Lisbeth frowned. "That wasn't your fault at all. You're the victim!""Thank you for your understanding, ma'am.""Are you still in love with the Kennedys' scion?""Nah. I'm focusing on my career," I replied, measuring another one of her relatives' waists.A lean silhouette appeared near the stairs.I hadn't noticed him at first, but someone else did and greeted him, "Soren! Sorry, has our commotion bothered you?""No. I've finished my work," a crisp, dulcet voice replied.I was reminded of the owner of the handkerchief. It was the same clear voice that could cut through the din.I looked up.It was the first time I could see Soren Kenway properly.The furtive glance I had shot him at the wedding had not done him any justice.The man was incredibly handsome—tall, lean, upright, and strong. He had the air of a field commander.No, he had the air of a superhero. Someone firmly on the side of good. Someone who exuded an air of incorruptible authority and nobility.And yet, when
"Mm-hmm." I nodded, avoiding his gaze.Cherry seemed to notice. She stared at me with a curious, almost suspicious expression.I switched to a longer tape and requested, "Please lift your arms and level them, Mr. Kenway."As he complied, I circled behind him and realized he was nearly 6'3'' tall. I was lucky to be 5'8'' myself. Otherwise, I would have needed a stool just to measure him.I finished measuring his upper body quickly, but when it came time to measure his waist and hips, I felt a bit unsure.Should I measure from the front or the back?What was even more striking was that every woman in the room had stopped talking and was now staring at us.I suddenly felt very nervous. The tips of my ears were burning—maybe even turning pink.Soren noticed my hesitation and asked, "What's the matter, Miss Jones?""Uh… You're… tall!" I blurted out."Should I crouch?""No! I mean, there's no need," I replied hastily.I bit my lip, steeled myself, and decided to measure him from
Even through Soren's clothes, I could feel his thigh muscles—strong, compact, and powerful.His entire body was as perfect as a professional male model's, judging by the proportions of his waist and hips, his shoulders, thighs, height, and leg length."Did you record everything, Cherry?" I asked, as matter-of-factly as I could."Yeap."I put away my tools and began asking each client for their preferences.Some liked empire dresses, while others preferred loose cuts. The older women favored longer hemlines, while the younger ones opted for short skirts.I made notes on my tablet.-By the time we were done, it was nearly noon.Lisbeth invited us to lunch, but I felt we had overstayed our welcome. I made up an excuse about needing to be in my office.Soren glanced at his watch and frowned slightly. "I've got lunch with Mr. Chance, so I can't stay either.""Great. You can see Miss Jones off," Lisbeth replied."T-That won't be necessary, ma'am. I—"Before I could finish, he a
Soren looked at me with humor dancing in his eyes.I met his gaze timidly. "Well, you're my client, and in our business, the client is king—""I prefer to be a random dude," he quipped.That was so unexpected that I laughed and relaxed."Okay, 'dude,'" I joked."Thank you for your work, Miss Jones," he said.He was incredible—he had a knack for saying just the right things to put me at ease."See you next time." He turned to the driver. "They're in your capable hands now, John. Please make sure they get home safely.""Yes, sir."He smiled at me and opened the door to an Audi A8, to my surprise.A man of his status and power was driving a relatively commonplace luxury car like that? No wonder they said the Kenways were enigmatic and hard to notice.Throughout our journey, Soren's car was always leading the way.While Cherry admired the sights of Beaumont, my mind was focused on the Audi ahead of us. I instinctively reached into my pocket for his handkerchief.The memory of
I was stunned, then I snickered. "Finally showing your true colors, Maddie?"The bitch had been pretending to be as innocent and weak as a lamb for years. She would even put on a show of asking for my mercy whenever I was punished, just so she could play the saint.Well, the wolf was finally done cosplaying as a sheep."My true colors? I've always been this way. You're the one with issues," she retorted smugly."Whatever, man. I'm not interested in wasting my breath on you. Just tell your Eddy he should show up at the Clerk's Office by 2:00 p.m. It's hard to get a slot, so if he's dragging his feet, we'll have to reschedule for half a month later or something."I was about to hang up when she suddenly asked, her tone sharp, "Has he been seeing you lately, Taylor Jones?!"Her sudden spike in pitch, volume, and the use of my full name clued me in on something—these two had been fighting.I couldn't help but gloat a little. "Mm-hmm! What up?""How dare you?! He's my husband! You'r
It was clear that Cameron had been stewing in her rage for a long time, and I had called just when she needed someone to lash out at."I called Edward, not her. She was the one nosy enough to pick it up!" I protested. "If this is some sort of test from God, ma'am, you've been failing Him for an eternity. No wonder your daughter's never gotten any better!""Fuck you, Taylor!" Cameron shrieked, her voice cracking at one point. "You better pray you never fall sick!"I was done with this argument, so I returned to the point. "I didn't even mean to talk to her. Edward left his phone in her room—""He's your brother-in-law now! How could you even think of calling him after he married your sister?! Why couldn't you just send a messenger?"I bet you're just trying to win him back with your disgusting, slutty schemes! Maddie was smart enough to figure that out!" Cameron roared.I was trying to explain things for her benefit, and this was the response I got?! My words twisted into some fab
