Summer could tolerate all of this. However, the sudden kiss caught her completely off guard.Joe's lips were slightly cool and very soft. Wait, what was she thinking?After what felt like ten seconds or so, Summer finally reacted. She reached out to push Joe away, but he was quicker. He held her wrist, placing her hand on his shoulder as he grew bolder.Summer was almost breathless. "You fool. Open your mouth, breathe, inhale," Joe said, his voice low and husky. Her face turned crimson. "Haven't you kissed before?" Joe asked.Summer was at a loss for words. Admitting she had not seemed too embarrassed. She had been single all this time, and that was supposed to be her first kiss. However, she did not want to admit it.She did not know how to respond, but Joe's eyes gleamed even more. He found her innocence captivating.That discovery only fueled Joe's desire, and he became more daring. Summer could barely catch her breath."Mmm... you..." Summer struggled to push him away, f
She was in her early twenties and had not had her first kiss. So what? It only showed that she valued herself, took her feelings seriously, and never rushed into things."Yes!" Summer nodded. "This was my first kiss. You took it away."Joe smiled and asked, "Can I be responsible?""Responsible? How can you be responsible?" Summer questioned. "How do you want me to be responsible?" Joe inquired.Summer was momentarily stunned."I didn't expect this to be your first time. Sorry," Joe said.Huh? Was he apologizing to her because he had taken her first kiss?He continued, "If I had known it was your first kiss, I would have been gentler."Summer was quiet.So, he felt he had been too rough? Well, Summer was not the type to hold grudges. She was disappointed that Joe had stolen her first kiss like that, but what was done was done."Whatever. There's a first for everything. I'll just take it like I got bit by a dog," Summer replied with a bit of force, wiping the corner of her mo
As a petite lady, she was not strong enough to break free from him. Joe held up his phone and declared, "This is my promise. I placed a bet with Summer, to willingly be at her service for a whole month. This is the evidence..."While he was recording, Summer struggled, and their antics were caught on camera."Alright." Joe handed the phone back to her. "Is there anything else you're unsatisfied with? Or anything else you'd like me to do? Just tell me."He was in a very good mood right now.Whatever Summer wanted, he would agree. She had to just name it.Summer got up from his chest and glared at him. "I need you to disappear from my sight immediately. I'm annoyed just looking at you!"Joe nodded and stood up. "Alright, I'm leaving. I don't want to stay anymore..."It was not that he was scared of her. It was because they were alone in a room. He was afraid he would not be able to restrain his natural instincts.Summer was briefly taken aback. It was rare to see Joe being this o
The secretary got a little excited but continued to act calm and dutifully report to her. "Alright, understood." Summer nodded. "I will review and sign these documents and then submit them to Mr. Winter for approval.""Yes, Ms. Summer. I'll take my leave.""Alright."Summer made an effort to appear normal. She had no idea that her secretary had already figured out the truth. However, the secretary chose not to say anything. Summer was inexperienced in these matters and did not realize that it would be so physically obvious that she just had a passionate romp.As time passed, the office gradually grew quiet. Summer found herself alone. She stared at the documents in her hand. Her mind was elsewhere, replaying the image of Joe's face up close, along with the kiss."Stop it!" Summer closed her eyes, shook her head vigorously, and tried to banish these images and sensations from her mind. "What are you thinking? Wake up! How long have you known Joe for?"However, she had to admit t
Before this, whenever anyone mentioned Summer, Joe would just shake his head repeatedly, saying that she would never get married and even claiming he would never like a woman like her. He looked at her disdainfully.Yet, he found her appealing.How contradictory.Cough, cough, cough… Joe's eyes darted around. "Well, it's destiny, I guess...""There's no need to be shy. It's not something to be embarrassed about, just pursue her boldly," said Shawn.Joe was speechless.Shawn's words sounded strangely familiar. It was pretty much what Joe once told Shawn in the past. Back then, Joe encouraged Shawn to come to terms with his own feelings and pursue Gale.Now, the tables have turned. Shawn was encouraging Joe to pursue Summer!"Go for it. If you succeed, remember to invite me to your wedding. If not, just take it in stride." Shawn got up and patted Joe's shoulder. "Pfft! Can you believe this guy? You should be the one taking it in stride!"Failure was not an option for him. Wh
"Exactly. This is our house. This is the lawn. The sun is high up. There are birds flying. There are flowers. This tall one is Daddy, this is you, Mommy. This one is me," Nicole explained.Gale pointed at the blank space next to Nicole in the painting. "So why is there an empty spot here? Haven't you finished the painting?""No, Mommy. This is for my brother."Gale was momentarily puzzled.Nicole raised her painting high and said, "Let's stop here for today, and when I can paint my big brother, we can frame it up. Mommy, is that okay?""Nicole, you can paint your big brother now," she replied.Nicole hesitated for several seconds. "Really? Can I?""You can. Your big brother is also a part of our family. We are a family of four, and he shouldn't be excluded."With Gale's approval, Nicole immediately picked up her paintbrush.Watching her daughter's happy and serious strokes as she painted Joshua, Gale smiled softly. She had no more interest in working on the design draft; she j
He said it gently to avoid upsetting Nicole.Nicole responded, "Daddy, Joshua is supposed to be here. I asked Mommy, and Mommy agreed to have him painted here."Did Gale also agree? Shawn's gaze turned to Gale."Yes. Shawn, I want to talk..." Gale replied."Both of you are being too fond of Joshua. But I believe this is a matter of principle. A family of three should remain a family of three, with no additional outsiders."Gale was continually interrupted by him.She could not finish her sentence! She had assumed that Shawn had figured something out from the painting by now, given how obvious it was. A family of four, with Mom and Dad and two children! However, it turned out that Shawn simply thought that she and Nicole really liked Joshua, which was why they included him in the painting. Who would add a stranger to a family portrait for no reason, even if they really liked him? What happened to Shawn's intelligence and sharp wit? Where had they gone?Gale rested her forehead an
Shawn pulled a chair and sat down. "Nicole, has Mommy been with you all evening?""Yeah, she's been working on her sketches, and I've been drawing my pictures.""Do you find Mommy behaving a bit strangely?"Nicole shook her head. "No, Daddy. You're the one who's strange."Shawn was taken aback. "I'm strange?"Nicole pointed to the figures in the painting. "Daddy, look. This is Joshua, my big brother. He has to stand here. We can't paint him to be somewhere else."Seeing Shawn's furrowed brow, Nicole shook her head and sighed repeatedly.'Well, it's fine. Daddy suddenly became so foolish. There's no way I can get through to him.'No wonder Mommy had already given up and left."Tomorrow, I'll have the housekeeper frame this painting and put it by my bedside. That way, I can see it every day!" Nicole carefully put the painting away. Shawn could not comprehend.All he could think about now was having another child!He asked, "Nicole, would you mind if Mommy and Daddy plan to h