As Annie reached the door, she coincidentally ran into Denis. They nodded at each other in greeting and walked inside together. Denis casually spoke first."Annie, you've been quite busy lately, haven't you? I heard from your mom that you're working a lot and don't have time to bring lunch to her every day like before."In the past, Annie used to cook or buy meals for Isolde for every meal. However, these past few days, due to moving to Finn's house, Sofia also requested that Annie spend more time with him, so she had to lie to Isolde, telling her that she had a busy job and had become a maid for a wealthy family, which required her to move in with them.Isolde's hospital bills were substantial every time, so Annie didn't inquire much about Annie's situation. She only reminded Annie to take care of herself and not to overwork."Yeah, I've been taking on more jobs lately to cover my mom's medical bills. Even though I could borrow from my friends, you know how it is, I still have to pay
"I'm sorry, I rushed to help you and didn't pay attention. It's my fault," Annie apologized softly.Finn continued to ascend the stairs in silence, acknowledging Annie with a low, appreciative grunt. His voice had a hint of gentleness that even he hadn't realized. Perhaps, at that moment, Finn no longer felt the same level of resentment towards Annie as he did when she had unexpectedly appeared at his house.Together, they descended to the ground floor, with Finn going straight to the kitchen, where he found a familiar water pitcher in the corner."Let me help you pour some water," Annie offered, pouring a glass for Finn and then serving herself one. They quietly sipped their water, exchanging no further words. Afterward, they silently made their way back to their respective rooms.Everything seemed unchanged on the surface, but there was a subtle shift in the hearts of both individuals.A few days later, Annie's life at Finn's home had gradually settled down, and at least Finn was n
Hubert went from being stunned to angry. He glared at Finn and Annie on the opposite side and then forcefully pushed his chair back, rising to his feet and raising his voice in frustration."Very well, Sofia. Let me see how long you and Finn can stay happy—a blind, untalented man and a money-hungry, unfaithful woman, such a fitting couple."After Hubert stormed off in anger, Annie let out a small sigh of relief. She realized she was standing close to Finn, her hand still casually resting on his hair. She quickly pulled her hand away and scratched her head, trying to explain herself."I just couldn't bear to see Hubert smug and taunting you," she continued."He wants to see you fall to satisfy his selfish desires. That's why I acted friendly towards you, to disappoint him."Annie's voice grew softer as she spoke, fearing Finn would resent her, but Finn merely responded with a quiet "Hmm" before saying, "Anyway, thanks for what you did, Sofia."Annie tilted her head slightly to look at
After Joyce returned, Isolde's topic ended, and Annie breathed a sigh of relief, seeking an excuse to leave. If she stayed a moment longer, Annie feared she wouldn't be able to contain her thoughts any longer.Back home, Annie rarely had the luxury of lounging on her bed to watch a movie. She usually didn't have the luxury of free time for such activities, so lying there for a while already made her feel restless. Annie stretched her shoulders and headed to the kitchen to warm a small slice of apple pie. After serving a portion to Keelin, she carried another piêc upstairs to Finn.Finn seemed to have a genuine liking for apple pie. When Annie had given him a piece earlier, he complimented it in a soft tone, even praising Annie's culinary skills.Annie stood outside Finn's room and lightly knocked on the door. After receiving Finn's permission, she entered. Finn sat in a corner of the room, cradling a guitar in his hands, lost in thought."I brought you a piece of apple pie. I placed
Hubert was about to retort when Tracy returned, abruptly ending the conversation. Tracy, a young and elegant woman, was Finn's stepmother, and now her hands filled with shopping bags from renowned local brands, indicating she had just returned from shopping.With Tracy's return, all of them sat down to have dinner. As Annie had anticipated, the atmosphere between Tracy, Ryan, and Hubert remained harmonious, but they entirely disregarded Finn during the meal.Annie couldn't help but sympathize with Finn, considering how he could be treated as an outsider. She couldn't imagine how Finn had coped with this situation before.As a result, Finn's distant and reserved nature didn't come as a surprise. Annie sighed and placed a piece of grilled chicken on Finn's plate, breaking the silence."Finn, give this grilled chicken a try. It's seasoned wonderfully and very delicious."Under the table, Annie lightly patted the edge of Finn's shirt, trying to lift his spirits in a cute and careful manne
