"What in the world is this?" Julia exclaimed, her voice echoing in the room.With a bewildered look, she pulled an identical wedding photo of a passionate kiss from under the bed, dusting it off with her fingertips.As she compared the wedding photos in her left and right hands, realization dawned on Julia. She couldn't help but purse her lips, rendered speechless by the discovery. She hadn't known about the hidden wedding photo under the bed but, surprisingly, had found a spare one.Stunned beyond belief, she thought, feeling a mix of amusement and shock.With a clever smile, Julia hid the wedding photo in the wardrobe and turned the key in the lock.'Let's see how you hang it now!' she thought, triumphantly challenging the unknown prankster.Just then, Shiloh's voice, laden with disbelief and surprise, filtered through the closed door. "What happened? Julia?"'Hmm? What's going on now?' Julia wondered curiosity piqued.Opening the door with a confused expression, she was met with Sh
"My mentor."An air of anticipation lingered before Julia's words finally sank in.After Julia's declaration, the room went completely silent. Slowly, as they started to understand, their amazement spread through the group, and their faces showed a mix of shock and wonder.After the shock wore off, the marketing manager leaned forward. "What if we use this healer as a unique selling point? Imagine the buzz!" he suggested enthusiastically.There were murmurs of agreement coming from all directions. It wasn't all a clever advertising ploy. Having the mysterious healer's name attached to their new skincare product may outperform the support of even the most famous celebrities or sought-after influencers.Julia's eyes turned to Conrad, her reliable confidant and the company's owner. Even though she often followed her gut, she weighed his counsel immensely. She decided it would be wise to have his opinion because his years of experience outweighed hers.Conrad sat back, his furrowed brow b
Even on the other side of the line, Julia blushed when he called her by that name."Why did you suddenly call me by my name?" Julia raised her thin lips, and her voice showed a trace of tenderness."I like calling your name,” Jared simply answered.Julia heard something inside her thumping. So she slowly raised her hand to cover her heart. Feeling every beating it did. The throbbing made her very addicted and uncomfortable.Before Julia could recover from this state, the man's intoxicating voice, which sounded like a cello, echoed in her ears again."How about you? Can you call me Jared?" he asked.Julia bit her lip, and her mind went blank for a moment. The only thing she could say was, "Oh, I forgot! I have something to do. I'll hang up now. Bye!"Julia hastily hung up the phone. Her breathing was short and disordered. Her chest heaved and fluctuated. When she touched her face, it felt hot. She kept cooling her face with the back of her hand.Jared…“It sounded disgusting,” she comm
Jordan stared wide-eyed at the sudden appearance of Jared, a mix of surprise and horror on his face. Cameron was equally taken aback. She had been spying secretly moments ago, waiting for the opportune time to witness Julia being escorted away by Jordan. The arrival of Jared was utterly unexpected.Julia's forehead inadvertently met Jared's chest, causing him to wince and tenderly rub the sore spot on his brow."That hurts! Why is it as tough as a rock?" Julia mumbled. Despite her intoxication, the embrace was so familiar. Wasn't she used to being embraced by a sleepwalking man every night? So, the instant Jared's arms enveloped her, Julia knew it was him."Where did it hurt? Let me see," Jared gently moved Julia's hand away and saw the faint red spot on Julia's forehead. It must have knocked on the buttons of his clothes."Let me rub it for you," Jared softly circled her forehead with the gentlest part of his palm.This tender and caring gesture seemed like he was caressing the most
A strange woman gave Henry a kiss!Henry's eyeballs were on the verge of popping out. He had already noticed that this girl had thick skin, but he hadn't anticipated it being like this!"I hate it!" After giving Henry a playful glance, Maddie's face turned redder than a monkey's behind, and she hastily dashed out of the bathroom.After sprinting for a while, Maddie reached up to touch her face. It felt so hot that it seemed she was steamed.Damn! So she did that kind of thing. Alcohol has a terrible effect on her!Thinking about what she did, Julia's words suddenly echoed in Maddie's thoughts. 'Drink less because you would do ridiculous things every time you got tipsy.'Maddie covered her mouth, "That was my first kiss!" It was hard to admit, but what Julia told her about drinking less was right.After returning to the bar, Maddie looked at the waiter, "Make me a Metropolis.""Okay, Miss. Please wait for a moment."Maddie secretly glanced towards the restroom and soon saw Henry."Miss
"Stop it," Jared said darkly, but Julia didn't listen. Her hands roamed around Jared's body, making him stiffen. Without another word, he grabbed her hand and pressed her underneath him, restraining her movements. "Let go!" Julia hissed, struggling to break loose, but Jared didn't budge. After some time, she grew tired. Her eyelids trembled, and she closed her eyes, slowly falling into a deep slumber. Looking at her peaceful countenance, Jared was caught between laughter and annoyance. His body was covered in sweat, and his face was red as he tried to suppress the raging desire inside him. A helpless sigh slipped past his lips. He carefully let go of her arms and got out of bed. He strode into the bathroom and hurriedly took a cold shower to extinguish the ball of fire inside him. After showering, he donned a set of pajamas and lay beside Julia. He gently pulled her closer, feeling the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving just the two
"What happened?" the man uttered in confusion and turned around to check who dared to interrupt him. At that instant, he stiffened when he saw a handsome man. His face was dark, and he exuded a cold yet majestic air. The man unknowingly gulped as he noticed how impeccably dressed the man before him. Obviously, he could guess his identity wasn't ordinary. Julia ignored the man's surprised expression and looked at Jared. Her eyes narrowed as she asked, "Why are you here?""To see what my wife is doing in this kind of place," Jared intoned coldly. When his words fell, the onlookers looked at him strangely and whispered among themselves. Seeing their reactions, Jared clenched his fist. His face was covered in frost as his gaze darted to the private room where Julia had gone to. Julia followed his line of sight, and her lips twitched, seeing Jared's face clouded with gloom. She took a deep breath and explained, "Even though that creep didn't manage to harm my friend, I still have to
Julia softly gasped in surprise before glancing at the person who hugged her from behind. Her lips curled into a smile upon seeing him. "Jared," she whispered, facing him. "I'm sorry for coming here unannounced. I tried calling you, but you didn't pick up." Jared scanned his wife from her head to toe. He let out a deep sigh of relief upon realizing she wasn't hurt anywhere, his worried-stricken face lightening up. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't realize my phone was on mute." But his face tensed as his gaze darted to the group of guards who came to seize his wife. Their eyes widened in fear as he glared at them. "How dare you all come at my wife!" The guards didn't dare meet his gaze in fright. The oldest of the guards, who seemed to be their team leader, spoke up. "We're so sorry, sir. We didn't mean to hurt her. Joseph here told us that she was causing trouble. We apologize again." Jared regarded Joseph with furrowed brows. "Why is my wife causing trouble, Joseph?" "I'm so so
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