Jayson didn't leave right away. He leaned against the car door and pulled a pack of cigarettes from the console.He had never been much of a smoker, but the stress had been relentless lately, and this felt like the only way to take the edge off.Especially in front of Ariel, he had to hold himself together. He had to look like the one keeping her safe. If he acted like everything was falling apart, Ariel would only feel even more pressure.After all, who wouldn't be afraid of cancer? He didn't want his own breakdown to make her think she couldn't be cured and sink into even greater fear.He stayed there for a long time until his legs started to go numb.Her health was shaky now, and he still hadn't earned Katie's and Leonard's forgiveness. He couldn't just cling to Ariel all the time.He couldn't sleep even if he went back, so he just made do with a night in the car.As long as he was close, if anything happened to Ariel, he could be there in seconds. And staying near her gave h
Even Perry's expression had turned complicated. He clenched his fists at his sides.It would be a lie to say that he wasn't shocked.Anyone could see Jayson's care for Ariel now. It turned out that he loved her so much.Suddenly, a chilling thought struck Perry.If Jayson cared for Ariel with such painstaking attention, had he really been unaware of Perry's feelings for her back then?The idea made Perry's throat dry, and his chest felt like it was being squeezed. He turned abruptly, walking away.Matt didn't notice at first. He quickly turned and called out, "Aren't you going in? We just said we'd eat together."Perry didn't answer.All of a sudden, he felt ashamed and unable to face Jayson.Besides, he still hadn't been able to forget Ariel. He needed time to steady himself again.…When Samson reached the police station, Cecilia had already gone through the urine test.The moment she saw him, her expression was icy. "I want out. Tonight."She didn't want to stay here an
The people Ariel sent to watch Cecilia had been keeping an eye on her for a long time and still hadn't found anything. Jayson, on the other hand, had struck decisively."The only way to stay out of trouble is not to do anything wrong. With her personality, anything's possible, especially having spent so many years abroad. Bad habits aren't surprising," Jayson said, his tone almost detached, as he studied the menu and carefully selected dishes.Ariel glanced over. Every dish he chose was one she loved. Even the final dessert—chocolate pudding—was her favorite.She had always thought Jayson didn't pay much attention to her. But now, stepping back from that thought and seeing things more objectively, she could notice these subtle details clearly."How did you know when she would act? These are private matters, after all," Ariel asked, looking away from the menu.He had arranged everything perfectly, sparing her the effort of choosing."No secrets stay hidden forever. High profile co
As Ariel watched Cecilia being dragged out, dazed, she could already guess what had happened.There were plenty of police around.Outside the club, the wealthy heirs seemed completely unbothered by what was happening.Only Cecilia looked out of sorts. As she was being led away, she instinctively raised her head and caught sight of Jayson standing next to Ariel.For a split second, her flawless face paled. There was suspicion and disbelief in her eyes, but she still got into the police car.Only then did Samson snap out of his thoughts and go to negotiate with the police.The large crowd departed in a grand procession.Samson stayed behind, his lips pressed tightly together as he fixed his gaze on Jayson. Just then, he started walking toward them."Mr. Larkin, is this a coincidence?"When Samson walked over, his gaze lingered on Ariel's face for a moment before he turned back to Jayson. "Are you just aware of Cecilia's incident, or are you behind it?"Jayson looked at him calm
After Ariel checked the flight data with Elsie, Jayson arrived.By the time Ariel reached the entrance, he looked up and immediately noticed how thinly she was dressed. The weather had turned chilly.Frowning, he took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. "Aren't you cold? You're not trying to do a runway show at the base, right?"Ariel was enveloped by the warmth radiating from his coat. His subtle, cool scent was especially distinct.Lately, Jayson seemed unusually attentive to her, ready to snuff out even the slightest ripple before it could grow."Didn't you say it was urgent?" she asked directly.Jayson had already opened the car door. "Yeah. Get in."She frowned at his air of secrecy but got in anyway.Once inside, he started driving. His voice was calm as he said, "We're going to dinner.""What about the urgent matter?""It's dinner."Ariel looked at him with her lips pressed together.Seriously? The urgent matter for Jayson, a multibillion-dollar CEO, was d
"Give me the address." Samson started the car. His tone was sharp. He had a gut feeling that Cecilia was a ticking time bomb in her current state."Mind your own business. If you hadn't failed with Ariel, I wouldn't be in such a mess." Cecilia sneered."I'm flying to Fiorvell tomorrow for my exhibition, and I can't even finish the last painting. I sent Jayson an invitation, and he completely ignored me! Can you believe it? How could there be such a blind man?"Samson wasn't about to entertain her drunken rant.Cecilia had been edgy lately—typical artist quirks.He pulled up the tracking application he had previously placed on Cecilia's phone to check her location. She was at a private club, about two and a half hours away. It was quite far."Clear out your friends," he said coolly. "I'll come get you in a bit."…Ariel ran into Elsie at the corner while heading upstairs.Elsie had clearly been standing there for a while. She had probably overheard Ariel's earlier exchange with