The rekindling of Annie and Finn's relationship was a wonderful development. However, Finn's newfound closeness at times made Annie a bit withdrawn and hesitant. Having never been in a romantic relationship, let alone being physically close to a man, Annie struggled to adapt to Finn's sudden shift from being distant to gentle.For instance, this afternoon, Annie and Finn leisurely sat together on a swing, comfortably reclining on a soft cushion behind them. Annie lazily closed her eyes, savoring the sensation of each breeze caressing her ears and hair, as if blowing away the burdens of everyday life.They sat there well into the late afternoon, with the chilly autumn breeze bringing a shiver into the air. Annie wore a thin, long-sleeved dress, so her exposed legs felt a slight tremor in the cool air. She thought about getting up to fetch an additional blanket, and it seemed that Finn noticed her intention as he gracefully turned and gently urged her to remain seated.Subsequently, Fin
After rushing outside, Annie instinctively let out a sigh of relief. The tightness in her chest from earlier made her acutely aware of how fast her heart was racing now.She could vaguely guess that Finn might be teasing her, but she didn't dare to be entirely sure. After all, Finn's usual demeanor was cold and aloof-not the type to enjoy playful banter like that....Later that night, Annie lay lazily on the sofa, watching TV. She stretched her legs languidly while nibbling on the fruit Keelin had prepared for her. Though it was already late, sleep evaded her. The show she was watching grew increasingly engaging, and every now and then, a soft, amused giggle escaped her lips.Just as she stretched with a yawn and prepared to stand, the faint sound of footsteps reached her ears from the staircase above. She looked up to see Finn descending slowly.Almost unconsciously, she stepped closer to help him. Finn, for his part, accepted her support with ease, leaning slightly against her with
When work ended, Denis followed Annie to a nearby coffee shop and chose a table by the window. He felt a spark of joy at having some time alone with her, but he didn't expect her first words to strike him like a thunderbolt, freezing his expression in place."Denis, I'm already married. My husband and I love each other deeply and live together in perfect harmony," she began, her voice calm but unwavering."I'm not the right person for you to pursue right now."Denis's smile faltered, and an awkward stiffness took its place. He stared at Annie, utterly baffled by what he had just heard."What are you talking about? Married? When did you get married?"His eyes widened, his voice tinged with confusion and disbelief. From the moment he had met Annie, she had always seemed unattached, hadn't she?"You don't need to make such an excuse just to brush me off. If you don't like me, say it outright, Annie," he said, his tone tinged with both frustration and resignation."I won't cling to you or
Annie tilted her head, narrowing her eyes at the person who had just raised their voice. It was one of the individuals who had earlier stood beside the girl in the white dress, accusing her. They were all in it together.A group of malicious people intent on framing her.Annie yanked her hand free from the girl’s grasp, noticing that her wrist had reddened from being held too tightly. She looked at the girl, her voice still soft and composed.“What do you mean? What exactly did I steal?”“Do you have any proof?”Unprepared for Annie’s calm rebuttal, the girl momentarily froze. But within seconds, she puffed out her chest, raising her chin defiantly as she countered.“My word is proof enough. Now, get upstairs this instant!”“Apologize to my friend for your disgusting behavior earlier!”The woman persisted in accusing Annie, her voice growing louder and more commanding, drawing an increasing number of onlookers. Annie knew full well that this girl was deliberately trying to frame her,
In the video, everything was captured clearly.Very clearly.After Annie left, the corners of Lisa's lips curled into a mocking smile, quickly shifting into contempt. She scoffed softly, leaned over, and whispered something to Selena, causing the two to laugh.Seizing the moment when no one was paying attention, Selena helped Lisa remove the elegant diamond necklace from her neck and discreetly hid it in a secluded corner of the hotel.Selena winked at Lisa, signaling that everything was in order, and then walked away.The video ended there, as the rest was already known to everyone. Selena accused Annie of being a thief and humiliated her with the most vicious words imaginable.After hearing Annie's account of the situation and reviewing the footage from the camera, Finn let out a cold laugh."So this is what you call a thief, in your own words, Selena? Such a masterful twist of the narrative.""And Lisa," Finn's gaze shifted, his voice sharp and unyielding. "You truly are clever, ar
And of course, not an angel investor. Mike doesn't have that much money and kindness. Hearing Finn's invitation, Mike was genuinely intrigued. After all, Lisa's father's company operated in an industry that had always piqued his interest-jewelry. "How do you plan to do it?" Finn blinked thoughtfully, considering for a moment before outlining his plan to Mike. As Finn spoke, Mike seemed increasingly captivated, nodding along with visible enthusiasm. By the end of the explanation, he glanced at Finn with a meaningful smirk. "I have to admit, for someone who built their company from scratch, you've got a decent head for this." Finn didn't respond, merely giving Mike a calm, indifferent look. "Enough with the nonsense. When are you ready to start?" Mike arched a brow, his smirk widening. "Anytime." Finn chuckled, saying he wanted to get started immediately. Mike nodded, signaling his agreement. ... A few days later. Annie was in the garden, watering her flowers when
Annie endured in silence as she took a seat across from Sofia."How have things been lately? Has Finn grown tired of that rustic face of yours yet?""Has he thrown you out of the house already?"Sofia's tone was laced with arrogance as she eyed Annie with disdain and curiosity."Never. Everything is fine.""Finn still hasn't realized that I'm just a stand-in for you."Sofia burst into laughter as if she had just heard the most ridiculous joke."Then Finn really is a fool, isn't he? A noble lady like me is being replaced by a pathetic, ignorant girl like you for this long, and he hasn't even noticed a thing."Annie had no interest in entertaining Sofia's insults. She met her gaze head-on, her voice calm and indifferent."Why did you call me here today?"Sofia wasn't the least bit offended by the interruption. Instead, she smirked."Give me some money. Lately, my mom hasn't been as generous with my allowance, and it's hardly enough to take my darling boys on yacht parties like before."
