A trace of anger flickered across Laura's face. "Simon, don't make it sound so awful! Do you think everyone is as shameless as you? Mr. Fowler isn't that kind of person!"Simon's eyes narrowed angrily as he scanned their surroundings. "So, you're living here after you left me? You would rather lower yourself to this level?"Laura replied coldly, "I don't see anything wrong with it. I'm supporting myself through my own hard work. Even if things are tight right now, they'll get better. Mr. Moore, if you came here today just to mock me, well, you've succeeded. This is the best I can afford at the moment. Are you satisfied now?"Simon frowned, then took out the necklace she had left at his place from his pocket. "I didn't come to mock you. I came to return this. You said it's a keepsake from your mother."Laura felt a pang in her heart. She hadn't expected him to remember. Her anger from moments ago was instantly subdued. She took the necklace and murmured, "Thank you."Just then, a w
Simon went into the bathroom to shower. Suddenly, Laura remembered something and called out, "By the way, I don't have a new towel. I'll go downstairs and buy one for you."His answer came through the door. "I'll just use yours."Laura was surprised. Wasn't he a neat freak? Could it be that he had been faking it all along?She walked to the living room, muttering to herself, "What a weirdo!"Before long, Simon's assistant, Alex, arrived. "Ms. Scott, here are Mr. Moore's clothes. I brought two new sets for him."Alex was one of the few who knew about the relationship between Laura and Simon. Nevertheless, Laura still felt incredibly awkward. After all, only a handful of people knew the nature of their relationship. This made her feel as though she were being exposed in front of anyone familiar with them.Laura awkwardly took the clothes and thanked Alex, who gave her a knowing smile, probably assuming she and Simon were playing some kind of role-playing game that had brought them
Laura was incredibly frustrated. She didn't want to draw a line with Simon during the day only to have him barging into her life again that same night. After thinking it over, she said, "You could take a detour. It's not like there's only one way to get to your house."Simon glanced at her. "A detour? Easy for you to say. Do you know how far that would be? How much of my time would it waste? Laura, none of this would've happened if I hadn't come here to return your necklace."Laura glared at him angrily. "People weren't wrong when they said lawyers are petty down to the bone! You're so insufferable!""And yet you endured it for five years." Simon glanced at her. "What's wrong? Can't handle just one night?"Laura took a deep breath to resist the urge to punch him.Meanwhile, Simon acted as if he were at home. He grabbed a hair dryer from the bathroom and started drying his hair. Laura huffed angrily and decided to ignore him. She turned her focus back to the news and pretended he w
Laura clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. "Simon, do you have no shame?"But before she could react, he pinned her hands behind her and pressed his lips onto hers. She was about to resist when he whispered threateningly, "Laura, bite me again, and you'll see what happens."For some reason, even after they separated, she still feared him. Her fear of Simon felt innate as if it was etched into her bones. He murmured as he kissed her, "You might be able to tolerate the sounds, but I… can't."Over the years, when she and Simon got intimate, Laura was usually drawn into it. She didn't resist intimacy, but she did resist being humiliated by him. Now, with the sounds from next door adding fuel to the fire and Simon's teasing, Laura began to feel a spark too. After all, he knew all her sensitive spots and just a little coaxing from him was enough to turn her into a mess.It seemed he was punishing her for leaving without permission. That night, Simon was relentless, pushing her to the br
The more Laura thought about it, the more she felt that Simon was just too good at putting on a facade. She wondered if his clients would still trust him if they knew what kind of person he really was.Laura warned him, "Don't come looking for me anymore. I've already taken your mother's money, and I need to keep my word. Last night, you were the one who insisted on sleeping with me. I had no choice. But from today on, let's not see each other again."Simon cocked a brow. "Do you really think we can cut things off that easily?"Laura retorted, "Why not? Are you planning to keep Hailey at home as your wife, while keeping me as your mistress? Aren't you afraid your messy relationship will be your downfall?"Simon laughed coldly. "Seems like five years with me still wasn't enough to tame you. No matter. Laura, we have plenty of time."With some pressing matters to attend to that morning, Simon didn't linger and left quickly.After he left, Laura let out a sigh of relief. Yet his las
To avoid being alone with Simon, Laura suggested to the editor-in-chief, "Could Britney come along with me? She's been worried about securing a full-time position after her internship. If she writes a couple of articles on this, it might really help her solidify her place here."The chief agreed, "Sure! You used to be so reluctant to mentor new people. Seems like you've changed."Laura hadn't changed at all. She just figured that having another person present would make Simon less likely to try anything inappropriate.Meanwhile, a coworker, Doreen, overheard the conversation and clenched her fists. Doreen had joined the company two years before Laura, so if anyone deserved a promotion, it should be her. Why should it go to Laura?Britney was brimming with excitement. "Laura, thank you so much for this opportunity! I was really worried my trial articles were too basic to make a strong impression.""It's okay. We've all been there. You've worked hard," Laura encouraged her. The two
