When they entered the room, Joyce and Isolde were engaged in a cheerful conversation. They turned to look as they heard footsteps.
"Mom, I brought lunch for you," Annie said with a charming smile, placing the lunchbox on the small table beside the hospital bed. Denis, by her side, also spoke up."Hello, ma'am. I'm Annie's colleague. Today, I brought a little gift for you. It's quite a coincidence; I didn't expect you to share the hospital room with Annie's mom."Isolde was a gentle and kind-hearted woman. She politely thanked Denis and invited him to sit down. Joyce, on the other hand, seemed pleased and somewhat amused.After the initial greetings, the four people gathered around the small table for lunch, and the atmosphere was relatively warm.Joyce seemed to have a fondness for Annie, constantly asking about her job and her relationship status. She even inquired about Annie's feelings toward Denis. In the face of such enthusiastic curiosity, Annie responded somewhat hesitantly, and Denis, noticing something unusual, also asked uncertainly."Mom, have you heard Annie mention someone recently?"Annie and Isolde exchanged dreamy and unclear glances, and Denis hesitated while trying to explain. Lately, whenever he visited his mother and took walks with Annie, she frequently mentioned the patient's son, who shared the room with her mother. Joyce seemed so pleased and fond of this girl, constantly praising her for being obedient, adorable, and well-behaved. Denis had heard so much about her that he became curious about this girl, not knowing that it was Annie all along.Joyce nodded happily, openly admitting to it. She smiled at Annie, sitting beside her, her eyes filled with affection."Annie, do you have a boyfriend? Denis is single, and if you're available, you should consider him."Joyce's overly explicit words left Annie blushing, and she was about to open her mouth to explain, thinking of the deal she had with Sofia earlier. However, before Annie could say anything further, Isolde quickly responded."Not yet. Annie is a hardworking and compassionate young girl. She has to work tirelessly to earn a living because of my illness. Until now, she hasn't had a boyfriend."Annie looked at her mother with a sense of despair, silently imploring her to stop, but the story continued to unfold, slipping out of her control. Joyce and Isolde continued to chat enthusiastically, introducing their children as if Annie and Denis were genuinely about to fall in love.Denis, equally stunned as Annie, glanced at her with a mix of helplessness and confusion. Annie forced a faint smile and obediently ate her meal, pretending to be oblivious.Joyce and Isolde talked fervently, and in no time, they discussed the possibility of Annie and Denis dating, expressing their wholehearted support and delight. In the end, Annie and Denis had to make excuses to leave the conversation, which had taken an odd turn. Both walked away with forced smiles and awkwardness."Please don't take what my mom said too seriously; she was just teasing," Annie assured Denis, avoiding eye contact.Noticing Annie's discomfort, Denis refrained from pressing further and remained silent as he dropped her off at home.As they bid each other farewell, they could see the awkwardness in each other's eyes, which was far from the comfort they had initially shared. Annie gave Denis an awkward farewell and hurried inside her home. She believed that the fewer people who knew about her deal with Sofia, the better. Therefore, she dared not get too close or distant from Denis to avoid hurting and disappointing him afterward.With these thoughts in mind, Annie lightly patted her cheek to quickly forget the recent incident, refocusing her mind to prepare for what lay ahead.…The following morning, as per the agreement with Sofia, Annie was to move her belongings to Finn's house to make it more convenient to care for him at all times. Sofia drove to pick up Annie, providing continuous instructions during the ride."While Finn is blind, there are many people to help him at his home, so don't reveal any weaknesses that might affect my image.""Also, you should reduce your part-time jobs and focus on looking after Finn to make people praise me for being responsible and kind. I will pay you extra money so you won't lose out.""Later, I'll also buy you some expensive clothes and jewelry to wear when guests visit Finn or when you go out with him. Remember, when you are at home, you can wear your shabby clothes, but when you meet anyone other than Finn, you must dress elegantly like a noble lady to match me."Annie silently noted all of Sofia's instructions without any complaints. After all, the amount of money Sofia had provided was substantial, so all her demands seemed reasonable.When Annie arrived at Finn's doorstep, Sofia handed her a new phone and helped her call the maid to come and assist. Sofia then arrogantly drove away. Fortunately, the maid, Keelin, was a gentle and helpful woman. She enthusiastically helped Annie move her belongings inside.As Annie stepped into the clean house wearing