“It’s alright, I’m not busy right now,” Scott said.“Come sit over here.”Julissa kept her ears trained on the sounds outside.She could tell that Senior Yvette and Scott had moved over to the sofa area and sat down.Then she heard Senior Yvette speak first:“This is the key to your family house. Julian gave it to me before. He’s not in Elfhedge right now, so I’ll return it to you.”“You’ve decided to go back to Tokyo?”“Yeah. My parents have forgiven me, but after all these years apart, living together again feels… awkward—for all of us. I can already imagine, pretty soon they’ll start trying to set me up with someone again. But I just want some peace and quiet for now, so I’ve decided to go back to Tokyo. I’m used to life there anyway.”Scott paused for a couple of seconds.“As long as you’re sure.”Yvette continued:“Oh, and… you helped me hire a lawyer, paid for my treatments—it was a lot. I went through all the expenses and put the total in this card. The PIN is the last six digi
Julissa suddenly heard her name mentioned and instantly sat up straight.Please, please, let Mr. Nichols not say I was eavesdropping… That would be so embarrassing…Thankfully, Scott wasn’t that blunt.“Julissa’s busy downstairs,” he replied.“Did you need something from her?”“Not really,” Yvette said. “I came to see her a while ago and said some inappropriate things. I feel really sorry about it. I was hoping to apologize in person, but since she’s busy, could you please pass along my apology?”“Sure, I’ll let her know.”Hearing this, Julissa finally felt a sense of relief.She understood Senior Yvette better now. And she understood Scott even more.All her worries had been unnecessary—Scott had clearly known exactly what he was doing all along.As for Senior Yvette’s feelings toward him, they were just a projection of her longing for happiness after a failed marriage—nothing more.Thankfully, she had figured it out in the end.Julissa stopped listening to the rest of the conversati
Scott agreed so easily that Julissa couldn’t help but feel a wave of disappointment.But there was nothing she could say, so she sulkily repeated,“Then go ahead and move back home.”For the rest of the workday, Julissa remained in a listless, melancholic state.When it was finally time to leave, she clocked out as usual and headed to the elevator with Mr. Nichols.She pressed the button for the first floor.Scott, meanwhile, pressed B2—the underground parking level.Julissa really wanted to cancel her floor selection and go with him, but she held herself back.When the elevator reached the first floor, she turned to look at Scott.“Then… I’ll get going first…”The CEO smiled and said,“See you tomorrow, Miss Hickman.”She gave him another glance, puffed out her cheeks, then walked out of the elevator with her head down.Since her apartment was close to the office, she could just walk home.Clutching a jar of salted eggs in her arms, Julissa trudged down the sidewalk. The jar felt rid
Julissa was on the verge of tears. She wanted to get up but, considering the state she was in, she felt too embarrassed. She forced out two words: “I’m fine.”Scott held her by the shoulders, helped her up from the ground, and pulled her into his arms.Because she was wearing so little, she shivered from the cold. Scott held her even tighter.Julissa buried her flushed face into his chest, feeling the chill of his body but also catching the fresh, masculine scent from his embrace.“Why did you suddenly show up…” she asked quietly.Scott gently ran his hand down her smooth back. “I’ve been following you the whole way. You didn’t notice?”Julissa looked up at him. “If you were following me, didn’t you see how heavy that jar I was carrying was? Why didn’t you help me?”Her little complaint sounded more like she was being coquettish.Scott replied, “It was something your mom gave you. Of course, you had to carry it yourself.”Julissa shot him a look, smiling.So petty—still jealous?“I di
Julissa's heart raced as she met Scott's gaze. She knew exactly what he was asking, and the weight of his question pressed down on her. In the past, she would have replied without hesitation: Of course not! But now, the balance in her heart had already tipped. She knew how much she liked Scott. She also knew she longed for a deeper, more intimate connection with him. The thought of being closer to him, of sharing that level of intimacy, was both thrilling and terrifying.However, there was a promise she couldn't ignore. She had made a blood oath to her mom! She’d sworn that if she ever slept with Scott before marriage, she would lose her sense of taste and never enjoy food again. The memory of that promise was a heavy burden, and the fear of losing something so fundamental to her daily life was daunting. If that really came true, what joy would be left in the rest of her life?Scott looked at her, a bit anxious. His eyes searched hers, seeking an answer. “Why that expression? Are you
Seeing the bright, playful light in her eyes, Scott instantly understood her answer. A slow smile spread across his face, and he didn't bother to banter anymore. With a swift, fluid motion, he lifted her into his arms, cradling her close to his body. The warmth of his touch sent shivers down her spine, and she felt a mix of excitement and nervousness wash over her.He kissed her deeply. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the intensity of their connection. The bedroom suddenly felt too far away, so they stopped in the living room, where the sofa beckoned with its wide, soft cushions.As Scott gently laid her down on the sofa, Julissa felt a surge of panic. That one time in the past—her memory was too fuzzy. She could barely recall anything. This felt much more like her first time.And when Scott took off his shirt, revealing his healthy tan skin and well-defined muscles, Julissa realized—it was really happening. She was unbelievably nervous. Her mind raced with a t