Britney noticed Hailey too and whispered to Laura, "Wow, that woman is so well-dressed! Her outfit looks expensive, and that fur coat! She looks very well-off."Laura sneered. As expected, Simon was toying with her. He had no time for her interview, yet he had time to go on a date with Hailey. Laura's heart tightened, but she chose to ignore it.The lobby of Valor Law Firm was spacious, and Laura and Britney were seated in a secluded area, making them difficult to spot. But Britney, who hadn't seen many famous figures before, stared openly at Hailey. Just as Hailey was about to enter the lift, she noticed them.Hailey immediately recognized Laura and was confused as to why Laura was there at this time. Nonetheless, she walked over."It's you?" She looked Laura up and down. "What's wrong? Did you get yourself into a lawsuit? Are you here to hire my husband?"Laura smiled faintly. "As far as I know, Mr. Moore is still single."Hailey's expression darkened with anger.Britney quickly inte
Laura knew perfectly well that her request was unreasonable. But she also knew that someone as clever as Simon wasn't afraid of an equally sharp opponent. What he feared was dealing with someone irrational because there's no logic in a person willing to go all out, like she was doing now.As expected, Simon smiled, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. He turned to Hailey and said, "Sorry, but I won't be able to go with you to pick up your parents tonight. I'm far too busy with work, and this interview was prearranged between our firm and the studio. This reporter has been waiting all day. It would be rude to send her away empty-handed."Hailey was taken aback. She never thought Simon would disregard her in front of Laura, who was a friend of her rival, Susan, and had openly argued with her last time. Hailey wasn't going to make a fool out of herself now.Hailey clung to Simon's arm tightly and argued, "No! We already agreed! My parents only come back a few times a year. She's just a
Simon pressed Laura against the wall and kissed her.Yet, this was what hurt her the most. He had never cared whether she wanted it or not. In fact, there were so many unresolved issues between them. However, Simon seemed utterly indifferent and showed no intention of addressing them. He kissed Laura for a while. Just when she thought he might take things to the next level, he abruptly stopped.Simon's breathing was unsteady, his voice low and hoarse as he said, "Go take a shower. I've got work to do and can't keep messing with you."It was only then Laura realized he had drawn her in. Now that he had stopped, her cheeks still burned, and she couldn't shake the lingering pull of desire he'd stirred.Simon seemed to notice her unease. He then asked with a smirk, "Or would you rather continue?"Laura's heart skipped a beat. She quickly pushed him away and lowered her head. "I'll go shower."As he stared at her retreating figure, the lust in Simon's gaze gradually faded. In the
In the next moment, Simon's lips curled into a smile. "It was Maxwell who called me and asked me to come help you with this. Don't forget, Jennifer isn't just your best friend. She's also Maxwell's wife and the mother of Caleb and Cassidy."Did you even check if Maxwell was okay with you staying at their place? Not everyone is as comfortable with you as Jennifer is."Laura wanted nothing more than to shut him up. However, she couldn't deny that he had a point. Apart from Harry, Jennifer was the only one who had ever treated Laura like family. While Jennifer might never push her away, that didn't mean everyone else would be as kind. That house belonged to Jennifer, but it was Maxwell's too.At that moment, Laura felt completely alone and helpless. …Just like that, she quickly packed a few essentials and followed Simon back to his place in the dead of night.He then pointed to a small wardrobe and lightly instructed, "You can leave your clothes here for now."After opening it,
Laura cried in Simon's arms for what felt like an eternity before finally lifting her head. Her voice carried a hint of grievance as she said, "Why wouldn't you believe me? I told you someone was following me, but you still didn't trust me."Simon gently wiped her tears away. "I'm sorry. That's on me."But Laura shoved him aside, her tone defiant. "Spare me the fake concern. I've reported it to the police, so it doesn't matter whether you show up or not."A flicker of amusement passed through Simon's dark eyes as he studied her. "Really?""Of course!" Laura lifted her chin, as if she weren't afraid of anything. "I'm trained in martial arts and can protect myself. Besides, the police are involved. Even without you, I'm not scared."Simon couldn't help but chuckle. Suddenly, his arm snaked around her waist, pulling her close again. "Who was trembling in fear earlier? The same person who stayed holed up in the bedroom all night because she was too afraid to come out?" he teased in
