"Annabelle! You're back?" Ariana greeted her from the driver's seat.In the passenger seat was her younger sister, Annabelle, who looked familiar but she couldn't remember.Annabelle smiled at them and nodded."Annabelle, did you just finish shopping?" the girl in the passenger seat asked.Annabelle was very sensitive to sounds. As soon as the other person spoke, she remembered. This girl was from the Fritz family, and her name seemed to be Livia Fritz.That time, she was tricked by her brother Raphael into going to Stellar Bar, where she unexpectedly ran into Kendrick, who was attending a friend's birthday party.Kendrick took her to greet his friends, who were in a private room at the KTV. Ariana invited her to sing together, but a wealthy girl made a sarcastic comment, saying she was from the mountains and probably hadn't heard any popular songs.That wealthy lady's last name is Fritz, which is the one standing in front of us.Okay, if the angelic bitch doesn't come, she doesn't co
Livia's face turned red, and she didn't say a word."Alright, Livia, stop talking nonsense. Ken wouldn't abandon Annabelle!" Ariana scolded the little sister.Livia, feeling a bit embarrassed and angry because she said the wrong thing, curled her lips and said, "I thought the woman Ken liked had to be someone like Ariana, with a high education, high intelligence, capable of managing both social and domestic affairs, and even able to drive a race car. That's what suits Ken's taste!"She was actually standing up for herself. Back then, she was very proud and liked Kendrick, but she didn't want to take the initiative. By the time she wanted to take the initiative, Kendrick was already married. Therefore, Livia always felt unjustly treated. If she had taken the initiative back then, there wouldn't have been any Annabelle's affair.Ariana blushed and said, "Stop talking nonsense, you quickly get in the car."After Livia got in the car, Ariana said to Annabelle, "Annabelle, I'm sorry, this
Marvin took a deep look at Annabelle, her angry appearance, not like she was going to have a meal with Kendrick, but more like she was going to settle scores with him.It seems that their relationship was not repaired.But Marvin didn't ask further questions, he helped her carry the shopping bags and put them in the car, and then he helped her open the passenger door.After the car started, Annabelle remained silent.Marvin couldn't help but ask, "Were you and Kendrick planning to get divorced recently?"Annabelle absentmindedly nodded her head.She was still immersed in her own little world, imagining that one day in the future, she could also leave a trail of exhaust fumes for angelic bitches."Did... he leave?" Marvin continued to ask."Almost."Upon hearing this response, Marvin's heart raced a bit.If they had almost divorced before, it would indicate that there was a rift between her and Kendrick, and that would give me more opportunities...So I continued to probe, "So, are you
Marvin asked his mother at that time how she planned to help.The mother did not answer him, she just said to wait and see.In short, once he had prepared for a lifelong battle, he was no longer as impatient as before, as long as he ensured to live a healthy life, living longer than Kendrick would be enough.Twenty minutes later, the car drove into the parking lot of the Gregory Group.Afterwards, Marvin and Annabelle took the president's private elevator together and arrived at the floor where Kendrick's office was located.After he planned to drop off Annabelle, he happened to meet Jaime right after getting off the elevator. He handed Annabelle over to Jaime and left to attend to his own matters."Was Kendrick busy? I need to talk to him.""The president was in a meeting.""Then I went to the office and waited."With that, Annabelle headed towards the president's office, while Jaime hurriedly followed behind, carrying two large bags, thinking that the president must be having a meet
He had a serious expression on his face, which made Annabelle a little nervous.And the people in the conference room behind him were also gossiping and looking at them at this moment. Although there was a glass door separating them, Annabelle couldn't help but breathe lightly and whispered, "After shopping at the supermarket, I wanted to come and have lunch with you."She didn't want to bring up the matter of learning to drive now, nor would she bring it up now.Kendrick frowned and glanced at her for a moment. Based on his understanding of his little wife, with her introverted and mildly socially anxious personality, it was impossible for her to suddenly come to his company to have lunch with him.So there must be something, maybe just not convenient to say it now?No matter what the reason was, Kendrick was very happy to suddenly see her.So he took her little hand and held it, not cold.Knowing that she was not cold, Kendrick grabbed the yarn ball on her hat and took off her hat.