Edward was right about one thing: I was in a bind. Constantly—ever since I was a kid. It didn't matter how rich or powerful the Jones family was. It had nothing to do with me.I was a daughter of the Jones family in name only.Sure, the haute couture fashion house I founded was doing well, but it had only been a few years. Most of the money had gone into renovating that villa."Let's just discuss this once you're back. I won't try to take more out of it, anyway. Why would I, when it will just trigger Maddie into starting another bitch fit?"I ended the call before Edward could say anything more. I was simply too frustrated.I got into the car and cast one last, resentful glance at the Clerk's Office.My phone beeped. Edward had sent a text message.Edward: [Don't worry, Tay. Maddie won't know anything about this. You've given me so much… This is the least I can do to repay all of your sacrifices.]A lump formed in my throat. Tears welled in my eyes. So this piece of shit had a
Villains sure loved to torment each other most of all!"But I'm sure Maddie will manage to turn him back into a simp in record time. That's what scheming bitches are best at—they play men like it's bloody psychological warfare."They can throw all sorts of abuse at men and somehow manipulate them into drinking their bathwater with some of that sweet nothing," Jean, PhD in "How to Identify a Bad Bitch," stated."Whatever. These two belong together forever. May death do them part," I replied sincerely.Jean cast me a suspicious look. "Mm-hmm. You're sure you'll be able to say no to him if he comes back?""Of course! He humiliated and betrayed me! If I say yes to being with him again just because he asked, I'd be rightfully derided and laughed at everywhere!"They'd think I'm so obsessed with being with a guy that I'd eat a piece of trash!""Besides, you said it best. He might not have wanted me back because he realized he loved me. He just realized I provide more functionality and
Jean raised an eyebrow and gave me a fond look. "Sounds like we've got a wedding incoming.""Of course not!" I denied it immediately.No one knew better than me that marriage was a distant dream."Go ahead and order whatever you like, Sol. I'm buying." I slid the menu toward her, trying to change the topic.Jean had other things to do, but she said she'd join us for lunch later.After she left, Soleil looked at me with concern. "Are you mad that my brother didn't tell you about his business trip?""No, I'm not." I smiled because that wasn't what was really bothering me. "I'm sure he had something important to take care of to stay up so late last night. I can't imagine how tough it must've been for him."Once I finished speaking, I hesitated before asking, "Did your father put pressure on him, Sol?"Soleil's expression stiffened. She stared at the menu for a while before meeting my eyes. "Honestly, I don't know what they talked about. They were behind closed doors in the study u
Me: [Mr. Rockefeller, is Soren really away on a business trip? Or is he unable to see me temporarily because something's happened with his family?]Richard replied almost instantly.Richard: [He told me he's on a business trip.]His response suggested he wasn't privy to the details either. I thanked him again and left it at that.After putting my phone aside, I freshened up, completed my chores, and made breakfast.It wasn't until I sat down to eat that I noticed another unread message—this one from an unknown number.[Nothing will ever come out of your relationship with Soren, Taylor. I swear this on my life.]My heart skipped a beat. Panic surged through me as I read the vicious ultimatum.Who could have sent such a thing? Judging by the tone, it was likely Edward.I chose not to reply, but my mind flooded with unsettling images.How could he be so certain? Did he have something planned? Was Soren in danger? Could he be involved in an accident during his business trip?The
I glanced at the sports bag on my sofa and urged, "Don't forget your clothes.""Leave them. I'll be back to spend the night sooner or later," Soren replied nonchalantly."This place isn't suitable for you. Stop forcing yourself to live like a poor miser," I said, echoing his own words from moments ago."Any place is heaven as long as you're in it," he retorted, slipping on his shoes.It sounded unbearably corny. Still, I responded with a faint, vague smile.When I saw he was truly about to leave, I stepped forward to hug him. "Drive safe, okay?""Okay." He cupped my chin and leaned in for a warm, soft kiss. "Get some rest.""I will. Bye."After one more kiss, he released me and walked away. I closed the door behind him.Bullet stood beside me, his head tilted in confusion, as if asking why Soren had left.I looked at him helplessly. "You don't like that he's gone either, do you? But there's nothing I can do. Plus… he might not come back for a while.""Ah-woo…" Bullet's mourn
