Room 207. He had finally found it.
He lightly tapped on the door for some time, but received no response."Is she already asleep?" he muttered, rolling his eyes.Why did she always love to sleep so much? He turned the doorknob, only to find the door locked.He glanced around, ensuring that no one was watching, and skillfully picked the lock.Since he was quite adept, it took him less than a minute to bypass the doorknob's defenses.He pushed open the door and stepped into the cozy studio apartment. On the left, there was a neatly stacked desk with books and a chair.A screen divided the room, and Joel quickly deduced that her bed was located behind it. However, there was no trace of the girl.He sat down on the chair and gently placed Little Pumpkin on his lap, patting his back. Removing their masks, he set them on the desk."Don't worry, kiddo," he whispered, planting a kiss on Little Pumpkin's forehead.🌃🌃🌃Emily skipped happily to her apartment as soon as she stepped off the elevator, her recent paycheck safely in her pocket. As she reached for her apartment key, she noticed something amiss.Someone had broken into her apartment.She quickly pushed the door open, dropping the nylon bag in her hand in shock.It was him—the handsome god!She never expected to lay eyes on him again after their encounter five days ago. But here he was, sitting on her chair with Little Pumpkin in his arms. However, his usual cold aura surrounded him."Ah-ah-annyeon-gha-se yo," she greeted, bowing respectfully.Little Pumpkin, upon hearing the girl's voice, leaped from his uncle's lap and rushed towards her. He tightly hugged her legs, as that was as high as his little arms could reach.Joel observed his nephew's reaction with amusement. The boy had been a bundle of energy a moment ago, but as soon as he heard Emily's voice, his excitement settled back to normal."Wow, well done," Joel silently applauded.Emily smiled and squatted down in front of the adorable child. She playfully ruffled his hair and grinned, realizing how much she missed his cute face.She picked him up and met the intense gaze of the handsome god.Feeling slightly nervous, she bowed again."You left and didn't come back!" Joel's piercing gaze bore into her.This guy! He had instructed her never to return, and now he was saying..."I'm sorry," she quickly covered up her sneer with a sincere expression."Whatever. Pack your things, and let's go back. It's getting late," he ordered coldly.Wait, what? Did he just say pack up and go? Just like that?Emily stared at him in utter shock. Perhaps she had misheard him."What?" she managed to utter.Without repeating himself, Joel shot her a deadly glare, instantly reminding her of his exact words: PACK YOUR THINGS AND LET'S GO BACK!Goosebumps formed on her skin."I can't... I can't just leave. I have to work, I need money. I don't..." She stammered.Joel lazily raised his right hand, signaling for the girl to hold her tongue."I'll pay you double of whatever you earn," he declared.Wait, what? Did he just say DOUBLE?! Emily's mouth hung open."No, I'll pay you triple," Joel added, causing Emily to squint her eyes, lost in thought.Triple? Emily, you're rich, she mentally celebrated."I'm ready," she replied, her decision made.🚗🚗🚗As Joel drove back to the villa, Emily mentally calculated her earnings, making notes of the debts she needed to repay and the money she would send to her family.She would still have enough for herself, and she planned to buy a few things and save the rest.She gently stroked Little Pumpkin's hair as he slept peacefully on her lap.Glancing up at the handsome god beside her, Emily found him mysterious. One moment he would tell her to leave and never cross his path, and the next he would ask her to live with him."Truly mysterious," she shook her head in amusement."Little Pumpkin wants you to live with us, not me," Joel blurted out coldly, as if reading her mind.But deep down, buried beneath his cold demeanor, he wanted her to live with them more than anyone else. Little Pumpkin was merely a convenient excuse.🏘️🏘️🏘️"Your room is still next to Little Pumpkin's," Joel informed Emily, tossing his car keys to one of the guards as he stepped out of the driver's side.They had arrived at the villa.Emily obediently nodded her head, with Little Pumpkin sleeping soundly in her arms. "Yes, understood.""You cannot leave the house for any reason. Stay right here," he instructed, hands in his pockets as he walked into the lounge."Yes, understood," Emily replied, following closely behind him."If you need anything, inform the maids, and they will assist you. If you prefer to handle it yourself, let me know. Nobody leaves without my permission. Nobody," Joel said, smirking slightly.Emily rolled her eyes but maintained a respectful tone. "Yes, understood.""Your main responsibility is taking care of Little Pumpkin. Understood?" He then turned and headed towards the staircase."Yes, understood," Emily responded, inwardly groaning.Upon reaching the foot of the stairs, Joel turned back and faced her."Follow the rules," he stated calmly, but his words held an underlying intensity."Yes, understood," Emily bowed her head.Joel curtly nodded and ascended the stairs."Aishhh... Don't leave, don't stand, don't do this, don't do that... Why not tell me not to breathe too?" she snickered to herself.Joel paused when he reached the top of the stairs and placed his hands on the banisters. "I heard that!"He turned around, staring at Emily with a straight face."Ahhh... I... I... er..." she stuttered, biting her lip.Feeling uneasy, she bowed her head and hurriedly walked to Little Pumpkin's room.Joel smirked and entered his own room.After gently laying Little Pumpkin on the bed, Emily switched off the lights and made