The loud "thud" I made nonetheless startled both the people inside the escalator and Soren."Taylor?" he called out suddenly.But I was so embarrassed that I quickened my pace.As people entered the escalator, I pressed my forehead and called out to them, "Hold the door!"I dove into the escalator, and the doors closed.I breathed a sigh of relief. My heart was pounding, and my mind was still reeling from the shock.I couldn't imagine Soren's reaction to my "near-miss." He must think I was the clumsiest woman on Earth. Or perhaps he thought I was so taken by his confession that it had broken me, leaving me incapable of functioning properly.-I entered my office, and as I passed by the General Manager's room, I was surprised to see someone inside.I peeked through the window. It was my new recruit. He was working overtime today.He noticed me too and looked up in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here today, Miss Jones!"I smiled. "That's my line! It's the weekend, and y
Jamie started toward the pantry. "What would you like to have, Miss Jones? Tea? Coffee? Or perhaps milk and juice?""Coffee will be good.""Got it."As he prepared my drink, I rubbed my forehead.To my dismay, I could feel the swelling! I quickly tried to cover it with my bangs.Jamie brought two cups of coffee over. "These coffee beans were gifts from a friend from Oz. Have a taste.""Thanks!"I took a sip.Before I could even savor it, Jamie suddenly asked, "Miss Jones, is your forehead alright? I think it's… swollen…"I gulped down the coffee and tried to cover my forehead with my hair. "Oh! It's, uh, nothing! I just bumped into something, haha.""It'll recover faster if you put some ice on it," he said, heading toward the fridge.This office used to belong to Edward. He rarely stayed in his office for long, but it was well-equipped regardless. The pantry, fridge, lounge, and bathroom were all included.Jamie found an ice pack and started looking for a clean towel to wra
When someone cared about another person, they were mindful of everything that person possessed. Even the smallest pain was worthy of concern.Real life wasn't like fiction. Most people didn't experience cataclysmic events or life-threatening situations. Thus, where else could we show our care and love, if not through the mundane sufferings of daily life?The more I thought about it, the more I regretted how I'd spoken to Soren. I really needed to apologize."Miss Jones? Miss Jones!"I snapped out of my thoughts. "Oh! Yes?"Jamie fixed me with a questioning look. "Are you alright? We can always talk about this on Monday.""No, let's do it today. I'm free today." I forced myself to sit up, holding the ice pack to my forehead while flipping through the documents with my free hand. "What are your questions? I'll answer them."This company was the culmination of my blood, sweat, and tears. And now, I had found someone just as invested in making it better as I was! How could I be a de
When we were almost finished, I heard someone call out, "Miss Jones! Fancy seeing you here!"I looked up, stunned. It was Soren's best friend, Richard!"Mr. Rockefeller, hello!" I said, rising to greet him.He nodded. "Hello to you too."Richard then glanced at the man sitting opposite me."This is my newly hired General Manager, Jamie Young," I quickly introduced. "Mr. Young, this is Richard Rockefeller of Rockefeller Media. He's one of the city's elites. Who knows, we might work with him one day."Jamie stood and extended his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Rockefeller!"Richard shook his hand. "Likewise!"He turned back to me. "It's the weekend today, so why aren't you hanging out with Soren? It's the first snow of the year. People are in a pretty festive mood."I knew exactly what he meant. The snow had blanketed the city in white, and people were out enjoying it, taking pictures, playing, and simply reveling in the change of season."We met earlier today, but I have thin
"Good evening, Taylor." Soren's voice was low and soft.The way he enunciated his words made him sound so proper and gentlemanly. It was so refreshing that I felt as if the cold had left me.My mind started to blank. I suddenly realized I could not speak. In the end, I could only squeeze out lamely, "So… had your dinner?"He chuckled. "Yes. You?""Me?" I suddenly felt like my soul had snapped back into my body. "You really don't know?""Huh? Is that something I should know?" Soren asked, confused.Wait. So Richard didn't report anything to Soren after all! I had been fooled!"Oh… damn it," I muttered, smacking my forehead. "Mr. Rockefeller played me like a fiddle…""Huh? You mean Ritchie? What did he do?"I sat up straight and forced myself to calm down. Well, I started the conversation, so I had to finish it myself."I had dinner with that colleague after we finished discussing work. We were eating at a seafood hotpot place. Then, when we were about to finish, we saw Mr. Roc
They said marriage was the tomb of love. I thought it was great. I'd rather have a comfortable resting place than die without a grave, exposed to the elements.After two months of meticulous sewing, I finally finished my bridal gown.It dazzled brightly under the light. I imagined myself in it—a few days from now, walking down the aisle with the man I loved—and smiled.I had been waiting for this day since I was 19. After six years, I was finally going to rest in this tomb of love at the age of 25.My dream shattered overnight.Cherry Birkin, my assistant, called and asked, "Tay-Tay! Mr. Kennedy came this morning and took the bridal gown. He's bringing it home, right?"Still groggy, I replied, "He took my gown?""Yeah. Um, do you know anything about that?""I'll ask him about it now."My mind cleared slightly, but I still couldn't figure out his reason.Our house was already filled with things for the event. There was no space for the gown, so I had planned to take it home th
