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
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."
At that moment, the phone rang. Finn impatiently picked up."What is it? Make it quick."His voice was a mix of irritation and impatience, startling even Mike. What had he done to provoke Finn?"Hey, who ruffled your feathers today? Or is it trouble in paradise with your fiancée, and I'm just the unlucky punching bag?"Mike shrugged innocently. Finn clenched his fist, his patience wearing thin."I'll give you three seconds to say what you need, or I'm hanging up."Mike quickly pleaded for him to wait, then hastened to explain."To celebrate the successful acquisition of Lisa's father's company, I want to invite a few close friends to the bar for drinks. So, how about it? The man who suggested this golden opportunity to me and my business partner-are you interested?"Ordinarily, Finn did not incline these gatherings and would refuse outright. But his mood was foul today, and perhaps a few drinks would do him some good.So, he agreed."What time? Where?"Mike was taken aback by Finn's a
However, Finn's upbringing did not allow him to display anger or any reaction at this moment. He remained silent, merely observing his fiancée from a distance. And for a fleeting second, it seemed that Annie had also noticed him.Compared to Finn, Annie was far more flustered. A guilty unease flickered in her eyes as she avoided looking in his direction-despite knowing that Finn was blind and could not see her.Her anxiety made her movements unsteady. As she placed the bottle of wine on the table, her hands trembled so violently that she nearly dropped it.Just then, a friend sitting beside Mike suddenly spoke up."Oh, that's right! Didn't they say Finn's fiancée just moved in with him? When will you bring her over to meet us?"The man was hearty and straightforward, his words accompanied by a friendly smile as he turned to Finn.Finn, ever composed, continued playing the role of a blind man-his expression unchanged, his eyes remaining unblinking, exuding an air of serene indifference
Hubert put on a sycophantic smile, carefully laying out his plan to Sofia."What do you think about becoming my fiancée after Finn fails this project? Although we don't have real feelings for each other, we can always build them over time."He gazed at Sofia, trying to appear deep and affectionate."Not to mention, I'd love to see Finn crumble under everyone's scrutiny. Losing such a crucial project and his fiancée simultaneously-now that would be a devastating blow."Hubert reveled in the thought, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. His excitement grew, his voice rising unconsciously-completely oblivious to Sofia's expression, which had turned from indifferent to outright disgusted.She regarded Hubert with unveiled contempt."If that's your plan, then forget it. I have no interest in playing a fake couple with you."At the very least, Finn was handsome and wealthy-pretending to be his fiancée would at least have some prestige to it. But Hubert? He had absolutely nothing going for h
After Sofia entered Finn's office, Max frowned in confusion and asked him,"Boss, why are you indulging Sofia like this? Letting her into your office-what if she causes trouble?"His brows furrowed as he clenched his fists, looking as if he was ready to march in and drag Sofia out himself.But Finn remained calm. He took a leisurely sip of his tea, his voice unhurried."So what? I want to see exactly what she's up to.""Instead of constantly worrying about Sofia and Hubert's schemes, why not give them the chance to act? That way, we can figure out a countermeasure more quickly."Only then did Max finally grasp Finn's intentions. He let out an "Oh" of realization, impressed by his boss's foresight. Finn merely smiled, offering no further explanation.His gaze, however, remained fixed on the surveillance feed displaying Sofia's figure in his office.Sofia didn't make any immediate moves. Instead, she strolled around the room, casually taking in the arrangement of the furniture-playing t
In the office, Finn was staring intently at his computer screen, barely blinking, completely absorbed in the upcoming project. Max knocked politely before stepping in, as always carrying a thick stack of documents in his hands."Boss, I think we need to talk right away."Finn lazily tore his gaze from the screen, took a sip of coffee, and then looked up at Max."What is it? Is something important?"Max studied Finn as if searching for the right words. After a brief pause, he let out a sigh."I don't know if Sofia has gone through some kind of shock recently or has an agenda, but she's been coming here every single day-just like before.""Every day, she shows up flawlessly made up, playing the role of a devoted fiancée, bringing you lunch. She even subtly probes me about the company's current business situation."Back when Sofia had finally stopped showing up, the one who felt the greatest relief was none other than Max. After all, every time she appeared, Finn would leave him to handl
"Is this all it takes to break you?""A little trick, and you're already trembling?" Calliope's lips curled in mockery. "And here I thought you were so strong, Sofia. Wasn't that why you dared to go against me?"She pushed herself up from the table, her eyes raking Sofia from head to toe with unveiled disdain."Such pitiful strength, yet you thought you could challenge me? You truly don't know your place."Sofia clenched her teeth, seething with rage, but words failed her.She had been too arrogant. Too confident.She had believed Calliope couldn't touch her. That she was untouchable.All because she had Finn's money to fall back on.She had taunted Calliope, provoked her, thinking she could get away with it.Calliope watched as realization flickered across Sofia's face-the color draining, the weight of her mistake settling in.With slow, deliberate steps, she closed the distance between them, smiling coldly."So? Have you come to your senses, darling?""Do you still want to defy me?
