Since returning home, Finn couldn't shake the need to pretend to be blind. He relied on Keelin to guide him back to his room, where he remained secluded. After Annie had turned down Denis's advances and also returned home, she noticed that Finn's room remained tightly shut, so she refrained from disturbing him.Annie took a shower, changed into her usual attire, and went downstairs to prepare dinner with Keelin. She then brought a portion up to Finn's room. She gently knocked on the door after some time, but Finn seemed to be in a foul mood, as he took a while to respond, offering only a cold reply for Annie to leave the food outside."What's wrong, Finn? Are you feeling unwell? Do you need to go to the hospital?" Annie's voice was tinged with concern as Finn's distant demeanor worried her. She probed with a sense of urgency. However, Finn didn't want to explain much and only said he was fine, urging Annie to leave early."In that case, if you need anything, remember to call me," Anni
This evening, a married couple visited the restaurant with their seven-year-old son, who was energetic and constantly crying, demanding ice cream, and no matter how much they tried to soothe him, he wouldn't quiet down. The helpless woman looked at Annie and called her, saying, "Could you please run to the nearby convenience store and buy my son an ice cream? I'm sorry, he's crying so much, and I don't know what else to do."At the restaurant, they need to do everything that customers require, and Annie found the task straightforward. She nodded in agreement. The mother seemed a little embarrassed about bothering her and handed Annie $50 to purchase the ice cream, telling her to keep the change.Annie nodded her thanks and hurriedly dashed outside. There was a large convenience store near their restaurant, about a seven-minute walk away. Annie quickly selected a few types of kid-friendly ice creams and paid for them. On her way back, the sky suddenly poured rain, drenching her smooth
After a night of deep, restful sleep, Annie woke up feeling significantly better in the morning. She furrowed her brows, gazing at the familiar white ceiling. She reached out to sit in bed and suddenly noticed a figure sleeping soundly beside her."Is Sofia awake already? Do you still feel uncomfortable anywhere?" she inquired.Sofia, still groggy, shook her head, indicating that she was feeling okay, aside from a slight headache. Annie's condition had improved, and Keelin had helped her double-check her body temperature, putting Annie's mind at ease.Yesterday had been a frightening experience for her."Are you hungry? Let me make some porridge for you, okay? Recovering patients need to eat well to regain their strength," Keelin softly said, running her fingers through Annie's hair. Her gentle and caring tone made Annie suddenly miss her mother. Annie nodded with pursed lips and attempted to sit up, only to be gently assisted by Keelin."Brush your teeth, and I'll have some hot porri
As for Annie, after reuniting with Taylor, both of them happily went shopping at the city's largest mall. Taylor was a shopping enthusiast, so she swiftly accumulated several shopping bags from various high-end brands, with Taylor continuously pulling Annie into different stores.Annie maintained her frugal spending habits, only purchasing a few reasonably priced outfits from budget-friendly brands and buying a few warm clothing for her mother. Taylor also bought Annie some items from famous brands and a Dream necklace. Annie was embarrassed to accept the necklace after seeing its price tag."Don't be shy with me, Annie, we're close friends. Besides, you'll look beautiful wearing this necklace," Taylor generously swiped her card, satisfied with the silver necklace featuring a sparkling swan pendant around Annie's neck. The delicate chain accentuated Annie's slender neck and alluring collarbones, and the swan was adorned with numerous precious stones, making it bright and eye-catching.