Scott looked down at her, eyes gleaming with a smile. He did look like a man who had gotten what he wanted—but more than that, he looked fulfilled, as if life itself had reached a perfect state.“Are you hungry?” he asked.Julissa had just had some intense ‘exercise’ and didn’t have much appetite. She shook her head.“Tired?” he asked again.“A little.”Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright like a mischievous fairy who’d just stolen a magical elixir—Scott couldn’t take his eyes off her. The desire in his gaze deepened.He flipped over, hovering above his little fairy. “Then… how about one more round?”…They started on the couch and ended in the bedroom.After this round, Julissa was completely wiped out, lying boneless on the bed. She no longer looked like a fairy who stole elixirs—more like someone who’d had her spirit energy drained.“Really tired?” asked a certain CEO with exaggerated concern.Julissa gave him a weak, death-glare.The man scratched his head and chuckled sheepis
Scott had told her before that his mom had to reschedule her flight due to some matters, and that instead of coming to Elfhedge this week, she’d postponed her visit until the end of the month.So… how did it not get postponed, but actually moved up?And Scott’s mom—she looked so young...Then she glanced down at her current state. It was the first time meeting her future mother-in-law, and she looked like this—hair messy, legs bare, just his oversized shirt on.The embarrassment was off the charts. Right now, Julissa wanted nothing more than to bury her face in a hole and disappear.Her steps grew heavy. She tugged on Scott’s sleeve and whispered, “What’s going on?”“Julian ran into some trouble, so my mom came early,” he replied casually.As he spoke, Scott took her hand and began leading her toward the kitchen.Julissa hesitated after a few steps and asked in a hushed voice, “Should I… change into something proper first?”“She already saw you. You can change later.”…Fair enough.Ju
Ten minutes later, Annabelle finally finished getting dressed and walked out of the bedroom, then followed the young master out of the suite.This was the young master’s private suite at the hotel. Annabelle wasn’t sure if it was where he stayed regularly. She only knew that the last time she was poisoned in South Lake City, she was brought here by him—so it felt somewhat familiar.They headed slowly toward the elevator.The young master was clearly aware her back was hurting, so he walked at a leisurely pace to match hers.As they walked, he asked casually, “You've been with Kendrick for a while now. Tired of him yet?”Annabelle glanced at him, but he wasn’t looking at her. His expression was calm, unreadable.She lowered her head and replied softly, “...No.”“Has he ever bullied you?”“Bullied... uh, no. He hasn’t.”Annabelle almost answered instinctively—Kendrick had “bullied” her too many times, though not in the way the young master meant. Realizing her slip, she instantly regret
Annabelle called back, and the call was picked up before the first ring even ended."Anna, where are you? Are you okay?" Kendrick's anxious voice came through."I'm fine, don’t worry. I’m at the Young Master's place..."Kendrick was silent for two seconds. "What’s wrong with your voice?"Annabelle didn’t think there was anything wrong with her voice. But since she had just woken up and was still lying down, her tone wasn’t as clear as usual. Kendrick must’ve noticed."I just woke up... still lying down.""Is that so."His voice was hoarse, as if he was trying to suppress some emotions.Annabelle quickly explained, "It’s not what you’re thinking.""I know," he paused, "When can you come back?""I’ll come now—ow..." Annabelle said as she tried to sit up, but pain in her waist forced her to lie back down."What’s wrong?""My back hurts."Kendrick went quiet again. "Can you come back today? I can take you to the hospital.""I can. Meet me at Central Hospital, I’ll ask the Young Master to
Ryan replied, “My plan is underway. You all promised not to interfere with my pace.”“Unless your pace is too slow,” the man said with a pause. “Consider this a warning. If you keep stalling, your Anna might not be so lucky next time.”He hung up.In the blink of an eye, the man had vanished from Ryan’s view.Ryan clenched his fists. Blood from the wound on his arm dripped down to the ground.He hadn’t dared contact Anna publicly, precisely to avoid this kind of situation—afraid she’d become his weakness and be used to threaten him.And now, what he feared most had still happened.Kendrick had to die—whether to reclaim Anna or for his own reasons.But he hated being forced like this.Especially when they used Anna to push him.Glancing at the unconscious Anna in the back seat, Ryan calmed himself, got in the car, and drove away quickly.Annabelle didn’t know how long she’d been asleep.When she opened her eyes, the room around her gradually came into focus.She recognized this place.
