Annabelle nodded with a smile, discreetly placed the card into the gift box, and put it in the drawer.
As he watched her overflowing joy and the hidden emotion beneath that joy, Kendrick squinted his eyes slightly, but he didn't ask further.
"Have you eaten?" he changed the subject proactively. "If you haven't eaten, come downstairs and eat. I bought shrimp dumplings."
"Thank you, I have already eaten."
"Okay," Kendrick turned around to leave.
Annabelle pursed her lips and called out to him, "Kendrick, I want to talk to you."
Kendrick saw her serious expression and had a faint feeling that what she was about to say might not be what he wanted to hear.
He took off his suit jacket and casually draped it over his arm, "I'm tired today, let's talk about it tomorrow."
"Alright, then tomorrow..."
Kendrick came to the living room on the second floor, sat on the sofa in front of the French window, lit a cigarette, and took a dee
The ambiguous atmosphere in the car, coupled with the serious tone of Rial, made Isabel feel very uncomfortable. She snapped, “I heard you! Stop being so dramatic.”“Don’t brush me off,” he said.“I’m not brushing you off! I never had any feelings for your brother. You’re the one being jealous for no reason.”Isabel quickly defended herself but was confused as to why she was in such a hurry to explain to him.“You just said you wanted to get to know my brother,” Rial reminded her.Isabel gave him a speechless look. That had only been a joke, but to her surprise, he took it seriously. She responded, “Fine, I do want to get to know your brother. That way, if you bully me again, I can just tell him!”“What kind of bullying? The kind just now?” He said playfully, glancing down at her waist, his gaze far too bold, making Isabel want to hit him.But seeing that he was injured for her, she shot him a warning glare instead of acting on her impulse.Rial leaned close to her ear and whispered,
Before Rial could finish speaking, Isabel had already gotten out of the car and was waving at the vehicles approaching them.Soon, a convoy of military green vehicles arrived and came to a halt. The atmosphere was tense, making Isabel feel a sense of reassurance, as if no matter how many more bandits came, she wouldn’t be afraid.When the cars stopped, a tall man dressed in camouflage stepped out of the lead vehicle.Isabel didn’t need to ask. Just by looking at his sharp features, she could tell that this man, with his stern expression, must be Rial's older brother, Matthew.They both had the same eyes and chin—distinctive marks of the Ho family.However, Matthew looked more rugged, exuding a strong sense of security and righteousness. In contrast, Rial appeared more handsome and refined. Of course, if he didn’t crack dirty jokes or always act playful, he might also exude the same sense of uprightness as his brother.Isabel couldn’t help but think back to earlier when Rial had remain
The thugs were all down, writhing on the ground and groaning in pain. They’d clearly been hit where it hurt, but none were fatally injured.Isabel stood at the edge of the courtyard, dazed as she watched the scene unfold. It felt surreal—like she was watching a movie.She even forgot for a moment that Perry was still lying nearby, and that the only reason she came here in the first place was to save *him*.Perry had called out to her several times before she finally heard him and turned his way.“Isabel, now’s our chance—let’s get out of here!”She glanced at him and replied coolly, “I’m not you.”At a moment of crisis, thinking only of self-preservation—that was Perry’s way, not hers.Rial was fighting with everything he had to protect her. How could she possibly leave him behind?Perry froze, realizing what she meant. “He’s that strong. He’ll be fine. Why don’t… why don’t we drive off first and then figure out how to help him?”Isabel didn’t even know what to say to that.There was
After sunset, the darkness always seemed eager to descend.As they stepped into the courtyard, it felt as if night had fallen in the blink of an eye, leaving the place shrouded in gloom.The child who had led them there had already slipped away into a small shack and disappeared.A foul stench of sewage and stagnant mud filled the air.As they moved deeper into the courtyard, a dim, yellowish light under the eaves flickered on.Seeing the scene before her, Isabel couldn't help but feel a chill in her heart.Near the main hall, there was a wooden bed set in the middle of the courtyard.A man lay on the bed, his lower body covered with a straw mat, seemingly naked underneath.His skin was smeared with grime as if he had just been dragged out of a muddy swamp.But despite his wretched appearance, Isabel recognized him at once.This pitiful, filthy man was none other than her ex-boyfriend, Perry.The once-elegant gentleman was now reduced to such misery.Her heart twisted with pain."Perr
This time, Julissa felt a sharp, undeniable pain.She didn’t want to interrupt Scott—after all, it was their wedding night—so she bit her lip and tried to endure it.But her dear Mr. Nichols, in that moment, clearly didn’t understand her discomfort. He even mistook the pained expression on her face as a sign of pleasure.So he became more fervent… and Julissa’s struggle grew even more intense.Her back was soaked with sweat, dampening the hair at her temples, which now clung to Scott’s cheek. The two of them were completely intertwined, inseparable—but the intimacy had crossed the line into unbearable.Finally, Julissa pushed against the insatiable CEO.“Mr. Nichols… wait…”But he was far too immersed in the moment, so focused that Julissa wasn’t even sure if he heard her at all.“Wait a second, Mr. Nichols… I’m not feeling well…”This time, her push was firmer, and her tone serious—not playful or flirtatious.Scott finally paused. “What’s wrong?”Julissa told him it hurt—worse than i
Only now did Kamila finally understand why children from disadvantaged backgrounds were often so sensitive, and why some people developed a resentment toward the rich—perhaps it was this overwhelming sense of disparity and imbalance.But Kamila didn’t resent Anna or Julissa. She simply realized that sometimes, people’s joys and sorrows didn’t really connect.She sincerely wished Julissa a happy marriage, but she didn’t want to attend such weddings anymore, didn’t want to glimpse into such lives, and she especially didn’t want to stay in touch with Gauge.Those things only made it harder for her to face her own shattered, chaotic life.All she wanted now was to return to her own world and live it out the best she could—never reaching for what wasn’t hers, maybe then, she wouldn't be in so much pain.Kamila took a deep breath, looked away, and walked toward the exit of the hotel.But she hadn’t yet left the back garden when she heard Gauge’s voice calling her name from behind.Her eyes