Witnessing Jared’s action, Julia's eyes widened instantly, and asked, "You, don't you think it's dirty?""It's you; I don't mind." Jared tossed the used tissue into the trash.Julia tracked his movements with her gaze, her wide eyes filled with curiosity as she focused on the man before her.After a few seconds of silence, she couldn't resist asking, "You took care of me all night?""Yes," Jared affirmed with a nod.Julia observed the tenderness and concern in his eyes. She remembered his recent confession and the ring on her finger as she contemplated this. She had tried to give it back to him multiple times, but he stubbornly refused to take it, and he didn't mention reclaiming it either."Let me ask you, do you truly have feelings for me?""Or do you believe I'd casually give this ring to someone else?" Jared responded earnestly.At that moment, the gravity of his expression left no room for doubt.Julia scratched the back of her head, a wry smile forming. "Do you mind if I had fee
Shiloh briskly strode to the window, parting the curtains and peering downward."Hmm? Where did she go?"He had just caught sight of a figure that brought Julia to mind, passing by only moments before. Now, it seemed to have vanished. Perplexed, Shiloh scanned the surroundings in the dimly lit night, finding nothing to explain the disappearance."Could I have been mistaken?"Shiloh rubbed his eyes, attributing the lapse to his gaming session. With a sigh, he closed the curtains, extinguished the lights, and settled in for the night.Meanwhile, Julia emerged from behind a large tree, her gaze directed toward Shiloh's room.‘Staying up at this hour, you truly are a night owl,’ Julia muttered in her thoughts before moving on.Soon, she arrived at the old villa located behind the main residence. It was here that the car owner and the group of killers responsible for the accident over a decade ago were being held.Their isolation worked to Julia's advantage as she navigated the premises.E
Shiloh cleared his throat to alleviate the awkwardness of the moment. "I, uh, used to dislike her. I thought she was scheming and had a dark side.""And now?" Jared inquired."Even now, I still think she's pretty calculating and has a hidden agenda," Shiloh replied candidly.Jared frowned, appearing skeptical."But," Shiloh redirected the conversation, "She hasn't been cruel to you, nor has she done anything actually to harm you."After a brief pause, Jared continued, "Is it because she risked her life to save you?"Shiloh hesitated to speak the unspoken words that lingered on his lips."I'm going outside to soak up some sun," Shiloh announced abruptly, almost fleeing the villa in his wheelchair.Observing Shiloh's departure, Jared's gaze turned contemplative before he clicked on the [Chapter on Successful Dating Strategies in Films].While he believed himself capable of grasping even the smallest details as the head of the Brooks family, he couldn't help but wonder if he was missing
Julia's sudden push caught Carter off guard, causing him to stumble and collide with a nearby flower stand. He winced and clutched his lower back, casting a disbelieving look at Julia.Before he could utter a word, Julia's voice rang out, brimming with anger."Carter! Did I wrong you in a past life? Are you determined to hound me like this? If you have something to say, say it directly to me! And now you've even come to find my brother! Are you attempting to use my brother to threaten me?"Conrad was an emotional trigger for Julia, an area she couldn't tolerate being touched. That's why her fury was so intense."You've misunderstood. I never meant to do anything to your brother. It's just that you've been avoiding me, refusing to see me, so I had no choice but to come here to find you," Carter explained."Do you think I'll believe that? You didn't mean to do anything to my brother? Then let me ask you, who broke his ribs? Who made him suffer in the hospital for so long?" With each sen
Just before Carter could approach Julia, Conrad intercepted him by extending his arm in a blocking gesture. With a fierce tone and furrowed brows, Conrad bellowed, "Stay away from my sister!"However, Carter's determination remained unyielding, overridden by his anger. Locking eyes with Conrad, he countered with a shout, "Move aside!"Similar to Carter, Conrad was resolute in safeguarding his cherished sister. He remained steadfast, positioned in front of Julia, serving as her protective shield.Meanwhile, Julia's eyes and nose grew moist as she observed her brother's unwavering stance. This scenario was a familiar one. No matter the circumstances, Conrad was always there, ready to shield her from harm's way.Feeling overwhelmed, Julia appealed to her brother, saying, "Let me handle this."Conrad shifted his gaze towards her, yet stood his ground, responding valiantly, "Don't be afraid. I'll protect you. No one will hurt you."At that moment, Julia's eyes brimmed with tears, and a fai