I expected him to blow up in my face. Instead, after a pause, he replied, "Alright. See you tonight."Three years ago, Edward and I had created a haute couture fashion house, The Edwardian Taylor. By this point, it had become a massive success.Edward financed the operation while I was the principal designer. Honestly, he was the one winning without lifting a finger—especially considering its net worth now.It could easily be traded publicly, making even more money, and yet he would give The Edwardian Taylor away for his beloved Maddie.Talk about true love…After getting up, I scanned the wedding preparations in my room, and the sight stung my eyes. I would have loved to burn them all.I called a packing company to handle everything related to him.God, I felt lucky that I had insisted he could only have me after we were married. I would never want anything of his inside me.Once the house was cleaned up, I changed into my clothes and applied my best makeup. It was then that I
I threw the agreement in his face, leaped to my feet, and started showing them the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a beauty nap to take. Get out of here and remember to take your trash with you."I couldn't believe it took me eight years to realize who Edward really was. I had liked him since I was 16!I guess I had Maddison to thank for that. I was this close to marrying a snake!Sally was upset. "This is what I don't like about you, Taylor. You have the temper of a tyrant!"Look at Maddie—she's gentle, docile, soft-spoken, and reasonable. She's so considerate of me, too!"I forced the disgust in my heart down and commanded my pet dog, "Bullet, get them!"Bullet barked at them incessantly.Sally's face turned pale. "You! How dare you!"Edward had to hold her hand as they backed away.He shot me a cold glance. "This is too much, Taylor! How could I have been so wrong about you?!"I smirked as I could say the same about him!Edward and Sally left in a hurry. They even
"Good evening, Taylor." Soren's voice was low and soft.The way he enunciated his words made him sound so proper and gentlemanly. It was so refreshing that I felt as if the cold had left me.My mind started to blank. I suddenly realized I could not speak. In the end, I could only squeeze out lamely, "So… had your dinner?"He chuckled. "Yes. You?""Me?" I suddenly felt like my soul had snapped back into my body. "You really don't know?""Huh? Is that something I should know?" Soren asked, confused.Wait. So Richard didn't report anything to Soren after all! I had been fooled!"Oh… damn it," I muttered, smacking my forehead. "Mr. Rockefeller played me like a fiddle…""Huh? You mean Ritchie? What did he do?"I sat up straight and forced myself to calm down. Well, I started the conversation, so I had to finish it myself."I had dinner with that colleague after we finished discussing work. We were eating at a seafood hotpot place. Then, when we were about to finish, we saw Mr. Roc
When we were almost finished, I heard someone call out, "Miss Jones! Fancy seeing you here!"I looked up, stunned. It was Soren's best friend, Richard!"Mr. Rockefeller, hello!" I said, rising to greet him.He nodded. "Hello to you too."Richard then glanced at the man sitting opposite me."This is my newly hired General Manager, Jamie Young," I quickly introduced. "Mr. Young, this is Richard Rockefeller of Rockefeller Media. He's one of the city's elites. Who knows, we might work with him one day."Jamie stood and extended his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Rockefeller!"Richard shook his hand. "Likewise!"He turned back to me. "It's the weekend today, so why aren't you hanging out with Soren? It's the first snow of the year. People are in a pretty festive mood."I knew exactly what he meant. The snow had blanketed the city in white, and people were out enjoying it, taking pictures, playing, and simply reveling in the change of season."We met earlier today, but I have thin
When someone cared about another person, they were mindful of everything that person possessed. Even the smallest pain was worthy of concern.Real life wasn't like fiction. Most people didn't experience cataclysmic events or life-threatening situations. Thus, where else could we show our care and love, if not through the mundane sufferings of daily life?The more I thought about it, the more I regretted how I'd spoken to Soren. I really needed to apologize."Miss Jones? Miss Jones!"I snapped out of my thoughts. "Oh! Yes?"Jamie fixed me with a questioning look. "Are you alright? We can always talk about this on Monday.""No, let's do it today. I'm free today." I forced myself to sit up, holding the ice pack to my forehead while flipping through the documents with my free hand. "What are your questions? I'll answer them."This company was the culmination of my blood, sweat, and tears. And now, I had found someone just as invested in making it better as I was! How could I be a de
