Eric failed to get any useful information out of Olivia.Still, he couldn't disregard Jude's order; he hadn't seen Jude this concerned about anything in his life."Do you really care about the Thomas Corporation?" In his hand was the share certificate for the Thomas Corporation. He knew what the contents in the folder were. Jude, that lunatic, had paid through the nose to be the biggest shareholder of the company!He had even contacted the founding shareholders of the company and purchased their shares at a very steep price.It didn't make sense from a businessman's perspective.Although Jude had acquired the majority shares of the Thomas Corporation, this deal was ultimately a loss.And a big loss, at that.Before convening the general shareholders' meeting today, Eric asked Jude a question."Do you really care about the Thomas Corporation?"An expressionless Jude didn't answer him.Eric couldn't stand seeing him like this. An indescribable emotion overwhelmed him, though he
Jude's car practically flew as he drove to his destination at the highest speed of his life.He was heading to the Serene Residence.An ear-piercing sound broke the silence as he abruptly stepped on the brake. The car skidded nearly five meters before finally stopping, and the tires were smoking.Ignoring it, he opened the car door and ran toward the villa that was once his home.His hands were shaking when he keyed in the passcode.A soft noise resounded, indicating that he had successfully opened the door. When he faced the closed door, his hand on the handle was trembling.Should he open it?Or should he not?Before opening the door, he thought that he should first make sense of his complicated feelings at the moment.What was wrong with him?Why did that woman's funeral photo provoke such strong emotion in him and give him such anguish?Why did he feel a suffocating pain after learning that she was dead?Why did he panic after seeing her funeral photo, even though he de
Eric didn't know what Jude was feeling at the moment, but it broke his heart to see his friend like this.Time slowly passed until the sun began to set.It had still been noon when they left the shareholders' meeting. Eric had spent half the day standing with Jude, accompanying him until the sun set in the west.He had watched Jude stand still like a sculpture for the entire afternoon. He secretly massaged his legs. Although he was a man, he was still exhausted from standing for so long. Still, he dared not to make any noise.Something was very wrong with Jude!"Eric." When the sun gradually set behind a tall mountain, the man who had been silent for nearly the entire day finally spoke. Eric almost thought that he had misheard him."Eric." Jude's voice sounded hoarse as he pointed to the windowsill. "There used to be lilies there. Two stalks of Casablanca lilies with multiple flowers in a blue crystal vase."Eric was about to comfort Jude.Jude didn't give him any chance to and
"Have another drink." Jude had drunk a lot and refilled Eric's glass.Eric looked at the table full of empty bottles helplessly."Jude, you're drunk.""I'm glad that she's finally dead. Come on, have another drink.""You're really drunk.""Cheers! To the death of Scarlett..."Eric had grown intolerant of Jude's drunken stupor."Jude, that's enough!""Come on, let's drink. Today is a good day. ""Fuck!"Eric eventually could not stand it anymore seeing Jude this way. Jude's craziness was starting to drive him mad!"Isn't it because Scarlett is dead? The dead one is Scarlett, who is despicable and contemptible. What are you upset about? You should be happy that she's dead!""Yes, I'm very happy.""You look happy?" Eric waved his hand, stood up, and said, "Jude, are you leaving? If you don't leave, I will."He was about to walk out of there after saying that.Suddenly,Jude lifted his hand, placed it on the left of his chest, and said, "Eric, It hurts here, a tearing pain.
Before leaving for his destination, Jude made another trip back to the Serene Residence.As Eric had said, he could only acknowledge his love for Scarlett when he was drunk.He couldn't bring himself to admit it while sober, and could only insist that he hated her.As for his bizarre actions recently, he still couldn't find an explanation for them.All he knew was that he didn't want to give himself any free time. Whenever he became idle, memories of that woman would haunt him.He didn't want to stop and rest because once he did, he would recall things about her.Only by burying himself in work could he remain calm and ignore his searing heartache.Suddenly, he was reminded of the scene of her standing on the beach seven years ago. Her smile had been glorious; it was as if she had won a battle.He had the inexplicable urge to visit that beach back then. Perhaps, he could find the answer to everything that had confounded him there.He wanted to know why he hadn't been at all ha
Holding onto that thought, Jude ran so quickly toward the building that he was practically flying. He happened to run into the owner of apartment No. 201 just as he was leaving."Did a woman kill herself in that apartment above two months ago?" He told himself that he was clarifying his doubts for once and for all, and that was why he was going so far as to coming here to question the owner.The owner was taken aback to see someone suddenly showing up in front of him. After seeing Jude's stricken expression, he asked unhappily, "Did you know her?"He was instantly upset. "Jeez! If she wanted to die so badly, the beach is just right ahead. Why must she cut her wrist? Her blood seeped through the floor and dripped in my house, you know. What bad luck! Bodies rot quicker during summer, too. Good thing we noticed the blood and found her soon enough. Give it two or three days and her putrefied body would have stunk out the entire building."Jude's expression was ghastly as he gritted hi
He found the bathtub as soon as he turned around. There were dried bloodstains on the floor. His legs had never felt heavier when walking toward the blood-stained bathtub.Clenching the stud earring in his hand, he stared at the tub. He felt as if he could see that woman lying peacefully inside.His heart throbbed with unprecedented pain.He gripped the stud earring harder as if trying to hold onto that person; as if she wouldn't vanish as long as he held onto the earring.From where he was standing, he could see the view of the distant beach. Suddenly, he understood why she would choose to end everything at this place.She had chosen to end everything at the place where their story began. "Scarlett, was that what you had in mind?" He stood quietly by the bathtub for a long time until he finally raised his hand to wipe the corner of his wet eyes. When he looked at his fingers, he could see the light reflected off his tears."What is this?" He looked at the liquid on the tip of
He didn't need an outsider to guard her belongings.Neil might want to guard her life's work for her, but whether he had the capability to do so was another question."You won't be able to snatch the Thomas Corporation from me," Jude said coldly. "Similarly, you won't be able to stop me if I want to ruin your family's company."The Simmons family had such vast resources that their wealth couldn't be measured solely money.Your regular influential family was no match for an old, well-known family like theirs.Although they had grown up together, Neil never understood why his family's elders would bend their waists and politely greet Jude whenever they saw him."I'll find her grave." Jude stood up, tossed some cash on the table, and immediately walked toward the door.Neil had always felt a sense of helplessness whenever he was facing Jude. This feeling had persisted since his childhood and he hated it immensely.They were both children from rich, influential families and had the