The moment Julia uttered those words, the atmosphere in the private room instantly became quieter than it had ever been.Everyone else stared at Julia and Jared in bewilderment except for Henry, who had known the truth all along.Julia was more concerned about her brother’s opinions, so she turned to him and carefully asked, “Conrad?”Conrad let out a deep breath as if calming himself down. Then, he gave Julia a stern look. “Julia, are you… serious? This isn’t some prank?”Julia was not sure how to answer his question. She didn’t entirely tell them the truth. Also, she just wanted to find the Little Jade Statue to learn about her birth.“I see,” Conrad replied and stood up.Julia’s hesitant expression and silence were enough for Conrad to confirm his doubts.“Conrad, wait. I—” Conrad fired his question Before she could even finish her sentence.“When did this happen?”“J-just recently…” Julia trailed. She didn’t want to reveal that it was on the day she was supposed to get married to
Maddie gasped in surprise. When she raised her head, she saw Henry's reflection in the mirror."Why did you follow me up?" Maddie asked, looking at Henry warily.Henry's hands rested casually in his pockets as he glanced at the restroom signage. With his brows shot upwards, he rhetorically asked, "What? Are you addicted to using the men's restroom now? Planning to go in?"Maddie's realization dawned as Henry's words settled in—she stood beside the men's restroom sink. Suppressing her embarrassment, she gathered her composure and countered, "You're the one addicted. I'm just washing my hands! Is there a rule that women can't use this sink?"Unbeknownst to the pair, Julia had trailed them. Upon arriving, she heard the bickering between the two, like elementary school kids.Considering Henry's status was just as high as Jared's, she became curious. Anything going on in Henry's life was worth knowing because it was a big deal. He was the eldest son of the prestigious Miles family, the sol
Julia turned her head to Henry, her eyes brimming with curiosity and assessment.Even Maddie had ceased her cries of pain. Her gaze was now fixed on Henry, with a mixture of surprise and confusion in her eyes.Under the scrutinizing gazes of the two women, Henry belatedly grasped the implications of his words."What I meant was that the rough treatment and the unpleasant noises she was making ruined my mood," he tried to clarify, realizing his previous remark sounded like a plea.Maddie clenched her teeth in frustration. ‘What an insensitive jerk!' She fumed internally."Okay," Julia said, ceasing her actions and examining Maddie's expression. Her complexion had noticeably improved, and there seemed to be no significant issue.Maddie touched her belly and exclaimed, "The pain is really gone! Julia, you're incredible! Come on, tell me how you became acquainted with the Divine Doctor. When did you become her disciple? I'm dying to know! You're quite the master of keeping secrets."Fortu
Two weeks flew by in the blink of an eye. Since J&C Limited launched its anti-acne products, it has had a swift and profound impact, successfully ousting Ross Corporation's cosmetics from the market and claiming the top spot on major online shopping platforms' best-seller lists. Conrad didn't expect their products would be so popular, but naturally, he was ecstatic. Because it was well received, he opened up the overseas market, drawing countless investors and establishing his reputation. "Congrats, Julia!" Hailey beamed in excitement. Her eyes were sparkling as she looked at Julia on the screen. She had just wrapped up the live broadcast, and it only took a few seconds, but they had already earned fifty thousand bucks. J&C acne products were top-rated. "Thank you, but I can't rest on my laurels. While I've gained recognition, our product range is rather limited, focusing solely on anti-acne skincare. I plan to diversify and expand the line to include products targeting spots, whi
"Madam?" The maid called Sally sneered and rolled her eyes. "She's just a vixen! Did she even deserve to be our Madam?" she spat venomously. "That's true, but-" Before the other maid could finish, Sally interrupted her. "Tch. Why are you fretting? I just ate a portion of her bird's nest soup. Don't worry. I'll dilute it with some water and mix it up." She grinned and continued, "That Julia looks so pathetic. How could she appreciate something so exquisite? I doubt she'd even notice if we ate it.""You've got a point. I might as well have a taste too." The other maid nodded, thoroughly convinced by Sally's words. "Let's dig in, shall we?" Julia, who had been eavesdropping outside, surmised that those two maids had eaten and tampered with her food. Just as she was about to storm in and confront them, Sally suddenly exclaimed. "That's right!""What?" The other maid was surprised by her reaction and eyed her suspiciously. Sally grinned at her, and, without a word, she spat into the b
"Mr. Brooks?!" The maids' voices trembled as they spoke his name.As dread spread through her body, one of the maids wondered, 'Had he overheard the conversation?'The two housekeepers ducked their heads in fear. They were in a precarious position, knowing Jared had the final say.Jared stood before them, his face expressionless. A dangerous glint in his deep eyes caused them to shrink in fear. With his commanding presence and preceded reputation, the maids knew that crossing Jared could have severe consequences, as he held their livelihoods in his hands. They anxiously awaited his response, hoping that their slip-up had gone unnoticed. "I know what happened in the kitchen earlier." Jared's voice was calm but filled with authority. His remarks terrified the two maids, dawning on them that they were in deep trouble.The maids trembled uncontrollably, their faces pale and their lips quivering. His imposing authority was incomparable to Shiloh's, to say the least. It wasn't only because
Yasmin's voice pierced through the chatter of the room, loud and shrill, attracting many curious glances in their direction. People began pointing and whispering, their faces etched with intrigue and concern.Quickly, Yasmin's assistant rushed towards her and was even more furious. She stood with her hands on her hips and yelled at Julia, "You've gone too far! What's wrong with having a stepmom raise you? Are they not humans? Can you bully them whenever you want?"Julia, maintaining her composure, chuckled and shook her head. "Birds of a feather flock together," she replied with a hint of guffaw in her eyes. "It's clear why Yasmin picked you as her assistant. You are what she likes, and you are both idiots who act like victims.The assistant's face turned red, and she snapped back, "Hey, who are you calling an idiot? You made fun of Yasmin and threw her paper on the ground!" Her voice shook with anger, and it was clear how she felt about Julia.Yasmin, who had tears, said, "Forget it!
"Julia would bring that role to life if she were the one to play it.""You mean Julia as the leading role?!" Yasmin interrogated. Her eyes broadened with a hint of enviousness that could flare into flames."Well, thank you for your compassion," Julia refused to accept it. "It's just that I am not quite interested in this."Some common actors would have made a lot of effort to stand out. It would bring capital to the group itself. However, Julia was a skilled layman who didn't have the capital to back her up to rise to the top. Her forebears' good deeds were why she was asked to play the female lead. Unfortunately, she had to take it down that easy.The director, who was in the industry for twenty years, was stupefied by her knock-back. He had caught a glimpse of many actors quarreling to take the leading role, yet as it was offered to Julia, she rejected it."So you don't want to be famous?" Julia shook her head. "I don't want to. I don't want to lose freedom. It's disturbing."She