Kendrick clearly hadn't realized what she was about to say and asked, “Grandpa came to the hospital too?”“He’s probably here for orthopedics,” Annabelle replied blandly.Kendrick nodded. “Grandpa has an old leg injury. He does come in for regular consultations.”He paused for a moment. “So why are you mad at me after seeing Grandpa?”Annabelle looked into his eyes. “Grandpa didn’t see me just now, but I overheard his conversation with a friend.”She glanced at him after she finished speaking.Sure enough, Kendrick's pupils contracted slightly.Even though he tried to hide it well, it didn’t escape her notice.That was the guilty look!“Oh? And what did you hear?” Kendrick kept his tone light.Seeing that he was still pretending, Annabelle frowned and stared at him. “Grandpa isn’t terminally ill, is he?”Kendrick sighed and gave a wry smile. “Didn’t think you'd find out so soon.”“Was this your idea, or Grandpa’s?”“Of course it was the old man’s idea,” Kendrick immediately sold out h
When Marvin walked into the living room, Annabelle was still lying on the sofa, plucking petals off a flower, trying to decide whether or not to have a baby dumpling.Because she was lying on her stomach and wearing a fitted outfit, her curves were quite noticeable.Kendrick immediately stepped in front of Marvin, not wanting him to get any wild ideas from seeing Anna like this.He cleared his throat and called out, “Anna.”Without looking back, Annabelle huffed, “I haven’t fully forgiven you yet. You’d better not talk to me.”Kendrick: “…”Marvin let out a soft chuckle and gave Kendrick a look that clearly said: So, now you know what it feels like.Kendrick’s face darkened slightly as he glanced at Marvin’s shoes. “Change into slippers at the door.”Marvin didn’t argue and backed up to the entryway to switch shoes.Kendrick then entered the living room and sat on the sofa, casually resting a hand on Anna’s back.She immediately turned and glared at him.“Marvin’s here. He wants to se
Kendrick and Marvin’s chopsticks reached for the same dumpling at the same time.The two of them were at it again.Annabelle rubbed her forehead, got up, and went into the kitchen. She came back with two small plates and divided the dumplings from the main plate into two smaller ones, placing them in front of the two brothers.Now with one plate per person, there was no reason to argue.Marvin ate his dumplings while watching Kendrick and Annabelle sitting across from him.She reached for a glass of water, and before her hand even got there, Kendrick had already handed it to her.When Kendrick wanted a specific dish, she would quietly move it to his side without him even asking.Watching their effortless chemistry, Marvin realized he no longer felt as upset as he used to.He seemed to have gotten used to it.Used to seeing Anna sitting beside Kendrick.Used to her distance from him.That passion he had once vowed to pursue for a lifetime—at some point, it just didn’t burn so brightly
So the two of them went up together to the walk-in closet on the third floor. Technically, Annabelle's own closet was in the next room, but she still followed him in.Once inside, Kendrick began changing clothes, unbuttoning his shirt as he took the lead in speaking.“If there's something you want to ask me, go ahead.”Annabelle looked a bit awkward—nothing ever got past this sly fox.“You two… were talking about pimping someone out?”Kendrick raised an eyebrow. “You heard that?”“Just one sentence. And something about Linda. But I swear I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”Kendrick replied, “Help me pick out an outfit and I’ll tell you.”So Anna began choosing his clothes while Kendrick gave her a brief rundown of Linda’s situation.As he talked, Annabelle stopped flipping through the wardrobe altogether and just stood there listening intently.By the end of it, Annabelle was stunned, her mouth hanging open in disbelief—and admiration for Linda.That girl really had guts. She had always see
“I meant nutritional supplements,” Kendrick said, amused, “Anna, are you always thinking about tonics for my kidneys?”“I…”Annabelle sighed. Ever since being with Kendrick, she had somehow started developing a mind full of those kinds of thoughts…—In the kitchen, Marvin finally found the half-eaten plate of strawberries in the microwave.He held it up and glared at Linda. “Don’t you know the state your body’s in? And you still dare to eat strawberries?”Linda pouted, her eyes turning red. “I’m already dying anyway. Can’t I enjoy just a little something? You won’t even let me eat one strawberry—how unjust if I die like this!”“Then don’t die!” Marvin roared.Linda looked up at him, stunned.After a few seconds, he took a deep breath. “I’ve been doing everything I can to keep you alive, and you just keep destroying your own body. Do you think that’s fair to me as your friend?”Linda didn’t reply, lowering her head to stare at her toes.“I just… got tempted. Couldn’t resist…” Her voic
Annabelle pressed her lips together. “Kendrick, I’m already yours—body and soul. Why are you still jealous every day? Do you really not trust me that much?”Their relationship was already intimate, but they rarely spoke like this.The room was very quiet, with only the faint sound of water trickling from the fish tank outside. It was this silence that made Annabelle open up to him.She wished Kendrick would do the same—open up his heart to her. Why was it that, even after all they’d been through, he still seemed afraid she’d leave? As if the whole world of men were lining up to take her from him.Kendrick stared at her for a long moment, then kissed the corner of her lips. “I trust you. But that young master of yours… he’s not so trustworthy.”Annabelle knew. That young master carried a lot of secrets. Maybe that was exactly what made Kendrick wary.But… how could she ease Kendrick’s heart?Before she could think of a solution, her stomach growled.Slightly embarrassed, she buried her
