Trey noticed that Kendrick had returned and sensed that something was off between the young master and Mrs. Gregory. So, after a brief greeting, he smartly left.There were only Annabelle and Kendrick left in the room.Annabelle returned to the kitchen, with her eyes lowered, and continued to ladle the soup out of the pot, as if she hadn't heard Kendrick's question just now.Kendrick came to her side, grabbed Annabelle's hand as she was pouring soup, gently turned her body, and lifted her chin.Now Annabelle had to look into his eyes."Who have you cooked soup for?"With a mixture of jest and seriousness in his tone, he unexpectedly made Annabelle feel a sense of inexplicable guilt.She had indeed cooked soup for another person in the past, but let's not dwell on that for now. As of the present, she and Kendrick are not truly married, so why does he need to interrogate her like this?"No one."Annabelle avo
Annabelle became puzzled and carefully checked the pulse twice more, but the results remained the same as before.The pulse has clearly improved, why did I still have a headache at night?Could it be that she made a wrong judgment?"Do you have any other symptoms?""It was pretty much the same as before."Mr. Gregory looked serious and could tell lies without changing his expression or heartbeat."Aren't you deceiving me?" Annabelle raised an eyebrow.Kendrick laughed, "Trick you, what's in it for me?"Well, if he lied about being sick, it would mean that he still had to undergo acupuncture, continue taking medication, and the two of them couldn't get divorced quickly either.Annabelle thought, Kendrick really didn't need to tell this lie... right?"Maybe you have been working too hard recently. I will adjust the herbal prescription for you and you should pay more attention to rest."When she said these wor
Annabelle's mouth twitched as she decided to take a private plane in order to save on airfare.Mr. Gregory, who was unaware of the hardships of the world, pondered for a while, just wondering about this.Is it about being willful when you have money, or are people foolish when they have a lot of money?"Mr. Gregory, did you forget to calculate the fuel cost?"Kendrick leaned in slightly, getting closer to her ear, and chuckled softly, "Just hoping that you could occasionally take advantage of me, your wealthy husband."You should know that his private plane alone cost tens of millions of dollars annually just for maintenance.And his wife, still lamented over not being able to buy cheap plane tickets, which greatly frustrated Kendrick.Annabelle stared at the man in front of her, and the ambiguous "husband" made her feel a little dazed.They seemed like a real couple."Thank you for your kindness, but no need," Annabelle
Lydia went upstairs and looked into Kendrick's room.At that time, the room was open, indicating that Annabelle was obviously not inside.In other words, they did sleep in separate rooms, the couple indeed!The matter of dividing the rooms was something she heard Marvin casually mention after he got drunk in the past. Today, she came personally to see what exactly was going on.At that moment, she confirmed this by helping her son, and her heart was filled with joy.Presumably, the marriage between the two was merely a formality, and Kendrick's constant rivalry with Marvin was not because he genuinely liked Annabelle, but simply because he wanted to undermine Marvin.In that case, as a mother, she had to do something to help her son win back his wife.In fact, since Annabelle had already become Kendrick's wife, Lydia no longer lamented for this girl and did not support Marvin in pursuing her.Did my younger brother marry his si
Annabelle walked into the bedroom, first passing through a short hallway adorned with expensive paintings.Before meeting Marvin in person, I smelled a strong scent of alcohol, which was completely different from the fresh mountain air outside.Stepping on the soft light brown carpet, Annabelle saw Marvin half leaning on the edge of the bed, sitting on the floor.He faced the floor-to-ceiling window, with his back to Annabelle, holding a half-empty bottle of canned beer in his hand. There were also more empty beer cans beside him. His gray shirt was wrinkled, and his once fresh hair was messy and greasy."Go out!"He emitted a hoarse growl.Annabelle paused for a moment and then continued walking forward."I said for you to go out!"Marvin angrily turned around and picked up an empty beer can next to him, ready to throw it towards Annabelle.But when he saw that the person coming was Annabelle, his actions seemed to free
"Anna, we..." Marvin hesitated, finding it difficult to continue.In that game, he lost. Losing meant he had to voluntarily withdraw and could no longer pursue Annabelle.And whenever Marvin thought about that competition, he still couldn't let it go."That day in the race, I could have beaten Kendrick if I didn't let off the gas. He wouldn't have dared to overtake me recklessly. But with you in the car, I was still afraid of any potential risks. Forget it, let's not talk about it."So that's how it was, Annabelle sighed inwardly, Kendrick was indeed a cunning old fox.At that time, they must have grasped Marvin's mentality, which ultimately led to their victory in the competition.However, any competition is not just about skills, but also about mental strength. Annabelle understands this principle as well.She snatched the beer from Marvin's hand and frowned, "With your current state, you still want to compete with Kendrick? I doubt
