Malina willingly stepped aside, letting Annabelle take his seat at the computer.She began typing out her ideas in a document.Scene One: On a grand cruise ship, a lavish wedding is taking place. Suddenly, the bride leaps into the sea and transforms into a mermaid.The groom, without hesitation, dives in after her. Just before she loses her ability to speak, the bride utters a single sentence:"Take my tears and come find me in ten years. If you still love me, the curse will be lifted."A teardrop falls from the bride’s eye—deep blue, shimmering—and lands in the groom’s palm, transforming into a sapphire.Scene Two: The groom brings the sapphire ashore and entrusts it to a jewelry designer (the background of the designer's studio will feature the Lin Jewelry logo). The sapphire is eventually crafted into a necklace—a delicate golden chain suspending a teardrop-shaped blue gem, passing through a finely carved, hollow heart-shaped pendant, resembling a tear falling straight from the hea
“He’s more or less confirmed,” Malina frowned slightly. “But I’m not entirely satisfied.”Annabelle asked, “Is it someone I know?”“A top-tier A-list actor—Julian. You’ve heard of him, right?”Hearing the name, Annabelle’s eyes instantly lit up.Julian was Scott’s younger brother. And Scott was a good friend of Kendrick. From what Kendrick had told her, he and Julian had a decent relationship.That meant Julian could be considered one of their own.As for the scene she was most worried about—the kiss that might make Kendrick jealous—she could simply ask Julian to use camera tricks to make it appear real. He would surely cooperate and not cross any boundaries.Kendrick should be able to relax now, right?Plus, she could invite Julissa, that little fangirl, to visit the set. She had always adored Julian, and this would be the perfect opportunity for her to take a photo with her "Julian-gege" and get to know him better.With all these thoughts in mind, Annabelle felt much more at ease.“
Kendrick played it cool, explaining, “Didn’t I tell you earlier? I was nearby.”Annabelle immediately sensed something off in his words. Could it be that he had been in Lin’s Group all along, secretly watching her?That definitely sounded like something he would do.At that moment, Simon, who was sitting behind his executive desk, asked, “So, Anna, how was your talk with Malina?”Annabelle replied that everything had gone smoothly. She had adjusted the script slightly, and Malina would report the details to him later.Simon nodded with a smile. Checking the time, he noted that it was already noon. Since she was done for the day, he advised her to head home early and rest well—once the commercial shoot began, those days would be exhausting. He had a lunch appointment and wouldn’t be able to join her and Kendrick.Annabelle hadn’t expected Uncle Simon to join them for lunch anyway. She exchanged a few polite words before leaving Lin’s Group with Kendrick.The Japanese restaurant Kendric
For days, an unease had lingered in Annabelle’s heart—the assassin who kept targeting Kendrick. That *Mr. Whitney* was like a ticking time bomb buried beneath their seemingly peaceful lives. They had no idea when he would strike again, bringing the next “explosion.” **“What are you thinking about?”** Kendrick asked. Annabelle turned to look at him. **“That Mr. Whitney… Have you figured out who he really is?”** Kendrick’s eyes darkened as he shifted his gaze back to the road ahead. **“Yes.”** Annabelle’s eyes widened. **“Who is he? Do you know why he wants to kill you?”** Kendrick fell silent for a moment. He knew Anna didn’t follow the news and was unaware of how powerful Ryan from the Chu Group truly was. Should he tell her now? Should he tell her that *Mr. Whitney*—Ryan—wasn’t just the CEO of the Chu Group, the company currently locked in a fierce market battle with the Gregory Group? Should he tell her that Ryan was also the *young master* she once trusted and was deepl
Wrapped in a thick down jacket, Annabelle sat in the car driven by Jax, feeling both the dread of the winter sea and the nerves of her first-ever film shoot. Thinking about today’s filming made her uneasy. According to the script, she had to wear a thin wedding dress and jump into the freezing ocean in the middle of winter. And she wouldn’t be allowed to come out immediately—there were also underwater scenes to be shot. Could the waters near Elfhedge really produce the crystal-clear effect the script required? She let out a long sigh. Why had she been so stubborn about changing the script? Clearly, playing smart didn’t suit her—every little *trick* she had pulled ended up backfiring on herself. *T_T* She glanced at her phone, debating whether to message Kendrick, but in the end, she put it away. It should be nighttime where he was. Kendrick had left the day before on a sudden business trip—something even he hadn’t expected. Before leaving, he had kissed her cheek and told h
Annabelle was first surprised, then quickly realized—this was exactly the kind of thing Kendrick would do. At the same time, she couldn’t help but complain inwardly. That guy! He actually kept this a secret from her, making her think she’d have to film in the freezing waters of Elfhedge. She had worried for *days* over nothing. And really, if the production was already planning to shoot at a warm southern beach, why did he have to go *this* far? Whether she was annoyed that he kept it from her or upset that he was being so extravagant, deep down, all she felt was warmth. Ever since being with Kendrick, her entire life had been arranged perfectly. She didn’t have to worry about anything—he always planned ahead for her, considering every little detail. Because of that, she had grown more and more dependent on him, to the point where she was starting to lose her independence. But Annabelle also understood—her past resilience and self-sufficiency hadn’t come from an inherent love
The group was set to take a seaplane to their final destination—a small island. As they got closer, excitement among the crew grew. Most of them, aside from the director, cinematographer, and the the Murphy Group’s accompanying staff, were regular workers. Their jobs were demanding. Shooting a commercial was manageable since it had a short production cycle, but working on a film or TV series meant being on set for months—sometimes half a year or more. Even if they had money, they rarely had the time to take a vacation. So, getting a free trip to the Maldives? That was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It was no surprise they were thrilled—and naturally, their attitude toward Annabelle had warmed up significantly. Of course, that hadn’t always been the case. At the script meeting, she had been shy and unfamiliar with the team, and they hadn’t been particularly friendly either. Everyone knew she had requested script changes, and people tended to resist change. They thought she
“I missed you, so I flew over.”Kendrick smiled as he wrapped his arm around Anna’s waist, leaning in for a kiss.Annabelle dodged slightly, making his lips land on the corner of her mouth instead.“Are you mad?” he asked.“Jax is still here,” she whispered, her face instantly turning red.Kendrick glanced over at Jax.The man was standing not too far away, very tactfully admiring the sky, the sea, the sand—basically everything except looking in their direction.Satisfied, Kendrick captured Anna’s lips in a proper kiss, though he didn’t linger too long.Even if Jax wasn’t watching, her colleagues were also sneaking glances.It wasn’t that he minded showing affection in public.He just didn’t want other men to see her blushing.“Tired?”Annabelle shook her head, feeling a little embarrassed. “I slept the whole way.”“When does filming start?”Her excitement was obvious as she replied, “The director said the weather will be great tomorrow morning, so we can start shooting then!”Her exp
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