Rewind to three hours earlier.It was 9 PM.After finishing her training, Anna left the dance studio and headed to the parking lot. Just as she was about to get into her car, a sudden cramp seized her calf muscles.She leaned against the car door, sucking in a sharp breath from the pain.A tall figure appeared in front of her.Anna looked up and was surprised to see him.“Young Master… why are you… here?”Because of the pain, Annabelle’s words came out in fragments.He didn’t answer her.Instead, he walked up to her, crouched down, and gently placed his hand on her left knee.“This leg?”Annabelle gritted her teeth and nodded. “Muscle… cramp… It’ll be fine… in a moment.”“Hold onto my shoulder and stand properly.”She hesitated, then placed her hand on the car door instead of his shoulder.He didn’t say anything about it. He simply held her ankle with one hand and pressed against her knee with the other, adjusting her leg the same way Kendrick had done before.Soon, the pain faded awa
Annabelle lowered her head, not responding to his words.She had been busy and exhausted lately, temporarily pushing thoughts of the Young Master out of her mind.But with just one sentence, he brought back memories of that day when they climbed the mountain together.His confession.Everything he had done for her.It all came crashing down like an invisible weight on her heart, suffocating her.Julissa always said she was carefree and rational, that she always knew what she wanted.But Julissa didn’t know—being rational and carefree didn’t mean she never felt sorrow.She knew she had chosen Kendrick.She had almost completely cut ties with the Young Master.But the guilt and remorse had never lessened.“…Young Master, I’m sorry.”Ryan let out a soft chuckle.“You don’t need to apologize. I was just one step too late.”That was how Kendrick found his opening.But it was fine.He believed—no, he was certain—that one day in the future, he and Anna would return to the home that truly bel
Kendrick stood in front of her car, his own vehicle parked not far ahead.From the coldness in his gaze, Annabelle knew—he had seen everything.Including the Young Master kissing her.Her mind buzzed. Instinctively, she wanted to lower her head, pretend she wasn’t there.But Kendrick had already seen her.And her car.There was nowhere to hide.The two men were still locked in a silent standoff.She didn’t know if they would start fighting.But she thought it was a real possibility.Taking a deep breath, she opened the car door and got out.No matter what, she couldn’t let the two of them come to blows.But what she feared didn’t happen.Just as she stepped out, a black Bentley pulled up beside the Young Master.Clearly, it had come to pick him up.The Young Master turned to look at her.His gaze lingered briefly on her lips before he curved them into a slight smirk.Then, he got into the car.Now, only she and Kendrick remained.Under the streetlamp, they stared at each other.His ex
After Kendrick finished speaking, he walked out of the dressing room.Watching his retreating figure, Annabelle felt a deep sense of grievance.Her nose tingled with the threat of tears.Why wouldn’t he just listen to her explanation?She hadn’t gone on a secret date with another man.What happened in the car wasn’t what he thought…It was the Young Master who suddenly kissed her.How could she have predicted that? And she had pushed him away immediately!Dazed, she followed Kendrick toward the bathroom.The door opened.Then— Bang!It shut.Annabelle’s heart trembled.She stopped in her tracks.She wanted to rush in.But the closed door in front of her was a clear sign of Kendrick’s attitude.He didn’t want to talk to her.At least not right now.Maybe after he finished showering, he’d cool down a little—then she could explain.Annabelle returned to her suite and took a quick shower.Her mind was still preoccupied with Kendrick, so she didn’t linger.After drying off, she slipped int
Annabelle blinked.Even on the first day they met, Kendrick had never been this restrained or polite.This rare display of self-control left her momentarily at a loss for how to respond.She hesitated for a second before murmuring, “No…”Kendrick lowered his head again.Annabelle felt completely shut out.Clearly, he had no intention of talking.Or perhaps—he didn’t even want to acknowledge her presence.Maybe after seeing another man kiss her, he now found her repulsive?Maybe he didn’t even want to waste another word on her?She could understand.If she saw Kendrick being kissed by another woman, she would be just as upset.She wouldn’t want to talk to him either.She might not even want him to touch her again.Annabelle pressed her lips together, turned silently, and walked toward the door.It seemed like the only option was to let him cool off on his own.She would explain when he was ready to listen.But just as she reached the doorway, a cold voice rang out behind her—“Stop.”H
His voice was hoarse, thick with jealousy, and his eyes burned with rage.It was as if he had been suppressing his emotions for too long, and now, he was finally about to explode.Annabelle stared at him blankly. “I didn’t expect Young Master to suddenly kiss me. It was just a brief kiss, nothing more. I pushed him away—you saw it yourself…”She was telling the truth.But under Kendrick’s piercing gaze, her explanation somehow felt insincere, like a poorly constructed lie.She had initially felt sorry for him.But now, being interrogated like this, she felt both wronged and afraid.Her eyes reddened as she whispered, “If you don’t believe me, you can check the car’s surveillance footage. I didn’t lie to you.”The moment her words fell, Kendrick lowered his head and bit her lips.Pain shot through Annabelle’s lips, followed by the taste of blood.Her eyes widened in shock as she immediately pushed him away. “Kendrick, did you actually bite me?!”Kendrick didn’t respond.His dark eyes l
Kendrick gazed into Anna’s eyes.Her eyes were red, like a little bunny that had been wronged.Yet, despite her delicate appearance, her gaze was unwavering.Thinking back to how roughly he had kissed her earlier, Kendrick felt even more guilty.He gently kissed the corner of her lips. “Does it still hurt?”As soon as he asked, Annabelle’s face flushed red. “Which part are you asking about…?”Kendrick chuckled. “All of it.”“It all still hurts!” she huffed, full of grievance.Kendrick kissed her again. “Then let’s go to bed and take it slow…”Annabelle lowered her eyes, her cheeks burning as she nodded slightly, then wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.Kendrick lifted her from the desk and was about to carry her to the bedroom when she suddenly said, “Wait a second!”“What’s wrong?”“Go the other way—there’s glass here.”Kendrick was stunned for a moment and looked down at the floor.Shards of the broken glass from the cup he had smashed earlier were scattered across the ground.