Annabelle still wanted to go forward to help, but Seraphina grabbed her arm.“If you go over there, the young master will have to save you too.”Hearing this, Annabelle snapped back to her senses and finally didn’t step forward, only watching anxiously in the young master’s direction.As he passed the gate, the young master grabbed a fire extinguisher and rushed to the car door. He smashed the front passenger window hard twice, shattering the glass.The trapped driver, Barry, immediately crawled out through the window.By then, security guards had also rushed over, each holding a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.The young master quickly walked back toward them.Just when Annabelle thought the danger had passed—Boom!A loud explosion burst from the car!The blast shockwave seemed to hit the young master. He staggered forward from the impact.“Young master!”Both Annabelle and Seraphina cried out at the same time.Annabelle endured the sharp pain in her waist and forced down her d
What was Young Master doing at the Whitney Group?He had said before that he didn’t know much about Ryan. Running into him here today—could it be that Young Master was doing business with the the Whitney Group?Annabelle noticed that Seraphina was standing on Young Master's left side, while on his right was another man in a suit, holding documents and reporting something as they walked. Three more suited men followed closely behind.It seemed clear—this was a business visit.Seraphina inadvertently turned her head and glanced in Annabelle’s direction. She seemed to have spotted her and said something to Young Master.Annabelle saw Young Master turn and look toward her, where she sat in the car.Since he had seen her, Annabelle decided to go say hello.Ever since their phone call in North City, she hadn’t spoken to Young Master. This was a good chance to thank him in person for warning her and Kendrick that their breakfast had been poisoned—if not for that call, the consequences would’
Scott held Julissa by the shoulder and gave her a light pat. “You should count yourself lucky it was me you met.”“What do you mean?”“If you’d run into a real scumbag, you’d probably get played in circles without even knowing it.”“Mr. Nichols, why are you saying that all of a sudden…” Julissa pouted. “You’re really good at hitting where it hurts.”Scott paused, rubbing his brow. She had already met a scumbag before.That brat Liam had completely fooled her—planning a wedding with her on one side while sleeping with another woman on the other. Julissa might be easy to deceive, but she had one redeeming quality: once she saw through someone, she left immediately, no second chances, no regrets. Even if she and Liam had been childhood sweethearts for over ten years, it didn’t matter.“Alright, I won’t bring it up again,” he said, kissing her on the forehead. The most urgent matter now was dealing with the Keller family and the massive trouble they posed.—Elsewhere, Annabelle and Kendr
Looking at the wound on her face, Julissa instantly panicked.Would it leave a scar?But then she quickly comforted herself—it’s fine, Anna would definitely help her heal without a trace. After all, Anna had suffered serious injuries before and still fully recovered.Soon, Scott came out carrying a first-aid kit.Seeing how well-stocked it was, Julissa was a bit surprised. “Wow, this thing’s fully loaded. Why do you even have surgical scissors?”Scott glanced at her. “Why do you ask so many questions?”“I’m just curious.”He didn’t answer and started cleaning her wound first to prevent infection.Only then did Julissa start crying out in pain.“Just hold on for a bit.”“But I really hate pain! When I was a kid, I could only get shots after I fell asleep—so I wouldn’t see it coming.”As Scott moved in with a cotton swab to apply medicine, she screamed before he even touched her.He was speechless. “Weren’t you just smiling a moment ago?”“I hadn’t seen my wound yet, so I wasn’t scared.
The wound was about an inch long, right on her cheek, and blood had already started to seep out.Julissa wiped her face, hissing slightly, and when she saw the blood on her fingers, her eyes widened in shock.Annabelle quickly figured it out—when Heather slapped Julissa earlier, she must have twisted her diamond ring around. So when her hand struck Julissa’s face, the ring cut into her cheek.By now, Heather had already climbed to her feet, screaming hysterically at Annabelle, “Even my parents never hit me, and you dare to slap me?!”Julissa let out a cold laugh. “Maybe that’s exactly why you’re so spoiled and uncivilized.”That one jab hit a nerve. Heather lost it. “Say that again! Who are you calling uncivilized? Who?!”Screaming, she lunged at Julissa, aiming to grab her hair.But before she could touch Julissa, her wrist was caught in a firm grip.“If you dare lay another finger on her, you won’t need this hand anymore.”With that, Scott yanked Heather away from Julissa.Heather s
"So you'd better figure out how to deal with them as soon as possible. If you need my help, just say the word."Scott thought back to the look of rage on Heather’s face that day at the club when she saw Julissa. His mood grew heavier.Heather had an extreme personality, and her father was cunning and ruthless. The father-daughter duo was capable of anything.Regardless, he was genuinely grateful for what Kendrick had said today—and the investigation he’d quietly done on his behalf.“Looks like I need to find Samuel’s weak spot fast. Still, thank you, Kendrick.”Kendrick waved it off. “Actually, I should be thanking you. And this—this is my token of appreciation.”As he spoke, he pulled a contract from the briefcase he carried—this was the file he’d asked Jaime to deliver earlier during lunch.Kendrick’s newly developed property project came with fully furnished apartments, and among the amenities, he had incorporated a smart home system that happened to align perfectly with the Nichol