If Candice didn't love Elio, all these things would be unforgivable offenses.In Elio's heart, he didn't know about her love.But the truth was, she loved Elio very much.In her eyes, the wrongs Elio had done were just because of his deep love and his jealousy of her closeness to Mervyn.Although they were all bad deeds, she couldn't bring herself to hate him. In fact, she felt somewhat moved.Elio hugged Candice tightly because he was very happy that Candice had chosen him.He had always loved her so cautiously.After a while, Candice pushed Elio away and looked up at him. She said, "Mervyn is still waiting outside. He won't leave unless I talk to him."Elio said nervously, "Let's talk to him together."Candice knew Mervyn too well. If Elio were there, Mervyn would act impulsively and even fight Elio. It was impossible for them to have a calm conversation. "I'll go talk to him first," Candice said. Then, she let go of his hand and freed herself from Elio's embrace.Elio gr
Mervyn's eyes reddened with anger as he yelled at Candice, "Candice, can you wake up from your love-struck haze? Elio is not suitable for you, and you will regret this sooner or later!""Whether he's suitable or not, I'll judge for myself, but I'll never regret it because this is my own choice," Candice responded firmly.Mervyn was heartbroken.Back at the Morrison Residence, Candice left Mervyn alone in the living room and quickly went upstairs.With nothing else to do, Mervyn went home.That evening, Candice expressed her thoughts to her grandparents and parents."I want to move in with Elio."Her grandparents were against the idea, while Sienna and Daniel respected her decision.Candice explained, "Elio and I have very little time together. If we don't build a stronger bond before marriage, how can we maintain a long-lasting marriage?"Her grandparents were not close-minded. They were just reluctant to let her go.She continued, "Besides, Josie likes Elio. Her aunt has bee
When Candice heard Elio say her name, she was surprised. She put down her hands and leaned close to him, asking, "How did you know it was me?"The moment Elio saw Candice, his stern face instantly relaxed. He gradually smiled as he replied, "I know it was you the moment I touched the back of your hand."Candice looked at the back of her hand, puzzled.Elio smiled gently. He would never guess anyone else except for her.Candice stood up then walked around the sofa and sat down opposite Elio.Sean greeted her politely, "Hello, Ms. Morrison."Candice responded, "Hello, Mr. Lowe."Elio waved his hand at Sean, signaling him to leave.Sean put the clothes in the laundry room before leaving the villa.As soon as the door closed, Elio leaned forward and softly asked, "When did you arrive? Why didn't you tell me in advance? Have you had dinner? Are you hungry?"Candice was momentarily overwhelmed by his barrage of questions.She felt like discussing the important matter, so she sat u
"But…" Candice hesitated.Elio nervously asked, "But what?"Candice's face grew even redder and her body became warmer. She shyly rested her head on his chest and said, "I'm afraid of getting pregnant before marriage."Elio couldn't help but laugh. He just tightly held her in his arms.She looked so shy revealing it that it made Elio feel a bit embarrassed too.They just hugged each other quietly for a while without saying anything.After a moment, they sat on the sofa. As Candice nestled in Elio's arms, she browsed her phone to order takeout.Since neither of them could cook and it was too late to ask the chef to come over, they decided to make do with something simple.Elio wanted to order from a highly-rated restaurant, but Candice refused.Growing up, her family had strictly controlled her diet and didn't let her eat any food that was unhealthy.Elio was also the same.Candice was worried that Elio might be as strict as her family, so she asked cautiously, "Should we hav
Elio felt increasingly pleased watching Candice's satisfied expression.He originally didn't intend to have dinner, but now with Candice's company, he had an appetite to eat.They drank beer, ate fried chicken, and had a barbecue together.After two cans of beer, Candice was already tipsy, making her eyes glazed and her speech incoherent.Elio was used to strong liquor, so these beers had no effect on him.He walked over to her and carried her upstairs.As Candice caressed his head, she murmured, "Elio, from now on, I'll protect you. I won't let anyone hurt you."Elio smiled wryly. He said, "Candice, you shouldn't drink. Don't drink anymore."Leaning against his shoulder, she murmured, "Elio, why don't you like me?"Elio gently placed her on the master bedroom's large bed. After removing her shoes, he covered her with a blanket. He responded to her drunken words, "I do like you."With her eyes closed, Candice pouted as if about to cry. She asked, "Why don't you like me?"Eli
When Candice shifted in her sleep, a sharp tug on her hair jolted her awake. Wincing in pain, she let out a whimper. As her eyes fluttered open, she realized she was in Elio's embrace. Both of them nestled together under the blankets, skin against skin.Her cry stirred Elio awake. He looked at her with bleary eyes, his voice gentle yet tinged with concern as he asked, "Candice, what's wrong?"Candice quickly pulled the blanket closer to her chest, embarrassment flooding her cheeks as she responded, "You're lying on my hair."Elio immediately lifted his arm to free her.Candice scooted away from his embrace, feeling bashful as her eyes darted around the room. She couldn't help but steal a glance at his well-defined abs. With a soft voice, she asked, "How did I end up in your room?"Elio offered a faint smile. "This is your room, too."Candice scratched her head, her recollection of the previous night was hazy. She vaguely remembered having a few drinks before everything went dark.
The world around Candice and Elio faded as they surrendered to their passion in bed. On the first day of living together, they took the day off from work. They made love in the morning, and again after lunch in the study.Exhausted, they cuddled and drifted off into a nap. As dusk fell, Candice had just stepped out of the shower when Elio drew her back to the bed. Their passionate encounter stretched late into the night. Much like any couple enraptured by love, their moments together were wild, unrestrained, and brimming with passion. They experienced an unparalleled sense of release both physically and emotionally.Perhaps due to oversleeping, Candice awoke in the middle of the night. She reached for her phone, only to find it turned off. This explained why she hadn't received any calls all day. She had assumed her family simply wasn't worried about her.Upon powering the phone back on, she was greeted by dozens of missed calls—all from Mervyn—and a slew of messages. Among them w
Elio remained silent as he wrapped his arms around Candice's shoulders and pulled her close. He gazed up at the night sky, trying to calm the anxiety and unease within him by feeling the comforting warmth of her presence in his arms.His apparent generosity was nothing more than a façade, and his understanding was just an act. Deep down, he despised seeing Candice interact with Mervyn.Even though their relationship was purely platonic, Elio was overwhelmed by jealousy and bitterness so intense it drove him to madness. He simply couldn't stand it.Yet, Elio chose to keep this side of himself hidden from Candice, not wanting to reveal how petty and jealous he could be. He believed it was best to conceal his flaws until after they were married to avoid complications. …It was a bright, sunny morning when Mervyn arrived. Candice and Elio were walking to the front yard of the villa when they saw him approaching.The two men exchanged no greetings. Their hostile glances were like a s