《Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared)》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Agnes Pritchard was just five minuteste, but she was summoned to the boss¡¯s office for a one¨Chour lecture. When she emerged from the CEO¡¯s office, Agnes looked like a ghost. Her face and eyes red and swollen. Clearly, she had been crying. Everyone in the secretarial office felt bad for her. Agnes was a new intern assigned to the secretarial office. Her job typically involved writing drafts and sorting out files. For some reason, the CEO always seemed to have a bone to pick with her. He could always find a reason to summon her to his office for a dressing¨Cdown. And every time Agnes came out of the office, she looked like she had seen a ghost. Agnes finally managed to slump back into her chair. Anita, another intern, rolled her chair over and voiced her indignation, ¡°The CEO is so mean to you just because you look like an easy target.¡± She sighed, ¡°Agnes, what on earth did you do to piss off the CEO? Why¡¯s he got it in for you? The first thing he does when he returns from a business trip is chew you out?¡± Agnes hadn¡¯t quite pulled herself together yet, her mind still reeling from what had just happened in the office. He¡¯d been away on a business trip for two days, but his energy seemed to have doubled. She might have been stuck in there for another hour if she hadn¡¯t been crying and begging for mercy. Anita looked at Agnes and felt terrible, but there was nothing she could do. 1 So, she just patted Agnes on the shoulder, ¡°Agnes, take it easy. The internship is almost over. Just Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. hang in there.¡± Agnes was a junior majoring in news management at Lakeside College; she was just here for a month¨C long winter internship. Agnes nodded, looking a bit dazed. Anita sympathized even more, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it. We¡¯ll figure something out for you at the department dinner tonight.¡± This snapped Agnes back to reality, ¡°Department dinner? Do I have to go?¡± Anita whispered, ¡°Of course, you do. It¡¯s Ynda¡¯s treat. Rumor has it she¡¯s got some special privileges. But that¡¯s not the point. The point is a lot of the senior staff from the secretarial office will be there, we interns can¡¯t just blow it off.¡± Ynda was also an intern. She went to the same college as Agnes but in different departments. Rumor had it she had connections and was assigned to the Tim Group for her internship. Agnes spent the whole afternoon fretting. Because earlier today in the office, her boss had told her to go straight home after work. After an afternoon of contemtion, she decided to go to the dinner. If she went home, she worried she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold it together. She never understood why the cold, handsome man, in everyone else¡¯s eyes, could turn so brutal in front of her. Anyway, when he whispered those words in her ear, Agnes was already exhausted, barely conscious. She might as well have pretended she didn¡¯t hear it. So after work, Agnes and Anita cheerfully went to thepany dinner. Even though it was Ynda¡¯s treat, Agnes somehow became the center of attention. Naturally, the talk of the party was why the CEO was so cold¨Cto her. With an innocent face, Agnes said, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know.¡± This only made everyone feel sorrier for her. Halfway through dinner, Agnes¡® phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, her heart rate elerated. She walked to a corner to answer the call. On the other end of the phone was Jared¡¯s deep, seductive voice, ¡°Where are you?¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Agnes honestly said, ¡°I¡¯m at a department dinner at vour Fusion.¡± Jared¡¯s voice was cold, obviously tinged with displeasure. ¡°Get your butt home now.¡± And with that, he hung up. Agnes was dumbstruck for half a minute. She returned to her seat and hurriedly said, ¡°Something urgent just came up. I gotta scoot.¡± Seeing her rush like that, everyone thought something big must¡¯ve happened, so they didn¡¯t try to stop her. Agnes left the restaurant and hailed a cab straight back to Silver Oak Vis. It was a standalone garden Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. mansion on a hillside. From the outside, it looked like a pce. The butler was at the door to wee her. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re back.¡± Agnes asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Whitfield?¡± The butler respectfully replied, ¡°He is in his bedroom.¡± Agnes quickly headed upstairs to the bedroom. She hesitated at the door for a moment, but in the end, she pushed it open. To her surprise, the room was empty. The only sign of life was the sound of running watering from the bathroom. Jared was taking a shower. Agnes heaved a sigh of relief and plopped down on the couch, lost in thought. Her gaze drifted towards the bathroom. To be honest, she felt like everything that happened today was like a dream. The story of her and the man in the bathroom was a whirlwind romance, a long story to tell. But when Agnes married him, she had no idea he was the youngest CEO of the Tim Group and the heir of the Whitfield family, one of the Four Families of Willowbrook. Almost no one knew he was married. To this day, Agnes couldn¡¯t understand why Jared chose her. Was, it just because¡­? As Agnes was lost in thought, the frosted ss door of the bathroom opened. Jared emerged from the bathroom. Agnes¡® gaze naturally fell on him. Jared was only wearing a white towel. He had a great body, no extra fat, his skin was smooth, and he looked refined and handsome. His broad, muscr chest and perfect six¨Cpack abs exuded mature masculine power and charm¡­ Eor a moment, Agnes was stunned. Even though there was no privacy between them anymore, Agnes had always kept her eyes closed; she hadn¡¯t dared to really look. Seeing Agnes¡® dazed expression, Jared said, ¡°Are you satisfied with my body?¡± Agnes finally came to her senses, blushing as she turned her gaze away, saying, ¡°I haven¡¯t felt it yet, so I can¡¯t tell.¡± After saying that, Agnes wanted to bite her tongue off. What was she saying? Maybe because of what she had experienced before, Agnes found the current Jared somewhat dangerous, especially seeing that smile at the corner of his mouth. Jared slowly walked towards Agnes. She could feel the dangerous atmosphere getting closer. Jared stopped in front of her and said, ¡°Here, give it a try.¡± They had sex before, but Agnes had never directly touched his body. Every time, she was in a daze as Jared took control. Agnes felt as if her fingertips had touched an electric current, unconsciously wanting to withdraw her hand. But what was supposed to happen, happened¡­ When Agnes opened her eyes again, it was already 8 in the morning. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Agnes overslept this morning, but it was all because she was beat fromst night. She swore she set her rm clock, but it never rang. She jolted awake, startling the man next to her who was still fast asleep.- Irritated, he mumbled, ¡°Why are you up so early?¡± In a fluster, Agnes replied, ¡°It¡¯s already 8. I¡¯m gonna bete for work.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org She tried to spring out of bed, but Jared pulled her back. ¡°Since you¡¯rete anyway, stay in bed with me a bit longer,¡± he said, pulling her into his arms. Agnes didn¡¯t dare to disagree though she wasn¡¯t thrilled. Jared seemed to fall asleep again, so Agnes cautiously began to inch away, hoping to sneak out of his grip without waking the man besides her. But just as she was about to make her escape, Jared snapped open his eyes and rasped, ¡°Agnes, didn¡¯t anyone ever tell you it¡¯s risky to sneak out early in the morning? 1 Before she could react, he pulled her back and pinned her beheath him¡­ By the time Agnes arrived at the office, it was already half past nine. Anita asked, ¡°Agnes, why are you sote today?¡± Thinking back to the morning¡¯s events, Agnes blushed. Anita asked, ¡°Your face is so red. Are you sick?¡± Agnes quickly covered it up, ¡°My dog at home is too clingy; I just couldn¡¯t get away.¡± As Agnes finished her sentence, Anita nudged, ¡°The big boss is here.¡± Sure enough, Jared walked by them, pausing slightly as if to nce at Agnes. Agnes sucked in her breath, he didn¡¯t hear that, did he? After Jared entered his office, Anita sighed, ¡°I thought the boss was going to scold you for beingte, Agnes. You¡¯re really lucky today. You werete, and so was the boss.¡± Of course, Jared would bete. They came in together. Luckily, no one saw Agnes get out of Jared¡¯s car. Overhearing the conversation between Agnes and Anita, Ynda asked, ¡°Agnes, you have a dog? What breed?¡± Caught off guard, Agnes blurted out, ¡°A mini poodle.¡± Jared would not let it slide if he knew Agnespared him to a poodle. But he probably didn¡¯t have time to deal with her now, as he was leaving for a business trip in the afternoon. Before leaving, Jared sent Agnes a message: I¡¯m going on a business trip to Tokyo. Be back in three days) They had been secretly married for three months now. During this time, Jared had been away on business half the time, but no matter where he went, he always messaged Agnes before he boarded the ne.- Agnes only had one week left in her internship. She only hoped to get through this period smoothly, and then she would go back to school. Who would have thought that an unexpected event would ur the next day. As soon as she entered the office, Agnes saw a crowd of people around her desk. When she went over, she found a huge bouquet of roses on her desk. Seeing this, her colleagues expressed their envy, ¡°Agnes, who sent this? He must be loaded! 99 rainbow roses, that¡¯s like three months of our sry.¡± Agnes was just as puzzled, but then she noticed a card attached to the bouquet. After reading the card, her face changed. She immediately picked up the bouquet and tossed it into the nearby trash can. Everyone was confused, a colleague whispered, ¡°Agnes, did your boyfriend send this? Did you guys have a fight?¡± Another colleague said, ¡°If my boyfriend tried to make up with me with 99 rainbow roses, I¡¯d definitely forgive him.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t respond, but seeing her expression, everyone didn¡¯t dare to ask further. She was uneasy the whole day until she left work in the evening and saw Elton¡¯s car parked in front of thepany building. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Agnes was about to turn around and leave, but Elton spotted her, got out of his car, and grabbed Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Agnes by the arm. ¡°Agnes, let me exin.¡± Agnes turned around, her tone icy. ¡°Alright, speak. I¡¯m all ears.¡± Elton said, ¡°I was drunk that day. I thought Jenny was you.¡± Agnes asked, ¡°Are you done exining? If you¡¯re done, I¡¯m leaving.¡± It was rush hour, and there were lots of peopleing and going at the entrance. Anita happened to be driving her car out of the garage, so Agnes turned around and hopped 1. in. Elton didn¡¯t chase after her. Once the car was on the overpass, Anita finally asked, ¡°Who was that hunk? The one who brought you roses this morning? Is he your boyfriend?¡± Agnes shook her head. ¡°He used to be.¡± ¡°Oh, so he¡¯s your ex. Looks like he wants to get back together. But why did you guys break up? He¡¯s handsome, and seems toe from a good family too. Agnes, how could you let go of such a catch?¡± ¡°Anita, I have a headache. Please stop.¡± Agnes was usually cheerful, and it was rare to see her like this, even when her boss frequently criticized her. Anita didn¡¯t ask any more questions. Agnes looked at the night view outside the window, her thoughts drifting back to three months ago. Agnes¡® birthday was on November 11th. Elton¡¯s birthday gift to her was letting her discover that he had a lover on that day. And it was her good friend, Jenny Fitz. Betrayed by the two people closest to her in one day, Agnes could only find sce in the bar, which led to what happened afterwards. For three cons¨¦cutive days, expensive rainbow roses showed up on Agnes¡® desk, and Elton would wait for her after work at thepany entrance. Everyone in the office knew that a super handsome guy was madly pursuing Agnes. Agnes didn¡¯t exin; only Anita knew the truth. On the fourth day, Agnes received more rainbow roses on her desk. But in addition to that, someone else also came to the office. It was Jenny. Agnes frowned at the sight of her. Jenny hurried over and said, ¡°Agnes, since you won¡¯t see me or answer my calls, I had toe find you. Can we talk?¡± There were already a lot of people in the office, all of them looking on curiously. Not wanting to draw attention, Agnes said, ¡°Follow me.¡± Agnes took Jenny to the nearest conference room. Once inside, tears streaming down her face, Jenny grabbed Agnes by the arm. ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m sorry. Can you forgive me? I don¡¯t want to lose our friendship.¡± Agnes said, ¡°If you really considered me a friend, you wouldn¡¯t have done this. I remember you weren¡¯t drunk that day.¡± Jenny cried even harder. ¡°Agnes, you probably don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ve liked Elton for a long time. Yes, you two have been close since childhood, and I shouldn¡¯t have intruded, but if love could be controlled, then it wouldn¡¯t be love.¡± At her words, Agnes¡® expression darkened. Jenny continued, pleading, ¡°Agnes, we¡¯ve been friends for years. Can you let me have Elton? You are the beloved heiress of the Pritchard family. Even without him, you can find a better partner in the future. But I¡¯m different. If I lose Elton, I¡¯ll truly have nothing. Agnes, you¡¯ve never been one forpetition. Can you forgive him?¡± Agnes was speechless. Forgive him? In fact, she had never nned to tangle with him. After what happened, Agnes knew there was no chance of her and Elton ever being a couple again. Agnes turned around and asked, ¡°Is this what you came here to tell me today?¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Jenny¡¯s coldness shocked Agnes, and her tone turned chilly, ¡°So, you¡¯re not going to forgive me? Agnes, you already have so much. Why are you trying to steal Elton from me? You just don¡¯t want me to be happy, do you?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Agnes was speechless, baffled by Jenny¡¯s logic. It was Jenny who had butted into her rtionship with Elton first. However, now Jenny was saying that she didn¡¯t want her to be happy. Agnes said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing left for us to talk about. I have to work; you go do your thing¡± Just as Agnes was about to turn around and leave, Jenny grabbed her arm, ¡°Agnes, let me tell you one more thing¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Suddenly, a tall figure appeared in the doorway. Elton had walked over, his face full of unhidden anger, ¡°Jenny, how many times have I told you, stop bothering Agnes.¡± Jenny immediately put on a pitiful face, ¡°I came to ask her for forgiveness. I¡¯ve been begging her. It was all my fault. It has nothing to do with you.¡± Agnes never expected Jenny to be such a great actress. Elton¡¯s gaze at Jenny obviously softened a lot. He turned to Agnes and said, ¡°Agnes, my father is being discharged from the hospital today. Would you like toe to my house for dinner tonight? You might be angry with me but wouldn¡¯t be mad with my parents, right? They miss you a lot.¡± The Pritchard family and the Taylor family were old acquaintances. Agnes spent almost half of her childhood at the Taylor¡¯s. Elton¡¯s parents, Hancock and Sarah, truly treated Agnes like their own. Agnes asked, ¡°When was Mr. Taylor hospitalized?¡± Seeing Agnes¡® reaction, Elton felt hopeful, ¡°It¡¯s the same old problem. He had a heart bypass surgery this time. He was talking about you this morning, saying he hadn¡¯t seen you in a while.¡± As Agnes was hesitating, Jenny couldn¡¯t help herself. She blurted out, ¡°What about me? Elton, what am I supposed to do if she goes?¡± Tonight, at the Taylor family dinner, she knew Elton woulde to find Agnes. That¡¯s why she came here early. If Agnes went and was warmly weed by Elton¡¯s parents, she could soften and reconcile with Elton. Then everything she had done would be in vain. She couldn¡¯t let them get back together. Elton hadn¡¯t expected the usually soft¨Cspoken Jenny to disrupt him suddenly. His face turned cold instantly. He said, ¡°What does this have to do with you? Stop making a scene here.¡± Elton¡¯s hint was very clear. Jenny said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but¡­ I¡¯m pregnant.¡± When she said this, everyone present was shocked. Jenny seemed to have be a different personpared to who she was moments ago. She took out a stack of papers from her bag, ¡°This is my ultrasound report.¡± Agnes saw that it said six weeks pregnant. She said, ¡°Six weeks, isn¡¯t that just over forty days?¡± But it had been three months since that night. A smile appeared on the corner of Jenny¡¯s mouth. Her gaze was fixed on Agnes¡® face, ¡°Yes, we had sex afterwards. Many times.¡± Elton pushed Jenny away in anger, ¡°Jenny, shut up.¡± Agnes, however,ughed. She said to Elton, ¡°Elton, do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡± He seemed a bit flustered, grabbing Agnes¡® arm, ¡°Listen to me. Just let me exin.¡± On the other side, Jenny was almost knocked over by Elton¡¯s push. She felt a chill in her heart. He hatred for Agnes. Just as things were getting chaotic, the door to the conference room was suddenly opened Jared¡¯s stern face appeared in the doorway. Everyone was gobsmacked. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 In the Capital, Jared¡¯s name and face were known to all. He was every woman¡¯s dream in the Capital. The man every societydy wanted to marry, and the person every celebrity and model wanted to get close to. He was the man standing right in front of them. His face didn¡¯t only grace the pages of finance magazines, but he was also a hot topic in entertainment news. As a journalism major, how could Jenny possibly not know him? Jared strolled over nonchntly,ing to stand by Agnes. His voice was low, but oozing charm, ¡°Who are they?¡± Jared¡¯s sudden appearance caught Agnes off guard. With a surge of confusion, she answered, ¡°They¡¯re none of your business.¡± A rare tenderness shed across Jared¡¯s face as he took Agnes¡® hand. ¡°I brought you some gifts from Japan. Go see if you like them.¡± Jared seemed to bepletely ignoring Elton and Jenny. Elton immediately sensed something was off, but Jared had already thrown his arm around Agnes, ready to leave the meeting room. Elton rushed over, grabbing Agnes¡® arm, demanding, ¡°Agnes, what¡¯s your rtionship with him?¡± Agnes stopped in her tracks, as did Jared. Everyone¡¯s eyesnded on Agnes, including Jenny¡¯s. Jared was also staring at Agnes, apparently waiting for an answer as well. Agnes took a deep breath clearly stating, ¡°He¡¯s my boyfriend.¡± Upon hearing this, both Jared and Elton frowned. Elton, in disbelief, blurted out, ¡°Agnes, how could you do this to me?¡± Seeing Elton¡¯s hurt expression, and Jenny¡¯s disbelief, Agnes admitted that she felt a rush of satisfaction. Jared¡¯s timely arrival had salvaged a bit of her dignity, preventing her from being yed like a fool. Agnes dismissed Elton, taking Jared¡¯s arm, ¡°Let¡¯s go to The Olive Tree for Mexican food tonight. We haven¡¯t had it in ages!¡± Jared tapped her nose affectionately, ¡°Whatever you say, babe.¡± Elton¡¯s face paled instantly, and he yelled at Jared¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°Do you know what Agnes and I are to each other? I¡¯m her first love!¡± Elton was desperate. Even though he had sex with Jenny, he thought he would still have a chance with Agnes since they¡¯d been close since childhood. But Jared¡¯s appearance made him feel threatened for the first time. Jared turned around, casually stating, ¡°I¡¯m her first boyfriend.¡± With that, he left the meeting room with Agnes. People from the secretary¡¯s office were all looking towards the meeting room, seeing a man and a woman looking for Agnes this morning; it seemed like a drama was unfolding. But then, the big boss suddenly showed up, making the oue unpredictable. Thepany¡¯s CEO had always had a poor impression of Agnes, and now they were even more displeased that she was using thepany¡¯s meeting room for personal/ matters during work hours. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as the CEO returned, everyone was discussing the rtionships of those people. Anita was very straightforward, revealing that the handsome guy was Agnes¡® ex¨Cboyfriend. This was overheard by the passing CEO, who didn¡¯t even pause and headed straight for the meeting room. Everyone felt sorry for Agnes. She was already disliked by him, and everyone suspected she was about to face trouble again. Just as they predicted, Agnes and the CEO emerged from the meeting room together. Then Agnes, head down, followed him into the CEO¡¯s office. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Everyone thought Agnes was really put through the wringer Not only did her ex and his new squeeze show up at her workce, but her boss also dracked her into his office and gave her a talking to She waspletely stripped of all dignity It was downright brutall The moment the door to the boss¡¯s office shut. Agnes was pinned against the door by Jared His intense kiss left Agnes flushed and breathless. This kiss seemed to carry a punishing intention and Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. was much rougher than any they¡¯d shared before Agnes¡® mind was a mess, and the had no strength to resist. After what felt like forever, Jared finally let go of Agnes, but he still pressed her body against the door. Jared propped himself up and looked at Agnes. Her cheeks were flushed, looking like ripe peaches, and her eyes appeared misty, like a foggy mysterynd Agnes was pretty, but not in a drop¨Cdead gorgeous way It was aforting beauty that grew on you She was usually like a lotus in a pond, fresh and pristine. But now, this lotus is seemed to have transformed into a poppy Her kiss¨Cswollen lips looked incredibly sexy. Her skin was naturally fair, and from Jared¡¯s perspective, he could see her swan like neck and the slight rise and fall of her chest. Jared felt a burning sensation in his throat, but he tried to suppress his desire and said in a low voice, ¡°You never mentioned having an old me? As Agnes slowly came back to her senses, she replied, ¡°Well, you never asked. I thought you knew.¡± Of course he knew But the thought of that guy possibly kissing Agnes and having sex with her like he just did made his blood boil. Agnes vaguely sensed the underlying anger in Jared¡¯s kiss, but she didn¡¯t understand why he was angry. Jared asked, ¡°Why did you introduce me as your boyfriend¡® instead of ¡®husband¡®, Agnes? We are legally married. Are you ashamed of being my wife?¡± Agnes finally understood why Jared was angry. But they had kept their marriage a secret from everyone, including their families. She thought their secret marriage was a pact between them Agnes told him, ¡°I¡¯m a sophomore in college, and being ¡®married¡® might have negative effects on my future at school. Your talent, looks, and wealth have attracted many women who¡¯d chase you to the ends of the earth. I tell them you¡¯re my husband, and they won¡¯t believe me. If rumors about us spread, they might believe it.¡± Upon hearing Agnes¡® words, Jared seemed to cheer up a bit and asked, ¡°So, you think I¡¯m handsome?¡± Agnes¨Cimmediatelyplimented him, ¡°You¡¯re the most handsome man in the world!¡± Jared raised an eyebrow, ¡°For your honesty, I¡¯ll let you off the hook this time.¡± Some men why were they so full of themselves¡­. Alright. Agnes admitted, even with his vanity, Jared was still incredibly handsome. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Agnes was hesitant to leave Jared¡¯s office. She knew that as soon as she stepped out she¡¯d be the talk of the town. So, she decided to hide out in the office for a bit. Jared was ahead getting down to work. He was always swamped with work. The Tim Group was his dad, Tim Whitfield¡¯s brainchild the business empire that he built from scratch her half a century of growth. The Tim Group had its hands in everything in all kinds of industries. Tim Properties was the top dog in the field The man front of her engrossed in his work was worth tens of millions of dors. Agnes grew up with a siver soon in her mouth. Her dad was the chairman of Starlight International Group a bigwig in the media industry. Their business covered eventing from talent agences esters to publishing houses But even so, there was a clear gap between the Pritchards and the Whitfields in terms of economic power. The Whitfield family, apart from their massive family business. also has a hefty polical backing Because of this, they had been the strongest among the Big Four for years. Agnes had heard her father talk about Jared, saying he was a rare business prodigy. But what really piqued people¡¯s interest was Jared¡¯s background. Tim was dosing in on eighty and Jared was only 27. Everyone knew that Tim had a childte, and it Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. wasmon knowledge that Tim¡¯s first wife died shortly after giving bt to Jared¡¯s sister, Aissa Tem maned unnamed for many years, but suddenly had a son when he was fifty. Everyone had their own theones about this. Some said he was Tims illegitimate child while others said he was an orphan that Tim adopted. But when Jared was only 17, Tim handed over the rains of the great Tim Goup to him, and it had been a decade since. Agnes couldnt understand how a 17¨Cyear¨Cold boy could hold in such a business empire¡°. It was said that at the beginning a few old shareholders were strongly against this, thinking that handing over the Tim Group to a child was a joke. But now everyone in thepany respected him, and the business performance of the Tim Group was topnotch, its status shakeable. Jared was seen as a miracle in the industry Agnes, you¡¯re making me blush, staring at me like that Jared¡¯s deep voice came from across the desk and Agnes snapped out of her reverie, realibing that she had been staring at Jared for quite a while. Agnes face fusted and she immediately rose from the sofa, Tm going back to work.¡± As soon as Agnes returned to her seat her colleagues swarmed her, ¡°Agnes, are you okay? Did the boss give you a hard time?¡± Agnes shook her head Tim fire dont wor Ynde chime in Sven be boss yelled at you, thats still a blessing. You¡¯re in and out of the boss¡¯s office more than any of us. We barely even get a glimpse of him. Agnes, fm so jealous of you that someone joked Ynda are you crushing on the boss?¡± Vndas face tumes bright red. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not!¡± Someone teased Ynde There¡¯s no harm in king him. Your family is one of the Four Families of Willowbrook. You¡¯re the heiress of the Bowman family, and you¡¯d be a perfect mator for the Whitfield family. You¡¯re gorgeous and you¡¯re the only intern who got promoted. That proves the boss appreciates you. Maybe one day you¡¯ll be our Yonnas face was as red as a ripe apple. She said, ¡°What CEO¡¯s wife? I¡¯ve never thought of that. Stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°Look, Yndes blushing. Our Future CEOs wife is blushing¡® The group started joking around. Everyone¡¯s attention was instantly diverted from Agnes to Ynda, and Agnes finally breathed a sigh of relief. Life was cruising smoothly after that, and Elton and Jenny vanished into thin air. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Agnes wrapped up her internship at The Tim Group and was all set for the new semester. The day before school started, Laura gave her a ring, Inviting her over for dinner. Once a big shot in showbiz, Laura was now Agnes¡® stepmother. Agnes¡® mom passed away when she was 12, and to her surprise, her dad got hitched to Laura just six monthster. Her father, a gentle and loving man in her memory, had always taken care of her mother, especially when she was sick. Agnes didn¡¯t oppose her father remarrying, but what she couldn¡¯t stomach was that Laura brought along a daughter, Beatrice. Only two years younger than Agnes, Beatrice was also her father¡¯s biological daughter. This clearly indicated that her dad had been ying outside his marriage for years. It wasn¡¯t until Agnes grew up that she found out that her father¡¯s affair with Laura was an open secret in their circle. Jared knocked off work early that day and found Agnes packing when he got home. ¡°I¡¯m heading back home tonight, and I¡¯m taking my luggage with me. I¡¯ll head straight to school tomorrow and won¡¯t be back,¡± Agnes told Jared. ¡°Do you want me to tag along?¡± asked Jared. ¡°No need, I can handle it. My dad doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m hitched,¡± Agnes quickly responded. ¡°What if I go as your ¡°boyfriend¡°?¡± Jared suggested. ¡°Even worse, they don¡¯t know I¡¯ve broken up with Elton,¡± Agnes replied. ¡°When do you n to spill the beans?¡± Jared asked casually. Agnes thought for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll tell them tonight. Elton and I are history.¡± Seeing Agnes¡® determined look, Jared couldn¡¯t help but smile. He then handed her a key, ¡°Here¡¯s your gift.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Agnes asked, looking at the key in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s the key to Maplewood Manor. It¡¯s not far from your school, so you can move in after school starts,¡± Jared exined. Maplewood Manor was a garden vi owned by Jared. Agnes had been there once. It was a typical rich¨Cpeople¡¯s neighborhood with great privacy. Many celebrities lived there. ¡°I n to stay in the dorm,¡± Agnes said. ¡°Then what about me?¡± Jared asked. ¡°You¡¯re moving in too?¡± Agnes looked surprised. ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re a married woman now. I¡¯m fit as a fiddle and full of energy. I don¡¯t n on living separately,¡± Jared replied. Agnes¡® face turned beet red. Living with Jared for three months had been the boldest thing she had Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ever done. Jared spent half his time away on business trips, but when he was home, things always heated up between them. Agnes was no match for Jared¡¯s charm. Agnes¡® cheeks were flushed; she looked adorable. Jared couldn¡¯t resist kissing her. Agnes was a rookie when it came to kissing, she didn¡¯t even know how to breathe properly. She was always defenseless against Jared¡¯s advances. Jared had already unbuttoned Agnes¡® shirt. Suddenly, Agnes snapped back to reality. She stopped his wandering hands and gasped, ¡°Not now. I¡¯m about to leave.¡± Agnes knew that once he got started, he wouldn¡¯t stop for at least an hour. More importantly, she would not even have the energy to walk afterwards. Jared didn¡¯t get what he wanted, so he left a hickey on Agnes¡® neck. He then buried his face in her neck, calming himself down. In a husky voice, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower, then I¡¯ll drive you home.¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Jared was taking a shower, while Agnes was busy packing her stuff. But while changing clothes, she noticed that her chest and neck were all covered with Jared¡¯s love bites. This guy¡­. Agnes reluctantly put on a turtleneck that she had never worn before. When Jared came out, he saw Agnes in a yellow turtleneck, looking absolutely adorable. Her hair was tied into a simple ponytail, revealing a smooth forehead, and there was a blush on her cheeks. Jared walked over, deliberately asking, ¡°Why did you suddenly change clothes? Don¡¯t you dislike turtlenecks? You said they make your neck ufortable?¡± He knew the reason very well; he was such a jerk! Agnes rolled her eyes at Jared. Jared had tough inside. When they first moved in together, Agnes was like a little bird, tiptoeing every step. Now she had the nerve to roll her eyes at him. He considered it good progress; it meant she trusted him more. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Jared drove Agnes back to the Pritchard Mansion himself. After getting out of the car, Jared left. When Agnes entered the door, the nanny Carmen weed her, ¡°Ms. Pritchard, you¡¯re finally back.¡°¡± Agnes asked, ¡°Carmen, where¡¯s my dad?¡± ¡°Mr. Pritchard hasn¡¯te back yet, but Mrs. Pritchard is at home. She cooked tonight¡¯s meal herself.¡± Agnes nodded and then went upstairs. Just as Agnes was about to enter her room, the door of the room opposite was opened, ¡°You¡¯re finally back, I thought you wouldn¡¯t evere back.¡± It was Agnes¡® half¨Csister Beatrice. Beatrice, a senior in high school this year, had curly hair, wore exquisite makeup and red lipstick, dressed sexier than her age, and had various patterns on her nails. Standing next to the unmade¨Cup Agnes, she made Agnes look even younger. Agnes and her sister didn¡¯t get along well, and she was so used to her provocations. While opening the door, Agnes casually replied, ¡°Have you finished your homework? You¡¯re taking the college exam this year, right? After Agnes opened the door and entered the room, Beatrice walked straight in, asking, Who was the guy who just dropped you off? That wasn¡¯t Elton¡¯s car, did you guys break up?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Mentioning Elton, Agnes¡® face darkened. Beatrice, however, began to gloat, ¡°I guessed right, didn¡¯t I? I told you, sooner orter, Elton would find you boring and dump you. Agnes, when did Elton break up with you?¡± Agnes was furious, pointing to the door, ¡°Beatrice, get out of my room!¡± ¡°Agnes, who do you think you are? You dare to kicking me out. This is my house, you¡¯re just a burden here. I¡¯ll have you know; Dad has already agreed to take me and mom to Maldives for a vacation after my exams, just the three of us. Agnes, why did youe back? You¡¯re really just an extra here.¡± ¡°Beatrice, enough.¡± Laura walked in, sternly told Beatrice, ¡°How can you talk to your sister like that? Get out!¡± Reluctantly, Beatrice left the room. Laura sat next to Agnes, took her hand, and said, ¡°Beatrice is still young and naive, don¡¯t take her words to heart.¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Agnes calmly pulled her hand from Laura¡¯s grasp, saying, ¡°Ms. Laura, I won¡¯t tell Dad, trust me.¡± She always addressed Laura formally as Ms. Laura, even though Laura had been part of the family for a decade now. Laura had never been demanding, but ever since she married Agnes¡® dad, the warmth C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org of the horhe vanished. Just as Beatrice had put it, Agnes felt like the odd one out in this supposedly happy trio. Laura suggested, ¡°Your dad¡¯s back. Let¡¯s go eat in the dining room.¡± Preston was thrilled to see Agnes. Knowing she¡¯d be home today; he had bought her favorite durian But Beatrice took the chance when Agnes wasn¡¯t looking, and tossed the cake into the garbage. When Preston discovered, she innocently said, ¡°Dad, that thing stinks like hell. It gives me a headache. Look, neither you nor mom likes durian, and we shouldn¡¯t have to suffer just cause Agnes likes it. I still have homework to do.¡± Just as Preston was about to scold her, Laura intervened, ¡°It¡¯s just a cake. We can buy another one tomorrow. I made so many goodies today. It¡¯s not worth dampening the mood over a cake. Agnes, you wouldn¡¯t mind, right?¡± Agnes responded nonchntly, ¡°It¡¯s just a cake.¡°. That was her survival strategy in this family. Not giving a hoot about anything. Preston felt a pang of guilt seeing Agnes¡® indifferent demeanor. He remembered her as a lively and adorable kid, not like this. At the end of the day, he felt he had let her down. During dinner, Beatrice deliberately stirred the pot, ¡°Dad, you probably don¡¯t know, Agnes and Elton broke up.¡± Preston was taken aback, ¡°Agnes, is this true?¡± She should thank Beatrice for being nosy, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t know how to break the news.. Agnes confirmed calmly, ¡°Yes, we broke up.¡± ¡°Why? Weren¡¯t you guys all lovey¨Cdovey? I was even discussing with Mr. Taylor about letting you two get married right after graduation. Was there a misunderstanding between you two?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°No Dad, there was no misunderstanding. Do you know Jenny? She¡¯s pregnant, and Elton is the father.¡± Preston seethed, ¡°That bastard Elton, how could he do such a thing! Agnes, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll settle this with the Taylors.¡± Beatrice added fuel to the fire, ¡°Isn¡¯t Jenny your good friend? The one from a poor family? You let her snatch Elton from you, how could you be so powerless? Elton chose a girl from a family like that over you. You really dropped the ball. An angry Preston snapped, ¡°Beatrice, enough.¡± Defiant Beatrice retorted, ¡°Everything I said is true. Agnes doesn¡¯t look like a media mogul¡¯s daughter at all. Her attire and manners are so country bumpkin¨Clike. Elton has taste, and he was bound to lose interest.¡± Just as Preston was about to blow his top, Agnes put down her fork, ¡°I¡¯m full. You guys carry on.¡± With that, Agnes left for her room. Mentioning Elton still stung. He was her first love, a boy she had given her heart to for a decade. She could hardly believe Elton would betray her if she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes. After a while, the door opened, and in walked Preston. ¡°Agnes,¡± Preston called out to her. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Preston walked over to Agnes, held her hand and said, ¡°Agnes, why didn¡¯t you tell your old man about something so serious?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°There¡¯s not much to tell, really. Just a breakup, it¡¯s all in the past now.¡± Despite Agnes¡® dismissive words, Preston knew his daughter too well. These two kids had been best friends since childhood, with a bond as thick as thieves. The Pritchard and Taylor families had long considered each other as inws, but no one could¡¯ve predicted this turn of events. Preston sat next to Agnes and said, ¡°Well, what¡¯s done is done. No point crying over spilled milk. Maybe it¡¯s for the best. You¡¯ve always been top-notch in your studies, while that Elton kid never took anything seriously. I always thought he wasn¡¯t good enough for you. Only the best man in the world deserves my girl.¡± With that, Preston took an invitation out of his pocket and said, ¡°This is an invite to Tim¡¯s 70th birthday bash. All the big families in Willowbrook Town received one, specifically asking to bring a daughter along. It¡¯s pretty clear they¡¯re setting up a dating event for Jared from the Whitfield family. Each family gets only one female spot, and I was thinking of taking you.¡± Agnes was surprised to hear Jared¡¯s name at home. She wondered how Preston would react if he knew she was already married to the man he mentioned. But Agnes didn¡¯t spill the beans, Preston handed the invitation to Agnes and said, ¡°Agnes, I know I¡¯ve been neglecting you at home, but you have to know that you¡¯re always my favorite.¡± If Agnes were still a little girl, she would have believed him. But now, she just nodded and said, ¡°I Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. know.¡± Preston sighed at Agnes¡® indifference and then left the room. Agnes just stared at the invitation nkly. The Whitfield family was setting up public dates for Jared? Agnes looked at the date on the invitation. It turned out that Tim¡¯s birthday was in a week, but she had never heard Jared mention it. She felt a little sad, but even if Jared had mentioned it, what difference would it make? Their marriage was a secret, and Jared wouldn¡¯t really bring her home. Sometimes, when Agnes had quiet moments to herself, she felt that her marriage to Jared was nothing but a farce. While she was lost in her thoughts, the door was pushed open, and in strutted Beatrice. Agnes frowned and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± Beatrice blurted out, ¡°I heard everything Dad just said to you, Agnes. The idea of you catching Jared¡¯s eye isughable. Hand over the invite.¡± Agnes hadn¡¯t decided whether to attend or not, but seeing Beatrice¡¯s attitude, she didn¡¯t want to give it to her. So, hiding the invitation behind her, she said, ¡°Beatrice, you¡¯re underage. You want to go on a date?¡± Beatrice retorted, ¡°In two months I¡¯ll be 18. Even though I¡¯m still underage, my chances of bing his wife are much higher than yours. Elton doesn¡¯t even give you a second look, and Jared is even less likely to fancy you. You¡¯re just chasing rainbows. You might as well give me the invite. At least our family would stand a chance to tre the knot with them.¡± Agnes replied coldly, ¡°You can leave now. I¡¯m not giving you the invite.¡± Seeing that words were ineffective, Beatrice decided to physically take the invite, pinning Agnes to the bed in an attempt to snatch it from her. Agnes didn¡¯t expect Beatrice to be so brutish. With a quick judo move, Agnes had Beatrice pinned down instead. She had been studying Taekwondo since she was a child and had reached the level of a fifth¨Cdegree ck belt. Beatrice¡¯s wrist hurt so much that she yelled, ¡°Agnes, how dare you do this to me! I¡¯m telling Dad, let me go now!¡± Agnes let Beatrice go, ¡°Go ahead, tell him. I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Beatrice left with a face full of resentment. She knew about Agnes¡® martial arts skills, so she usually stuck to verbal attacks. Just as she was about to leave, she noticed a hickey on Agnes¡® neck. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Agnes never fancied high¨Ccor shirts, and Beatrice knew this well. Today she felt weird somehow, and it turned out to be a bombshell discovery. Beatrice stepped up and yanked down Agnes¡® cor, ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m gonna tell Dad about you messing around with some dude! You¡¯ve got a hickey, but you broke up with Elton, so it must have been the guy who dropped you off today!¡± Beatrice looked at her with scorn, ¡°Agnes, I never thought you¡¯d be such a floozy. Bet you stabbed Elton in the back, and that¡¯s why he dumped you, right?¡± ¡°Beatrice, zip it.¡± ¡°I hit the nail on the head, didn¡¯t I? If you want me to keep mum, hand me the invite and tell Dad yourself that you don¡¯t wanna go. Or else, Dad will hear it from me, as well as Elton and his folks.¡± Agnes handed over the invite, not because she was scared of Beatrice¡¯s threat, but because she was fed up with hearing Elton¡¯s name. After Beatrice took the invite and left with a smug grin, Agnes felt like the world was finally quiet. The next day, Agnes got up early skipped breakfast, and headed back to school with her luggage. Agnes was a junior journalism major at Lakeside College. Just as she entered the school gate, she received a distress message from her roommate, Kerri. The 5 Bitches had trapped her in the medicalb. Upon seeing the message, Agnes immediately tossed her suitcase and bolted towards theb building. Agnes was in a hurry because she knew this was serious. She had done research on bullying at school, and these five mean girls were the main perps. They had formed a group called the Ice Cream Club and 90% of the bullying incidents at Lakeside College were rted to this group. All the violence was caused by a guy, Ryder Whitfield, a hotshot and a medical student at Lakeside College. Some said a pretty woman was a ticking time bomb, but a good¨Clooking guy could stir up just as much trouble. Ryder was a case in point. He was a straight¨CA student, attractive, and had a lot of female admirers at school. Because he was icy and aloof, his fans nicknamed him Prince Frost and formed a group called the Ice Cream Club. The five ringleaders called themselves Ice Cream Princesses, but everyone else knew them as the 5 Bitches. They ruled the school with an iron fist, picking on any girl who had contact with Ryder. Any girl who had written him a love letter, given him a gift, or even talked to him a few times would be targeted. Agnes remembered when she was working on a news project, a girl had her hair chopped off by the 5 Bitches for giving Ryder a love letter. They forced her to strip and posted the photos on the school forum. The girl couldn¡¯t take the humiliation and almostmitted suicide. Although this caused a huge stir, the school only issued severe warnings to the girls involved. This was mainly because the ringleader, Cecile Higgins, was the mayor¡¯s daughter, and the other girls This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. also came from wealthy families. Faced with money and power, the principal chose to turn a blind eye. