Julissa quickly pressed a hand against Scott’s chest—trying it on in front of him? That’d be like wrapping herself up with a bow and offering herself straight into the lion’s den!“You go back to your room right now. I’ll let you know after I try it on,” she said firmly.“What if I just turn around and face the other way?” Mr. Nichols offered half-heartedly.Julissa glared playfully. “As if I’d believe you wouldn’t sneak a peek. Go! If my parents find out, we’re both dead.”Only then did Scott reluctantly get off the bed and allow himself to be pushed out the door.After he left, Julissa closed the door and quietly changed into the lingerie he’d gifted her.It fit… perfectly.Seriously?Scott’s judgment is this accurate?Her cheeks grew warm again.No matter what, she really loved these gifts. And thank goodness she hadn’t discovered the surprise earlier in front of her parents. That would've been so awkward.But then again… if she had found it earlier, Scott probably would’ve come up
Julissa spit out the toothpaste foam and immediately walked out of the bathroom.Liam was standing at the entranceway and turned to look at her. Surprise and joy flickered in his eyes.“Julissa, you’re home.”“Mm, just for the night,” she mumbled, her words unclear due to the toothpaste in her mouth. Her gaze quickly shifted toward Scott’s bedroom door.Scott appeared soon after, dressed casually.When Liam saw him, his eyes were filled with shock—and a flicker of pain. The smile that was just starting to form vanished instantly.Scott’s expression was neutral. He gave Liam a small nod, then turned to greet Mrs. Hickman politely:“Good morning, Auntie.”Mrs. Hickman smiled and nodded back, “I’ve made breakfast. You and Julissa can eat before you go.”“Okay,” Scott said, then turned to Julissa.“Done with the bathroom?”Julissa blinked in confusion and shook her head. “Almost.”“I’ll dish out breakfast then,” he said.As he passed by the entrance, he casually asked Liam,“Have you eate
Scott seemed perfectly normal—but underneath that calm surface, something was clearly off.Like how he deliberately looked away after their brief eye contact. Or how he wore a faint smile, but there wasn’t even a hint of warmth in his eyes.It was obvious he didn’t want to talk about it right now, so Julissa swallowed her unease and headed to the dining room.Soon after, Scott returned as well, freshly washed up. They had breakfast together, then changed into work attire and got ready to leave for the office.Just as they were about to head out, Mrs. Hickman called Julissa back.From the look on her face, she clearly wanted to speak to her alone. So Julissa told Scott to go down first and start the car—she’d be right behind him.Once he was gone, her mom asked, “Does Scott know about you and Liam?”“He knows… a bit.”Back when she and Liam had just broken up, she met Mr. Nichols. He had even comforted her during that time.Although thinking back now, it was likely that Scott alread
“God of Food?” Scott chuckled. “That actually suits you.”“It’s not that kind of god…” Julissa waved her hand. “It’s a term from the Chinese zodiac and five elements thing—never mind, I can’t explain it well. Just go with the vibe.”Scott clearly wasn’t interested in diving into astrology. He simply gazed at her up close.“So, you’re not marrying into their family anymore, and you’re still eating their eggs. Is that appropriate?”Julissa suddenly recalled her mom’s earlier warning—sure enough, moms do know best. Her mom had predicted that Scott would be feeling a little off about it.So Julissa explained seriously:“My mom already returned the favor. She gave Mrs. Zamora some wild veggies and seafood, so the eggs are totally fair game. Besides, Mrs. Zamora is like a real aunt to me—she’s watched me grow up. Even if I’m not going to be her daughter-in-law, that relationship won’t change.”After that, she tugged on Scott’s sleeve pitifully.“Don’t overthink it, okay?”Scott stared at he
Scott nodded after hearing what she said.Julissa waited for him to follow up, but he didn’t say anything more.She had no choice but to guide the conversation herself.“You don’t know who she is?”“There are so many people who like me. How could I possibly guess?”Julissa wiped an imaginary bead of sweat from her forehead—whatever, she couldn’t be bothered to argue with the narcissistic CEO. After all, if anyone had the right to be cocky, it was him.“She said her name was Mandheling.”Scott froze for a second, then looked at her.“Isn’t that a type of coffee bean?”“Ah, right…”Julissa scratched her head, thinking for a moment.“It was Heather! Yes, that’s the name!”She hadn’t really bothered to remember, because the way that woman had looked down her nose at her had left a bad taste in her mouth.And people who rubbed Julissa the wrong way—well, she didn’t waste the brain space on them.Scott nodded slightly after hearing the name.Julissa raised an eyebrow—so he did know this “Ma
Julissa jolted in surprise.Wasn’t this guy just listening to someone’s report a moment ago?How did he even notice she was zoning out…Was he really going to call her out for that too?How was she supposed to explain it—tell him she’d been daydreaming about doing that with the mighty CEO?Feeling cornered, she glanced at Scott with a conflicted look.“I wasn’t thinking about anything, Mr. Nichols…”Come on, I’m your girlfriend. Show me a little mercy, please don’t scold me...That helpless and pitiful expression, paired with her soft, innocent-sounding “Mr. Nichols”—not only Scott, but even a few of the other male execs in the room felt their hearts soften.They silently cursed their CEO in their minds: Man, have a little compassion. Why bully a sweet girl like that?Scott cleared his throat.“Don’t let your mind wander during meetings.”“Yes, Mr. Nichols.”Julissa obediently lowered her gaze.She had no idea that her docile and submissive demeanor stirred up something fierce in some
Scott chuckled helplessly. “The perfumer remembers the formula. If you like it, I’ll have her make a few more bottles for you to keep. You can have as much as you want in the future.”Only then did Julissa relax.She had thought it was a one-of-a-kind custom blend, something Scott had specially commissioned—a limited edition, gone once used up.“You should’ve said that earlier, Mr. Nichols. I was worried I’d run out.”Scott smiled faintly, reaching up to pinch her soft earlobe. His voice dropped low: “And the clothes—did you wear them?”Julissa’s cheeks flushed. She gave a sly grin: “Not telling you.”Scott’s lips curled slightly. This little woman had gotten bolder and bolder. Did she really not realize how dangerous she always was around him?“Then I’ll see for myself.” As he spoke, his arm tightened slightly.Julissa found herself pressed against him, and what really made her heart race was that his hand had already landed on the second button of her blouse.His fingers toyed
After hanging up the phone, Scott turned to Julissa and said,“Don’t leave yet. Yvette is here. Go wait in the lounge for a bit.”Julissa paused for a moment.Letting her stay in the lounge… wasn't that basically asking her to listen in on their conversation?“If I’m in there, I’ll hear everything you say. Is that okay?”Scott walked up to her and gave her cheek a gentle pinch.“It’s because I don’t want you overthinking things that I’m letting you stay and listen.”Julissa rubbed her cheek, muttering lightly,“Well, you’re the one letting me hear it—don’t blame me for eavesdropping later.”“Mm, I’m letting you,” Scott nodded with a soft smile, looking at her like she was a little kid.Julissa didn’t care about that look.Honestly, she did feel a bit uneasy about how close Senior Yvette and Scott seemed. So if she could listen to their conversation, why not?With light steps, she walked into the lounge and gently closed the door behind her, leaving it slightly ajar.Ever since Yvette
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