Hudson felt more and more awkward about showing up unannounced, but he could not bring himself to leave. He had that feeling that if he walked away right now, Chloe would only get further out of reach."Won't you let me come in for a bit? I made time just to see you..."Chloe was still pushing against Hudson's knee. She wanted to close the door and put Hudson out of her life for good.She thought she was ready for that, but Hudson's unexpected visit had thrown her off balance.She could not let this continue. She just could not.Who was Hudson anyway? He was a big-shot CEO. Meanwhile, she was just someone from an ordinary family who had known Hudson all her life. The gap between them was too wide to cross.She had been foolish to think otherwise before.Chloe said calmly, "Mr. Xender, a busy man like you doesn't have time for a nobody like me."Hudson's heart ached. He had once said those words to Chloe, not realizing how cruel they were. Feeling the sting of his own words, he
Chloe felt Hudson's grip on her wrist. She tried with all her might to pull away, but it was no use."What are you trying to do, Hudson?"Chloe's face turned bright red with annoyance. She really did not want to fight with Hudson in front of her colleague. It was just too embarrassing.The roses Hudson had brought were on the floor, petals scattered around his feet. Felix could tell there was trouble, probably because Hudson had tried to do something sweet, but Chloe was not having any of it."Sir," Felix started to speak. Seeing Chloe trying to get away from Hudson, he quickly stepped in like a true gentleman and pulled Chloe to his side. "Let's just talk this out. No need to get physical."Hudson stared at Felix, shocked. Could this guy and Chloe... They were wearing the same aprons, and with the way he was acting all protective, quietly pulling Chloe back to his side…No, something was not adding up..."Sir, what's really going on between you and Chloe?"Felix's sharp questi
At Life Story Company, the planning team was huddled together, whispering words of comfort to a young woman sobbing uncontrollably. Just ten minutes earlier, Hudson had given her a severe talking-to, and she could not help feeling utterly wronged. She was now crying out loud in the office. "Mary, what's wrong?" they asked. Mary cried even harder, her words interrupted by sobs. "Mr. Xender... got mad at me for a small mistake at work. He said if I mess up like this again, I might as well pack up and leave."One of her colleagues chimed in, " Mary, did you mess up a report or something?" Mary nodded, tears streaming down her face. "It was a brand event. I mixed up one of the rules... and Mr. Xender really let me have it when he found out."Another colleague shared their feelings of regret. " Mary, you were in the wrong this time, and it's not fair to blame Mr. Xender for how he reacted.""I know, but why did Mr. Xender get so... scary?!" Mary was still rattled by Hudson's recent f
"So, does this mean I did it?" Lucy asked, barely containing her excitement."Yes," Matthew replied, and his simple answer made Lucy's heart soar. She had passed the challenge set by Matthew and Hudson."Really? You're not just saying that because you like my work, are you?"Matthew cracked a smile. "I do play favorites... but not when it comes to this. Hudson and I both agreed, so no, there were no special favors."Lucy was so overjoyed she could not find the words. She flopped back onto her bed. Gazing at her design drafts, her mind raced with possibilities."Guess what? There was actually a secret judge this time," Matthew said with a twinkle in his eye. "Want to know who it was?""Who was it?"Lucy peered at Matthew, sensing she might know that mystery judge.Matthew decided to spill the beans. "It's Koven.""Koven? How could he...""Koven's buddies with Hudson, so when he heard I was putting your name forward as the designer, Koven chose to put you to the test himself. A
It was Lucy's first time meeting Hudson. He was so focused on the papers on his desk that he did not notice her walk in."Mr. Xender?"Lucy had to call out a few times before Hudson looked up.Hudson raised his head from his work. "Hello, you are...?"With a warm smile, Lucy said, "I'm Lucy.""Oh, you're Mrs. Leon?""Yes."Lucy gave an embarrassed smile."I've heard so much about you. Mr. Leon always brings you up during our annual meetings... Did he send you over today?" Hudson said."Yes, Matthew thinks it's best to discuss the company's brand with you, so that's why I'm here for work."Hudson looked really tired, with dark circles under his eyes that he could not hide.Lucy was worried Hudson might fall asleep any minute. "Mr. Xender, did you have trouble sleeping last night? Maybe you should rest a bit. I can always visit another day."As Lucy got ready to leave, Hudson said he did not need to rest."It's okay. Work can be overwhelming, and it's normal to lose some sle
Hudson did not mean to spill his heart out to someone he had just met, but he could not control his feelings. Thinking of Chloe's coldness, his heart felt like it was being torn apart. He needed to find a way to let it all out."Sorry, I just don't know where else to let it all out... Did Mr. Leon send you?"Hudson tried to focus on the important stuff, but his mind kept wandering."Yeah, Matthew and I have gone over the design plans, but we still need your input... Mr. Xender?"Lucy could tell Hudson was spacing out, and it was tough to keep the conversation going."Mr. Xender, if something's bothering you, maybe we can skip the work talk for now?"Hudson knew he was too caught up in his own worries to think about work right then.Lucy had a bright idea."Mr. Xender, you seem really worried. It must be about someone you care about. What if... I talk to her for you? Would that help?"Hudson was curious, but if it might help, he was ready to share everything about Chloe with Lu
Everything was so quiet for a moment that Lucy could hear her own heart thumping. She wondered if Chloe would find out Hudson sent her and just send her away. "Hudson?" Chloe looked a little funny, but she did not kick Lucy out. "You're not mad, are you, Chloe?" Lucy had only met Chloe that day, but she seemed nice, even though Hudson had complained about her. Chloe gave Lucy a chocolate bar, placing it softly in her hand. "This chocolate is super sweet," Chloe said, staring at Lucy like they had not just been talking about Hudson. Lucy felt nervous holding the chocolate, but she tried it anyway. It was as sweet as Chloe said, really sweet. "Can I call you Lulu?" Chloe asked, not even noticing Lucy's worried look. She was trying to make Lucy feel better. "Sure, that's okay," Lucy said, a bit dazed. "You're not scared I'll send you away, are you?" Chloe's smile made Lucy sit up straight. "Am I going to be sent away?" Lucy sat up tall and looked at Chloe, wondering if s
"Chloe, um...""Lulu, I whipped up some mango pancakes. Give them a taste!"Chloe cut off Lucy, presenting the mango pancakes she had made."You made these?"Lucy had always been keen to learn baking, but she just could not get the hang of it. She could cook up a storm, but desserts were like a foreign language to her.Chloe acted as if it was no big deal. "Of course! I learned from a dessert chef. If I couldn't make these, I'd be pretty lame, right?""And you still find time to learn this with your busy job? I never have the time."Chloe passed a dainty spoon to Lucy. "You know, I've been thinking about quitting my job. Being a dessert chef is my dream."Lucy eagerly scooped up a bite of the mango pancake. It was soft, bursting with mango flavor. It was sweet and fragrant but not too rich.Lucy remembered the fancy desserts she had tried at a Charleston party. Chloe's mango pancakes were just as good as those desserts made by top pastry chefs.In no time at all, Lucy had pol