In the evening, Finn and Annie sat together in the dining room, enjoying fruit and listening to recent popular songs. Only when it was time for dinner did they reluctantly join the rest of the invisible duo at the meal.The harmonious atmosphere between Tracy, Hubert, and Ryan went unnoticed by Finn entirely, who remained focused on finishing his meal and then departing. Annie, too, couldn't eat much, feeling the heaviness in the air, making it impossible to swallow her food. In the end, she ate only a small portion before following Finn.Back in their room, Annie found Finn still sitting motionless on the sofa. Ever since she moved into Finn's house, she had noticed that he often sat there lost in thought, with no discernible expression on his face.Annie didn't disturb Finn, she sitting in a corner of the room and playing a game with her headphones on to avoid causing any noise. After a while, noticing that Finn's rigid posture hadn't changed, Annie couldn't help but speak up."Finn
Annie returned to her room, and she and Finn shared some pastries. She savored each bite as she recounted the earlier conversation, noticing a subtle furrow in Finn's brow."Next time, don't argue with Hubert or Tracy," she cautioned. "Neither of them is particularly gracious, and if you provoke them, they might find ways to harm you.""I can't always be there in time to protect you," Finn replied. "You know, my inability to see everything is a limitation. You should be more cautious to avoid getting entangled in trouble."Annie nodded and promised to heed Finn's advice. She found his counsel quite sensible. It was remarkable how a woman with a husband and a son of her own could captivate Ryan, and how a son of the previous man of Tracy could succeed in winning Ryan's affection and becoming the heir, and certainly not through gentle means.After they finished their meal, Annie fetched a small tray and headed to the kitchen. When she returned, Finn was lying in a corner of the bed. Swi
Turning off the lights made everything around them appear more elusive and eerie, causing Annie to tense up. She didn't even dare to breathe normally. She always had this feeling that whenever she closed her eyes, the ghosts from the movie would draw nearer to her, and this thought successfully pushed her closer to Finn.Finn's calm and steady nature provided her with a great sense of security. Perhaps Finn had also noticed that Annie wasn't quite herself. After a while, he gently pulled her closer, like earlier when he had patted her back."It's okay, don't be scared. It's just part of the movie, not real." The warm body temperature and Finn's firm chest made Annie feel truly comforted. She snuggled closer to Finn, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.As her fear subsided, Annie began to feel more relaxed. However, at this moment, her cheeks were tinged with a rosy hue. She had been too scared earlier to notice, but now she realized that Finn was holding her, and she was holdi
After hearing Sofia say she could handle it, Annie visibly relaxed. With a lighter heart, she stepped outside again, continuing to watch over Amber and quietly tending to her until the scenes were finally wrapped up.It had been a long day of filming, and by the time Amber completed her final shot, night had already fallen. Accepting Annie's warm cup of water, she took a small sip before speaking in a low voice."Is everything alright? You still seem so calm and at ease-does that mean there's nothing serious to worry about?"Annie nodded, briefly filling her in on the situation."Sofia said she'll take the interview tomorrow to handle it. It should all be resolved soon."Amber's brow furrowed slightly."But what exactly is she planning to say in the interview? Didn't she tell you?""And based on what you've told me about Sofia in the past, she doesn't exactly strike me as the kind-hearted type. Are you sure she won't take this chance to throw you under the bus in front of the media?"
A few days later,While Annie was on set watching Amber film a scene, a staff member suddenly approached her, holding out a phone."Annie, there's a scandal just breaking-something about a billionaire's fiancée caught cheating. Super famous. Have you seen it yet?"Normally, Annie paid no mind to gossip or celebrity news, so she shook her head.Unexpectedly, the staff member grew even more eager."This one-you have to see it, Annie. The girl in the photos looks exactly like you. I seriously thought it was you-you-the fiancée of that billionaire!"The staff lowered their voice, eyes wide with intrigue."Do you have a long-lost twin or something? It could really be that girl."Their excitement only deepened Annie's confusion. She took the phone hesitantly, her fingers cold with a strange unease, and glanced down at the screen.The headline was striking, splashed in bold across the top of the page:"Is the Brilliant CEO of Company X Engaged to a Faithless Woman?"Even Annie furrowed her b
Annie stood motionless, like a statue, as Amber dragged her out of the house when her makeup was done."Auntie, I'm taking Annie out to have some fun. I'll bring her back this evening-or maybe later tonight," Amber called cheerfully, waving at Isolde with a bright grin.Isolde offered them a gentle smile in return, even wishing them a good time.As for Annie, she had already given up on resisting. Amber, practically bouncing with excitement, tugged her outside and ushered her into the front passenger seat of her friend's car."Come on, get to know each other! This is Annie-the talented artist manager I told you about," Amber said excitedly from the back seat, leaning forward to make the introduction."She's even prettier in person than in the pictures, right?"Her friend offered Annie a warm smile, his gaze lingering with a trace of fascination."Hi, Annie. I'm Lay, Amber's friend. I'm two years older than you and currently the CEO of a furniture company in Country A."Out of courtesy
