INICIAR SESIÓNWinnie quickly waved her hands, afraid the father and son would clash again because of her."No, no, I don't need any 'fee for changing the terms of address' or anything like that. As long as you're willing… Dad."She spoke, then lowered her head, feeling a little embarrassed.Though Oscar found Michael's love-struck antics irritating, he was now in a state of acceptance toward Winnie. Listening to her speak made him feel a rare sense of ease.He cleared his throat gently and looked at Khloe.Khloe understood immediately. She slipped into her assistant role, retrieved a black card from Oscar's drawer—already prepared for this moment—and handed it to Winnie.Winnie's eyes widened."This…""This is a gift from Uncle Oscar to you. Consider it a gift for officially meeting his daughter-in-law," Khloe said softly, her gaze shifting from Winnie to Michael.Michael looked surprised. This was a private arrangement between Khloe and Oscar; he had no idea it even existed.Winnie quickl
Oscar began to wonder if he had been too harsh on Michael. He also started reconsidering Khloe's words—perhaps she had a point.But words once spoken are like water spilled; it's never easy to find a graceful way to take them back.Khloe had anticipated this and came prepared with a masterstroke.Oscar's once-proud foreign trade business had long since hit a ceiling, breaking even year after year. The brand was old, but its glory days were long gone. Meanwhile, the Hunt Group had risen as a new force, with business lines perfectly complementing Oscar's. Add Lucas's commercial resources in Naraida, and the proposition became irresistible.Nick proposed that if Michael and Winnie stayed married, the Hunt Group would link its business networks to Oscar's operations, creating mutual benefits. All of Nick's international resources would also be shared.For a business titan like Oscar, now in the twilight of his career, there was no way to resist such an offer.Previously, he had tried
"So… the herbal broths and tonics I've been having every day these past few days—was that you?" Oscar asked again.His voice carried no emotion, yet the weight behind it pressed down on her like a heavy hand.Winnie, however, felt no guilt. These past few nights, Michael had stayed here to care for his father, and she could offer little help. She remembered that when she was little, her mother had left behind recipes for medicinal soups and tonics.So she had tried making a few herself and arranged for them to be delivered daily to Oscar, a small way to share in their filial duty.What she hadn't expected was for Oscar to know."Yes… that was me," she admitted, nodding. Then she hurriedly added, "But, please don't be upset. I wasn't trying to interfere. Recently, Michael and I haven't been seeing each other…"Seeing her so cautious, Khloe and Michael exchanged a glance. Neither of them offered a word of support.Oscar's gaze stayed cold and assessing, showing no trace of the ind
"Keep your voice down…" Winnie frowned again, warning Michael.A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Without another word, he cupped her face and kissed her, silencing the words still on her lips.Her lashes fluttered as her hands immediately clutched his arm. Shocked, she dared not make a sound.Michael, however, seemed almost insane. One light kiss wasn't enough—he pressed closer, claiming inch after inch as if unleashing a hunger he could no longer restrain.Eventually, Winnie had no choice but to jab him sharply in the waist.Michael frowned. The pressure of her hand made his whole body tremble."Michael… don't—"Seizing the brief pause, Winnie pushed him away."Winnie, you hurt me."His voice was low and steady, but before he could continue, she reached for his tie, pulling him down toward her lips."Stop it. If your dad hears, all our efforts will have been for nothing…""But I missed you. I finally get to see you. Don't push me away."Hearing the hoarse mur
Maybe she was just being overly sensitive, but Winnie couldn't shake the feeling that Michael had been a little distant these past couple of days.Even when they weren't seeing each other, Michael would usually flood her with messages every day, sometimes leaving her wishing they could just stay on the phone forever. But these last two days had been different.He claimed it was so she could focus on preparing for her assessment; they'd barely exchanged a word. He even promised that once she passed, they'd celebrate together.Yet now, with the assessment over, his response was far cooler than she had expected.Winnie quickly pushed her disappointment aside. Michael was under a lot of pressure too—she couldn't expect his mood to mirror hers.As the workday wound down, Khloe sent her a message: meet her in the garage.Winnie assumed it was just a dinner outing, so when she got in the car, she announced, "Tonight's bill is on me. You're not allowed to fight me over it—or I won't come
"Charging your own wife a premium? That's not how it works," Nick murmured, his fingers brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear with gentle precision. "This… this is just reasonable compensation."He pulled her closer, tucking the blanket around them."Sleep now. Tomorrow holds a lot to do."Two days later, Winnie's probation evaluation officially began.After written tests and performance presentations, the process quickly moved to the final stage. Khloe reviewed the department's scoring report on Winnie—every rating was excellent. Among all probationary employees, Winnie's professional test scores were at the very top.She had truly earned her place in the Morrison Group.Khloe signed her name with decisive strokes. She didn't delegate the notification to department heads; she messaged Winnie personally, inviting her to celebrate after work.At the moment, Winnie was having dinner with her colleagues. When she received Khloe's message, she replied instantly. She had wante
Nick: [Are you up yet? I left breakfast at your door. Don't forget to take it.]The moment Khloe saw the message, she opened her door. Sure enough, a black, round thermal container sat outside.Inside were all kinds of food and several drinks.Everything was packed in the insulated containers fro
"Fried eggs, bacon, a little salad, and some toasted bread."Khloe felt her heartbeat skip a beat. She instinctively lowered her gaze, only to notice more clearly the open collar of his shirt and the slow, deliberate roll of his Adam's apple."Mm." Nick murmured in response, his eyes fixed on her
"You have to go. Otherwise, even if I could protect you, my family won't let this slide. Pete is still with my mother—think of him. I'll make sure everything is arranged for you."Trey spoke as he efficiently packed Angela's luggage, leaving no room for refusal.Angela had a lot of belongings, but
Khloe's expression remained calm, and she didn't respond, simply waiting for him to continue."Before joining the Morrison Group, I could understand that you might have had a past in order to survive—those things weren't a big deal. But now, as the head of Morrison Group, it's different. The impact







