"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
Annie returned to her room, and she and Finn shared some pastries. She savored each bite as she recounted the earlier conversation, noticing a subtle furrow in Finn's brow."Next time, don't argue with Hubert or Tracy," she cautioned. "Neither of them is particularly gracious, and if you provoke them, they might find ways to harm you.""I can't always be there in time to protect you," Finn replied. "You know, my inability to see everything is a limitation. You should be more cautious to avoid getting entangled in trouble."Annie nodded and promised to heed Finn's advice. She found his counsel quite sensible. It was remarkable how a woman with a husband and a son of her own could captivate Ryan, and how a son of the previous man of Tracy could succeed in winning Ryan's affection and becoming the heir, and certainly not through gentle means.After they finished their meal, Annie fetched a small tray and headed to the kitchen. When she returned, Finn was lying in a corner of the bed. Swi
Turning off the lights made everything around them appear more elusive and eerie, causing Annie to tense up. She didn't even dare to breathe normally. She always had this feeling that whenever she closed her eyes, the ghosts from the movie would draw nearer to her, and this thought successfully pushed her closer to Finn.Finn's calm and steady nature provided her with a great sense of security. Perhaps Finn had also noticed that Annie wasn't quite herself. After a while, he gently pulled her closer, like earlier when he had patted her back."It's okay, don't be scared. It's just part of the movie, not real." The warm body temperature and Finn's firm chest made Annie feel truly comforted. She snuggled closer to Finn, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.As her fear subsided, Annie began to feel more relaxed. However, at this moment, her cheeks were tinged with a rosy hue. She had been too scared earlier to notice, but now she realized that Finn was holding her, and she was holdi
Annie saw Finn approaching, her lips tightly pursed with a hint of frustration and whispered into his ear."Finn, this is Tracy's plot to harm me."Finn nodded, gently gripping Annie's slender, delicate fingers that trembled slightly. He then raised his head, looking calmly in Tracy's direction."How much is that vase?"Tracy's angry demeanor had already diminished halfway, and Finn's mixture of icy composure and arrogance made others hesitate. She clenched her hand to maintain her confidence, chin raised as she shouted loudly."It's worth ten thousand dollars, and I had to order it from overseas. Also, it took a month to arrive.""Sofia broke it because she hates me, and she smashed them directly. But she puts on an innocent, blameless face when she looks at me. I don't understand.""Doing wrong and not even apologizing. It's really..."Finn, running out of patience, furrowed his eyebrows, and his lips curved ever so slightly. His voice was cold as if emanating from an icy cavern."S
Although Finn tried to appear composed and indifferent, his expression betrayed him. His eyes were distant, shadowed with nostalgia, and even his reactions lagged behind their usual sharpness.Sofia had finished speaking for quite some time before he finally let out a dazed "Oh."She sneered."Don't bother pretending with me Do you want to see Annie?"Her voice dropped lower, almost conspiratorial."I can arrange a little accidental meeting."Sofia gave a casual shrug, but it was precisely that nonchalance that made Finn suspicious. Narrowing his eyes, he asked her,"Can you really?"Under his probing gaze, Sofia nodded confidently and lifted her chin defiantly."Why not? Don't forget-no matter what's happened, Annie is still my sister. You think she'd refuse to meet her ownflesh and blood?"The question left Finn without a comeback. But he wasn't so easily fooled-he knew Sofia wasn't the kind of person to do favors out of kindness.His lips curled into a faint, cynical smile."So, wh
Half a month slipped by quietly, and at last, the day came for Annie and Isolde to return to Country B. From the break of dawn, they were already up, preparing and packing their belongings with care.There wasn't much to take home-everything unnecessary, especially things easily bought back in their homeland, had long been given away to neighbors and acquaintances.Just as they finished, the crisp chime of Annie's phone rang out."Annie, are you and Isolde ready? The taxi I booked is waiting just outside your home." Amber's cheerful voice came through, full of anticipation, as if she had been eagerly looking forward to this journey.Annie glanced around one last time, a soft smile playing on her lips."All done. We're heading out now."Ending the call, she turned to Isolde with a gentle look, and together they carried their things outside."Ready for a new life, darling?" Isolde asked softly as they stepped through the front door, her voice light and relieved.Annie nodded."I'm ready
