Aren secretly arranged for people to deliver energy-boosting refreshments and relaxing massage services to Aspen. Everything was done anonymously, leaving no trace of his involvement....Once everything was ready, Aspen took her revised proposal and confidently held a video conference with Dreamtech Corporation's representatives.The air in the video conference room was serious and intensely professional. Despite that, Aspen remained calm and composed as she presented Nicholls Group's collaboration proposal to them. Her presentation was clear and methodical, and she knew every detail of the proposal inside and out. After the presentation, Dreamtech Corporation's representatives showed strong interest. The lead representative was a business elite named Ian Bennett, who spoke fluent Chiruin and said, "Ms. Nicholls, your proposal is very creative, especially integrating humanized design into smart homes, that's very forward-thinking." Ian's approval delighted Aspen, and she resp
Chester came to see Aspen as usual, bringing food with him. He pushed open the office door and walked straight to her side, noticing her furrowed brow with concern. He said, "Aspen, you need to take care of yourself. I can see you've gotten much thinner." Aspen looked up with a weary smile, fingers massaging her temples as a muted "Mm" slipped out.She added, "This is my first time dealing with smart home technology, and the technical aspects are pretty challenging."Chester's eyes lit up as he immediately responded. "If you don't mind, tell me about it."He paused, his tone sincere as he explained, "Shaffer Group has some resources in distribution and marketing. If you need them, I'll have them help immediately." Aspen was startled and looked at him with surprise. "Chet, wouldn't that be making too big a deal out of it?"Chester frowned and nudged her shoulder with his elbow. "What are you talking about? Being able to help you would be my pleasure, and besides, I'm not helping
As Chester spoke, he poured the steaming soup into a bowl and placed it gently in front of Aspen. When she looked down at the warm bowl, something inside her softened."Chet, thank you," she said, her voice unusually gentle.Chester smiled and nudged the bowl a little closer. "Don't be so formal with me. Drink it while it's hot."Aspen lifted the bowl and began sipping slowly. The warmth slid down her throat and settled into her stomach, soothing some of the restlessness in her heart.Chester sat across from her, watching quietly. His eyes held a mix of worry and tenderness that he didn't even try to hide. He wanted to say something, but as the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back down. He was afraid of saying the wrong thing and upsetting her further. In the end, he said, "Aspen, if you need help with anything, just ask."Aspen looked up at Chester, gratitude flickering in her eyes. "Sure, I will."... Night fell, and the city lit up with neon lights. Aren's car w
Aspen moved into her new apartment, but the place still felt cold and unwelcoming. While the off-white decor was minimalist, it lacked warmth and personality. The silence in the empty space was so intense that even the slightest echo felt unnerving. She opened a cardboard box and carefully lifted out a picture frame from inside. It was Sophie, her little angel, grinning carefree in the photo as if she'd never experienced any troubles. But now that smile felt like a knife, stabbing straight into Aspen's heart.Aspen's fingertips trembled as she gently traced Sophie's innocent face, and her expression gradually became determined. ...At Nicholls Group, the executive conference room was filled with tension. Everyone exchanged uneasy glances as the atmosphere grew heavy and oppressive. Aspen sat firmly in the head chair, her gaze sharp as a blade while the others looked nervous and uncomfortable. She said, "I've called everyone here today for one purpose only—to discuss the future
Chester stopped what he was doing and looked at Aspen seriously. "Aspen, you're not wrong. You're just protecting yourself." Aspen looked at him with complicated emotions in her eyes. Her voice choked with sobs as she whispered, "But... I still feel terrible inside."Chester moved to her side and gently patted her shoulder, his tone soft. "I know you're hurting, but everything will pass eventually." Aspen didn't speak as tears silently rolled down her cheeks.After moving the last cardboard box, Chester looked at her with concern and asked, "Aspen, what are your plans now?" Aspen wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to pull herself together. "First, I'll move everything to my new place, then slowly get organized.""New place?" Chester seemed surprised. "You already found a new apartment?" Aspen nodded. "Yeah, I had my eye on this place for a while. It's closer to the office." Chester looked at her seriously. "Aspen, if you need help with anything, just tell me. I'll alw
Early that morning, Aspen had just woken up. She called Riley and claimed she was working from home, but in truth, she had already started packing her things. After filling one box, she sealed it with tape and labeled it with the contents inside. Then, she called the moving company."Hi, yes, I scheduled a move for this afternoon. I've got quite a bit of stuff. The address is..."She hung up, glanced around the room filled with cardboard boxes, and felt a pang in her chest. Every memory in this place had now been packed away, ready to be moved out....Chester walked into Riley's office at Nicholls Group. He looked around and realized he couldn't find Aspen anywhere, so he asked, "Mr. O'Connor, is Ms. Nicholls not in the office today?" Riley shook her head and replied, "Ms. Nicholls is working from home today." "Working from home?" Chester's brow furrowed with surprise. Riley added, "Ms. Nicholls said she was feeling tired and wanted to rest a bit." Chester's frown deepe