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 However, Finn's newfound closeness at times made Annie a bit withdrawn and hesitant.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
Annie tilted her head, narrowing her eyes at the person who had just raised their voice. It was one of the individuals who had earlier stood beside the girl in the white dress, accusing her. They were all in it together.A group of malicious people intent on framing her.Annie yanked her hand free from the girl’s grasp, noticing that her wrist had reddened from being held too tightly. She looked at the girl, her voice still soft and composed.“What do you mean? What exactly did I steal?”“Do you have any proof?”Unprepared for Annie’s calm rebuttal, the girl momentarily froze. But within seconds, she puffed out her chest, raising her chin defiantly as she countered.“My word is proof enough. Now, get upstairs this instant!”“Apologize to my friend for your disgusting behavior earlier!”The woman persisted in accusing Annie, her voice growing louder and more commanding, drawing an increasing number of onlookers. Annie knew full well that this girl was deliberately trying to frame her,
In the video, everything was captured clearly.Very clearly.After Annie left, the corners of Lisa's lips curled into a mocking smile, quickly shifting into contempt. She scoffed softly, leaned over, and whispered something to Selena, causing the two to laugh.Seizing the moment when no one was paying attention, Selena helped Lisa remove the elegant diamond necklace from her neck and discreetly hid it in a secluded corner of the hotel.Selena winked at Lisa, signaling that everything was in order, and then walked away.The video ended there, as the rest was already known to everyone. Selena accused Annie of being a thief and humiliated her with the most vicious words imaginable.After hearing Annie's account of the situation and reviewing the footage from the camera, Finn let out a cold laugh."So this is what you call a thief, in your own words, Selena? Such a masterful twist of the narrative.""And Lisa," Finn's gaze shifted, his voice sharp and unyielding. "You truly are clever, ar
And of course, not an angel investor. Mike doesn't have that much money and kindness.Hearing Finn's invitation, Mike was genuinely intrigued. After all, Lisa's father's company operated in an industry that had always piqued his interest-jewelry."How do you plan to do it?"Finn blinked thoughtfully, considering for a moment before outlining his plan to Mike. As Finn spoke, Mike seemed increasingly captivated, nodding along with visible enthusiasm. By the end of the explanation, he glanced at Finn with a meaningful smirk."I have to admit, for someone who built their company from scratch, you've got a decent head for this."Finn didn't respond, merely giving Mike a calm, indifferent look."Enough with the nonsense. When are you ready to start?"Mike arched a brow, his smirk widening."Anytime."Finn chuckled, saying he wanted to get started immediately. Mike nodded, signaling his agreement....A few days later.Annie was in the garden, watering her flowers when her phone buzzed with
Annie endured in silence as she took a seat across from Sofia."How have things been lately? Has Finn grown tired of that rustic face of yours yet?""Has he thrown you out of the house already?"Sofia's tone was laced with arrogance as she eyed Annie with disdain and curiosity."Never. Everything is fine.""Finn still hasn't realized that I'm just a stand-in for you."Sofia burst into laughter as if she had just heard the most ridiculous joke."Then Finn really is a fool, isn't he? A noble lady like me is being replaced by a pathetic, ignorant girl like you for this long, and he hasn't even noticed a thing."Annie had no interest in entertaining Sofia's insults. She met her gaze head-on, her voice calm and indifferent."Why did you call me here today?"Sofia wasn't the least bit offended by the interruption. Instead, she smirked."Give me some money. Lately, my mom hasn't been as generous with my allowance, and it's hardly enough to take my darling boys on yacht parties like before."
In the end, Annie remained silent, pretending not to understand Finn's words.But Finn was in no hurry. He had faith in Mike's abilities-Mike would find a way to track Annie down.Still, Finn had no intention of letting Sofia off easily. After cutting off her financial support and throwing her out of the house, he also ceased funding Galvin's company.Casually, he removed Sofia's number from his blacklist, waiting for her to admit defeat.And sure enough-Less than a week later, Sofia called. At first, she tried to play innocent, insisting it was all a misunderstanding. She swore that she had always been the one to care for Finn and that there had never been anyone else."Finn, how could you even think I would betray you?" she pleaded, her voice trembling with emotion. "You know better than anyone-I love you more than anything."Sofia's voice cracked, laced with quiet sobs.But Finn only felt a headache coming on."Are you finished?" He tapped his fingers lightly against the table, hi
At that time,As Finn had threatened, early the next morning, he sent people over to evict Sofia from the house forcibly. Naturally, Sofia refused to accept such an outcome.But.Resistance was futile.The staff mercilessly threw all of Sofia's belongings out of the mansion-everything. Then, without the slightest hint ofemotion, they watched as her face turned pale with panic."Finn said that if you wish to stay, you may. But every single penny he ever invested in Galvin's company will be withdrawn."A cold voice delivered the statement with eerie indifference.Sofia was utterly terrified.It was clear-Finn knew exactly where her weakness lay. And he knew precisely how to sever all ties between them.Once their task was complete, the staff did not linger. One by one, they departed, leaving Sofia standing frozen at the mansion's gates, surrounded by scattered boxes of her possessions."Damn it! Who would have thought Finn could be this ruthless?""Just wait. Once I marry him, I'll make