her way to her own room.Upstairs🚪🚪🚪...knock, knock, knock...Joel placed his phone on the bedside table and crossed his arms. "Come in."He had just ended a call with Noah.A maid entered his room, bowing her head before speaking. "Sir, this bag was found in the car. Where should I put it?"Joel's gaze fell upon the bag—it belonged to the girl.He flicked his hair with his middle finger and sat on his king-sized bed. "Give it to the girl."The maid bobbed her head and turned to leave the room."Wait," Joel interrupted.The maid quickly turned back, her head lowered. Had she done something wrong?"Sir?" she asked, fidgeting with the bag in her hand, her forehead damp with cold sweat."Place the bag on the chair," Joel's cold voice echoed through the room."Yes, sir?" The maid stuttered.Joel's expression darkened, and the room suddenly felt frigid from his icy aura."Yes, sir," the maid hastily walked over to the couch in the CEO's room and laid the bag on it.She bobbed her head and hurriedly left the room, breathing a sigh of relief as soon as she stepped outside.Joel glanced at the bag for a moment, then stood up and walked over to the couch. He unzipped the bag to inspect its contents:Ugly shirts 🙄Stupid long skirts 😐Hideous gowns 🤨Stupid earmuffs 🙄Cheap perfume 😖Cheap and unpleasant underwear 🤮And a piece of paper 😒"Fuck," he muttered under his breath.He zipped up the bag and tossed it onto the table, shaking his head in disdain."Those underwear are so unpleasant to the eyes," he commented, grimacing.Standing up, he exited his room and made his way to his study. He needed to work.After spending some time on his computer, Joel checked the time—12:32 AM.He shut down the system, rose to his feet, and left the study, taking long strides back to his room.As he took no more than five steps, he heard a muffled bang from downstairs.He furrowed his brows curiously and silently descended the stairs toward the source of the noise—the kitchen.The kitchen door was slightly ajar, and Joel watched with twinkling eyes as a girl chugged down soju.Though he couldn't see her face, he knew exactly who it was. No maid would dare do that, and there was only one girl with such an amusing appetite—Emily."Ahhhh..." Emily shook her head in satisfaction after downing the soju."Mhhmmmn," she grinned, clearly enjoying herself.She opened the fridge, grabbed another bottle of soju, and swiftly gulped it down.She continued in this manner until she had consumed five bottles of soju."PA PA PA," Joel clapped his hands after witnessing her drink the fifth bottle.Startled, Emily flinched. She hadn't expected to get caught; she assumed everyone was asleep.She clenched her teeth and turned around slowly, finding her legs suddenly weak. She had to hold onto a cabinet for support.She observed the attractive man as his cold gaze met hers.Joel kept his hands in his pockets as he stood by the doorway. "Speak," he demanded."Um... I... I can explain," she stammered, her voice trembling.He watched her with a blank expression. "Explain," he repeated.She nervously scratched her head, trying to find the right words. "It's... it's... I mean, I can..." Her thoughts trailed off, leaving her speechless.She felt helpless, not knowing how to express herself."I'll pay you back," she finally managed to blurt out.No response. Joel remained silent.Fear gripped her, and she swallowed hard. "Please..." she pleaded, her voice barely a whisper.She had no idea what the handsome man had in store for her."Tell me what you want... I-I'll do it," she stammered uncontrollably, her words stumbling over each other.A flicker of something crossed Joel's eyes as he observed her. He took a step forward, his gaze fixed on the girl.Emily's heart raced, and she instinctively took a step
"Mm." Joel remained unfazed, not even bothering to bat an eyelid.As they reached the CEO's office, Noah held the door open for Joel, expecting him to enter. However, to Noah's confusion, Joel simply walked past him without acknowledging his gesture.'Does he not recognize his office anymore?' Noah groaned inwardly and hurried after his boss.Dealing with Joel was a constant pain in Noah's neck.Joel strode into the conference room, and the officials stood up, bowing their heads as he leisurely made his way to his seat. They only sat down after he had taken his place.Draping his legs on the long conference table, Joel crossed them and declared, "Let the meeting begin."Noah's jaw dropped in utter surprise as he watched his boss's nonchalant behavior. He couldn't believe his eyes.'Didn't he just tell me to cancel the meeting? This man might drive me insane. Gosh!' Noah facepalmed, trying to gather himself before taking his own seat.Joel smiled to himself, paying little attention to t
They knew they had to be on the top floor, waiting for the CEO before his arrival.As soon as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open on the top floor, they hurriedly stepped forward towards the exit, where the CEO would soon emerge.Sweat poured down their faces, but they had no choice. They couldn't afford to have their "stinking asses," as the CEO had put it, fired.But now, they wondered if their asses really did stink.They would find out once they returned home later in the evening.The CEO's elevator dinged as it reached the top floor.The doors slid open, revealing the ever-gracious CEO, his intimidating aura enveloping him.The middle management bowed their heads and quickly made way for him and his personal assistant.As the CEO briskly walked towards his brother's office, the managers trailed closely behind him like timid cats.He paused when he reached the door leading to his brother's office.Turning back, he faced the middle management.They quickly bowed their heads.