Annie and Taylor left the bubble tea shop, their excitement carrying over as they continued their shopping spree. Taylor seemed thrilled about spending money, eagerly buying whatever caught their eye to the point that when they left, most of the shopping bags in the car's trunk belonged to Taylor.After another tiring round of shopping, they both decided to head to a highly-rated nearby barbecue restaurant, enjoying a delightful dinner together. It appeared that this meeting had lightened Annie's mood considerably, as her smile remained a constant fixture.After arriving home, Annie changed into her cozy slippers, put away her shopping bags, cleaned up, and then happily made her way to the kitchen.She had not anticipated running into Finn at this moment, so she was a bit taken aback by his busy figure. Of course, Finn also noticed Annie, but he was so engrossed in his work that he didn't pay her any mind, continuing to play the role of a blind person carefully heating water to brew c
The rekindling of Annie and Finn's relationship was a wonderful development. However, Finn's newfound closeness at times made Annie a bit withdrawn and hesitant. Having never been in a romantic relationship, let alone being physically close to a man, Annie struggled to adapt to Finn's sudden shift from being distant to gentle.For instance, this afternoon, Annie and Finn leisurely sat together on a swing, comfortably reclining on a soft cushion behind them. Annie lazily closed her eyes, savoring the sensation of each breeze caressing her ears and hair, as if blowing away the burdens of everyday life.They sat there well into the late afternoon, with the chilly autumn breeze bringing a shiver into the air. Annie wore a thin, long-sleeved dress, so her exposed legs felt a slight tremor in the cool air. She thought about getting up to fetch an additional blanket, and it seemed that Finn noticed her intention as he gracefully turned and gently urged her to remain seated.Subsequently, Fin
After rushing outside, Annie instinctively let out a sigh of relief. The tightness in her chest from earlier made her acutely aware of how fast her heart was racing now.She could vaguely guess that Finn might be teasing her, but she didn't dare to be entirely sure. After all, Finn's usual demeanor was cold and aloof-not the type to enjoy playful banter like that....Later that night, Annie lay lazily on the sofa, watching TV. She stretched her legs languidly while nibbling on the fruit Keelin had prepared for her. Though it was already late, sleep evaded her. The show she was watching grew increasingly engaging, and every now and then, a soft, amused giggle escaped her lips.Just as she stretched with a yawn and prepared to stand, the faint sound of footsteps reached her ears from the staircase above. She looked up to see Finn descending slowly.Almost unconsciously, she stepped closer to help him. Finn, for his part, accepted her support with ease, leaning slightly against her with
When work ended, Denis followed Annie to a nearby coffee shop and chose a table by the window. He felt a spark of joy at having some time alone with her, but he didn't expect her first words to strike him like a thunderbolt, freezing his expression in place."Denis, I'm already married. My husband and I love each other deeply and live together in perfect harmony," she began, her voice calm but unwavering."I'm not the right person for you to pursue right now."Denis's smile faltered, and an awkward stiffness took its place. He stared at Annie, utterly baffled by what he had just heard."What are you talking about? Married? When did you get married?"His eyes widened, his voice tinged with confusion and disbelief. From the moment he had met Annie, she had always seemed unattached, hadn't she?"You don't need to make such an excuse just to brush me off. If you don't like me, say it outright, Annie," he said, his tone tinged with both frustration and resignation."I won't cling to you or
The next morning, Annie originally planned to make a cake for Finn as an excuse to approach him and apologize. However, to her surprise, Finn had already left early.Hearing this from Keelin, she was momentarily stunned."Why would he go to the company? Finn never goes to the company, does he?"Ever since Annie had known Finn, she had never once heard of him setting foot in the company. If there was business to discuss, his assistant would usually come to his house, or they would handle everything over the phone.There had never been an exception.That was why the news of Finn going to the company left her somewhat shocked."That's right. He even said he'd be there all day and have dinner with his assistant in the evening. He won't be coming back."Keelin finished speaking and, noticing Annie still lost in thought, asked with concern, "Is something wrong, Sofia? Do you want me to pass a message to Finn?"Annie snapped out of her daze, shaking off the lingering thoughts clouding her mi
Annie listened in silence, her breath hitching as hot tears streamed down her cheeks. Regret weighed heavy in her chest. She hadn't known. She hadn't understood Finn's fears at all.She had always claimed she wanted the best for him, that everything she did was for his sake.But in the end, she had been nothing more than a fool-one who only made things worse.And Finn... Finn was the one left to pick up the shattered pieces of her mistakes.What she thought was helping had only made things worse.Her voice trembled as she gazed at him, eyes brimming with sorrow."I'm sorry, Finn... I was reckless. I didn't think things through.""I was ignorant-I am ignorant. This is all my fault."She could barely choke out the words. If today hadn't happened, maybe Finn wouldn't have been forced to relive his pain. Maybe the wounds he had worked so hard to heal wouldn't have been torn open again because of her."I'm sorry. Truly... I'm so sorry."Because what else was there to say?Finn let out a sl
"Finn, wait for me. You’re walking too fast, I can’t keep up," Annie weakly called out, struggling to chase after him. Yet, Finn pressed forward without hesitation, his pace so swift that Annie could barely keep up. For a fleeting moment, she even wondered if he was truly blind.He moved like the wind, effortlessly dodging every obstacle in his path, his reflexes sharper than even those with perfect vision—sharper than hers.But Finn showed no sign of hearing her. He continued straight ahead. The only indication that he acknowledged her presence was the slight loosening of his grip on her hand, just enough to ease the discomfort she had felt moments before.Once inside the car, Finn sat beside her in the passenger seat, crossing his arms in silence. Annie, of course, knew he was upset—so upset that he didn’t want to speak to her. She barely dared to breathe, shrinking back into her seat, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible, not wanting to irritate him any further.Ste