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 When Agnes rushed in, Kerri was being pinned down on theb bench by a few people Cecile was holding a scalpel, lightly tracing it across Kerri¡¯s face, ¡°So you had the audacity to seduce Prince, huh? I¡¯m going to ruin your pretty face. Let¡¯s see if Prince will even nce at you after that!¡± Kerri kept trying to exin, ¡°I really did not seduce him We¡¯re both medical students in the same research group. Talking is normal. I spoke to him and you are using me of seducing him. If you asionally chew a bone, should I call you a dog? Would you ept that?¡± Cecile angrily shot back, ¡°How dare you insult me? You¡¯re really too big for your boots. I think it¡¯s about time someone taught you a lesson.¡± The scalpel in her hand was about to sh down. ¡°Stop¡± Agnes shouted from the doorway. Everyone turned to look at the door, Cecile also froze when she saw Agnes. Agnes was well¨Cknown at school. Not only because of her pretty face, but also because of her family background. She was the daughter of Preston, a big shot in the entertainment industry, who controlled Starlight International Group, one of the biggest talent agencies in the country. Cecile had always wanted to befriend Agnes at school because she was studying acting. But Agnes didn¡¯t give her the time of day, and even reported the bullying incident that nearly got Cecile expelled. This created a deep¨Cseated animosity between them. Cecile warned, ¡°Agnes, you better keep your nose out of my business, or we¡¯ll settle old scores today.¡± Agnes had already walked over, snatching the scalpel from Cecile¡¯s hand, ¡°I¡¯m stepping in. Don¡¯t you remember what the principal saidst time? It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re the mayor¡¯s daughter; if there was another bullying incident, you would be expelled.¡± A smug smile yed on Cecile¡¯s lips, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that won¡¯t happen. The principal is running for Director of Education. He won¡¯t lose my dad¡¯s political support over this petty stuff.¡± ¡°What if I post everything that just happened online?¡± Agnes held up her phone, ¡°I¡¯ve recorded it all. If I use my dad¡¯s resources, your violent bullying will be known nationwide. Maybe your dad will cut ties with you under pressure, and your path to stardom will definitely be over.¡± Before Agnes could finish, Cecile lunged for her phone. Agnes stepped back, holding the phone high, ¡°Save your energy, I¡¯ve already saved it to the cloud. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Even if you smash my phone, you¡¯ll still be tomorrow¡¯s hot news.¡± Cecile was trembling with rage, but she was always arrogant and cold¨Chearted. She grabbed another razor de from theb bench and aimed at Kerri¡¯s face, ¡°Agn¨¨s, you should know how much I hate being threatened. Delete all the videos now, or your friend is going to get hurt. If you dare to ruin my future, I¡¯ll ruin your friend¡¯s face.¡± ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± A cold voice echoed from behind. Amid the standoff, a tall figure appeared at theb door. ¡°It¡¯s Prince!¡± A girl beside Cecile squealed. Agnes turned around. Standing in the doorway was the main reason behind all the bullying incidents at school ¨C the so¨Ccalled Prince Frost, Ryder! Chapter 15 Chapter 15 No doubt about it, Ryder had a hell of a handsome face. You could tell just by the way Cecile, who was mad as hell a moment ago, was now blushing like a ripe tomato. And the girls around her were practically shooting heart eyes. Agnes was quick off the mark, and blurted out, ¡°Good timing, handsome. How can you sit back and watch your crazy fans bully other students in your name? Sure, it¡¯s not directly your fault, but it¡¯s happening because of you Can¡¯t you rein in your fans a bit? Or do you actually enjoy being put on a pedestal?¡± Agnes knew her words were a bit harsh, and she knew none of this was really Ryder¡¯s fault But his hands¨Coff attitude was basically that of a bystander, and he was the only one who could get these This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. people to cool their jets. Ryder shot Agnes a look, furrowing his brow She was momentarily dazed, his frown reminding her of someone she knew. Meanwhile, Cecile had already strutted up to them. ¡°Agnes, who do you think you are, yelling at Prince like that? You¡¯re just a crafty little minx, trying to catch his eye, aren¡¯t you?¡± She raised her hand to p Agnes. But her hand was stopped mid¨Cair by Ryder. His voice was cold as ice, ¡°When are you going to stop this nonsense?¡± Cecile stared at him with love¨Cstruck eyes, ¡°Prince¡­¡± ¡°Dont call me Prince. For your father¡¯s sake, I won¡¯t make a fuss. But disband this ridiculous fan club of yours, or I¡¯ll report you for harassment.¡± Cecile bargained, ¡°I will stop if you make me your girlfriend. I¡¯ve liked you for a long time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like you¡± Ryder said Matly. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t have a girlfriend, I have every right to like you and pursue you. Everything I do, I do it for you.¡± Ryder replied, ¡°I already have a girlfriend.¡± His words stunned everyone, including Agnes. Agnes didn¡¯t know much about him, but as a journalism student, she heard plenty of gossip from her Ryder¨Cloving roommates. But she never heard anything about him having a girlfriend. Whoever his girlfriend was, she would be in for a rough ride, Agnes thought. Cecile was in total denial, ¡°Who is she? Tell me who she is!¡± Ryder nced at Agnes, then calmly replied, ¡°Her. Agnes.¡± Agnes was dumbstruck. First, she was shocked that Ryder even knew her name. Second, what the hell was this ice¨Ccold dude talking about? Did he know he was signing her death warrant? Cecile shook her head, gritting her teeth, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. When did you start dating? You¡¯re lying, aren¡¯t you!¡± Ryder¡¯s voice was cold and indifferent, ¡°From this moment on.¡± With that, he cupped Agnes¡® head, leaned in, and his icy lips met hers¡­ Agnes never thought she¡¯d be kissed against her will. Her mind went nk; all she could hear were the collective gasps around her. But it was just a peck, a brief touch before Ryder released Agnes. He then said to Cecile, ¡°Now, you can give up. Don¡¯t cause any more trouble in school, or don¡¯t me me for not considering the rtionship between the Higgins and Whitfield families anymore.¡± With that, he took Agnes by the hand and left theb, with Kerri hurrying after them. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Agnes felt like she was in a dream, being led out of theb building by Ryder. It wasn¡¯t until they were outside that she shapped back to reality, yanking her hand back from his and This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. demanding, ¡°Ryder, what the hell are you doing?¡± Agnes was pissed. Not just because Ryder had kissed her, but because she hadn¡¯t pushed him away Immediately when he did. Because in that moment, looking at his face, she had mistaken him for Jared. What a mindfuck. Ryder paused, his face still calm as he said, ¡°Sorry.¡± Agnes got it instantly, ¡°You used me as a human shield, why me?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re Preston¡¯s daughter, Cecile wouldn¡¯t dare touch you, right?¡± Agnes had suspected as much. In this school, she was the one person Cecile wouldn¡¯t dare to cross. Even when she exposed Cecile¡¯s dirty deeds, Cecile hadn¡¯te after her. Agnes clenched her fists, and finally spat out, ¡°You¡¯re such a jerk.¡± With that, she turned and bolted. Kerri shot Ryder a nce and quickly followed. Agnes¡® suitcase, carelessly left by the side of the road, was now missing. But it only contained some clothes, nothing important, so she didn¡¯t bother to look for it. Agnes and Kerri made their way back to their dorm. Kerri was full of guilt, ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m so sorry. If I hadn¡¯te to you for help, none of this would¡¯ve happened. Elton will hate me if he finds out you got kissed because of this.¡± They had reached the door of the dorm. Agnes said, ¡°This has nothing to do with you. Besides, Elton and I are over.¡± Kerri was shocked, ¡°Howe? He was so good to you!¡± Elton really had been good to Agnes. On the first day of school, he escorted her and moved all her luggage to the fifth floor. He was constantly showering her with treats and gifts and the other dorm residents benefited too. Word was they were childhood friends, a perfect match, and to everyone else, they were the ideal ¡®couple. Why would they just break up? Agnes didn¡¯t answer, just took out her keys and opened the dorm door. Their other two roommates were already there, one was Amelia who was a ster student, and the other was Jenny. Amelia, books in hand, was preparing to head to the library. She greeted them at the door. Kerri said, ¡°Amelia, it¡¯s only the first day of school, and you¡¯re already hitting the library. You¡¯re such a nerd.¡± Amelia responded, ¡°Time¡¯s meant to be used effectively, not wasted Gotta go. Amelia was juggling two majors, finance, and business management. She spent most of her time in the library outside of ss. Among the four roommates, only Agnes and Jenny were journalism majors and since they had also been ssmates in high school, they were particrly close. However, Kerri noticed that today, both were acting strange. After entering the dorm, no one initiated conversation and they was busy with their own thing, as if everyone else was invisible. Kerri felt the weird vibe and hesitated before saying, ¡°I¡¯m treating everyone for dinner tonight. Let¡¯s go to Hot N Sizzlin¡®.¡± Hot N Sizzlin¡® was a special BBQ ce where the dorm mates often gathered for meals. Agnes replied, ¡°I¡¯m moving out tonight, so I can¡¯t.¡± Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Kerri asked in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re moving out? You¡¯re not gonna live in the dorm anymore?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°I¡¯ve rented a ce off campus, and I¡¯m moving out tonight.¡± Stunned, Kerri pressed, ¡°Why the move? Isn¡¯t it great with all four of us bunking in the dorm?¡± Jenny cut in abruptly. ¡°Kerri, drop it Agnes is Daddy¡¯s little girl, probably not used to living in such a dump¡± Kerri was speechless and taken aback by Jenny¡¯s sarcasticment. Weren¡¯t they on good terms before? Did they have a fallout? Ignoring Jenny¡¯s jab, Agnes continued packing her stuff, which wasn¡¯t much. Her new suitcase was far from full. Kerri helped Agnes with the move. They rented a car and hauled her stuff to Maplewood Manor. As they pulled up to themunity, Kerri was taken aback, ¡°You¡¯re living here too?¡± ¡°Too?¡± Agnes was puzzled Kerri quickly covered up her slip. ¡°Oh, I just heard some celebs live here. If you run into any, snag me an autograph.¡± The odds of running into a celeb were slim. Each mansion was secluded, hidden behind towering trees with private driveways. The residents probably didn¡¯t even know who their neighbors were. By the time they finished moving, it was already dark. Agnes offered, ¡°Let me treat you to dinner tonight. Let¡¯s go to Hot N Sizzlin¡®.¡± Kerri quickly retorted, ¡°No, 1 should be treating you. Without you today, I could¡¯ve been a real hot mess.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t protest, and they went to Hot N Sizzlin¡® together. Kerri had a million questions about Agnes, like why the sudden move, why she broke up with Elton, and what happened between her and Jenny. But those were personal and emotional matters. She felt it was not her ce to pry. So, at dinner, she went for a safer question. ¡°Did you and Jenny have a fight?¡± Kerri asked. At the mention of Jenny, Agnes felt a pang in her heart. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that. We might not be friends anymore,¡± Agnes replied. Seeing a flicker of pain in Agnes¡® eyes, Kerri regretted asking. ¡°Forget it,¡± Kerri said, ¡°Agnes, if you¡¯re feeling down, let¡¯s have a few drinks.¡± After the day¡¯s events, Agnes was feeling pretty low. She agreed, even though she knew she couldn¡¯t handle her booze. Kerri didn¡¯t expect Agnes to get wasted after just two beers. She had to take Agnes back to Maplewood Manor. Once she was sure Agnes was sound asleep, Kerri left her alone. On the driveway, she spotted a ck Bentley. Was Agnes not living here alone? Could it be her family? Although Kerri was curious, she didn¡¯t give it much thought. When Jared arrived at the mansion, he noticed the light in the bedroom. Good, it seemed Agnes had moved in, and quite swiftly at that. However, seeing a drunken Agnes sprawled on the bed, he frowned. She actually drank! Jared sat by the bed, touching Agnes¡® flushed cheek. Agnes woke up at the touch of his cold fingers. Groggily she opened her eyes, and seeing Jared¡¯s furrowed brow, she/ suddenlyughed, ¡°Elton, you¡¯re back!¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Upon hearing this, Jared¡¯s frown deepened. His voice turned icier, ¡°What did you just call me?¡± Agnes, half¨Casleep, turned over and mumbled something, ¡°Elton¡­¡± A surge of anger bubbled up in Jared. He grabbed Agnes¡® face and said coldly, ¡°Agnes, look at me. Who am I?¡± But then Jared noticed his fingertips were cold and damp. Agnes¡® eyes were closed, but tears were rolling down from the corners of them. Agnes was crying. Jared got up and fetched a warm towel. He sat by the bed and gently wiped away her tears. Agnes was slowlying back to consciousness, but it felt like a dream. It reminded her of when she was a child, lying in her mother¡¯s arms, swinging on the swing in the yard, gazing at the stars in the sky. She opened her eyes, and there was Jared. He was very careful and gentle, like he was taking care of a treasure. It¡¯d been a long time since Agnes had felt cared for like this, and it was her husband, her family, who was caring for her. Suddenly, Agnes sat up, wrapped her arms around Jared¡¯s neck, and kissed him. This was the first time she had ever taken the initiative. If it had been before, she wouldn¡¯t have dared. But with the help of alcohol, Agnes just wanted to be closer to this man. Her hands even started to wander, teasing him¡­ Jared froze. He wasn¡¯t used to Agnes being so forward. Agnes¡® eyes were hazy, her cheeks were flushed, and there was a faint smell of alcohol on her. She was like an enchanting fairy. Her teasing was clumsy, but Jared was still turned on. He had to admit that Agnes was very attractive at the moment. But in the end, he grabbed her mischievous hand. His voice was cold but noticeably hoarse. Jared said, ¡°Agnes, what are you doing?¡± At his words, Agnes felt like she¡¯d been doused with a bucket of ice water. She pulled away from Jared, looking at him in disbelief. His face was filled with coldness and disgust she had never seen before. Jared got up and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower, you should go to bed early.¡± The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Agnes was fully awake now. She hid under the covers, clutching a pillow, but she couldn¡¯t stop the tears from flowing. The disgust in Jared¡¯s eyes had shattered what little self¨Cesteem she had left. If Jared really loathed her, then why did he marry her? Why had he slept with her so many times? The man in the shower was standing under the cold spray, frustrated. The freezing water didn¡¯t extinguish the burning desire within him. He almost lost control, but every time he thought about Agnes mistaking him for Elton, he got furious. The thought that Agnes was seducing him while thinking of another man made him¡­. With a grunt, Jared¡¯s fist mmed into the bathroom wall! Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Agnes was wide awake. She knew Jared had been in the bathroom for a long time. When he came out, he went straight to the guest room. Agnes felt like she was in the depths of despair. The next day was the school opening ceremony. Agnes woke up early. After freshening up, she nned to go straight to school. But as she passed the dining room, she heard noises. Unable to help herself, she went in, only to find Jared cooking breakfast in the kitchen. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Agnes never thought that a dude like Jared would be caught dead in the kitchen. Wasn¡¯t a guy like him supposed to be all about takeouts and dining out? But you had to hand it to him, watching him cook was a sight for sore eyes. Every move he made was like watching a masterpiece in the making. Turning around, Jared caught Agnes in his¡® view. ¡°Off to school?¡± he asked. Agnes just nodded, almost robotically. ¡°Breakfast is ready. Eat before you go.¡± Jared suggested in the most nonchnt manner, Thinking aboutst night¡¯s events, Agnes was still down in the dumps. She sat down silently and started on her breakfast. The breakfast was the whole nine yards. Jared¡¯s pancakes were to die for. But right now, all Agnes wanted to do was skedaddle out of there. So, she wolfed down her food hastily she burned her tongue. Just as Jared was about to sit down, Agnes was already done. Dropping her fork, she announced, ¡°I gotta jet. It¡¯s the opening ceremony today, can¡¯t bete.¡± Jared could sense that something was off. Frowning, he asked, ¡°Agnes, do you remember anything fromst night?¡± Acting all innocent, Agnes replied, ¡°What happenedst night? I don¡¯t remember a thing.¡± Jared¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment before asking, ¡°Do youjwant me to drop you off at school?¡± ¡°No need, it¡¯s not far away, I can walk.¡± With that, Agnes grabbed her backpack and bolted from the dining hall like a bat out of hell. She remembered all too well aboutst night, but it was too awkward to bring 1. up. The opening ceremony was over in no time and Agnes was officially a sophomore. In the afternoon, she was notified about a meeting at 3 pm by The Journalism Society. Agnes was majoring in journalism, and Lakeside College was a well¨Cknown media university. The Journalism Society was one of the four major clubs in the school. During the meeting, Agnes bumped into Jenny. She almost forgot that Jenny was now the vice president of The Journalism Society, a position that Agnes had bowed out from. While the president, Lily, was running the meeting, Agnes was spacing out. She did hear something about The Journalism Society nning to start a new column called Big Shot, and they were discussing ideas for the first interview.. There were all sorts of suggestions. Some mentioned the school¡¯s most popr med student hottie, Ryder. Some suggested the bad¨Cboy hacker, Javier, an emerce student. Some even suggested the budding starlet Ava from the art department. Amidst the lively discussion, Lily turned to Jenny and asked, ¡°Jenny, any bright ideas? Jenny replied, ¡°If we want to make a ssh with this column, our first interviewee has to be a big fish. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. We shouldn¡¯t limit ourselves to the campus. I suggest we invite the youngest CEO of the Tim Group, Jared.¡± The room went dead silent after Jenny¡¯s suggestion.. Everyone knew who Jared was. He was this untouchable, big¨Cshot figure. Reportedly, no media had ever sessfully interviewed him. Even Lily thought Jenny was shooting for the moon. Lily responded, ¡°That¡¯s a pipe dream, Jenny. Though Jared is one of the most influential figures in Willowbrook Town and a great fit for our magazine, he¡¯s notoriously hard to get in touch with. Even mainstream media can¡¯tnd an interview with him, let alone us.¡± Jenny retorted, ¡°That¡¯s exactly why we should try. What if we pulled it off? If we managed to get an exclusive interview with Jared, our Journalism Society would be the bee¡¯s knees. Plus, we wouldn¡¯t have to chase after people anymore, they would be lining up for us.¡± Another member chimed in, ¡°Easier said than done. Why on earth would Jared agree to our interview Jenny, with a glint in her eyes, responded, ¡°I think this task should be given to Agnes.¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Suddenly, all eyes were on Agnes. She wasn¡¯t sure what Jenny was up to, but she was sure that Jenny had a goal in mind. Before Agnes could say anything, Jenny continued, ¡°Seems like Agnes and Mr. Whitfield are more than just friends, eh?¡± Jenny purposely made her statement sound vague, causing everyone to look at Agnes with a strange look in their eyes. Lily asked, ¡°Agnes, do you know Jared?¡± Everyone knew Agnes¡® family background ¨C her father was a media mogul. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t Jared. Agnes nced at Jenny and said, ¡°I did meet Jared during my internship with the Tim Group over the winter break, but he¡¯s super busy all the time. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll agree to an interview¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Everyone else was thinking along the same lines as Agnes, but Jenny was still persistent. Jenny said, ¡°How will we know if we don¡¯t give it a shot? Since we¡¯ve got this chance, why not take a stab at it? I propose I do the first special interview. With Agnes¡® help, I believe we can pull it off.¡± Lily thought for a moment and said, ¡°Okay, you two handle the first interview. Do your best. I¡¯m about to graduate. If you guys can really score an exclusive with Jared, the club president position is yours.¡± After the meeting. Agnes left the ssroom, but Jenny followed her. ¡°Agnes, wait up.¡± Agnes stopped and turned around, her tone icy, ¡°What do you want?¡± Jenny suddenly changed her previous attitude and looked at Agnes pitifully, ¡°Agnes, about Elton¡­ I know I messed up. I don¡¯t want to lose you as a friend. Can you forgive me? Can we be like before?¡± As she spoke, she grabbed Agnes¡® arm and shook it, whining like a spoiled child. Agnes was regretful. She had been fooled by Jenny¡¯s innocent act before, always trying to please her no matter what she asked. Like when they were both running for vice president of the club, Jenny begged her to step down. But this time was different. Agnes stepped back, shook off Jenny¡¯s hand, and said, ¡°If you want me to forgive you, then break up with Elton and abort your child. Then we can go back to how things were and pick up from where we left off. How about that?¡± Jenny didn¡¯t expect the usually docile Agnes to say such a thing. Jenny immediately retorted angrily, ¡°Agnes, how can you be so cruel? You want me to get rid of my child with Elt¨®n?¡± ¨CAgnes said, ¡°If you can¡¯t do that, then don¡¯t bring up the past again. Jenny, let¡¯s pretend we never knew each other. Now, I just want to ask one question. Why are you so insistent on interviewing Jared? What¡¯s your real goal?¡± Jenny¡¯s expression had changed, a hint of mockery on her face, ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about the club, and besides, isn¡¯t Jared your boyfriend? He should be willing to help with such a small thing, right?¡± Agnes looked at Jenny calmly. Jenny chuckled, ¡°Or is he not really your boyfriend? Was that scene in the meeting room just an act?¡± Jenny had suspected this for a while. Thest incident was too coincidental, and she had thought that Agnes¡® reaction at the time was a bit forced. It could just be Jared being spontaneous and ying the hero. Morepelling evidence came from Ynda, who was interning with her at the Tim Group¡¯s secretarial department. Ynda said that Agnes was the least favored intern by the CEO and faced many difficulties during her internship. If Jared really was Agnes¡® boyfriend, there should have been some rumors. So Jenny was convinced that Jared¡¯s appearance in the meeting roomst time was purely coincidental! Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Agnes said, ¡°He¡¯s really not my boyfriend, so you won¡¯t get anywhere with me. You won¡¯t be able to score an exclusive interview with Jared.¡± Upon hearing Agnes¡® confirmation, Jenny felt somewhat relieved. She had gone through hell and high water to snatch Elton from Agnes. If Agnes was already chasing after Jared, wouldn¡¯t that mean she had done Agnes a favor? Jenny said, ¡°I can handle the interview. But since our boss wants us to work together, I hope you won¡¯t let your personal feelings interfere with our work. This task has been fully entrusted to me, so you gotta y by my rules.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t take it to heart, because only Agnes knew how busy Jared was. A guy who sometimes had to travel to four different countries in a day, how could he possibly spare time for an interview with a small school media outlet? And that was how the first day of school ended. In the evening. Agnes returned to Maplewood Manor and saw a note from Jared on the fridge which read ¡°Off to Melbourne for three days.¡± Agnes heaved a sigh of relief, but strangely, felt a tinge of sadness. Thinking about what happenedst This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. night, it still felt like a stab in the heart. Preston called that night, telling her to prepare for Tim¡¯s birthday party in two days. Agnes tly declined, saying she had already passed the invitation to Beatrice. He sighed but didn¡¯t say anything more. After hanging up, Agnes stared nkly at the note Jared left. If Tim¡¯s birthday party was in two days, and Jared was going to be away for three days, would Jared be there? 1- If Jared wasn¡¯t there, how could the Whitfield family use this opportunity to set him up on a blind date? Or was Jared deliberately avoiding this arrangement by going on a business trip? In the next two days, Jenny tried every trick in the book to contact the secretary department of the Tim Group, but all she got was a no Jared was not epting any media interviews. During the Journalism Society meeting, Lily advised her to drop Jared and choose another task. Jenny, however, insisted, ¡°I know that Tim¡¯s birthday party is tomorrow night. I have an invitation. As long as I¡¯m there and see Jared, I¡¯ll find a way to convince him to ept our interview.¡± Everyone was surprised. Tim¡¯s birthday party was a family gathering at their mansion, the Whitfield Manor. There were rumors that the main purpose of the party was to set Jared up on a blind date. All the youngdies from the well¨Cknowh families in Willowbrook Town had received invitations. Nobody expected Jenny to have one. They didn¡¯t know much about Jenny¡¯s background, only that she and Agnes were close. Agnes was a genuine rich girl, so her family must have been well¨Coff too. No wonder she had the guts to propose interviewing Jared. Then someone asked, ¡°Agnes, did you get an invitation?¡± Agnes said, ¡°No.¡± Jenny immediately replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take Agnes with me tomorrow.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t expect Jenny to have gotten an invitation to Tim¡¯s birthday party. It must have been Elton who helped her. At this thought, Agnes felt annoyed. She didn¡¯t want to attend the party, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have given her invitation to Beatrice so easily. But the next day after ss, Jenny stopped Agnes who was about to leave, ¡°Pick up the photography and interview equipment at The Journalism Society. We¡¯re going to the Whitfield Manorter.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°I¡¯m not going. I don¡¯t have an invitation, and I won¡¯t be allowed in.¡± Jenny confidently pulled out an invitation and waved it in front of Agnes, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have an invitation and I can get you in. Plus, we¡¯re both responsible for this interview. You gotta help me.¡± Agnes still coldly said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡± Suddenly, Jenny pulled out several photos from her bag, ¡°How about these photos then? Do you want them?¡± What Agnes saw was a photo of her with Elton. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 In the photo, both the boy and the girl looked young. The boy had his arm around the girl¡¯s shoulder, his smile bright and handsome. Agnes wasn¡¯t a fan of taking pictures, and this photo was only taken after Elton relentlessly begged her for one. They snapped two photos. Both kept the photo in their wallets, always carrying it with them. After that incident, Agnes tore her copy of the photo. She never expected Elton¡¯s copy to end up in Jenny¡¯s hands. Agnes was heartbroken. ¡°Give it to me!¡± Agnes demanded. Jennyughed, ¡°I¡¯ll give you back the photo. Right now, my photo with Elton is in his wallet. As long as you go with me tonight and help me persuade Jared to do the interview, I¡¯ll return your photo.¡± In the end, Agnes caved, only because the photo was in Jenny¡¯s hands, which disgusted her. Jenny was chuffed to bits andughed, ¡°You go get the equipment ready. We better get that interview with Jared tonight. Even if we can¡¯t, we can still shoot the Whitfield family¡¯s carefully arranged blind date banquet. That¡¯s news too.¡± Jenny had two reasons for bringing Agnes along. One, to confirm if Agnes and Jared had anything going on. Another reason was that Jenny knew her influence alone wasn¡¯t enough to persuade Jared to do the interview, but Agnes was different. As a socialite of Willowbrook Town and a former intern at Jared¡¯spany, she would be able to convince him. If Jenny could score an exclusive interview with Jared, she could win the approval of the Taylor family. That was her goal. When Agnes came over with the equipment, Jenny had already changed her clothes and was waiting in the taxi. Jenny put on a fishtail evening dress and delicate makeup. She was naturally beautiful, but she looked even more stunning with makeup. Inparison, Agnes¡® outfit was much simpler. Jenny nced at Agnes and said, ¡°Get in.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The car traveled along the road; it was already dark by the time they reached Whitfield Manor. The Whitfield Manor was located downtown. It had abination of various architectural styles. The main vi was a white, single¨Cfamily house hidden amongst lush trees. The Manor was glitzy and brightly lit, a luxurious pce. Two ck¨Cd guards were at the entrance, and guests needed to show their invites to get in. Agnes and Jenny were the only ones who came by taxi, so they had to get off and walk to the entrance. When Jenny produced the invite, the guard nced at it and said, ¡°This invite is fake, miss. Please go back.¡± Jenny objected, ¡°How can it be? I was invited by your master. Why would you say my invite is fake?¡± While Jenny was arguing with the guard, Agnes picked up the invite and looked at it, ¡°This is indeed fake. A genuine Whitfield family invite has a distinctive mark from Tim in the lower¨Cright corner. Yours doesn¡¯t.¡± She had seen the real invite before. Jenny turned to Agnes, ¡°You knew all along, why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? Did you intentionally set me up for embarrassment?¡± Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Agnes was at a loss for words. She didn¡¯t want to argue with Jenny, she just said coolly, ¡°Let¡¯s jet, we can¡¯t get in anyway.¡± The taxi had already left, so they had to fobt it to find another one. Jenny, on the other hand, was fuming. The invite was indeed a fake, a replica of Ynda¡¯s that Jenny had sneakily snapped a pic of and had duplicated. She thought she could bluff her way in but got busted way too easily. And Agnes saw it all Agnes wanted to bail, but Jenny was hell¨Cbent on getting in. ¡°I did this for the club. We¡¯re already here, and I can¡¯t just walk away. I have to get us in.¡± Agnes retorted, ¡°And how do you n on doing that without an invite?¡± Jenny pointed to a big tree in the corner of the outer wall and said, ¡°We could scale the wall.¡± Agnes snapped, ¡°Are you out of your mind? There are cameras here, what if we get caught?¡± Jenny countered, ¡°I¡¯ve checked. That tree is a blind spot for the cameras. Today, I¡¯m meeting Jared, and nothing you say is going to stop me, Agnes.¡± Agnes retorted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you pregnant? How are you going to climb a tree that high?¡± Jenny paused, then said, ¡°That¡¯s why you need to help me. If I fall, it could hurt me and Elton¡¯s baby. You don¡¯t want Elton to hate you forever, do you?¡± With that, Jenny was already at the corner, starting to climb the tree. Agnes wanted to wash her hands off this madness, but climbing a tree and hopping a wall could be dangerous even for a non¨Cpregnant person, let alone a pregnant woman like Jenny. Although she was reluctant, Agnes didn¡¯t want Jenny to have an ident. Knowing Jenny¡¯s stubbornness, she wouldn¡¯t give up until she got what she wanted. Agnes walked over and climbed the tree in a few steps. She had always been agile, so climbing a tree was a piece of cake for her. Agnes pulled Jenny up and prepared to hop the wall first, then help Jenny. But just as she jumped down, a dog came bounding towards her.. A big Golden Retriever knocked her over before she could get her footing, licking her face non¨Cstop. A dog foiled their n. Instantly, a bunch of ck¨Cd bodyguards surrounded them. Jenny was still hanging from the tree, caught by the security. The corner of the mansion was in chaos. The butler of the Whitfield Manor was notified and hurried over, discussing with the head of security about what to do with them. ¡°Agnes?¡± Just then, Agnes heard someone calling her name. She turned around, and it was Ryder. Ryder looked different, dressed in a suit, his hair meticulously styled. He looked even more handsome than usual. He emerged from the shadows, like a prince from a fairy tale appearing in real life. When the butler saw Ryder, he respectfully addressed him as ¡°Mr. Ryder¡°. Mr. Ryder? Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Both Agnes and Jenny were shocked. Though Ryder was already a big shot at Lakeside College, no one expected him to be connected to Hillcrest City¡¯s well¨Coff Whitfield family. Media reports said that Tim had a son and a daughter. The son, Jared, was born in hister years, and the daughter, Alyssa, was 17 years older. Alyssa only had one son, but he had never been exposed to the media, rumored to be studying abroad. Now, with the butler addressing Ryder like that, it meant that Ryder was Alyssa¡¯s son, Tim¡¯s grandson, and the only third¨Cgeneration member of the Whitfield family. It dawned on Agnes¨Cno wonder she had felt a sense of familiarity when she first saw Ryder. Turns out, Ryder and Jared bore a striking resemnce to each other. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Ryder strolled over, eyed Agnes and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Caught off guard. Agnes stammered, ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡± The butler inquired, ¡°Mr. Ryder, do you know them?¡± Ryder pointed at Agnes and said, ¡°She¡¯s a friend¡± He then nced at Jenny and dered casually, ¡°Don¡¯t know this one though¡± The butler got the drift immediately, and his attitude towards Agnes changed, ¡°Since you¡¯re a friend of Mr. Ryder, you can go in. But as for you, miss, without an invitation, you need to leave. If you try to sneak in over the wall again, we¡¯ll call the cops.¡± Jenny got kicked out. Standing outside the Whitfield family mansion, Jenny was fuming. She couldn¡¯t believe that Agnes had somehow gotten in with Ryder. Inside, it was all glitz and mour, but she had got no part in it! Ryder took one look at Agnes¡® arm and said, ¡°You¡¯re hurt. Let me get you some ointment.¡± Agnes looked down and saw that she has scratched her arm on some roses when she jumped down. Agnes insisted, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I should go.¡± But Ryder had other ns, he grabbed her hand and stated, Come with me.¡± And just like that, Agnes got dragged into the Whitfield family¡¯s mansion. Once inside, Agnes was blown away. The mansion was enormous. The ground floor alone was like a huge ballroom full of elegant people. It overflowed with champagne, crystal chandeliers casting light like cascading tassels, with guests everywhere,ughing and chatting. Looking around, Agnes couldn¡¯t help but be astounded. The Pritchard family¡¯s mansion was also grand, butpared to this, it seemed a bit behind the times. It was like being in a pce, so dazzling. Ryder escorted Agnes up in the elevator to avoid the crowd in the main hall. On their way up, Agnes tentatively asked, ¡°Is Jared here today too?¡± Ryder nced at Agnes, ¡°Why? You¡¯re interested in taking up the position of Mrs. Whitfield¡¯s too?¡± Agnes quickly chuckled, ¡°No, I was just curious. Everyone¡¯s saying your family is looking for a wife for Jared today, I just wanted to see who he ends up choosing?¡± Ryder coolly responded, ¡°He won¡¯t choose any of them. He already has someone he likes; he has liked her for many years now.¡± Hearing this, Agnes felt a sting in her heart. She thought to herself, ¡°Jared already has someone he likes? Then why did he want to marry me?¡± Ryder led Agnes to a room and said, ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll find you some clothes. There are many guests at the Whitfield Manor today, but this is the quietest ce. No one wille in.¡± Agnes nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡± Ryder left, and Agnes entered the room. It looked like a bedroom, simple but tastefully decorated. The color scheme of ck, white, and grey reminded her a bit of Jared¡¯s style. One side of the room had arge floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. From the side of the bed, she could clearly see the bustling scene in the hall below. Sure enough, it was a gathering of the who¡¯s who, everyone showing off their stuff. Agnes spotted a few familiar faces, Ynda, Cecile, even her dad and Beatrice. Suddenly, Agnes felt a pang of regret. She really shouldn¡¯t havee in; plus, she was not that close with Ryder. In this unfamiliar room, Agnes didn¡¯t dare to touch anything. She just stood by the bed, quietly looking out the window. Not long after, she heard some noise at the door. Agnes thought it was Ryder returning, but when she Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. turned around. She was shocked to see Jared standing in the doorway! Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Agnes froze, thinking she must have been dreaming. Jared spotted Agnes and he was taken aback too. In surprise, Agnes questioned, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Jaredposed himself, strolled in leisurely and closed the door. He nonchntly responded, ¡°This is my room.¡± Only then did Agnes realize, Ryder had brought her to Jared¡¯s room for cover. Seeing Jared approach, Agnes felt a sudden surge of nervousness. He took off his coat, revealing a crisp white shirt that made him look incredibly handsome. Jared asked, ¡°What brings you here?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. For some reason, Agnes felt a wave of unexined anger. Agnes retorted, ¡°I¡¯m here for your matchmaking banquet. All the eligible single girls of Willowbrook Town are here for you to pick and choose. Quite a showstopping event.¡± She huffed discontentedly after she finished. A smirk yed at the corner of Jared¡¯s mouth as he lightly pinched Agnes¡® puffed¨Cup face, ¡°Little one, are you jealous?¡± Agnes denied, ¡°I am not jealous.¡± Suddenly serious, Jared said, ¡°It¡¯s you who doesn¡¯t want to make our rtionship public. How about this,e downstairs with me now and I¡¯ll formally introduce you to my father and sister. Your father is also here, we can tell them we¡¯re married, and you are my wife. That way, they won¡¯t arrange these chaotic matchmaking events for me anymore.¡± With that, he grabbed Agnes¡® hand and headed for the door. Agnes suddenly felt scared, and she stopped in her tracks, ¡°No, I¡¯m not ready yet. And this isn¡¯t the right asion.¡± Agnes was dressed casually today. She had just climbed over the wall, wrestled with a golden retriever in the garden and was covered in mud. She couldn¡¯t possibly appear before the Whitfield family elders and the other influential families in such a state. Jared turned around, putting on an innocent expression, ¡°See, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to be ready, always amodating you. You shouldpensate me, don¡¯t you think?¡± Agnes felt something was off, but she asked as Jared suggested, ¡°How should Ipensate you?¡± Jared stepped closer, pinning her against the enormous window behind her, and nted a passionate kiss, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other in three days. Have you missed me?¡± Agnes was dizzy from the kiss, but she managed to say, ¡°This isn¡¯t right. What if someone knocks on the door?¡± She was worried Ryder would show up. While continuing to kiss her, Jared murmured, ¡°The door is locked, and the soundproofing is excellent.¡± ¡°The window is transparent, people could see¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s one¨Cway ss. You can see out, but they can¡¯t see in.¡± Although she knew they couldn¡¯t be seen from the outside, Agnes could see everyone in the hall from the corner of her eye. It felt as if they were under everyone¡¯s watch¡­ Agnes mentally couldn¡¯t handle it, so she pleaded, ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± Jared didn¡¯t want to force her, so he finally let her go, leading her by the hand to the dressing room. He pulled out a gown. Agnes thought it was beautiful, ¡°Is this for me?¡± ¡°Who else would I keep clothes for in my room, if not for you, my dear Agnes?¡± Chapter 26 Chapter 26 That ballgown seemed to be tailored just for Agnes, showing off her killer curves perfectly. Agnes naturally had an amazing figure, it was just that she usually wore baggy casual clothes, so it was hard to tell. Though she felt a bit odd in the tight dress, her usual clothes had been ripped off by Jared. Thinking of their close encounter, Agnes¡® face felt as if it was on fire. He had already left. Agnes waited for a bit, but Jared didn¡¯te back. In the end, Agnes decided to sneak out. If Ryder saw her looking like this, she wouldn¡¯t be able to exin. Agnes decided to leave first, then call Jared. When Ryder brought Agnes here, she wasn¡¯t spotted, so she decided to go back the way she came. However, just as she stepped out of the elevator, preparing to sneak out, she was spotted by Ynda. ¡°Agnes, is that you?¡± Ynda called Agnes¡® name from behind.. Agnes stopped in her tracks; Ynda had already walked over. Ynda stood in front of Agries, looking her up and down and said in surprise, ¡°Agnes, I didn¡¯t expect it to be you. You look stunning today. I could hardly recognize you.¡± Agnes awkwardly smiled, ¡°Thanks.¡± Ynda suddenly grabbed Agnes¡® arm, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to be here. We interned together, found out we were in the same school, and now we¡¯re here together. We must be fated. Oh, I just saw your dad, let me take you to him.