Finn's business trip ended in a haze of uncertainty. However, he began to suspect that his longing for Annie had conjured illusions in his mind.Everywhere he went, he imagined he would see her.Even after returning to his country, Finn remained lost in a fog of confusion, unable to understand what had been happening to him lately. But there was little time for reflection. The moment he arrived back home, he was swept into the relentless rhythm of work, often staying late into the night to handle the company's most critical projects....Meanwhile, Sofia's life was in complete turmoil. Ever since she had openly severed ties with Calliope and ceased playing the role of a sycophant, she had become invisible in the household. The very servants who once flattered her now treated her with indifference, their warmth long gone.Worse yet, when she issued commands, they deliberately ignored her.She had lashed out at them more than once, but deep down, she knew-this was all Calliope's doing.
After returning, Finn remained dazed. A strange sense of emptiness lingered in his chest as if he had missed something profoundly important.The graceful silhouette of the girl he had encountered near the coffee shop refused to fade from his thoughts, haunting him like a half-remembered dream. Even when he finally arrived back at his hotel room, his mind was still adrift. His unusual demeanor did not go unnoticed-Max, who had been walking beside him, frowned in concern."Boss, are you feeling unwell? Do you need me to take you to the hospital for a check-up?" Max asked, his gaze fixed on Finn's slightly pale face.Finn shook his head and pressed a hand lightly against his forehead. Then, without another word, he pushed open the door and stepped inside."I'm fine. Probably just a little tired. I'll be fine after some rest," he said nonchalantly. "You should get some rest too."Max let out an understanding hum. He didn't forget to remind Finn to call him if anything happened-his room w
Max flattered him with words, but Finn remained indifferent, showing little emotion.After dinner, the two strolled toward a nearby shopping mall. The place was vast, and just as Max had described, it housed numerous renowned handbag brands.It was clear that Max had done his research. At every boutique they visited, he meticulously examined the designs, carefully considering his choices. And, of course, whenever he found a piece he fancied, he would turn to Finn for an opinion before making a decision.Finn, on the other hand, lacked Max's enthusiasm. He merely observed the stores with a detached gaze, occasionally offering a few suggestions regarding Max's selections.In the end, after what felt like an eternity of browsing, Max emerged carrying an assortment of shopping bags from various luxury brands. Finn estimated that his friend had likely spent the equivalent of at least a month's salary on handbags for his girlfriend.Yet, Max showed no hint of regret. On the contrary, he see
At Finn's company,Max knocked on the door and stepped inside, speaking to Finn in a composed manner."Mike just arrived. He said he has something important to discuss with you. I've already invited him to wait in the lounge. Would you like to see him now?"He spoke in a steady stream, finally prompting Finn to lift his head and glance at him. His voice was calm yet distant."Is that so? Then I'll meet him now."Max nodded. Watching Finn rise from his chair, he suddenly remembered something and hurriedly added,"Boss, I almost forgot to remind you.""Don't forget that the day after tomorrow, you'll be leaving for a business trip to City A. I'll send you the final itinerary later today.""I'll also be accompanying you on this trip. Everything has already been arranged."Recently, Finn's company entered into a new partnership with an automobile firm in Country A. Being meticulous by nature and having never collaborated with this company before, Finn decided to make the trip himself to f
In the days that followed, Sofia underwent a drastic transformation. Previously, she had been somewhat submissive to Calliope, constantly flattering her in hopes of receiving some spending money.But after receiving a billion dollars from Finn, Sofia no longer had any interest in the meager sums Calliope used to give her. At home, she openly defied Calliope at every turn.During dinner,"Sofia, why haven't you been in touch with Finn lately? And why has he stopped investing in our company?""Haven't I told you countless times that you must do whatever it takes to win Finn over? Are you even listening to a word I say?"Calliope slammed her plate onto the table in fury, making both Sofia and Galvin flinch.But Sofia quickly regained her composure. She let out a derisive laugh."What kind of charm do you think I have to make Finn obey my every word? The fact that he's still keeping me as his fiancée is already a huge courtesy-don't be too greedy."Her indifference sent Calliope into a ra