Soren answered his phone, and even from my bedroom, I could hear his conversation clearly—a testament to how small the place was.It sounded like someone from the Kenway residence was calling to ask when he had returned home.I leaned against my door and sighed, realizing he was indeed preparing to leave.Just as I had gathered my clothes and was about to step into the shower, my phone rang. It was Jean."What's up? It's pretty late, you know," I said, adjusting the shower temperature.Jean's voice was tinged with mystery. "Has Soren told you what happened? The Kennedys are finished this time."Not only have they filed for bankruptcy, but they're also drowning in debt. They've been completely wiped out as one of Metropolis' wealthiest families."I turned off the shower immediately. "What have you heard?""My father and brother mentioned that the project they were involved in was highly suspicious. They've also been bribing several officers. Those people have been arrested and c
I frowned slightly as I approached Soren. "What are you doing here? Didn't I ask you to head home?"His clingy demeanor was such a stark contrast to his usual persona…Soren smiled and pinched my cheek affectionately, mimicking my tone. "What are you doing here? Didn't I ask you to head back to the villa?"That jerk…"Why do I have to come all the way here to fetch you, you cheeky little girl?" he teased, tightening his pinch."Ow! That hurts!" I swatted his hand away.I was already home, and there was no way I was going back to the villa with him.The cold outside made me eager to hurry inside for a hot shower, so I turned toward the door. Meanwhile, Soren walked back to his car.My heart sank. Was he really going to leave just like that? Could he be mad at me, planning to drive off without a word?"Hey!" I called out, stopping in my tracks. "Are you—"Before I could finish, I saw him pull a sports bag from the trunk. I recognized it instantly—the one he used to carry spare
I met Soren's gaze with a faint, knowing smile. "You're right—they're incredibly friendly toward you! Who would dare go against you, Mr. Kenway?""That sounds a bit off," Soren commented.I stifled an inward sigh. How could I promise Soren anything when I didn't even know what the future held for us?As we walked toward his car, I couldn't help but say, "Thank you for rushing over here so quickly and for arranging bodyguards around this place."Soren's expression turned serious at my words. Once inside the car, he glanced at me. "Why are you acting so strange? It's unsettling…"I smiled faintly. "I'm just thanking you, that's all.""Alright then," he said, hooking a finger at me. "What are you doing?"Before I could react, he reached out, cupped the back of my neck, and pulled me into a kiss. "What the— What if someone sees us?!" I jerked back, scanning our surroundings nervously.Soren closed the door and rolled down the window. "Come back soon, okay? I'll be waiting for
My grandmother nodded. "Okay, I won't."Soren turned to me and said softly, "I think it's best if we have two people stand guard downstairs, just in case. We should be extra cautious until the case against the Kennedys is settled.""Do we really need to? I don't want to trouble you," I said."You won't. I'll make the arrangements," Soren reassured me."But I still don't think it's a good idea to have people sit in the car all day. It'll be boring and stuffy.""It's alright. That's what bodyguards are supposed to do," Soren remarked..My grandmother and aunt both opposed the idea, saying it would be too much of a hassle.Still, Soren insisted, "Taylor won't be able to focus on her work if we don't do this, Grandma Edna. She is busy and won't always be able to rush back in time. I think it's best to have two people guard the place for now."Soren was patient in persuading them.The Kennedys were on the verge of being charged for their crimes, and desperation might drive them to
Soren smiled as he entered the elevator, seeing my gloomy mood."Relax," he said. "I'm good with older people. They'll love me.""I'm not nervous," I replied. "In fact, I can't wait to see how much they despise you."That way, I wouldn't have to pay attention to anyone when I broke up with him.Although I knew I was being ungrateful, there wasn't much I could do with all the obstacles and conflicts we were facing.I stalled deliberately as the elevator doors opened, but Soren dragged me out with his arm around me.Since I had already registered my fingerprint in the door lock my grandmother had installed, we went straight inside.My grandmother and aunt were sitting on the sofa.My aunt was the first to peek her head toward us when she heard the door open. "Taylor, you're here."As expected, my aunt's expression froze when she saw the man behind me.She stood abruptly, looking uncomfortable. "Soren... I didn't know you were coming.""He, um… He heard that Edward's mother was
I nearly laughed in her face. What crocodile tears she was shedding!Wasn't she acting like some tough Karen when she was fighting an elderly woman? Now, with the cops about to take her away, she was suddenly playing the role of a desperate, helpless mother.She was clearly trying to gain Soren's sympathy. She knew very well that Soren was the one who had caused her family's downfall. The only hope she had for evading punishment or securing a lighter sentence was to appeal to him.Unfortunately, Soren was a far more principled man than I was."Your people brought this on yourselves. You'd trade other people's lives just to line your pockets!" Soren shot back, his tone sharp. "I'm glad your family's falling apart. Just imagine how much more crime and corruption your family would commit if your family kept rising!"Sally stood there, stunned.Then, as though the tears had never existed, she burst out in fury. "How dare you speak to me like that, Soren Kenway?! I'm older than you! Y