Kendrick kissed the back of Anna’s neck. “Be good, sleep now.”Annabelle’s eyelids were already drooping heavily when her phone suddenly vibrated with an incoming message.She propped herself up slightly and reached for her phone on the bedside table.Just as she lit up the screen, before she could even see who the message was from, Kendrick pulled her back into his arms.Her phone was swiftly taken away and tucked under his pillow.“Be a good girl and sleep. No checking your phone.”“I just want to see who messaged me. It could be important.”Kendrick, looking particularly sour, responded, “If it were really important, they would’ve called. No need to check a text at this hour.”“…”That… kind of made sense.But it was just one message! It’s not like she was planning to scroll through her phone for hours. A quick glance wouldn’t ruin her sleep.“I’ll just take a peek.” Annabelle lay on top of Kendrick, reaching for her phone.However, before she could grab it, he firmly pressed her b
No one knew how long had passed before peace finally returned to the bedroom.Sunlight slipped through the curtains, casting soft rays across their bed.A thin blanket was draped over Annabelle, her bare shoulders and arms exposed.She had just woken up, already drained of energy, and now her entire body felt sore and weak—as if all strength had left her.Passion could make one forget their troubles for a moment, but once it faded, all those nagging worries returned, one by one.She lay quietly beneath the faint sunlight, watching the play of light and shadow on the bed, lost in thought.“Still upset about breaking the clay doll yesterday?” Kendrick murmured against her shoulder, planting a soft kiss there.Annabelle gave a slight nod, then shook her head.The doll, with its auspicious meaning, had been shattered—it felt unlucky. But more importantly, the incident made her realize something:She and Kendrick had been together for so long, yet they still didn’t have a child.“Why haven
Annabelle shook her head at the little boy. She could tell he hadn’t done it on purpose, so of course she didn’t blame him.At that moment, the boy’s mother arrived. She scolded her son for misbehaving—how could he run off like that before he’d even learned to stop properly?Then she turned to Annabelle and Kendrick, thanking them and apologizing for the broken item. She asked how much the figurines had cost so she could compensate them.Annabelle didn’t want to fuss over it. “It’s fine,” she said. But the woman insisted—her child had broken someone else’s things and she had to pay for it.The clay dolls weren’t cheap. Kendrick glanced at the mother and son, then casually quoted a price: “One hundred fifty.”The woman immediately transferred the money and even pressed her son’s head down, making him apologize.The boy then said again, “Sorry, uncle… sorry, sister…”The corner of Kendrick’s mouth twitched, and he replied coolly, “It’s okay.”Afterward, Annabelle and Kendrick crossed th
Annabelle suddenly realized that all those rapidly increasing follower counts on her social media—each number represented a real person. And the red bean cake vendor standing in front of her was clearly one of them. This unexpected kindness from a stranger warmed her heart, though it also made her feel a bit embarrassed. No matter what, she decided to pay for the cakes. But no matter what she said, the vendor firmly refused to take her money. There was a line of customers behind her, so she didn't want to keep holding up the queue. Instead, she quickly scanned the QR code, estimated a fair price, and transferred the money to the vendor before leaving with peace of mind. Yet before she’d walked a few steps, the young vendor chased after her, insistently stuffing two extra portions of red bean cakes into her hands. His face was even redder than before. He wanted to look at her, but didn’t dare, scratching his head as he said shyly, “I said I’d give my goddess a freebie, and I me
Linda paused. Marvin couldn’t help asking, “And then?”She snapped back to the present and continued, as if telling someone else’s story.“Luckily, my brother came back. He was a sophomore in college and had just returned home for summer break. He saw that bastard trying to hurt me, grabbed a kitchen knife, and slashed his neck. Blood sprayed all over my face.“He kept hacking at him until the guy couldn’t move anymore. Then he held me and said, ‘Linda, it’s okay now. He’ll never hurt you again.’“After that, my brother was sentenced to death. I was sixteen.“The day he was executed, my grandfather had a stroke and didn’t survive. After the funeral, my stepmother asked for a divorce, and my dad agreed.“The night before their divorce, my dad opened the gas valve. He and my stepmother died of carbon monoxide poisoning.“I spent a month in the hospital but survived. After that… I was on my own. I didn’t really ‘struggle’ in society—I just drifted. Took life one day at a time.“This job
