Just like the kinds of deception that are common nowadays, it starts with tempting offers and attractive benefits. You fall for it easily. Then suddenly, you’re hit with a huge problem until you find yourself completely trapped.“Do you want to warn your parents?” Cosmo asked as he looked at her. “But they probably won’t listen to you either.” He knew all too well how greedy people moved when money was involved.Arellano didn’t get the Bay Area project, so when someone offered him a potentially profitable one, he didn’t hesitate to take it. In his eyes, it was a great opportunity.But with any benefit comes risk. If your focus is only on profit and you don’t think about the consequences, you’re easily defeated the moment you lose control.“I know,” Eloise replied. At this point, it was hard for her to get involved in their decisions. She knew they wouldn’t listen to her either.“So what do you want me to do? Step in now and stop them, or wait until something happens and then come runn
Chloe was sharp, and she quickly noticed that Eloise didn’t want to dig deeper into the conversation.So she immediately apologized. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry into your personal life. I just happened to overhear that you were already married at such a young age, and it caught me off guard.”Chloe’s tone was serious and sincere, so Eloise didn’t feel insulted. Still, she wasn’t comfortable talking about such things, especially not with anyone other than Sasha.“It’s alright. It was just a light conversation anyway,” Eloise replied with a calm smile. Her tone was natural and composed, so nothing about the exchange felt awkward.After that, Chloe returned to her work while Eloise quietly waited for Sasha to finish hers.A few minutes later, Eloise received a call from Gabriel. She already had a feeling why he was calling.She didn’t answer, so Gabriel immediately sent a message: “Afraid to answer my call, huh?”Two minutes later, Eloise replied: “Gabriel, I’m out and I’m busy with s
Tania arrived at Stillwater Bay to visit Cosmo, but she wasn’t pleased that Eloise had returned home around eight or nine in the evening.“Didn’t I tell you to stop going out and stay home to take care of Cosmo?” Tania said sharply, clearly irritated.“I haven’t been going anywhere unnecessary. I always tell Cosmo where I’m going,” Eloise replied in a calm tone.“I know Cosmo understands you, and of course he doesn’t want you to get bored staying at home. But you have to think about his condition too. Isn’t it harder for him if you’re not around and he’s left alone?”It was rare for Tania to be this blunt. But this time, her words were filled with disapproval and frustration, and it showed in the way she looked at Eloise.Eloise couldn’t help but ask, “Mom, is this really about me not finding the old healer yet?”Tania shook her head. “No. We already have a lead on the healer. That’s not what’s bothering me. You are.”Eloise lowered her head, clearly hurt, and didn’t say another word.
If you’re busy during the day, it’s easy to momentarily forget what happened the night before. But once night falls and you’re alone, there’s a certain kind of quiet that feels different. It becomes intimate, almost unsettling, especially when you’re lying in bed and the memories come rushing back on their own.The distance that once separated two people in the same bed slowly disappears. Separate blankets become one, and everything feels a little closer.Beside Eloise was the warmth of a man’s body. Every breath he took carried that cool but familiar scent, something only a man could have.She felt shy and didn’t know what to say. “He’s already made a move twice. Have you thought about how you’re going to fight back?” she asked.Cosmo lay on his side, propping his head up with one hand. Under the soft yellow light, his expression softened. His eyes were gentle. “The issue between Gabriel and me won’t be settled in just one night.”Cosmo had been more attentive lately, especially now
The door to the room wasn’t fully closed, so the voices from inside were clearly audible from the hallway. Eloise stood quietly in front of it for a few minutes before gently knocking. She heard Sasha yell, “Who is it?” so she slowly pushed the door open.She saw Sasha lying on the bed while Theo sat beside her.“How did you find out Sasha was confined?” Eloise asked quietly.Theo stood up and gave a polite smile. “She posted it on Moments. So I thought I’d drop by.”Eloise felt a wave of unease. She had hoped Sasha and Theo were done for good. She didn’t expect that even after Sasha stopped messaging him, Theo would now be the one reaching out.“Won’t this affect your class schedule?” Eloise asked with a formal smile.“Not really. I only have one class this afternoon, and an elective tonight,” Theo answered.“That’s good. Sasha wouldn’t want to be the reason you miss class,” Eloise said as she handed Sasha the milk tea.Sasha happily accepted the drink and took a sip right away. It w
That night changed everything. For Cosmo, it was a heavy blow.There’s a big difference between what you expect and what actually happens, and reality can hurt far worse than any person can.Even though there was medicine on Cosmo’s wounds, they wouldn’t heal right away. And even if he didn’t show any emotion, Eloise could tell something wasn’t right.“Do you know who that man was? The one who attacked us?” Eloise asked gently. She knew some things just shouldn’t be kept to oneself, bottling them up could lead to something worse.“No,” Cosmo replied coldly. He didn’t even look at her.“Cosmo,” she said seriously, “as long as we’re alive, we’re bound to be noticed by others. And the people who are great at what they do are usually the ones others like to bring down. You don’t need to carry the weight of that man’s words.”Cosmo had always been used to success, ever since he was young, he could do almost everything well. But aside from losing his father, the biggest blow in his life had