At that moment, the phone rang. Finn impatiently picked up."What is it? Make it quick."His voice was a mix of irritation and impatience, startling even Mike. What had he done to provoke Finn?"Hey, who ruffled your feathers today? Or is it trouble in paradise with your fiancée, and I'm just the unlucky punching bag?"Mike shrugged innocently. Finn clenched his fist, his patience wearing thin."I'll give you three seconds to say what you need, or I'm hanging up."Mike quickly pleaded for him to wait, then hastened to explain."To celebrate the successful acquisition of Lisa's father's company, I want to invite a few close friends to the bar for drinks. So, how about it? The man who suggested this golden opportunity to me and my business partner-are you interested?"Ordinarily, Finn did not incline these gatherings and would refuse outright. But his mood was foul today, and perhaps a few drinks would do him some good.So, he agreed."What time? Where?"Mike was taken aback by Finn's a
A few days passed.Sofia had been caught up dealing with the financial loopholes in her father's company, leaving her with no time to meet Annie. Meanwhile, Annie was equally consumed by her own work and assisting Amber with her new film shoot, barely sparing a thought for Sofia.As for seeking Finn's help with the financial issues-Sofia knew full well it wasn't an option. If she brought it up now, there was a real chance their relationship would reach an impasse. Annie had already returned home; Sofia no longer had many means to keep close contact with Finn.What's more, if Finn truly wished to bestow Annie with the title of fiancée, then surely, he would be all the more eager to see Sofia make a mistake. That way, he could pursue Annie openly and justifiably, making them a rightful couple in everyone's eyes.And that was the outcome Sofia feared the most.So, when it came to this matter, she was as good as lost-on the verge of losing her mind. At times like these, she often ended up
After giving Finn a quick reminder, Mike smirked and told him to wait outside. Then, straightening his collar with a calm, confident air, he cleared his throat and stepped into the room."Everyone, may I have your attention for a moment? I have something to announce," Mike called out, his voice carrying easily across the space.Once he was certain all eyes-including Annie's-were on him, he continued in a bold, theatrical tone."Today, my friend, the CEO of a very well-known company-you've definitely heard of it-Company X happens to be in the area."He paused deliberately for effect."He decided to drop by and visit me. And not just that-he's generously sponsoring lunch and afternoon tea for all of us during the shoot. Let's give a warm welcome to my friend, Finn!"Mike's playful tone lifted the mood instantly, drawing laughter and applause from the crew. He sneaked a glance at Annie, and sure enough, caught a flicker of unease on her face-her complexion paled slightly, her expression
After standing dazed on the balcony, Annie finally gathered herself. She let out a soft sigh and stepped back inside, only to find that Isolde had already been awake for quite some time. The girl blinked at her, voice gentle."You're up early. Is it because you have a shoot today and need to prepare?"Annie nodded, yawning lazily. She reminded Isolde to call her if anything happened at home, and only after the girl nodded in agreement did she start getting ready to leave.Isolde followed her downstairs and made a simple breakfast of sandwiches and warm milk. The two of them sat down to eat together. During their quiet meal, Isolde asked softly,"Who were you on the phone with this morning? You didn't look too well afterward."Isolde was an observant soul. With just one glance, she could sense Annie's unease. Annie didn't try to hide it and confessed honestly-Sofia had called, asking to meet and talk about Finn."Sofia knows what you've been through and still wants to meet? Is she tryi
Hubert's teasing remark brought a flush to Sofia's cheeks. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, she heard a soft chuckle escape his lips."What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"His voice dropped to a lower, more serious register."Or... are you regretting having a one-night stand with me? After all, you're still Finn's fiancée. Now that you've slept with me, are you feeling guilty... repenting for your betrayal?"Sofia seemed lost in thought, her expression dazed, and Hubert gave a faint, mocking smile. But she shook her head and replied with quiet sincerity."No. I'm just trying to remember exactly how... we ended up sleeping together last night."Her tone was honest. Though she often drank, she had never once gone so far as to do something reckless. And now, thinking back on what had happened the night before still left her stunned.Hubert scoffed."Isn't it obvious? You just couldn't resist my charm. It's perfectly understandable."He said it carelessly
