"Just let me know when you need it," Ian said.“Sure!” I replied casually, and continued playing with him for another half hour. Then, I placed my hand over the screen.“Jen?” he looked up, puzzled.“We should give our eyes a little break.” I moved my hand from the screen to cover his eyes instead. “Close your eyes for a bit, then we can look out the window for a while.”He obediently followed. After a few minutes, he asked, “Can I open my eyes now?”“Go ahead!” I took the iPad from his hands and set it on the desk, gently placing him on the ground.Ian went over to the window, gazing into the distance. While he was occupied, I quickly pulled up a video of eye exercises on my computer, planning to have him try it out.Once we finished the exercises, I handed the iPad back to him. To my surprise, he powered it off.“You’re done playing?”He pointed to his smartwatch. “It’s time, just like we agreed. I want to be a kid who keeps his promises!”Whoever said he was a little devil
“Doggo!” I called, but he ignored me completely, too excited to see Goofy. He bolted over, circling his long-lost friend with joy. Goofy, equally happy, gave Doggo a nuzzle and barked in response, his tail wagging even faster.“Sorry to bother you,” I said, quickly avoiding Luke’s gaze when he looked over. As I bent down to pick up the leash, a large hand reached down first, handing it to me.“Thanks.” I took the leash, intending to leave with Doggo.“So, now that you’ve left the company, we can’t even be friends?” Luke asked.“Mr. Walker, you don’t need a friend like me.” Unlike him, I couldn’t just control my feelings so easily. I was completely, hopelessly in love with him. But he had a fiancée now, and the only way I could restrain my feelings was by keeping my distance, avoiding any contact.“Jen…”“I’ve already finished walking Doggo, so I’ll be going.” I picked up Doggo, who was clinging to Goofy, unwilling to leave, and turned to head home. Doggo struggled in my arms, w
The show had a great vibe. Penelope worked hard and kept things smooth with her quiet, reliable demeanor. Since it was the first episode and the guests were still getting to know each other, she would chime in occasionally to ease any awkwardness. By the end of the episode, the audience’s reviews of her were overwhelmingly positive. While some trolls tried to flood the chat, other viewers quickly told them to be quiet.The show was about an hour long, and after watching the premiere, I sent Penelope a quick message: "The show was great!"A moment later, Penelope called me. She sounded hesitant, as though she wanted to say something but wasn’t sure how to start.“I’m at One Entertainment now, and the work atmosphere is nice,” I said, guessing what she was curious about. “Mr. Walker and I have always been friends; leaving JL Capital doesn’t change that.”"Mr. Lloyd is quite a gentleman—a good boss,” I added.“It’s only the first day working with him, but he’s not overly picky. The j
"What do you think makes someone badly behaved?" I asked.He pondered for a moment, then replied, "Bullying others, stealing, lying—stuff like that."It was reassuring to hear he understood bullying was wrong, which made me doubt he'd actually harass his classmates. But why did everyone keep bringing up his pranks? I wanted to ask if he really put frogs in desks and backpacks, but I didn't want to spoil our rapport."That's exactly right! Let's get dinner first, then we can check out the games arcade.""We're really going to the arcade?" His face lit up as he practically jumped with excitement.I quickly pressed a finger to my lips. "Shh! If anyone tells Mr. Lloyd, we won't be able to go tonight."He clapped his hands over his mouth, glancing around with an adorably mischievous look. I ruffled his hair as we walked to the elevator."What would you like for dinner?" I asked as we descended."Spicy food! Let's get spicy food!""Can you handle hot food?""I'm tough! Spicy is not
Luke...I froze for a moment, struggling to maintain my composure while discreetly glancing at Emily sitting across from him.The restaurant was warm against the cold outside, and my eyes suddenly blurred with steam.I quickly looked away, putting my phone back in my bag and picking up my fork to eat the steamed pork on the table.What had tasted delicious and tender just moments ago now felt impossible to swallow.I forced myself to chew and swallow a few bites, but even the soft meat felt rough against my throat.Between my lost appetite and Ian not being able to handle the spice, I decided to pay and leave."Why aren't you eating anymore?" Ian asked."No time like the present - let's go get that fried chicken now."After a week, I'd thought I could handle seeing Luke normally. But just being in the same space with him, one look was enough to break down all my defenses.Afraid I might lose my composure, I quickly gathered our things."Yay!" Ian put his notebook back in h
Not bad for a "seasoned gamer" who had already played dozens of games at such a young age!Ian was clever - after a few tries, he quickly figured out the trick to the claw machine.When he successfully caught a plush toy, I held my breath, afraid any movement might break his concentration.Seconds later, when the claw released and the toy dropped down the chute, we locked eyes and excitedly grabbed each other's hands."I got it, Jen!”He pulled out the toy and handed it to me."You're amazing!""Let's do it again!"Ian was on a roll, getting better with each try, and soon my arms were full of plush toys.The couple from earlier had terrible luck, and they stopped to watch Ian.After he won another toy, the girlfriend lost it, complaining, "You can't even do better than a kid!""His machine must be easier!"The boyfriend hurried after her, trying to explain."It's just that you're terrible at it! Even with ten different machines, you'd still fail!"Their argument was soon
Ian quietly stayed by my side as I stood there in a daze.When we reached the main street, he reminded me, “Jen, your car is still in the parking lot."I stared at the busy traffic, feeling completely lost."Jen..."Ian tugged at my sleeve. I looked down at him as the scene from the arcade entrance played in my mind like a silent film.Of all the toys he'd won, only one remained in my hand. I apologized to him.He shook his head."I'm already so happy you took me to the arcade!" Ian looked up at the second floor where the arcade was. "It's nothing special anyway. I won't miss it!"His words and expression made me laugh. "You don't like the arcade?"How could he lose interest after trying just one game when he loved gaming so much and there were so many different ones to try?"I prefer playing games quietly, not with people watching. The arcade isn't for me."He seemed wise beyond his years, probably aware of his sensitive status and carrying burdens no child should have to b
Ian let go of my hand and watched the dancers in front of us intently.Though his moves weren't perfect, you could see how hard he was trying.Soon enough, he caught the rhythm and was dancing quite well.Seeing me still standing stiff as a board, he gave me an encouraging look. "Let me teach you, Jen!”His smile was as bright as spring flowers, and I couldn't disappoint his enthusiasm, so I started moving with him.Ian had an amazing memory - within minutes he'd learned all the moves. While pointing out my mistakes, he kept praising my dancing. I almost got lost in his endless compliments.He loved the plaza dancing, quickly becoming part of the group.His excitement was contagious, and I tried my best to keep up with the beat.If I hadn't been building up my stamina lately through training, I wouldn't have lasted this long.By the time the dancing ended, it was nearly ten.I checked my phone to find four missed calls from Mr. Lloyd.The loud music had drowned out my ringto
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