Mila sighed. "It's probably best to move on sooner if Candice doesn't have feelings for you. But you shouldn't settle for marrying someone you don't love. Josie isn't the right match for you.""Her aunt is shady," Elio responded with a relaxed drawl.Surprised, Mila asked, "You knew about that?"Elio hummed in acknowledgment.Mila got to her feet and said, "Alright, I should head back. You should get some sleep. Meet me at Sudvilla at noon tomorrow."Sudvilla, a villa granted to Nathan by the government, was located directly opposite Hudson Manor, where Josie lived."Why should I go there?" Elio looked at her, puzzled.With a gentle smile, Mila said, "Come early and lend me a hand."Then, she left Elio's room, quietly closing the door behind her. Elio's gaze lingered on the door, looking desolate.…At noon the following day, Candice arrived in a floral dress complemented by a lace-trimmed sun hat. She carried a wicker basket full of plant seedlings. She stepped out of her
Candice wanted to speak with Mila, but her attention was drawn to Elio. She was captivated as he tilted his head back to drink water; his Adam's apple was unexpectedly alluring.His simple act sent a surge of heat through Candice, leaving her flustered. She swiftly averted her eyes and turned to Mila. "Aunt Chubs, is there anything I can help with?" she asked anxiously.Mila pulled out her phone, her expression turning into a frown as she landed her gaze on it. "I just got some urgent experimental results from work that I need to handle immediately."Confusion clouded Candice's mind.Pointing toward the seedlings in the basket, Mila instructed, "Candice, can you and Elio help me in planting these seedlings? I need to deal with this issue first.""I…" Candice panicked, wanting to make Mila stay. "Aunt Chubs, I—"With a warm smile, Mila began walking away as she said, "I'm swamped right now. Thank you so much, Candice."Candice couldn't bring herself to reject Mila's request. Sh
Candice was captivated by Elio's smile, a sight she realized she had never witnessed before. His smile was faint yet seemed to cast a magical spell.Elio was typically reserved and aloof. It made Candice hope he would smile more often. As she pulled from her thoughts, she met his piercing gaze. She quickly lowered her head and crouched down to pick up some seedlings."Let's begin. Where do you think we should plant these?" Candice asked.Elio approached her and said, "I'll follow your lead."His simple words warmed Candice, sending a flutter straight to her heart. Even so, she tried to keep her composure and focused on planning the garden's layout.Elio listened carefully as she explained her ideas.…Mila stood on the second-floor balcony, secretly watching the garden with a growing smile. Nathan quietly approached and gently wrapped his arms around her from behind. He whispered in her ear, "What are you looking at?"Leaning back against Nathan's chest, Mila sighed softly. "
"Are you not interested in him?" Josie asked."We're not in the kind of relationship you're imagining," Candice explained.Josie simply smiled and remained silent. After entering the villa, she handed the basket of strawberries to the maid before settling on the couch with Candice. While Candice sat upright with formal poise, Josie lounged with ease as if she owned the place. "My dad and Mr. Morrison have been close friends for years. I practically grew up here, running around as a kid," Josie said casually.Candice looked puzzled. "With Uncle Nathan and Aunt Chubs so often away, how did you manage to visit?""Leo brought me here," Josie explained with a hint of pride. "He always tried to escape his parents' strict rules. He'd stay here for a few days whenever he felt suffocated at home."She pointed at one of the rooms on the upper floor and added, "See that room up there? That's our secret hideout."Candice followed the direction where Josie pointed. Any adult would immedia
Josie was certain that Candice didn't stand a chance of stealing Elio away.Elio caused a commotion as he rushed down the stairs, prompting Mila and Nathan to emerge from their room, where they unexpectedly met Josie."Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Morrison," Josie greeted them with a polite nod."Josie?" Furrowing her brow, Mila asked, "What brings you here?""My dad sent me to bring you some strawberries," Josie replied."Thank you," Mila responded politely, then turned to look downstairs. She noticed Elio trudging back to the living room. He flopped down on the couch, shut his eyes, and sank back. He looked drained, but it was apparent that his weariness wasn't merely physical."Where's Candice?" Mila asked."Candice had to leave for something," Josie answered.Mila fell silent as she pieced things together. She knew Candice too well. Candice would have at least said goodbye if she had left under normal circumstances. She would never leave without a word."Make yourself at home."
Jasper drove back to Morrison Residence. He allowed Candice to get out of the car before he parked it.Candice slipped into a pair of fluffy slippers at the entrance, where a maid approached to take her bag. "Ms. Candice, we have a guest," the maid informed her."Oh, thank you," Candice replied, handing over her bag absentmindedly. Her thoughts were elsewhere as she entered the living room. There, she was greeted by the familiar faces of Gary, Florence, Daniel, Sienna, Taylor, and Tobias.Candice announced cheerfully, "Everyone, I'm back." Everyone turned toward her, including the guest. Candice halted her step, and her smile froze as she stared at Elio—the last person she expected to meet.The Morrisons were a large family. Daniel and Sienna resided at Maple Abode, Nathan and Mila at Sudvilla, while Duke and Daphne lived independently.Each of Candice's cousins chose to live separately from their parents. Candice, however, preferred the lively atmosphere of staying with Gary
Candice felt her hands sweating from nervousness as soon as the question was asked. She clenched her fists and lowered her head. She couldn't meet Elio's gaze, yet her ears remained sharply attuned to his voice.After stealing a glance at Candice, Elio thought for a moment before saying, "Josie isn't my girlfriend.""What?" Everyone fell into stunned silence.Candice looked up, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Elio in disbelief. Her reaction was so over the top that Elio almost laughed. He found her astonishment adorable and struggled to keep a straight face.With a frown, Daniel asked, "What's the matter?"Elio turned to Daniel and explained with a polite tone, "My mom was pressuring me to find a girlfriend back then. Out of desperation, I convinced my best friend to pose as one. We kept up the act for so long that everyone believed we were actually together.""Why did you stop pretending?""My mom found out.""That explains it."Candice was dumbfounded, her mouth sl
The moment Candice locked eyes with Elio, she quickly lowered her head. She twirled the hem of her clothing between her fingers, her cheeks coloring a deep red.Elio watched her intently for a few seconds before reluctantly looking away. Shortly after, a maid entered the room to announce that dinner was served. Everyone gathered at the dining table and began to eat.Candice seemed preoccupied throughout the meal. She hurried upstairs as soon as she finished eating. Alone in her room, she pondered over Elio's visit.Did he really come to clarify things because her family had begun preparing a lavish wedding gift for him? Were his words sincere? And if so, why had Josie misled her? Could it have all been an act?The more she pondered over those questions, the more her head hurt. Eventually, she decided to stop overthinking and drifted into a peaceful sleep.…The next morning, Candice awoke from a comforting dream in high spirits. Elio's words from the past suddenly echoed in her m