Hades released his hold on her and went back to his documents. He said, "Ms. Jacinto, you're asking too many questions. Don't ask about Melanie anymore in the future."Alanna sat on the couch with her fingers tightly intertwined. It was only a long while later that she replied, "Okay."She forced herself to laugh like she couldn't care any less about it. "I won't ask about her anymore. Don't get mad at me, Mr. Florentine."She then went back to the coffee table and poured out another cup of coffee.The documents Hades was reading must be for his meeting tomorrow. He looked through the documents with a serious expression on his face.Alanna accompanied him on the couch until it was past midnight.Lately, she hadn't been feeling as nauseous as before. However, she had been feeling a lot more tired and sleepy. The room was quiet save for the occasional sound of pages flipping. Alanna sat before the coffee table and began drifting off to sleep.It was until Hades carried her in hi
Alanna felt her mind going blank.She hurriedly got out of bed and tapped on the Twitter icon on her phone.A photo of Melanie and a "mysterious man" entering a hotel at midnight was trending on the social platform. Alanna could tell at once that the man in the photo was none other than Hades.Because of their photo together from a few days ago, many of the commenters guessed that Hades was also the supposed mysterious man in the photo. Hades Florentine was the true heir to the Florentine family. Brilliance Jewels was also under his name.For a man as wealthy and powerful as him to be seen at a hotel late at night with a D-list celebrity who'd just returned to the country, people just assumed that they were in a sugar daddy arrangement. A lot of comments in the comment section leaned toward curses and criticisms of the couple.Since Melanie was the ambassador for Brilliance Jewels, the company's reputation was also a reflection of Melanie's reputation. If her reputation was ruin
"Ms. Jacinto, are you alright?" Henry asked. Returning to her senses, Alanna forced a smile and said, "I'm fine." Henry opened his mouth to comfort her, but he couldn't find the right words. Finally, he closed his mouth and opened the car door for Alanna in silence. Alanna closed her eyes the moment she got into the car. What was she thinking yesterday? How could she have had the thought that Hades would ever treat her gently?The heartache within her was suffocating. After some time had passed, a call from Renee came in. "Ms. Jacinto, what shall we do to resolve the situation? Should we contact Melanie's manager?" Alanna remained silent for a moment. "Don't worry about it. Mr. Florentine will handle it personally." Renee hesitated briefly before asking, "Ms. Jacinto, are you okay?" Alanna smiled faintly. "I'm fine." …At the hotel, Hades was lounging on a sofa with an inscrutable expression on his face. Yves stood next to him in silence for some time. "Hades, I don
When Alanna got to the hotel, she found a transaction notification on her phone for 500 thousand dollars. After reading the message, she skimmed through the trending topics once more. As expected, the headlines were changed. News about Melanie being Hades' first love had replaced the previous topic regarding the mysterious man she met at the hotel. The netizens online went hysterical at the sudden revelation, posting their best wishes and envious messages in the comment section under the post. There were even speculations about whether the two had reconciled. Alanna's hand stiffened and the grip on her phone tightened inexplicably. After a while, she chuckled. It was probably the best outcome she could ask for. This was the outcome that Melanie desired anyway. She wanted Hades to disclose their relationship publicly. On the other hand, Alanna's only reason for staying by Hades' side was because of money. So, he used money to smooth things over with her. Indeed, his actions we
Alanna stared at Hades in surprise. When did she ever act as she pleased in front of him? "No, I never thought of it that way. I just…" Although Alanna felt upset, she did not utter a single word about it. Her grievances would be considered dramatic in front of a man who did not love her. She did not have the right to feel wronged. Taking a deep breath, Alanna sorted out her conflicting emotions and turned to look at Hades again. "I just don't understand. Ms. Smith has been back for quite some time. Why won't you reconcile with her?"Hades' expression darkened. "Ms. Jacinto, you're overstepping boundaries." She continued, "It is really uncomfortable for me to be stuck in this position between both of you." Hades turned to her with a hint of anger in his face. "Ms. Jacinto, you should understand your position and know your place. What happens between Melanie and I has nothing to do with you." Alanna choked up instantly. That was true. From the beginning, she was nothing but
Alanna's heart ached as she read the humiliating words. She really wanted to return the money to Hades. She wished that she could give him money instead and slap him in the face with a few hundred dollar bills.Nonetheless, she didn't have the guts to do so. Alanna stared at the message. After a minute, she sent a reply to Hades, "Thank you, Mr. Florentine." Being melodramatic was useless, especially in front of a man like Hades who didn't love her. It would only be a futile attempt. After she sent the message, the bedroom door opened in just a moment. Hades stood at the bedroom door with a hint of mockery on his face. He laughed coldly and spoke, "What are you thanking me for?" Alanna met his gaze. "I'm thanking you for both your money and hard work." Hades leaned against the door frame with a taunting look in his eyes. "Ms. Jacinto, your insight is quite extraordinary." With that, Hades turned around and walked out. He remarked casually, "Get up and have something to e
Melanie hadn't done anything to her since then. Thus, Alanna didn't let it bother her. Unexpectedly, Melanie brought it up again today. Alanna tried to make herself look nonchalant. "Is it wrong for me to accompany Mr. Florentine on a business trip?" Melanie smirked and said, "Aren't you feeling unwell? Ms. Jacinto, you actually traveled for work while feeling sick. Is there no one else in the company to take your place?" Alanna averted her gaze. "Recently, my health has improved slightly. I apologize for making you worry, Ms. Smith." With that, she walked out and left the bathroom. Once she was outside, Alanna breathed a sigh of relief. When Melanie came back from the bathroom, the expression on her face was unruffled. She went up to Hades and said coquettishly, "Hades, I want to sit beside you later." Hades raised an eyebrow. "Can't you sit in your assigned seat?" Melanie pretended to be angry. "I just want to sit with you. Don't you want to?" Hades chuckled. "Well,
Alanna agreed with Hades absentmindedly. It was fortunate that he didn't pursue that topic further. Once she was done getting ready, Hades took her out immediately. Alanna initially thought that it was just a normal banquet. However, it turned out to be a grand charity gala. The entire street in front of the venue had been closed off. A long line of luxury cars drove up along the street. Alanna had a look of surprise on her face as she walked beside Hades. He couldn't help but smile when he noticed her expression. "What's wrong, Ms. Jacinto? Haven't you been to an upscale event like this before?" Alanna remained silent. Indeed, she had never been to such a grand banquet. With her family background, it was impossible for her to attend exclusive events like this one. Even though she had accompanied Hades to numerous high-profile gatherings before, the gala tonight was considered the most lavish. If it weren't for Hades, Alanna would never have had the chance to attend such a pres