He tapped his spoon on the table, causing Emily's laughter to abruptly cease.Michael glanced at Joel for a moment before resuming his meal.The trio ate their food in silence, occasionally interrupted by Michael engaging in conversation with Emily.Once they finished eating, the maids cleared the dishes from the table.Michael bid Emily good night and retreated to his room, while Joel leisurely stood up and made his way towards the stairs.Emily bit her lip as she observed Joel ascending the stairs. She didn't know how she would approach him about leaving her bag in his car.She stood up and dragged her feet to her room, feeling restless and unable to sleep. She tossed and turned in bed, unable to find a comfortable position.After a while, she reached for the rechargeable hand fan on her bedside table and switched it on, hoping it would provide some relief. She blew air into it, letting out a long sigh, berating herself for her foolishness.She turned off the fan and rolled over to t
Emily's face fell, disappointment evident on her features."Aishhh!" Michael playfully tossed a cushion at Joel."Ignore him, Emily," Michael reassured her, offering a sympathetic smile."But really, you want to be a broadcaster, right?" he asked, his gaze fixed on her."Yes," Emily nodded."My sister is a newscaster too," she mentioned, lips twitching to the side."Huh," Michael nodded in response.He stood up and headed to his room. Emily watched him, confused about his actions. Soon, he returned with a script in his hand, a copy of the news Stephanie was going to broadcast that night.Carrying a dining chair from the dining room, he placed it in the middle of the lounge, moving the center table aside. With the remote in his hand, he muted the TV.Handing the script to Emily, he said, "Here.""Sit on that chair and pretend you're broadcasting the news live, just like you're in a studio, like Stephanie, okay?" Michael explained with a smile. His lips twitched and added, "I know you ca
Emily timidly nodded her head, "Uhn.""Pshh," Joel chuckled.So, she was scared of an escalator... how hilarious!"It doesn't bite, you know," he shrugged his shoulders."No... I'm scared," she cried.Joel sighed. "See, people are using it too," he pointed out, trying to calm her down."Ahhh..." Emily sighed softly.She was still scared of it, though...Joel ruffled his hair, "huff."They couldn't possibly take the stairs; that would be so stressful. Besides, they'd have to walk a bit farther before they found his hidden personal elevator."We just need to take the escalator to the next floor, and then ride my personal elevator to the top floor," Joel explained.Joel sighed, glancing at his wristwatch."Stay still," he mumbled."Mbo?..." Emily looked up at him, utterly confused.Before she could utter another word, she was already in his arms.He stepped onto the escalator, and she shut her eyes, clutching Joel's clothes in her palms. He looked down at her and smiled. In no time, they
Rose was one of the latest designs from Empire World Fashionz, and there was only one design available—the original designer label by Lucas Brown, Empire World's renowned designer.Lucas was not only the highest-paid designer in the country but also the best in the fashion world. He was personally chosen as the designer for the CEO of Empire World Corporation.Emily shook her head, dismissing the thought. It seemed impossible to believe that she was wearing the original label of Rose. She huffed as they walked towards the car, and once inside, Joel removed his mask and started the engine.Emily couldn't help but glance at her clothes again, letting out a weary sigh. Beside her sat the strikingly handsome man, and she swallowed nervously. Joel let out a gusty sigh, expressing his own weariness.As they hit the road, they encountered traffic. Joel placed his hand on the door, resting his cheek on it, and tapped the steering wheel impatiently. Emily sighed, looking out the window.Her att
Maria turned to face the girl who was supposed to be the female co-anchor for the upcoming radio broadcast. "Hey, why are you still seated there?"The lady quickly stood up, casting a brief glance at the absentminded Emily, and exited the radio studio.Maria smiled warmly at Emily. "Come on, take your seat."Emily bowed and settled next to the male co-anchor."Ready? You're going on air in three, two, one!" Maria announced.Outside the studio, Maria observed Emily closely as she performed with the male anchor on the show. It was a small music documentary, without any interviews.After the show ended, Maria grinned to herself. "Wow, she's naturally talented. This is the real deal."The male anchor turned towards Emily and shook hands with her. "Wow, it was great working with you.""Kamsahamnida." She bowed and walked out to meet her manager.Maria smiled at Emily. "You did well, honey. Let's get ready for the news." She turned and headed to the news studio, with Emily following in awe.