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
He said quietly, "Don't answer."However, she shook her head."Just relax and wait for the surgery. The doctor is the best cardiac specialist in Sea City, and this surgery is a piece of cake to him. There won't be any risks. Don't frighten yourself," Gale said."Any surgery carries risks. It's never completely safe.""It's just placing a stent."Matthew sighed. "I'm already old... When I was young, I drank and stayed up late to socialize. My body has long deteriorated. With my poor health, I'm afraid this might be it for me.""You're overthinking it. I asked the doctor, and the success rate would be very high. It's not considered a major surgery," Gale replied.Nevertheless, the treatment costs were very high. However, money was no issue for her, so it was inconsequential.On the other end, Heather's voice came through. "But, a family member needs to come to sign the surgery consent form and have a pre-surgery discussion... If Gale doesn't come, how can the doctor proceed with
Summer didn't know, but the more she said that, the more unsettled Gale felt inside. Everyone was telling her that Shawn wasn't that busy, didn't need to work overtime, let alone stay in the office until late at night. So, what was he doing that night? Did he have some secret that she couldn't know?Just as she was pondering this, several exclamations suddenly rang out in the office. "Wow! Look at this!" "Oh my god!" "This is so explosive!" "The hype is skyrocketing!"Several colleagues were glued to their computer screens, their faces full of gossip and excitement. Gale was puzzled and asked, "What's going on? What happened?"Summer immediately picked up her phone. "Let me see... Oh my god!"Gale grew even more curious. What on earth had happened? She hurried over and stared at Summer's phone screen.News stories flashed one after another, relentlessly. Gale quickly caught the most crucial information: "Ivy announced her withdrawal from her latest film, leaving the female
She wondered what Shawn was doing that night, that he came home only at dawn. Where did he go? Was he lying?Just a moment ago, Gale merely felt something was off, but now, she was overwhelmed with a strong sense of panic. Joshua's words about how women flocked to Shawn and how men would not be suddenly busy, suddenly flooded her mind.Even though Gale tried hard to tell herself not to overthink things, that it was impossible, and that Shawn deserved her full trust, she was having a hard time controlling herself!“Gale?" Summer called her several times. “What are you thinking about? You seem so distracted.”“Nothing,” she shook her head. “It’s nothing. I’m getting ready to work on the design. I really can’t delay any further.”She wasn’t in the mood to joke around with Joe and Summer anymore, so she turned and sat down in front of her computer. Her mind was completely blank. What on earth was Shawn doing that night when he came home so late? Clearly, there wasn’t any urgent matter
Summer chuckled, "Look at you, anyone who doesn't know might think I bully you just because my position is higher than yours. Gale, come on, show some authority. I heard from Joe that Shawn has all the shares...""Shh!" Gale quickly covered her mouth. This was a sensitive matter; it wouldn't do to discuss it casually. If someone with ill intentions overheard, it could lead to unnecessary trouble."Okay, okay, I won't say anything," Summer understood her meaning. "Let's talk about work then? Oh great designer, where's your design draft? It was due last week! You've been delaying for quite some time!"Gale looked embarrassed. "I... I haven't finished it yet...""Show me the draft.""I haven't even started the preliminary draft...""What?!" Summer looked shocked. "Gale, how did you become so lax?""There's so much going on, taking care of two children, and Shawn..." Gale's voice trailed off.At this moment, Joe suddenly appeared from nowhere. "Is Shawn clinging to you, or are you
“Sorry, Gale, I'll be more careful next time.” He hugged her, lightly brushing her forehead with his chin.Gale wondered if she was overthinking things. It was just normal work busyness that made Shawn come home a bit late, and she hadn't really minded or dwelled on it. But, it seemed this issue kept resurfacing in her mind.Just as she was thinking, she suddenly felt lighter."Ah..." Gale exclaimed, "Shawn!"He scooped her up horizontally and headed upstairs in large strides. It was another night of intense entanglement. Gale was tired and sleepy. Her eyes were barely open, but just before drifting off to sleep, she managed to say, "I have to go to work tomorrow, on time... no more skipping.""Okay."With Shawn's response, she immediately fell into a deep sleep.She left everything else to him… She was going to fall apart! She didn't know what was going on with Shawn, these past two nights have been endless. Before, he might ask for too much, but he would care about her physica