Amid Vivien's rapid heartbeat, her thoughts raced.'No! It can't happen! Absolutely not!'Unable to devise an alternative plan, Vivien deliberately allowed her phone to slip from her grasp, resulting in a crashing sound that resounded throughout the room. In response, Carter's actions of taking out the documents immediately froze, his gaze shifting toward the source of the noise. Only then did he acknowledge Vivien's presence. But what caught his attention the most was her pale face, which caused his brows to furrow in concern."Vivien, you…" Carter's attempt at addressing her was interrupted as he witnessed Vivien dissolve into tears, her eyes imploring and desolate. On her face, there was also an expression of disbelief."Carter, Carter..." Her voice quivered as tears cascaded like a torrent. "You really went ahead with the verification? Don't you... trust me? I know that in your heart, I'll never mean as much as Julia. No matter what I do for you, I'll always fall short compared to
Jared disregarded Yasmin's question and glanced toward the women's restroom. He acted like he hadn't heard Yasmin and patiently waited for Julia to come out.His attitude made Yasmin quite unhappy, but she couldn't genuinely feel angry at Jared's handsome and elegant face."Hey, how much did Julia pay you?"Jared continued to ignore her, but she was persistent."I'll pay you double if you break up with her."Yasmin finally got a reaction from Jared.He looked down at her with an expressionless face, indifferently saying, "I don't want anybody's money, and she didn't pay me. I paid her."Yasmin's expression contorted from his response."Pff!" Julia couldn't hold back her laughter.Who could blame her? Seeing Jared shutting Yasmin down with such a straight face and Yasmin's defeated look was just too funny.Julia eventually caught their attention, and Jared looked at her trying to suppress her laughter with a loving and helpless smile.'Little devil.' He thought.He realized Julia had b
Julia's eyebrows twitched upward, a hint of amusement lighting up her expression. Her guess was spot on."Exciting, huh? You mean the whole 'relieving oneself indiscriminately' thing?" Julia's retort prompted a sudden hush on the other side of the line.After an awkward pause that lasted a good dozen seconds, Joseph cleared his throat several times, trying to smooth out the weird vibes. "Uh, Madam, can we maybe pretend this call never happened?""Fine by me.""What do you mean, 'fine by me'?" Jared strolled up, spotting Julia holding his phone."Oh, it was just Joseph calling. Figured it could be something important from the company, and since you left your phone, I picked it up," Julia explained with a nonchalant nod.'Joseph called?' Jared's eyebrows knitted together.Julia handed the phone back to Jared. The call was still ongoing, and Joseph had heard every word they just exchanged, leaving a pretty bitter taste in his mouth.Holding the phone to his ear, Jared asked, "Did you say
Lost in her thoughts, Julia absently muttered to herself while her fingers unconsciously typed a sequence of characters on the keyboard."Still incorrect," Julia grumbled, displaying a slight pout. Lost in her task, she had been hoping that Jared might use her birthday as the password for the safe."What else could it be?" Julia mused, her determination unwavering as she remained convinced that the Little Jade Buddha was hidden within the safe. She understood that the process would involve eliminating possibilities one by one, and she was prepared for the challenge.However, just as Julia was about to make another attempt, her focused concentration was abruptly shattered by a voice echoing from the living room. Instantly, her movements froze, and she listened intently, her expression morphing into one of heightened vigilance."Dah, dah, dah—" The sound of heavy leather shoes ascending the stairs grew nearer and nearer. Could it be Jared returning? The measured gait ruled out the possi
'I'm leaving!' Is it vital to state it so definitively?Julia came to realize that the current situation wouldn't be resolved with ease. With this understanding, she turned her head to gaze at Jared. His visage bore a disdainful expression, lips forming a stern, unyielding line of ice.Though Jared remained silent, Julia could intuit his emotions at that moment.Taking a deep breath, Julia directed her attention back to Yannie. "Are you pushing your own son to the brink? Since his early twenties, he's borne immense burdens alone. He protected you, even contending for the Patriarch position in the Brooks family against his uncles. Have you ever heard him utter a complaint? Does his silence imply ease?"Jared's icy facade softened, his gaze momentarily unfocused as he looked at Julia, an unexplainable shift in his eyes.Frowning, Yannie regarded her son. She was intimately familiar with his resolute and decisive nature. Jared never voiced his suffering to others. He struggled with sever
With what Yannie said, Julia thought, 'Ah, this is the one.'A frown creased Julia's brow. If Yannie was in such a hurry to push for her divorce from Jared, and if her deduction was accurate, there was a high chance that Cameron had meddled in the affair. Julia needed to devise a foolproof plan with her unmet objectives, and the divorce still needed to be in motion.However, before Julia could formulate a solid strategy, Jared's voice echoed in her ears."You can take the money back. I won't divorce her," Jared's firm words resounded, causing Julia to turn her gaze toward him swiftly.Following Shiloh's lead, he added, "Burning bridges behind us, Mom, is this really necessary? Julia did her best to mend my leg. You can't just dismiss her on a whim. She hasn't done anything wrong."Jared further asserted, "Even if she had, it's a matter between us as husband and wife. I should bear any consequences.""Absolutely, what my brother says is right!" Shiloh chimed in, supporting Jared's stan
