Nathalie quickly received a message from Rudy.Valarie had failed.Her expression darkened. "Useless fool!"Just then, Lila entered, carrying a plate of fruit. "Mom, what happened? Donโt get upset. I cut this fruit just for youโhave some."The moment Nathalie saw Lila, her anger vanished, replaced with a gentle smile. She took a bite of the fruit Lila offered."Lila, youโre truly my little angel," Nathalie cooed.Lila nestled into her motherโs arms. "Mom, Iโm sorry. Itโs my fault for being away all these years, stuck abroad. I wasnโt here for you, and certain people took advantage of that."Nathalie gently stroked her daughterโs hair. "Silly girl, donโt say that. Your health is what matters most. Now that you've recovered, you can stay by my side from now on."Lila looked up and asked, "But what if I get married?"Nathalie replied, "Even if you get married, you can always come back often. Or better yet, weโll find you a husband who moves in with us, so youโll never have to leave."Lila
Orion froze for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Oh really, Selena? Whatโs next? Are you going to tell me youโre a secret heiress or the wife of a CEO? Donโt kid yourself. I know exactly who you are. How many companies have you already hopped between? The fact that I even hired you was me doing you a huge favor, and now you want to act all high and mighty?"His tone was dripping with sarcasm and contempt, clearly showing he had never taken her seriously.Watching his smug, clueless demeanor, Selena found herself questioning whether the wedding, with all those reporters present, had been a dream. Did they keep her true identity a secret from the public? If her identity had been revealed, there was no way this fool, Orion, would dare to speak to her like this.Unlike Orionโs dismissive and disdainful attitude, Selena remained calm. "You and Mr. Dean plotted against me, didnโt you? Havenโt you ever stopped to wonder why? Like you said, Iโm just a small-time employee. So wh
Selena smiled slightly and said, "I got fired, so Iโll be heading home to wait for my compensation."Since being let go required severance pay, her coworkersโ faces immediately shifted. They avoided further conversation with her, likely out of fear of getting involved in any legal issues.Selena didnโt mind. She calmly finished packing her belongings and made a quick call for an assistant to come up and move everything out.Orion happened to walk out and saw the scene, his brow furrowing deeply. Could it be that this woman really had some kind of powerful background?Doubts gnawed at himโhad he accidentally crossed a rich heiress or some CEOโs wife?As Selena stepped out of the office, she spotted him and gave a casual wave. "Goodbye!"She then walked into the elevator, leaving him standing there speechless.The unease in his gut only intensified....Sitting in her car, Selena dialed a number. "Hello, is this Victoria Patel? This is Selena Quinn. I have some things regarding your husb
Victoria sat for a long time, processing everything she had just learned. Finally, she began contacting her lawyer, preparing to take action and assess her assets. Just then, her phone pinged with a new email. When she opened it, she found detailed evidence of Larryโs misdeeds. No need for her to investigate furtherโshe had everything she needed to kick that scumbag out of her life with nothing.โฆHaving dealt with two major issues, Selena felt a wave of relief wash over her. She hopped into her car and sent a message to Maria.โGot time for lunch? Letโs grab a bite.โMaria replied, โSure, what do you want to eat?โโI found a great steak place. Iโll send you the location.โโSounds good.โPutting her phone away, Selena started the car and began driving toward the restaurant. However, about thirty minutes into her drive, the car suddenly stalled. She realized she was in a relatively isolated area with no one around and very little traffic.Startled, Selena got out to check the car.Well
After exchanging a few words with Maria, Selena put away her phone and glanced ahead. Through the rearview mirror, she noticed that the driver was unfamiliarโa face she didnโt recognize at all.Her eyes flickered with suspicion, but she pretended to remain calm, playing with her phone while secretly sending a message to Braden.Braden replied, โGot it.โSelena suppressed her rising anxiety and looked out the window, casually asking, "This doesnโt seem like the route to the restaurant, does it?"The driver replied, "Thereโs roadwork ahead, maโam. We had to take a detour.""Oh, I see," she responded nonchalantly.Then, trying to gauge the situation further, she asked, "Are you wearing cologne?"The driver answered, "Yes, my girlfriend really likes this scent, so Iโve been using it.""Nice." Selena nodded.As time passed, Selena started feeling an unsettling weakness spread through her body. Her mind grew hazy, and her movements became sluggish. She instinctively reached for the window co
