After finishing his workout, Scott returned to his office to shower and change.Meanwhile, Julissa returned to her desk. Her heart was pounding with a mix of determination and anxiety. She glanced at the resignation letter that she had written earlier, her hand trembling slightly. For a moment, she hesitated, her mind racing with thoughts of what could happen if she stayed. But then she remembered Scott's words and the way he had stood up for her. She knew she couldn't give up now.Without hesitation, she took the resignation letter and fed it into the shredder, watching as the paper was torn to bits. She wasn't going to run away. She wasn't going to be a coward. Leaving would be the easy way out, but it would also be the most irresponsible choice. The mess she had caused—she had to clean it up herself. She couldn't let Scott take all the blame.Having made up her mind, she went to find Jerry. "Jerry, can I have Serena’s contact information?" she asked.Jerry raised an eyebrow, clearl
Standing at the entrance of Wells Bar, Julissa took a deep breath—three times—before stepping inside.The bar was packed. Loud music blasted through the speakers, and the air was thick with the mixed scents of alcohol, perfume, and cigarette smoke.She didn’t like this place.This was the very bar where she had met that male escort and spent a night she deeply regretted.That reckless decision hadn’t healed her heartbreak. Instead, it had nearly left her with a new one.Thankfully, she hadn’t ended up pregnant, nor had she contracted anything. But still, the memory of that night lingered like an unshakable stain.She forced herself to shake off those thoughts. She had come here with a purpose.Scanning the crowd, she quickly spotted Serena sitting in the center booth.Dressed in a tight gold dress, her high ponytail swayed as she laughed loudly, a cigarette elegantly held between her fingers. She was surrounded by a group of equally stylish young men and women, all seemingly from affl
Julissa’s fingers curled into fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She could feel the tension radiating through her entire body. She had already poured the drink over herself—what more did Serena want? Before she could gather her wits and speak, Serena gestured smoothly to the bartender, a cold smile playing on her lips.A moment later, a steaming cup of coffee was placed in her hand. The warmth of the cup contrasted sharply with the chill that had settled in Julissa’s heart. A bad feeling crept up Julissa’s spine, sending shivers down her back. Serena swirled the cup gently, and smiled. “This is my treat to you, Miss Hickman. A little token of appreciation for the coffee you made me last time.”Julissa’s body stiffened. She knew exactly what this was about. That day at Time Group, she had served Serena a cup of instant coffee, something completely unfitting for a wealthy socialite. It had been a simple oversight, but clearly, Serena had taken that as a grave insult and ha
Serena bit her lip as she watched Scott walk away with Julissa in his arms.She had lost.She had wanted to humiliate Julissa, to make her grovel and see her suffer.But in the end, the one who came to her rescue was Scott himself.She knew better than to push him any further.His patience with her had already reached its limit.If she continued, she would be the one facing consequences—ones she couldn’t afford.So, she forced a smile, brushing off her frustration.Meanwhile, in Scott’s arms, Julissa kept her head down, feeling completely exposed.Her clothes were soaked, her body chilled, and she reeked of beer and coffee.She wasn’t usually self-conscious, but being held like this—so vulnerable, so close to him—made her uneasy.Her mind drifted to another night.The night she had left this same bar with another man.She couldn’t remember the face of the male escort from that night, but the memory of being carried in someone’s arms felt eerily similar.Instinctively, she looked up at
Julissa sat quietly in the car, her body wrapped in Scott’s coat, the scent of his cologne enveloping her.The atmosphere was tense.She didn’t dare speak.Scott’s jaw was clenched, his fingers gripping the steering wheel tightly. Though he had stopped scolding her, the tension in his body made it clear—he was still angry.She bit her lip, unsure how to break the silence.Minutes later, the car pulled up outside her apartment complex.She hesitated. “Mr. Nichols, I can go up by myself—”He cut her off. “Get out. I’ll walk you up.”She blinked. “That’s not necessary—”“Get out.” His tone left no room for argument.Sighing, she pushed open the door and stepped out.Scott followed, his tall frame towering over her as they walked toward the building.The cool night air made her shiver, the dampness of her clothes still clinging to her skin.They stepped into the elevator, the small space amplifying the awkwardness.Finally, as the elevator dinged to a stop, she turned to him.“Uh… if you’