Julia fixed her gaze upon Jared, her eyes widening as he effortlessly removed his attire. With each layer he discarded, his strong upper body was gradually revealed to her. Although he held the position of a businessman, Jared's bodily strength could easily match that of the most accomplished agents in their alliance. With extensive exposure to high-society circles, his physical form emitted an air of aristocracy that effortlessly garnered the respect and admiration of those in his vicinity. His presence could compel anyone to instinctively show deference, a harmonious combination of polished physique and dignified comportment that irresistibly attracted women, much like moths drawn to a flame.Although Julia's emotional connection to Jared was lacking, she couldn't help but appreciate the "magnificent mountains and rivers" before her. His awareness of her unwavering gaze pleased him, a satisfied smirk playing across his lips."Do you find it appealing?" Jared's question caused Jul
When Julia heard that word escape his mouth, she could feel how the pressure in the room became heavier and how coldness brewed in the air.Seeing his face etched with disregard and coldness, she could not help but recall what happened earlier. When she chased after Alexander rather than staying with Jared, she realized that he must be that angry to act this way now."You must be mad," she uttered between their silence.However, the man didn't speak and just looked away from her, refusing their eyes to meet.Once again, the living room became quiet. From where Shiloh was standing, he could see what was happening. Jared seemed like a king disregarding his servant, who was willingly waiting for a reaction from him.The more the silence provoked, the more Julia thought that it would be better if she let his anger subside first. "Then I'll go first."After that chilly encounter, she turned around and walked towards the door. Julia's head was hurting, thinking of how to coax the man tomor
The drink ran down Julia's throat as she raised her head and faced Alexander with a serious expression. They were still sitting beside each other after the long explanation."Make do? I can't give you that, Alexander. Aside from marriage being such a major event so does settling with someone just for convenience. If I did that with you, I would be irresponsible to you."Upon hearing those words from her, Alexander glanced at Julia with seriousness and bitterness on his face combined."Then boss, why don't you like me?"She sighed and frowned before raising her hand to caress his chin. After seconds, she turned to look directly into his eyes again."Do you want to hear the truth or lies?"Alexander opened his mouth, hesitated briefly, and decided to face reality."Tell me the truth." He had waited for that moment for a long time, and he knew he was mentally prepared already. Staring at Julia's mouth, he waited for her to open it and anticipated her following words."Okay, the truth is
Upon seeing the scene before him, Henry took a sharp breath.Without seeing Jared's face now, he could already foresee the man's terrifying expression because of the cold air radiating from his direction.Looking down at Alexander, Julia's eyes shifted to where Jared was standing. He was at the door, and the moment she set his eyes on the man, she felt her heartbeat becoming faster.Their circumstances made her feel a déjà vu as if she was caught in bed with someone. However, she quickly shook those thoughts off her head. The scenario in her head was not like her at all.Right then and there, Jared's face darkened to an extent, and the atmosphere around him was covered with immense anger."Julia!" He uttered her name as he gritted his teeth.Her eyes widened. Julia did not waste time and quickly explained, "It's not what you think it is! He and I are just friends.""Boss? Who is he? Do you know him?" Alexander stood up and glanced at Jared with gloomy eyes.The main reason for Alexand
Joseph's jaw dropped while his eyes dilated."Boss, this is—"Jared interjected, "You can go and buy it."When he heard it again, no words could get out of Joseph's mouth.Without saying anything, Joseph marched out of the office with his bitter expression painted on his face. He thought, 'How can I apologize to my girlfriend?'As Joseph started to have a headache about how to solve it, he suddenly heard Jared's voice behind his back."After you buy it, you need to arrange it, and you can get off work," Jared clarified.Upon hearing that, Joseph's eyes brightened, and his heart was filled with joy."Thank you so much, boss!" Joseph thanked him while smiling ear to ear. "I hope you can achieve your wishes today too."Jared waved his hand while Joseph went out the door and left sensibly.At the same time, his cell phone vibrated, and he got a reply from Julia.'Male.'At first, Julia thought to reply she was visiting a woman, but she recalled Jared had asked her the same before, but was
"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