Braden walked over to Selena and handed her a small bottle. Instinctively, she pulled back. "Whatโs this?""It will help with the effects you're feeling," Braden explained.Selena's eyes lit up. "Oh, really? Something like that exists?"Taking the bottle, she inhaled deeply. A refreshing minty scent hit her senses, and soon after, the heaviness in her body and the fog in her mind began to lift."Where did you get this? Itโs amazing," she asked, intrigued.Braden didnโt answer, simply taking the bottle back from her hand.Selena blinked in surprise. "Wait, youโre not giving it to me?"Braden stayed silent, as usual.โAlways the quiet one,โ Selena thought, slightly exasperated by his lack of words. She even considered asking Aveline to assign someone else to protect herโsomeone with a bit more personality. But on second thought, his quiet demeanor did save her from a lot of unnecessary conversations.As a cool breeze swept by, the last traces of her discomfort vanished. She got back int
โYou're right,โ Aaron said softly as he sat down beside her, pulling her into his arms. His voice was gentle, but there was a chilling resolve in his eyes.Selena leaned against his chest, thinking about everything that had happened. It all felt surreal. She was just an ordinary person, yet here she was, caught up in such dangerous circumstances.โUnbelievable,โ she thought.Just then, her phone rang from where it sat on the coffee table. Aaron, with his long reach, picked it up easily. They both saw it was an unknown number.โDo you want to answer it?โ Selena shook her head. โNah, I never answer unknown numbers. What if itโs some scammer trying to steal my money?โHer comment made Aaron chuckle, and he hung up the call. But the phone rang again. Once, twiceโit became more persistent, making them both a little wary.โGive it to me. Iโll see who it is,โ Selena said, extending her hand.Aaron passed the phone to her and got up to head to the study.โHello?โ Selena answered, her tone col
โAaron, how can you speak to your sister like that?โ Nathalie appeared just in time to hear the exchange, her face darkening instantly.โSheโs happy to see you and just wants to be close to you. How could you talk to her like that? Is that any way for a brother to talk to his sister?โ Nathalie shielded Lila behind her, glaring at Aaron with disapproval.Aaron let out a cold laugh. โSheโs not my real sister, and Iโm married now. Shouldnโt she understand something as simple as that?โNathalie shot a vicious look at Selena before responding, โEven so, you shouldnโt speak to her that way. Why come back and act like enemies? You never acted like this before you got married.โClearly, Nathalie was putting all the blame on Selena.Selena, completely bewildered, stood there in silence. โWait, what? I havenโt said a single word since walking in hereโhow is this my fault?โ she thought, feeling utterly speechless and unfairly targeted.Aaron chuckled darkly. โYes, of course, letโs keep things pe
Jolie stirred, her eyes fluttering open in the dimly lit cabin. The sharp, handsome features of the man before her were so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath. His lips, carrying his familiar scent, gently traced hers, as if torn between waking her and letting her sleep. Her breath hitched, a brief moment of confusion washing over her. Gavin noticed and, in response, pressed a firm kiss to her lips. "Did I wake you?" "You did that on purpose," Jolie replied, her voice soft and husky from sleep. "Mm." Gavin didnโt deny it, his tone unapologetic as he leaned down to kiss her again. Still groggy, Jolie found herself caught off guard, his lips capturing hers with a growing intensity. By the time she realized what was happening, he had deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing and tangling with hers in an intoxicating rhythm. Her breath quickened, and she instinctively pushed against him. Gavin pulled back, only to trail kisses along her cheek and down her neck, his
The night air was cool, a gentle breeze slipping through the car window and lifting the strands of hair framing her face. They fluttered across her vision, briefly distracting her, yet she could still clearly see his eyes. At that moment, the unease and uncertainty stirring in her chest melted away, replaced by an inexplicable sense of calm. It felt as though there was nothing he couldnโt handle. As long as he wanted to. Jolie smiled softly and said, "Alright." When they arrived at the private airstrip, the captain came forward to exchange a few words with Gavin. Standing nearby, Jolie watched and couldnโt resist asking, "How long will you be staying?" Gavin glanced at her. "How long do you want me to stay?" The overly intimate tone of his words, spoken with such casual ease, caught her off guard. Her cheeks flushed immediatelyโespecially since there were others around to hear it. Lowering her gaze shyly, she murmured, "You can stay as long as you want." She turned he
Gavin looked at her, his gaze steady, and replied in a calm voice, "Youโve got the leverage to do it." Oh... Jolieโs heart skipped a beat, her pulse momentarily thrown off rhythm. What was this feeling? It was as if someone was spoiling her, cherishing her unconditionally. Even though it was just a simple conversation, it carried a warmth she couldnโt ignore. For a moment, she realized that what she once thought was affection and care had been nothing but an illusion. A smile unconsciously curved on her lips as her eyes lit up. "Does this mean I can walk around Larbor City like I own the place?" Gavin raised an eyebrow. "Are you a crab?" Jolie burst into laughter, her mood instantly lifted by his quick-witted remark. Her earlier irritation dissipated, replaced by lightheartedness. Whether or not he meant it, the fact that he sided with her made her happy. "Iโm full. Should we head out?" she asked, her appetite long gone after everything that had happened earlier.