The trip back home was serene and filled with warmth for Gale. Shawn in contrast, felt tumultuous. By the time they arrived home, the two little ones were already fast asleep in the back seat, slumped over in different directions."Just a moment ago they were chattering non-stop, now they're all curled up asleep," Gale chuckled. "No matter how clever they are, they're still just kids."They were her little darlings. She opened the back door and gently lifted Nicole out. For some reason, when she lifted Nicole, she felt a bit unsteady and swayed."Careful," Shawn noticed and reached out, pulling her and their daughter into his embrace.Gale leaned securely against him. "With you here, how could I fall?""No worries, maybe Nicole's just gotten heavier as she's grown. I'm having trouble carrying her now," Gale said."Let me."She tilted her chin. "You take Joshua. I can manage for this short walk, really.""I can handle both," Shawn replied."Yeah, yeah, I know you're strong."S
"Alright, alright," Joshua shrugged and said, "Old man, you do your thing. Actually, I hope you could be a bit busier.""You want me to be busier?""Yeah, just a bit busier than now. Not too much, just a moderate increase," Joshua gestured, "You're always so leisurely, it makes me uneasy, Shawn!"Shawn asked, "What makes you uneasy?""Your business. I'll have to inherit it in the future! If you continue being so idle and not managing the company well, when I take over, I'll be swamped! Shawn, can't you think about your son?"So that was Joshua's concern. He feared Shawn wouldn’t manage the company well and it would burden him in the future.Gale sighed repeatedly, "How did I end up with such... "She couldn't find the right words.Smart?Mischievous?Shawn replied calmly, "Joshua, do you now realize you're my son? I should consider you? Then let me ask you, what do you want to call me?""Daddy."Joshua smoothly said.Both Shawn and Gale were somewhat surprised.He actuall
"Joshua!" Gale turned around to look at him. "What's been going on in that little head of yours day after day?"Joshua replied seriously, "I'm thinking about you, Mommy. Shawn leaves work on time every day, never stays late. Suddenly he's busy until midnight. Don't you think that's a bit strange?"As he said this, Gale felt something wasn't quite right. But she trusted Shawn enough. The company was big, with lots of business, so the occasional unexpected situation was normal. Even if she pushed the thought further, what would Shawn do? Would he be seeing other women? Gale wasn't concerned at all because Shawn wouldn't give any woman a chance! He loved only her and she was confident that she held the only place in his heart."Alright, I think you've been watching too many dramas lately," Gale said. "Joshua, from now on, you need to cut down on your TV drama time!""No! I refuse!""Joshua, your protest is futile!"Joshua was getting frustrated; he really wanted to watch TV.After
Joshua reluctantly said goodbye to Ivy, "Bye-bye, Ivy. I'll come over again when I have time. You can come to my house too! Love you! Mwah mwah!"He kept blowing kisses."Shawn," Gale looked at him, "Does your son know no shame?""I'm starting to suspect he might have a genetic mutation."Both Shawn and Gale were quite reserved by nature, especially in expressing their feelings. They loved subtly and rarely voiced it openly. But Joshua was different. He worked his charm on everyone from the old Lucas down to babies. He could make anyone happy if he wanted to!The car moved along the road.Gale asked, "What do you think about Ivy's condition today?""What do I think?""Yes.""I didn’t observe closely," Shawn replied. "Why?"Gale couldn't help but laugh, "I allow you to look and give your opinion. It's fine. You don’t have to create your distance so strictly.""She's better than last time," Shawn said. "Beyond that, I don’t know."Even if he knew, he couldn't say.Gale reac
Ivy stared at Gale, her eyes bright and clear.“Gale, if I hold the truth in my hands, would you want me to reveal it?”Gale nodded firmly. “Yes!”“Do you want to know the whole truth?”“I do!”Ivy blinked, then suddenly smiled. “Okay, okay, Gale, I know what to do now.”“Can you tell me now?”“Not yet.”“Why?” Gale asked. “Have you been threatened?”She grew tense all of a sudden.Ivy shook her head. “No. It’s just too complicated to explain in a few words. But with your support, I suddenly feel stronger and know what I need to do!”Even if President Wood tried to stop her, she would expose it. She would vent her anger, punish Paul, tear off Aurum’s hypocritical mask, let Gale know Aurum's ugliness... Ivy decided to act on her own. She resolved silently.Smells of food wafted from the kitchen.“Dinner’s ready,” Ivy smiled. “Joshua, Nicole, did you wash your hands?”They replied, “We’re going now!”“I’ll take you.”“No,” Gale stopped her. “They’re big enough to wash the