That night, Finn was nearly sleepless.But in Country A, Annie slept soundly. John kept updating her, ensuring that everything proceeded according to their plan, with no unexpected complications.In just a few days, everyone who had once done terrible things would face their reckoning. And beyond that, John hinted cryptically that an unforeseen victory was on the horizon, telling Annie to remain patient and wait.Just as John had predicted-Three days later,The largest entertainment news outlet in Country A was shaken by a shocking revelation.Mark, the renowned television investor, had divorced his wife, Ruby.But that was only the beginning.What came next was even more explosive.Ruby publicly disclosed the reason behind their divorce-a revelation that sent shockwaves through the industry."I divorced my husband because I was utterly disgusted. As an investor, he exploited the dark side of the entertainment world, forcing young actors into unspoken agreements with him. Not just wo
In the room,After finishing the glass of orange juice Sofia had given him, Finn didn't think much of it and headed into the bathroom.However, he soon felt oddly lightheaded, a strange heat spreading through his body. His mouth was dry, and his throat was parched.At first, Finn assumed it was just the restlessness in his heart making him uncomfortable, so he kept dousing himself with cold water. But the more he tried to shake it off, the worse it became.A deep, unshakable restlessness took hold, an inexplicable longing for closeness, for intimacy. And his thoughts kept drifting back to Sofia.He recalled the way she had tended to him with such care, the moments they had shared, and the nights they had spent together. Her scent lingered in his memories, weaving through the air like an intoxicating haze.As Finn stepped out of the bathroom, an uneasy feeling settled over him. Something was wrong. But before he could think any further, the door unlocking caught his attention."Finn, a
While Annie was living a peaceful life in Country A, things were far from tranquil back home.Sofia had endured Finn's cold demeanor for quite some time, but she could no longer bear it. She had to find a way to close the distance between them, to accelerate their relationship-only then could she hasten their marriage. The sooner they were wed, the fewer uncertainties she would face. After all, Calliope had been reminding her incessantly: she had to win Finn over, tread carefully, and ensure he would never grow tired of her and cast her aside.Under mounting pressure, Sofia made a less-than-wise decision.That evening, as she waited for Finn to return from work, she lounged on the sofa, as usual, giving orders to Keelin."Wash some strawberries for me. And make sure to pick only the sweet ones-I can't stand anything sour."She crossed her legs idly, reclining on the plush cushions, waiting for Keelin to bring her the fruit. When she finally saw the maid approach, Sofia smirked."All r
Not only Amber, but Annie also felt so disgusted that she nearly gagged.She never expected that a seemingly dignified man like Mark could be so shameless-far beyond her worst expectations.Annie looked sidelong at Amber and saw her face flush red with fury. Then, she pointed straight at Mark, her lips curling into a sneer."You want to sleep with my assistant?"Her voice rang out, loud and clear, instantly drawing the crowd's attention. Then, with deliberate ease, she turned her gaze back to Mark."Keep dreaming. Take a good look at yourself first."Amber scoffed."A man old enough to be our uncle, looking as terrible as you do... Even if I were a fool, I'd never agree to let my assistant spend a single moment with someone as old, ugly, and disgraceful as you."Her words were merciless.As expected, Mark trembled with rage, unable to maintain his composure any longer. His hand shot up, finger jabbing toward Amber as he bellowed:"Do you even realize what you just said? Do you have an
Amber walked into the grand party with unwavering confidence, Annie right by her side. Just as Annie had mentioned earlier, the venue was brimming with influential figures-wealthy investors, renowned directors, and famous actors.After all, the new film in which Amber had landed a supporting role boasted an enormous budget, attracting some of the biggest names in the industry. It was no surprise that tonight's guest list was filled with power players.With practiced elegance, Amber moved through the crowd, greeting people with a charming smile. Her striking appearance didn't go unnoticed, and to her satisfaction, she was met with warm receptions.Once she had exchanged pleasantries, Amber gracefully took her seat. As a supporting actress, she had been assigned to a more secluded corner of the venue, away from the limelight. But she didn't mind-tonight wasn't about stealing attention. Her goal was simple: to make connections and leave a lasting impression.Before long, the room filled
In Country A, Amber had just finished filming a scene for the day. Exhausted, she made her way to the break room. It was the peak of summer, and the sweltering heat left her glistening with sweat after even the smallest scene.“Amber, have some water. It’s lemonade—it’ll help cool you down,” Annie said gently as she approached, offering Amber a glass of lemonade she had prepared. It was light on ice and sugar—carefully adjusted to fit Amber’s strict diet.Amber took the glass with a satisfied nod, offering Annie a brief word of thanks before collapsing onto a chair.“There are still two long scenes left to shoot. I honestly don’t know if I can keep going,” she pouted.“It’s scorching outside. I barely stepped out for a moment, and I was already drenched in sweat. I really can’t stand summer,” Amber sighed dramatically, sprawling out on the couch in exhaustion.Annie chuckled, settling beside her and offering a few words of encouragement.“Come on now, push through. Didn’t you say you
By the afternoon, Sofia could no longer hold back. As the daughter of a wealthy family, she was used to being flattered and indulged-when had she ever needed to swallow her pride like this?Was Finn deliberately trying to make things difficult, hoping she would back off?How ridiculous. He would regret ever having such a foolish thought.Grinding her teeth in frustration, Sofia pushed herself up and stormed out of the waiting room. If Finn dared to provoke her, he had better be prepared to face the consequences.Just as she stepped out, she ran into Max. Seeing that she was finally leaving, Max let out a sigh of relief and was about to inform Finn-only to realize something was off.She wasn't heading toward the elevator to go downstairs. Instead, she was marching straight toward Finn's office.The moment he noticed this, panic surged through him. He quickly stepped forward to block her path."Sofia, where are you going? You're heading the wrong way-the elevator is to the left, not str