With a gentle voice lingering in the air, Annie looked up at the young man who had just arrived-Nathan. Her eyes sparkled with unmistakable delight."What a coincidence," she said lightly. "Did you have plans here today too?"Nathan held her gaze without blinking, the corners of his lips curving into a smile as he casually adjusted his cap, revealing a pair of captivating, deep-set eyes."I'm meeting a friend for dinner," he replied with an easy charm.Then, as if noticing John sitting across from Annie, Nathan tilted his head slightly, his tone taking on a hint of curiosity."And who's this? Your boyfriend, Annie?"He added a playful wink, grinning as he teased,"Didn't you always say you were single? Hiding a boyfriend from everyone now, are you?"Nathan's lighthearted humor instantly put Annie at ease. She didn't notice the stiffness in John's expression and shook her head gently."Boyfriend? Don't be ridiculous. This is John, my neighbor. He knew I was returning to country B soon,
Sofia pretended not to notice Finn's silence, and even added with a sly smile, "Annie's been bragging about how she's always surrounded by admirers overseas. Not to mention, she just broke up with some boyfriend after only a few months of dating.""Who knows, maybe this time when Annie comes back, she'll bring her boyfriend along. And in that case, I could generously keep pretending to be your fiancée-so that you don't lose face."Her tone was teasing, deliberately mocking him.Finn remained silent from beginning to end, clearly unable to stomach the blow. He couldn't believe that Annie-the girl he had been searching for all this time-could so easily forget him and fall for someone else so quickly."Hey, why aren't you saying anything? Are you heartbroken to the point you've lost your voice?"Sofia goaded him, her voice deliberately rising in pitch."Don't fool yourself into thinking Annie would wait around forever just because you two had some sweet memories. It's been two years, Fin
And so, over two months,Sofia and Finn played the role of passionate lovers before the public eye. Most of the intimate "sightings" reported by the media were, in fact, discreetly leaked by the two of them.From lavish dinners at upscale restaurants to glamorous appearances at elite high-society parties-everything was carefully orchestrated to convince the world that they were hopelessly in love.During that same period,Sofia pulled every string she could, tapping into her network of friends to secure a new job and a place to stay within the country. After all, if she was going to break away from Calliope entirely, she needed to meticulously arrange every detail."A whole month's gone by. At the very least, don't you think you owe me an update on Annie's situation?"Only when the fabricated romance had grown convincing enough to fool the public into believing they were madly in love, did Finn begin to let his guard down. He looked at Sofia, displeasure written clearly across his fac
In the private lounge of the bar,bathed in the warm glow of amber lights and wrapped in a tranquil atmosphere,Mike clinked glasses with Finn, the sound laced with unmistakable excitement."So? Feel any better now that you've beaten Hubert?""Well, someone had to teach that idiot a lesson-make sure he knows better than ever to try hurting you again."Mike looked thoroughly pleased. He had watched the media gradually turn against Hubert, relentlessly pressing him for explanations about his recent troubles. Yet Hubert remained silent.And rightly so.He had originally planned to strike first with a press conference, hoping to catch Finn off guard. Then, after Finn launched his product, he would plant stories accusing Finn of plagiarism and theft.But in the end, Finn countered brilliantly, delivering a blow Hubert couldn't recover from.Hubert, ever the arrogant one, had never even considered a backup plan. He was too confident that he could crush Finn.Watching it all unfold, Mike cou
Finn went ahead with the press conference as if nothing had happened. After all, he knew perfectly well that Hubert was watching him with smug satisfaction, hoping to see him fail.Unfortunately for Hubert, he would be disappointed.The press conference was conducted swiftly and efficiently. The host merely greeted the attendees, gave a brief introduction to Finn's company and the purpose of the event, then invited Finn to the stage to speak.Finn casually adjusted his collar, stepping up with a composed air. The camera flashes lit up the room like a storm of starlight, a clear sign of just how much attention the journalists were paying to this conference. He narrowed his eyes, waiting until the photographers had had their fill before offering a faint smile and beginning his speech."Good afternoon, everyone..."He opened with a calm, steady voice, slowly recounting how he and Kay had begun collaborating to craft the first designs and eventually moved on to bring the project to life.
Sometime later...After announcing the project, Finn became engrossed in his work, preparing for the upcoming product launch press conference. He was so busy that he barely paid any attention to Hubert. However, Hubert's absurd antics were impossible to ignore.Manipulating the media, continuously steering public attention toward his own product launch, and-most audaciously-scheduling it exactly three hours before Finn's company's event.The intention was obvious.Hubert was laying a trap.Convinced of his own superiority, he believed he had already secured victory. That was why he deliberately set the timing this way-so that when Finn discovered the leaked project plans and realized that Hubert's new product was a replica of his own, it would be too late to react.A flawless scheme-if only it hadn't been flawed from the very beginning.Finn, however, was in no rush to expose the truth. There was still a week before the press conference, and in the meantime, he remained focused on wha
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