Anthony approached them with a wine glass. “Nolan, you’ve come to support the project.”Nolan smiled and took the wine glass from the waiter. “Hi, Uncle Topaz. Your project has officially started, so, of course, I have to come to show my support.”Maisie grabbed a wine glass too. “Congratulations, Mr. Topaz.”Anthony smiled and toasted with them. “Thank you for all your blessings.”Tristan walked toward them with a young female companion. The woman standing beside him was probably in her 20s. She did not look extremely eye-catching but had an elegant temperament.Nolan clinked glasses with him. “It seems that you’ve found another pretty woman, Mr. Knowles.”Tristan smiled and replied, “An old bachelor like me can’t compare myself to those of you who have a family. So how can I attend such an occasion without a female companion?”Anthony smiled and turned to look at Tristan. “Mr. Knowles, if you were willing to settle down and get married back then, you might already have a mansi
Bassburgh had always been warm during winter and cool during summer. The roses in the garden located just outside the window still looked delicate and beautiful under the meticulous care of the gardener during the winter.Maisie had been giving herself a time off recently and had left her company to Lucy to manage, and she took some time to visit Sapphie at Uncle Kennedy’s today.Sapphie was already half a year old, and her soft hair had grown a little longer. Her facial features were not fully grown just yet, except for her bright, big eyes that seemed to be able to fit the whole galaxy in each of them, and they would bend into two crescent moons whenever she smiled.“This little girl will definitely grow up to be a gorgeous lady.” Kennedy held Sapphie in his arms and was unwilling to part with her. Although he was not her biological father, he already regarded Sapphie as his own daughter after all the company that he had shown her throughout the past few months.Maisie smiled and
Maisie rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Ryleigh Hill, are you dumb or what? You’re engaged to Louis, and you dare to stay at Joe’s place for one whole night after grabbing a drink with him? Do you know what the public will do to people like you? They’ll slaughter you on the Internet.”“I was in a bad mood that day.” Ryleigh propped her head against her arm and stared blankly at the table. “His ex-girlfriend had to attend a dinner, and why didn’t he think about my feelings and our engagement when he went to the banquet with her as her male companion?”Maisie narrowed her eyes.Ryleigh laughed out loud abruptly. “The engagement is just a façade. If it weren’t for the marriage that the two families arranged, his ex might even be able to get back together again with him.”Maisie supported her chin with her hand. “If Louis really wants to go back to Xyla, your engagement with him would’ve gone down the sewage ages ago. Maybe there’s another reason for him to accompany Xyla to the dinner.
Ryleigh wanted to take deep breaths, but she couldn't move because he held her so tightly. Louis only let her go when she stopped struggling. He held up her chin and got close to her lips, pushing the hair off her lip. “I wouldn’t give him a chance even if you liked him. I won’t agree to call off our wedding.“Ryleigh, your heart can only belong to me.”Ryleigh’s tears rolled down her face, unable to voice out the sadness in her heart. He kissed the tears on her cheeks away but continued kissing down her neck, then picked her up and walked toward the office. The pain took her breath away, and she almost bit his lips open. Louis kissed her cheek from behind her, tilting his head.The light behind the curtains turned blurry, shining on the overlapped silhouette reflected in the window. Until the evening, Ryleigh sat in the passenger seat wrapped up in Louis’ coat. Her eyes were on the view outside, her face looking tired and pale. Louis sent her home, carrying her in. He loo
Just like when Xyla had come to say thanks, she was just in the office for less than 10 minutes and nothing could have happened.Everything that Helios said made Louis think about Ryleigh’s reaction, and she seemed to care.His hand was still on his forehead, then his head started to hurt. “I have no intention of getting back with Xyla. It was just an event for her new movie. She had another date that night, but something came up, so she came to me instead.”He had agreed because he owed her, and it wasn’t too much to help. Helios put his hand on his shoulder and patted it. “I know you owe her, but it’s best to explain to Ryleigh. She doesn’t know what happened between you, so it was normal that she misunderstood.”The next day…The music academy was planning the Christmas event. The students registered to join the clubs, but they were mostly for solo instruments—most of the students went for piano and violin.In comparison, there were a lot fewer people who signed up to be pa
Charles saw them but didn’t show it on his face. He smiled and asked Ryleigh, “I guess we didn’t get a lot of students to sign up.”Ryleigh smiled awkwardly. Ruby was Charles’ student. She laughed and said, “Sir, Ray has been working really hard at recruiting. We have three days. If we get a few today and a few tomorrow, we might not get a lot, but it could be enough for a performance.”Charles nodded happily. “It’s alright, I believe in you. The development of the orchestra in this academy relies on you.”Ruby started having a conversation with Charles at the side, leaving Ryleigh and Louis standing in their spots. Ryleigh was stuck between leaving and staying, but when she was hesitating, Louis put out his hand.She asked, “What are you doing?”He said, “Give me your hand.”She hesitantly put out her left hand, but before it was fully stretched out, Louis pulled her wrist forward.Before she could react, he slowly tied a bracelet with purple pearls around her wrist. She
Louis lowered his head and looked at Ryleigh. “But what happened between us is all in the past now. I won’t talk to her anymore if you don’t like it.”Ryleigh didn’t expect him to follow her wishes and didn’t know what to say at that moment. It even made her feel that she was being petty and finding fault where there was none.“Ryleigh,” Louis held her cheeks and leaned closer, “We never did anything in our six years of relationship. You’re the only one I’ve touched.”Ryleigh’s face turned red, and she raised her hands and pushed him away. She then lowered her head and said, “Enough.”Louis added, “Yesterday was the first time… I hurt you. I’ll do better— Mm.”Ryleigh covered his mouth, her face red as a tomato. “I said stop.”Louis held her hand and kissed her fingers. Her mind went blank and almost started smoking.He continued kissing her, forgetting how fierce he had been the night before, and was instead gentle.Ryleigh fell into his arms and forgot to push him away. …
Barbara answered with no expression, “I don’t know you that well.”“Now that my buddy Eric has passed, you’ve forgotten me too?” The man put his hand on her shoulder and got closer to her. “You still look so beautiful after so many years.”His hand moved downward. Maisie suddenly stood up, grabbed his wrist, and kicked him in the knee. The man fell to the floor.“You just got splashed with tea, and you’re touching my friend in public now. That’s sexual harassment.”Maisie’s voice attracted more stares. The man looked embarrassed, got up from the floor, and laughed. “B*tch, stay in your lane.”He swung at Maisie, who avoided it and pushed him toward the floor after that.Everyone around them stood up to get a look. Dome took out their phones to take pictures while others cheered.Ryleigh walked up and kicked him. “That’s for trying to bully women.”“You… You better watch your backs!” The man stumbled and scurried away. Maisie looked at Barbara, who looked pale. “He was one o