"How could a married woman with two children be any fun? Your tastes are truly unique!" Paul remarked.Suddenly, Paul felt a sense of danger. He could not afford to offend Aurum, but even more so, he could not afford to offend the Wood family! They were a wealthy and influential family; a single word from them could ruin him or even make him disappear from the entertainment industry.Paul realized he might have made a mistake."Scared?" Aurum observed his expression. "What's there to fear? You haven't offended the Wood family. It's just Ivy. What can she do to you?""I..." Paul stuttered.Though he had not touched Gale and dared not to entertain the thought, he had helped Aurum plan it out, so he was an accomplice.Paul hesitated before asking, "Aurum… did you achieve your goal that night?"If Aurum had indeed had an affair with Gale, things would have escalated. Then again, this was also a leverage Paul could hold. If one day Aurum stopped protecting him and even tried to make
Suddenly, they heard a clang from the restroom. Aurum's expression instantly changed. Who was in his office?Paul also looked bewildered. "Where did that sound come from?"Aurum got up immediately. He was about to go toward the source of the sound when his secretary knocked on the door. "Mr. Lefting.""Come in!"The secretary entered with some snacks, looking puzzled as she glanced at the couch. "Mr. Lefting, where's Ivy? Why isn't she here? Did she leave early?""What did you say?" Aurum gritted his teeth. "Ivy is in my office?""Yes, Mr. Lefting. Ivy arrived when you were out, so I brought her to your office and asked her to wait for you. Then I went to prepare the refreshments."So, the person in the restroom was Ivy. She had been here all along. Then, Ivy must have heard the entire conversation.Paul's face turned pale. "Aurum..."What to do?If Ivy found out the truth and reported it to Mr. Wood, everyone would be doomed. Offending the great, vengeful Mr. Wood meant a li
Ivy smiled, removing her headphones and placing them casually aside. Aurum gazed at her, saying nothing."Your secretary asked me to wait for you in the office. I sat for a while and then came to the restroom, thinking of touching up my makeup. I was listening to music, and I couldn't hear someone coming in, so I didn't know you had returned," Ivy explained, setting down her lipstick.Ivy maintained a casual expression. Aurum's gaze shifted from her face to the countertop, where scattered cosmetics, headphones, a handbag, and a phone with a screen displaying a famous European rock song."Sorry, Aurum, give me five more minutes. I'll be done quickly," Ivy said.They locked eyes. Ivy gave him a cool and alluring smile. After all, a female star was a female star and irresistibly beautiful. He would have long been enchanted if it were an ordinary man, forgetting why he was there. However, Ivy was facing Aurum, and he was no ordinary man.Aurum stared at Ivy for several seconds. The se
That night's truth seemed to be on the verge of being exposed.Ivy decided she had to go and tell Shawn about this. Only he could think of how to resolve this. "Ivy, acting is your profession. Now, it's time for you to act, to truly display your acting skills. Stay calm, stay composed. You are a queen of the screen! From now on, you are someone who knows nothing, a naive and innocent character who has been kept in the dark!" she said to herself, looking at herself in the mirror.Anyone would have panicked when Aurum had opened the door. Even if they tried to hide or disguise it, they would inevitably show traces of their emotions on their faces, making it easy to see through them.However, Ivy was an actress. Her greatest skill was acting. She would portray herself as someone who knew nothing and would continue to act that way seamlessly so as not to arouse any suspicion from Aurum.Ivy picked up her eyebrow pencil again, wiping away the messy lines and carefully redrawing them.
"They'll be here soon. Have a seat," Aurum said."Okay."Ivy sat down and casually ran her fingers through her hair. Aurum's gaze remained on her, always with a scrutinizing air. She noticed it but pretended not to. Ivy remained perfectly composed, showing no hint of anything amiss.The two began to tango."Have you rested well these days? Feels like you haven't fully recovered," Aurum asked.Ivy replied softly, "Even when wounds heal, it leaves scars. I've been through some pretty traumatic things… Even if it heals, the scar remains.""Sorry, it's my...""Don't blame yourself. Let's not talk about that anymore and focus on the movie," Ivy interrupted.Aurum nodded, then glanced at her clothes. "You didn't come directly from home, did you?""No, I went to Wood Group."Aurum, already tense, became even more nervous at the mention of that."I'm Lovito's spokesperson. I went there today for a photoshoot. If everything goes smoothly, the adverts will be out next week, and you'll
She did not speak and looked despondent.Suddenly, Aurum stood up and walked over to her, gently patting her shoulder. Eventually, his hand settled on her shoulder, giving it a firm yet gentle squeeze. The warmth of his hand through her clothes touched her skin, and it tingled.Ivy remained motionless. In her mind, she recalled the first time she met Aurum. He had intervened and saved her from the skateboarders.Back then, Aurum was like a knight on a white horse, an image that Ivy remembered for a long time and was the beginning of her infatuation.But now, Ivy felt a chill run down her spine. Perhaps that encounter was also orchestrated by Aurum."Ivy, we are friends. If you ever need anything from me in the future, just ask. Of course, with your support from the Wood family, Mr. Wood has the power and influence to help you with anything. My assistance may not be necessary," Aurum said."How could it be unnecessary? I'm already touched by your kindness," Ivy replied.She gla
She pretended not to notice it."The facts are there. Our clothes were off, and we hugged each other. This is undeniable evidence," Aurum said.After a pause, Aurum added, "Shawn also saw it!"His tone was somewhat heavy and somewhat aggressive. After saying it, he realized he had been a bit too harsh."I spoke out of turn. I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry," Ivy said."It's okay," Aurum replied, feeling a bit annoyed and not in a good mood. However, he did not want to show it in front of Ivy, so he continued to restrain himself.What did Ivy mean by suddenly asking this? Did she want to prove that she had not heard his conversation with Paul in the bathroom or was she deliberately testing him?Aurum currently had no way of knowing whether Ivy was aware of what had happened or not. He did not know how to deal with her for now.Aurum was sure of one thing. Ivy liked him, and she had feelings for him. He was trying to play that card. He had deliberately shown her warmth, creating
Aurum furrowed his brows as he looked at her, his gaze darkening slightly. "You are in such a hurry to leave?""I'm very tired. I had a shoot earlier. I just want to go home and rest," Ivy replied, her fatigue evident on her face, with no attempt to conceal it.She truly needed to get home as quickly as possible. Every second spent here was torture."I was actually thinking of having dinner together tonight, but since you want to go home, let me drive you," Aurum said."It's not necessary to trouble you...""It's no trouble. Let's go," Aurum said as he picked up his car keys and grabbed her bag.Then, he looked at Paul and the others. "You can all go now."Only then did they snap out of their daze and quickly bid farewell to them. Aurum was ushering them out. He wanted to spend time alone with Ivy."Ivy really knows how to get around. Aurum has fallen for her charm and is at her mercy," one of the assistant directors remarked.Another assistant director commented, "I thought s
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