¡± Agnes¡® heart sank. Ynda had already called out to Preston at the other end. It was toote for Agnes to escape now. Preston and Beatrice were talking to Tim, and Ynda¡¯s shout had made everyone look over, Ynda walked over with Agnes¡® arm in hers. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Preston was also surprised when he saw Agnes, ¡°Agnes, howe you¡¯re here?¡± Standing next to Preston, Beatrice saw Agnes. Jealousy shed in her eyes. She wondered why Agnes, who usually seemed indifferent, had secretlye to Jared¡¯s blind date party and dressed so attractively. Beatrice had to admit, Agnes did look stunning. Even without makeup, she was fresh and charming. Especially her innocent and bright eyes that always seemed to sparkle. She naturally had a face men would fall for, which was why Beatrice was jealous. Even though they were sisters, Agnes was naturally beautiful, and attracted men¡¯s attention even without makeup: Beatrice was not bad looking, but standing next to Agnes, she looked in. Ryder was not far away. The moment he saw Agnes, he quickly came over to exin, She¡¯s my ssmate. I invited her. Everyone showed an expression of understanding. Tim smiled and said to Preston, ¡°Mr. Pritchard, you are really blessed, having two such beautiful daughters. I¡¯m envious.! Prestonughed and replied, ¡°Thank you for yourpliment. By the way, I forgot to introduce my eldest daughter, Agnes. I didn¡¯t know she was friends with Mr. Ryder.¡± Tim nced at Ryder and smiled, ¡°This is the first time my grandson brought a friend home.¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Ryder, with his stern face, seemed to ignore everyone else, only addressing Agnes, ¡°Come with me.¡± Agnes nodded, gave a quick greeting briefly, and under everyone¡¯s gaze, followed Ryder to the balcony. The balcony was rtively quiet. A ss doorpletely isted the hustle and bustle inside. Ryder broke the silence, ¡°Where did you sneak off to? I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± She had just¡­.. Agnes¡¯s face began to heat up, thankfully concealed by the night. 1 Agnes fibbed, ¡°After you left, I heard footsteps in the hall. Thought someone was heading my way, so I took off to the backyard for a bit. Got lost, didn¡¯t expect it to be such a maze.¡± Agnesughed nervously, ¡°The Whitfield¡¯s backyard is seriously massive.¡± Ryder squinted, his gaze falling on Agnes¡¯s dress. Agnes was obviously lying because he knew his mother had nted some wild cherry trees in the backyard a few days ago. There were too many people today, so the backyard entrance was closed today to prevent any damage! Ryder, although clueless about why Agnes was lying, didn¡¯t expose her, just asking, ¡°Is your hand alright?¡± Agnes nced at her hand, where she had scratched it when climbing over the wall, andughed it off, ¡°Just a scratch. It¡¯s okay.¡± Ryder nodded, then asked, ¡°Preston and Beatrice are here today. You could havee in through the front door. Why did you climb over the wall?¡± Agnes felt a bit awkward, ¡°Well¡­.. I had some stuff to deal with.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Agnes didn¡¯t want to tell him. She just didn¡¯t know how to say to him. Ryder said, ¡°If it¡¯s hard to say, just forget about it.¡± Just then, someone called Ryder¡¯s name. Seemed like one of his buddies. Agnes said, ¡°Go ahead, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯ll be leavingter.¡± Ryder nodded, ¡°If you need anything, just call.¡°. Agnes nodded, and Ryder turned around and left. Agnes let out a sigh of relief. She wasn¡¯t too familiar with this Icy man. Other than their not¨Cso¨C pleasant first encounter, they had never crossed paths before. Agnes didn¡¯t expect him to help her out today. Agnes was already dressed quite lightly. The night wind blew, and she felt a bit cold but didn¡¯t feel like going inside. Agnes spotted Jared from a distance, and even though he was quite far away, Jared seemed to naturally radiate light. Among the crowd, she could spot him instantly. That¡¯s what one call standing out from the crowd. At this moment, he was holding a ss of champagne, surrounded by many famousdies. Agnes¡¯s mood was strangely heavy. ¡°Agnes, didn¡¯t expect you to be so cunning.¡± Agnes was going to leave, but Beatrice came storming over. Agnes said, ¡°Beatrice, I¡¯m your sister. You shouldn¡¯t talk to me like that.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t act all high and mighty. You¡¯re just a burden to the Pritchard family. I¡¯m warning you, I¡¯ll be the Mrs. Whitfield, and you don¡¯t even think aboutpeting with me.¡± Agnes retorted, ¡°Even if I¡¯m notpeting with you, that title isn¡¯t necessarily yours. Have you noticed how many people are here tonight. Did Jared even nce at you?¡± Beatrice was furious. She came tonight all dolled up, but Jared, indeed, hadn¡¯t looked her way. Surrounded by all those nobledies, she couldn¡¯t get close to Jared, so she could only vent her frustration to Agnes. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Beatrice said angrily, ¡°Agnes, what gives you the right to look down on me?¡± As soon as Beatrice finished speaking, she was about to hit Agnes. She had been in a foul mood all evening, and Agnes just added fuel to the fire. Agnes blocked Beatrice¡¯s move out of habit, ¡°Beatrice, stop always trying to hit people. Do you think you can beat me?¡± Beatrice was shaking with anger, ¡°Agnes, you¡­ you¡¯re just insufferable¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Pritchard, so you¡¯re here.¡± A deep and clear voice came from behind them. Agnes and Beatrice turned around at the same time, and Jared stood, less than two meters away on the terrace. When did Jarede over? Realizing this, Beatrice quickly withdrew her hand and said in a delicate voice, ¡°Sis, what are you doing? You¡¯re hurting my hand.¡± Agnes was speechless. But Jared was slowly walking over, his eyes fixed on Beatrice. Beatrice¡¯s heart was racing. The man in front of her was every woman¡¯s dream. His gaze made her deeply attracted to him. He was so noble and superior as if he was born to be admired. ¡°Mr. Whitfield¡­¡± Beatrice began, her cheeks flushing. She was surprised that Jared knew her and came to find her. She couldn¡¯t control her joy Jared had already walked up to them, a faint smile on his lips, still looking at Beatrice, ¡°Ms. Pritchard, you¡¯re really eye¨Ccatching today. May I have the pleasure of dancing with you?¡± Beatrice was overwhelmed with joy. Jared was actually inviting her to dance. What did this mean? There had been rumours that Tim¡¯s birthday party was actually Jared¡¯s matchmaking party. If Jared liked any girl, he would invite her to dance the opening dance to announce¡­ Now that Jared was inviting her to dance, did it mean she was the one chosen by Jared? Beatrice was over the moon, quickly extended her hand, and said eagerly, ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡± Jared¡¯s hips curved up slightly, but he suddenly turned around in the next second, took Agnes¡¯s hand directly, and even kissed it gently, ¡°Ms. Pritchard, please.¡± Agnes was also stunned because even she C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org thought that Jared was speaking to Beatrice. After all, he looked at Beatrice all the time and didn¡¯t even nce at her. But the plot took a sudden turn, and Agnes couldn¡¯t react for a while. She could only let Jared lead her away from the terrace¡­ It took Beatrice more than ten seconds to realize what had happened. She clenched her fists and bit her lips until they bled. A sense of deep humiliation swept over her. Jared had chosen Agnes! Had Jared deliberately misled her and then humiliated her just now? Maybe he had heard their conversation just now, which had greatly reduced his liking for her. Her lips were filled with the taste of blood. Beatrice was furious. All this was because of Agnes. Agnes was always submissive, but she had just angered her. Perhaps Agnes had seen Jareding and had deliberately acted like this. She didn¡¯t expect Agnes to be so cunning, and she didn¡¯t expect to have helped her! Thinking of this, Beatrice was both angry and resentful. She just wanted to rip Agnes to pieces! Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Jared walked into the hall holding Agnes¡® hand. It took a while for Agnes to realize the situation. All eyes in the room were on Agnes. Thedies from their social circle stared at her as if they were shooting sharp arrows. Agnes felt ufortable and tried to pull her hand out of Jared¡¯s, which made him turn to her and ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to be the center of attention. Maybe you should let go of my hand.¡±¡± Jared frowned but released her hand anyway. Agnes added, ¡°I¡¯ll head out first. You go ahead with your stuff.¡± Agnes was torn. On the one hand, she didn¡¯t want to be in the spotlight, but on the other, she couldn¡¯t Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. bear to see Jared flirting with other girls. So, she chose to avoid this scene. Jared asked, ¡°Where are you off to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m heading back to school. It¡¯s gettingte, and I have sses tomorrow, Agnes replied. Jared was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Wait for me. I just have to say hi to a few people. Then I¡¯ll leave with you.¡± Agnes looked up in surprise, ¡°Can you do that?¡± Everyone knew that although this was Tim¡¯s birthday party, it was also a matchmaking event for Jared. In a way, he was the host. Could he just leave before the party ended? Jared replied casually, ¡°If my wife finds it boring, I can¡¯t help it. Apanying my wife is the most important thing. Agnes¡® heart pounded as she saw the slight smile ying on Jared¡¯s lips. Jared added, ¡°Wait for me here. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Jared returned sooner than expected and said to Agnes, ¡°Come with me.¡± He led her to the underground parking lot and drove through a special passage. They quickly left the mountain road behind the bustling Whitfield family mansion. Not long after they got in the car, Preston called Agnes. Agnes told him she had something to do at school and had to leave early. After hanging up, Jared asked, ¡°Agnes, are you hungry?¡± Agnes seemed a little distracted and replied without thinking, ¡°Not really.¡± Jared said, ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Agnes looked up to see Jared¡¯s teasing gaze, a look she knew all too well. Whenever Jared was up to something, he would have this expression. His whole body seemed to radiate male hormones, making him incredibly attractive. Agnes¡® heart started to race, and she blushed, stammering, ¡°You just¡­I¡¯m exhausted today¡­ Jared suddenly smiled, ¡°Agnes, I said I¡¯m hungry. What were you thinking? Agnes froze, feeling extremely embarrassed. What was she thinking? Jared just said he was hungry. How did she think about¡­that? Agnes was shocked by her own thoughts. Jared seemed in a good mood andughed, ¡°You erotic girl!¡± Erotic girl¡­ Agnes¡® face turned as red as an apple. Jared stopped joking, ¡°I am actually a bit hungry. Do you know any good ces where we can grab a bite?¡± Agnes eagerly tried to change the subject and quickly responded, ¡°There¡¯s a great burger joint near my school. Do you want to try it?¡± But as soon as she said that, she realized¡­ would a foodie like Jared really go to a ce like that? Agnes didn¡¯t expect that Jared nonchntly said: ¡°Let¡¯s go grab some burgers.¡± Guided by Agnes, their car quickly pulled over near the school. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Just as they were about to get out, Agnes felt slightly annoyed. Seeing as they were all dressed up, and the area was mostly dominated by Lakeside College students, they¡¯d definitely attract attention if they passed by like this. Suddenly, Agnes had an idea and told Jared. ¡°Walt in the car for me. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± With that, she stepped out of the car She came back quickly, arms full of clothes she bought from a small clothing store nearby, all student gear. ¡°We¡¯re attracting too much attention in these outfits,¡± Agnes said. ¡°Let¡¯s change into these. And it¡¯s kinda chilly outside. These should keep us warm.¡± What she brought were two sets of casual hoodies. Jared nced at them and chuckled, ¡°Are these couple outfits?¡± Agnes was taken aback. She hadn¡¯t noticed when she bought them. Just randomly picked two and came back. But the colour, style, and pattern on the chest were all the same. They were obviously couple outfits. Agnes didn¡¯t exin, only said, ¡°Just put it on. It¡¯s free size.¡± The windows of Jared¡¯s car were made of special material, One could see out but not¨Cin, so changing inside the car was no problem at all. Jared smiled, unbuttoning his shirt to put on the new one, every movement graceful. For a while, Agnes found it hard to look away. After changing, Jared nced at Agnes and said, ¡°If you keep staring, I might start charging.¡± It turned out he knew all along that Agnes was watching. Agnes got flustered. She quickly turned around to change her clothes. But then she seemed to have thought of something and told Jared, ¡°Turn around. Jared smiled and asked, ¡°Why? You were just watching me. Plus what haven¡¯t I seen of you?¡± Agnes blushed like a ripe tomato, at a loss for words. Even though they did have some intimate moments¡­ But back then, she was almost in a daze. Seeing Agnes blush so hard she could bleed, Jared found her adorable and couldn¡¯t help but tease her. But in the end, Jared gentlemanly turned around. Agnes was flustered for a while, then started to change her clothes carefully. But the back of her dress had a zipper that she couldn¡¯t reach no matter how hard she tried. The more flustered she got, the harder to get it off. Just as Agnes was getting annoyed, Jared¡¯s calm voice came, ¡°Need a hand?¡± In the end, Agnes reluctantly let Jared help her. But after Jared pulled the zipper, his hand didn¡¯t leave. Instead, it slid into her dress and wrapped around her waist. Before Agnes could react, Jared leaned in for a kiss. Agnes immediately felt her mind go nk. Her breathing became erratic. It took a few minutes before Jared finally let her go, his voice deep and steady, ¡°Alright, change your clothes.¡± Agnes was still in a daze. Jared loved seeing her like this. Utterly adorable. Jared chuckled, ¡°Or should I help you change?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Agnes finally snapped out of it. She quickly stripped off her dress and put on the hoodie. While Jared enjoyed the whole process with a smirk. Sometimes, Agnes really couldn¡¯t stand it. Howe she get so easily swayed by his actions, and yet this man, in that situation, could still stay so calm andposed. It was¡­ So embarrassing! After changing clothes, the two hopped out of the car. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 This was the first time Agnes had seen Jared in casual wear. He was always prim and proper as if he lived in a bubble. But now, dressed in a casual hoodie with a cartoon pattern, it felt like he was a different person. Just a piece of clothing made him seem a lot more approachable like he wasn¡¯t always on a pedestal. Seeing Agnes staring at him, Jared asked, ¡°What, isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± Agnes quickly replied, ¡°It suits you well. It makes you look a lot younger.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying I looked old before?¡± This guy always picking a fight! C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°Do you still want to eat the burger?¡± retorted Agnes. Before he could reply, Agnes was already off, nimble as a deer, making her way into the bustling food street. The street was a riot of lights and sounds, the smell of barbecue wafting in the air, a mix of spices creating an intoxicating aroma. Without missing a beat, Agnes found ¡°Burger Barn¡± in a quiet nook of the food street. After finding a seat, Jared asked her curiously, ¡°Where¡¯s the menu?¡± Agnes chuckled, ¡°What menu? This ain¡¯t that type of ce.¡± And with that, she hollered towards the entrance, ¡°Hey boss, two of your signature beef burger meals. The big one.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± the boss called back amidst the hustle and bustle. The burgers arrived quickly, and Agnes, famished, took a big bite, letting out a satisfied sigh. ¡°This is the best burger I¡¯ve ever had. Every bite is full of juicy beef and veggies. It¡¯s so satisfying. Jared took his time, taking a small bite of his burger. Agnes watched him expectantly, ¡°How is it? Good, right?¡± To Jared, it tasted pretty average. But seeing Agnes¡® bright, hopeful eyes, he calmly said, ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡°. Agnes¡® eyes lit up, a hint of smugness shing in them. ¡°You fancy folks who are used to high¨Cend food, you¡¯ll find these simple delights delicious asionally.¡± Jared replied, ¡°If you like it, we cane more often.¡± Agnes looked up, getting lost in Jared¡¯s deep gaze. His voice was gentle. His casual words made her heart race. She felt there must be something wrong with her heart, as it seemed to beat wildly at the smallest things. To divert her attention, Agnes started a new topic, ¡°Um¡­could you do me a favour?¡± She clearly saw Jared¡¯s frown upon hearing that. Before she could ask for help, he seemed repulsed. It seemed like hope was thin. Jared began, ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate being addressed as ¡®um¡®. If you need help, at least address me properly, or I¡¯ll think you¡¯re not sincere.¡± So he was bothered by that. Agnes quickly responded with a smile, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, Mr. CEO, Mr. Handsome, Mr. Whitfield¡­ Jared shook his head, ¡°Still not sincere enough.¡± ¡°Then what do you want me to call you?¡± ¡°Try calling me ¡®husband¡°.¡± Jared said coolly. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Agnes paused, then blushed. She can¡¯t say husband. Although they were now worthy of the name, Agnes always felt that the rtionship between them had developed to this day, which was really incredible. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Agnes mumbled something twice and didn¡¯t call out. Jared looked at Agnes¡¯s shyness, but he didn¡¯t force her. Instead, he asked, ¡°Come on, what is it?¡± Agnes sighed in relief and quickly said, ¡°Our school Journalism Society is doing an interview with Big Shot and wants to invite you as a guest.¡± Jared¡¯s face had not changed, and his voice was light: ¡°I never ept media interviews.¡± Agnes knew, of course, so she didn¡¯t have much hope in her heart. But then Jared added, ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can make time tomorrow.¡± Agnes was surprised. Jared agreed to this? However, Agnes felt that this matter should not be taken too seriously. After all, Jared was so busy. The next day, Agnes had an early ss. After ss, Lily, the president of the Journalism Society, called a meeting. When Agnes arrived at the lecture theater, a bunch of people from the Journalism Society surrounded Jenny. Their faces were filled with admiration. ¡°Jenny, it¡¯s really amazing that you can really invite Jared. Our Journalism Society can be regarded as proud in the four major societies. ¡°Jenny, to be honest, what is your background? President Mr. Whitfield should give you such a face. Have you known each other for a long time?¡± ¡°Jenny, you attended Tim¡¯s birthday party yesterday. What was the scene? Tell us about it?¡± Jenny¡¯s eyes were full of stars, and she looked proud. She just nced at Agnes, who just came in, and her expression froze for a second. Lily stepped onto the podium and patted the table: ¡°Quiet! Have a meeting now.¡± Everyone found a ce to do it. Lily said: ¡°Just in the morning, the Secretariat of the Tim Group contacted our Journalism Society and said that Mr. Whitfield was willing to be interviewed by our club at 3 pm for half an hour. This matter is of great significance to our club. I am as excited as you. Of course, it is all due to vice president Jenny.¡± When she said this, Lily took the lead in apuding, and others in the ssroom followed suit and congratted Jenny. Agnes looked puzzled. When did this be Jenny¡¯s credit? Lily continued: ¡°Since Jenny has won such a once¨Cin¨Ca¨Clifetime opportunity for our club, we must cherish it. I have already driven out the interview draft, and the interview task is still given to Jenny. I believe she will be able toplete the task well.¡± Everyone was envious. To interview Jared was simply what the media people dream of doing. Lily handed the manuscript to Jenny. When she walked beside Agnes, she added: ¡°Agnes, you continue to assist Jenny. Later, you will get the equipment. Jenny said that you have helped a lot this time. It¡¯s hard.¡± Agnes said: ¡°I quit this interview. President, you¡¯d better find someone else.¡± When the meeting was over, Agnes was the first to go out. However, she still vaguely heard Jenny¡¯s wronged and weak voice: ¡°She is the daughter of a nobleman. How can she be wronged to carry equipment for me, I know that Agnes has always wanted to be the anchor of this interview.¡± Othersforted her: ¡°This is an opportunity you have worked hard for, and it should be your glory, unlike some people who want to get it for nothing.¡° Agnes was very upset. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 gidry. She wasn¡¯t exactly hunting for credit or glory, but it didn¡¯t sit well with her seeing Jenny reaping rewards she hadn¡¯t worked for. Thest ss in the morning was a specialized course, and Agnes and Jenny were in the same room, meeting again. After ss, Jenny didn¡¯t leave, and neither did Agnes. When thest soul left the room, Jenny came over and asked, ¡°Are you ticked off that I stole your credit?¡± Agnes said, ¡°Jenny, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a tad unfair?¡± Jenny just chuckled, ¡°Unfair? Agnes, you and I are worlds apart. I don¡¯t have a posh family to back me up. Everything I have, I¡¯ve had to w for. So, what if I¡¯ve to stoop a little to get what I want? You silver¨Cspoon types were born with everything. As for me, I¡¯ve had to fight tooth and nail. It¡¯s not me being unfair. It¡¯s life.¡± Agnes shot back, ¡°Who knew you had such a warped view of things.¡± Jenny justughed, ¡°Agnes, you can¡¯t me others. It¡¯s all on you for being too perfect. You were born with a silver spoon, beautiful, smart, top grades, a boyfriend who adores you. And me? I¡¯m scraping by, living a life worse than your pet dog. But aside from my family situation, where do I fall shortpared to you? Why should I let you walk all over me?¡± Agnes was stumped, ¡°When have I ever walked all over you? I¡¯ve always treated you as my best friend.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just your pity. You¡¯re friends with me just to unt your kindness. It must be quite a rush, huh? Being such a perfect person and being friends with someone like me who¡¯s just trying to survive! You must feel so noble. Agnes, admit it. You look down on me, don¡¯t you?¡± Agnes retorted, ¡°It¡¯s all in your head. It¡¯s your own low self¨Cesteem that makes you think the world¡¯s against you. Agnes didn¡¯t want to argue anymore. Jenny¡¯s views were just too extreme. As Agnes got up to leave, Jenny grabbed her arm, ¡°Jared is mine to interview. Don¡¯t you dare to stand in the way of my bright future. Before Agnes could respond, Jenny continued, ¡°Even if you spill the beans, no one would believe you. They¡¯ll just think you¡¯re trying to steal my achievements. Agnes, you¡¯ve got so much already, but Elton¡¯s love and a bright future, they¡¯ll all be mine in the end.¡± At the mention of Elton, Agnes¡® heart skipped a beat. Jenny knew this was Agnes¡¯sore spot, so she always took a chance to bring it up. Agnes¡¯s voice turned icy, ¡°Then I wish you a sessful interview this afternoon.¡± Jenny gloated, ¡°Of course, it¡¯ll be sessful. And the Presidency of the Journalism Society will be Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. mine. Agnes, I really should thank you.¡± With that, Jenny strutted out of the room. Watching Jenny¡¯s retreating figure, Agnes expressionlessly pulled out her phone, hesitated for a moment, and dialled a number¡­ After lunch in the cafeteria, Agnes went to the study room. When she didn¡¯t have sses, Agnes liked to hang out in the library. But around three in the afternoon, Agnes got a call from Lily. Picking up the call, Agnes said, ¡°President, what can I do for you?¡± Lily sounded quite flustered, ¡°Agnes, you need to get to Tim Tower right away. Mr. Whitfield specifically asked for you to do the interview. I was in the dark earlier that you were the one whonded this opportunity. We¡¯ll discuss thatter. You need to get here ASAP.¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 After hanging up the phone, Agnes felt a sense of relief. Everything was going ording to her n. She had just gotten off the phone with Jared. Agnes gathered her stuff and made her way straight to Tim Tower Tim Tower was the city¡¯sndmark in the city center. Agnes knew the ce like the back of Her hand and went straight up to the 60th floor by the elevator. That¡¯s where Jared¡¯s office was. The Journalism Society members were all waiting in the lounge. When Lily saw Agnes showing up at the door, she looked like she had just seen a life¨Csaver. ¡°Agnes, get ready quickly. Here¡¯s the interview script. You¡¯re tasked with interviewing Mr. Whitfield. The interview has been rescheduled to 4:30. You have an hour to prepare. Thanks for your hard work, Agnes.¡± Agnes took the script and said, ¡®Don¡¯t worry, President Lily. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± As Agnes finished her words, she scanned the lounge and locked eyes with Jenny. Jenny seemed to have tear stains on her face, and two people wereforting her. For a moment, Agnes saw the resentment from Jenny¡¯s eyes, but she quickly concealed it, then she turned to a look of injustice and weakness. This very act of Jenny had once deceived Agnes. After that, Agnes devoted her time to preparing for the interview. At 4:30, she began her formal interview with¨CJared. As a matter of fact, this was Agnes¡® first time as an interviewer. She was extremely nervous internally. But because Jared was the interviewee, she felt secure in her heart. The interview went smoothly, and Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Agnes performed professionally. After the interview, Agnes stood up, tripped over the equipment cords, and almost fell. Luckily, Jared reacted quickly and grabbed her hand. Jared scolded her in a low voice, ¡°Watch your step. You¡¯re still as clumsy as a child.¡± Agnes quickly withdrew her hand from Jared¡¯s, ncing around. Everyone was busy packing up their equipment. Thankfully, no one noticed the incident. Jared¡¯s affectionate tone might have caused misunderstandings, if anyone had seen it. However, Jenny, who was standing in the corner, saw everything. The more she watched, the more she felt something was off between Agnes and Jared. Just as everyone was ready to leave, Jenny suddenly approached Jared and asked, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, If I may, can I ask a personal question on behalf of all the girls in Willowbrook Town. Do you have a girlfriend?¡± Jenny¡¯s question was abrupt but instantly caught everyone¡¯s attention. Though it was a personal question, which big shots usually despise, it was also the question everyone was dying to know. Everyone held their breath, uncertain whether Jared would answer or get angry Agnes knew better than anyone that Jenny was just getting suspicious and wanted to confirm it in public. At this moment, if Jared admitted, it would at least prove that something was going on between him and Agnes. If he denied it, it would mean that, despite their unusual rtionship, Agnes didn¡¯t hold an important ce in his heart. Jenny was leaning towards thetter. Jared once mentioned in front of her and Elton that he was Agnes¡® boyfriend. But Jenny wasn¡¯t sure if it was true or false. However, now, if Jared could deny their rtionship in front of everyone, it would mean that even if they were close, Jared was not serious about Agnes and was just ying with her feelings. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Jared fell silent for a moment His expression didn¡¯t change a bit. Then he said, ¡°Before I answer your question, Miss Jenny, could you answer one for me?¡± Jenny was slightly taken aback, not expecting Jared to turn the tables, and even more surprised that he had actually remembered her name. Jenny replied, ¡°Of course.¡± Jared calmly asked, ¡°Miss Jenny, are you pregnant?¡± The whole room was caught off guard by this question, Jared daring to ask such a question to a sophomore female student. Everyone thought, ¡®Damn, Jared really lives up to his name as the youngest CEO¡® He could have chosen to dodge or ignore, but instead, he decided to hit back straight. Asking Jenny this question was no doubt a p in the face. To everyone else, Jared was telling Jenny that her question was just as impolite and intrusive as his. But to Jenny, this question was a real gut punch. Thest time she publicly admitted her pregnancy in front of Jared and Agnes, the others didn¡¯t know the truth. If she admitted it, her reputation would be tarnished by all these reporters. If she denied it, Agnes would inevitably have doubts. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. But if she refused to answer, saying it was her own private matter, then Jared could also refuse to answer her question. Jared was really something, leaving Jenny with practically no way out as if he pushed her to the edge of a cliff. At this moment, Lily stepped forward to mediate, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, our vice president Jenny was just joking. Please forgive a girl¡¯s curiosity. It¡¯s all out of respect for you. Please understand.¡± Lily was gracious and polite, and Jared responded courteously, ¡°I¡¯was just joking with her, too don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Lily continued, ¡°Mr. Whitfield is very busy every day. We really appreciate the opportunity you gave us for this interview. We won¡¯t bother you anymore. With that, she led everyone out of the CEO¡¯s office. Lily practically dragged Jenny out. Once inside the elevator, Lily asked, ¡°Jenny, what happened to you today? Why did you ask such a personal question? If Mr. Whitfield got upset, all our previous efforts would have been for nothing.¡± Jenny hung her head in seeming regret, ¡°That¡¯s the question everyone is most concerned about. It would definitely boost the news click rate, right? I just wanted to give it ¡®a try. I didn¡¯t expect it to backfire, I¡¯m sorry.¡± As Jenny finished, tears rolled down her cheeks, ¡°I know I let everyone down, and I let Agnes down the most. Mr. Whitfield agreed to the interview. I thought it was because ! persuaded him. I didn¡¯t realize that he agreed because of Agnes. Agnes is quite beautiful: She indeed has a kind of¡­ charm that It¡¯s all my fault.¡± As Jenny spoke, she started crying harder, her face full of regret. Lily was initially annoyed but now feltpelled tofort her, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know you didn¡¯t mean it. You¡¯ve been working hard for the club, I know. But you should apologize to Agnes.¡± Without any hesitation, Jenny walked up to Agnes, her face sincere and her eyes filled with tears, ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m sorry. Can you forgive me? I didn¡¯t mean to take credit from you. You can ask the president. I specifically asked her to mention your name if the interview was sessful.¡± Lily stepped in, ¡°That¡¯s true. Jenny mentioned it to me twice. I believe she didn¡¯t mean any harm. You guys are good friends and core members of The Journalism Society. I don¡¯t want this incident to sour your rtionship.¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Agnes was genuinely in awe of Jenny¡¯s adaptability. The phrase ¡°better bend than break¡± couldn¡¯t be more fitting for her. attracted She hinted at that Agnes had a charm that attracted men, which was actually a way of saying that Jared only gave her the interview because he was drawn to her good looks. This insinuation gave Jenny a way out, and she looked so innocent. If Agnes made a fuss now, it would make her seem petty and unreasonable. Although Agnes was displeased, she didn¡¯t want a spat with Jenny The thought of the woman in front of her being a dear friend she had once sincerely cared for felt like a stab in the heart. Agnes generously said, ¡°It¡¯s no biggie I¡¯ll add your name after the interview¡± Jenny seemed a bit taken aback. Agnes continued, ¡°Getting to interview Jared was a collective effort from The Journalism Society. It wasn¡¯t a solo contribution. So, President, I hope the final byline includes all members of The Journalism Society¡± Lily was thrilled upon hearing this She knew once the magazine was published, it would cause a big stir. Having her name on such a piece was crucial for her resume. Lily said, ¡°Agnes, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so generous. Thank you!¡± Agnes nced at Jenny, a sh of resentment in her eyes. Who didn¡¯t know how to put on a show and feign generosity? Agnes just didn¡¯t bother in the past. After exiting the elevator, Jenny said, ¡°You all worked hard today. Let me treat you to dinner tonight. How about Cloud View?¡± Everyone was surprised at the mention of Cloud View. It was one of the most luxurious restaurants in the city, typically patronized by the rich and powerful. Ordinary people couldn¡¯t afford it. The other members of The Journalism Society were also excited, ¡°Cloud View, I heard the cheapest dish there costs an average person¡¯s monthly wage!¡± *Jenny, you¡¯re indeed a rich missy, so generous.¡± Jenny walked up to Agnes, ¡°Agnes, pleasee and consider it my way of apologizing.¡± If Agnes refused, she would appear petty. So, in the end, Agnes went to Cloud View with everyone. Agnes knew about Jenny¡¯s family situation and wondered why she was sshing the cash. But Agnes didn¡¯t say much. The dinner surprisingly cost two thousand dors. When it came to paying the bill, Jenny pulled out a ck card. People who owned this ck card were a minority in the city, all top¨Ctier tycoons. Everyone was surprised. Jenny usually seemed low¨Ckey. Who knew she was a really rich girl? But Agnes recognized it in an instant. It was Elton¡¯s ck card. Lily said, ¡°Jenny, your card is something else. To my knowledge, no more than ten people in the entire city have this card.¡± Jenny deliberately ced the ck card on the table in front of Agnes, then said, ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t know. It¡¯s a birthday gift from my boyfriend. I just treat it like a regr credit card.¡± This piqued everyone¡¯s interest. Someone said, ¡°Jenny, your boyfriend must be something to gift a ck card casually.¡± Others said, ¡°So envy, your boyfriend must really love you, Jenny. We¡¯d love to meet him.¡± Jenny blushed, ¡°He¡¯ll pick me up in a bit.¡± Everyone eximed in unison, ¡°Jenny, you¡¯re so lucky.¡± Just then, the door to the private room was pushed open. A tall figure stood at the door. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Jenny quickly said, ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Just like everyone else, Agnes whipped her head towards the door. And there he was, Elton Elton saw Agnes as well Earlier on, Jenny had called him about get together with her ssmates and asked him to pick her up. He didn¡¯t want to go, but Jenny mentioned that Agnes would be there. So, he decided to show up Deep down, Elton knew that there was no way in hell Agnes could ever forgive him. But damn, it¡¯s been a long time since hest saw Agnes. He missed her. Agnes instantly frowned when she saw Elton. She should¡¯ve known. Jenny being all generous today was just a plot to piss her off. Jenny was already got up and about walking over to the entrance, took Elton¡¯s arm affectionately and introduced him to everyone. ¡°This is my boyfriend, Elton.¡± Everyone there was majoring in journalism and knew that Elton was the heir to their family conglomerate. He was the golden goose everyone in the entertainment industry wanted to know. His love scandals would asionally make the entertainment news headlines, but he once cleared the air publicly, stating that he had a childhood sweetheart. Who would¡¯ve thought that Jenny was Elton¡¯s so¨C called childhood sweetheart? Elton¡¯s gaze, however, was still fixed on Agnes. Jenny shook his arm, ¡°Elton, these are all my Journalism Society mates. Say hi.¡± It was as if Elton snapped back to reality, pulling his arm away from Jenny¡¯s grasp. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Then he walked towards Agnes. ¡°Agnes, how have you been?¡± Elton suddenly asked. Everyone was amazed. Elton didn¡¯t even nce at his girlfriend. Instead, he was saying hi to Agnes. Agnes¡® mood plummeted the moment Elton appeared. Someone beside her curiously asked, ¡°Elton, you know Agnes too?¡± At that moment, Jenny sauntered, linking arms with Elton and said, ¡°Me, Elton, Agnes, we¡¯ve known each other since we were kids. We¡¯ve been friends for many years.¡± Everyone seemed to understand now. Agnes and Jenny were close friends. So it made sense for Agnes to know Jenny¡¯s boyfriend, and Agnes herself was a rich heiress. Agnes didn¡¯t say anything, picked up her bag and was about to leave. She said to everyone, ¡°I have to go back first.¡± Agnes left in a hurry. Elton wanted to follow her but was held back by Jenny Jenny leaned into Elton¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°If you chase after her now and stir up a scandal, I guarantee Agnes will hate you even more.¡± Elton nced back at Jenny, but she had a smile on her face. She gently said, ¡°Elton, you¡¯re so busy, but you still came to pick me up. You¡¯re so good to me.¡± Everyone watched this seemingly perfect couple, feeling a pang of envy. Once Agnes stepped out of the restaurant, she felt awful. For some reason, she missed Jared terribly. Was he still working overtime?¡± Would he being back to Maplewood Manor tonight? Just as Agnes was contemting whether to call Jared, she saw a text from him, [Melbourne, three days] Upon seeing the message, Agnes felt a surge of disappointment. Jared was going on a business trip again. Agnes went straight back to Maplewood Manor. The mansion was huge but felt empty. The next day. Jared¡¯s interview magazine was out. Including the video of Jared¡¯s live interview, which was uploaded on the school¡¯s video website. Suddenly, Lakeside College¡¯s website was flooded with visits due to this interview video, even crashing at one point. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 The Journalism Society at Lakeside College quickly made a name for themselves. They even received personal praise from the Dean. Their publication Big Shot got huge backing from the school, with many lining up for interviews, including some high profile socialites. For a campus media outlet to cause such a stir. It¡¯s almost unheard of Almost every member of The Journalism Society became campus celebrities. Of course, Agnes, the interview host, was immediately thrust right into the spotlight. At first, Agnes didn¡¯t pay much mind to it Until the topics about her switched from her family background to her private life, then to rumors of her being a kept woman. During lunch, Kerri showed Agnes the gossip circting on the forums: ¡®Everyone¡¯s saying Jared agreed to your interview because he¡¯s your sugar daddy. Agnes, these rumours have been getting more rampant these past few days. Don¡¯t you want to clear things up?¡± Agnes was eating her favourite ribs in sauce. After a nce, she simply said: ¡°Let it be. The innocent need not exin. Given time, these rumours will fade.¡± Kerri sighed ¡°All you care about is eating. You¡¯re a journalism student, don¡¯t you know that rumours stop with the wise? I bet someone¡¯s just jealous and trying to smear your name. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re taking it so lightly.¡± It¡¯s not that she was taking it lightly. Agnes knew that someone must be stoking the fire. The first post was anonymous, but the follow¨Cup posts were already in the hundreds. But Agnes knew, this rumour probably had Jenny¡¯s fingerprints all over it. The rumours of her being kept were heating up. When Agnes walked around, she always got weird looks. She thought she could ignore it, but being the target of constant scrutiny and gossip, Agnes was really bummed out.. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. One evening, Agnes was studying in the library, surrounded by noise. Through the murmur, Agnes could hear her name and the word kept woman. Agnes felt she couldn¡¯t even stay in the quiet library anymore. So she packed up and decided to head straight back to Maplewood Manor.. Just as she was leaving the campus, Agnes suddenly remembered that Jared was supposed to be back from his business trip to Willowbrook Town today. Suddenly, Agnes checked the flight schedule from Melbourne to Willowbrook Town. Thest flight was arriving in half an hour. And it just happened that the drive from the school to Willowbrook Town airport was also half an hour. Agnes hesitated for a moment, then grabbed a cab straight to Willowbrook International Airport. When Agnes arrived, the ne hadn¡¯tnded yet, supposedly dyed due to the weather. Agnes figured since she was there, she might as well wait in the terminal. Little did she know, she ended up waiting for four hours. Jared didn¡¯t arrive until midnight. By that time, Agnes had already dozed off in her chair. Jared gently woke her up. Agnes opened her eyes to see Jared¡¯s handsome face. Once she woke up, she rubbed her eyes and said: ¡°You¡¯re here. I came to pick you up.¡°. Jared looked at Agnes with a gaze different from usual, his voice low and tender: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you text me ahead of time?¡± Agnes smiled: ¡°I want to give you a surprise. But I didn¡¯t expect to oversleep. How did you know I was here? Jared took off his coat and draped it over Agnes¡® shoulders: ¡°Your sleeping posture is so unique. How could I not recognize you.¡± Agnes was speechless. In reality, when Jared walked out, there were already many people in the hall. But he spotted Agnes right away. She was curled up in a corner like a little kitten, fast asleep. n that moment, his heart wavered as if gently touched by a feather. How long had this girl been waiting here? Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Agnes trailed behind Jared as they left the airport. For some reason, she felt a bit deted. Jared didn¡¯t look surprised or excited to see her, not even a bit. But Agnes noticed that Jared was walking a bit faster than usual So, was he eager to get home? Jared¡¯s private car was already waiting for them outside the airport. However, Jared instructed his driver Moss, ¡°Hand me the keys. I¡¯ll drive and you can take a cab home.¡± Moss exited the car, and Jared slid into the driver¡¯s seat. Agnes quietly opened the back door, ready to get in. ¡°Sit in the front,¡± Jared suddenly said. Agnes obediently closed the back door and opened the front passenger door. She asked herself, ¡°Does it really matter where I sit?¡± After buckling her seatbelt, Agnes noticed Jared hadn¡¯t started the car yet. Instead, he was gazing at her with a strange look. His eyes were deep and mysterious, like the sea at night. It felt like she could drown in them with just one nce. Feeling ufortable under his gaze, Agnes asked, ¡°What are you looking at? Is there something on my face?¡± With a serious tone, Jared said, ¡°Yeah,e here, let me wipe it off.