As the two were talking, the editor-in-chief came over. "Doreen, how's it going on your end? Have you met with Mr. Moore? You must complete the interview quickly. It'll be bad if another studio beats us to it!”Doreen was frustrated. "Mr. Moore is definitely a tough nut to crack. He wouldn't even spare me 20 minutes.”The editor-in-chief snorted. "It's not as easy as you think, is it? I think we should hand this over to Laura. After all, she's dealt with Mr. Moore a few times before.”There was no way Doreen would give up the hard-won opportunity. A sly glint flashed in her eyes. "Chief, my cousin knows Mr. Moore, so don't worry. I'll make sure this exclusive interview is completed. But… If my cousin arranges a gathering, someone will need to drink on my behalf, as I'm allergic to alcohol. There'll definitely be rounds of toasts at the table.”The editor-in-chief thought for a moment. "Should I assign a couple of interns to assist you?”"No need. Laura can handle her drinks well.
Finn hadn't expected Laura to be Doreen's colleague.Doreen noticed that Finn's gaze was fixed on Laura and joked, "Finn, don't tell me you've taken a liking to my colleague?"Finn was confident in his charm and experience with women. He pulled out the chair next to him. "Why don't you sit beside me?"Laura frowned, wanting to refuse the playboy. But when her gaze met Simon's amused look, she sat in the chair Finn had pulled out in defiance.To Finn, this was a sign of agreement.The other colleagues also took their seats, and the once-empty table gradually filled with lively conversation. The editor-in-chief stood up to toast Simon, "Mr. Moore, we're honored that you found time in your busy schedule to join us. We hope you'll continue to favor our department in the future."Simon clinked his glass with the chief's, but he didn't drink. "Apologies, my stomach hasn't been feeling well lately, so I'm not drinking."His polite yet detached response only reinforced the sense that he was tr
Laura's heart sank at Simon's indifferent expression. In moments like these, she knew she could only rely on herself. No one else could be counted on.Finally, Laura stopped holding back and gave Finn a small smile. "Apologies, Mr. Gasly, but you're not my type. Why don't you drink this one yourself? I've already had quite a bit, and I'm feeling a little dizzy."Finn felt humiliated, his face fell as he took Laura's response as an outright rejection. The alcohol he had made him grow bold and grabbed the back of her head, pressing the glass to her lips. "Ms. Scott, you'd better drink this. Otherwise, call your boyfriend here to drink with me. If he loses, you'll be my girlfriend. How's that?"The expressions around the table varied. Finn was clearly trying to provoke Laura, and no one wanted to get involved, especially with his connection to Simon. Some were genuinely worried for Laura, while others watched with amusement. Especially Doreen, who smirked and taunted, "Laura, what's wrong
Everyone finally realized why Laura could always ace an interview with Simon. As it turned out, Laura was Simon's woman!Everyone's gaze shifted to Doreen.Doreen paled and forced a smile. "Sorry, Mr. Moore. I… I didn't know Laura was with you."Simon didn't spare her a glance. Instead, he turned to the pale Finn. "What did you say earlier? You wanted to challenge her boyfriend to a drinking contest, right?""I…" Finn was sweating buckets. After all, Simon was the legal advisor their company had painstakingly secured. His father had practically begged Valor Law Firm to allow him to hire Simon for a steep price.Finn nearly forgot that their collaboration wasn't because Simon needed them. Their company had been entangled in lawsuits recently and was desperate for a good lawyer like Simon to resolve them.Finn picked up his glass and stammered, "Mr. Moore, I… I was wrong. Only you are worthy of a woman as outstanding as Ms. Scott!"That… didn't sound quite right either. Finn was
Inside a silver Bentley, Laura was held tightly in Simon's arms, lost in a passionate kiss.Simon's kiss was domineering yet tinged with tenderness, greedily savoring the taste of alcohol on her lips.It took all of her strength to push him away.Laura stared timidly at Simon through glossy eyes. He felt so close yet seemed utterly out of reach."Simon, what did you mean by what you said at the table earlier?" Her voice trembled as she questioned him. Unbeknownst to Laura, the alcohol had painted her cheeks red. Despite her accusatory tone, she still exuded an irresistible charm.Simon's breathing quicken. He reached out, gently brushing his thumb over her reddened lips, and replied huskily, "What's wrong? Do you find being my woman humiliating?"Laura's heart tightened at his words, but she knew there could never be anything real between them. He had never respected her. Everything he did was nothing more than a passing whim."I... I need to go." Laura turned to open the car
Laura could only offer an awkward smile. "I… I shouldn't use work hours for personal matters. I still have an article from yesterday to finish." She turned on her computer and acted as if she were fully engrossed in her work. Her colleagues whispered among themselves, wondering why someone who had snagged Simon, a lawyer earning tens of millions a year, would still care so much about a job paying only a few thousand a month. She was definitely just putting on a show!The editor-in-chief quickly pulled her aside. "You don't need to work on those basic articles anymore. Let Britney handle them from now on. Laura, let's be honest. How have I treated you? Wasn't I always on your side when Doreen bullied you?" Laura replied awkwardly, "Not… Not really?" The editor-in-chief cleared his throat to cover his embarrassment. "Well, at least you can admit I mentored you, right? Now that our news department is in a critical situation, don't you think it's time for you to step up?" L
Laura thought Simon would finally agree to see her if she went alone this time. However, she realized that his words from the night before were not mere talk upon arriving. Simon did not want to see her even if she came to him now. The receptionist apologized. "Ms. Scott, Mr. Moore has instructed us not to accept any appointments from you in the future. Please don't make things difficult for us. Perhaps it's best if you go back." Laura wished the ground would swallow her whole. To the receptionist, she probably appeared as nothing more than a shameless, clingy woman who refused to let go. Just then, her editor-in-chief sent her a message. "Laura, you have to succeed this time!" She sighed. She might lose her job if she failed this time. After all, an exclusive interview could draw in readers, and more readers meant more revenue. If she succeeded, the bonuses for the entire news department next month would multiply. But if she failed, everyone would blame her for the los
Laura suddenly realized something. According to the housekeeper, Simon hadn't brought Hailey back here since Laura had left.How else could the housekeeper have mistaken someone else for his fiancée if Hailey had been here? For some reason, Laura beamed at the realization.After sending the housekeeper away, she headed to the kitchen to start cooking. In the past, Laura had never cooked a meal in her life since she was born with a silver spoon. But after being with Simon, he demanded she prepare his outfits and cook the dishes he liked. He even signed her up for a training course where she spent three months learning domestic skills. It was as if her entire existence revolved around him and she had to do everything to please him. Simon had turned a pampered young woman who never lifted a finger like her into someone who had to tread carefully every day, learning to read his moods. Laura couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness at this. ... An hour later, Simon re
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