LOGINIn the conference room, all the important public relations staff were present. Everyone sat upright, their expressions serious, as if they already sensed that this meeting was not an ordinary one. The atmosphere was tense and quiet, with only the faint sound of breathing and the soft hum of the air conditioner filling the space.After Ellenatook her seat at the head of the table, she slowly looked around at everyone present. Her gaze was calm, yet it carried an invisible pressure that made people subconsciously straighten their backs.“Do you know why I called an emergency meeting?” she asked.Her voice was steady, without any obvious emotion, but it was precisely this calmness that made the room feel even more solemn.Paulhad always been meticulous in his work. After he informed the public relations department that the meeting was going to be held, he had already vaguely guessed the reason. He had briefly browsed the news related
Paulglanced at Ellenaand did not say anything else. He picked up the thick stack of documents from the desk, held them firmly in his arms, and turned around to leave. His footsteps were steady, and the door closed quietly behind him.The office returned to silence.Ellenasat alone in front of the desk. Her gaze lingered on the documents for a moment before she slowly reached out and took out Edward’s pen from the drawer. The pen rested in her palm, cool and familiar, as if it carried memories that refused to fade.She had received many pens like this when she was young. Back then, they were nothing more than ordinary writing tools, casually given and easily forgotten. She never imagined that one particular pen would quietly bind her fate to someone else. It became the beginning of everything, the invisible thread that tied her life to Edward’s.She lowered her eyes, staring at the pen, her fingers unconsciously tightening aro
Ellena closed the door softly behind her and returned to her room.The click of the latch echoed faintly in the quiet corridor, sounding much louder than it should have. She paused for a moment, standing still, as if listening for something like footsteps, a voice, or even her own heartbeat. Nothing followed. The villa was silent, calm to the point of oppression.As if remembering something all of a sudden, Ellena walked toward the window. She pushed the curtain aside and looked out.The floor she lived on was high, and night had already fallen. The lights of the city below were scattered like distant stars, blurred and indistinct. Cars moved silently far below, their headlights forming thin, flowing lines. No matter how hard she tried to focus, she could not see anything clearly, nor could she find what she was subconsciously looking for.After a while, Ellena closed the window and let the curtain fall back into place.She returned to her bed and lay down, staring at the ceiling. Sle
Ellena could feel the subtle changes in Edward’s body.The shift was slight, almost imperceptible, but because she was trapped so close to him, she noticed it instantly. The warmth surrounding her seemed to intensify, carrying a pressure that made her entire body tense unconsciously.A faint shiver ran down her spine. For a brief moment, she froze completely.Her breathing caught in her throat, and her fingers curled tightly against her palms.Edward lowered his head slightly, his breath brushing lightly against the side of her face. His voice came softly, low and restrained, but carrying an unsettling certainty that made her heartbeat grow chaotic.“If you don’t want to do it, don’t move.”The meaning behind his words made Ellena’s face burn instantly.Her eyes widened slightly before anger quickly replaced the brief moment of panic. She gritted her teeth hard.“Edward, don’t for
Ellena didn’t want to talk to Edward. She really didn’t know what to do with him anymore. Every time she thought she had finally understood him, he would do something that left her completely confused again. It was exhausting trying to guess what was in his mind.The truth was, she knew she wasn’t a match for him in terms of schemes. Edward was always calm, always composed, always three steps ahead of everyone else. He could hide his thoughts so deeply that no one could read him unless he wanted them to. Even after all the years they had spent together, Ellena still could not confidently say she truly understood him.She was not like him.Her emotions had always been easier to see. When she was angry, she became cold. When she was hurt, she became silent. She could never pretend as perfectly as Edward could.And right now, she was angry.Not just angry, but frustrated. Frustrated that he stood there acting so calm, as if nothing h
After Ellena said so much, Edward’s expression remained unreadable. His face was calm, almost detached, as if he were a passerby observing something distant and unrelated to him. There was no flicker of anger, no trace of guilt. That coldness, paradoxically, made Ellena’s anger ebb.Instead of losing her temper, she felt her breath steady. Her chest rose and fell calmly as she gathered her composure. A faint, almost mocking smile curled at her lips.“What a pity,” she said softly. “If you really died in that car accident, I could have taken your money to take care of other men. I could be with whoever I wanted.”For the first time that night, a crack appeared on Edward’s otherwise unshaken face. It was subtle, but enough for Ellena to notice. She leaned into her newfound calm, letting her smile deepen slightly.“You left the entire Arnoult Group to me. You must want me to live a happy life,” she
Ellena drove out of Edward's villa overnight and went to the city center.Once Edward woke up, he would find that she was missing. He would definitely bring people to look for her. The people who captured Elaine must also be keeping an eye on her movements.So what she needed to do now was to wait for
Ellena's words were her true feelings. She was almost drowned in self-blame.When Elaine was young, Ellena did not protect her well. Later, Elaine found her with great difficulty but she lay in the hospital for three years and did not take care of Elaine. Now she let her be taken away again.No one ex
Ellena was too nervous. The force in her hand was especially strong.She felt the man above her stiffen for a moment and she called out in a tight voice. "Edward?""Ellena." Edward's voice became a little slow. He only called her name and his entire body drooped down heavily.Ellena hurriedly turned he
Edward's expression froze slightly, but it didn't ease up much.He stared intently at Ellena, his gaze sharp as if he wanted to see through her. "What were you thinking when you were in the basement just now? Do you want to strangle Naomi?"Ellena suddenly raised her head and widened her eyes to look