¡± Thinking that she really had something on her face, Agnes leaned in Unexpectedly, Jared leaned over and kissed her. The kiss was full of dominance. Agnes could even feel Jared¡¯s desire. However, she was still a bit shy. They were parked in the open¨Cair parking lot at the airport, surrounded by people and carsing and going. Although she knew that Jared¡¯s car windows were made from a special material that made it impossible for people outside to see, Agnes was still a bit embarrassed. She pulled Jared¡¯s hand from under her clothes and said, ¡°Can we go home first. please?¡± Her face was slightly flushed, and her eyes were filled with affection. It was clear that she was also moved. Jared had always thought he had good self¨Ccontrol, but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t resist Agnes¡¯s kitten¨Clike eyes. But he knew Agnes was shy. He wanted to have her right there, to love her deeply. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Suppressing his desire, Jared once again kissed Agnes and said, Til let you off this time, but you¡¯ll have to make it up to me twice over. After saying this, he carefully straightened out her dishevelled clothes. As the car sped away, Agnes¡¯s mood suddenly lifted. Even the unpleasant experiences at school seemed to vanish. They drove directly into Maplewood Manor. As soon as they entered, Jared scooped Agnes into his arms. Agnes let out a startled yelp but instinctively wrapped her arms around Jared¡¯s neck. The kissing started again. It had only been three days, but it felt like they hadn¡¯t seen each other for three months. Agnes admitted that she had missed him terribly over these three days.. That deep emotion that surprised even her seemed to findfort only in their kisses and release in their body contact. Agnes¡¯s cheeks flushed as she responded to him. They went from the entrance to the staircase, down the corridor to the bedroom, and finallynded on the soft bed. Jared whispered in her ear, deep and powerful, ¡°Did you miss me?¡± ¡°Yes, Agnes replied honestly. ¡°Do you love me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Agnes¡¯s mind was starting to get fuzzy. At that moment, Agnes felt like she was in a dream, not even knowing what she was saying¡­ Day two. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Agnes blinked her eyes open to the sight of a handsome face. Preston¡¯spany, Starlight International Group, had a star actor named Justin, who, ording to his fans, was a man to make women¡¯s hearts flutter. Agnes had seen him once atst year¡¯s annual meeting and thought he was super hunky When she saw Justin, she thought he was the most attractive man she¡¯d ever seen. But now, looking at Jared¡¯s face, she felt he was even more good¨Clooking than Justin. Even the contour of his jawline was perfect Agnes could feel her heartbeat picking up speed. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. At this moment, Jared had opened his eyes. When their eyes met, Agnes felt nervousness. But she put on a brave face and smiled, ¡°um, Good morning.¡± Jared frowned, ¡°My name isn¡¯t ¡®um¡°.¡± Agnes corrected herself, ¡°Good morning, Mr. Whitfield.¡± ¡°Agnes, do we need to be so formal with each other?¡± He called her Agnes. It sounded very natural inparison. This wasn¡¯t the first time they¡¯d had this talk. But Agnes was just too shy to call him ¡®honey¡®. Suddenly, Agnes had an idea, ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you Jared.¡± Agnes thought this was a great idea. It felt very personal. Agnes had gotten up, ¡°Jared, I have to go to ss.¡± Jared: ¡°¡­..¡± Agnes was in a rush. She didn¡¯t have time for breakfast.. As Agnes was preparing to leave, Jared handed her a bank card. Agnes was surprised, ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Jafed exined, ¡°This is your living expenses. I¡¯ll top it up every month. I¡¯m usually busy. You can use it to buy whatever you like.¡± Although Agnes and Jared were officially married, she had not used a single penny of his money until now. Except that she was now living in Jared¡¯s house. Agnes didn¡¯t like this feeling, ¡°I¡¯m not short of money. People at school are saying you¡¯re my sugar daddy. If I ept this, wouldn¡¯t it be like you¡¯re really my sugar daddy?¡± Jared frowned, ¡°People at school are saying I¡¯m keeping you?¡± Agnes didn¡¯t actually want to tell Jared about this, but it slipped out. Jared asked, ¡°Do you want me to handle it?¡± Agnes quickly said, ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s just some boring gossip. It¡¯ll die down in a few days.¡± If Jared got involved, it might make things messier. Looking at the bank card, Agnes said, ¡°I really don¡¯t need money or the card. I have to go to ss. With that, Agnes left. Not long after Agnes left, Jared made a call, ¡°Be in my office at nine.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t sleep wellst night and spent the entire morning dozing off in ss. The moment ss ended, she went to the cafeteria to grab lunch with Kerri. Kerri studied Agnes carefully, ¡°You look exhausted. Your dark circles are pretty noticeable. Agnes, you really look like you¡¯re overworked.¡± Agnes finally shook off her morning fatigue and almost replied, ¡®How did you know?¡® But before she could say anything, Kerri seemed to remember something, ¡°Sorry Agnes, I forgot you and Elton broke up.¡± In the past, whenever Elton was mentioned, it felt like a knife to Agnes¡¯s heart. But strangely, this time Agnes found herself feeling calm. Agnes smiled, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s all in the past now.¡± Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Agnes and Kerri had just found a spot to sit when they were swarmed by a group of girls. Leading the pack was Cecile, who never usually showed her face in the school canteen, so her presence today was definitely for Agnes. ¡°Oh look, isn¡¯t this our social butterfly?¡± was the first thing Cecile said when she spotted Agnes. ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re from a well¨Coff family. Why would you need someone else¡¯s sponsorship? Could it be because your dad remarried and no longer cares about you?¡± Cecile and her gang were always the center of attention in school, and she intentionally spoke loud enough to attract curious stares. Everyone knew about Agnes¡® family situation, but it was a public secret Agnes didn¡¯t like to discuss. Agnes¡® face turned serious. ¡°Cecile, are you just looking for trouble?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about who¡¯s sponsoring you, Agnes,¡± Cecile retarted. ¡°I just want to rify something. Are you really with Prince? Does he know you¡¯re being sponsored by Jared?¡± Cecile¡¯s words were harsh and shocking, leaving everyone around stunned. Prince of Lakeside College was the universally acknowledged hunk, Ryder. Kerri stood up. ¡°Cecile, stop spreading rumours! Agnes would never do that, and she doesn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s sponsorship.¡± ¡°Is she too scared to admit it? Im going to expose her true colours today,¡± Cecile shot back. ¡°Agnes. Suddenly, a deep and pleasant voice came from not far away. It wasn¡¯t loud but extremely charismatic. Everyone turned to look, and to their surprise, it was Ryder himself. Ryder sauntered over to Agnes. Seeing him, Cecile¡¯s face lit up with fascination. ¡°Prince.¡± ¡°Cecile, I¡¯ve told you to leave Agnes alone,¡± Ryder said coldly. ¡°Dont you know Agnes is being sponsored by Jared? Prince, don¡¯t let her fool you,¡± Cecile said. ¡°Agnes is not being sponsored. If you keep spreading this rumour, she could sue you for defamation,¡± Ryder replied. ¡°How do you know? Do you just unthinkingly trust her?¡± ¡°Jared is my uncle I know his business better than anyone else,¡± Ryder said tly and coldly, leaving everyone speechless. Ryder was popr mainly for his good looks. Few knew about his family background. He was the only grandson of the legendary Whitfield family from Hillcrest City. Cecile knew this, but she also knew Ryder was low¨Ckey and disliked unnecessary attention. Yet, she didn¡¯t expect Ryder to reveal his intentionally hidden identity in public to rify his rtionship with Agnes, which showed how important Agnes was to him. Ryder, however, didn¡¯t want to say more. He turned to Agnes, ¡°Come with me. I have something to tell you.¡±: Agnes followed Ryder out. With Cecile¡¯s intervention, the rumors about her rtionship should stop. But now, her rtionship with Ryder would be the topic of discussion. Ryder¡¯s fame at Lakeside College was equivalent to Jared¡¯s in society! Agnes sighed, feeling like a gossip ma. As they left the cafeteria, Agnes said to Ryder ahead of her, ¡°You don¡¯t really have anything to tell me, do you?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She felt that Ryder was just helping her out of an awkward situation by bringing her away. But Ryder turned around and said calmly, ¡°Actually, I do.¡± Agnes was taken aback, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°My mom wants to meet you,¡± Ryder replied. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Agnes was even more baffled, ¡°Why does your mom want to meet me?¡± Ryder¡¯s mom, Alyssa, was a big movie star She was a movie star when she was young and hit it big at Material ? N?velDrama.Org. 1B, even rumoured to have won best actress. A lot of people were crazy for her back then. But at the peak of her fame, Alyssa suddenly announced her withdrawal from the entertainment industry. She married a Chinese¨CAmerican and had a son, Ryder, but they divorced after less than three years of marriage The rumours about her were plentiful Apparently, Alyssa¡¯s ex¨Chusband was a big shot from Asia¡¯s wealthiest family Alyssa was also a fashion guru. After returning to China, she opened a fashion designpany, and now she¡¯s a leading figure in the fashion world, often gracing the covers of high¨Cend fashion magazines. With someone like that wanting to meet her, Agnes was filled with confusion and a bit of fear. Ryder¡¯s face suddenly turned red, and he said, ¡°My mom wants to meet you because she thinks you¡¯re my¡­ girlfriend.¡± Agnes was very anxious after hearing this How did this rumor get to the Whitfield family?,¡± Agnes said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you exin t? If you had outright denied it, it would have been fine.¡± Ryder nced at Agnes, ¡°I did deny it, but she doesn¡¯t believe me because you¡¯re the first girl I¡¯ve brought home.¡± Agnes suddenly remembered that Ryder had imed to have invited her to Tim¡¯s birthday party to save her from an awkward situation. Even Ryder¡¯s grandpa had given them a somewhat suggestive look His mom must have misunderstood then. Agnes felt at a loss for words. She absolutely couldn¡¯t meet Alyssa, not just because she was Ryder¡¯s mom, but also because she was Jared¡¯s sister. If they met in the future, it would be super awkward. Agnes quickly said, ¡°Since you didn¡¯t exin clearly, continue exining. If it¡¯s not clear the first time, a few more times should do the trick.¡± Ryder suddenly asked, ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to have anything to do with me?¡± Agnes was taken aback. With a cold look on his face, Ryder said, ¡°I get it.¡± Then he turned around and walked away, leaving Agnes dumbfounded. What¡¯s up with Ryder? His mood swings are seriously hard to keep up with.. Agnes didn¡¯t really care. She hadn¡¯t had lunch yet, so she nned to grab a burger outside the school. But as she approached the school gate, she spotted a familiar Ferrari in the distance. It was Elton¡¯s car, a gift from Hancock Taylor for his 20th birthday three years ago. Elton was standing by the car smoking. Agnes had no idea when he had picked up smoking. Clearly, Elton also saw Agnes. Their eyes met, and Agnes felt surprisingly calm. Even she found it strange that seeing this guy no longer made her angry or hysterical. The wound that had once bled seemed to have scabbed over. Though it still hurt, Agnes knew that time would gradually heal it. Elton had put out his cigarette and started walking towards Agnes. Agnes simply stood there, watching him approach step by step. She suddenly remembered when she was 10, 13¨Cyear¨Cold Elton proposed to her with a diamond ring. They were just kids then and had grown up together. They were very close, and Agnes happily epted. Sheter found out that the diamond ring had been stolen by Elton from his mom. It was Sarah¡¯s expensive engagement ring. He fooled his family into thinking it was stolen but refused to divulge its whereabouts when found out. The Taylor family thought he had sold the ring and gave him a thorough scolding. Theyter found out that the cheeky kid had actually given the ring to Agnes. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Those past events felt like they happened just yesterday, as if a long period had passed Etton approached Agnes and said, ¡®Agnes, I really miss you¡® Agnes replied, ¡°We¡¯re done, Elton Please don¡¯t do this.¡± Elton reached out to hold Agnes¡¯s hand ¡®Agnes, I know you hate me, but could you forgive me onest time? Agnes, I love you, I can¡¯t live without you.¡± But Agnes stepped back, looking up at Elton ¡°Elton, we¡¯re past the point of no return. Jenny is pregnant, you have to find courage. Don¡¯t bother me anymore, things between us are long over¡± Pain flickered in Elton¡¯s eyes As Agnes tried to leave, Elton blurted out, Jenny¡¯s pregnancy was a fluke. She nned it. Agnes, please don¡¯t ignore me, do you know how much I¡¯ve suffered these days?¡± Elton¡¯s tone was almost child like at the end. This was Elton¡¯s way, every time he upset her, he would act like a child, despite being much older than her. But Agnes used always to forgive him. But now Agnes felt annoyed. ¡°Elton, can¡¯t you grow up? You are not a kid anymore. Haven¡¯t you faced the reality yet? You think you can just apologize and everything will be fine? Also, Elton, I¡¯m not the same person anymore, we¡­it¡¯s impossible.¡± They were at the school gate, and though it was noon and not many people were around, people started ncing over. Agnes turned and ran back to school. Eton chased after her, but Agnes quickly entered the nearby library, which was off¨Climits without a student ID, leaving Elton stuck outside. Agnes found a corner and sat down. She was spacing out, but all she could think about was Jared¡¯s face. Agnes knew that even if Jenny wasn¡¯t pregnant, there was no future for her and Elton, because there was also Jared between them. Right now, Agnes couldn¡¯t help but wonder, what was Jared doing? Meanwhile, at TimTower, on the 60th floor, in the CEO¡¯s office. A casually dressed guy pointed at Jared¡¯s face, bellowing, ¡°I, Mr. K, am a top¨Cnotch hacker in the country, you called me here in such a hurry, I thought the Tim Group¡¯s secret system got hacked! And you want me to hack a campus forum? Jared, aren¡¯t you looking down on people?¡± Jared, expressionless, slowly picked up a pen, signed a check and pushed it over: ¡°A hundred thousand dors, enough?¡± Mr. K had already opened hisptop, sat up straight, and said seriously: ¡°Just look at you. We¡¯ve been friends for years. I can handle it right away.¡± Despite his words, he didn¡¯t hesitate to pocket the check. In just a few seconds, Mr. K snapped his fingers: ¡°Done, it¡¯s just hacking a small forum, want me to hack Lakeside College¡¯s official website too?¡± ¡°No need, but I need the real information of the anonymous poster,¡± Jared stated. That¡¯s easy, give me half a minute.¡± Sure enough, half a minuteter, Mr. K had dug up all the identity information of the anonymous poster. Mr. K closed hisptop and said, ¡°As a bigpany¡¯s CEO, your scandals have never stopped. I¡¯ve never seen you take it so seriously, why would you care about a trivial campus rumor now?¡± Mr. K took a nce, Jared had called him over just to take down a post, titled ¡°Exposing the Rtionship between Agnes and Jared, the CEO of the Tim Group¡°. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Jared replied calmly, ¡°None of your business, dude.¡± Mr K was very curious ¡°Are you feeling a bit guilty for asking me to delete others¡® posts, huh? You didn¡¯t sponsor that college student, did you? I get it, man. Men have their needs, and you¡¯re at that age But if Mamie ever finds out, she¡¯ll be heartbroken¡± As Mr K rambled on, Jared suddenly looked up, an icy re in his eyes, ¡°You got a lot of free time, huh? How about I hook you up with a gig in the tech department?¡± Mr. K immediately became wary, ¡°No way, man I¡¯m a free bird. I can¡¯t bear the 9 to 5 life. Have got to bounce now, but if you need me for stuff like this in the future, just holler. I¡¯m your guy.¡± With that. Mr. K swiftly exited Jared¡¯s office,ptop in tow Jared looked at the post Mr. K had found It was a student profile. The name on the profile was ¡°Jenny¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Jared pondered for a moment, then sent the entire profile to Agnes. Agnes was spacing out in the library when she received the message. She spent a long time staring at the information Jared had sent. Her heart felt like it was being slowly cut open with a blunt knife. Coincidentally, she received a message from Jenny at that moment. Jenny: ¡°Did Eltone to see you?¡± Agnes didn¡¯t respond. After a while, Jenny sent another message, ¡°Please, stop bothering Elton, okay?¡± Agnes was furious when she saw this message. Agnes quickly shot back a message: ¡°Did you post the rumour on the campus forum that I¡¯m being sponsored?¡± Jenny replied instantly, ¡°No. Despite our recent disagreements, you¡¯re still my best friend in my heart.¡± Agnes felt sick reading this. Agnes immediately forwarded the information Jared had sent to Jenny. Jenny didn¡¯t respond for a long time. Several hourster,te into the night, Agnes received a message from Jenny.. ¡°Let¡¯s meet at the Willowbrook Junior High School yground at 3 pm tomorrow. We need to settle things. The next day was a weekend. Agnes slept in as she didn¡¯t have sses. She wasn¡¯t nning on meeting Jenny. But Jenny had the pictures of her and Elton, and she needed to get them back. Agnes wanted to know what Jenny meant by ¡®settling things¡®. At 3 pm, Agnes arrived at the Willowbrook Junior High School yground on the dot. Willowbrook Junior High School was where she and Jenny had studied. They met in the first year of junior high and were desk mates for three years.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t want to dwell on the past. She had taken care of Jenny, who came from a poor background and was often bullied, with all her heart, only to end up like this. Jenny was already there. Jenny was wearing a long white sweater, looking pure and beautiful. She was no longer the girl people used to make fun of, and she was no longer the Jenny Agnes knew. When Jenny saw Agnes approaching, she went to meet her. Jenny said, ¡®Agnes, I didn¡¯t expect you to be on time.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°What do you want from me today?¡± Jenny suggested, ¡°Agnes, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve been back to school. Want to take a walk?¡± With that, Jenny turned and walked away. Agnes hesitated for a moment, then followed. They went to their old ssroom, ss 1 of the first year. Even though it was a holiday, the ssroom door wasn¡¯t locked. Jenny sat down at a desk, her fingers tracing the surface, ¡°Agnes, look, this is our desk. You can still see the marks you carved.¡± Agnes went over. It was indeed their desk. The corner of the desk had a small inscription, Agnes and Jenny, best friends for life.¡± Agnes remembered carving that inscription with the tip of apass on a summer afternoon. Back then, Jenny was upset because she was being bullied. She cried, saying she had no friends and no one liked her. So Agnes told her she wanted to be her friend and that she would always like her. And then she carved that inscription. Looking back, all she felt was a pang of heartache. Jenny gently traced the inscription, lost in thought, ¡°Agnes, do you know that you were the first person who truly treated me as a friend. Do you know how happy I was? I really thought we could be friends for life.¡± Agnes remained silent. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Jenny continued. ¡°Back then, you were like anjelegant swan in my eyes. Everyone in the ss, boys and girls alike, adored you. I used to wish if only I could have even a tiny bit of your charm.¡± Something seemed to strike Jenny. Those three years in middle school were the happiest time of my life Because of you, Agnes, I felt I wasn¡¯t just some ordinary bird. To be friends with someone as dazzling as you made me feel like I could shine too.¡± Agnes responded, ¡°But you didn¡¯t truly see me as a friend¡± Jenny countered, ¡°No, I really did consider you my best friend. Remember the wish box we buried under the third tree? Want to take a look?¡± Of course, Agnes remembered. Back at middle school graduation, it was popr to bury wish boxes, mostly between couples. But Agnes secretly bought one, made a wish with Jenny, put it in the box, and buried it under the third tree outside the yground. They promised to dig it up together in ten years. Jenny found the tree and dug up the wish box, which was rusted. Agnes felt like her heart was being tortured. Those innocent and beautiful years she seemed to sh before her eyes. Jenny had already opened the box. Inside were two intact notes. Jenny first read the one from Agnes: I hope to travel and eat around the world with Jenny, to be best friends forever. Jenny looked at the note and smiled slightly, ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m touched you wrote this.¡± Agnes stepped forward to take the note, ¡°I was just naive back then.¡± Jenny handed the other note, ¡°Want to see what I wrote back then?¡± In the end, Agnes couldn¡¯t resist and took a look. It read: I hope my best friend Agnes will always be happy and joyful. Something struck Agnes¡® heart. Tears welled up in her eyes, ready to fall, a sour feeling in her heart. The handwriting was beautiful, and a heart was drawn in the bottom right corner of the note; Agnes suddenly felt a profound sadness. Agnes asked the person in front of her, ¡°Why, why did everything change?¡± She couldn¡¯t understand why the innocent Jenny of the past was nowpeting against her, framing her, scheming against her. When did their friendship be so broken? Jenny stood up and said, ¡°Because of Elton. Come with me.¡± Agnes followed Jenny, not knowing where she was leading. Finally, Jenny took Agnes to the basketball stands on the yground. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. step by step, they climbed to the top. This was the best spot on the basketball stands, providing a clear view of every corner of the yground. 1the past, Agnes always brought Jenny here to watch Elton¡¯s football games. ack when they were still in middle school, Elton was attending a nearby high school, but he always liked toe here after school to y football with a bunch of friends.. f course, it was because of Agnes. ack then, Agnes was treated like a princess by Elton. fter every football game Elton yed, Agnes would go down to bring him water, all his friends knew Agnes, and Elton openly called her ¡°my girlfriend¡°. ney wouldugh and y on the ying field while Jenny watched from the basketball stands from a distance. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Jenny seemed lost in thought, reminiscing. ¡°When we graduated from middle school, Elton threw you a prom. You invited me. I told you I didn¡¯t have a dress or heels. You took me to your closet and told me to pick out anything I liked You helped me pick a white dress and a pair of pink heels. I felt like a princess, just like you, living in a castle. I was so excited to go to your prom that day¡± Agnes remembered that day but also that Jenny didn¡¯t show up Agnes said. ¡°That day, you told me you weren¡¯t feeling well, so you didn¡¯te.¡± Jenny said, ¡°1 was so excited that I went early. The venue was empty, except for Elton¡¯s setting up. I had seen him many times over the three years, but that was the first time I had ever seen him up close He was in a suit and looked like a prince from a fairy tale¡± Agnes said, ¡°So you fell for him at first sight, betrayed our friendship just to get closer to him?¡± Jennyughed, ¡°Do you know the first thing Elton said to me?¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Agnes was silent Jenny said. ¡°When he saw me, he walked over. I remember the anticipation: I knew he was your boy friend. I didn¡¯t have any inappropriate thoughts. I thought, since I was your best friend, I could be his friend too. But when he approached me, he frowned at me, then asked why I was wearing your clothes and shoes.¡± Red faced, Jenny had replied, ¡°Agnes lent them to me.¡± Without missing a beat, Elton said, ¡°Are you some kind of beggar? Don¡¯t you have your own clothes? These shoes are a graduation gift I worked two months to buy for Agnes. You think you¡¯re worthy of wearing them?¡± The humiliation from that day still haunted Jenny. Jenny said, ¡®Agnes, do you know how it feels? It¡¯s like Cindere turning back into a frog after midnight. That¡¯s when I knew we were from different worlds. You were living in the clouds, and I was stuck in the mud/Even when you reached out to help me, it only made me see more clearly my own inadequacies. That¡¯s when I swore that one day, I would reach the top. And I¡¯ve done it.¡± There was a hint of pride in Jenny¡¯s eyes, ¡°Can you imagine what it¡¯s like when Elton sleeps next to me? When the man who once looked down on me is having sex with me, it¡¯s the greatest satisfaction. I feel like all my past humiliation have been vindicated. Even I¡¯m the first¡­ the first woman he¡¯s ever been with!¡± Agnes said, ¡°Let¡¯s got talk about this. I don¡¯t know what Elton said to you back then, but even if he did, it doesn¡¯t justify your actions. You care too much about what others think, and you¡¯re afraid of being looked down upon. But the freedom of your soul is more important than others¡® opinions.¡± ¡°Agnes, it¡¯s easy for you to say that. You¡¯ve had a privileged life. You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to struggle. Have you ever had to deal with the teachering to your house because you couldn¡¯t pay your tuition? Have you ever been the kid with patches on clothes while everyone else was talking about limited¨Cedition sneakers? Have you ever had nothing but bread and cold water for lunch for an entire semester? You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like, so you have no right to judge me!¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Agnes said. ¡°Maybe I haven¡¯t been through all that, but I know even if I had nothing, I wouldn¡¯t stoop that low.¡± Jenny scoffed, ¡®Agnes, I¡¯m not as noble as you, but you can¡¯t deny it. I have a better shot at sess. For people like us who grew up at the bottom, being kind only gets us kicked around. It¡¯s useless. If I didn¡¯t do this, how could I ever stand beside Elton, marry into a rich family, and get what I want?¡± Agnes suddenly found the conversation tedious She shrugged, ¡°We don¡¯t have much to talk about anymore, you have your values, and that¡¯s cool. You live your life. I¡¯ll live mine. You will marry into a rich family soon, and be a high¨Cssdy¡± Jennyughed, ¡°But, Agnes, I think I¡¯ll need your help to marry into wealth.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°I¡¯m incapable of that Don¡¯t you already have Elton¡¯s baby?¡± Jenny admitted. This baby might get me through the doors of the Taylor family, but it won¡¯t be enough to keep Elton. Only when he¡¯spletely done with you will he really see me. Agnes, I told you today¡¯s meetup was to end things once and for all, don¡¯t me me, me yourself for being too naive.¡± Agnes was left stunned. Suddenly, Jenny fell backwards. They were sitting in the basketball stands. The stairs were right next to them. Jenny suddenly leaned back and then fell onto the stairs. A scream echoed as she tumbled down the steps. Everything happened so fast. Agnes had no idea what was going on. But as Jenny hit the ground, she screamed, ¡°My baby! Agnes, why did you kill my baby, my baby.. A feeling of unease washed over Agnes. Just as she expected, someone rushed over from afar. It was Elton. Jenny was rolling on the ground, clutching her stomach, her white sweater stained red. She kept repeating, ¡°Agnes, why did you kill my baby? Why did you kill my baby?¡± Agnes was shaking, but her mind was unusually clear. She finally understood what Jenny meant by ¡®ending things. She probably arranged for Elton to be here, timing and location all premeditated, just so he could witness this scene. Jenny¡¯s scheming was frightening, but Agnes never imagined she would use her own child as a pawn. It was utterly ruthless. Elton had already rushed over. Jenny was pale with a tear¨Cstreaked face and bloodied hands. She This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. gripped Elton¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°Elton, our baby, Agnes tried to hurt our baby. Get me to the hospital, quick, take me to the hospital.¡± Elton immediately scooped up Jenny, didn¡¯t say a word, only nced at Agnes, who was still on the tform, and quickly left with Jenny. Agnes stood in ce for a long time until the sun gradually set and night fell. When Agnes finally walked down from the tform, her legs were numb. In the end, Agnes went to Hope Hospital. Hope Hospital was the closest to Willowbrook Middle School. Elton must have taken Jenny there. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Once Agnes reached Hope Hospital, she asked around a bit and soon found Jenny¡¯s ward Agnes C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org headed over She didn¡¯t know why, but she was strangely calm at the moment. She wasn¡¯t even sure why she came here. The door to the ward was open, and heart¨Cwrenching sobs could be heard from inside When Agnes stood at the door, she saw Jenny, Elton, and folks from the Taylor family. Everyone was taken aback when they saw Agnes Jenny picked up a pillow and threw it at the doorway. ¡°Agnes, you criminal! Why did you kill my child! Why did you kill mine and Elton¡¯s child!¡± Jenny¡¯s voice was hoarse. She even tried to jump off the bed to attack but ended up tumbling to the ground instead. Sarah stepped forward, ¡°Calm down, will you? Look at your self.¡± She was Elton¡¯s mom. Sarah never liked Jenny She nearly fainted when she found out the girl was pregnant. But after all, it was Elton¡¯s child, her grandchild. But now, the child was lost. Looking at Jenny¡¯s state, she felt pity A nurse quickly helped Jenny back onto the bed. Agnes walked in calmly. Hancock Taylor, Elton¡¯s father, sighed, ¡°Agnes, why are you being so foolish? I know Elton did you wrong, but regardless, it was a new life for our Taylor family. This really breaks our hearts.¡± Agnes responded calmly, ¡°I didn¡¯t push her.¡± Upon hearing this, Jenny yelled, ¡°Agnes, are you still trying to deny it? Are you saying I purposely fell down the stairs to frame you? Elton saw it with his own eyes.¡± Agnes really admired Jenny¡¯s inner strength. She did purposely fall to frame her, but no one would believe that since she was gambling with a life, even her own. But still, Agnes said, ¡°You know the truth. I won¡¯t admit to something I didn¡¯t do.¡± Jenny was crying, ¡°Agnes, I know you hate me, but you can¡¯t do something like this. You pushed me down the stairs, you made me lose my child, and you still won¡¯t admit your wrongdoings and want to frame me.¡± Jenny pulled a recorder from under her pillow, ¡°I¡¯m a journalism major, so I always carry a recorder. I unintentionally recorded this. You¡¯ll see, the Agnes you think you know is not as innocent and kind as you thought. You¡¯ve been fooled by her seemingly kind exterior.¡± Jenny hit y on the recorder. Jenny¡¯s voice was heard from the recorder: ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m sorry about Elton. I don¡¯t want to lose you as a friend. Can you forgive me just this once? Can we still be as good as we were before?¡± Then came Agnes¡¯s voice, ¡°If you want my forgiveness, then abort your child with Elton. Break up with him. Then we can be as good as before. What do you say?¡± This recording was yed several times before Jenny finally turned it off, already crying her eyes out, ¡°Agnes, I just fell in love with Elton. What did I do wrong? I always thought of you as my best friend, but why did you do this to me. Why did you kill my child?¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Jenny pulled a face of injustice and said to everyone, ¡°You all heard it. That was recorded a month ago. Agnes has been trying to make me get rid of the baby, but I never thought she would do something so outrageous. Agnes, how could you be so heartless, you criminal¡­¡± Agnes started to tremble uncontrobly again. This deep¨Cseated fear was surging from within her. The recording was indeed from Agnes, but at the time, she knew Jenny¡¯s intentions and said it casually, trying to shake off Jenny¡¯s pestering Agnes never thought Jenny would be so prepared. She must have seen this daying from back then. Agnes thought the person in front of her was too horrifying. She wanted to say something, but her throat felt like it was blocked by something, and she couldn¡¯t say a word. Hancock Taylor and Sarah looked at Agnes with shock and disappointment. Jenny¡¯s crying echoed in the ward as she kept saying, ¡°Agnes, why did you want to kill my and Elton¡¯s Material ? N?velDrama.Org. child? Agnes, I won¡¯t let you off. I will make you pay, you criminal¡­¡± Hancock Taylor sighed and walked over to Elton, who had been sijent. Hancock Taylor asked, ¡°This mess happened because of you. What are you going to do now?¡± Elton hadn¡¯t really looked at Agnes from start to finish. Now, he finally spoke, ¡°I will get engaged to Jenny.¡± Elton¡¯s answer surprised everyone. Sarah was the first to react, ¡°Have you lost your mind? She doesn¡¯t have your child anymore, and you still want to get engaged to her? We, the Taylor family, are the upper ss of Willowbrook Town. Your future marriage should be well¨Cmatched. You can¡¯t be so reckless.¡± Elton firmly said, ¡°I will get engaged to Jenny as soon as possible, then study abroad. Haven¡¯t you always wanted me to study business management in the US? I will take Jenny with me. Elton was resolute. Sarah had never seen her son so deste. Perhaps he was too heartbroken. After all, it was his child. And everything was triggered by Agnes, the girl Elton had liked since he was a kid. Agnes didn¡¯t Know how she walked out of the hospital. But when she was outside, she felt like she had lost her soul. She remembered Elton¡¯sst words to her, ¡°Agnes, from now on, I owe you nothing, and neither does Jenny. From now on, we¡¯re strangers.¡± After Elton said this, Agnes turned around and left. Her face was expressionless, but her heart was twitching, feeling somewhat numb. Just as Agnes stepped out, her phone rang. It was a call from Jared. But Agnes didn¡¯t want to pick up. Agnes aimlessly wandered on the sidewalk alone, not knowing where to go. Finally, she stopped outside a park. Agnes sat on a bench by the road, her mind nk. But her heart felt like it was being constantly cut by a knife. This dull pain made her limbs feel icy cold. Agnes didn¡¯t know how long she sat on the bench until Jared appeared before her. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Jared stepped out of his car and walked over to Agnes, leisurely taking off his trench coat and draping This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. it over Agnes¡® shoulders. Then he sat down beside Agnes, his voice low and slow, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer your phone? Do you know how worried I was?¡± Agnes kept her head down, not saying a word. Jared reached out and held Agnes¡® hand His palm was dry and warm Jared asked, ¡°What had happened? Can you tell me about it?¡± Agnes didn¡¯t know where to start and remained silent. Suddenly, Jared pulled Agnes into his arms, ¡°No matter what happened, I¡¯m here for you. Even if the world copses, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Hearing this, Agnes couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. When Mr. Taylor expressed his disappointment, she didn¡¯t cry. When Jenny framed her, she didn¡¯t cry. When Elton said he wanted to cut ties, Agnes didn¡¯t cry either. But when Jared said he would protect her, Agnes burst into tears. Jared was taken aback, patting Agnes¡® back like he wasforting a child, continuously asking her what happened. Agnes cried for a long time, finally sobbing out the whole story to Jared. Upon hearing this, Jared¡¯s brows furrowed. Agnes said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t push her. I don¡¯t care about her framing me, but what saddens me is that the tiny life was innocent but couldn¡¯te into this world because of me¡­¡± Jared said, ¡°Agnes, punishing yourself for others¡® mistakes is the dumbest thing. Jenny is a real viin, even hurting herself. Don¡¯t feel bad about this, leave it to me. I¡¯ll find a way to prove your innocence.¡± Agnes suddenly stopped crying, looking at Jared, ¡°You believe me?¡± Jared¡¯s voice was deep and serious, ¡°Of course, I believe you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°No reason.¡± For some reason, just because of Jared¡¯s words, Agnes felt less upset. Jared said, ¡°Stay away from Jenny for a while. Leave the rest to me. Trust me, I¡¯ll make her pay. Whether Jared wasforting her or not, Agnes felt warmth in her heart: Agnes nodded. Jared said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home. What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll cook for you.. Jared¡¯s tone was like asking a child if they wanted candy. Agnes blurted out, ¡°I want seafood cream pasta.¡± Jaredughed, ¡°I¡¯ll make pasta for you when we get home.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t expect Jared to actually know how to make pasta, and it was delicious, up to a professional chef¡¯s standard. Agnes finished two tes of pasta in one go, almost overeating. Jared didn¡¯t move a muscle, watching Agnes eat her pasta with a hint of a smile. Finally, Agnes patted her stomach and said, ¡°How do you even know how to make seafood cream pasta? Jared, is there anything you don¡¯t know?¡° Admiration for Jared shone in Agnes¡® eyes, which made Jared feel good. Jaredughed and asked, ¡°Are you full?¡± Agnes nodded vigorously. ¡°Do you feel better?¡± Again, Agnes nodded hard, ¡°There¡¯s nothing a good meal can¡¯t fix in this world.¡± Jared smiled at her. Then hemanded, ¡°Go wash the dishes.¡± Agnes naturally got up and started to clear the table. After a few steps, she suddenly turned around and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you washing?¡± Isn¡¯t he supposed to make her happy? Why is he making her do chores? Jared casually replied, ¡°Have you ever seen a professional chef wash dishes?¡± Agnes found his reasoning sound, so she turned around and went into the kitchen to wash the dishes. In reality, Agnes still felt really upset. The sight of Jenny falling down the stairs and her clothes stained with blood kept shing in her mind. But having something to do always makes things a bit better. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 The next day, Agnes Pritchard trotted off to school as usual. Everything seemed the same. Nothing had changed. The only exception was Agnes knew that Jenny Fitz had taken a two¨Cweek leave. It was hall a monthter when she saw Jenny again. That day, the president of The Journalism Society announced a meeting that all members had to attend . When Agnes arrived, she saw Jenny. Jenny looked chipper, all smiles, and was chit¨C chatting away with other members of The Journalism Society. When Agnes walked in, Jenny gave her a look, her eyes indifferent C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Agnes casually found a seat at random and sat down. At this point, the president, Lily, stepped up and began, ¡°The reason why I¡¯ve called you all here today is to an nounce something important. Since I¡¯ll be graduating soon, I can¡¯t continue as the president of The Jou rnalism Society. Before I leave, I want to hand over the reins to someone who¡¯spetent and respon sible. Right now, I have two people in mind. Jenny, our vice president, has been diligent and responsible since taking up the role. And Agn es, who managed to score an exclusive interview with Jared Whitfield, which really put our Society on t he map. I¡¯ve decided that one of them will be the next president. To be fair, we¡¯ll do a secret ballot.¡± Agnes hadn¡¯t expected today¡¯s meeting to be about electing a new president, which was a big deal. Agnes loved journalism and The Journalism Society, but she didn¡¯t want to work with Jenny. She didn¡¯t want to have a conflict with Jenny. Agnes raised her hand and said, ¡°I give up.¡± But almost at the same time, Jenny said the same thing. Everyone looked in surprise at the two of them. Agnes and Jenny also looked at each other. With a furrowed brow, Lily asked, ¡°What¡¯s up with you two? The Journalism Society is one of the four major clubs at Lakeside College. H aving this experience on your resume is a big deal. Jenny, you go first. Why do you want to pass?¡± Jenny said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll be studying abroad with my fianc¨¦ soon, so I can¡¯t take up the role.¡± Jenny¡¯s words caused quite a stir. ¡°Jenny, is your fianc¨¦ the Mr. Taylor who picked you upst time?¡± ¡°Jenny, he¡¯s from a well¨C off family, huh? Money talks, I guess. Studying abroad just like that, so jealous.¡± ¡°Jenny, congrattions! When did you guys get engaged?¡± Jenny smiled and took out a stack of fancy invitations from her bag. She handed them out to the members of The Journalism Society and said, ¡°In three days, I have an en gagement party at the Caesar International Hotel. You all muste.¡± Everyone was thrilled to get an invite. ¡°Isn¡¯t that hotel the one that only hosts foreign dignitaries? Oh my God, Jenny, you¡¯re having your enga gement there?¡± ¡°Our Jenny is a princess, after all. The Taylor family is one of the most famous families around here. It¡¯s bound to be grand.¡± Agnes just stood there until Jenny walked up to her. Jenny handed her the last invitation, ¡°Agnes, you muste. After all, if it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be engaged to Elton Tayl or.¡± Someone else said, ¡°Agnes, so you yed matchmaker for Jenny and Mr. Taylor.¡± Agnes looked at the people around her, feeling a chill running down her spine, a sense of dread gnawi ng at her. Jenny could just stand there as if nothing happened. People always say that a mother¡¯s love is great, b ut Jenny traded her own child for her marriage. Agnes thought this was horrifying. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Agnes just stood there. Her eyes fixated on the invitation in Jenny¡¯s hand. The invite was all dreamy and fancy. Jenny, grinning, said, ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still hung up on your past with Elton¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Agnes cut Jenny off, snatching the invite from her. Onlookers couldn¡¯t help but stare at the interaction between Agnes and Jenny. Past? What past? What happened between Agnes and Elton? Agnes knew Jenny was deliberately bringing up the past, but why? She¡¯s already engaged to Elton. Why brought up their past? Lily, standing at the podium, tapped on the table. ¡°We¡¯re here to celebrate Jenny¡¯s engagement. But sin ce Jenny has stepped down as the president, Agnes, it¡¯s time to step up. You¡¯ve been with The Journalism Society for three years. You¡¯re the most experienced and outstanding member here. Th e role is yours.