"Are you really okay? That man was quite rude earlier," Hubert said, his eyes falling on Sofia's arm-still red and tender from the encounter. Concern laced his voice.Sofia forced a small smile, trying to appear unfazed."I'm really fine. And... thank you for today."Though their relationship had never been particularly close-and in truth, Sofia hadn't always treated Hubert with the respect he deserved-this time, she was genuinely grateful.Without him, she didn't even dare to imagine how things might have turned out."I'm glad you're okay," Hubert said gently. "But it's dangerous for a woman to go to a bar alone. Why didn't you ask a friend to come with you?"His question was casual, almost offhanded. Sofia shrugged and replied that she didn't like going out with others. Hubert didn't press further-just offered a soft, easy smile."Well then, do you mind if I join you for a few more drinks? After all, I did help you out with something pretty serious. Asking for a few drinks in return
Although Finn tried to appear composed and indifferent, his expression betrayed him. His eyes were distant, shadowed with nostalgia, and even his reactions lagged behind their usual sharpness.Sofia had finished speaking for quite some time before he finally let out a dazed "Oh."She sneered."Don't bother pretending with me Do you want to see Annie?"Her voice dropped lower, almost conspiratorial."I can arrange a little accidental meeting."Sofia gave a casual shrug, but it was precisely that nonchalance that made Finn suspicious. Narrowing his eyes, he asked her,"Can you really?"Under his probing gaze, Sofia nodded confidently and lifted her chin defiantly."Why not? Don't forget-no matter what's happened, Annie is still my sister. You think she'd refuse to meet her ownflesh and blood?"The question left Finn without a comeback. But he wasn't so easily fooled-he knew Sofia wasn't the kind of person to do favors out of kindness.His lips curled into a faint, cynical smile."So, wh
Half a month slipped by quietly, and at last, the day came for Annie and Isolde to return to Country B. From the break of dawn, they were already up, preparing and packing their belongings with care.There wasn't much to take home-everything unnecessary, especially things easily bought back in their homeland, had long been given away to neighbors and acquaintances.Just as they finished, the crisp chime of Annie's phone rang out."Annie, are you and Isolde ready? The taxi I booked is waiting just outside your home." Amber's cheerful voice came through, full of anticipation, as if she had been eagerly looking forward to this journey.Annie glanced around one last time, a soft smile playing on her lips."All done. We're heading out now."Ending the call, she turned to Isolde with a gentle look, and together they carried their things outside."Ready for a new life, darling?" Isolde asked softly as they stepped through the front door, her voice light and relieved.Annie nodded."I'm ready
With a gentle voice lingering in the air, Annie looked up at the young man who had just arrived-Nathan. Her eyes sparkled with unmistakable delight."What a coincidence," she said lightly. "Did you have plans here today too?"Nathan held her gaze without blinking, the corners of his lips curving into a smile as he casually adjusted his cap, revealing a pair of captivating, deep-set eyes."I'm meeting a friend for dinner," he replied with an easy charm.Then, as if noticing John sitting across from Annie, Nathan tilted his head slightly, his tone taking on a hint of curiosity."And who's this? Your boyfriend, Annie?"He added a playful wink, grinning as he teased,"Didn't you always say you were single? Hiding a boyfriend from everyone now, are you?"Nathan's lighthearted humor instantly put Annie at ease. She didn't notice the stiffness in John's expression and shook her head gently."Boyfriend? Don't be ridiculous. This is John, my neighbor. He knew I was returning to country B soon,
Sofia pretended not to notice Finn's silence, and even added with a sly smile, "Annie's been bragging about how she's always surrounded by admirers overseas. Not to mention, she just broke up with some boyfriend after only a few months of dating.""Who knows, maybe this time when Annie comes back, she'll bring her boyfriend along. And in that case, I could generously keep pretending to be your fiancée-so that you don't lose face."Her tone was teasing, deliberately mocking him.Finn remained silent from beginning to end, clearly unable to stomach the blow. He couldn't believe that Annie-the girl he had been searching for all this time-could so easily forget him and fall for someone else so quickly."Hey, why aren't you saying anything? Are you heartbroken to the point you've lost your voice?"Sofia goaded him, her voice deliberately rising in pitch."Don't fool yourself into thinking Annie would wait around forever just because you two had some sweet memories. It's been two years, Fin