Annabelle remained unaware of everything that was happening around her.
However, she overheard Kendrick talking on the phone with Dr. White and learned that the analysis of the medicine the Young Master had given her had been completed.
Concerned that Annabelle might discover the ingredients, Kendrick decided to tell her the components of the non-toxic medicine.
Annabelle sighed after hearing it, telling Kendrick that she had originally intended to learn how to make the medicine herself by analyzing its components, so she could continue managing her health in the future. But after hearing the names of the trace elements, she realized it would be impossible to do it herself.
With modern medical techniques, the elements in traditional medicine can be analyzed, but without a prescription, it is impossible to recreate the medicine. This is one of the mysterious aspects of Traditional medicine.
She could try asking the Young Master, but since he hadn't
Kendrick held Annabelle tightly, his entire body tense, and Annabelle could even hear his rapid heartbeat from the tension.“Did you have a nightmare?”“I dreamt that someone took you away.”Annabelle smiled softly, her gentle fingers slipping into his hair, helping him press on some pressure points to relax him.“You’ve been too tired lately. You should get some rest.”“I’ll go to sleep now. If you’re willing to wait for me for ten minutes, we can go to bed together.”He kissed her ear, seemingly thinking she just wanted to know what time he’d go to sleep.Annabelle pressed her lips together and said, “Actually, I came here to confess something.”“What bad thing did you do?”Feeling a little guilty, Annabelle scratched her head and said, “Someone just sent you a message. You should reply first.”Kendrick gl
Annabelle felt like there was something Kendrick wanted to say to her.Suddenly, she realized something and stared at him, asking, “Kendrick, could your friend be…?”“What?” Kendrick’s expression turned serious for a moment.“Is it that the father of the child isn’t around, or she doesn’t feel comfortable discussing it with the father?”Kendrick’s expression softened, but a hint of confusion appeared on his face.“Why do you ask?”“If that’s the case, why would she come to you to discuss whether or not to have the baby? Shouldn’t she be talking to the father?”Kendrick suddenly smiled and ruffled her hair.Annabelle, while smoothing her hair, asked, “Did I say something wrong?”“She messaged me earlier about something else,” Kendrick pulled her into his arms, “I know she has a heart conditi
Kendrick smirked, "If it happens this time, then we’ll keep it.""Who’s going to have a baby for you?"Annabelle blushed and pushed him away, heading for the bathroom. Kendrick followed her in, shamelessly trying to crowd under the shower with her to fight for the warm water, still asking, "Is it going to happen?"Annabelle answered firmly, "No!"She was well aware of her own menstrual cycle, and that's why she had allowed Kendrick to not take any precautions.Kendrick pursed his lips in disappointment, "Then I'll try harder next time.""..."That night, Annabelle was exhausted. After a shower, she quickly fell asleep.By the light of the moon, Kendrick stared at her peaceful and beautiful face.He had really wanted to tell her about Emilia earlier, but he wasn't sure how she'd react—whether she'd get angry or upset.Annabelle had been abandoned by her family before, and she was always cautious a
Marvin tugged at her collar and pulled her back."Where do you think you're going?""Mr.Gregory, I have no more value to you," Linda replied, her expression showing guilt.Marvin smiled faintly. "Not necessarily."An hour later, Marvin walked into the café with Linda.Annabelle had already arrived, sitting by the window in a loose ivory-colored turtleneck sweater. Her hair fell softly over her shoulders as she held a cup of hot coffee, staring out the window in quiet thought.Marvin paused for a moment, mesmerized by her.No matter how many times he saw her, every time he looked at Annabelle from a distance, he was struck by that same rush of emotions, just like the first time they met—his heart felt as though it was taken by her completely.He truly wished that Annabelle was his.Linda nudged his arm, pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked at her, irritated.Linda gave him a suggestive look. "Mis
Marvin was startled; he hadn’t noticed that the man was still there.He pursed his lips in silence and sat obediently across from Annabelle and Elio, next to Linda.Annabelle smiled apologetically at them and suggested they step aside. “Please excuse yourselves. I’ll be conducting a consultation, and since it involves private matters for a woman, it’s not appropriate for men to be present.”They nodded in agreement and moved to a nearby table, staring at each other from across the room.Annabelle then examined Linda's pulse on both wrists, her brows furrowing slightly. The pulse was slow and weak—certainly not a good sign. Observing Linda’s complexion, which was pale and fatigued, she noticed that when they shook hands, her fingers were cold to the touch. This woman’s illness was definitely serious.Annabelle maintained her calm expression as she continued asking about her symptoms.Since Marvin had coordinated with Linda earlier, she had been prepared to speak about women's issues, s
The man crossed the street and walked into the café, finding an empty table to sit at. He appeared like any ordinary customer.As he sat down, the tip of a knife accidentally poked out from his sleeve, but he quickly concealed it. In his haste, he accidentally cut his finger. The wound wasn’t deep or long, and he paid it no mind.It was his first time killing someone, and he had indeed been nervous. But now, he clenched his fist firmly.All he had to do now was wait for Annabelle to be alone. Once she was by herself, he would strike without mercy. He would not hesitate.…On Annabelle's side, Linda took an envelope containing ten thousand in cash from her bag and pushed it across the table toward Annabelle."Thank you for helping me with my health, Miss Sanchez. This is the consultation fee."This was what Marvin had arranged with her beforehand—ten thousand for today’s visit, and twenty thousand for the next.But Linda had no intention of coming back for a follow-up visit, nor did
Annabelle ultimately accepted the consultation fee.Marvin, sitting across from her, was in a good mood when he saw her take the money. After all, that was his money, and by accepting it, Annabelle was indirectly spending it.He believed that Annabelle had never really relied on Kendrick’s money. Given her personality, she clearly liked being self-sufficient. If that weren’t the case, she wouldn't have accepted his business offer in the first place, earning extra by seeing patients.Marvin felt a bit more at ease now. Since Annabelle accepted the money, it meant she hadn’t seen through his little scheme—that Linda was just a pawn he had planted.Speaking of which, that woman did look a little too thin, almost malnourished. Could she really be sick? She had probably gained a little advantage—acting as a decoy while also getting treated.While Marvin was lost in thought, Annabelle turned her gaze toward him, and Linda called out, "Marvin, we’re done, you guys can come over now!"Marvin
Inside the café.Annabelle watched Marvin and Linda leave before turning her attention back to her surroundings.The petite girl was trailing behind Marvin, chatting away. Marvin had a cold, indifferent expression while Linda playfully made faces at his back, even shaking her fist at him—completely unaware.For a moment, Annabelle couldn’t help but think that they made quite the pair. But when she remembered the girl's illness, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh.She was such a cheerful girl, just a couple of years younger than Annabelle, and yet her life, at the prime of her youth, was already on the brink of ending.Annabelle felt sympathy for her and truly hoped that Linda would come back to her soon. The longer she waited, the more likely her mild condition would worsen, and once that happened, the chances of a full recovery would be drastically different.But whether Linda could come to terms with her illness and decide to fight for her life was ultimately up to her."Madam, do
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