"Tomorrow, go buy Anna's car." The young master's voice was thick with the haze of alcohol."The one that exploded?""Yes."A flicker of confusion rose in Seraphina's heart. "Is young master planning to investigate the method behind the explosion?"The car had already been towed away by the police, and the official conclusion was: damage to the fuel line had caused a fuel leak, which eventually led to the fire and explosion.Coincidentally, Ms. Sanchez’s car had a flat tire the day before. The police suspected that the blowout might have damaged the undercarriage, which then caused the fuel line issue.But Seraphina knew very well—those were just superficial explanations.In reality, it was the opponent’s skillful method that had left no trace, no loophole for the police to detect.She and Sid had looked into it thoroughly, even going so far as to inspect all of the young master’s vehicles for safety risks, afraid that the enemy might target him next.But while Seraphina had thought s
In the VIP ballroom of the Imperial Hotel in Elfhedge, a grand engagement party was underway."Let's welcome the groom-to-be and the bride-to-be to have their opening dance!"The groom-to-be, Marvin Gregory, burst into laughter after hearing what the emcee said."Opening dance? You might have thought too highly of that ugly creature!"Upon hearing that, everyone turned to Annabelle Sanchez, the bride-to-be, who had just become a laughingstock.Wearing a veil, she stood quietly on the stage.People started to gossip. Some said that Annabelle, the third girl of the Sanchez family, was disfigured by a fire when she was a child, and she had been living in Springvale Temple in the mountains ever since. She never even went to college.Marvin, on the other hand, was the second eldest son of the Gregory family, handsome and influential. It was reasonable for him to disdain her.That being said, Annabelle was from a prestigious family. Everyone assumed that she was probably on the verge of she
"Tomorrow, go buy Anna's car." The young master's voice was thick with the haze of alcohol."The one that exploded?""Yes."A flicker of confusion rose in Seraphina's heart. "Is young master planning to investigate the method behind the explosion?"The car had already been towed away by the police, and the official conclusion was: damage to the fuel line had caused a fuel leak, which eventually led to the fire and explosion.Coincidentally, Ms. Sanchez’s car had a flat tire the day before. The police suspected that the blowout might have damaged the undercarriage, which then caused the fuel line issue.But Seraphina knew very well—those were just superficial explanations.In reality, it was the opponent’s skillful method that had left no trace, no loophole for the police to detect.She and Sid had looked into it thoroughly, even going so far as to inspect all of the young master’s vehicles for safety risks, afraid that the enemy might target him next.But while Seraphina had thought s
Annabelle pressed her lips together. “Kendrick, I’m already yours—body and soul. Why are you still jealous every day? Do you really not trust me that much?”Their relationship was already intimate, but they rarely spoke like this.The room was very quiet, with only the faint sound of water trickling from the fish tank outside. It was this silence that made Annabelle open up to him.She wished Kendrick would do the same—open up his heart to her. Why was it that, even after all they’d been through, he still seemed afraid she’d leave? As if the whole world of men were lining up to take her from him.Kendrick stared at her for a long moment, then kissed the corner of her lips. “I trust you. But that young master of yours… he’s not so trustworthy.”Annabelle knew. That young master carried a lot of secrets. Maybe that was exactly what made Kendrick wary.But… how could she ease Kendrick’s heart?Before she could think of a solution, her stomach growled.Slightly embarrassed, she buried her
“I meant nutritional supplements,” Kendrick said, amused, “Anna, are you always thinking about tonics for my kidneys?”“I…”Annabelle sighed. Ever since being with Kendrick, she had somehow started developing a mind full of those kinds of thoughts…—In the kitchen, Marvin finally found the half-eaten plate of strawberries in the microwave.He held it up and glared at Linda. “Don’t you know the state your body’s in? And you still dare to eat strawberries?”Linda pouted, her eyes turning red. “I’m already dying anyway. Can’t I enjoy just a little something? You won’t even let me eat one strawberry—how unjust if I die like this!”“Then don’t die!” Marvin roared.Linda looked up at him, stunned.After a few seconds, he took a deep breath. “I’ve been doing everything I can to keep you alive, and you just keep destroying your own body. Do you think that’s fair to me as your friend?”Linda didn’t reply, lowering her head to stare at her toes.“I just… got tempted. Couldn’t resist…” Her voic
