“I didn’t say I wasn’t willing,” Annabelle replied honestly.If Kendrick had asked her this question two months ago, she would’ve said no—without even thinking.Because having a child meant one more bond, one more tie.Back then, she couldn’t even picture a clean break if they ever parted ways.She didn’t believe in their long-term future—not really.Of course, even now, she wasn’t entirely sure.But at least now, she was willing to try.So she no longer held onto the mindset of walking away unscathed.That meant, when it came to the topic of kids, Annabelle wasn’t dodging it anymore.But truthfully—she still wasn’t ready.“I just... I don’t know if I want to be a mom yet,” she said quietly, her voice soft but clear. “And I don’t even know if I’d be good at it.”Her eyes looked up at him, wide and earnest.In the darkness, her eyes sparkled like twin pearls.Kendrick couldn’t help but press a kiss to them.“Don’t be scared,” he murmured. “I’ve never been a dad either. We’ll figure it
The woman’s voice was loud and clear—crisp and cutting through the quiet lobby like a bell.It was impossible not to notice her.Annabelle only looked up when she heard the name Scott.She couldn't help glancing curiously at the woman.She looked young, decked out in luxury brands, glittering with jewelry.Her confidence and haughty tone screamed “pampered princess” or maybe some rich family’s young mistress.At that moment, Julissa stepped out of the elevator.When she spotted Annabelle, she gave her a wave and started walking over.But the front desk receptionist stopped her.“Miss Hickman, this lady here is looking for Mr. Nichols. I told her he’s out on a business trip, but she didn’t believe me. Could you help explain?”Julissa nodded and mouthed to Annabelle from afar: Wait for me.Annabelle waved in return, signaling her to go ahead and handle it.Julissa walked up to the woman and said politely,“Hello, ma’am. I’m Mr. Nichols’s assistant. He really is out of town on business.
“Anna, you must have plenty of love rivals too—how do you deal with them?”Julissa asked, still brooding.Annabelle thought for a moment.“I don’t think I’ve ever really had to deal with them… Kendrick usually handles it himself.”“...”What else could Julissa say to that?Seriously, finding a mature, level-headed man who knows how to handle relationships—That was peace of mind money couldn’t buy.To be fair, Scott wasn’t bad in that regard either, but that didn’t stop people from liking him.And that—that was what annoyed her.Annabelle chuckled.“Your Scott is excellent—of course people are going to like him. You can’t control that. Just make sure he only likes you. That’s what matters.”Julissa nodded silently. “Makes sense.”Funny thing was, that was exactly the kind of thing she used to say to Anna.She never thought that once it happened to her, she’d be the one overthinking everything.“Alright, enough of that—come look at the local goodies I brought you.”And just like that,
Scott replied:“I’ll be back the afternoon after tomorrow.”Julissa slumped over her desk, resting her chin on the back of her hand as she typed one last message with the other.“My parents just got back from their trip. Anna dropped off some local goodies today—I'm bringing some over to my folks tonight, so I’ll stay at home for the next couple of days.”“Okay. Let’s talk tonight, after my meeting.”“Mm, okay.”After sending it, she turned off her screen.Saying “let’s talk tonight” basically just meant a one- or two-minute call.Scott’s schedule was packed down to the minute—there was no way he had time to stay on the phone chatting about “I miss you” or “I love you” type stuff.So even though they only talked for a few short minutes each night while he was away, Julissa still felt content.Besides, he really did try to meet her halfway—asking her what she had for dinner, how her day went, little things like that.And just thinking about their nightly check-in already had her lookin
Mrs. Hickman’s eyes lit up.“Scott’s here?”Julissa looked completely confused.“I don’t know! He’s supposed to be on a business trip, said he won’t be back till the day after tomorrow. I’ll go take a look.”As she spoke, she was already slipping on her shoes and rushing out the door—her heart pounding like crazy the whole way down to the first floor.The moment she stepped out of the building, she saw a black SUV parked beside the path.And right next to the car stood none other than her devilishly handsome, endlessly charming CEO boyfriend—the very man she’d been missing day and night!He wore a deep navy designer suit, tie-less, with the top two buttons of his dress shirt undone—just the right mix of sexy and restrained.He looked like he’d just stepped out of a conference room, too busy to change into anything casual before rushing straight over.Scott spotted her too, a faint smile curling at his lips.Julissa’s heart basically took flight.Almost on instinct, she broke into a ru
Mr. Hickman nodded,“You went to Shadelake for business?”“Yes,” Scott replied, “Had to attend a branch office opening.”Julissa sneaked a glance at him and noticed that whenever Scott spoke to her father, he was especially well-behaved—gentle, polite, not a trace of that usual icy CEO demeanor.Tsk tsk, she thought. Is the aloof version fake, or is this obedient one just an act?Either way, Julissa kind of loved this extra-sweet version of her CEO.After the brief greetings, Mr. Hickman returned to the dining room, while Mrs. Hickman fetched an extra set of chopsticks and a bowl for their guest.Scott changed into the house slippers and took off his suit jacket. Julissa quickly took it and hung it on the rack for him.“I’m going to wash my hands. Where’s the bathroom?”“I’ll show you.”So off she went, leading her boss boyfriend to the bathroom like a little tour guide. While Scott washed up, Julissa stood nearby with sparkly eyes, waiting patiently to hand him a towel.“Here, use mi
Scott helped clear the table, but Mrs. Hickman chuckled as she took the empty plates from his hands.“Scott, go relax in the living room, I’ll handle the cleanup.”Then she turned to her daughter,“Julissa, don’t make more trouble for me—go brew some tea instead. It’s his first time visiting, you should keep him company.”Only then did Julissa give up her rare burst of enthusiasm for dishwashing and lead Scott out of the kitchen.First stop: washing their hands.While standing at the sink, Julissa whispered to Scott,“We have very clear division of labor at home. My dad cooks and mops the floors. My mom does the dishes and laundry. Basically, if she doesn’t like doing something, my dad does it.”Scott nodded with an expression of dawning understanding—no wonder her dad had vanished after dinner and was now chilling in the living room watching TV with zero guilt.“Then what about you?” he asked. “What’s your job?”Julissa blinked. For a second, she was stumped.What was her job at home
Scott had seen plenty of Julissa’s careless moments.He especially remembered the time she casually grabbed a handful of tea leaves, tossed them into a cup, and poured in some hot water—voilà, tea.He’d never imagined that this same girl—his girlfriend—could be so calm and graceful.But right now, watching her quietly make tea, he realized: this quiet elegance seemed to reveal something deeper, something true to her nature.He had always felt that Julissa was a bundle of contradictions. Sometimes she was fiery and full of uncontainable energy, other times she was incredibly patient and resilient.Now, watching her make tea, sharing a meal with her parents, seeing their everyday family life up close—Scott finally started to understand.Julissa’s cheerful, sunny personality came from this warm and accepting little family of hers. But her quiet strength and simplicity, those clearly came from her down-to-earth parents.And the more he thought about it, the luckier he felt to have met som
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