¡± Agnes was a bit distracted, but she epted the position. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Lakeside College¡¯s Journalism department was abuzz these days. Everyone knew about Jenny¡¯s enga gement to Elton. Word on the street was that all the big shots from Willowbrook Town were invited. But there were rumours on campus that Agnes was meddling with Jenny and Elton¡¯s rtionship. Apparently, a photo of Agnes and Elton was anonymously posted on the campuswork. The same photo that Jenny held in her hand. No doubt, it was Jenny¡¯s doing. Thements section was a mixed bag, but ultimately, everyone believed Agnes was causing trouble out of jealousy over Jenny and Elton¡¯s engagement. After seeing the post, Agnes called Jenny directly. ¡°You already got what you wanted. Why are you still doing this?¡± Jenny¡¯s voice,ced with amusement, came through the phone. ¡°Just for kicks. This is payback for all t he humiliation I¡¯ve endured. Agnes, I¡¯m going to crush you. I want everyone to know you¡¯re the third wh eel in my rtionship with Elton.¡± Agnes hung up. She didn¡¯t want to exchange another word with Jenny. As Agnes walked around the campus, she was met with strange looks. She felt utterly drained. She took three days off from the academic affairs office, citing health issues. After that, she went to Maplewood Manor and slept for an entire day. Jared was out of town. Agnes hadn¡¯t left the house for those two days, barely eating and just sleeping. When Jared returned and saw her condition, he helped her up. Jared looked angry. ¡°A heartless guy and a maniptive woman got you this messed up? Agnes, can¡¯t you toughen up?¡± Agnes admitted she wasn¡¯t lough. The heartless guy and the maniptive woman were once her boyfriend and best friend. Jared guided Agnes to the bathroom. ¡°Take a shower. I¡¯ll take you out for some foodter.¡± Agnes followed Jared out, silent the entire time. In the end, Jared¡¯s sleek Bentley pulled up in front of Caesar International Hospital. Looking at the pce¨Clike building. Agnes started to tremble. Two huge electronic screens stood at the entrance, disying Jenny and Elton¡¯s wedding photos. It suddenly clicked for Agnes. Tonight was Jenny and Elton¡¯s engagement party. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Agnes couldn¡¯t keep her cool and blurted out at Jared, ¡°Why the hell did you bring me here?¡± She tumed on her heel, not wanting to spend another second in that ce But Jared grabbed her tight. His voice was chilly but calm. ¡°If you leave now, you¡¯ll miss out on some big stuff¡± Agnes didn¡¯t know what Jared was up to, but she felt he must have had something nned. Jared continued, ¡°Agnes, if you haven¡¯t done anything wrong, don¡¯t feel guilty. Don¡¯t let people think yo u¡¯re an easy target.¡± In the end, she followed Jared in, feeling like she was going nuts. The party was just getting started. Elton and Jenny were greeting guests at the door. Jenny was in a white mermaid gown, tall and slender. Her hair was up high, making her look like a que en from a fairy tale. She was all smiles today, looking radiant. Elton, standing next to her, seemed cold in contrast. When Jenny saw Agnes and Jareding over, she looked surprised. Jared held Agnes hand tight and walked towards them. Jenny was momentarily frozen. When Agnes stood in front of her, she grabbed Elton¡¯s arm and said wit h a smile, ¡°Agnes, I didn¡¯t expect you to actuallye. Elton and I thought you might not show up.¡± Elton was staring hard at Agnes¡® face. His usually detached gaze now showed some emotion. His eyes finallynded on Agnes¡® arm, which was held by Jared, and he gave a bitter smile, saying. ¡°S o you really are with Mr. Whitfield.¡± Jenny chimed in, ¡°Elton, how could you say that? Agnes is a free spirit. It¡¯s not just Mr. Whitfield; she¡¯s always surrounded by guys at school.¡± Jenny seemed to realize something and quickly added, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to say Agnes is fickle. She ¡¯s just popr with the boys; sometimes it¡¯s hard for her to say no. She¡¯s not that kind of person. Mr. Whitfield, don¡¯t get the wrong idea¡± Agnes didn¡¯t expect Jenny to try to sow discord between them in front of Jared. But Jared seemed unfazed. He even affectionately brushed Agnes hair and said, ¡°Of course I know wh at kind of person Agnes is. She¡¯s nothing like you¡± Jenny¡¯s face immediately changed, her smile freezing Elton¡¯s face darkened, and he said in a low voice, ¡°Please,e in.¡± Agnes and Jared walked in together, drawing a lot of attention. After all, Jared was high¨Cprofile, and many women had their eyes on him. The engagement party wasvishly decorated, with crystal lights pouring down like tassels. Agnes didn¡¯t like being the center of attention and felt extremely ufortable, so she let go of Jared¡¯s arm. She said to Jared, ¡°I¡¯ve got some ssmates over there. I want to sit with them.¡± Jared raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t object, which could be taken as a silent approval. Actually, both Agnes and Jared were invited, and their seats were arranged in advance. Agnes was seated with her ssmates from The Journalism Society near the stage of the banquet hall. Jared¡¯s seat was at the VIP table, right next to the main table. Rtively speaking, Agnes and Jared were only a table apart. As soon as Agnes sat down, Cindy from The Journalism Society asked, ¡°Agnes, did youe in with Jared just now?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Agnes replied, ¡°It was just a coincidence.¡± Cindy looked puzzled. Everyone was busy taking photos and posting on social media and didn¡¯t notice, but she happened to see Agnesing in arm in arm with Jared Did she see it wrong? Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Agnes was sitting there, all chilled. The feast kicked off in no time. With the music ring, the lights in the banquet hall suddenly dimmed. Jenny, arm in arm with Elton, st rolled up to the stage along a plush, rose¨Cred carpet. Jenny had switched to an uber¨Cluxe wedding gown. Both of them were total lookers and seemed like a match made in heaven. Agnes overheard some hushed whispers from the next table: ¡°Who¡¯d have thought Elton would pop the question so young? I wonder whose daughter this Jenny is. I haven¡¯t seen her folks around.¡± ¡°I reckon they¡¯re tying the knot ¡®cause they¡¯ve got a bun in the oven. Why else would they get engaged before even graduating?¡± ¡°I heard Elton was once betrothed to the Pritchard family¡¯s daughter. The Taylors and the Pritchards have always been thick as thieves, b ut there were no Pritchards in sight at Elton¡¯s engagement today.¡± Jenny and Elton were now on stage. The host asked some questions about their love story, all in good humor. But most of the time, it was only Jenny answering. Elton was giving her the cold shoulder. Agnes couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Elton¡¯s eyes were glued to her. ww This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The host announced the start of the feast, and the big screen behind the stage started rolling photos of Jenny and Elton. Just as Elton and Jenny were about to leave the stage, a recording suddenly red from the big scree n: ¡°Patrick, I need you to forge a six¨C week pregnancy result for me. I¡¯ll give you half a million, but you must keep it confidential.¡± ¡°Jenny, we¡¯re doctors. We can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, with that result, I can marry into the Taylor family. Once I be their daughter¨Cin¨C law, I¡¯ll hand over five percent of the Taylor Group¡¯s shares to you. Think about it; this could be the fortu ne you could never earn in your lifetime.¡± ¡°But the result is a lie, Jenny. How can you marry into a rich family based on a lie? If it gets out, wouldn¡¯ t it implicate me and the hospital?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll need you to stage a fake miscarriage for me. If I didn¡¯t have the confidence, would I co me to you? Isn¡¯t the billions of assets in the Taylor Group worth you taking a risk?¡± The entire banquet hall fell into pin¨Cdrop silence. The host was taken aback and flummoxed. Jenny¡¯s face turned ashen. She was frozen. Because the voice in the recording was hers. She was just interacting with the host, and now the dialogue in the recording was too damning. All eyes were on her. The banquet hall was thick with tension. ¡°What the hell is going on? Mr. Taylor¡¯s bride¡¯s name is Jenny, right?¡± ¡°That voice in the recording sounds exactly like the bride¡¯s.¡± ¡°Holy cow, this woman actually schemed her way into marrying Mr. Taylor. Total brainbox.¡± ¡°This bride¡¯s got guts,ying a trap for the Taylors in public view. She isn¡¯t even married into the Taylor f amily yet, and she¡¯s already eyeing the Taylor Group¡¯s shares. She¡¯s a real piece of work; she even dir ected her own drama.¡± ¡°But who did this bride piss off? Who would release the recording at this time, spoiling her n?¡± Elton¡¯s gaze fell on Jenny¡¯s face. Jenny was clearly in a panic, blurting out, ¡°Elton, this isn¡¯t true. Someone¡¯s setting me up!¡± Jenny turned around and locked eyes with Agnes. Fury etched on her face, she yelled, ¡°It¡¯s Agnes! It has to be her setting me up. The recording is fake. We really did have a baby. It was after Agnes pushed me down the stairs tha t the baby was lost. You were the one who carried me to the hospital. You should know. It must be Agn es who is jealous of me and framing me!¡± Chapter 55 Chapter 55 All of a sudden, Agnes was the talk of the room. She was stunned too. Everyone around was from Agnes¡® Journalism Society. They were all looking back and forth between h er and Jenny with curiosity. What the heck was happening? Jenny was marching over to Agnes, looking pretty peeved. She¡¯d even forgotten her usual grace. Pointi ng at Agnes, Jenny blurted out, ¡°Agnes, why are you framing me? How could you be so ruthless? You created this audio to set me up; wasn¡¯t it enough for you to ruin my child with Elton?¡± Jenny¡¯s words were loaded, and a crowd began to gather. Agnes felt a touch dizzy, but she kept her cool and responded, ¡°I didn¡¯t fake the audio. You know in you r heart if I¡¯m framing you.¡± Elton had also slowly made his way over. His icy stare sent a chill down the spine, and Jenny realized that Elton was starting to doubt her. She quickly responded, ¡°Elton, you have to believe me. I was really pregnant with your child. You know Agnes hates me; she hates that I took you from her. That¡¯s why she killed our baby and is now framing me. Elton, you must believe me.¡± Elton didn¡¯t respond to Jenny but asked Agnes, ¡°Did you do this?¡± Agnes felt a coldness in her chest. Was Elton suspecting her too? Yes, Elton had believed before that Jenny¡¯s child was killed by her. ¡°It wasn¡¯t her, it was me,¡± a calm and deep voice said from behind the crowd. Though cold, the voice carried an innate dignity. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. It was Jared from the Whitfield family! Hancock Taylor and Sarah hurried over. Jared approached Hancock Taylor and said, ¡°I was the one who released this audio, but the content is real. Although the Taylor family and the Whitfiel d family aren¡¯t close, I respect you as an elder, I couldn¡¯t just sit back and watch a scheming girl y around with the Taylor family. I yed this recording in public just for Elton to see her true colo rs. I hope you won¡¯t me me.¡± What was supposed to be the Taylor family engagement party turned into a spectacle because of this v ideo. The Taylor family had been humiliated. But if this were true, they should be thanking Jared. Jenny didn¡¯t expect Jared to step in at this moment. Jenny blurted, ¡°He and Agnes are in cahoots. Agnes is kept by Jared. They are out to get me.¡± Jared replied coolly, ¡°Jenny, I reserve my right to sue you for defamation. But I, Jared, would never wro ng a good person and would never let a bad person go.¡± Jared picked up his phone and made a call, saying only two words: ¡°Come in.¡± Then a man walked in through the door. He was Patrick, the well¨Cknown yet controversial head gynecologist at Hope Hospital, he was known by many. Patrick came over and said, ¡°Jenny, I¡¯m truly sorry. As a doctor, I can¡¯t go against my conscience to hel p you falsify pregnancy and miscarriage documents. I¡¯ve been restless these days. I¡¯ve confessed my a ctions to my superiors and resigned from my job. Now, the only thing I can do is reveal the truth to mak e up for my guilt. I also want to advise you: You¡¯re still young, you should start over.¡± Jenny shook her head, pointing at the crowd, and said, ¡°They teamed up to frame me.¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Patrick dered, ¡°I¡¯ve got all of Jenny¡¯s files, and I backed up all the fake ones loo. And the untouched half a million in my ount is the best proof you n eed. Just trace the payment, and you¡¯ll know I¡¯m not lying.¡± Jenny¡¯s face tumed pale with fear. ¡°And the most important thing,¡± Patrick continued, ¡°is whether Jenny is pregnant or had a miscarriage, t hat¡¯s something a quick trip to the hospital can verify. It¡¯s not something you can forge or lie about.¡± Jenny could no longer stand upright, she stumbled back a couple of steps and plopped down on a near by chair. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something and lunged at Elton, clutching his hand: ¡°Elton, everyo ne else might misunderstand me, but you can¡¯t. I love you, I really do.¡± The truth was as clear as day. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Everyone was shocked that such a young girl could be so cunning and maniptive. Sarah stepped forward and said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re this ruthless, even trying to scheme against the Taylor family. You nearly made us misunderstand Agnes. Thank God, we¡¯ve seen your true colors now. If you actually married into our family, it¡¯d be like inviting a wolf into the hen house.¡± Everyone sighed in agreement. Jenny, not caring about anything else, held onto Elton¡¯s hand tightly and said, ¡°Elton, I really love you. You know this. Please don¡¯t leave me.¡± Elton stared coldly at Jenny Jenny, was the miscarriage part of your n to set up Agnes? Stop lying, or I swear I won¡¯t forgive you.¡± Crying, Jenny replied, ¡°I had no other choice. I had to make you give up on Agnes. Elton, we¡¯ll have chi ldren. Soon. You have to believe me. I can¡¯t live without you.¡± Finally, Elton lost his temper, yanking his hand away from Jenny¡¯s grasp. ¡°Jenny, how dare you lie to me like this? 1, Elton, hereby call off our engagement. From this moment on, we have nothing to do with each other.¡± Jenny nearly fell to the ground, clutching the corner of Elton¡¯s shirt desperately, not caring about the judging eyes around her, pleading . ¡°Elton, you can¡¯t do this to me. I love you so much. We were supposed to get engaged soon and go study abroad together. You promised. You c an¡¯t do this to me.¡± Without a shred of pity, Elton shoved Jenny away, his eyes filled with disgust and anger. Suddenly, Jenny turned to Agnes, lunging at her like a madwoman: ¡°Agnes, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± But Jared and Elton both grabbed her arms in time Jenny fell to the ground while the two men stood protectively beside Agnes. Jenny ripped off her wedding dress in rage, her face twisted in fury: ¡°Agnes, I hate you! I hate you! You¡¯ ll pay for this, I swear! I¡¯ll drag you down to hell, and I won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡± Jenny was shaking violently. As for Agnes, she was too shocked by the sudden turn of events to say anything. Jared¡¯s voice was low and icy. ¡°Even now, you don¡¯t know how to repent? You¡¯re a smart girl, about to graduate from a prestigious school. You could have had a bright future. But your jealousy led you to frame your friend. You brought this on yourself. It¡¯s got nothing to do with anyone else.¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Jenny couldn¡¯t take the reality; she covered her face and sat on the ground, sobbing hard. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Seeing Jenny like this, Agnes was reminded of the first time they had a conversation. It was the first day of junior high, during the first PE ss. The teacher insisted that all students wear s neakers. Who didn¡¯t wear sneakers would have to stand in punishment on the yground. When everyone else was in the locker room changing their shoes, Agnes noticed Jenny standing alone in a corner, lears streaming down her face. Agnes took the initiative to go up and ask what was wrong, that was their first conversation! Jenny told her she didn¡¯t have sneakers and was sure to be punished. That day, Agnes had brought her shoes but didn¡¯t put them on. She still remembered the scene where they were both punished by the teacher, standing under the basketball hoop. Jenny asked her, ¡°You had your shoes; why didn¡¯t you wear them?¡± Agnes smiled at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to keep youpany; at least we won¡¯t be bored if there are t wo of us¡± Agnes had said it so casually that Jenny couldn¡¯t help but let the tears fall, saying, ¡°Agnes, can you Agnes replied, ¡°From now on, we¡¯re best friends.¡± be my friend?¡± After that, Agnes specifically went to the mall to buy a pair of Nike sneakers and gave them to Jenny th e next day. Jenny, in return, had made her a homemade breakfast omelette. Those beautiful memories of the past were like a movie shing through her mind. Agnes¡¯s heart was heavy at the moment she never thought that their rtionship could go from so inno cent to so terrible. Time and fate were indeed cruel, they can change people¡¯s hearts and everything. Agnes remembered that when she was a child, her mother taught her to practice calligraphy, and she wrote a line of poetry. ¡°Colorful clouds disperse easily; zed pottery breaks easily.¡± She asked her mother what it meant. Her mother just sighed and told her, ¡°In this world, beautiful things are always fleeting.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t say anything more, turned around, and left, with Elton following closely behind. Next to the Caesar International Hospital was the Grand Square. There was a crowd in the square; it was very lively. Agnes quietly sat down on a bench in the square. Elton walked over and stopped in front of Agnes. Agnes looked up at him, feeling like she was looking at aplete stranger. ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Elton. Agnes replied, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong to me. In fact, you¡¯re the real victim! Elton said, ¡°I got engaged to Jenny because I was afraid she would hurt you. I decided to take her abroad to prote ct you, but I didn¡¯t expect even the pregnancy to be her n¡± Agnes just nodded slightly, indicating that she heard him but didn¡¯t respond. Elton was silent for a moment before speaking again: ¡°Agnes, can you forgive me? You should know b y now that everything before was Jenny¡¯s n. I was just her prey. I can¡¯t forget you, and I can¡¯t let go of you, Agnes. I love you.¡± Agnes felt like her heart was pierced by countless arrows. Elton was a sweet talker, be had told Agnes ¡°I love you¡± for ten years, and she had always taken it for g ranted and believed it deeply. However, never before had Agnes felt such desperation and pleading in Elton¡¯s tone. Elton¡¯s eyes were red, this boy she grew up with had never cried in front of her before. Agnes looked at him firmly, unable to respond, her heart ached like it was being cut by a knife. Elton asked, ¡°Agnes, can we go back to the past?¡± After two seconds of silence, Elton asked again, ¡°Agnes, do you still love me?¡± Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Agnes had always believed that she was in love with Elton. They were old pals, with a deep connection spanning a decade. But at this moment, Agnes couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it. After a beat of silence, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure ¡­¡± Something seemed to die in Elton¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is it because of Jared?¡± Agnes admitted, ¡°Yes, Elton. We can¡¯t go back to how things were. You should forget about me and sta rt anew¡± Ellon turned his back on her. Agnes watched as his shoulders shook slightly and his fists clenched. Agnes felt like her heart was being ripped out, and tears began to slide down her cheeks. I¡¯m sorry, Elton,¡± Agnes said. Choking back tears, Elton responded, ¡°Agnes, you deserve to be happy. Goodbye.¡± Elton walked away, his figure growing smaller and smaller in the distance. As she watched him go, Agnes felt like the boy she¡¯d poured ten years of her heart into was slowly fadi ng from her life. In those ten years, they¡¯d had fights and breakups, but Agnes knew that this time, it was the real deal. Agnes cried a river, sobbing alone in the darkness of the night. Agnes didn¡¯t know how long she¡¯d been crying until she heard Jared¡¯s voice. ¡°Agnes,¡± Jared said. ¡°Seeing you this heartbroken¡­ Well, it makes a regr guy like me kind of jealou s.¡± Agnes looked up with tears in her eyes as Jared handed her a handkerchief. She took it, wiped away her tears, and then looked down again. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I know you two had something special, Jared said. ¡°But breakups are part of growing up. You met the r ight guy at the wrong time. It¡¯s a mistake that needs fixing. And that¡¯s where Ie in.¡± Agnes stopped crying; her eyes were filled with doubt. ¡°How do you know you¡¯re the right guy?¡± ¡°Because I won¡¯t make you cry,¡± Jared said. He paused for a moment and then added, ¡°Unless we¡¯re in bed.¡± Agnes was caught off guard. When she realized what he¡¯d said, her face turned red, and she tried to hi t him. She was already so upset, and he was joking around. But Jared¡¯s joke did manage to lighten Agnes¡¯s mood. Jared was right. Breakups were a part of growing up. Just like when her mom passed away. Just like w hen Elton disappeared from her life. She still had to keep moving forward. Once Agnes had fully calmed down, she asked, ¡°How did you find out about Jenny¡¯s secret and get tha t voice recording to y at the wedding?¡± Jared responded, ¡°That was easy. If she was really pregnant, she should¡¯ve known that Elton would be more valuable to her than framing you. I just followed that lea d and found the answer. The recording didn¡¯t really exist; I had it made based on Patrick¡¯s description. As for ying it at the wedding. that was simple too. I hired a hacker to break i nto theputer system.¡± Agnes was shocked. The recording was fake?¡± Jared answered, ¡°The recording may have been fake, but the contents were real. I¡¯ve always said that t he best way to deal with someone like Jenny is to give them a taste of their own medicine. She¡¯s set yo u up multiple times. It¡¯s only fair she gets a taste of her own medicine.¡± Jared¡¯s tone was steady and indifferent when he said this, but it sent chills down Agnes¡¯s spine. Jared could¡¯ve handled this behind the scenes. But he chose to expose it at Jenny¡¯s engagement party, ensuring that she¡¯d never be able to recover from the scandal ¡°Jared, Agnes said I¡¯ve learned that I can¡¯t ever cross you. You¡¯re ruthless.¡± Jared looked at Agnes with a casual nce and said, ¡°Are you scared of me?¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Agnes took a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯re not scary, why would I be afraid of you?¡± Jared gave a smile and said, ¡°I told you I¡¯d take you out for a great meal, but it seems like you didn¡¯t ea t much. Come on, let¡¯s grab a bite¡± Agnes didn¡¯t really feel like eating, but Jared convinced her to have something. The next day. When Agnes got to school, she heard all kinds of rumors. Jenny¡¯s wedding had a lot of ssmates invited, so the events ofst night were alreadymon know ledge. Someone even filmed it on their phone and posted it on the school forum. In the video, Jenny was seen begging Elton for forgiveness, looking really pathetic and embarrassed. Agnes ran into some ssmates from the journalism department. They all came over and said, ¡°Agnes, I can¡¯t believe you were friends with someone like Jenny. You we re so good to her, and she stole your boyfriend and framed you; wepletely misunderstood you.¡± ¡°Yeah, Jenny is just awful. We thought she was this ssy and educateddy, but it turns out she¡¯s just a schemer. She¡¯s the school¡¯s disgrace ¡°Maybe you didn¡¯t hear, but Jenny got expelled. The principal and the dean both went to her wedding a nd witnessed her plot. They say the principal expelled her as soon as he got back.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Her reputation is ruined now; I doubt any school would take her. Without a college degree, her future might really be ruined.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all her own fault, someone like her would only bring harm to others if she made it ¡± While everyone was gossiping, Jenny walked out of the dean¡¯s office. She was pushing her luggage and carrying her backpack, looking like she was ready to leave the scho ol. When Jenny saw Agnes, she paused and stood there. The students who were originally surrounding Agnes all walked over. Una said, ¡°Why is Mr. Taylor¡¯s fianc¨¦e carrying all this luggage by herself?¡± ¡°You forgot, Mr. Taylor broke up with her at the wedding yesterday.¡± ¡°Oh right, I did forget.¡± ¡°Jenny, you even framed your best friend; are you even human?¡± ¡°Alright, enough,¡± Agnes cut in. Everyone was trying to stand up for Agnes, but since she spoke up, they all stopped. Kerri Bradford came over and shooed everyone away, leaving just Jenny and Agnes. Jenny red at Agnes with a look of hatred, while Agnes remained calm. Agnes asked, ¡°What¡¯s your n now? My father knows the principal of N University; he might be able t o help you transfer there.¡± Jenny retorted, ¡°Agnes, you don¡¯t have to pretend to care about me. You¡¯re just here to rub it in, aren¡¯t you? You must be so satisfied. Yes, Host But I lost to Jared, not you, Agnes. I can¡¯t fight him now, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t in the future. I, Jenny, swe ar that one day I¡¯ll get back at you a hundred fold. Agnes, I won¡¯t let you off!¡± Jenny¡¯s face twisted in anger. Agnes didn¡¯t know what to say. Jenny left the campus, and Agnes thought that was the end of it. But what Agnes didn¡¯t know then was that fate was an endless cycle, constantly stirring up trouble with no end in sight. Chapter60 Life in the following days was pretty chill, and before she knew it, it was already June. Jared was still often away on business, and Agnes found hersell growing increasingly dependent on him. On the first day of every business trip Jared took, Agnes would start looking forward to when he would get back. But this time. Jared¡¯s trip was unusually long¨Ca whole week with no confirmed date of return. Kerri noticed Agnes moping around the house, endlessly staring at her phone, like she was deep in the throes of missing someone. Agnes had to admit that she really missed Jared, waiting for his messages and his calls. Even if his messages were just a word or two, Agnes would look at her phone, her heart brimming with happiness. Kern began to wonder if Agnes was falling in love. Agnes didn¡¯t deny it. Today was weekend, and Agnes hadn¡¯t received any messages from Jared all day, which made her fee l particrly down. By three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Agnes had left the library and nned to go home to sleep. On her bike ride home, because her mind wasn¡¯t there, she nearly hit a ck sedan. When the car stopped, Agnes was startled because her bike had left an obvious scratch on the rear of the car. Agnes took one look at the license te, and it was a Maybach. Her heart sank. The driver got out and immediately scolded her: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, youngdy? How can you ride a bike so carelessly?-Don¡¯t you care about safety?¡± Agnes quickly apologized, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was my fault.¡± The driver quickly checked and saw the scratch on his car and said, ¡°Can you afford to pay for this dam age? Do you know what kind of car it is? Can you, a student, afford it?¡± Agnes replied. ¡°We can call the police first, follow the standard procedures, get an assessment, and I will take responsibility¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking like it¡¯s so easy. Do you have any idea how much this car costs?¡± ¡°Moss.¡± A deep voice came from the back seat of the car. It was then that Agnes noticed there was a young man in the back seat. He was wearing sunsses, a nd his face was unclear, but his side profile was strikingly handsome, and he carried himself with a calm aura that was not ordinary The driver, Moss, went over immediately and reported the incident. Agnes waited at a distance, and after a while, Moss came over and said, ¡°We don¡¯t have time for official procedures. Just give us twenty thousand for the repair cost; we won¡¯t haggle with you today¡± If she didn¡¯t know any better, she might have thought he was trying to rip her off, but Agnes knew that s ettling for twenty thousand was actually letting her off easy Agnes responded, ¡°Alright, but twenty thousand is no small sum. I¡¯m just a student. Give me a month, a nd I will pay off this debt.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Moss ran over to ask the man in the back seat again. Then, Moss handed Agnes a business card and said, ¡°This is my boss¡¯s card. It has his contact informa tion. When you have the money ready, call him, and he will give you the ount information.¡± Agnes took the card and nodded. Moss emphasized again, ¡°Unless it¡¯s necessary, please don¡¯t bother my boss. He¡¯s very busy.¡± Agnes nodded again. When Moss got back in the car, he was a bit puzzled. His boss¡¯s card was a precious thing; why would he giv e it to such a clumsy girl? These small matters should be handled by his subordinates. His boss had a ton of work to do every da y, and dealing with this kind of thing personally was not his style When the car drove away, Agnes finally looked down at the card. The card was very simple, with only a name and a phone number on it. Ivan? Why did Agnes feel like she had heard this name before? Chapter61 hapter 61 But Agnes didn¡¯t dwell on it too much, because the 20k was already enough to give her a headache. Agnes wasn¡¯t strapped for cash, but she did get her allowance transferred to her bank ount by Laur a each month. The money was just enough to cover her monthly expenses. But how was she supposed to handle the sudden influx of this extra 20k? Ask Laura? No way, Agnes couldn¡¯t do that. Agnes thought of Jared, but quickly knocked herself on the head. She absolutely wouldn¡¯t ask Jared for money either. When Agnes got home, she started job hunting in the evening. Eventually, she found a job at an entert ainment newspaper. This society, known as ¡°CHERRY¡°, was actually a team dedicated to tracking down juicy gossip on fam ous celebrities. Agnes was a journalism student, and in this field, entertainment reporters were at the bottom of the foo d chain. But Agnes needed the money, and this job offered a heftymission. Given Agnes background, the e ditor¨Cin¨Cchief, Siam, immediately greenlit her interview and made her an assistant to Ben. Ben was the top in CHERRY, a veteran entertainment reporter who was pretty well¨C known in the business. He was the first to leak the news about A¨C list actress Virginia¡¯s secret marriage and child. Many celebrities had a bone to pick with him. Ben had a mission today, so he brought Agnes with him to Willowbrook International Airport. After a two¨C hour stakeout in the car, Agnes couldn¡¯t hold her tongue anymore. ¡°Who the heck are we shooting toda y?¡± Taking a drag of his cigarette, Ben answered, ¡°Mamie.¡± Agnes gasped, ¡°Isn¡¯t she in Hollywood shooting a new movie with director Cameron?¡± Mamie was undoubtedly a top¨C tier celeb. She started her career at 16, and in ten years, her career skyrocketed with countless awards . She was also internationally recognized as one of the most beautiful women. In recent years, she beg an breaking into Hollywood, and her market value steadily climbed, especially after bing the lead actress in Cameron¡¯s movie, which raised eyebrows worldwide. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Besides, Mamie was the daughter of the Bartley family, one of the Four Families of Willowbrook, so sh e was kind of a big deal. The Bartley family was a dynasty in the entertainment industry, with their ¡°Century Entertainment¡± holding a major stake in the industry, w hich always overshadowed her father¡¯s Starlight International Group. Ben casually mentioned, ¡°I heard that Mamie has finished shooting the movie and is returning home today. If all goes well, we might sna g some juicy gossip.¡± Agnes asked, ¡°What kind of gossip? Her super¨Csecret boyfriend?¡± Ben raised an eyebrow at Agnes and said, ¡°You¡¯re sharp.¡± Agnes was intrigued. This rumor had been circting for a while that Mamie had a mysterious boyfrien d; there where even whispers of a secret marriage. But this mysterious man had never been caught on camera, bing one of the biggest mysteries in the entertainment world. After another two¨C hour wait, Agnes was dozing off but was abruptly woken up by Ben: ¡°She¡¯s out, quick, snap some pics!¡± Agnes was quick on her feet, picked up her DSLR, focused, and started shooting non¨Cstop.. Agnes was beside herself with excitement because Mamie indeed appeared with a man, and she was even atm in arm with him. But after a few shots, Agnes suddenly froze like she was under a spell, unable to move a muscle. Agnes fixated on the man in her telephoto lens, the one who was arm in arm with Mamie. It was Jared! Chapter62 The person in the frame quickly got into a ck van. 7¡¯ll drive; you start filming whenever there¡¯s a chance,¡± Ben said Ben quickly started the car and followed the van closely Agnes, however, was caught off guard. Her heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it was about to j ump out of her chest. The van stopped at the World International Hotel. Ben, with his many resources, drove directly into the hotel. The car stopped in the hotel¡¯s open¨C air parking lot. Ben made a phone call and then told Agnes, ¡°They¡¯re in the presidential suite, room 300 1: Ben said after some thought, ¡°I¡¯ll book a room for you on the third floor, right across from 3001. These t wo rooms are the closest, with only two meters separating the balconies. Starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll stak e out on the balcony. I don¡¯t believe they¡¯ll keep the curtains closed all day. The moment you get a cha nce, no matter what¡¯s going on inside, shoot it all.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t expect that covering tabloid news would cost this much. The room opposite 3001 was also a presidential suite. Ben arranged everything and exined precautions to Agnes, for instance, how to react if discovered a nd the hotel¡¯s quickest exit routes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it yourself since you¡¯re so familiar with this ce?¡± Agnes asked. Ben scratched his head awkwardly and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been cklisted by this hotel a long time ago.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t expect to check into the World International Hotel just fifteen minutester. The room directly facing 3001 was actually a restaurant. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Agnes pulled back the heavy drapes of the floor¨Cto¨C ceiling windows. Outside was indeed a unique balcony, with the closest part only two meters away from the opposite side. Below was a man¨Cmadeke. Agnes was utterly confused. Why would it be Jared? How could it be Jared? Ryder Whitfield had once casually mentioned that Jared had been in love with someone for many years . Could that person be Mamie? Agnes stood on the balcony, staring nkly at the opposite side, only to find that the curtains were not f ully closed, leaving a small gap. Agnes aimed her telephoto lens at it. Although she could see the light and shadows inside, she couldn¡¯t capture them clearly. ording to Agnes¡¯s experience, this small gap was enough to see the situation clearly at close range. Agnes was agile, and the two¨C meter distance shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Even if she couldn¡¯t make it across, there was a man¨C madeke below. Agnes could swim, so there was no danger to her life. Agnes was torn because her professional ethics as a media person told her that what she was about to do was wrong. Even paparazzi must shoot within legal boundaries. If Agnes crossed over, she would be crossing the line. But Agnes couldn¡¯t resist. She desperately wanted to know what the rtionship between Jared and Mamie was. Not for the twenty thousand dors reward, but because it felt like millions of ants were gnawing at her heart. Agnes suddenly realized that she knew absolutely nothing about Jared¨C his past, his romantic life, absolutely nothing. Agnes couldn¡¯t help it anymore; she took a camera and jumped over. She moved swiftly, it wasn¡¯t hard. But just as shended, an rm on the balcony suddenly went off. Agnes was startled, she didn¡¯t expect the balcony to have an rm. The balcony door was quickly opened, and there was Jared¡¯s face in front of Agnes! Agnes was really stumped¨Ctalk about rotten luck. Chapter63 Jared scowled at the way Agnes hadnded, then looked behind her and instantly figured out how she got there. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Agnes, you¡¯ve got some nerve, aren¡¯t you scared of getting in trouble?¡± Jared¡¯s words were clearlyc ed with annoyance. Caught red¨Chanded, Agnes¡¯s face turned as red as a beet, but she instinctively tightened her grip on her camera. Jared saw it too and asked, ¡°What on earth are you doing?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°I¡¯m currently interning at a newspaper. My assignment is to cover Mamie¡¯s itinerary and ¡­ her mystery boyfriend.¡± Jared¡¯s expression hardened even more, and he said coolly. ¡°Delete it.¡± Agnes had never seen Jared look so serious. His gaze was icy, sending shivers down her spine. Agnes had deliberately mentioned the mystery boyfriend, hoping to hear Jared¡¯s exnation or denial, but Jared didn¡¯t.. Agnes held her camera and said, ¡°This is my job, I won¡¯t delete it.¡± Jared¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Agnes, are you itching to see your husband and another woman on the front p age of the news?¡± Agnes retorted coldly. ¡°You¡¯ve got the guts to do it but not to own up, huh?¡± ¡°What exactly did I do?¡± Jared¡¯s voice was icy. ¡°Jared, who are you talking to?¡± A woman¡¯s voice echoed from inside the room. Agnes¡¯s gaze shifted from Jared to the room. Mamie seemed to have just taken a bath, still dressed in a white bathrobe with her hair wet. Her beauty was undeniable; her skin was glowing, and her features were exquisite, like a painting come to life. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Every move she made was captivating. Mamie now stood in front of Agnes, guessing her job from the camera hanging around Agnes¡¯s neck. Mamie frowned. ¡°Are paparazzi now so adept at sneaking into people¡¯s homes? How¡¯d she get here?¡± Jared¡¯s face was stormy, but his voice was icily aloof: ¡°She jumped over from the balcony opposite. Ab solutely nuts.¡± At that moment, the doorbell rang, and Mamie turned to answer it. Jared spoke again: ¡°You realize you messed up now?¡± Agnes stubbornly remained silent. She knew sneaking shots was wrong. But if Mamie¡¯s date wasn¡¯t Jar ed, she wouldn¡¯t have gone to such lengths. Agnes firmly stated, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Paparazzi are people too; they need to work, and their existence is justified. You can say I¡¯m just more. dedicated than most.¡± Jared said, ¡°Agnes, your justifications are plentiful. I really spoil you too much. If you don¡¯t get a little ta ste of reality, you really think you can do whatever you damn well please, huh?¡± At that moment, Mamie came over with a group of people. The earlier rm had alerted security, and the General Manager of the World International Hotel also c ame over. He kept apologizing, saying, ¡°We are truly honored that Ms. Mamie chose our hotel. We dee ply regret this situation. Paparazzi really are omnipresent, but it¡¯s because you, Ms. Mamle, are so pop r. We¡¯ll take care of the rest, we¡¯ll ensure this won¡¯t happen again.¡± Jared was still staring at Agnes when he asked, ¡°I¡¯ll ask you onest time: do you realize you screwed up?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, and I won¡¯t delete the photos.¡± Jared looked at Agnes silently for two seconds, then said, ¡°Call the cops.¡± Chapter64 Usually, when this kind of thing happened, hotels handled it privately. They contacted the newspaper, deleted the pho tos, apologized, andpensated. Problem solved. And celebrities usually didn¡¯t want to stir up trouble with the media. But Mamie wasn¡¯t an average celeb. She¡¯s a national sweetheart. Mamie was pretty chill about the whole thing ¡°Let¡¯s call the cops then Investigate her newspaper and send them awyer¡¯s letter,¡± she said. The General Manager was all, Yes, yes,¡± and had Agnes escorted out. Now it¡¯s 4 a m. Agnes just got out of the police stationis interrogation room Ben¡¯s already there. He didn¡¯t scold her. Instead, heforted her. ¡°Paparazzi end up at the police stat ion all the time. You get used to it. But you really have guts to jump over a building like that. Remember , whatever you do, it¡¯s for a living, it¡¯s not worth risking your life.¡± Agnes said, ¡°Did I cause trouble for the newspaper? I deleted all the photos. Ben was like, ¡°I saw thising. The top brass got a call. Mamie¡¯s secret boyfriend is a big shot, and w e can¡¯t afford to offend him. Even if you really got the scoop, it might not be made public. Think about it: why hasn¡¯t any media outlet been able to get proof all these years? Let it go, it¡¯s in the past now. Don¡¯t sweat it.¡± Ben left. Agnes was still at the police station, just staring into space. The higher¨C ups ordered no bail for 24 hours. Half an hourter, Jared showed up at the station. Agnes was still holding a cup of water with her head down, seeing Jared¡¯s shoes slowly walk to her. She didn¡¯t look up or stand. Pretended not to see him. Jared reached out and patted Agnes¡¯s head. ¡°Regret it yet?¡± Agnes turned her head away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. I don¡¯t know you.¡± Jared chuckled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll talk back home¡± Agnes didn¡¯t budge. What she wanted was an exnation. During her time at the police station, Agnes thought a lot. Maybe it wasn¡¯t that Jared wouldn¡¯t exin, b ut that he couldn¡¯t. For so long, Jared had been so considerate to her that Agnes almost forgot that to others, he was unto uchable. Tonight, one photo revealed his true colors. Thinking of Mamie in her bathrobe made Agnes feel sick. Seeing Agnes unmoved, Jared¡¯s tone cooled. ¡°Agnes, are you going to keep acting like this?¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Agnes suddenly got up and ran out. Jared caught up with her and grabbed her arm at the station entrance. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you today?¡± Agnes wanted to cry, but she held it in. She didn¡¯t want Jared to see. It would be too embarrassing. Jared asked, ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t you trust me?¡± This left Agnes speechless. Trust that there¡¯s nothing special between him and Mamie? Agnes didn¡¯t di strust him, she distrusted her own judgment. Their marriage was only a few months old, even impulsive. How could there be trust in such a marriage? Agnes couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What exactly is going on between you and Mamie?