her fluffy slippers, she heard a deep male voice."You must be Sofia, right? Go back; I don't need your pity.""You've also noticed that I'm just a blind man. I'm no longer the heir to power, so you can seduce Hubert instead of trying to win me over.""I'm more than willing to help you announce the damn cancellation of this wretched engagement."Listening to the cold and disdainful tone, Annie tilted her head to look at the man leaning against the sofa. He wore a simple hoodie and long pants. His face was handsome as sculpted with striking features: a high, straight nose, thin lips, and fair, captivating skin. However, his deep, unseeing eyes were intense. Based on Annie's deduction, this man was Finn, her younger sister's fiancé.At this moment, seeing that Annie hadn't responded, Finn furrowed his brow, his hand on the sofa tightening as he spoke again."Don't you understand? I said, Go away; I don't need care, and I despise you."Finn had met Sofia a few times in real life and had a sense of her personality: arrogant, money-hungry, and craving attention. She was definitely not the kind of person who would willingly help when he was blind.The reason for her appearance was that if she abandoned him now, it would be bad for her reputation. Finn didn't need this pretense. Besides, he didn't like having strangers in his house."I won't go anywhere. I am your fiancée, so I should stay with you during this hard time. If you don't want to be bothered, I will always keep quiet and won't approach you."Annie replied gently, trying to soothe Finn's irritability. In that situation, Finn could become sensitive and irritable, and Annie didn't want to provoke him into an argument. So she softly asked Keelin to help her carry her suitcase to the room opposite Finn's."Huh, pretending, huh? If you want to stay, stay. And if you can't, then leave. I won't hold you back."Finn didn't bother saying more; he got up from the sofa and slowly went upstairs. Seeing Finn's slow and difficult steps, Annie gently sighed. It seemed that her life from now on wouldn't be easy. Finn's clear thoughts about disdain and resentment toward Sofia were evident, and Annie couldn't ignore them.After Finn had gone upstairs in a cold manner, Annie had no choice but to follow him, keeping a safe distance to avoid making him feel uncomfortable. Back in her room, Annie slowly began to tidy up her belongings, neatly stowing them away in the drawers. Since she had brought very few possessions, Annie quickly completed the task.Annie wasn't accustomed to idleness, so after sitting around for a while, she decided to go downstairs to find Keelin, who was busy in the kitchen."Hi, can I help you with anything?" Annie asked with a hint of boredom in her voice. Keelin had heard of Sofia's reputation as a haughty and disdainful fiancée, even going so far as to pour wine over the head of the maid in her home just because the food wasn't to her liking. Therefore, Keelin was initially wary when Annie approached. However, Annie's demeanor and warm smile quickly dispelled any reservations."Don't worry; I just want to help you prepare dinner. May I join in?" Annie spoke sincerely, her face r
"In the future, don't let Annie into my room. I don't like it."Keelin acknowledged it quietly and placed the meal in front of Finn, guiding him to the location of the food. Afterward, she didn't rush to leave but handed Finn a small tube of burn cream, her elderly voice gently rising."This is the burn cream Sofia asked me to bring for you. She said, Your hand got burned."With that, Keelin left the room, leaving Finn sitting in silence. He held the tube of cream in his hand, and his brow furrowed in deep contemplation, his thoughts a mystery.Finn had been furious in the evening, so naturally, Annie didn't dare to approach him anymore. Annie lived as if she were invisible, having dinner with Keelin and then returning to her room. She didn't even dare to look straight ahead when passing by Finn's room.Annie woke up early the next day, perhaps due to her habit of being busy in the past, so she wasn't used to idleness. Excessive free time made her feel somewhat out of place, so she st
As Annie reached the door, she coincidentally ran into Denis. They nodded at each other in greeting and walked inside together. Denis casually spoke first."Annie, you've been quite busy lately, haven't you? I heard from your mom that you're working a lot and don't have time to bring lunch to her every day like before."In the past, Annie used to cook or buy meals for Isolde for every meal. However, these past few days, due to moving to Finn's house, Sofia also requested that Annie spend more time with him, so she had to lie to Isolde, telling her that she had a busy job and had become a maid for a wealthy family, which required her to move in with them.Isolde's hospital bills were substantial every time, so Annie didn't inquire much about Annie's situation. She only reminded Annie to take care of herself and not to overwork."Yeah, I've been taking on more jobs lately to cover my mom's medical bills. Even though I could borrow from my friends, you know how it is, I still have to pay