Annabelle quickly sat up and checked the time. It was already half past twelve, and she felt a bit sleepy."Did you have lunch?""No, I was waiting for you," Kendrick hooked his arm around her waist, almost trapping her on the couch."What were you doing..."Kendrick glanced at her lips and asked, "Jaime said you came with Marvin?"Annabelle nodded and said, "After coming out of the supermarket, I ran into him on the roadside. Since I couldn't catch a taxi, I asked him to give me a ride.""Did you guys have a good connection?"Annabelle chuckled, "Yeah, I think so too..."What she thought was that Ariana and I were the ones who truly had a connection.Kendrick didn't know what she was thinking, but after listening to her, he directly bit her lips."Hiss!""Do you still feel destined to be with Marvin?"Annabelle shook her head vigorously.Kendrick finally felt more comfortable and temporarily let her go."By the way, why did you suddenly come to see me?""I have made up my mind, I wan
Because Kendrick mentioned Jax, Annabelle said, "By the way, I have something to give to Jax, but I don't usually see him much. Can you help me pass it on to him?"Kendrick was slicing the steak with a knife, then he looked up and said, "For Jax?""Hmm." Annabelle took out a small black velvet box from her bag, about the same size as a glasses case.Kendrick acidly took it over, giving her a faint glance, "What is it.""You can open and take a look." Annabelle was still a little excited.Kendrick was not polite and opened the box.It was a very delicate harmonica.Taking another glance at the little woman across from him, he saw her looking at him with anticipation, as if waiting for him to evaluate how the gift was.Kendrick's sour feeling increased exponentially, and his complexion became increasingly unpleasant."Why did you give him this?""I noticed that at least three notes on his harmonica were out of tune. It must be due to damaged reeds. I guess he doesn't have time to buy th
This was the place where he initially practiced driving. The road was wide and there were very few vehicles. The scenery on both sides was also beautiful, with green slopes on both sides. On one side, beyond the green median strip, there was a beach, and in the distance, there was a boundless sea.The winter sea, although not as azure and bright as it appears in spring and summer, was a beautiful sight on this day. The gentle breeze and sunny weather made the sea glisten like a layer of diamonds under the slanting rays of the setting sun.But Annabelle was not in the mood to enjoy the scenery, she was feeling a bit nervous at the moment."Did I go on the road directly on my first day of learning to drive?"She couldn't even tell which one was the accelerator and which one was the brake.Wasn't this joking about someone else's life?"Today, I will take you to a scenic place, talk to you about car structures, and enjoy the sea breeze. Starting tomorrow, we will go to a dedicated trainin
Julissa wondered—could it be that Scott didn’t have a membership card and had used Heather’s instead?She temporarily stepped away from the front desk and sat in the lounge area, trying to figure out what to do next.Technically, she could just call Scott and ask him to bring her in.But she didn’t want to do that. She wanted to show up unannounced, catch them off guard, and completely disrupt their rhythm.And besides, if she were stopped outside and had to wait for Scott to come out and fetch her, it would feel like she had already lost to Heather in terms of presence and pride.So, that plan was a no-go.Should she just wait until they came out? But the more she thought about it, the more annoyed she felt.Why should she waste her time waiting around like this while they got to enjoy their date?Just as she was lost in frustration, a male voice called out to her.“Julissa?”Julissa closed her eyes. She didn’t even need to turn around—the voice alone was enough to know who it was.S
Julissa quickly grabbed Scott’s hand. “Don’t worry about it.”He curled his lips into a smile and obediently let go, then swept her up into his arms and carried her back to the bed…The next morning, Julissa sat up, rubbing her throbbing temples and aching body—only to find the bed empty.Sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains onto her body. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Eleven a.m.Crap! She was late!No, this wasn’t just being late—she’d completely skipped work!“Mr. Nichols?” she called toward the bedroom door. No response. Clearly, the big boss had already gone to the office.She reached for her phone by the pillow—then suddenly remembered she’d used it to record video last night. Scott had gone to take a shower, and she’d been so exhausted she’d fallen asleep without even thinking about it.The phone had to still be on the windowsill.Barefoot, she got out of bed and pulled back the curtain. Sure enough, the phone was still there, screen down and nearly burnin
After dinner, they cleaned up the kitchen together. Then Scott went to take a shower, while Julissa headed to the bedroom.She placed her phone on the windowsill, hidden behind the curtain. Only a sheer layer covered it—just enough to keep things from being too explicit. As long as his voice was clearly captured, a blurry image would actually be even better.After all, the last thing she wanted was for every man at his future wedding to see her naked on the big screen.Yes—she was going to record her night with Mr. Nichols.Just like those classic evil ex-girlfriends in dramas, she planned to send the footage straight to his future wife. And better yet—broadcast it at their wedding.Sure, this move was one of those you hurt me, I’ll destroy us both kind of deals.But whatever. She, Julissa, was just a nobody, a little shrimp in the vast sea of high society. Once she left this circle, she could go back to her own little life.Even if she couldn't return to a peaceful life, she would do
Julissa was startled by his sudden move. She quickly turned around and smiled at Scott. “Maybe my period is coming. I’m just feeling a little low.”He paused for a second, as if just realizing what she meant by “period,” then gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.“You girls get emotional because of that?”Julissa forced a small smile. “Of course. We get moody, feel down for no reason, and crave all kinds of heavy flavors.”Scott raised an eyebrow. “Oh? So what’s Julissa craving today?”Julissa immediately sensed where this was going and shot him a glare. “Definitely not what you’re thinking.”“What am I thinking?” Scott’s gaze lingered on her lips, a mischievous smile spreading across his face.Truth be told, Julissa wasn’t in the mood to flirt, so she backed away slightly. “Mr. Nichols, behave yourself…”He didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her.Julissa wanted to push him away, but her hands were covered in marinade and seasoning from preparing the fish.