So the two of them went up together to the walk-in closet on the third floor. Technically, Annabelle's own closet was in the next room, but she still followed him in.Once inside, Kendrick began changing clothes, unbuttoning his shirt as he took the lead in speaking.“If there's something you want to ask me, go ahead.”Annabelle looked a bit awkward—nothing ever got past this sly fox.“You two… were talking about pimping someone out?”Kendrick raised an eyebrow. “You heard that?”“Just one sentence. And something about Linda. But I swear I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”Kendrick replied, “Help me pick out an outfit and I’ll tell you.”So Anna began choosing his clothes while Kendrick gave her a brief rundown of Linda’s situation.As he talked, Annabelle stopped flipping through the wardrobe altogether and just stood there listening intently.By the end of it, Annabelle was stunned, her mouth hanging open in disbelief—and admiration for Linda.That girl really had guts. She had always see
Kendrick and Marvin’s chopsticks reached for the same dumpling at the same time.The two of them were at it again.Annabelle rubbed her forehead, got up, and went into the kitchen. She came back with two small plates and divided the dumplings from the main plate into two smaller ones, placing them in front of the two brothers.Now with one plate per person, there was no reason to argue.Marvin ate his dumplings while watching Kendrick and Annabelle sitting across from him.She reached for a glass of water, and before her hand even got there, Kendrick had already handed it to her.When Kendrick wanted a specific dish, she would quietly move it to his side without him even asking.Watching their effortless chemistry, Marvin realized he no longer felt as upset as he used to.He seemed to have gotten used to it.Used to seeing Anna sitting beside Kendrick.Used to her distance from him.That passion he had once vowed to pursue for a lifetime—at some point, it just didn’t burn so brightly
When Marvin walked into the living room, Annabelle was still lying on the sofa, plucking petals off a flower, trying to decide whether or not to have a baby dumpling.Because she was lying on her stomach and wearing a fitted outfit, her curves were quite noticeable.Kendrick immediately stepped in front of Marvin, not wanting him to get any wild ideas from seeing Anna like this.He cleared his throat and called out, “Anna.”Without looking back, Annabelle huffed, “I haven’t fully forgiven you yet. You’d better not talk to me.”Kendrick: “…”Marvin let out a soft chuckle and gave Kendrick a look that clearly said: So, now you know what it feels like.Kendrick’s face darkened slightly as he glanced at Marvin’s shoes. “Change into slippers at the door.”Marvin didn’t argue and backed up to the entryway to switch shoes.Kendrick then entered the living room and sat on the sofa, casually resting a hand on Anna’s back.She immediately turned and glared at him.“Marvin’s here. He wants to se
Kendrick clearly hadn't realized what she was about to say and asked, “Grandpa came to the hospital too?”“He’s probably here for orthopedics,” Annabelle replied blandly.Kendrick nodded. “Grandpa has an old leg injury. He does come in for regular consultations.”He paused for a moment. “So why are you mad at me after seeing Grandpa?”Annabelle looked into his eyes. “Grandpa didn’t see me just now, but I overheard his conversation with a friend.”She glanced at him after she finished speaking.Sure enough, Kendrick's pupils contracted slightly.Even though he tried to hide it well, it didn’t escape her notice.That was the guilty look!“Oh? And what did you hear?” Kendrick kept his tone light.Seeing that he was still pretending, Annabelle frowned and stared at him. “Grandpa isn’t terminally ill, is he?”Kendrick sighed and gave a wry smile. “Didn’t think you'd find out so soon.”“Was this your idea, or Grandpa’s?”“Of course it was the old man’s idea,” Kendrick immediately sold out h
Grandpa’s friend asked, “Hey Gregory, why are you looking up this illness if there’s nothing wrong? You’ve been having headaches or something?”“No, of course not! I’m doing perfectly fine. Do I look like someone who’s sick?”The old gentleman studied him for a moment. “You don’t.”“I just needed some information on that illness, so I looked into it a bit. Anyway, we’re getting older. It doesn’t hurt to stay informed…”…As Grandpa Gregory continued chatting, he and his friend walked away from the hallway corner and didn’t head toward Annabelle.She remained quietly seated, her thoughts a tangled mess.It was possible that Grandpa had just concealed his condition from his friend.But judging from his energy and glow, he didn’t seem ill at all. He even said he played golf a few days ago.Things were clear now—Grandpa Gregory wasn’t sick. He’d faked an illness just to push her and Kendrick to have a child sooner.Knowing Grandpa was healthy let Annabelle finally breathe a sigh of relief
Just then, Anna gently took his hand and gave it a little shake, pulling Kendrick out of his thoughts.“He got hurt because of me, and yes, I was really worried and felt guilty. But it wasn’t the kind of concern you’re thinking of. That kind of worry, the one that comes from the heart—I’ve only ever felt that way for you… Do you understand now?”The little woman looked up at him, as if scared he’d misunderstand.Kendrick’s heart softened in an instant. He kissed her on the forehead and said, “Alright, let’s not talk about that anymore.”Then he led her over to the seats by the hallway.Her waist was injured—standing would only tire her out, and there was no rush to get the X-ray done. After the explosion and fire yesterday, she was clearly terrified and needed comforting.“Does your waist still hurt badly?” he asked.Anna nodded, but quickly added seriously, “I didn’t let him treat me!”Kendrick sighed, pulled her into his arms, and gently stroked her hair. “Silly girl, I never blamed