The girl stared in disbelief, her hands clutching her face. "You hit me?" Jolie blinked innocently at her. "Werenโt you the one insisting I hit you earlier? I just gave you another slap to match your story. You should be used to it by now." "Jolie Quin!" Ian had reached his limit, his voice full of anger as he glared at her. "Apologize to her!" Jolie glanced at him, her expression calm but icy. "Get lost." She had thought he might be reasonable, but clearly, he was blinded by infatuation. She had no patience to deal with him any longer and turned to leave. Before she could take a step, Ian grabbed her arm roughly. "Jolie, youโre not leaving without apologizing! I donโt think Iโve ever wronged you, have I? We used to get along just fine, didnโt we?" "Let go," Jolie said, her brows knitting in disgust. She hated being touched, especially by someone she considered beneath her. Ian tightened his grip, his hand digging into her arm hard enough to cause pain. "Jolie, yo
Jolie was completely baffled, a string of question marks running through her mind. But when the girl suddenly dropped to her knees, it genuinely startled her.She quickly reached out to help her up. "Get up first. We can talk properly."Before Jolie could react, the girl grabbed her hand and slapped herself hard across the face with it.Smack!The crisp sound echoed in the quiet hallway, leaving Jolie frozen in shock."Why did you hit me?" The girl, who had just been crying like an innocent damsel in distress, now clutched her face and loudly accused her. "Ian and I are the real couple! Youโre the one coming between us. How could you hit me?"Jolie blinked, completely dumbfounded, as the girlโs voice rang out.A few passersby paused, glancing over to witness the commotion.Meanwhile, Ian, who had been waiting and wondering why his girlfriend hadnโt returned, came looking for her. The scene he walked intoโhis girlfriend on the ground, crying and accusing Jolieโmade him stride forward,
The person in the hallway glanced at her briefly but quickly looked away, as though she were a stranger. Jolieโs hand, lifted halfway to wave, stalled in mid-air.What... was that? Gavin noticed her reaction and asked in a low voice, "Whatโs wrong?" "Nothing," Jolie replied, shaking her head and brushing it off. The man outside was Ian. Pretending not to know her was probably his way of avoiding unnecessary troubleโafter all, they had already "broken up." The door to their private room shut completely, and Gavin hadnโt seen Ian or his group. He turned back to her and asked, "Do you come here often?" "Yeah," Jolie nodded. "I come here a lot with friends." So, this was one of her favorite hidden gems. The fact that she was willing to share it with him felt significant somehow. Gavin caught himself lingering on that thought and was momentarily taken aback by his own reaction. He kept his expression neutral, not letting on what had crossed his mind. The food arrived qui
The reason it wasnโt the same was simpleโher plan would fall apart if she got caught.Of course, that wasnโt something she could admit.Jolie simply said, "I just donโt want any unnecessary complications. Since youโve already arranged the flight, letโs just leave directly."Gavinโs dark eyes fixed on her for a moment, but he didnโt press the issue.It was clear she didnโt want to talk about it any further, so he let it drop.When the elevator doors opened, the two of them walked out together. A car was already waiting at the entrance. Gavin, ever the gentleman, opened the door for her.The car pulled away from Cooper Enterprises, and Gavin asked, "What do you want to eat?"Jolie, busy typing on her phone, replied, "I know a good restaurant."It was a cozy place she loved, one she often visited with her friends."Alright," Gavin replied, pulling out his phone to respond to some emails. With his work condensed into such a tight schedule, he seized every spare moment to handle it.Jolie p
Gavin suddenly recalled Wilfried's words, "That girl doesnโt even like you."Lowering his gaze slightly, Gavin pushed the thought aside without explanation, his expression remaining cool and indifferent as he watched her. After Jolie finished looking through the photos, she turned to him and asked, "Why do you have pictures of all these women?" "My father brought them over," Gavin replied. "Oh." Jolie nodded knowingly and didnโt press further. It was easy enough to figure outโthe Cooper family obviously wanted him to consider an arranged marriage, so they sent over these photos for him to choose from. She could understand that. In fact, she even helped him look through them, just in case one of these women turned out to be a good match for him. After all, their relationship wasnโt meant to last forever. When he grew tired of her and she had her fun, theyโd part ways, and everything would return to normal. As she neatly organized the photos and placed them back on the ta
It was Jolieโs first time visiting Cooper Enterprises, and she couldnโt help but feel a sense of curiosity about the place.No, to be precise, it was her first time stepping into any corporate office. The Quin family also had company, but she had never visited, nor had Daisy or Terence ever asked her to.The private elevator for the CEO was stunningly opulent, its polished surface gleaming like a mirror, perfectly reflecting their images. Jolieโs heart began to race with an inexplicable excitement.The assistant glanced at her and said with a warm smile, "Miss Quin, thereโs no need to be nervous. Mr. Cooper will definitely be delighted to see you."Jolie nodded and replied, "Iโm not nervous."The elevator moved swiftly, and as they neared the executive office, Jolie adjusted her cap and mask, pulling them snugly to hide her face as much as possible.Meanwhile, near the adjacent employee elevator, Rosalie was holding a stack of files, ready to head downstairs.She froze the moment she s