That one sentence struck deep.Instinctively, Julissa glanced at the ring on her left middle finger, thinking of what Scott had said to her.That night, when he gave her the ring, he had told her it wasn’t an engagement ring—just something to wear for now, and that when the time came for a proposal, he would give her something even better.She believed his words.So even though what Mrs. Nichols just said shocked her, and even brought a momentary pang to her chest, she didn’t believe it.“How do you know he won’t marry me?”Honestly, Julissa even wanted to ask, How do you know I’d definitely agree to marry him? A girl’s got her pride too.But now wasn’t the time to nitpick. She just wanted to know where Mrs. Nichols got the confidence to say so definitively that Scott wouldn’t marry her.Mrs. Nichols didn’t seem like the type to lie, and that only made Julissa more determined to find out the truth.“Then I’ll be blunt,” Mrs. Nichols said. “Tomorrow at 7 p.m., he’s going to meet Miss H
Walking beside Mrs. Nichols was another senior executive from the Nichols Group, one of the company’s veterans. The two of them were chatting and laughing, clearly in good spirits.Why is Mrs. Nichols still here? Has she been at the company the whole day?But then again, she was the former president’s wife. It was only natural for her to be on familiar terms with the old guard.Julissa quickly lowered her head, pretending she hadn’t seen anything, hoping Mrs. Nichols hadn’t noticed her either.She scrolled aimlessly through her phone, clearly distracted. She knew she should go up and greet her, but kept telling herself there was no point in exchanging a few perfunctory words. Better to stay in ostrich mode.More importantly, she was feeling guilty—her first impression with her future mother-in-law had been far from ideal. Or maybe it was just that Mrs. Nichols had such an overwhelming presence that Julissa dreaded facing her alone.She couldn’t help but wonder again—what kind of man m
Julissa truly felt like she could never win against this man. Talking to him was like navigating a minefield—one careless step, and she’d fall right into his trap.But it was still working hours, after all. Julissa thought his sudden surge of interest was way too unexpected, leaving her flustered and completely unprepared.“Mr. Nichols, what do you take me for?” she asked, breathless.“What do I take you for?”As each button was slowly undone, Julissa felt like her face was about to combust.“I’m not the kind of woman who’d… who’d just let herself get harassed for a bonus!”“Then just pretend you’re harassing me,” Scott said casually.Julissa blinked. That’s allowed?But actually, if she flipped the roles in her mind—if she imagined herself as the one taking advantage of him—somehow, it felt a bit more tolerable.Scott’s hands didn’t stop moving. They were already at her waist. “Besides,” he murmured, “you went back on your word. There’s got to be a price for that.”Julissa was hot an
Kendrick resumed his earlier position, leaning against the headboard. “The Nichols family still has some unresolved issues—they’re definitely in no place to plan a wedding right now.”“I see…” Annabelle nodded thoughtfully. “But Julissa’s dad also said they had to be together for at least a year before they could get married, just to prevent them from being impulsive.”Kendrick didn’t respond further. He got out of bed and walked around to Annabelle’s side, scooping her up in his arms.“What are you doing now?” Annabelle asked in alarm.Kendrick chuckled helplessly. “Time to wash up, remember? You said your legs were too weak to walk.”…The Next Morning, Times GroupWhen Julissa went to the staff lounge to get water, she overheard her colleagues excitedly chatting about their quarterly bonuses.When they saw her, they couldn't help gossiping. They said that Miss Hickman had been working overtime again and had even completed another project, so her bonus would surely be substantial.J
That morning, after Agatha left the the Whitney Group, she died in a car accident that afternoon.The killer wasn’t Dereon, and it certainly wasn’t Ryan. Since he had promised to let her go, he wasn’t someone who would go back on his word.But Ryan knew exactly who did it—because right after Agatha’s death, he received a phone call.On the other end, the man said coldly, “Little Ryan, this is how you deal with traitors.”Ryan understood—this was a warning. A warning that if he dared to betray them, dared to spare Kendrick again, then whether it was Ryan himself, Anna, or anyone close to him, they’d all end up like Agatha.At this point, it was no longer a matter of wanting to kill Kendrick or not—it was something he had to do.Otherwise, the one who would die… would be him.Ryan downed his drink in one gulp.Dereon continued, “Young Master, I’m grateful you didn’t punish me and only assigned me overseas. But I still don’t think I did anything wrong. And that Sid—how could he possibly