¡± Jared seemed to be waiting for her to ask. After a while, he finally said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing special between us. We¡¯re just good friends.¡± Chapter65 Agnes was clueless about what ¡°good friends¡± meant. Jared said, ¡°Agnes, if your actions today were out of jealousy, I¡¯d be stoked, but this can¡¯t happen agai n. If you have doubts, you shoulde straight to me, not risk sneaking around taking pictures. That¡¯s utterly foolish. You have to consider not only yourself but also me I don¡¯t fancy beingbeled a widower in my youth.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Agnes:¡± Jared added. Today was purely a coincidence; I bumped into Mamie on my business trip in New York; we were just hanging out, having a meal. Did I clear that up for you?¡± Agnes responded, ¡°But you got me thrown into the police station over a picture.¡± The thought of this left Agnes feeling queasy, it was her first visit to such a ce Jared replied sternly. ¡°I had you end up at the police station to make you remember today¡¯s lesson. It¡¯s not about a picture, but your reckless disregard for your own life¡± Hearing Jared say this, Agnes felt slightly better, but she was still unsure if what he said was the truth. Seeing Agnes wavering a bit, Jared said, ¡°I¡¯ve exined my situation; now let¡¯s talk about you.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°When did you be a paparazzi, sneakily taking pictures of celebrities¡® private lives?¡± Agnes said, ¡°I¡¯m just an intern; they assigned me to the entertainment news.¡± Agnes lied, not wanting Jared to know about her car ident. Two grand was nothing to Jared, but she didn¡¯t want him butting in. Jared didn¡¯t question it: ¡°If you want to intern, I could hook you up with a better newspaper or TV station . ¡°No need, I want to do this on my own.¡± Jared didn¡¯t say anything else, he kept quiet for a while and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Agnes said, ¡°I need to swing by the newspaper office; I have an important ss tomorrow morning: I¡¯m going to go.¡± With that, Agnes left. Jared stood there, stone¨Cfaced. Agnes did head to the newspaper office, waiting until Siam came to work. # Seeing Agnes, Siam started to scold her: ¡°What¡¯s with young people these days, biting off more than yo u can chew, recklessly taking risks? You¡¯re not cut out to be a reporter, you should be Spiderman. Agn es, let me tell you, the newspaper doesn¡¯t have money to pay for your insurance. If you get injured like this again, we won¡¯t take responsibility.¡± Siam was livid, while Agnes lookedpletely lost. Seeing Agnes¡¯s expression, Siam got even angrier: ¡°Agnes, are you even listening to me?¡± Agnes mumbled, ¡°I thought you¡¯d scold me for the newspaper gettingints, for not finishing my a ssignment, for getting the newspaper cklisted from the World Internatinal Hotel, I¡­ didn¡¯t think you were actually sc olding me because you were worried about me.¡± Hearing this, Siam was on the verge of exploding. ¡°Do you really think I would care about those things more than your life? Agn es, you really haven¡¯t learned your lesson.¡± Feeling a lump in her throat, Agnes realized Ben hadn¡¯t med her, and m was just worried about h er safety. Agnes knew that the newspaper had suffered a great loss, even after receiving awyer¡¯s lett er. With her head down, Agnes said, ¡°Siam, I was wrong.¡± Seeing Agnes admit her mistake sincerely, Siam¡¯s tone softened. ¡°Be careful next time. You can go no w.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t leave right away, hesitating. ¡°Siam, I have a request. Can I get an advance on my sry f or the next six months?¡± ¡°Agnes, you just made a huge mistake, and you have the nerve to ask for a sry?¡± ¡°Siam, please, I need it urgently. I¡¯ll work for free for the next year! For some reason, Agnes felt the atmosphere in the newspaper office was good, which had changed he r previous views on paparazzi. That¡¯s why she got up the courage to make such ¡°unreasonable deman ds¡°. Siam red at Agnes for a while and finally softened. ¡°How much do you need?¡± Chapter66 Agnes exited the newspaper office with an envelope containing 20,000 yuan in her bands. She dug out the business card the driver had given her and dialed the number on it. ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡± A deep voice came from the other end of the phone. The intense aura made Agnes nervous. She quickly said, ¡°Is this Mr. Ivan? I¡¯m the one who hit your car st time. I¡¯ve got thepensation ready. What¡¯s the easiest way for me to get it to you?¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Cash?¡± Agnes paused and said, ¡°Yes¡± ¡°I¡¯m tied up at the moment. Come find me on the 19th floor of the Century Buildingter.¡± And with that, Mr. Ivan hung up. Agnes was a bit puzzled. Even though it was cash, he could have just given her his bank ount number, and she could have transfer red the money. Why go through all this hassle? But considering she had hit such an expensive car, Agnes figured she should apologize in person. She had no sses in the morning, so she hailed a cab straight to the Century Building. Thisndmark building was not far from the Tim Group, also a prominent feature in Willowbrook Town. The building was the headquarters of Century Entertainment, shining like a golden castle. Half of the to p stars from the entertainment industry were signed to thepany, with Mamie being the most pop r. Agnes was surprised to find out that the seemingly businesslike man worked at this entertainment pany. Without thinking too much, she headed straight to the 19th floor. As the elevator doors opened, Agnes was stunned by the scene before her. Hundreds of young girls w ere gathered in the long hallway, creating quite an impressive sight. To her surprise, she spotted Beatrice Pritchard among the crowd. Seeing Agnes, Beatrice sarcastically said, ¡°Agnes, I never thought I¡¯d see you here at the auditions. Bu t you sure do stand out in that getup. Didn¡¯t you know today¡¯s scene is a ball?¡± Agnes was confused Auditions? She noticed all the girls were dressed in fancy gowns, while she was j ust wearing jeans and a white shirt. A girl nearby asked, ¡°Beatrice, isn¡¯t this your¡­ sister?¡± Beatrice responded, ¡°She¡¯s not my sister, she¡¯s a burden to my family.¡± Laughter erupted from the crowd. Agnes kept a poker face and said, ¡°Beatrice, if my memory serves me right, you have your college entrance examination tomorrow. Does your father know you¡¯re here?¡± It was already June, and Beatrice was in her senior year of high school, with the college entrance exam ination just around the corner. Beatrice replied, ¡°To me, the college entrance examination is just a formality. I¡¯m destined to be a star. Now that the The Magical Romance of Cindere¡± crew is holding national auditions, getting picked would skyrocket my fame. Why would I let an examination block my path to stardom?¡± Agnes didn¡¯t know what to say. Beatrice added, ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t waste your energy. You won¡¯t get picked looking like that. Don¡¯t embarra ss yourself here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to audition.¡± ¡°Then what are you here for?¡± ¡°None of your business.¡± Beatrice said, ¡°If you¡¯re not here to audition, then don¡¯t stand in the way. We¡¯re about to start shooting t he casting documentary. If you don¡¯t want to be caught on camera, you better find somewhere to hide.¡± Beatrice pointed to a room behind Agnes and said, ¡°That¡¯s an empty conference room. You can hide in there for a while.¡± Agnes was actually there to meet someone and didn¡¯t want to be crammed in a hallway with so many p eople. Without thinking twice, she turned and headed towards the conference room Beatrice had pointe d out. She could faintly hear Beatrice and a few people around herughing maliciously. Chapter67 A girl next to Beatrice said, ¡°Beatrice, you¡¯re such a troublemaker. That¡¯s the meeting room of the direct or and scriptwriter, isn¡¯t she just asking for trouble by barging in there?¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard the big boss and investors are there today. The director of this TV show is Zoe, and he¡¯s got a t errible temper. She will definitely be kicked out.¡± Beatrice replied, ¡°Exactly, I want her to embarrass herself. She thinks she can audition for the lead role ? Dream on, she¡¯s way too cocky¡± Agnes walked straight into the meeting room. But after two steps, Agnes stopped. There was a row of p eople sitting in the room. What was going on? In front of this bunch of people was a big screen, ying auditions from ano ther room. Hearing the noise at the door, everyone turned to look at Agnes. Agnes stood still for a mom ent and quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, I entered the wrong room.¡± She was about to turn around and leave ¡°Hold on.¡± Agnes stopped in her tracks, a middle¨C aged man had quickly walked up to her. He looked Agnes up and down, seerning pleasantly surprised, nodding while saying, ¡°Tess, look, doesn¡¯t she look like your character, Sylvia?¡± Then a woman with thick sses also walked over, looking at Agnes as if she had found a treasure: ¡°She¡¯s got the right temperament and good looks. Director Zoe, your eye for talent is really good, we haven¡¯t had a sat isfactory audition yet.¡± Director Zoe pped his thigh and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go with her, she¡¯s our Cindere¡± Agnes waspletely stunned, could anyone tell her what on earth they were talking about? Director Zoe turned around and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name? If there¡¯s no problem, we can sign the cont ract and get the script this afternoon.¡± Although Agnes didn¡¯t quite understand what was happening, she knew these people must have misun derstood something. Agnes exined, ¡°I¡¯m not here for the audition, you¡¯ve got the wrong idea.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not here for the audition, then what are you here for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to find someone.¡± ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°She¡¯s here to find me.¡± A deep and maic male voice came from not far away. Agnes looked over; it was a man in a suit with a remarkable presence. The man walked up to Agnes and said, ¡°Miss Agnes?¡± Agnes nodded, not knowing how this man knew her name. ¡°Please follow me.¡± The man led Agnes out of the room. Agnes followed the man to the balcony at the end of the corridor, attracting countless gazes along the way. As she walked past Beatrice, everyone had an incredulous expression on their faces. In the short distance of a few dozen meters, there were expressions of shock, envy, and jealousy The girls looked at the man, their eyes filled with admiration and shyness¨Ceven some fear. The balcony was very quiet; separated from the corridor by a ss door, it seemedpletely isted . Agnes was the first to break the silence: ¡°Are you Mr. Ivan?¡± The man reached out his hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m Ivan; nice to meet you, Miss Agnes.¡± Agnes reached out her hand to shake his, then asked, ¡°How did you know my name?¡± Agnes remembered that she didn¡¯t tell him her name during the car identst time. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The man replied, ¡°You¡¯re Preston Pritchard¡¯s daughter; of course I would know.¡± When her father was mentioned, Agnes hesitated for a moment. The man straightforwardly said, ¡°I¡¯m the CEO of Century Entertainment; Preston was a predecessor I g reatly admire.¡± Hearing this, Agn¨¦s immediately understood. Chapter68 She finally got why the name on the business card seemed so familiar the first time she saw it. Sure, Century Entertainment had been around for less time than her father¡¯s Starlight International Group, but in a few short years, it¡¯s churned out heaps of top celebrities. In terms of status, Century Entertainment has already outshone Starlight International Group. Although the twopanies seemed to coexist harmoniously in recent years, they were actually butting heads behind the scenes, vying for theaters and resources without mercy. Agnes said, ¡°My dad mentioned Mr. Ivan once and said you were a young go¨Cgetter.¡± The man cracked a smile and said, ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere is the first major domestic fant asy blockbuster and also the first film investment from Starlight International Group and Century Entertainment after years of rivalry. The male lead is set, and we¡¯re currently holding nationwide auditio ns for the female lead. Director Zoe took a liking to you, Miss Agnes. Would you be interested in getting involved in the production?¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Agnes was puzzled. Starlight International Group and Century Entertainment were at odds, and now they¡¯re cob orating? Agnesughed awkwardly, saying. That was a misunderstanding; I identally walked in there; I have no acting experience.¡± ¡°Sometimes, unexpected things can be a blessing. I trust Director Zoe¡¯s judgment, and you fit the imag e of the role perfectly.¡± Agnes shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not really into acting.¡± He chuckled and said, ¡°If you¡¯re not up for it, I won¡¯t push. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.¡± Agnes nodded reluctantly. ¡°Anyway, I came to give you this.¡± She took out an envelope from her bag and wrote, ¡°I identally scratched your car; I¡¯m truly sorry. He re¡¯s twenty grand, do you need to count it?¡± He took the envelope and said, ¡°No need; I trust you, Miss Agnes.¡± Feeling like she¡¯d aplished her mission for the day, Agnes was about to make her exit when she h eard Beatrice¡¯s voice from a distance: ¡°Sis?¡± Agnes turned around to see Beatrice walking towards her, arm in arm, with a big smile on her face. But Beatrice¡¯s eyes were on the man. ¡°Mr. Ivan, remember me? I¡¯m Beatrice; we met at the charity g two weeks ago.¡± He replied tly. Your mother is a big star, and you look just like her. Of course I remember.¡± Beatrice looked pleased, but he clearly wasn¡¯t interested in chatting. He turned to Agnes and said, ¡°Miss Agnes, I¡¯ve got stuff to deal with. I¡¯ll be leaving now Please consider what I said earlier.¡± Agnes nodded. ¡°You go ahead.¡± After he left, Beatrice immediately pulled her hand away from Agnes and even wiped it on her dress in disgust Fuming, she said to Agnes, ¡°How do you know Ivan, Agnes? You sure know how to work, men.¡± Agnes was used to Beatrice¡¯s mood swings. ¡°Beatrice, I don¡¯t owe you any exnations.¡± ¡°What did you give him? What did he want you to consider? What¡¯s going on between you two? Agnes, are you trying to break into showbiz? Don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t want to deal with her anymore and walked away. Bitterly, Beatrice stomped her foot and said, ¡°Agnes, who the hell are you? How can you just ignore me like that?¡± Chapter69 Agnes bolted out of the Century Building and headed back to school. She holed up in the library tillte , since she was free in the afternoon. Jared shot her a text: ¡°When are youing home?¡± Agnes stared at her phone for a moment but didn¡¯t respond. Soon, Jared called, his voice deep and resonant from the other end: ¡°Got ss tonight?¡± Agnes answered, ¡°I¡¯ve got a journalism project on my te, so I¡¯m a bit swamped.¡± ¡°When will you be done?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, you should hit the sack; don¡¯t wait up for me.¡± After hanging up, Agnes felt a pang of regret. Truth be told, Jared was all she could think about the whole day. It¡¯s been a while since theyst saw each other, and Agnes missed him. But when she recalled Jared¡¯s cozy moment with Mamie yesterday, she had to admit she was a bit green¨C eyed. Jared tried to exin, but Agnes was not satisfied with his exnation, and she realized she barely kne w Jared. Their marriage was initially a farce, but Agnes found herself taking it seriously. Agnes stayed overnight in the library. When she was too tired, she caught some Z¡¯s on the couch in the lounge. For days on end, she would sneak home during the day to change and shower, then crash at the librar y at night, all to avoid bumping into Jared. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Agnes admitted she was a bit of a chicken, but she really didn¡¯t know how to face Jared. On the fourth day. Jared found out. That day at noon, Agnes came home as usual, and finding the coast clear, she dashed for the shower. Sleeping in the library for days on end, Agnes felt groggy and scatterbrained. After showering, she reali zed she had forgotten to bring a change of clothes. This wasn¡¯t the first time, but the house was empty and the bedroom curtains were drawn tight. She shrugged it off and walked out naked, nning to fetc h her pajamas from the closet. But she was dumbstruck the moment she stepped out of the bathroom! Jared was sitting on the couch, his gaze fixed on the bathroom. He was also stunned when he saw Agn es walk out naked. Then Agnes screamed, quickly turned around, and darted back into the bathroom, mming the ss door shut. Then, silence. Agnes hugged herself, her heart pounding like it was about to leap out of her chest. She could see herself in the bathroom mirror, her body as red as a boiled shrimp, her cheeks flushed li ke they were bleeding. After a while, Agnes heard no sound from outside. Did Jared leave the room? She peeked out from behind the frosted ss door, but what she saw was a hand holding her pajamas and underwear. Looking up. Jared was leaning against the wall next to the door, one hand casually stuffed in his pocket , the other holding her clothes, as if waiting for her to open the door. Agnes eximed in surprise, then shut the door again. What kind of person is he? Is he waiting here to make fun of her? But this time, Jared just swung the door open: ¡°Agnes, there¡¯s a limit to being shy! We¡¯re married; it¡¯s n ormal to see each other naked once in a while, and we¡¯ve even been in the bathroom before.¡± ¡°Ah! Jared, shut up!¡± Agnes knew what Jared was about to say. Chapter70 Sure, it happened before, but that was when she was out of her mind. The situation now was totally different. With her back to Jared, Agnes realized there was nothing in the bathroom she could cover herself with She was like a startled cat, growling angrily. ¡°Jared, out!¡± Jared found her anger utterly adorable. Agnes had naturally fair skin, and at that moment, she looked like a ripe peach. Jared was even beginn ing to miss the feel of her skin. Jared¡¯s gaze deepened. He was worried he wouldn¡¯t be able to control himself if this went on, but it wa sn¡¯t the time. Jared backed out, and Agnes quickly said, ¡°Put the clothes here.¡± Jared put down the clothes with a slight smile. After Agnes had dressed, she stayed inside for a while beforeing out. Jared was on the balcony, making a call. He saw Agnes ring at him when he came in after hanging up. Before Jared could open his mouth, Agnes blurted out, ¡°Pervert!¡± Jaredughed. He had lived for over twenty years, yet this was the first time he had been called a perv ert. Jared said, ¡°If someonees out of the bathroom naked, then who¡¯s the real pervert?¡± Agnes said, ¡°Can¡¯t you knock first when youe in? That¡¯s basic manners.¡± ¡°Agnes, do I need to knock in my own bedroom? I had no idea you¡¯d be¡­so bold!¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Agnes didn¡¯t know how to react to Jared¡¯s smile. Jaredughed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on this. We¡¯re a couple, it¡¯s normal. If you still feel upset, next t ime after a shower, I can walk out naked for you.¡± Agnes was speechless and started to pack up, ready to leave. But Jared grabbed her arm and said, ¡°Agnes, we need to talk.¡± Agnes said annoyedly. ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about?¡± ¡°What have you been up to these days?¡± Agnes pretended to be clueless. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jared got serious: ¡°Agnes, you¡¯ve been avoiding me and noting home. What¡¯s going on?¡± Agnes didn¡¯t know what was happening either, but seeing Jared made her ufortable. Agnes said, ¡°I ve just been a bit busy.¡± ¡°Agnes, look into my eyes and tell me again; tell me you¡¯re not lying.¡± Agnes couldn¡¯t look into Jared¡¯s eyes. She was somewhat afraid of him. Jared said, ¡°I¡¯ve checked your schedule. You haven¡¯t had many sses recently, and you¡¯re free this afternoon. Rest for a bit, I¡¯ll take you to meet someone tonight¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Mamie.¡± Jared began, ¡°I know you¡¯re still upset aboutst time. If I didn¡¯t exin it properly, let her tell you.¡± Jared was good at understanding people. Was he really going to introduce her to Mamie? Did this mea n she misunderstood? Agnes gently said, ¡°But Mamie must be very busy. She¡¯s a top star, it¡¯s usually hard for people to meet her.¡± Jared pinched Agnes¡¯s face gently and said, ¡°I have a wife who gets jealous easily. If I don¡¯t exin thi ngs clearly, I can bear with it, but it might not be able to¡± The sudden closeness made the atmosphere ambiguous. Agnes was a bit lost. Who are you talking about?¡± Jared teased, ¡°it Agnes¡¯s face turned red again. ¡°Jared! You, you, you again¡­¡± Chapter71 Agnes had dozed off all afternoon, and so had Jared. Agnes was staring at the ceiling nkly. To others, Jared was seen as aloof and noble. There were even rumors that he wasn¡¯t into women, and was a man of few desires! Well, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case! Agnes was starting to feel better. But maybe she was overthinking. Jared chose a private French restaurant, a ce often frequented by celebrities. Agnes was actually quite nervous. Firstly, this was the first time Jared was introducing her to his friends . Secondly, Marie was no ordinary person. She was a well¨Cknown actress with a strong aura. Agnes was inwardly happy. It felt like she was getting one step closer to Jared¡¯s life. They were secretl y married, and Agnes was always afraid of others finding out. She wasn¡¯t sure how the marriage would end; she never really gave it much thought. But now, her thoughts seemed to be gradually changing. When Agnes and Jared arrived at the restaurant, Mamie hadn¡¯t arrived yet. After waiting for a while, he received a call. It was from Mamie¡¯s agent. Agnes vaguely heard the words ¡°car ident¡± and ¡°rear¨Cend collision¡°. After hanging up the phone, Jared¡¯s expression turned serious. He told Agnes, ¡°Mamie had a car id ent on the way here. She¡¯s in the hospital now, I¡¯m going to check on her.¡± Agnes immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you¡± Jared replied, ¡°It¡¯s not that serious. You should stay here. Have something to eat, I¡¯ll be back soon to pi ck you up, and it won¡¯t take long.¡± Agnes thought about it. If she appeared with Jared in a public ce like the hospital, it could draw a lot of attention. So, she nodded and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± After Jared left, Agnes was sitting all alone. All sorts of dishes were served; it was a table full of deliciou s food. She just sat alone. Even the waiter gazed at her strangely. Agnes didn¡¯t touch her fork and pack ed a few main dishes to take away. In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but worry and took a taxi to the hospit al. She had good ears. When Jared was on the phone earlier, she heard the hospital¡¯s name and the ward ¡¯s room number. She arrived at the hospital quickly and went to the ward. It was a VIP ward, very quiet with few people. The whole floor didn¡¯t have any other people. Agnes arrived at the door of the ward, very hesitant. Just as she was about to knock on the door, it ope ned, and a nurse came out. She nced at the takeout box in her hand and said, ¡°You must be Ms. Mamie¡¯s assistant. Go in, remember, don¡¯t give her greasy food for now.¡± With that, the nurse left. The door to the room was still open. The room was huge, like a presidential suite.. Agnes slowly walked in. From the bedroom came Jared¡¯s voice, ¡°Mamie, don¡¯t use this tactic. I think I made some things very clear that day.¡± Mamie¡¯s voice also came from inside, ¡°How am I supposed to believe what you said. You married a twe nty¨Cyear¨Cold girl? Jared, are you trying to get back at me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to get back at you, I really am married.¡± ¡°Jared, going to Hollywood has been my dream since I was a kid. I said I could win an Oscar for Best A ctress in two years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your decision, it has nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°What about your decision? Your ego was hurt just because I didn¡¯t ept your proposal, and you wen t and married a young girl? If this isn¡¯t revenge, then what is it?¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Chapter72 Agnes waspletely bbergasted. Her mind went nk for a moment, then it hit her. She never quite understood why a guy like Jared would marry her. They didn¡¯t know each other, and it was just a drunken encourfter that brought them t ogether. That morning, Agnes woke up in utter panic. Jared, however, casually asked, ¡°Are you of age?¡± She nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll meet in front of city hall this afternoon,¡± said Jared. And just like that, Agnes and Jared became husband and wife. At that time, Agnes was utterly disappointed in love because of Elton and Jenny. She had also lost her virginity. She didn¡¯t care who she married and didn¡¯t realize then that the man she married was a big shot. But for Jared, Agnes couldn¡¯t understand why he chose to marry her instead of dealing with a one¨Cnight stand in another way. Now Agnes understood that Jared shared the same feelings. They both were disheartened about their own rtionships and decided to be careless about marriage. While others were talking, Agnes couldn¡¯t hear a word. She turned around and left the hospital like a gh ost. Agnes was sad, as she knew that even if Jared married her for such a reason, it was not his fault. She had done the same, so she had no reason to me him. What saddened Agnes more was that her current thoug hts werepletely different from before. She she seemed to have fallen for Jared¡­ The night was deep. Agnes walked ahead absentmindedly. Suddenly, a sharp horn sounded. When she tur ned her head, all she saw were two blinding lights, that made her struggle to open her eyes Before Agnes could react, she felt her arm being pulled by a force. She fell into a pair of arms. Then th ere was a roar of car movement in her ears, followed by the curses of the driver speeding by. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you okay?¡± The man¡¯s deep voice seemed to drift over her head. Agnes looked up. It was Ivan. After a moment, Agnes realized that Ivan was holding her wrist tightly with one hand and her waist with the other. They were pressed tightly together. Agnes could even hear his heartbeat. Agnes quickly broke free and took a step back, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ivan said, ¡°Ms. Pritchard, what were you thinking? That was dangerous.¡± Agnes looked around and realized she had wandered onto the road. She was absent¨C minded and jaywalking. If Ivan hadn¡¯t shown up in time, she would have been in trouble. Agnes instantly felt a sense of dread, ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡± Ivan smiled, ¡°No problem. Treat me to a meal; I¡¯m starving.¡± Agnes was taken aback, then agreed. They went to a nearby Mexican restaurant. When they sat down, Agnes was still a little shaken, ¡°Thank s for earlier, Mr. Bartley. What were you doing. there?¡± Ivan exined, ¡°I just came out of the hospital and ran into you. You seemed a bit flustered, and even bumped into two people within a short distance. I was a bit worried and follow ed you for a bit. So, my presence was not a coincidence.¡± She had bumped into two people while walking? She had no idea. Chapter73 Ivan went on, ¡°But I¡¯m curious, what has got you all muddled?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Just some stuff that¡¯s got me scratching my head.¡± Not wanting to dwell on it, Agnes changed the subject, ¡°Why are you at the hospital?¡± Ivan answered, ¡°My sister is in the hospital because of a car ident. I came to visit her 2 2 2 5 Upon hearing this, something clicked in Agnes¡® mind. Hesitantly, Agnes asked, ¡°Your sister isn¡¯t Mamie, is it?¡± Ivan nced at Agnes, ¡°You know her?¡± It all made sense now. The Bartley family wasplicated. One of the Four Families of Willowbrook, Iv an was the CEO of Century Entertainment, and Mamie was their star, but she had never put two and tw o together. Agnes, with mixed feelings, said, ¡°Mamie is a national icon, who wouldn¡¯t know her?¡± Ivan smiled, ¡°If you would step into the entertainment industry, you¡¯d quickly be the next big thing, Director Zoe keeps singing your praises, trying to convince me every day to let you y the lead in his new drama.¡± Agnes declined politely, I¡¯m still in school, it¡¯s not convenient.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a hassle, actually. The drama is set on school life, and filming would be done on your ca mpus at Lakeside College. Besides, you¡¯re about to go on summer break.¡± Agnes still turned him down. After dinner, Agnes returned to Maplewood Manor. Half an hourter, Jared called to say he would be l ate and asked the driver to pick her up from the restaurant. Agnes said, ¡°No need, I¡¯m already home.¡± After hanging up, Agnes sat alone on the couch. Her eyes were fixated on the clock on the wall. When would Jared be back? If Jared was back before midnight, she would clear things up with him. If he didn¡¯te back, she would choose to leave. Agnes was a Libra, often caught in dilemmas. But at times like this, she would let time and fate make th e decision for her. Time was ticking away. Agnes¡® heart was sinking, slowly, steadily, into the endless abyss. When the se cond hand on the clock crossed midnight, Agnes suddenly calmed down. As if a sword hanging over he r head, had finally fallen. Without hesitation, she picked up her phone and dialed Ivan¡¯s number. Ivan on the other end of the line seemed slightly surprised, ¡°Ms. Pritchard?¡± 1 wanted to ask, if I agree to do your TV drama, will you arrange my amodation?¡± ¡°Of course, the best dorm at Lakeside College.¡± ¡°Okay, I agree.¡± After hanging up, Agnes started packing. She didn¡¯t want to live with Jared and her old dorm room had been taken. She didn¡¯t want to go home either. she¡¯d always stay at school or go to a summer camp during the holidays. After packing, Agnesy down on the bed for a while, but her sleep was restless. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Jared didn¡¯te back all night. The next day, Agnes left with her luggage. Agnes first dropped her luggage off at Kerri¡¯s dorm, then went to Century Entertainment. After she walked into the CEO¡¯s office, Ivan handed Agnes a document saying, ¡°This is the contract. Ta ke a look. If you have any questions, feel free to a?k,¡± Agnes looked through the document. Since her father was a chairman of an entertainmentpany, s he had known details about these types of agreements since he was a child. Agnes said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a part of Century Entertainment. Can we simplify it? I do one movie, and you pay me what I¡¯m due. When the movie¡¯s done, the contract ends. Just like that¡± Chapter74 Ivan pondered for a moment, then tucked the contract away. I¡¯m cool with this, but I won¡¯t be able to as sign you a dedicated agent. I¡¯ll fill in for now, handling your shoot for the next three months. During this time, I¡¯ll be arranging your gigs and if you run into any hitches, you gotta let me know ASAP Agnes responded, ¡°Deal¡± After signing the contract again, Ivan said, ¡°Tonight we¡¯re have a meal with the director and the scriptwriter. We need to get to know each other a bit before we start work in three days.* N?velDrama.Org content rights. Agnes nodded, ¡°But can you help me find a ce to stay. I¡¯m homeless right now¡± Ivan replied, ¡°ording to our deal with Lakeside College, it¡¯s not time to sort your dorm yet. I¡¯ll find yo u a temporary spot, you can crash there for a bit.¡± Agnes agreed. She didn¡¯t have spare money for living expenses and had to rely on others. She figured she¡¯d pay him back for the amodation once she started making some money from acting. Agnes spent the entire day reading the script in Ivan¡¯s office At noon, she grabbed a meal at the Century Building cafeteria. In the afternoon, Jared rang her up, but Agnes didn¡¯t pick up. In the evening, Agnes rode with Ivan to The Simon¡¯s. The room was spacious and fy The director, scriptwriter, producer, and other key members started showing up. When director Zoe sa w Agnes, it was as if he¡¯d found a rare gem. During dinner, Agnes curiously asked Zoe, ¡°Out of all the girls in town, why did you pick me?¡± A slightly tipsy Zoeughed and replied, ¡°Because the character Sylvia in the script is a bit of an airhea d. The moment you barged into the meeting room. looking confused, I thought, ¡°She¡¯s it. She¡¯s Sylvia. That dorky vibe you gave off was perfect¡± Agnes was speechless. She got the part because she seemed a bit clueless, which was far from what she¡¯d imagined. Agnes chatted with scriptwriter Tess for quite a while. When Agnes read the script in the afternoon, the plot totally captivated her. The Magical Romance of Cindere¡® told the story of a girl named Sylvia who, after a near¨C death experience, gained the ability to time travel. She unexpectedly gets tangled up with a nobleman named Samie. The plot was unique and fasc inating Agnes read the entire script in one go and totally loved it. The supporting actress in the y, the rich miss Angelina, was yed by the rising star Ava, who was also present. Agnes was familiar with the name Ava because she was also a student at Lakeside College¡¯s performing arts department. She had been scouted in her freshman year and had already appeared in several TV dramas. While sh e wasn¡¯t a superstar yet, she¡¯d already gathered a considerable fan base and was known as the ¡°Quee n of the Performing Arts Department¡± on campus. They felt an immediate sense of camaraderie, probably because they went to the same school. After dinner, the head honchos started discussing work matters, and Agnes chatted with Ava. Ava said, ¡°I heard the male lead¡¯s been decided but hasn¡¯t been announced yet. I thought I¡¯d meet him today. Any idea who it might be?¡± Agnes thought for a bit, then said, ¡°The most popr young actors at Century Entertainment are proba bly Ondo and Robin. Ondo¡¯s busy filming at historical drama, so he might not have the time. Robin just wrapped up histest show, so I think it¡¯s likely him.¡± Agnes had a good understanding of the entertainment industry, because she¡¯d previously worked on a feature about ¡°the impact of celebrity influence on the entertainment industry¡°. Ava nodded, ¡°I thought so too. Robin¡¯s good¨C looking, but he¡¯s too much of a typical macho guy, not my type.¡± Agnes joked, ¡°What¡¯s your type?¡± Chapter75 Ava blushed a bit and said, ¡°I really fancy the male celeb, Justin. I really dig him.¡± Agnes shook her head, ¡°Justin is prettier than a woman. Isn¡¯t it stressful to like a guy who¡¯s prettier than yourself?¡± And just like that, they started gossiping about the entertainment industry. Gossip was like a second soul to women. It ended at ten. Ivan was driving with Agnes in the passenger seat. Agnes was clueless about where Ivan intended for her to stay, probably some hotel. Her phone rang again. The third call of the night. Agnes stared at the blinking screen, her mind in turmo il, finally deciding to switch her phone off. When she looked up, Ivan seemed to have nced at her, ¡°Boyfriend?¡± Agnes hesitated, ¡°No.¡± Ivan didn¡¯t push further, and the car quickly came to a stop. That¡¯s when Agnes realized, this wasn¡¯t a hotel, but a mansion. Surprised, Agnes asked, ¡°Where is this?¡± Ivan replied, ¡°My ce.¡± Agnes was taken aback, ¡°Why are you bringing me to your ce?¡± Seeing Agnes frown suspiciously, Ivanughed, ¡°You¡¯re a girl, it¡¯s not safe to stay in a hotel. Stay here f or the time being.¡± Agnes hesitated, ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± Ivan smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a decent guy.¡± Agnes wasn¡¯t scared of him, just ufortable. But it was alreadyte, and the mansion was in the su burbs, going back would be a hussie: In the end, she got out of the car. The mansion was huge and had great privacy, surrounded by lush tall trees. There was an open¨Cair swimming pool in the garden. The mansion was brightly lit, like a pce. As she walked in, Agnes found it unbelievably huge. But besides the butler, there seemed to be no one else, which felt a bit lonely. The butler showed Agnes to a guest room. After a while, there was a knock on the door. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Agnes opened the door to find Ivan standing there with a few sets of clothes. Ivan said, ¡°These are my sister¡¯s clothes, brand new. You are about the same size as her. They should fit¡± Agnes took the clothes, ¡°Thanks.¡± Ivan added, ¡°If you need anything, you can find the butler or me. My room is next to yours.¡± Agnes nodded. Just then, the butler came over and said, ¡°Sir, there is a guest.¡± Agnes was puzzled. It was sote and there were still guests. But she didn¡¯t think much of it. After Ivan left, Agnes stared at the clothes in her hand. They were the pop queen¡¯s. It was amazing. Mamie was like someone from other world. Agnes had to admit, Jared and Mamie were a perfect match, and they seemed to belong to the same w orld. Agnes shook her head, deciding not to think about it anymore. She turned and went to take a shower. Meanwhile, in the study. Ivan opened a bottle of red wine, poured it into a ss, and handed it to the man sitting on the sofa wit h a gloomy face, ¡°Jared, you¡¯re always busy and only show up a few times a year, and yet you are here to have a drink with mete at night. What¡¯s bothering you so much?¡± The man took the ss from Ivan, took a small sip, then asked, ¡°Can you tell me what a twenty¨Cyear¨C old girl usually thinks about? Why do they suddenly stop talking to people?¡± Chapter76 Ivan happened to be holding a ss of wine to his lips. Thank God he hadn¡¯t taken a sip, or he might have choked ¡°Can¡¯t believe you¡¯re asking such a childish question, Jared,¡± Ivan said. ¡°When did you start dating? Ho we I didn¡¯t know about it? Is your girlfriend some 20¨Cyear¨Cold chick?¡± Jared responded calmly, Tm actually married.¡± Ivan¡¯s hand, which had been gently swaying his ss, froze. His tone turned serious, ¡°Really?¡± Jared didn¡¯t answer, and just downed the rest of his wine. 1 don¡¯t mind you dating,¡± Ivan began ¡°Gaining experience in love is just like work, it¡¯s not a bad thing. B ut marriage isn¡¯t a walk in the park. I thought. Mamie would be your bride.¡± Jared said, ¡°Mamie and I grew up together, I thought things would naturally fall into ce. I proposed to her, but she said no. Then some unexpected things happened, and this girl appeared. My life suddenly became interesting. From the moment we got our marriage certificate, I decided to take it seriously.¡± Ivan didn¡¯t show any obvious reaction, his fingers lightly rubbing the rim of his ss, seemingly lost in t hought. ¡°Your situation with Mamie, I don¡¯t want to interfere,¡± Ivan began. ¡°You¡¯re both adults, you have your ow n minds. But my sister is stubborn, I¡¯ve spoiled her since she was young. The more she can¡¯t have som ething, the mare she wants it. You better sort this out with her sooner rather thanter.¡± 1 know,¡± Jared replied. Ivan raised his ss with a small smirk, ¡°Anyway, congrattions on your marriage.¡± A hint of helplessness crossed Jared¡¯s face as he thought of someone. Nevertheless, he leaned over a nd clinked sses with Ivan, ¡°Thanks¡± ¡°So, is your new bride mad at you?¡± Ivan asked, changing the subject. ¡°What kind of girl is she that she¡¯ s got you so smitten?¡± Jared let out a rare sigh, ¡°She¡¯s not just mad at me. She¡¯s run away. I have no idea where she is.¡± Ivanughed, ¡°Not many women would dare to make you suffer. Now I¡¯m curious to meet your wife, sh e must be quite a character.¡± Jared got up with a sigh and walked towards the balcony. After having a bath, Agnes couldn¡¯t sleep. Jared¡¯s face was all she could think of. Was he back at Maplewood Manor? Was he still with Mamie? The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became. She felt suffocated in the large room, so she decided to go out onto the balcony for some fresh air. The room had wall of floor¨Cto¨C ceiling windows. Agnes pulled back the thick curtains and stepped onto the terrace. The terrace had a Central European style, simr to what Agnes had seen in the movie ¡°Romeo and Ju liet¡°. The view outside was beautiful. Argeke looked like a huge mirror in the moonlight. Trees were trim med into a maze, and the flower field was filled with English roses. It looked like Alice had entered a dr eamy wondend. Agnes couldn¡¯t help but marvel. What a beautiful ce Willowbrook Town was. The night breeze in June wasn¡¯t that hot, and it felt like a gentle hand caressing her cheek. Agnes closed her eyes, feeling much more rxed. She was about to go back to sleep when she noticed a silhouette on the neighboring terrace. Chap Every room here had a balcony, and theMaterial ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter77 Every room here had a balcony, and the distance between each wasn¡¯t that far at all. Agnes had no clue who her neighbors were, she just saw bright lights in their room, and everything on t heir balcony was clear as day. When Agnes saw the face of the person, she was gobsmacked. For a split second, she thought she wa s hallucinating, rubbing her eyes in disbelief. When she opened her eyes again, he was still there, only with a chillier aura. No hallucination! It was Jared she was staring at! Agnes couldn¡¯t help but feel that the world worked in mysterious ways. Why would Jared just pop up he re? He was dressed in a white shirt and ck trousers, looking dashing, with a wine ss in one hand and the other in his pocket. Thebination of the light and the moonlight made him look like a dreamboat straight out of aic book, only the growi ng chill in the air was impossible to ignore. The balcony felt like a walk¨Cin freezer. Agnes first reaction was to freeze. They stared at each other across the few meters for what felt like for ever. Ivan walked up behind Jared and caught sight of this scene. Jared¡¯s demeanor was frosty, and that look in his eyes could freeze hell over. And Agnes opposite him, her face was a mask of panic, her eyes brimming with undeniable tensi on. It was like walking in on a huge scandal. Ivan furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°Do you guys know each other?¡± Jared had already turned and walked back to his room. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Agnes didn¡¯t breathe a sigh of relief; her mind felt like it was in a fog, nk. Sure enough, within a minu te, there was a knock at Agnes¡® door. The inevitable had happened. Agnes quicklyposed herself, walked over, and opened the door. Jared and Ivan were both standin g there. Jared looked none too pleased. He said in a frosty tone, ¡°Agnes, you owe me an exnation as to why you¡¯re here.¡± Agnes felt that a single sentence wouldn¡¯t suffice. Ivan sensed something was amiss and said, ¡°She¡¯s the lead in my new show. She needed a ce to st ay temporarily, so she¡¯s here for now.¡± Ivan then turned to Agnes and asked, ¡°And what¡¯s the deal between you two?