Jamie started toward the pantry. "What would you like to have, Miss Jones? Tea? Coffee? Or perhaps milk and juice?""Coffee will be good.""Got it."As he prepared my drink, I rubbed my forehead.To my dismay, I could feel the swelling! I quickly tried to cover it with my bangs.Jamie brought two cups of coffee over. "These coffee beans were gifts from a friend from Oz. Have a taste.""Thanks!"I took a sip.Before I could even savor it, Jamie suddenly asked, "Miss Jones, is your forehead alright? I think it's… swollen…"I gulped down the coffee and tried to cover my forehead with my hair. "Oh! It's, uh, nothing! I just bumped into something, haha.""It'll recover faster if you put some ice on it," he said, heading toward the fridge.This office used to belong to Edward. He rarely stayed in his office for long, but it was well-equipped regardless. The pantry, fridge, lounge, and bathroom were all included.Jamie found an ice pack and started looking for a clean towel to wra
The loud "thud" I made nonetheless startled both the people inside the escalator and Soren."Taylor?" he called out suddenly.But I was so embarrassed that I quickened my pace.As people entered the escalator, I pressed my forehead and called out to them, "Hold the door!"I dove into the escalator, and the doors closed.I breathed a sigh of relief. My heart was pounding, and my mind was still reeling from the shock.I couldn't imagine Soren's reaction to my "near-miss." He must think I was the clumsiest woman on Earth. Or perhaps he thought I was so taken by his confession that it had broken me, leaving me incapable of functioning properly.-I entered my office, and as I passed by the General Manager's room, I was surprised to see someone inside.I peeked through the window. It was my new recruit. He was working overtime today.He noticed me too and looked up in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here today, Miss Jones!"I smiled. "That's my line! It's the weekend, and y
Soren's gaze was soft and calm. After a while, he finally said, "I can wait. It doesn't matter how long you'll need. I can wait."I felt a bolt course straight through my veins. I could faint.Just like that—without warning or any plan—he tore down the wall between us and spoke his mind candidly!I had no idea what expression I might have been wearing, but I could tell my heart was beating at warp speed.How the hell was I supposed to respond to this? Reject him again or say, "Well, I hope you like waiting!"?"Look, M-Mr. K-Kenway—""Don't call me Mr. Kenway."I froze, my mouth still open. Just that interruption alone made my mind go blank.Soren got out of the car, circled it, and came to me.I turned mechanically toward him, my eyes wide enough to fall out of their sockets. I stared at him helplessly."I couldn't bring it up before because, firstly, you were still legally tied to someone else. Secondly, I couldn't tell if you liked me. If I made my feelings known too soon,
I froze. "Oh, I'm not sleepy!"And then I cracked a yawn.Soren laughed. "Just take a nap. It'll take an hour to reach your office anyway."Well, here were my options. If I chose not to sleep, this silence between us would feel awkward. If I chose to talk, what happened when our topics veered into certain territories, and we're back to being awkward again?You know what? A nap was the best choice after all. Even if I had to pretend to be asleep."Sounds good," I replied.I intended to pretend to sleep. I thought I could close my eyes and imagine some designs and arrangements for the fashion show in Medhelanon next year.What I didn't expect was Soren pressing a button and adjusting my seat to the most ergonomic position. I was reclining way too comfortably!I stared at him. He flashed a smile. "It's more comfortable this way.""Ha, okay… Thanks…"God, the embarrassment was killing me. Could you imagine what this felt like?It felt like we were a couple. A married one, even!
Lisbeth rose and simply said, "I've finished my meal and would like to rest in my room. Please, enjoy your meal. Taylor, please visit me from time to time."I thought for sure I must have offended her enough that this would be the last time I'd sit here. But instead, she extended an invitation for the next time!I was moved. I rose from my seat politely and replied, "It'd be my pleasure, Madame Kenway.""The pleasure is all mine," she replied, smiling faintly, before heading toward the stairs.Soren noticed I continued to stand and called out, "You can sit down now, Taylor."I looked at him with downcast eyes. "I'm fine. I need to get back to my office.""Hey now. Did what my mom said startle you?" he asked gently. "She didn't mean any malice. It was her way of expressing sympathy—she seems to think you've always been alone in everything, and she hopes you can find a reliable partner to weather the storm with you soon.""I know she means well.""Phew, that's a relief to hear!"
I breathed a sigh of relief. My eyes met Soren's, and he offered a faint smile, as if reassuring me not to be nervous.But how could I not be? The ambiguous tension between us—were we or weren't we?—had only grown more intense.I shouldn't even be this close to a family of such blue-blooded stature. I was no match for them. Yet, as the owner of my own company, I couldn't afford to turn away a valuable client like Soren. Social connections had become more crucial than ever.Having a powerful and elite friend like Soren was undeniably beneficial—not just for me, but for my company and the people who relied on it. This connection could open doors to endless opportunities and revenue.Some might see my actions as undignified, as if I were constantly accepting handouts. But this was simply how the world worked.It wasn't as though I was leeching off him—he was the one offering his generosity. And who could fault me for accepting it?Finally, I managed to calm myself down, at least a