"I'm sorry, I rushed to help you and didn't pay attention. It's my fault," Annie apologized softly.Finn continued to ascend the stairs in silence, acknowledging Annie with a low, appreciative grunt. His voice had a hint of gentleness that even he hadn't realized. Perhaps, at that moment, Finn no longer felt the same level of resentment towards Annie as he did when she had unexpectedly appeared at his house.Together, they descended to the ground floor, with Finn going straight to the kitchen, where he found a familiar water pitcher in the corner."Let me help you pour some water," Annie offered, pouring a glass for Finn and then serving herself one. They quietly sipped their water, exchanging no further words. Afterward, they silently made their way back to their respective rooms.Everything seemed unchanged on the surface, but there was a subtle shift in the hearts of both individuals.A few days later, Annie's life at Finn's home had gradually settled down, and at least Finn was n
Hubert went from being stunned to angry. He glared at Finn and Annie on the opposite side and then forcefully pushed his chair back, rising to his feet and raising his voice in frustration."Very well, Sofia. Let me see how long you and Finn can stay happy—a blind, untalented man and a money-hungry, unfaithful woman, such a fitting couple."After Hubert stormed off in anger, Annie let out a small sigh of relief. She realized she was standing close to Finn, her hand still casually resting on his hair. She quickly pulled her hand away and scratched her head, trying to explain herself."I just couldn't bear to see Hubert smug and taunting you," she continued."He wants to see you fall to satisfy his selfish desires. That's why I acted friendly towards you, to disappoint him."Annie's voice grew softer as she spoke, fearing Finn would resent her, but Finn merely responded with a quiet "Hmm" before saying, "Anyway, thanks for what you did, Sofia."Annie tilted her head slightly to look at
After Joyce returned, Isolde's topic ended, and Annie breathed a sigh of relief, seeking an excuse to leave. If she stayed a moment longer, Annie feared she wouldn't be able to contain her thoughts any longer.Back home, Annie rarely had the luxury of lounging on her bed to watch a movie. She usually didn't have the luxury of free time for such activities, so lying there for a while already made her feel restless. Annie stretched her shoulders and headed to the kitchen to warm a small slice of apple pie. After serving a portion to Keelin, she carried another piêc upstairs to Finn.Finn seemed to have a genuine liking for apple pie. When Annie had given him a piece earlier, he complimented it in a soft tone, even praising Annie's culinary skills.Annie stood outside Finn's room and lightly knocked on the door. After receiving Finn's permission, she entered. Finn sat in a corner of the room, cradling a guitar in his hands, lost in thought."I brought you a piece of apple pie. I placed
Hubert was about to retort when Tracy returned, abruptly ending the conversation. Tracy, a young and elegant woman, was Finn's stepmother, and now her hands filled with shopping bags from renowned local brands, indicating she had just returned from shopping.With Tracy's return, all of them sat down to have dinner. As Annie had anticipated, the atmosphere between Tracy, Ryan, and Hubert remained harmonious, but they entirely disregarded Finn during the meal.Annie couldn't help but sympathize with Finn, considering how he could be treated as an outsider. She couldn't imagine how Finn had coped with this situation before.As a result, Finn's distant and reserved nature didn't come as a surprise. Annie sighed and placed a piece of grilled chicken on Finn's plate, breaking the silence."Finn, give this grilled chicken a try. It's seasoned wonderfully and very delicious."Under the table, Annie lightly patted the edge of Finn's shirt, trying to lift his spirits in a cute and careful manne
In the evening, Finn and Annie sat together in the dining room, enjoying fruit and listening to recent popular songs. Only when it was time for dinner did they reluctantly join the rest of the invisible duo at the meal.The harmonious atmosphere between Tracy, Hubert, and Ryan went unnoticed by Finn entirely, who remained focused on finishing his meal and then departing. Annie, too, couldn't eat much, feeling the heaviness in the air, making it impossible to swallow her food. In the end, she ate only a small portion before following Finn.Back in their room, Annie found Finn still sitting motionless on the sofa. Ever since she moved into Finn's house, she had noticed that he often sat there lost in thought, with no discernible expression on his face.Annie didn't disturb Finn, she sitting in a corner of the room and playing a game with her headphones on to avoid causing any noise. After a while, noticing that Finn's rigid posture hadn't changed, Annie couldn't help but speak up."Finn
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