¡± In truth, Ivan had already made his guess. He and Jared had been friends for twenty years, but he had never seen Jared looking this icy. Jared¡¯s voice dropped lower. The lead in a new show. Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were acting?¡± Agnes said, ¡°Why should I tell you everything I¡¯m doing? Have you never kept secrets from me?¡± Jared gave Agnes a once¨Cover and noticed she was in her pajamas. This made him even more irate. Jared said coldly, ¡°Come home with me.¡± Agnes felt that whatever had happened between her and Jared was their business. She didn¡¯t want it to turn into a spectacle. So, she kept quiet, implying her ag reement. As she was leaving, Agnes said to Ivan, ¡°I appreciate your help today. I¡¯ll find time to exin everything to you.¡± Jared was standing nearby and said coldly. ¡°You should think about how to exin to me first.¡± Agnes ignored him and walked away. Jared gave Ivan a cold look, ¡°And you, we¡¯ll settle thister.¡± Ivan spread his hands innocently and said casually, ¡°Don¡¯t me me. I had no idea she was your runa way wife.¡± Jared snorted coldly and walked away. The smile on Ivan¡¯s face slowly faded. Chapter78 Throughout the whole ride, Agnes and Jared remained silent. Agnes kept sneaking nces at Jared¡¯s f ace through the rearview mirror. His gloomy expression was suffocating. Agnes initially felt a tad guilty. After all, she and Jared were married, and she was caught staying overnight at a stranger¡¯s house. But when she thought abou t Jared noting home that night, Agnes figured her actions weren¡¯t that outrageous inparison. The car rolled into Maplewood Manor, finally parking in front of the vi. The atmosphere inside the car grew even tenser, Agnes felt as if the air had frozen solid Jared finally broke the silence ¡°Tell me, what the hell happened?¡± Agnes yed dumb. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jared turned to look at Agnes. Strangely, she felt exposed under his gaze. Jared snapped, ¡°You ran off, didn¡¯t tell me, and stayed at a stranger¡¯s ce. Do you think you can man age a guy like Ivan? How well do you know him to have the guts to go home with him?¡± Agnes shot back, ¡°I don¡¯t know you that well either, yet I married you. She would never have dared to t alk to Jared like this before. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. This clearly infuriated Jared ¡°Is our marriage really that insignificant to you?¡± Agnes retorted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you doing the same thing? Devaluing our marriage.¡± Jared stared at Agnes for a long time. ¡°Agnes, is this really how you want to talk to me?¡± Agnes suddenly felt upset. She was torn inside, wondering whether to expose the truth between them, whether to break the illusion But Agnes didn¡¯t have the guts. She feared that once the truth came out, everything would go back to square one. Agnes wasn¡¯t ready. For now, she just wanted to cool things down. Agnes lowered her head and said, ¡°Jared, let¡¯s take a break.¡± ¡°Why? Just because I didn¡¯te home to pick you up that night, you¡¯re gonna be this stubborn?¡± Agnes suddenly felt hurt. See, Jared was smart, and he could sense her mood. But Jared didn¡¯t know t hat she went to the hospital that day and heard his conversation with Mamie. Or maybe he did know bu t pretended not to. Once the truth came out, a lot of things would change Agnes admitted she had be a coward in love. When Elton betrayed Jenny, Agnes didn¡¯t hesitate t o cut off a decade¨Clong rtionship. Although it was painful, things were different now, she didn¡¯t have the courage to confront the truth. Be cause then, she would be aplete fool, again. What was she to Jared? Just a band¨Caid on his broken heart. Agnes finally cooled down. I¡¯ve agreed to act in a TV show during the summer break and will be staying in the cast dormitory¡± ¡°I don¡¯t agree with that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already signed the contract.¡± ¡°1¡¯ll pay the penalty.¡± Agnes turned to Jared. ¡°Jared, this is my choice, my life. You have no right to interfere.¡± I¡¯m your husband. If I don¡¯t have the right, then who does?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a marriage contract. If you insist on stopping me, then let¡¯s get a divorce.¡± After she said that, everything suddenly became quiet. The silence was terrifying. N Chapter79 Agnes thought dropping the divorce bomb would be tough, but the words slipped out easier than she e xpected. Those two words, like a thorn in her heart, stung her when she least expected it. Jared¡¯s face turned stormy, and the temperature in the car seemed to drop below zero. Agnes could he ar her own heartbeat but kept her poker face on. After a long silence, Jared scoffed coldly, ¡°Agnes, you really go with the flow, huh? Do you see marriage as a game? Even if you do, I am not a toy you can p lay with¡± With that, he got out of the car and left, leaving Agnes alone. She wondered who was ying with who se feelings. Eventually, Agnes got out of the car and saw Jared smoking on the balcony. They had been living under the same roof for a while now, but Agnes had never seen Jared smoke bef ore. His face was hidden in the smoke, his expression unreadable, and his chilly aura made him look u napproachable. Agnes chose the guest room, avoiding Jared who seemed colder and more intimidating than usual. Sh e didn¡¯t want to provoke him. Sleep eluded Agnes. Shey there, staring at the ceiling. Time ticked by each second feeling like tortur e. She heard a faint noise at the door. Reflexively, Agnes closed her eyes and feigned sleep. She heard s oft footsteps, slow and steady. She didn¡¯t have to guess who it was. The footsteps grew closer then fad ed away. Although her eyes were closed, she could feel someone¡¯s gaze on her. After what felt.like an eternity, s he felt a cold touch on her lips. Startled, she opened her eyes to find Jared leaning over her. He was ki ssing her! At that moment, Jared¡¯s eyes were closed, and he didn¡¯t notice Agnes¡® stiffness. She quickly closed her eyes again, pretending to be asleep. The kiss deepened, filled with unrestrained anger. Jared¡¯s lips were cold, tasting faintly of tobo. At fi rst, it was just a soft brush of lips, but it was growing more forceful. Agnes didn¡¯t dare move. Waking up now would be awkward. Plus, she could feel Jared¡¯s anger. Was he using her a s an outlet? Annoyed, Agnes couldn¡¯t push him away. So, she let out a soft moan, turned over, and continued to y possum. After a while, she heard Jared let out a heavy sigh. Then the fading footsteps and a soft click of the doo r. Finally, Agnes opened her eyes. Her heart was pounding as if it was about to leap out of her chest. Her lips were numb and tasted of Jared. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Biting the corner of the nket, Agnes¡® face turned beet red in the dark. Even though she knew Jared¡¯s kiss was out of anger, she was embarrassed to find that she liked his taste. That dizzying, roller¨C coaster feeling made her feel weak. Don¡¯t fall for him! She pinched herself hard. Wake up! Don¡¯t be a fool in love again! Chapter80 The next morning, Agnes dehberately got upte. She didn¡¯t leave her room until nine o¡¯clock. After watching Jared for a while, she noticed that he was a workaholic. Every day, like clockwork, he¡¯d hit the road at half past seven and didn¡¯t seem to have a day off. She assumed Jared had already left. As she was walking through the living room, she heard a deep voi ce asking. ¡°Where¡¯re you off to?¡± Startled, she turned around and saw Jared sitting on the couch. He was wearing gold¨C rimmed sses, a white shirt and ck dress pants, with aptop on hisp. He looked like he was har d at work. Agnes had interned at the Tim Group before and was often summoned to the CEO¡¯s office. So, she ha d seen Jared at work. She had to admit, there was something about a man who was focused on his wo rk, especially if that man was Jared. After a moment, Agnes responded, ¡°I¡¯m off to school. Got myst major exam today¡± She did have an e xam, but not until the afternoon. 111 drive you,¡± Jared said, standing up and shutting hisptop. ¡°No need,¡± Agnes hurriedly declined, ¡°I can bike there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m headed to the office anyway.¡± Sharing a ride with Jared was pretty awkward for Agnes. When the car stopped, she tried to get out, bu t found that Jared had locked the doors. What was he ying at? This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Agnes looked at him. Jared, not looking at Agnes, asked, ¡°Are you sure you want to be in this TV show ?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Agnes said firmly Her real goal was to avoid living under the same roof as Jared. She was fully aware that she was slowly falling for Jared. She needed to think about this rationally before it got too deep. As for what the future held, she hadn¡¯t figured that out yet.. Agnes thought Jared would continue to object. Instead, he was silent for a moment before saying. ¡°If yo u¡¯re so set on this, then go ahead. But no more talk of divorce¡± After Agnes left, Jared drove to the Century Building. In the CEO¡¯s office of Century Entertainment- Jared was sitting on the couch, looking at a script with a serious expression. Ivan, leaning against his desk, chuckled, ¡°Jared, you¡¯ve been staring at that script for two hours. What¡¯s the problem?¡± Jared closed the script and asked, ¡°12 hug scenes, 4 kissing scenes, and a bed scene. Isn¡¯t that a bit much?¡± Ivanughed. ¡°So you spent two hours reading a script, just to look at those?¡± Jared didn¡¯t respond, and just stared at Ivan silently. Ivan said seriously. ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere is our country¡¯s firstrge¨C scale fantasy film. Agnes, as the female lead, has a total of 478 scenes, and only a handful of them are intimate scenes. It¡¯s really very few¡± Jared said, ¡°For those scenes, use a body double.¡± Ivan replied. ¡°That might not be a good idea. First, this show will be directed by Zoe, who¡¯s known for b eing a bit obsessive. He doesn¡¯t allow body doubles for action movies, let alone a teen idol drama like t his. Secondly, Agnes was chosen through auditions; she¡¯s a newbie and will definitely attract attention. If she uses a body double for even a few intimate scenes, it might c e off as her being a diva.¡± Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Jared asked, ¡°Heard your film investment¡¯s a bit short?¡± Ivan raised an eyebrow This movie is the first of its kind, a youth fantasy, with a bunch of fancy special effects. The production t eam is from Hollywood, so the costs are through the roof. But since there¡¯s nothing like this in our count ry yet, most investors are sitting on the fence. A few contracts are still in the works. Ivan asked, ¡°So, the Tim Group is thinking of dipping its toes in the film business?¡± ¡°50 million¡± Ivan didn¡¯t bat an eyelid. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch, especially when ites to you, Jared What¡¯s the catch?¡± ¡°Firstly, once Agnes joins the crew, I want daily updates on her schedule Secondly, use a body double for all the scenes I just mentio ned. Those are my terms.¡± Ivan, anticipating this, chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re really hung up on this little wife of yours. For the sake of mone y, I¡¯ll agree. But Jared, aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll resent your overbearing control? Girls her age tend to ha ve a rebellious streak.¡± Jared indeed had headaches over this N?velDrama.Org content rights. Lately, Agnes had been indeed¡­ quite rebellious. Everything had to be a showdown with him. He forbade her to join the entertainment industry, and she t hreatened him with divorce. The mere thought of Agnes announcing her desire for a divorce made Jared¡¯s blood boil. Jared clearly remembered his first reaction was panic. In his 27 years, Jared had never felt like this, lik e he¡¯d lost control. Jared¡¯s brows furrowed. He stood up, ¡°Our marital affairs are none of your business. And keep your distance from her.¡± Ivan justughed helplessly, ¡°Jared, you don¡¯t even trust me now? You¡¯re on high alert, a man in love is truly terrifying.¡± It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust Ivan, but he feared Agnes would be led astray. Agnes had finished her final exams and was now on holiday. In the afternoon, Laura called her toe home for dinner. Agnes agreed. Rather than return to her cold home, Agnes preferred not to face Jared For the next two days, Agnes nned to stay home studying her script. She was scheduled to start film ing in two days. At dinner, Preston said, ¡°Agnes, Beatrice has finished her exams and you¡¯re on holiday. We¡¯re all free a s birds, so I¡¯m thinking we can take a trip to the Maldives. How does that sound?¡± Agnes had known about this for a while because Beatrice had mentioned it before. They¡¯d often go on trips over the years, but they¡¯d always make a token invitation to Agnes. Then wait for Agnes to refuse. Then they¡¯d go off on their guilt¨C free holidays. Agnes used to get upset, but she was used to it now. Without looking up. Agnes said, ¡°I¡¯ll be pretty busy this summer. You guys go have fun.¡± Preston sighed. ¡°Why is it that every time we n a trip, you¡¯re always tied up?¡± Laura chimed in. ¡°She¡¯s grown up, and has her own things to do. Let¡¯s not get in her way.¡± But then, to their surprise, Beatrice also said, ¡°I can¡¯t go this summer either. I¡¯ll be busy too.¡± Preston asked, ¡°Busy with what? You¡¯ve finished your exams. What else could you possibly have to do ?¡± Beatrice shot a nce at Agnes, ¡°I have news. I¡¯m joining the cast of ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere¡®. I got the part through an audition, and I¡¯m going to join the crew in two days.¡± Agnes, who had been eating, paused at Beatrice¡¯s announcement. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Preston asked, ¡°Howe I didn¡¯t hear a peep about you sneaking off for an audition? This is a produ ction from Starlight International Group and Century Entertainment, why didn¡¯t you give me a heads up ?¡± Beatrice replied in a cutesy tone. ¡°I know our family invested in this production too, but I didn¡¯t want to ri de on favors. You know I dream of breaking into the entertainment industry, but I don¡¯t want people to thin k I got in through family connections¡± Preston¡¯s face turned serious. Laura gently added, ¡°Let the kid find her own way. There¡¯s nothing wrong with the entertainment industry. Besides, Beatrice auditioned on her own, which shows her ambition. It¡¯s rare for her to be this passionate about somethin g¡± Preston asked, ¡°What role are you ying? Starlight International Group is only involved in name for thi s production, mainly to get closer to Ivan. I haven¡¯t been paying much attention to it.¡± Beatrice replied proudly. Tm the fourth lead female, with a total of 40 scenes.¡± Preston said, ¡°It¡¯s impressive that you got the fourth lead role in your first gig, based on your own merits . Since you want to get into the entertainment industry, work hard. rit fully support you to be a top¨Ctier actress.¡± ¡°Thanks, Dad,¡± Beatrice answered with a smile. Seeing Agnesck of reaction, Beatrice turned to her and said, ¡°Speaking of, Agnes, what are your ns for the summer? Are you going to spend all your time in the library again? Don¡¯t let reading turn you into a lone wolf. You should get out more at your age.¡± ¡°How could you say that to Agnes, Laura chided. Beatrice replied, ¡°I¡¯m just stating facts. Doesn¡¯t she spend every summer in the library? But hey, the sh ooting location is at Lakeside College, Agnes. We¡¯ll probably be seeing each other a lot.¡± Agnes nced at Beatrice, responding indifferently. ¡°Yes, we probably will.¡± Having finished her meal, Agnes put down her utensils, ¡°I¡¯m done eating. You guys enjoy your meal. I¡¯ m heading back to my room¡± As she left, she heard Beatriceining, ¡°Dad, I bet Agnes is jealous that I got the part. You know, she snuck off to audition too, and I just happe ned to run into her Agnes ignored her and returned to her room. She pulled out a stack of scripts from her bag. In her mind, Agnes couldn¡¯t believe that Beatrice was also part of this drama. This could be troublesom e. Agnes could already imagine Beatrice¡¯s reaction when she found out that Agnes was the lead. Just thin king about it gave her a headache. But Agnes had no time for second thoughts Once a decision was made, there was no turning back. Agnes stayed at home for two days. Although Beatrice sometimes came to nag her and show off her role, Agnes didn¡¯t pay her any mind. During these two days, Jared kept his routine of calling her every night. Their rtionship seemed to have returned to its normal state, yet there seemed to be an invisible barri er between them. After each phone call, Agnes would often zone out for a while. On her first day at the new job, Ivan contacted her and asked her toe to Century Entertainment. Thinking it was something important, Agnes went to the Century Building early in the morning Upon se eing Ivan, Agnes asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to the set today?¡± There was aunch ceremony for the new drama at three in the afternoon, and Agnes needed to be there early. Ivan replied, ¡°No rush I¡¯ll go with you to pick someone upter. We¡¯ll have lunch together so you two ca n get to know each other before heading to the set.¡± Agnes was confused, ¡°Who are we picking up?¡± Who could this person be that the CEO of Century Entertainment would personally pick them up? Ivan enjoyed the mystery. ¡°The lead male in this drama, your future work partner for the next three mon ths. You¡¯ll find out who it is.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Agnes was curious. So far, the lead roles had not been announced and had been kept strictly confidential, sparking a lot of spection and discussion. Of course, this was a marketing tactic The more mysterious, the more attention it would attract. Agnes was also curious. She and Ava had previously guessed that the male lead was Century Entertai nment¡¯s star, Robin. Now Agnes was even more convinced of this. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 At nine o¡¯clock, Agnes and Ivan hit the road and headed to the airport. On the way there, Agnes kept her trap shut, not trying to start a conversation Ivan, on the other hand, was fishing for stuff to talk about, trying to break the ice. Finally, Ivan kicked things off, ¡°Agnes, Jared can be a bit of a handful, huh?¡± Agnes was taken aback, but not because of the question Ivan brought up She was surprised because I van¡¯s ¡°Agnes¡± came out so naturally, so affectionately, she wasn¡¯t used to it. Ivan nced at Agnes, like he¡¯d read her mind. Heughed, ¡°You better get used to me calling you that , I¡¯m your manager now¡± Agnes, who felt like Ivan had seen through her, blushed slightly and just replied with a simple ¡°okay¡°. T hen she said, ¡°He¡¯s actually great. Talented, gentle, and can cook. He¡¯s a bit of a clean freak, but overal l, he¡¯s alright¡± Agnes was telling the truth, she thought Jared was Mr. Perfect. Sometimes, his perfection made him seem out of her league. Ivan justughed, ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know him well enough. He might seem perfect on the surf ace, but deep down, he¡¯s stingy, strict, arrogant, and possessive¡± Agnes frowned, her voice sharp. ¡°You¡¯re my husband¡¯s friend. It¡¯s not cool to say bad things behind his back..¡± Agnes felt a little peeved The fact that Jared would go for a drink with Ivan in the middle of the night showed they were as thick a s thieves. Ivan turned to look at Agnes, a smirk ying on his lips, ¡°Husband¡­¡± Agnes suddenly realized what she¡¯d said. The word ¡°husband¡± had slipped out before she even knew it Ivan said, ¡°Looks like you two made up. Last time Jared look you away, he looked pissed. I was worrie d there could have been some misunderstanding between you two But seeing you defend him like this, I¡¯m relieved.¡± Agnes finally got it. Ivan had been badmouthing Jared on purpose just to test the waters about her rt ionship with Jared. They arrived at the airport in no time. As soon as Agnes and Ivan walked into the terminal, they saw a sea of people at the exit. It was clear as day that they were a mob of crazed fans there to wee their idol.. Just as Agnes was wondering which celeb wasing, the crowd started to go wild. Screams were flying left and right. ¡°Justin, I love you!!¡± The crazy screams mixed with crying filled the entire airport. First, a ton of security guards formed two lines in the crowd, creating a path. And then, surrounded by a bunch of assistants, the one and only Justin walked out, worshipped by everyone. Yes, that guy. The hottest A¨Clist male star of the moment. The newly crowned king of film, the heartthrob of the entertainment industry ¨C Justin! Agnes impression of Justin still stuck to that grand event a year ago. Every time she thought of that incident, she couldn¡¯t help but frown. Although Justin was the undispute d poprity king. Agnes was not a big fan of him. Justin was wearing a white¨Cgrey linen shirt. Even though the color seemed a bit old¨C fashioned, he looked damn good in it. To say Justin¡¯s face could unch a thousand ships¡± was far from an exaggeration. Even the most handsome guys in the entertainment industry would feel inferior standing next to him. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Justin¡¯s fandom wasn¡¯t just girls, a ton of guys were also head over heels for his good looks. The most f amous example was the billionaire¡¯s son, Kevin. He spent a fortune confessing his love to Justin on a g iant screen in Times Square, which even made international news. Agnes turned to Ivan and said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me we¡¯re picking up Justin.¡± Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Ivan¡¯s voice was calm, but his words dropped like a bomb ¡°That¡¯s right, you must know him, he¡¯s your father¡¯spany¡¯s favorite star¡± Justin was the backbone of Starlight International Group, so of course Agnes knew him. But Agnes had assumed that as the producer of this TV show, Ivan would choose a star from Century Entertainment to be the leading actor. So, she had guessed that the male lead would possibly be Robin or Ondo. However, Agnes forgot that from the very start, Ivan had mentioned that the show was a joint investme nt between Century and Starlight. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t surprising for Starlight¡¯s top star to be the lead actor in the show But¡­ why did it have to be him. Justin was already walking over, surrounded by fans. With so many fans, screams and shouts were everywhere. Before he could even say hi, Ivan ordered, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll talk in the car? The fact that Ivan personally picked up Justin, made Agnes think, Justin was a big deal. So, when getting in the car, Agnes deliberately left the front passenger seat empty, and went to sit in th e back. However, when Justin arrived, he didn¡¯t take the front seat. Instead, he went straight to the back and sa t next to Agnes. ¡°Ivan, drive. I purposely dyed my trip by a day, but they¡¯ve been waiting here all day and night. The young folks these days are way too fanatical about their idols. If I ever have a kid who¡¯s that crazy abou t chasing stars, I swear I¡¯ll break his legs.¡± Agnes was speechless. Who talked about their fans like that? Ivan had already started the car and they quickly left the airport. Ivan said, ¡°If it¡¯s your kid, they probably won¡¯t chase stars. I¡¯ve already nned it out, they¡¯ll sign with th epany as soon as they¡¯re born and start training at two years old. I guarantee they¡¯ll be more famous than you ¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re such a businessman, never changing your profit¨C squeezing nature, even my child won¡¯t be spared. But you¡¯re right, my kid would definitely be the cream of the crop. after all, there¡¯s no one more handsome than me in the world.¡± After saying this, Justin pulled out a small mirror, checked his face, then blew a satisfied kiss to his reflection. Agnes watched in difort. She already knew he was narcissistic but didn¡¯t expect it to be this bad. She also noticed that Ivan and Justin¡¯s conversation was casual, like they were old friends. Agnes asked, ¡°Do you guys know each other?¡± Ivan said, ¡°You might not know this, but when Justin debuted, he signed with Century Entertainment. Y our fatherter poached him with a high price, but we¡¯re still friends.¡± Ah, so that was the story Justin put away his mirror and formally looked at Agnes, ¡°Agnes, do you remember me?¡± Agnes said, ¡°I do.¡± Justin asked, ¡°How about my proposal you¡¯ve been considering for so long, what¡¯s your decision?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°I believe I gave you a clear answer a year ago. This time, Ivan seemed surprised, ¡°Is there something special going on between you two?¡± Agnes quickly replied, ¡°Nothing special, he¡¯s just¡­ a bit off¡± Now Ivan was even more interested, ¡°I want to know, what happened a year ago?¡± Justin¡¯s voice was careless, with a hint ofziness. He brushed his hair back from his forehead and sai d casually, ¡°Nothing much, I proposed to her a year ago, but she turned me down.¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Agnes couldn¡¯t believe Justin just blurted out the whole thing. A year ago, Agnes met Justin for the first time al a grand g. She thought he was pretty awesome. Bu t she didn¡¯t expect his first words to her would be. ¡°Hey girl, wanna marry me?¡± Agnes was taken aback. She thought, the guy was surely handsome but he must have been off his roc ker. They didn¡¯t know each other, had no connections, and it was the first time Agnes had ever seen him. She turned him down on the spol. She never told anyone about this, not even her then boyfriend Elton. Ivan, however, was not too surprised. He smirked, ¡°Well, here¡¯s a shocker. You might be the only one who turned down a proposal from Justin¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Hearing Ivan say this, Justin seemed a bit miffed. ¡°She broke my heart big time. It¡¯s been a year and th e wound is still fresh.¡± Agnes was speechless. Justin added, ¡°Hey, who¡¯d have thought we¡¯d have such a connection? Now that we have a chance to i nteract more, you¡¯re bound to fall for me.¡± Agnes replied coldly. ¡°No chance. I¡¯m not into guys who are prettier than girls.¡± Upon hearing this, Justin seemed quite pleased. He reached out to pinch Agnes¡® cheek, ¡°Is that a pliment? The woman that I¡¯m gonna marry sure has a unique way of praising people¡± Ivan chimed in, ¡°Dream on. You¡¯re out of the race.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°She¡¯s married,¡± Ivan calmly stated Upon hearing this, Justin¡¯s face changed, clutching his chest in disbelief, ¡°Is that for real? Agnes didn¡¯t want anyone to know she was married, but she didn¡¯t mind Ivan spilling the beans. So she admitted, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true.¡± Justin suddenly looked heartbroken, ¡°How could you leave me for another man?¡± Agnes was speechless. This guy really deserved his Best Actor title. He quickly slipped into character, his portrayal of sorrow was quite convincing But when did she ever leave him? They were never together. They were practically strangers. Agnes was speechless as she watched him dramatically squeeze out a tear. What a drama queen! Ivan said, ¡°Alright, stop messing with her.¡± Justin immediately straightened up proudly like a peacock, elegantly took out a small mirror and wiped away his tears, ¡°Even if she¡¯s married, no biggie. I can still steal her away After all, I¡¯m this handsome. I don¡¯t believe anyone can resist me, twice.¡± Agnes was speechless. After meeting Justin, she went to The Simon¡¯s Both the director and the scriptwriter were present. Justin was very familiar with these people. The atmosphere was as rxed as old friends hanging out. The official induction of the crew started in the afternoon, and the opening ceremony was scheduled for three o¡¯clock. When Beatrice saw Agnes appearing with the director and the producer, her astonishment was beyond words. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 After confirming over and over again that Agnes would be the leadingdy in ¡°the Magical Romance of Cindere¡°, Beatrice¡¯s face turned sour as hell When the kick¨Coff ceremony ended, the crew led everyone on a tour of the shooting site. When Agnes was alone in the lounge, Beatrice seized the opportunity to walk over and said, ¡°Agnes, di d you sleep with the director or get into some shady business with some big¨C shot investor? I can¡¯t believe you could stoop so low. You¡¯re despicable.¡± Agnes retorted, ¡®Beatrice, can you not be such a venomous snake? You¡¯re still young, don¡¯t always hav e the word ¡®despicable¡® on the tip of your tongue¡± ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re not one to give me a lecture. How else could you havended the lead role if not for so me underhanded tactics?¡± Agnes replied. ¡°Same as you, I got it through auditions¡± ¡°You think I¡¯d buy that? You¡¯re not even from an acting background. Besides your body, what else coul d you possibly offer?¡± Agnes responded coldly. ¡°If you think I¡¯ve had an illicit affair with the director, go ahead and blow the w histle, as long as you have proof.¡± Beatrice snorted. ¡°You think I¡¯m stupid? If I expose the director, where does that leave my acting career ? But Agnes, I really admire you, even Director Zoe¡¯s old age doesn¡¯t faze you Dad would blow a fuse if he knew.¡± ¡°Director Zoe, you¡¯re here.¡± Agnes stood up straight, looking behind Beatrice. Beatrice stiffened, her face turned ashen. She turned her head toward the door, but there was no one t here Beatrice was furious. She turned back to see a smirk on Agnes¡® face, ¡°Agnes, you tricked me.¡± ¡°What, you were hoping he was really here?¡± Beatrice was quivering with rage Agnes said calmly. ¡°Don¡¯t talk behind people¡¯s backs. If you have the guts, say it to their faces. That¡¯s my advice to you as your elder sister.¡± With that, Agnes left the lounge. Beatrice was fuming. Every time she argued with Agnes, she never seemed toe out on top. Agnes seemed gentle, but she was cunning deep down. Just a few days ago at home, she didn¡¯t say anything when Beatrice announced she got the fourth female lead, even though Beatrice was the lead. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Was Agnes mocking her then? Was she just ying her for a fool? Thinking of this, Beatrice was gnashing her teeth. Agnes, don¡¯t get cocky. How long you can stay as the lead is still up in the air. We will see¡­ After leaving Beatrice, Agnes ran into Ava Tomorrow was the official start of shooting today everyone was excitedly touring the site. Upon seeing Agnes, Ava walked over. ¡°Agnes, we¡¯re bunking together. I was about to put away my lug gage, wanna join?¡± Agnes replied, ¡®Sure, why not.¡± Agnes moved all her stuff from Kerri¡¯s dorm into their new one. By the time they finished, it was already 5 PM. Though the dorm was in the school¡¯s dormitory area, it obviously had ate renovation, and the environ ment was refreshing and elegant The dorm had bunk beds, Ava volunteered for the top bunk, leaving Agnes with the bottom bunk. After tidying up, the two sat on the bed and started to chat. Ava said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Starlight International Group star is Justin. You know how fast my heart w as beating when I saw him today? He¡¯s so handsome. I can¡¯t even look him in the eye, I¡¯m afraid I migh t faint.¡± Agnes, munching on her chips, said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you exaggerating a bit? He can¡¯t be that good¨Clooking¡± Ava retorted, ¡°Have you seen anyone more handsome than Justin?¡± Without hesitation, Agnes replied, ¡°Of course.¡± The first face that popped into Agnes¡® mind was Jared¡¯s. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Jared and Justin were twopletely different breeds. Justin had a pretty face that blurred the line between genders, with a hint of allure hidden in his eyes. If he lived in ancient times, he¡¯d be the kind of pretty boy that women would swoon over But Jared was a different story Jared¡¯s face had a masculine edge andcked those feminine touches, his looks were just right. He was the guy who had perfect features, and when put together, he was simply stunning His every mo ve made your heart race All this time, Agnes seldom looked at Jared deeply because a single nce was enough to get her hoo ked. Justin couldn¡¯t hold a candle to a man like Jared ¡°So, who are you talking about?¡± Ava asked Agnes stammered. She couldn¡¯t utter Jared¡¯s name. Avaughed, ¡°See, you can¡¯t even say it. There¡¯s simply no man handsomer than Justin in this world, A gnes, I¡¯m so jealous of you. You get to be his love interest in the show.¡± Agnes replied. ¡°Don¡¯t you have plenty of scenes with him too? I remember there¡¯s even a kissing scene .¡± Ava seemed excited at the mention of this. Her character was Angelina, the rich girl and childhood sweetheart of the male lead, Samie. Although her character wasn¡¯t exactly likable, she had plenty of romantic scenes with Samie, even a for ceful kissing scene. The thought of shooting a kissing scene with Justin got Ava all hyped up. After a while, someone from the crew knocked on the door, saying that the director was taking the inve stors to dinner. They¡¯d heard that the crew had managed to secure a 50 million investment in one go, s olving their financial issues. They wondered who the rich benefactor was Agnes said, ¡°Why would we go to a dinner hosted by the director for the bigwigs?¡°; Ava chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s pretty standard. You¡¯re new to the industry. You¡¯ll get used to it. A lot of investors ar e just after the young stars, but as long as we keep our noses clean, we¡¯re good. Come on, remember t o drink lightly tonight, and not drinking at all definitely won¡¯t do.¡± The dinner was at a tinum suite in a six¨Cstar hotel. Beatrice was there too, dressed to the nines. If you hadn¡¯t known, you¡¯d think she was going to some g rand g. Agnes, on the other hand, was dressed casually, looking like a student. When Agnes and the others arrived, the director and his group were already there. And the man sitting next to the director, chatting with him, was none other than Jared. Agnes was stunned when she saw him. Ava nudged Agnes, ¡°I just heard the CEO of the Tim Group is the big shot who invested in this show. Look, normally everyone dodges these social eve nts if they can, but today everyone¡¯s all dolled up, there¡¯s gonna be some drama tonight, everyone wan ts to marry him. Even if they don¡¯t get far, a scandal with him would skyrocket their value in the showbiz .¡± Agnes looked around Sure enough, all eyes, intentionally or not, were on Jared. The girls were practically shootingsers fro m their eyes. Suddenly, Agnes felt like Jared was prey being targeted by a pack of hunters. At that moment, Justin spotted Agnes, and quickly waved her over, ¡°Agnes,e over here, sit next to me.¡± Jared slowly lifted his head at that moment. His gaze fell on Agnes. For some reason, Agnes felt a hint of coldness in his gaze. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Agnes¡® survival instinct told her that if she really sat next to Justin, she would be in for a hot mess. So, she chose a spot as far away from Justin as possible Justin grumbled from the side, ¡°Agnes, my girl, you¡¯ve got some sass, but I kinda dig that about you¡± Agnes rolled her eyes at Justin What does he mean by ¡°my girl¡°? He needed to watch his mouth in such situations. But everyone in the entertainment industry knew Justin¡¯s character, he loved to flirt with the female actr esses. In the industry, people even used Justi¡¯s flirting as a bragging point They got pretty used to it. After all, Agnes was indeed Justin¡¯s girl in the drama. Agnes sneaked a peek at Jared, who had already turned around to chat with Ivan. He didn¡¯t seem to re act much. Agnes let out a sigh of relief. Soon, everyone arrived, and the waiter began to serve the dishes. Director Zoe said a few words of thanks to Jared, basically appreciating his timely help He then raised his ss and said, ¡°Let¡¯s toast to Mr. Whitfield, we will surely do our best to make great work in return¡± Everyone raised their sses. The dinner then officially started. Agnes noticed that almost no one was really eating. Most of them were busy toasting and drinking. The director, Ivan, Justin, and of course, the one who got the most toasts was Jared. There was a cons tant flow of women by his side, as one left another came. This had been going on for several rounds already And Agnes noticed Jared had already downed 12 gl asses. Didn¡¯t he know how to say no? Agnes thought, a little annoyed. And each woman was trying to stick around him a bit longer. Beatrice was already on her third round of toasting. She walked up to Jared, cheeks flushed, looking all shy. ¡°I¡¯d love to toast you again, I didn¡¯t get to introduce myself properly earlier, I¡¯m Preston and Laura¡¯ s daughter, Beatrice. I attended Tim¡¯s birthday party before, do you remember me?¡± Jared responded with a t, ¡°Hello Ms. Beatrice, but I don¡¯t quite remember.¡± Beatrice was overjoyed inside, she didn¡¯t leave a good impression on Jared at the party before. Instead , it was Agnes who stole the show. Just thinking about it made Beatrice hate Agnes. But Jared not remembering, was even better. Beatrice downed her ss of red wine. As she put down the ss, she pretended to sway a bit, then le aned towards Jared. But it was clear to everyone, Beatrice wasn¡¯t drunk. This kind of trick was easy to spot. However, before she could lean on Jared, he had already stood up and stepped back. His response wa s quick and cool, even his retreat had a charming vibe. Beatrice missed her mark and almost fell on the table. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Softughter was heard from the other women at the table. Feeling embarrassed, Beatrice started to get angry. Jared began to speak, ¡®Ms. Beatrice might¡¯ve had a bit too much to drink, she should probably go take a break.¡± Take a break? What a joke! How could she leave early in such a setting? Beatrice forced a smile, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Mr. Whitfield. I just need a little rest¡± After saying that, Beatrice went back to her seat, her fingers tightly gripping the edge of the ss, as if she wanted t o crush it. At this moment, Ivan suddenly said calmly, ¡°Agnes, I recall you not having toasted Mr. Whitfield yet, wh y don¡¯t you give Mr. Whitfield a toast as well?¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Agnes just wanted to wolf down her grub in peace. She was just hoping to fly under the radar. Then she nced up at Ivan, the corners of his mouth upturned in a slight smirk, a glint of mischief in hi s eyes. I was clear as day he was waiting for the fireworks to start. So, this was his game. With one line, Ivan had managed to throw Agnes into the spotlight. Agnes was stuck She had no choice but to grab her ss, get up, and head over to Jared. She sidled up to Jared and said, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, this one¡¯s for you.¡± But before Agnes could finish her sentence, Jared just sat there, not batting an eyelid. He was always the picture of politeness when someone proposed a toast. So why was he ying hardball when it was Agnes raising her ss? Ivan was standing nearby, his eyes filled with amusement Everyone else seemed taken aback. But when Beatrice saw Jared treating Agnes like this, she was tickled pink. Agnes was steamed. Under these circumstances, couldn¡¯t he just go with the flow and act normally? Agnes didn¡¯t give a hoot anymore. She had already made the toast, whether he drank it was his proble m. Agnes t out said, ¡°I¡¯ve done my part, Mr. Whitfield. The ball¡¯s in your court now.¡± After saying that, Agnes gulped down the wine in her ss. The moment the ss touched her lips, it s lipped from her hand. Jared had snatched the wine ss from her. He said coolly, ¡°You have a shoot tomorrow, better not dri nk alcohol. Have a soft drink instead.¡± Jared¡¯s words left everyone gobsmacked. So¡­ was Mr. Whitfield looking out for Agnes? There were m any actresses who toasted earlier, and they all had work the next day. Mr. Whitfield didn¡¯t seem to be looking out for them. Agnes was bbergasted. This guy was a real pain in the neck. Was he trying to make everyone figure out their rtionship? Seeing this, Beatrice was green with envy Jared¡¯s attitude towards Agnes was indeed different, just like at Tim¡¯s birthday bash. Beatrice started to suspec t that there was some hush¨Chush between these two. Left with no choice, Agnes grabbed a soft drink and toasted Jared again. Jared downed his drink, and Agnes returned to her seat. Looking around, Agnes noticed an array of mixed emotions on everyone¡¯s faces envy, jealousy, but mo stly confusion, but Agnes didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with them. This was just a minor hup. Everyone quickly forgot about it as the actresses continued to propose to asts to Jared, each more creative than thest. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Agnes just watched from the sidelines. She watched as Jared downed one drink after another The director got stered, and Ivan had Justin take him home before the party ended. But not one actr ess had left. In the end, it was Ivan who called it a night. When the important person spoke, everyone else had to pack up and leave, no matter how reluctant. Ava said to Agnes, ¡°Agnes, we have to head out. We have an early start tomorrow, we need to get some shut¨C eye. If we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll wake up with puffy faces and that won¡¯t look good on camera¡± Agnes nodded, but she was still worried about Jared. Jared was slumped over the table, looking worse for wear. As Agnes was leaving the hotel, she felt torn. The cab had already pulled up at the hotel entrance. Suddenly, she said to Ava, ¡°You go on ahead. I ju st remembered I left something in the room. I need to go back and get it.¡± Already halfway into the cab, Ava had no choice but to say, ¡°Alright, but hurry up. I¡¯ll wait for you back a t the dorm.¡± Agnes decided to go back. When she walked into the room again, sure enough, Jared was still there. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Only Jared and Ivan were left in the private room Jared was sprawled on the table Ivan sat next to Jared, looking rxed, and casually picked up a copy of World Economy from the bookshelf behind him. Upon hearing noise at the door, he looked up and said. ¡°Finally, you¡¯re back.¡± Agnes asked in surprise. ¡°How did you know I¡¯de back?¡± Judging from Ivan¡¯s demeanor, he was clearly wailing for someone. Could it be her? Ivan stood up, put the book back on the shelf, and said, ¡°The way you kept looking back when you left, I knew you¡¯de back. I¡¯ve handed your husband over to you, I need to go now¡± Wait was she just supposed to take it from here? Had he no intention of helping? How was she supposed to get a drunk man home all by herself? But Ivan didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of sticking around. Before leaving, he lightly patted Jared on the shoulder as if to say, ¡®Buddy, I¡¯ve done all I can.¡± At this moment, Agnes didn¡¯t notice Jared¡¯s slightly open eyes, which seemed to say, ¡°Just go!* Ivan left. His driver was waiting outside the hotel. When Ivan got into the car, the driver Moss asked in confusion , ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Whitfield? Why didn¡¯t hee out with you?