An overwhelming embarrassment washed over Julia upon hearing Jared calling her professor. On the other hand, Jared found her shocked reaction amusing. She looked funny and cute. The president of Brooks Corporation suddenly discovered his new source of joy."Anyway—" Julia glanced at the documents and box on the floor. She had thought of hundreds of excuses she could tell Jared while he was treating her earlier. And she indeed came up with the best one."I saw something moving on top of the cabinet, so I checked it. When I moved the box, it suddenly jumped on me. That's why I dropped everything, including myself. I think it's a mouse."She felt a sense of guilt washing over her as she said those words. This man didn't deserve to be deceived."A mouse?" Jared's face wrinkled. "Next time you encounter this kind of situation, just call someone else. We're lucky you only hurt your waist. What if you hurt your head? It would have been a huge problem."'Wait. Did he really buy that lame excu
Julia burst out laughing and spitefully murmured, “Love you, my ass!”One couldn’t blame her, though. After all, Carter’s audacity was through the roof. Nonetheless, cussing him out is the best she can do, even though she wants to beat the man to a pulp.Carter frowned, his eyebrows meeting in the middle. "Julia, why did you become so vulgar? How can you talk to another person that way?" he asked."It doesn’t matter. I’m not talking to a person anyway," Julia said, raising her brows."You—" Carter took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger. He called Julia, not to argue with her, but to settle the business first. "Whatever. Do you know Hailey Richards that well?""I do,” Julia admitted.Carter shrugged, asking, "Okay, let me ask you again. Did you purposely try to fight us off in the market recently when you released your company’s new product?”"Yes, of course," Julia said, although her words were rather scarce. She didn’t know what the Ross Corporation was up to, but on the ot
"Let's just get started." After Julia finished speaking, she logged in to her social media account and joined the trend, her username bearing her legendary nickname, the divine doctor.During this time, Hailey started the live stream again with a wide smile."Everyone, don't panic with these claims floating around. Trust in this product because I can attest that it’s legit! Also…"Hailey paused, deliberately making everyone’s breathing hitch.Even Carter was on the edge of his seat despite his face looking rather calm.After five seconds, Hailey revealed, "Because this product is developed by the one and only legendary divine doctor!"The chatroom of the livestream roared. People were obviously in disbelief, and even Carter found himself standing up."What?!" he exclaimed, his expression reflecting those of his men. No one expected that the truth would be like this. Several comments filled the window, and most were surprised, and some took the liberty of questioning whether Hailey was
Carter's attention snapped to the sound of his name. He turned his head, squinting into the distance. There, on the horizon, two figures emerged - a man and a woman. The distance was challenging, but Carter could feel his heart race as he squinted to make out their features. The girl's form was uncannily like Julia's, and the man bore a striking resemblance to someone Carter knew. A knot of intrigue formed in his stomach.His gaze remained fixed on the girl, the similarities striking him with each passing moment.Could it really be Julia?His mind raced, thoughts whirling in a maelstrom of possibilities. The man accompanying her, could it truly be him?Before Carter could fully digest this improbable sight, the duo embarked on the Princess cruise ship, their figures growing clearer as they neared. Vivien, Carter's fiancée, voiced her disbelief, debunking the notion that the newcomers could be Julia and the man from Carter's thoughts."You read it wrong," he convinced himself. "It coul
"I'll go! What are you doing?!"A sharp exclamation cut through the air, yanking Jared's attention away from the unfolding spectacle on the nearby cruise ship. Julia's voice, laden with a mix of surprise and curiosity, echoed in his ears. He turned to find her gaze fixed on the commotion, her expression a blend of bewilderment and intrigue."What's going on?" Jared asked, his curiosity piqued by Julia's sudden reaction.Julia's eyes remained trained on the cruise ship, where a flurry of activity had erupted. "Look at that! People are leaving the cruise ship in lifeboats."Jared's eyebrows furrowed as he followed Julia's gaze. Sure enough, he saw a procession of lifeboats ferrying passengers away from the ship, each departure resembling the tumbling of dumplings into a pot. Confusion etched across his features as he processed the scene before him."What's the matter? Did you let someone poke a hole in the cruise ship?" Julia frowned. Although she was happy to see Carter and Vivien maki
Julia's heart raced like crazy at Jared's words, warmth slowly spreading through her body.Jared looked at her with sparkling eyes, seemingly telling her she was the most important thing in the world— his world. And with his charming looks and intense gaze, even Julia couldn't brush the uneasy feeling off.But as his gaze deepened, so did Julia's guilt.Julia's sole reason for hanging out with Jared all boiled down to the Little Jade Statue, a vessel that held secrets about her real identity.It was so crucial to finding answers to her questions that she jumped into this mission without thinking. She thought if she could find that statue, she could track who gave her this mission in the first place. And by following clues, she might find the person pulling the strings and uncover her true roots.Time had messed up Julia's memories, especially since she had been a sick kid. Her childhood was blurry, yet fragments of it remained.She was sure she had a loving family—parents, grandparent
"What did you say?!" Carter and Vivien said in chorus, with others all taken aback."How can it be fine? Didn't someone say it was sinking?"Benedict also found this situation strange. "I had my people look into it thoroughly, but we came up with absolutely nothing.""Nothing?!" Carter angrily asked as he stood up and grabbed Benedict's collar. "You're telling me you found nothing?! Then, who the hell spread the word about the ship sinking? Shouldn't it be simple to trace if you put some effort into it?"Benedict replied with a bitter smile. "Yes, and we did dig into it. I had my people searching for the source, but it was like the person had vanished into thin air. No traces, no leads."Just like that, Carter's face went all pale and purple like he'd seen a ghost. If the cruise ship incident were merely an accident, Carter would have let it pass, but it was becoming increasingly evident that things were far more complex than he had thought.On the other hand, Vivien's expression dark
"Maddie, they're triplets!" Julia's face lit up, and she flashed Maddie a thumbs-up. "Damn, you're good!""Good, my ass," Maddie responded with a wry smile and an eye roll. But the next moment, her expression shifted to one of distress. She sank into a chair, cradling her head in her hands, her temples throbbing.Putting herself in Maddie's shoes, Julia sighed and joined her. "So, what are you planning to do next?"Maddie's emotions swirled, her laughter mingled with tears. "If only I knew this would happen, I would've not left home that day.""Have you thought about considering an abortion?"Maddie hesitated, contemplating the gravity of her decision. "I don't know, but doesn't that feel a bit harsh? I mean, we're talking about three lives here. Their fate rests on my choice, and it just feels morally wrong to abort.""Agreed," Julia nodded thoughtfully. "Well, if that's the case, give birth to them."Maddie's lips parted slightly, her brow creasing. "But I'm not ready to take on thi
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