Julissa ate quietly, occasionally sneaking glances at Scott across the table.He seemed relaxed now, the tension in his expression softened as he focused on his meal.Finally, she couldn’t hold it in any longer.She set down her chopsticks and asked hesitantly, “Mr. Nichols… why did you come to the bar tonight?”Scott didn’t even pause. He continued eating as he replied, “I heard you were looking for Serena.”Her fingers tightened around her chopsticks. “Did Jerry tell you?”Scott smirked. “Of course. You thought I wouldn’t find out?”She swallowed. “I just… I overheard some employees saying that Time Group was in trouble because of me. That you lost a major project because of me.”Scott finally looked up, his dark eyes studying her carefully.“So, you decided to go and ‘fix’ it?”She nodded. “I thought if I apologized, she would let go of the grudge and reconsider working with Time Group.”Scott leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly.“There are two things I need to make clear,” h
Julissa pouted. "Sorry, Mr. Nichols, I didn't think it through...""This isn't your fault. I should have explained things more clearly to you," Scott said, surprisingly not scolding her. His gentleness made Julissa lower her head."However, I still think I should apologize today," she added.Scott chuckled and teased, "I'm actually curious. How did the fiery-tempered Julissa decide to humble herself and admit her mistake?"Julissa felt a bit awkward for a moment."Mr. Nichols, I've really reflected on my actions. I shouldn’t have struck first. When I did, it seemed like I gained some face, but in reality, I just put you in a passive position. I won’t do that again in the future."She looked like a child who had done something wrong, too afraid to look her parents in the face.Scott's gaze softened."When it comes to people you can't stand, if you argue with them, you’re lowering yourself to their level. Not only do you not win, but you also lose your dignity."Julissa nodded seriously
Julissa: “…”The sharp-tongued CEO truly wasn’t one for sweet words.But even in his bluntness, she could hear the affection he had for her.Compared to flowery compliments, she found his straightforwardness more sincere—more gentle, even.Lowering her head, she appeared to be focused on eating.In reality, she didn’t dare meet Scott’s gaze, nor did she have any idea what she was tasting.Her heart was in complete turmoil.After dinner, Scott observed her closely. Her face had regained some color, and her eyes looked brighter.It seemed her mood had improved.Checking his watch, he said, “Now, I really do have to go to the airport.”As he spoke, he picked up the coat draped over the sofa and put it on.Julissa wasn’t sure why, but watching him put on his coat and suddenly announce that he was leaving made her heart tighten.Just moments ago, she had thought he might find another excuse to stay.She had even planned ahead—if he stayed the night, she would take out the new set of bedshe
The lighting in the home theater was dim. The plush double leather recliner could be laid flat to form a small double bed. But it wasn’t an actual bed—any movement on it caused it to creak.Annabelle didn’t dare to move much, but Kendrick was unbothered. Holding her by the waist and brushing his lips against hers, he chuckled lowly, “What are you afraid of? It won’t collapse.”She looked at him, the corners of her eyes still wet from tears shed during the movie. She was actually quite tired today. She also remembered explaining just last night that during their efforts to conceive, they shouldn’t be too frequent. But knowing he’d be leaving that night, she couldn’t help but hold him tightly—and soon stopped thinking about anything else.Afterward, Annabelle lay in Kendrick’s arms, a thin blanket draped over her.They lay in silence for a while before Kendrick gently stroked her arm and asked, “Feeling better now?”Annabelle smiled softly but then became suspicious. She half-sat up and
Annabelle nodded glumly. “Then at least message me when you land tomorrow.”“I will,” Kendrick said, patting her thigh gently. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep reporting in to my wife.”Annabelle quickly pushed his hand away. “Keep your hands on the wheel.”Kendrick withdrew his hand but gave her a long, affectionate look, a small smile playing on his lips.That night, after returning home, Annabelle stuck to the plan and made beef noodles.The beef had already been braised by Uncle Trey. All she had to do was boil enough noodles for two and pour the meat and broth on top.Even someone not too skilled in the kitchen like her could pull that off.Once the food was ready, Annabelle didn’t have much of an appetite. She only ate a few strands of noodles and sipped a bit of soup.Kendrick’s bowl, on the other hand, was much more lavish—noodles topped with generous slices of beef, two stalks of greens, and a fried egg she’d made just for him.Looking at the hearty meal before him, Kendrick grinned.