At Hubert's house,Annie followed closely behind him, her face filled with wariness."Where is this place? Why did you bring me here?"She kept a cautious distance from Hubert, her eyes brimming with suspicion. Stopping in her tracks, she waited for his response.When Hubert turned around, there was nothing but a harmless smile on his face."What do you mean? I brought you here to see the renowned eye specialist I mentioned."He sighed, looking utterly innocent as he gestured toward the upper floor."He's waiting for you in my study. Do you need me to take you up there, or would you rather leave right now?"His nonchalant attitude, as if Annie’s excessive wariness was completely unwarranted, made her feel a little guilty. She rubbed her nose sheepishly."Sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you were using this as an excuse to trick me into coming here."Hubert merely shrugged, maintaining an air of righteous indifference, while Annie pursed her lips. For a moment, she genuinely believed
That night, Annie could hardly sleep.She wasn't used to sharing a bed with another man, so with Finn lying beside her, her heart pounded uncontrollably, as if it had a will of its own. She tried to breathe as lightly as possible, afraid that the rapid rhythm of her heart would somehow disturb Finn, who was sound asleep next to her.Fear kept her frozen; she didn't dare shift even slightly, only lying stiffly on her back, listening to the steady rise and fall of Finn's breaths. Unlike Annie, he seemed to be resting peacefully-his breathing even, his face relaxed, utterly at ease. In the darkness, she watched him, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts, unsure how she could lull herself to sleep.Suddenly, Finn shifted.Annie tensed, holding her breath, remaining utterly still.She hadn't expected him to do more than turn over, but to her shock, he instinctively pulled her into his arms, his hand resting naturally against her back in a gesture far too intimate. Annie's mind went utterly blan
"Of course, it's because I love you."Annie tilted her head, playfully blinking at Finn. Though she knew he couldn't see it, her gaze remained filled with deep affection."If not for love, I wouldn't have been so kind as to take care of you for so long, with such devotion. I'm not that good of a person, you know."Finn pondered for a long moment as if trying to discern whether Annie was telling the truth or merely trying to comfort him. Gently, she stroked his cheek again and softly asked,"And what about you, Finn? Do you love me?"Her sweet voice lured Finn into a daze, drawing him into the warmth of his own heart. Dazedly, he nodded, obediently."What do you think?"Finn mimicked her teasing tone, throwing the question back at her. Annie pouted."How would I know? You've never told me anything about it before."She huffed, lips pursed in feigned annoyance. Finn found her utterly endearing, as her childish tone made him cup her face, lean in, and deepen their kiss-so much so that An
As Annie returned home, she happened to run into Mike just as he was coming down the stairs. With a gentle step, she approached him, her voice filled with concern."How was Finn's therapy today? Do you think there's a good chance he'll regain his sight completely?"Mike stroked his chin, pretending to be deep in thought."The treatment is going well. There's been some progress.""But lately..." He paused deliberately before continuing, "I've noticed that Finn's mood hasn't been great. He seems distracted, even during therapy."Mike carefully observed Annie's expression, and when he saw the flicker of worry cross her face, he felt satisfied. Then, with a grave tone, he added,"You're his fiancée, aren't you? Do me a favor and take care of him more, will you? If he's in good spirits and cooperates with the treatment, he'll recover his vision sooner."He even cleared his throat for emphasis, as if the matter were of utmost importance. Annie nodded earnestly, promising to be more attentiv
Annie never expected that Finn would confront her like this, in the end. She blinked at him, unable to grasp the mocking undertone laced with sarcasm in his words.She also couldn't understand why he suddenly seemed so angry.Annie was stunned."What do you mean? Boyfriend? What boyfriend?"She had assumed Finn was upset because he knew about her dinner at Denis's house with him and his mother. But his words only deepened her confusion."Don't play innocent, Sofia. I know everything."Finn had no intention of arguing with Annie, but her feigned ignorance only fueled the fire inside him. He pressed on."My friend saw you with his own eyes-having a romantic dinner with your so-called boyfriend on a yacht. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"Annie blinked, momentarily unable to process what Finn was implying. She had no idea what he was talking about. Facing his sudden outburst, the only emotion she felt was bewilderment.Then, a thought flickered through her mind, offering a vagu
"This is impossible. Finn, don't be too greedy."Ryan growled in fury, slamming his fist onto the table with a force that left no room for negotiation. His stance was firm, uncompromising. Yet Finn showed no sign of wavering. He remained seated, unruffled, as if he hadn't even heard the outburst.Instead, he gently patted Annie's arm, a silent reassurance against the hostility directed at them."Then so be it. I have no intention of negotiating further."Finn rose from his seat, motioning for Annie to do the same."If you can't agree to these terms, then consider this discussion a failure. In that case, Sofia and I won't waste more of your time. We have other matters to attend to."Without sparing another glance at the two men, Finn grasped Annie's hand and strode away, ignoring the calls from Hubert and Ryan urging him to stay.The purpose of today's meeting had been achieved. He saw no reason to linger any longer.As they stepped outside, Finn casually draped an arm over Annie's sho