get something to eat.""Help! Stop the robber!"A woman was running after him, desperately grabbing passersby for help, out of breath.Following the 'better safe than sorry' principle, no one stepped forward to help.She reached us, and seeing we were Asian, her eyes lit up with hope. "Please help me, I have something very important in my bag."Mr. Lloyd looked down at his arm where she was clutching it. "I'm sorry, we're new here and unfamiliar with the area. We can't help."She let go, disappointed, staring dejectedly in the direction the robber had disappeared.Ian said in his sweet voice, "When you're in trouble, find a police officer."The woman was a
His stern look only made Penelope more nervous.When Director Nolan called "Cut!", she was already drenched in cold sweat.She quickly apologized to the director.Director Nolan watched the playback with a grave expression.As the makeup artist touched up Penelope's makeup, I went to her side and encouraged her: "It gets easier after the first try. You'll do better in the next take.""Jen..." Penelope glanced at the crew members around us. "This is my first time on such a major production.""You'll have many more opportunities like this."One Entertainment had been investing most of its resources in Penelope lately, and with her connection to Jethro, her popularity wasn't waning.One hit was all she needed to skyrocket to stardom."Jen..."Penelope's voice trembled with worry.George was particularly anxious too. "You've done well in other productions. We can't mess up at this crucial moment!"A good performance in Director Nolan's film could lead to future collaborations,