“You guys actually fought before?” Annabelle asked in surprise.Kendrick chuckled. “I was the one who beat him up.”He went on to explain that Sean was Uncle Trey’s little nephew. When Sean was in elementary school, no one looked after him during summer breaks, so Uncle Trey would bring him to the Gregory residence to stay for a couple of months. Back then, Sean was like a stubborn little ox. If Uncle Trey said one thing, he’d argue right back. One time, Kendrick happened to overhear and gave him a good beating. After that, he became much more obedient.Later, when Sean started middle school, he stopped coming around. Years passed, and Kendrick only heard from Uncle Trey in passing that Sean had opened a gym.Come to think of it, it had been over a decade since he’d seen the guy—no wonder he didn’t recognize him at first.Hearing all this, Annabelle couldn’t help but marvel at how small the world was, and how fate worked in strange ways. At the same time, she felt a sense of relief.S
Just thinking about her photo being stored on that man’s phone made Annabelle feel extremely uncomfortable.Especially when he said he’d “treasure” her photo with that flirty, ambiguous expression—it made her deeply irritated.God knows what he plans to do with that picture. She didn’t even want to imagine it.“Delete my photo. Now.”“Alright, alright, I’ll delete it when I get back,” Sean dodged casually. “Okay, I won’t tease you anymore. Go on and wait for your husband. I’m heading out.”He turned as if to walk into the rain, but suddenly paused and looked back at her.“Oh right—earlier this afternoon, I overheard a young model downstairs on the phone. She said something like, ‘I don’t want to go too far. After all, I have no grudge against Annabelle.’”Annabelle frowned. “Which model?”“Think her name was Dale.” Sean paused. “I don’t really know what she meant, but it didn’t sound good. Don’t you have that runway show tomorrow? Just be careful.”With that, he waved and jogged off i
“I didn’t!” Annabelle responded immediately.“Then why do you look like you just did something bad?”Annabelle didn’t expect him to see through her that easily. With no other choice, she confessed everything.“Really, it’s nothing. I just ran into the Young Master earlier, and he helped me out with something. I was afraid you’d be upset if I told you.”But she *definitely* didn’t do anything to betray him. Besides, she felt completely open and honest when facing the Young Master—nothing to feel guilty about.Kendrick’s gaze darkened slightly. “What did he help you with?”Annabelle sighed. Since she’d started explaining, she decided to tell him everything.“Some people were talking behind my back, and I overheard it. I wanted to confront them, but just then the Young Master showed up and stepped in for me.”Kendrick stared straight ahead, silent for a couple of seconds before asking, “How did he ‘step in’?”“He pretended to be my lawyer...”Annabelle recounted what happened, then cauti
Ryan lowered his hand, slid it into his pocket, and the smile at the corner of his lips gradually faded. He said calmly:"In the future, if you ever run into a situation like that again, be more careful. The corridor earlier had barely anyone around and was in a camera blind spot. If those girls really wanted to gang up on you, how could you handle the three of them alone?"Anna gave an awkward smile. "I was just too angry and acted impulsively. I didn’t think it through. Thank you for helping me earlier."Ryan gave a slight smile. "No need to thank me. We... are friends, after all."Anna nodded earnestly, then suddenly thought of something and said, "By the way, Young Master, I saw an old photo in a magazine just now. It was of a little kid, probably five or six years old, and he looked a lot like you."Ryan’s brows furrowed slightly. His fingers clenched tightly in his pocket, but he quickly forced a smile. "Really? Which magazine was it?""It was a finance magazine, right there on
The article described Ryan, the president of the the Whitney Group, known as "Mr. Whitney"—the latest heir of the Whitney family. Due to poor health in his youth, he was once sent abroad by his uncle to recover in a sanatorium.No one expected this seemingly forgotten heir to return with massive capital and directly replace his uncle as the new president of the the Whitney Group.To this day, this capable young president has never appeared in the public eye, nor has his appearance been revealed. Some say he’s ugly, others say he’s handsome. The mystery surrounding him only fuels more curiosity.Recently, someone obtained a childhood photo of him from his uncles. Judging by that photo, Mr. Whitney was likely a good-looking child.Annabelle stared blankly at the photo after reading the description. The boy in the picture looked about five or six years old. Though he wore a smile, his eyes were melancholic, and his expression was restrained—the kind of smile that felt heavy.What shocked
After Jaime left, Kendrick picked up his phone and left a comment under the most trending post:“I actually wish you wouldn’t try so hard. Rely on me a little more, and maybe you wouldn’t fall so many times. ”He tagged Anna’s account.This was his genuine reaction after watching the video compilations.The moment he posted it, it instantly became a hot topic.Although Kendrick rarely used his social media—mostly posting formal content about events or appearances—he was still a massive influencer with a huge following.His comment quickly gained thousands of likes and drew tons of replies from fans and netizens.“In a lover’s eyes, there’s no embarrassment, only heartache.”“She’s working so hard. Shame on the brainless haters!”“So what if she’s pretty and married to a rich, handsome guy? Not jealous at all! (fake smile emoji)”…Meanwhile, Annabelle was in the dressing room, waiting for the rehearsal to start.Someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and saw one of the models
Annabelle turned back. "What is it?"Kendrick looked into her eyes. "Anna, you don’t need to be afraid of anything."Just that one simple sentence filled Annabelle’s heart with a warmth only he could bring.So, he had understood all those hidden feelings she hadn’t even voiced.She withdrew her hand from the door handle and bit her lip. "Sometimes I wonder… taking on such a major brand endorsement—am I overestimating myself?""Why would you think that?"Anna’s gaze drifted past the car window, through the hotel lobby’s glass facade, and onto the people inside."Look at them. All the girls sitting in there are exceptional. They’ve worked incredibly hard to get a spot at Lin’s press conference. And me… I’ve only had a little over a month of crash training..."Kendrick sighed, gently brushing his hand over her cheek. He told her those girls were excellent models. After all, only the best in the industry get to walk in a Murphy Jewelry show.But that didn’t mean they were fit to be the br