The more Annabelle thought about it, the more terrified she became. She immediately said to Jax, “Go find him right now. Don’t worry about me. If you’re really concerned, I’ll have Gauge stay with me.”Jax blinked, hesitating for a moment.If he left Madam with Mr. Murphy, wouldn’t the Boss kill him when he found out?That was his love rival…Seeing Jax remain silent, Annabelle was on the verge of losing her patience. “You’re his security advisor. Ensuring his safety is your duty! And Gauge is my good friend. You know his character—don’t you trust him?”Jax hesitated.To be fair, Gauge was indeed an upright person. Even though the Boss had his reservations about him, when he learned that Gauge had given up an important competition to join the film shoot, he secretly helped him secure a rescheduled match.While the Boss claimed he did it to prevent Madam from feeling indebted to Gauge in the future, deep down, it showed that he still trusted him to some extent.Jax glanced at the clock
"Let me do it."As he spoke, Gauge took the glass of water from Anna's hand, poured her a cup, and handed it to her.Annabelle held the warm glass, apologetically saying, "Sorry for disturbing your rest.""It’s fine," Gauge replied as he poured himself a cup of water.To help her complete the shoot, he had traveled over six thousand kilometers. Staying up all night wasn’t a big deal.He glanced at her pale face and said, "I’m glad you thought of me in such a situation."Annabelle tried to smile, but it didn’t quite come through."There’s filming tomorrow. I’ll tidy up the bed. You should get some sleep in the bedroom," she suggested as she prepared to walk to the room.Gauge patted her shoulder. "No need. You sleep in the bed. If I get tired, I can make do on the sofa."Besides, he couldn’t sleep anyway. The sudden turn of events had erased any trace of drowsiness.He also worried that something might happen while he slept. After all, Jax had warned him not to leave the room even half
How should Annabelle answer Gauge?In the past, Annabelle always thought that her marriage to Kendrick was a mere formality. They agreed to divorce after their collaboration ended, keeping their arrangement a secret to avoid damaging Kendrick’s reputation. It was an agreement they both accepted.But now, after half a year, everything had changed.What was once a formal marriage was no longer just that. They had truly become husband and wife, both physically and emotionally.What she had once hidden from others now seemed like a twist of fate upon reflection."After Marvin called off the engagement, my parents wanted to marry me off to a wealthy old man. That’s when I hastily decided to get engaged to Kendrick," Annabelle said, holding a chess piece with a bitter smile.Thinking back, she really had been like a chess piece herself.Her fate was never in her own hands. She was a pawn manipulated by her family. The moment she lost her usefulness, she would be cast aside.But after marryi
Annabelle wanted badly to call Jax, but she hesitated.What if the situation on his side was critical? Calling him might only cause trouble."Kendrick is no ordinary man. Ordinary crises can't defeat him. You have to trust him," Gauge said, clearing his throat awkwardly.Annabelle was taken aback. It was rare to hear Gauge speak so positively about Kendrick. The two of them had always seemed to hold a low opinion of each other."I hope so too. But we’re not in our country, and Kendrick has no one by his side. It makes me uneasy."Even when they were in their own country, Kendrick had faced numerous life-threatening situations, all orchestrated by that enigmatic figure, Mr. Whitney.However, Mr. Whitney had hesitated and missed several opportunities.Kendrick once said it was because Mr. Whitney liked her and couldn't bear to scare her.Annabelle always assumed that was just something Kendrick said to comfort her. She didn't even know Mr. Whitney, so the claim sounded absurd.But what
Whatever tomorrow might bring, whether storm or sunshine, she would remain steadfast.Until she received news of Kendrick, she would hold herself together and wait for his return.Just as Gauge said, since she chose him, she must become strong and calm.In the second game, Annabelle cleared her mind of distractions and focused on the chessboard.Gauge, however, grew increasingly distracted. The things Annabelle had shared with him tonight weighed heavily on his mind.He couldn't stop worrying about her future, wondering if there was still a chance for him to become a part of her life—to become her other half.As a result, he played terribly. Despite his usually superior skills, he lost to Annabelle.After her unexpected victory, Annabelle felt a shift in her mindset.She turned to Gauge and said, "We have filming tomorrow. I’m going to get some rest now. You should try to get some sleep too.""Alright."Annabelle brought him a thin blanket and a new pillow before returning to the inne
Annabelle wanted to find Kendrick, but on this unfamiliar island, she had no friends or anyone she could turn to for help. She didn't even know where to start looking.As for contacting the police, she decided against it for now.Since that mysterious Mr. Whitney dared to make a move against Kendrick, he certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to get caught by the authorities. Furthermore, if the police got involved, the news of Kendrick's disappearance would quickly spread back to China.This would deal a significant blow to the Gregory Group, which might be exactly what the the Whitney Group wanted.Unless she had no other choice or no leads at all, Annabelle wasn’t planning to call the police.If all else failed, she could return to China and track down Mr. Whitney herself. The the Whitney Group was well-known, and finding him wouldn’t be difficult. Once she located him, she might be able to uncover information about Kendrick.After thinking it through, Annabelle said to Gauge, “Let’s
Everything turned out to be much simpler than expected.As Annabelle plunged into the sea, the warmth of the water enveloped her. She felt as if the ocean itself was healing and soothing her, as though it was where she truly belonged.It seemed like she could hear a distant, ancient voice. The language was unfamiliar, but its tone conveyed deep, comforting affection.When Annabelle surfaced, her heart was calm and resolute. She glanced at the horizon and, for a fleeting moment, thought she saw a white boat approaching.Standing at the bow of the boat was a figure that resembled Kendrick.But before she could focus, the churning waves obscured her view. She dismissed it as an illusion. The distance was too far to see anyone clearly, yet her mind had conjured the image of Kendrick.Afterward, Annabelle climbed into the lifeboat. Gauge immediately draped a towel over her shoulders.“That was a perfect dive,” Gauge praised.Annabelle gave him a faint smile. “Your turn next.”“Mine’s much
This time, the distance was much closer, and Annabelle could see clearly. On the small boat was a round, stout man steering it.It seemed to be the same boat she had glimpsed earlier from afar. So, had it brought someone over? Could it really be Kendrick?Her heart pounded wildly.Afraid of disappointment, Annabelle didn't dare let herself feel too much hope.Her entire body tensed as she hurried aboard the yacht. She immediately grabbed a crew member and asked where the person from the boat had gone.The crew member pointed to the upper deck.Without another word, Annabelle rushed toward the deck, not even daring to ask if it was truly Kendrick.Barefoot, she ran through the long corridor. The reflective glass along the hallway showed her disheveled reflection. Her wet hair clung to her face, a bath towel draped over her shoulders, and her mermaid dress, still damp, clung uncomfortably to her body. But she didn’t care.All she could think about was reaching the upper deck.Finally, s
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