Seeing Marvin's humble attitude and his illness, Annabelle sighed inwardly and decided to temporarily let him off the hook and refrain from saying harsh words."Let's talk after you have recovered your health."After saying that, she walked out of the room.After receiving this reply, Marvin was stunned for two seconds, then he fell onto the bed and started to laugh happily, while tightly holding the prescription that Annabelle had just given him, pressing it against his chest.It seemed as if this way, one could experience Annabelle's love to the fullest.However, when Annabelle arrived downstairs, she realized that Lydia had already left, leaving only a note that said, "Anna, my friend had a heart attack, so I had to leave. I'll come back to pick you up before it gets dark, once everything is confirmed to be okay."Annabelle walked to the window and looked outside, feeling frustrated.Lush trees and winding mountain roads, she relie
Hearing footsteps behind her, Annabelle instinctively turned her head and saw Marvin standing behind her, only wearing a towel. She couldn't help but exclaim, "What are you doing!"Like a bucket of cold water being poured over him, Marvin instantly woke up.Annabelle was not one of those casual women, and his impression of her was not very good either. If he continued to behave frivolously, he would probably never have a chance to win her back in the future.Looking embarrassed, not knowing what to say, the doorbell rang."It might be my mom coming back, I'll go and open the door," Marvin pointed to the entrance.Walking towards the porch, I berated myself silently, wondering why my mother was so good at choosing the wrong timing!Why did you come back in such heavy rain?However, when he opened the door, he saw Kendrick standing outside in a black cloak, with a gloomy expression on his face, and his hair and clothes were slightly wet
The car’s interior wasn’t small, but for someone as tall and broad as Kendrick, it still felt a little cramped.The only comfortable way was for him to sit on the seat while letting Anna sit on his lap.After another round of intense kissing, both were panting heavily. Kendrick’s hand slid to her waist and moved toward the button of her jeans.Annabelle instantly understood his intention.“Not here…” she pushed against his chest firmly.This was an underground parking lot. Although it was nearly empty at this hour, Annabelle was too shy and timid about such things—there was no way she’d dare do anything here.Kendrick gently caressed the back of her neck, as if trying to ease her wariness. “You don’t want to try it in the car?”Annabelle blushed deeper. “No. What if someone sees us…”Technically, it was just the two of them in the car, and the outside was silent. Still, being curled up in the backseat like this made her instinctively whisper.The big boss's eyes darkened. “You sure?”
Kendrick headed straight to the underground parking lot, met with Jax, and handed over Anna’s car keys.Jax was there to take Anna’s car to have the spare tire replaced with a new one. He popped the hood to check the engine, then inspected the exhaust and the other three tires.“Boss, nothing stands out. You think this accident was man-made?”“Better to be cautious.”A sudden flat on a smooth road with a perfectly fine tire—too suspicious to ignore.If it *was* man-made, Kendrick’s first suspect would be Ryan. But Ryan was also the least likely person to actually hurt Anna.Still, it could be like what happened last time in North City—when Ryan had someone spike his breakfast. It wasn't intended to harm Anna, but maybe a subordinate made a mistake or took action on their own. She almost ended up poisoned.This time might be something similar.And since the car had been parked in an open lot while Anna was away in North City, it wouldn't have been hard for someone to tamper with it.
Forty minutes later, the car smoothly entered the the Murphy Group's underground parking lot.Annabelle thought Kendrick would drive her car and leave right away, but instead, he turned off the engine and got out with her."Aren't you going to your business meeting?""My wife's more important."Annabelle glanced at him amused. "I'm already here. What else could happen?"Besides, Uncle Simon and Gauge were both around—they’d look after her.Kendrick simply smiled and said nothing.Since he insisted on coming along, Annabelle didn’t stop him. After all, it was his own work being delayed. Kendrick wasn’t the type to lack ambition—she doubted he wasn’t anxious about it.They entered the elevator together.As it rose, Annabelle grew more uneasy.Because of her, the entire team’s schedule had been delayed, especially the photographer’s itinerary. Her colleagues were likely displeased with her—some might even think she was pulling a diva stunt.She couldn’t help but glare at Kendrick again—t