“No way!” Marvin spat out, his voice tight with disbelief. “Anna just finished a jewelry event last night—there’s no way she could be in North City!”“Maybe she flew over after the event?” the reporter offered weakly, desperation creeping into his tone. “Mr. Gregory, if your brother finds out I tried to dig into this… you’ve got to protect me.”“Enough already. I get it.” Marvin snapped, the edge of impatience slicing through his words.“Alright, alright. No time to chat—gotta push the story out before someone else scoops it.” The reporter hung up in a hurry.But he was already too late.Another outlet had already dropped part of the exclusive interview, cleverly holding back the juiciest bits to keep viewers hooked. Within twenty minutes, the full conversation with Kendrick and Annabelle was everywhere.In a private hospital room in Elfhedge, Marvin stared at the news reports, fury radiating off him like heat from asphalt. His phone met the floor with a sickening crack, screen shatte
Annabelle had long known that the reporters were fixated on this topic and would eventually bring it up again.Even though they were blocked from interviewing her at yesterday’s press conference, here they were today.She was just thankful that she wasn’t facing them alone.As for the real reason behind her and Kendrick’s flash marriage, it was simply because she didn’t want to marry a perverted old man, and Kendrick had agreed to marry her because she claimed she could help treat his headaches.Neither of those reasons could be made public. Otherwise, people would assume Kendrick was just a backup plan, and the fact that she knew medicine would be completely exposed.Kendrick might not mind being teased, but if people found out she had medical skills, things would get very complicated.Just imagining it—every time one of Kendrick’s friends or business associates (especially the ones she didn’t like) met her, they'd stick out their wrist without a word and ask for a diagnosis. That wo
After ending the call with Kendrick, Annabelle felt much better.Regardless of how her parents acted, her future was her own. With Kendrick by her side, always considering her needs, she already felt content with her life.Still feeling drowsy, she lay on the bed for a while and ended up falling back asleep. When she finally woke again, it was hunger that roused her.She planned to get up and find something to eat.Looking around, she couldn’t see where her clothes had gone. A white T-shirt, clearly Kendrick’s, was draped over the sofa beside the bed.She got out of bed barefoot and slipped the oversized T-shirt over her head.Kendrick was tall, so the shirt was long enough to cover her hips. Loose and casual.She walked to the dining area and spotted the lunch Kendrick mentioned. She was about to warm it up in the microwave when she suddenly heard commotion outside the door—lots of voices.She vaguely made out someone calling, “Mr. Gregory…”Was he back? She didn’t dare open the door
Annabelle's personal social media account was gaining followers at an explosive rate—so fast it could give someone high blood pressure.For her, this kind of media exposure was obviously a great thing.You could say that Alice had practically sacrificed herself to boost Annabelle’s popularity.Not only did the incident showcase Anna’s personal capabilities, but it also unintentionally promoted Murphy Jewelry—an unexpected wave of free publicity.Under this trending topic, netizens began checking out the pieces shown at Murphy Jewelry’s latest press conference.Many even tagged her: “Supporting Anna! Already bought it!”Similar comments were flooding in.Out of curiosity, Annabelle checked the e-commerce platform authorized by Murphy Jewelry.To her surprise, 80% of the newly released items from the previous night were already sold out.No wonder that last time, when she was being slammed online, Kendrick didn’t suppress the news but instead flipped the narrative and gained popularity
Actually, Kendrick had already grown suspicious when breakfast was delivered.The strange eye contact between the two servers caught his attention, especially the male server who looked somewhat familiar.Previously, when Kendrick was negotiating business with an important partner at a hotel in Elfhedge, Ryan launched a surprise attack. That was also when Anna took a tranquilizer dart for him.During that confrontation, Kendrick vaguely remembered a face just like this—handsome, with thick brows and big eyes. He looked honest and trustworthy, which was exactly the kind of appearance that lowered one’s guard.But Kendrick couldn’t be sure if it was the same person.The call he made to Jaime was to have him investigate the people who had just delivered the food.If it was the same person, then Ryan was making another move against him.As for whether the breakfast was actually poisoned, Kendrick had only suspected it at the time—he wasn’t certain.He also thought, if Ryan really wanted t