At first, Sofia kept up the pretense of confusion."What do you mean? What did I sabotage, exactly?"She shrugged, her expression all innocence."I really was being followed by some man. That wasn't something I asked for.""As if I'd put myself in danger just to mess with you two? I'm not crazy."Sofia tried to convince Finn, but from the beginning to the end, he said nothing. If she didn't want to admit it, there was no way he could force her.Still, from now on, he wouldn't believe a single word from her mouth."Fine. If you want to keep lying, be my guest. I have no interest in listening to your nonsense any longer."Without another word, Finn turned and walked away. Annie was no longer here-he had no reason left to keep talking to Sofia.Sofia watched his retreating figure, a faint smirk curling at the corners of her lips. So what if Finn doubted her?As long as she got what she wanted, nothing else mattered....As for Annie-After she left, just as mentioned before, she returned
Annie glanced at Finn before they both hurried inside. She hadn't even had the chance to press the doorbell when Sofia swung the door open, her face a mixture of panic and worry."Annie, Finn, you're here. I was really so worried," she exclaimed, voice trembling slightly.Annie stepped in, her eyes sweeping around the house. Noticing the absence of anyone else, she looked at Sofia with a hint of suspicion."Where are the police? Why are you here alone?"Sofia's pale face revealed a flicker of discomfort. Clearing her throat, she replied somewhat awkwardly,"They came and searched the area. When they didn't find anything suspicious or dangerous, they left."A spark of surprise flashed across Annie's eyes."That quickly...?"Before she could dwell on it further, Sofia swiftly changed the subject."Thank goodness you and Finn made it in time. I honestly don't know what I would've done otherwise. You have no idea-just a little while ago, I even heard someone trying to enter the wrong pass
"I'll ask one more time-who is he?"Finn frowned, repeating his question with a sharp edge, clearly irritated by Annie's stunned silence. But Annie, still frowning deeply, only stared at him in confusion.Thankfully, Nathan reacted swiftly. He pulled Finn's hand away from Annie and stepped in front of her protectively, his eyes fixed on Finn with wary intensity."And who the hell are you to ask?" Nathan shot back. "As far as I know, she doesn't have a boyfriend or a husband. So what gives you the right to control her?"The easygoing air Nathan had carried before was now gone, replaced by a cold, guarded demeanor. He didn't forget to gently pat Annie's hand in reassurance either-an action that only fueled Finn's growing anger.By now, Annie had regained some of her composure. She leaned slightly forward, giving Finn a displeased look."That's exactly what I was about to ask you." Her voice was cool, clipped."Who are you? What right do you have to interfere in my business?"She couldn'
Annie stared in shock, her voice rising with concern."Why are you suddenly kneeling? Did something happen?"Indeed, Sofia's unexpected gesture had startled her, and her tone had a hint of urgency.Sofia, however, merely curved her lips into a faint smile, one laced with sorrow."Annie, will you please grant my request? I beg you."Annie stepped forward, trying to help her up, but Sofia remained kneeling, unmoved. Her face was pale, and tears welled in her eyes-she looked pitiful, almost heartbreakingly so."Alright. But stand up first and explain everything. Don't just kneel like that without reason."Only then did Sofia slowly rise to her feet, though her voice still trembled with sobs as she spoke, word by word."Don't mention Finn again. I think... he's figured out there's something different between us. That's why, not long after you left, his attitude towards me suddenly turned cold and distant."What Sofia said left Annie stunned. She hadn't expected it - that Finn would be so
Sofia tilted her chin toward the bar, speaking with a calm air."Same as last time. I'll treat you to a few drinks."She fell silent for a moment as if recalling something unpleasant, before continuing,"But don't worry-nothing like that will happen again."Her voice had dropped to a barely audible murmur, and Hubert couldn't help but chuckle. He raised an eyebrow at her and let out a low "Oh?", finding her rather adorable at that moment.True to her word, their conversation was more serious this time. Hubert had overheard a few harsh words from the man earlier, enough to piece together some context, so Sofia no longer tried to hide anything."Right now, I'm fighting against my stepmother. It's been a long time since I last went home," she admitted. "But my stepmother and father aren't ready to let me go."Sofia took a sip of her drink, bitterness flickering across her face."The company's finances are in trouble, and they're too impatient to wait for a real solution. They wanted me
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