Only then did Maxwell understand the reason behind Jennifer's anxiety. He grabbed her arm and said, "Why does it have to be you? What about Simon? Didn't you say they had made up? "This kind of damsel-in-distress situation should be his job. It feels like we're overstepping if we take matters into our own hands, don't you think?""What's wrong with that? Laura is my best friend! If I don't help her now, who will?" Jennifer shot Maxwell an irritated look before adding, "This is the perfect chance to show Laura that she can't rely on Simon. Otherwise, she'll just fall deeper for him. Well, unless he's willing to marry her. Do you think he will?"Maxwell softened his tone and replied, "Let's set aside the question of whether he will marry her or not. Think about it. If Laura stays with us, she'll have to watch us all lovey-dovey, living our happy family life. How do you think that will make her feel?"I know she's your best friend, but this is just how humans are. We can't help but
Laura anxiously waited as the police retrieved the surveillance footage. But in the end, all they told her was that the alley she had mentioned was in an area slated for demolition. Hence, no cameras had been installed there. When she suggested they start investigating from the street where her office was located, the officer replied, "Miss, if we follow your suggestion, it would require a massive undertaking."We have other cases to handle as well. Please, go home and wait. If we find anything, we'll notify you immediately, okay?"Laura's urgency stemmed from how terrified she felt. After all, it was the first time she had been followed. Still, she didn't want to make things difficult for anyone. Since the police officers had made their stance clear, she decided not to press further and relented. Before leaving, she couldn't help but plead, "Please, do your best to look into this as soon as possible. Contact me immediately if there's any news."With that, she left the station,
Laura's heart pounded violently in her chest. She immediately pulled out her phone, instinctively thinking of calling Simon. However, she remembered they weren't on speaking terms, so she dialed Jennifer's number instead. A nurse answered the phone. "Hello, Dr. Susan is currently in surgery. Please call back in two hours."Left with no choice, Laura reluctantly called Simon. His deep voice came through almost immediately. "Hello, what is it?"Simon's voice, though pleasant, held an icy undertone. Laura knew he was still angry. But right now, someone was following her. She couldn't afford to care about anything else—not even her pride.She gripped the phone tightly, her voice trembling as she said, "S-Someone's following me. Can you come pick me up?""What?" Simon's response was indifferent. Then, he mockingly added, "Aren't you a martial arts expert? A good fighter, right? What's there to fear from a thief?"After all, Britney hadn't been able to secure her interview with hi
Simon finally looked up from his computer screen and gave Alex a stern look. "Do you not understand what I said, or do you have nothing better to do? Should I assign you more tasks?""No… No need for that! I'll leave now." After being scolded, Alex left the office dejectedly. Britney was still waiting downstairs. Seeing him come out, she rushed up eagerly. "So? How did it go?"Alex scratched his head and forced a smile. "Mr. Moore said… Ms. Scott needs to come in person." Britney sighed, disappointment written all over her face. "I knew it!" Alex was about to console her when she suddenly broke into a bright smile. "Still, coming here today wasn't a total waste. At least I ran into my high school classmate and got your number!"She winked at him playfully and added, "We're both from out of town. So, we've got to look out for each other!"Alex was flustered and nodded. "Of course!""Well, I'll get going then. Let's keep in touch!" Britney shrugged off the rejection. Althou
Britney hesitated but finally gave in. "Fine, I'll give it a try." … With Laura's task weighing heavily on her shoulders, Britney set off for Valor Law Firm solemnly.As expected, it turned out exactly as she had imagined. She was turned away almost immediately.She recalled the last time she had come here with Laura. Back then, Laura had also waited for a long time. Determined to ace the interview, Britney decided to stick around and wait. Surely Simon would meet her, considering how she always supported him and Laura and had even tipped him off before. "Britney!" A voice suddenly called out. Britney turned around and her eyes lit up with surprise. "Alex? What are you doing here?" Britney added, "I had some business here. Wow, you've changed so much since high school! Do you work here? Everyone here looks so formal in their suits.""Yes, I work here." Alex was happy to see a classmate. "Are you here because of some trouble? Do you need a lawyer?"Britney explaine
After leaving Simon's office, Laura headed straight to the studio. The workday had ended when she arrived, and all her colleagues had left. Laura sat at her desk, turned on her computer, and began writing down everything she had seen and heard today. With her fingers furiously typing away, she poured out the full story of Brooks Group's workplace incident. Whether it was out of anger or agitation, the keyboard clattered loudly beneath her hands.In just 20 minutes, she had completed a full article. As she typed the last word, she began to calm down. Looking at the article that was filled with sympathy for Nick's family and criticism of Brooks Group, Laura realized she was betraying her journalistic integrity.She hesitated before deleting the draft. After all, she was a reporter. She shouldn't bring her personal feelings into her work. This article contained too much of her own bias. Such a news piece would be unprofessional. Laura sighed. She checked her phone but ther