Annabelle bit her lip and glared at him. “So can you change the tire now?”Kendrick sighed. “But you're still mad at me.”Annabelle tried to suppress the fire in her chest—but she failed.“Kendrick, if you don’t help, neither of us can go back. You’ll miss your contract meeting too. It’s not just my schedule being messed up—it’s yours too.”Kendrick chuckled. “It’s fine. I’m the client anyway. Being late isn’t a big deal.”Annabelle nearly coughed up blood. How could someone be so shameless?!Unwilling to argue with him anymore, she marched to the back of the car and popped open the trunk.If he wouldn't help, she’d change it herself!Worst case, she’d follow the instructions step by step. She didn’t believe she couldn’t manage without Kendrick.But after a few minutes, she’d made barely any progress.The instructions were clear enough, but trying to figure it out while fumbling around meant it might take her two hours at this pace.During those few minutes, Kendrick stood on the road
Annabelle found her little white car in the outdoor parking lot.The moment she sat down, Kendrick opened the passenger door and got in too.Annabelle frowned. “Kendrick, don’t you have your own car?”Kendrick cleared his throat. “Jax drove off with it. Jaime’s car is full.”“Then get a cab. I’m going to the Murphy Group, and it’s not on your way.”Kendrick sighed. “I was wrong before. I’m apologizing. Are you really planning to ignore me for the rest of your life?”Annabelle looked at him for two seconds. Alright, this guy is being shameless again. There’s no reasoning with him. Fine, she wouldn’t speak to him at all.She started the car.Kendrick fastened his seatbelt and gently reminded her, “Babe, seatbelt.”“...”Annabelle took a deep breath, stomped the brake, fastened her belt, and then stepped hard on the gas, speeding angrily out of the lot.Why was she so mad? Because this old fox had gone too far this time. She had to set some rules with him, or he’d just keep acting howeve
Julissa practically jumped up in relief, quickly getting dressed.The two of them left the sports hall together. As she walked behind Scott, Julissa reflected on her life choices. Why couldn’t she learn to keep her mouth shut? If she weren’t so quick to speak, she wouldn’t end up getting “bullied” by him every time.She suddenly understood why Anna had decided to take self-defense classes. Honestly, it was a necessity—especially when living with such a predatory alpha CEO. One wrong move and you’re flattened like a pancake. Totally defenseless.Yeah, maybe it was time to team up with Anna and sign up for taekwondo or kickboxing classes.Grumbling to herself, Julissa followed Scott into the first-floor restaurant, where they picked a quiet corner to sit.Her stomach had been growling for a while, but when faced with the menu, she froze—everything looked so good, she couldn't decide.She looked helplessly up at Scott.He chuckled. “Want me to choose for you?”She nodded seriously. She l
Scott chuckled and couldn't help but pull her onto his lap. “Aren’t you shy, hmm?”As he spoke, he ruffled her hair.Julissa pouted and smoothed her hair, clearly displeased. “You’re the one who asked, why mess up my hair?”Looking into her eyes, Scott’s gaze softened. “Because you’re adorable.”Julissa pressed her lips together but couldn’t hide her smile. She finally laughed out loud, genuinely happy.Then, Scott asked curiously, “If I had actually gone on a blind date with another woman today behind your back, what would you have done?”Julissa blinked, then raised her fingers in a scissor gesture, eyes sharp with mock fury. “Snip you.”“…You’d really go that far?”“You won’t even sleep with me anymore, what’s left for me to be sentimental about?”Scott rubbed his forehead with a laugh. “Didn’t expect such a feisty little thing.”“Hmph! So you better watch out, Mr. Nichols. When women get ruthless, they don’t care about consequences!”Scott didn’t say anything, but his hand slipped
About ten minutes later, Julissa was weak as a kitten, feeling like her soul had left her body.Scott had no intention of letting her off easy—he only gave her a short breather."Now tell me, how did you sneak in?" he asked.Julissa answered in a broken, breathless voice, "Isn't it because you're so ruthless? Charging five million for a membership card! I just happened to run into Liam, so I asked him to bring me in..."The moment she mentioned Liam's name, Scott bit her lip hard, making her gasp in pain.She knew he hated hearing that name—jealous of her past with Liam."But you were the one who asked...""Next time something happens, come to me," his voice was hoarse but firm.Julissa buried her flushed face in his chest and nodded obediently.The lights in the venue finally came back on.Scott, shirtless, sat lazily on the sofa smoking a cigarette.Julissa draped in his suit jacket, picked up a bowling ball and tossed it down the lane with an elegant stance—only for it to roll stra
As Scott hoisted her over his shoulder, Julissa pounded on his back, yelping and flailing like a startled kitten as they passed a seething Heather in the hallway.Heather stood frozen, jaw clenched so tightly her face twitched. She stomped hard on the marble floor, but even that wasn’t enough. With a guttural growl, she ripped a decorative painting off the wall and smashed it against the ground.A passing male staff member rushed over in alarm. “Miss, please calm—”Before he could finish, Heather slapped him across the face with a resounding smack.“Get lost!” she barked, her eyes bloodshot.The staff member clutched his cheek, stunned and humiliated. “Ma’am, you can’t just—”Just then, three men in black suits briskly approached.“Young Lady,” one of them said respectfully, “we’re here to escort you home.”Heather exhaled sharply, adjusted her outfit, and marched forward. Two of the men flanked her like a high-security VIP. The third paused, walked over to the staff member, patted hi