¡± It was Moss who had driven them both here. Ivanughed and said, ¡°He might spend the night here.¡± As Moss started the car, he asked in confusion, ¡°Is Mr. Whitfield drunk?¡± Ivan responded, ¡°No, he can hold his liquor!¡± In the private room. Agnes was at a loss. How was she supposed to get home? If she and Jared appeared in public together, she would definitely be the headline news tomorrow. The news about Agnes being the leadingdy in the movie was still under wraps. Any rumors about her and Jared, once news of the lead actress broke, would definitely bring a lot of ne gative press to the crew. Out of desperation, Agnes checked into a room downstairs. It took quite an effort to get Jared into the room. He was really drunk, leaning on Agnes¡® shoulder the w hole way, and he was heavy Fortunately, Agnes had been practicing Taekwondo since she was a kid, so she was pretty strong. Once in the room, Agnes plopped Jared onto the bed. Exhausted, Agnes felt like she had just lifted a m ountain off her shoulders. She copsed onto the bed, andy t, panting heavily. After a short rest, just as she was about to get up. Jared rolled over, half his body pressing down on he r. His move was smooth, and he pulled Agnes into his arms with one hand resting on her chest Just as Agnes was about to struggle free. She heard Jared mumble in confusion, ¡°Agnes, I miss you so much.¡± Agnes felt like she¡¯d been struck by lightning. Jared¡¯s tone was whiny, like a child¡¯s. She had never seen this side of him before. It was as if he had b e a different person. Agnes was stunned for a moment, but a smile gradually appeared on her face. She was filled with anticipation In the beginning, she was very angry with Jared because he had epted toasts from many girls that n ight. However, his unintentional confession gradually cooled her anger. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Jared was still mumbling. ¡°I don¡¯t feel so good¡± Agnes quickly said, ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll get you some water.¡± Just as she was about to get up, Jared grabbed her arm, ¡°I don¡¯t want water.¡± Agnes patiently exined, ¡°You¡¯ll feel better after drinking some water Jared stubbornly insisted, like a moody child, ¡°No, I want to take a bath¡± Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Agnes knew Jared was a stickler for personal hygiene. He showered every day and never wore the sa me clothes for more than a day ¡°Let me adjust the water temperature for you,¡± she told him. The hotel bathroom was a shower stall, and Agnes quickly had the temperature set just right This was a five¨C star hotel, pajamas were provided, and as for what Jared was going to wear tomorrow, he¡¯d probably h ave his assistant bring it over once he sobered up After a lot of hassling, Agnes finally got Jared into th e bathroom, and he seemed to have sobered up a bit. The sound of running water came from the bathroom. When Agnes appeared from the bathroom, she checked the time. She needed to leave, but she was a bit worried Then she thought, Jared¡¯s not a kid, he¡¯d probably just go to sleep after his shower, there wouldn¡¯t be any problem. As Agnes prepared to leave, just as she reached the door, she heard a tter from the bathroom. Agnes rushed in at once, opening the door to find Jared had fallen over. He hadn¡¯t even stripped yet, his clothes were soaked through. But him sitt ing on the floor rubbing his forehead didn¡¯t seem embarrassing, rather, it was kind of cute. Agnes had never associated the word ¡°cute¡± with Jared. But now, Jared seemed like a kid who¡¯d done something wrong, a hint of a smile on his face, ¡°Agnes, I fell.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. There was a touch of hurt in his voice; Agnes felt helpless. Jared was as drunk as a skunk, what if something really happened? She sighed, helping Jared up and said, ¡°How could you be so careless, you haven¡¯t even stripped, how are you going to shower?¡± Jared gave a hard tug at his shirt but couldn¡¯t get it off. Then, like a child, he looked to Agnes for help. ¡° Help me.¡± Agnes felt helpless, and she could only help Jared undo his shirt buttons. Even though she was a bit shy, Jared was drunk, so Agnes treated him like a child that needed taking care of But when she looked up, Agnes saw what seemed like a spark in Jared¡¯s eyes. Before she could react, Jared grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest By this point, Agnes was also soaked through, water dripping down her cor, like a silent temptation. Jared¡¯s body was burning hot. Agnes was taken aback. Before she could react, she found herself pinne d against the bathroom door¡­ At one in the morning, they were still in the bathroom¡­ Agnes felt like she was falling apart, Jared¡¯s stamina was astonishing. She was starting to doubt wheth er he was really drunk, God¡­ But she was really tired, and soon drifted off into a drowsy sleep. Agnes had a gentle dream. She dreamt she was soaking in a hot spring, someone was caressing her w hole body, then ced her on a soft marshmallow. The marshmallow was sweet, soft andfy, Agne s let out a few satisfied sighs and soon slipped into dreand. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Agnes was woken up by Jared, who had just finished taking a shower and put on some clean clothes. As he was buttoning his shirt cuffs, he strolled over to Agnes and gave her a light smack on her butt, se emingly in a good mood. ¡°Lazybones, time to get up Agnes was already awake, but she was hiding under the nket, deep in thought over a serious matter Did Jared really get drunkst night? The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she got. Jared l ifted the nket and said. ¡®If you don¡¯t get up now you¡¯ll bete. It¡¯s your first day at work.¡± Agnes suddenly remembered that she was supposed to start shooting today and she sat up. All her clothes from yesterday were no good. Was she supposed to go out in those? Jared read Agnes¡® mind. As he was looking in the mirror, he said, ¡°Your clothes are on your bedside.¡± Agnes turned her head and sure enough, there was a set of brand¨C new clothes. They must have been delivered by Jared¡¯s assistant, but Agnes had no idea when they ca me Agnes quickly got dressed and Jared was ready to go. I¡¯ll drive you to Lakeside College,¡± Jared said. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No need,¡± Agnes immediately waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll take a cab. It¡¯ll be a hassle if we¡¯re seen together¡± Jared had suddenly be an investor in a TV series. They had dinner togetherst night, and if peop le found out she was going to work in the investor¡¯s car this morning. she would be in real trouble. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? If we¡¯re found out, let¡¯s just make our rtionship public, Jared said If Jared had said this before, Agnes would have been happy. But now, after finding out about Mamie, s he still had a knot in her heart She hadn¡¯t decided what to do in the future. ¡°Let¡¯s not cause any problems for the crew¡± Agnes said. ¡®I¡¯ll get going.¡± Agnes left as if she was fleeing Jared became gloomy. Agnes was mncholy all the way to work. Their rtionship had finally improved a bit, and she finally had time to think it over. But thenst night happened¡­ Why couldn¡¯t she resist temptation? Agnes arrived fairly early, but Ava was already in the makeup room. ¡°Agnes, why didn¡¯t youe backst night? Your phone was off too,¡± Ava asked when she saw Agnes. ¡°My phone died. I stayed at a friend¡¯s housest night,¡± Agnes replied. ¡°Agnes, you must have been out partying. You don¡¯t have any friends. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve be like this, a disgrace to the Pritchard family.¡± Beatrice, who was also in the makeup room, raised her voice on purpose. Everyone in the crew knew both sisters from the Pritchard family were part of the show. Beatrice¡¯s part in the drama wasn¡¯t big. She wasn¡¯t even supposed to be in the crev yet, but she showed up on the firs t day The moment she arrived, she acted all high and mighty, as if she was the future leadingdy. Of course , with a father like Preston, few actors dared to disrespect her. Rumors about the Pritchard sisters being half¨C siblings had been circting for a while, and their rtionship was far from harmonious. But no one ex pected their rtionship to be this bad. Beatrice looked down on Agnes from the bottom of her heart, giving her a tough time wherever she we nt, not missing a single opportunity to tarnish her reputation public! At that moment, Justin walked in and said, ¡°From where I¡¯m standing, you¡¯re the one disgracing the Prit chard family.¡± The makeup room went dead silent. Justin didn¡¯t hold back ¡°You wear expensive clothes, and expensive jewelry, but your behavior is far fro m ssy. Your father is a wise man, but his biggest failure was not being able to educate you properly.¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Justin was the only crew member with the guts to treat Beatrice like she was nothing. He was a top artist with Starlight International Group, even Preston had to suck up to him. Beatrice was fuming pointing at Justin¡¯s nose and saying. ¡°Dare you say that again?¡± Justin looked at her with contempt, not taking Beatrice seriously at all He put his hand on Agnes shoulder and said. ¡°Agnes, there¡¯s a kissing scene today. Looking forward to 11?¡± Agnes had read the script yesterday N?velDrama.Org content rights. The director scheduled twelve scenes for today¡¯s shoot. It was her first scene with Justin, probably to h elp them get to know each other. The scene was about Sylvia gaining the ability to time travel. She was picturing a scene to travel back to, but didn¡¯t expect it to be identical t o the bedroom of the rich young master, Samie She ended up in Samie¡¯s room, falling onto his bed and their first encounter began with an unexpected kiss¡­ Honestly Agnes wasn¡¯t looking forward to this scene. But for her, acting was like doing a job, she would do her best no matter what the plot was. As for off¨Cset matters, she didn¡¯t want to get too involved with anyone. Agnes took Justin¡¯s hand off her shoulder and said, ¡°I need to start my makeup¡± Beatrice was stomping her foot in anger, ¡°Are you two treating me like a brick wall?¡± Agnes was ready. The filming location for this scene was not at school, reportedly a vi nearby Once all preparations were done, the main crew got on the bus. Ava sat next to Agnes and said. ¡°I heard our filming location was provided by a secret rich man.¡± It was not unusual, as some directors or producers also provided their private residences. But what Ag nes didn¡¯t expect was, the bus drove straight into Maplewood Manor. Maplewood Manor was the closest high¨C end vi area near the university, but Agnes had a bad feeling about it. Sure enough, a few minutester, her suspicion was confirmed. The bus stopped in front of the vi she and Jared shared. So, the unknown rich man Ava mentioned provided the vi, was Jared¡­ Before shooting the director exined, the owner of this vi was Jared. Everyone said Jared was reall y invested in this drama. When everyone entered the vi, they all showed expressions of curiosity and amazement. Maplewood Manor was a well¨C known rich area in the city, with high privacy, luxurious facilities, and private indoor and outdoor swimmi ng pools, it was very high¨Cend. While Ava went upstairs, she saw a mural hanging on the staircase wall and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Jimmy¡¯s re alistic oil painting? It was auctioned for 50 million. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s hanging here. Oh my god, this who le wall is money.¡± Agnes was also incredibly surprised. She had lived here for a while and thought it was more luxurious t han an ordinary vi, but she didn¡¯t expect even a random painting on the wall to be worth so much. However, ever since Agnes had entered, she was a bit restless. Although she had cleaned everything before moving out, she was worried that she had left traces. This vi had more than a dozen bedrooms. Jared only provided a guest room, but it was obviously ne wly renovated and very luxurious After entering, the director started exining the script. Although Agnes didn¡¯t have a professional acting background, she knew all aspects of film shooting be cause of her father¡¯s influence The shooting went very smoothly, and the director kept praising her talent. At four in the afternoon, it was finally time to shoot thest scene of the day. The kissing scene¡­ Chapter 94 Chapter 94 The early shooting went pretty smooth. In the final shot, Agnes¡± character, Sylvia fell from the sky,nding right on Samie¡¯s bed, their lips brush ed against each other Justin was already in bed. He looked so charming Even before the camera started rolling he was already in position on the bed, g esturing to Agnes, ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m waiting for you¡± He even blew her a kiss, captivating everyone watching Justin was shirtless at the time, a real treat for the whole crew His face was jaw¨C dropping, sometimes it was even hard to tell his gender, but his body was top notch. The muscle definit ion was there. He had a six pack, but wasn¡¯t the typical musclehead He just had the right amount. Then, out of the blue, the director said, ¡°Bring in the stunt double.¡± The word stunt double caught everyone off guard. At this point, a petite girl with delicate features stepped out of the crowd. The girl bore some resemn ce to Agnes, and she seemed a bit nervous The director came over and casually introduced, ¡°Agnes, this is your stunt double. She¡¯ll handle the kis sing scenes and some of the risky moves from now on.¡± The girl bowed to Agnes, ¡°Agnes, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Luc, your stunt double. Please guide me where you can.¡± Agnes was taken aback. She didn¡¯t know that the production team had arranged a stunt double for her. But Agnes didn¡¯t really want to do kissing scenes in the first ce, so she just went with the flow since t he production team had made the arrangements Beatrice was standing by, arms crossed, sarcastically saying. ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re using a stunt double for a modern drama? If word gets out, it might not look so good¡± In fact, the director Zoe didn¡¯t like using stunt doubles either, but it was Ivan¡¯s strong insistence Zoe guessed that Ivan might have had feelings for the girl, otherwise, there was no need to arrange a s tunt double in this situation. Even though he wasn¡¯t too keen on it, he had to respect the producer¡¯s decision Zoe said, ¡°Alright, enough chit¨Cchat. Let¡¯s get in position.¡± But Justin disagreed, he suddenly stood up and said, ¡°Is my kiss something anyone can get? If she¡¯s u sing a stunt double, I¡¯m not filming.¡± Agnes was speechless. This was a shoot, not a date. N?velDrama.Org content rights. It took the director and his agent quite some time to convince him, and finally, Justin conceded The shooting officially began. However, Justin was deliberately uncooperative. The same scene was shot dozens of times and still di dn¡¯t get approved Agnes noticed. Justin was throwing a tantrum, and eventually, Zoe got pissed off. Seeing the shooting progress being hindered, Agnes stepped up, saying. ¡°Let me do it.¡± Since Agnes was willing, Zoe naturally wouldn¡¯t object. He only cared about the quality of the movie an d no longer considered Ivan¡¯s wishes. Seeing Agnes change her clothes and get ready to go on stage, Justin finallyughed, ¡°If you had decided this earlier on, I wouldn¡¯t have had to work so hard¡± Agnes thought he did this on purpose, as she was already hung in the air. She was floating in the air, then slowly descending le all the firs The script was set so that Sylvia¡¯s lips wouldnd perfectly on Samie¡¯s lips, the first meeting of the mai n characters in the script. Agnes descended slowly, and just when they were about to touch, Justin took the initiative to kiss Agne s. Agnes was taken aback, Justin smiled and said to her, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re really sweet¡± C Chapter 95 Chapter 95 "Cut¡ª" the director shouted loudly. "What the heck is going on, Justin?" Director Zoe was running out of patience. Agnes was getting angry too. If it were a script requirement, that would be unavoidable. But Justin was clearly joking just now. "Sorry, director. I wasn''t in the best state just now. Let''s do it again," Justin said to the director. Justin was extremely popr in the industry, and his whimsical nature was well-known. Some excessive behavior from time to time was nothing new. But his fans loved him just like that, as if he were the moon in the sky. To his fans, everything Justin did was right. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The director was helpless. "Let''s shoot again. If it still doesn''t work, we''ll do it tomorrow." Agnes said to Justin, "If you keep this up, don''t me me for being rude. I''m trained in Taekwondo." After saying that, she waved her fist at Justin. Justin smiled gently, seemingly indulgent, "Impressive, my little princess." Agnes got goosebumps. She really didn''t like Justin''s overly enthusiastic attitude, but she felt she couldn''t change it. The wire was hoisted up again, Sylvia screamed as she descended, suddenlynding on Samie who was asleep. Samie opened his eyes, looking at the woman who fell from the sky in shock, unable to react for a moment. Their lips touched, staring at each other for ten seconds. In those ten seconds, their faces were full of surprise, anger, and embarrassment. The director nodded satisfactorily in front of the camera; all the onlookers were mesmerized. At this moment, a tall figure stood at the door. Jared had just returned and saw this scene. He had offered the vi to the crew. In addition to visiting the set, he could also have an excuse to openly watch their shooting. Jared knew today''s scenes would be shot in the vi, so he cancelled an important meeting toe and observe. He didn''t expect to see this scene as soon as he walked in. Jared didn''t think of himself as a petty man. He respected the profession of acting and knew that sometimes drama required actors to really get into their roles. It was just work. But why was he still angry? "Cut¡ªperfect," Director Zoe stood up. "That''s enough for today. Special praise to Agnes, her performance was on point, she''s very talented." Beatrice had no scenes today, but she still watched all day. She came to see Agnes make a fool of herself. Agnes wasn''t a professional actress; how could she possibly act? But surprisingly, she did it so smoothly. Beatrice felt suffocated all day, as if her lungs were about to explode. It seemed that no one in the crew disliked Agnes. The director was particrly fond of her, and even Justin seemed to have a "strong interest" in Agnes. "Everyone, go and have your dinner, rest well tonight." As soon as the director shouted "cut", Agnes climbed off Justin. When she turned her head, she saw Jared standing at the door. Agnes suddenly felt a chill. When did hee over? Was he watching her act out the kissing scene? Although Agnes understood it was just work, and just brief lip contact, she felt extremely embarrassed thinking that Jared had been watching her. The director went over and greeted Jared. "Mr. Whitfield, you''re back so early? Thank you for providing such a great location, but it seems we''ve disturbed your rest." The other actresses on set lit up when they saw Jared. They smiled and went over to say hello. Jared showed a slight smile. "You''re too kind. I¡¯m lucky to be able to see such an amazing shooting scene." Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Not knowing if it was Agnes¡® illusion, but Agnes always felt like Jared¡¯s words were meant for her. Seeing Agnes staring intently at Jared, Justin waved his hand in front of her face: ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re crushing on him like all the other girls. You think his face is prettier than mine?¡± Agnes reacted, and her intuition told her that she couldn¡¯t stay here for too long. She quickly gathered her stuff, nning to leave. But Jared was surrounded by a group of people blocking the door Agnes squeezed out a slit from the very edge, lowered her head and kept saying. ¡°Excuse me, excuse me.¡± Finally managing to escape the studio, Agnes let out a sigh of relief. All she needed to do was to disappear from Jared¡¯s sight. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Don¡¯t see me¡­ don¡¯t see me¡­ don¡¯t see me¡­ Agnes hypnotized herself. ¡°Ms. Pritchard¡± A deep, clear male voice came from behind her. Hearing that voice, Agnes could feel her heart racing. But her feet felt like they were nailed to the ground, and she stopped. Turning around, Agnes awkwardly asked, ¡®Mr. Whitfield, did you call me?¡± Even though she didn¡¯t do anything wrong, she felt guilty whenever she saw Jared¡¯s face. Feeling like she had wronged him, all eyes were on her now She could feel the icy, dagger¨Clike stares from the other women. Jared started walking towards her at a leisurely pace With every step Jared took, Agnes¡¯s heart felt like it was hanging by a thread. She couldn¡¯t figure out what Jared was up to, even Justin came over, standing by the side with a thoug htful expression on his face. Jared, can you please stop messing with me? Agnes wished she could plead to the heavens. Seeing Jared stop, Agnes quickly said: ¡°If Mr. Whitfield has no other requests, I need to go.¡± Biting her lip discreetly, Agnes signaled Jared to keep his distance. Jaredpletely ignored Agnes¡® expression, there was a gentle smile on his face, but Agnes only felt t hat there was a something meaningful in that smile. Just as expected, Jared spoke: ¡°I just wanted to tel l Ms. Pritchard that your shoces are untied.¡± Agnes was taken aback and looked down. She had already changed into her off¨Cstage clothes and shoes. She casually wore a pair of sneakers today which were indeed not tied up properly. Before Agnes could react Jared slowly kneeled down on one knee. Agnes was stunned, so was everyone else. Jared was tying Agnes¡¯s shoces, and his kneeling pose was so charming that it made all the girls¡® h earts flutter Agnes was dumbfounded. She hated it when Jared tried to get close in public, but tying shoces was a bit too much.. Jared, are you trying to drown me in the sea of jealousy? Agnes was so stiff that she couldn¡¯t move, and her foot didn¡¯t feel like her own. Jared naturally finished tying the shoces and stood up, still with a gentle smile on his face ¡°Ms. Pritchard, p lease be more careful next time.¡± Hearing the words ¡°be careful¡°, Agnes felt a chill run down her spine. She felt like there was a hidden m essage in Jared¡¯s words. But in the eyes of others, it didn¡¯t look like that. What they saw was a pampering face, which made people go crazy with envy! Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Jared had left and everyone immediately surrounded Agnes. ¡°Agnes, are you close with Mr. Whitfield? Why is he so sweet to you?¡± ¡°Mr. Whitfield tying your shoces was such a gentlemanly and handsome move, it made us all really happy¡± ¡°Agnes, does Mr. Whitfield have a thing for you?¡± ¡°Do you two have some secret? Agnes, I heard you¡¯ve been promised a position, is it because of Mr. W hitfield?* It finally dawned on Agnes Jared must have done this on purpose, making her the center of attention! Agnes deliberately said loudly. ¡°Have any of you heard of obsessive¨C compulsive disorder, I heard that Mr. Whitfield is a serious patient with obsessive¨C compulsive disorder, so when he saw that my shoces were loose, he would definitely help to tie them up. Didn¡¯t you notice his relieved expression just after tying the shoces? This is a ty pical manifestation of obsessivepulsive disorder patients.¡± Everyone was enlightened. Although Agnes was also thedy of a wealthy family, she and Jared seemed to be from two worlds. Ja red, even being a star in their circle, never gave Agnes a second look He couldn¡¯t possibly be interested in a newbie like Agnes. This exnation made more sense. Everyone silently decided, the next time Jared appeared again, they must quietly loosen their shoce s. Meanwhile, Ivan, standing in the hallway of the third floor, witnessed all this. He almostughed out loud as Jared walked up to him. Ivan said to Jared, ¡°Your wife is interesting¡± Jared replied coldly. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to use a stand¨Cin for the kiss scene?¡± Ivan innocently responded, ¡°Things change, I did find a stand¨C in. But they didn¡¯t use him, I can¡¯t do anything about it, I¡¯m not the director.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Jared knew he couldn¡¯t me Ivan. He saw Agnes volunteered. Thinking about it made Jared even more uneasy Ivan continued, ¡°Jared, there¡¯s one thing I still have to tell you. Justin actually proposed to your wife a y ear ago. I know Justin, he seems like a yboy but he hasn¡¯t had a real girlfriend in years. When he was at the top of Century Entertainment, he suddenly signed with Starlight International Group on his o wn initiative. After so many years, I still can¡¯t figure it out. Now I¡¯m thinking does this have anything to do with Agnes?¡± Jared¡¯s face darkened, Ivan said, ¡°I had no idea your young wife had so many fans. Where did you find such a character?¡± Jared didn¡¯t respond, frowning. Ivan found that this man really cared about this woman. Just as Agnes was leaving the vi, Justin¡¯s Fe rrari pulled up in front of her Justin said, ¡°Get in the car.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t want to get in the car, afraid it would cause unnecessary rumors, but Justin just slowly dro ve alongside her. His car was a convertible, and Justin whistled at her casually, which Agnes felt drew more attention. Finally, out of options, Agnes got in and said, ¡°Justin, can you not do this in the future?¡± Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Justin closed the convertible roof and gnnned. ¡°Agnes, what have I ever done to you?¡± Agnes wanted to tell him straight up, don¡¯t bother me again. But she knew Justin He was just like that, spontaneous, and maybe he didn¡¯t just act like this with her. In his eyes, she might just be a fun toy, an entertainment tool for this superstar who was always in the s potlight. Agnes did not like this feeling, so she was going to clear things up with him today. Agnes said, ¡°Justin, I hope you stop messing around with me, I¡¯m not your toy. Or rather, there are plen ty of people who are willing to be your toy why me?¡± Justin, driving, turned his head and innocently asked, ¡°When did I ever mess with you?¡± ¡°A year ago, you proposed to me out of nowhere, now you¡¯re flirting with me on set, causing all sorts of misunderstandings Isn¡¯t that messing with me? Justinughed. ¡°A year ago, when I proposed to you, I was serious. You rejected me and I was upset fo r a long time.¡± Agnes asked, ¡°Can you tell me why you proposed to me? To me, it seems there¡¯s no reason other than you being crazy¡± Agnes¡¯s voice got more serious. She didn¡¯t want toplicate things with Justin. Even if it made him angry, keeping distance would be a good thing. But Justin didn¡¯t seem angry at all, ¡°Agnes, did I ever tell you my goal is to marry into a rich family¡®?¡± Agnes was taken aback, she thought for a while and said, ¡®So I¡¯m just a target for you, you proposed to me just for the resources of Starlight International Group?¡± But what she couldn¡¯t understand was, Justin was already the hottest star at Starlight International Gro up. They had already given him the best resources The situation now should be that Starlight International Group was afraid he wouldn¡¯t renew his contrac t, not him trying to suck up to them. So, he really had no reason to worry about resources. Justin said, ¡°If it¡¯s for resources, then you¡¯re underestimating me, Justin¡± Agnes said. ¡°Then why? The Pritchard family isn¡¯t exactly top¨C tier rich, there are plenty of socialites who like you. You¡¯re interested in The Pritchard family. I have a y ounger sister, she¡¯s my father s current wife¡¯s daughter,pared to me, she should be of higher value to you.¡± Justin said, ¡°I don¡¯t like your sister¡± ¡°What about others? The Pritchard family can¡¯t even make it into the Big Four of Willowbrook Town, what exactly do you want?¡± Justin suddenly turned his head, lightly tapped Agnes¡¯s cheek, ¡°Silly girl, it¡¯s all for you¡± Agnes was left speechless, it seemed like the conversation was back to square one. She didn¡¯t believe that Justin, a top¨C tier person in the entertainment industry who had seen so many top¨C tier beauties, would be interested in her, an ordinary person. Agnes looked disappointed, she didn¡¯t want to talk to Justin anymore. Justin nced at her and smiled, ¡°Little princess, what do you want for dinner tonight?¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Agnes looked up and saw that they were near the school, a few more steps and they would be at the nearby food street. Agnes quickly said. ¡°Stop the car, I¡¯ll eat here.¡± The car stopped by the side of the road. Agnes just wanted to have a beef hamburger, but she didn¡¯t expect Justin to get off the car too. Agnes asked suspiciously, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Justin said, ¡°Having dinner with you. You don¡¯t think I¡¯m a ghost who doesn¡¯t need to eat, do you?¡± Chapter 99 Chapter 99 hapter 99 Agnes knew Justin was going to eat, but she didn¡¯t think he would eat the kind of food that was bought at the food street stalls Everyone in the crew was eating cheap meals at noon today, even the director was no exception Only Justin was enjoying something different, and no one dared to question his special treatment. Agnes asked, ¡°Are you sure you can go in there with me and get out safely?¡± This was the food street in University Town Although it was summer vacation, 90% of the students chose to stay because they heard Justin was fil ming there. The shooting location at the university was closed off. But since the set was built, there were always crowds of onlookers every day if Justin suddenly appeared on this food street now, it might cause confusion among the crowd Justin was aware of this Justin said, ¡°Then you go and buy it. I¡¯ll wait for you in the car. I want barbecue, with lots of chili.¡± He hadpletely considered himself part of this ce. But Agnes knew that with his personality, if she didn¡¯t listen to him, he might really go in with her. Agnes sighed helplessly and went straight to the food street. Soon, Agnes returned to the car with barbecue in her hand. Agnes had eaten barbecue many times before, but it was her first time eating it in a Ferrari. Agnes ate very carefully, fearing that she would dirty the car. In contrast, Justin was wolfing down his fo od. If it was someone else, Agnes might think they had bad table manners. But just because it was Justin, and whatever he did didn¡¯t make people feel disgusted. His slender fingers holding the fork had a special aesthetic. When Justin looked up, he found Agnes watching him. He smiled and said, ¡°Little princess, do you think I look especially handsome even when I¡¯m eating?¡± Agnes frowned, leaned in and asked seriously. ¡°Justin, I have a question for you¡± Agnes leaned so close that Justin was a bit stunned and stiffly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the question? Agnes seriously said, ¡°Do you have narcissistic personality disorder?¡± Justin was stunned. Agnes had already leaned back and took a bite of barbecue: ¡°Hasn¡¯t anyone ever told you?¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. - Justin snorted, and took out another small mirror: ¡°Narcissism is a description of those who look averag e and feel overly good about themselves, but I am so good¨Clooking. how can there be a possibility of narcissism?¡± Agnes shook her head, full of disgust, and mumbled, ¡°Fine, I have nothing to say¡± After dinner, Justin insisted on dropping her off at the dormitory After getting out of the car, Agnes hurried him to leave, as the dormitory entrance was a hotspot for female st udents. But Justin lowered the car window: ¡°Little princess, aren¡¯t you going to give me a goodbye kiss?¡± Agnes turned around and ran into the dormitory building. Justin, with a smile on his face, started the en gine and left. This scene was captured on Beatrice¡¯s phone. She had just seen Agnes get into Justin¡¯s car, guessed that Justin might take Agnes back, so she waite d here. As long as there was a hint of a scandal between Agnes and Justin, the fans who were obsessed with him woul d definitely nder her. Just as Beatrice was smirking, Ava appeared behind her. Ava sternly asked. ¡°What are you filming?¡± Ava saw the photo. The photo clearly showed Agnes getting out of Justin¡¯s car and Justin¡¯s side profile. Ava seemed to guess something Ava said, ¡°You should know that during the shooting period, in order to keep it secret, all photos from th e set can¡¯t be made public. Besides, Agnes, as the female lead, has not been announced to the public yet. If you publish the photos directly, Director Zoe will me it, and no one can afford it.¡± Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Beatrice turned and put the phone away. Ava said, ¡°You should delete that photo¡± Beatrice retorted, ¡°Stay out of my business with Agnes.¡± Ava replied, ¡°I can¡¯t ignore it since I saw it. Agnes and I are friends.¡± Beatrice smirked, ¡°Friends? I think you are trying to please her. You used to be an artist in the studio, a nd I know you¡¯ve always wanted to sign with Starlight International Group. If you think pleasing Agnes can sign you to Starlight International Gr oup, then you might as well please me, Agnes has no ce in our family at all.¡± Ava said, ¡°You¡¯re underestimating me. Starlight International Group isn¡¯t the only agency in the world 1, Ava, don¡¯t need to suck up to anyone. If Agnes has no status in your house, why is she the lead actress in this y and you¡¯re just a supporting actress?¡± The words really angered Beatrice. Beatrice was too angry to speak, but an idea came to her suddenly. Beatrice changed her tone. ¡°Ava, i remember you auditioned for the lead role too before, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ava asked, ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Beatrice shared, ¡°Here¡¯s the truth. Agnes was shoved in there because this y was co¨C produced by my dad and Ivan. My dad wanted to get Agnes into the entertainment. industry, so he forc ed her into the lead role. In fact, you were the first in the audition, but because of Agnes, you could only y a supporting role.¡± Ava said, ¡°Don¡¯t try to stir things up. I won¡¯t believe you.¡± Beatrice yed innocent, ¡°I¡¯m not lying Doesn¡¯t it seem odd? You and Agnes go to the same school, bu t she¡¯s a journalism student. How did she suddenly get into acting, and as the lead? Anyone would find that hard to believe. Plus, she¡¯s doing this y just to get close to Justin.¡± The mention of Justin shocked Ava Beatrice knew Ava had a crush on Justin because she once identally discovered a fan tattoo of Just in behind Ava¡¯s ear. Beatrice went on, ¡°Did you know Agnes is a super fan of Justin? She doesn¡¯t show it in public, but her room is filled with Justin¡¯s posters. She¡¯s doing this y just to get close to him¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. When Ava got back to the dorm, Agnes could tell something was off. Agnes asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You seem to be in bad mood¡± Ava said, ¡°Where did you go after work? I couldn¡¯t find you¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Oh, I went to the food street for dinner. I forgot to tell you.¡± Ava¡¯s face changed slightly, ¡°You¡¯re saying you ate street food tonight?¡± Agnes nodded, ¡°Yes, grilled meat.¡± Ava muttered, ¡°I see.¡± Then she climbed onto the upper bunk andy down with her back to Agnes. Agnes felt confused, her gut telling her Ava didn¡¯t seem very happy Agnes didn¡¯t tell Ava she was with Justin, fearing it would upset her more. Agnes knew Ava had feelings for Justin, but she didn¡¯t ask or intentionally mention it.. Avay in bed, feeling restless. Justin had just dropped her off in his Ferrari. They clearly had dinner together. There¡¯s no way Justin would eat at a street stall with her. Everyone knew Justin was very picky about his food. He never ate what the crew provides and always had his own chef cook for him Agnes was obviously lying It seemed what Beatrice said wasn¡¯t all false. Ava clenched her fists under the covers. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Recently, Agnes noliced a massive change in Ava¡¯s attitude Ava was always deliberately avoiding her Aftering back to the dorm at night, she would no longer make chit chat, just reading her script alone or going to bed. Agnes tried to talk to her many times, but Ava always made an excuse to dodge it Agnes could tell Ava was acting colder and colder towards her, but she was totally clueless because there was no fight or anything between them. One afternoon, Agnes walked up to Ava with her lunch box in hand Just as she sat down, Ava abruptly got up and switched her seat, making Agnes feel super embarrassed and sad. At least now she knew for sure Ava didn¡¯t like her. Justin sat next to Agnes when she ate alone with her head down¡­ Justin directly took the food from Agnes¡¯ hands and threw it into the trash can next to him. Agnes was dumbfounded, ¡°Justin, what the hell are you doing?¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Justin replied. ¡°Is the crew¡¯s food okay to eat? Look how thin you have be?¡± Agnes was speechless. He was really not afraid of offending people. The director was right there, he awkwardly looked at his own lunch after hearing Justin¡¯s words, not sure whether to eat it or not. But Justin didn¡¯t care, he grabbed Agnes¡¯s arm and said, ¡°From now on, you¡¯re eating with me. Whatever you want to eat, I have the chef whip it up for you¡± Agnes wasn¡¯t pleased, but she was dragged away by Justin anyway. She red at him, and they almost had an argument. All this was observed by Ava, who was fuming Beatrice had been watching from the sidelines. It seemed like her wordsst time had had some effect. It was time to make the next move. She walked up to Ava and sat down, saying, ¡°Looks like Justin has for a crush on Agnes, Agnes is really a ristress of love.¡± Ava said. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Beatrice said, ¡°Justin¡¯s food looks good, but I don¡¯t know if there are peanuts in it. Agnes is allergic to peanuts, even a little bit of peanut dust can give her hives all over her body, which won¡¯t go away for half a month.* Ava frowned, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Beatrice nonchntly said. Tm saying the shooting time for ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere¡¯ is only three months, so the schedule is pretty tight. I doubt the director would wait for an actress for half a month. If Agnes has to be reced because of health issues, you¡¯re the most likely recement. Then you can act with Justin, who knows, maybe because of the scene¡­¡± Before Ava could respond, Beatrice stood up. ¡°It¡¯s always been a shame to me that you didn¡¯t get the role. You¡¯re far prettier and a better actress than Agnes. But there are a lot of unfair things in this industry, who can stay in this industry for a long time?¡± After Agnes left, Ava didn¡¯t say a word, her hand slightly trembling Late at night, Agnes suddenly had an asthma attack, Ava was actually still awake. When she got down from the bed and saw Agnes, she was taken aback. Agnes was covered in red hives, her whole face was swollen. What¡¯s worse, Agnes was coughing non-stop, she seemed to be unable to breathe at all. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 ¡°Agnes, what¡¯s up with you?¡± Ava gently tapped on Agnes¡¯s face Agnes¡¯s face was burning up, Ava noticed, she was running a high fever Ava couldn¡¯t help but feel afraid. Earlier in the day, Beatrice had told her some things, andter at night, she sprinkled some peanut powder on Beatrice¡¯s pillow. She thought it was just amon allergy, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be this serious, Ava quickly sought help. Everyone in the crew was startled awake, and Agnes was rushed to the hospital. Agnes felt her consciousness blurred, dizzy, the world seemed chaotic. When she opened her eyes again, all she saw were blurry figures, all wearing white doctor¡¯s coats and nurse uniforms, and one silhouette. She vaguely heard the doctor¡¯s voice, ¡®Ms. Pritchard, this is an anaphctic shock, the allergen causes asthma which leads to shock. Ms. Pritchard¡¯s condition is quite serious and needs to be hospitalized for observation.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dr. Porras.¡± ¡°Mr. Whitfield, you¡¯re too kind¡± Then the doctors and nurses left. The tall silhouette turned around, and Agnes finally saw that face, it was Jared. Jared found that Agnes had woken up and immediately came over and asked, ¡°Agnes, how are you feeling, do you need some water?¡± Agnes shook her head, ¡°Why are you back?¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Agnes remembered that Jared should be on a business trip to Japan these days, how could he suddenly appear in front of her. Jared said, ¡°Of course I muste back. You almost didn¡¯t wake up.¡± Agnes said, ¡°It¡¯s not that serious. I just had an allergic reaction. These little idents happen once or twice a year, there¡¯s no danger to my life.¡± Hearing Agnes say this, Jared¡¯s face immediately turned serious, ¡°Agnes, are you st d? Knowing your allergic reactions are so severe, and still have one or two every year?¡± Agnes said with a grievance, ¡®It¡¯s not something I can control, who can predict idents?¡± Agnes knew her severe peanut allergy, it was hereditary Normally she was very careful when eating, she would avoid anything rted to peanuts, but this time she was not sure what happened Jared said, ¡°I don¡¯t think this could be an ident, think hard, have you ever told anyone about your peanut allergy¡± Agnes frowned. She had never mentioned it, but in the crew, besides her, Beatrice knew. If it were really done on purpose. Beatrice would definitely not do it herself, Agnes was absolutely sure about this. Agnes said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t always assume the worst in people, maybe it really was just an ident, maybe I identally ate some.¡± Jared said. ¡°This industry is not as simple as you think, I don¡¯t understand why you want to act.¡± Why act? Isn¡¯t it just to avoid him? Agnes didn¡¯t feel good about it, she just pulled the nket over her head, ¡°Don¡¯t bother me. I¡¯m going to sleep¡± Next, Jared pulled the nket off again and said, ¡°Apply the medicine before you sleep¡± Jared got a box of ointment and said, ¡°This is the medicine prescribed by the doctor, the rash on your body can¡¯t go away, you need to apply it three times a day. It has anti-inmmatory and anti-itching effects, take off your clothes first¡± Agness cheeks suddenly turned red. She said, ¡°I can apply it myself, you can go out first.¡± Jared stood by the bed, staring hard at Agnes, his cold gaze seemed like it could carve out a hole in her body. Jared said coldly. ¡°Do you take them off yourself, or do I have to help you?¡± Agnes couldn¡¯t help but feel a bil scared seeing Jared¡¯s stone-cold expression. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 But Agnes knew Her body was covered in red mashes, even in her most intimate areas. She felt a bit embarrassed when Jared applied the medicine for her. Plus, she always seemed to be butting heads with him. Agnes turned her face away and said, ¡°You might not necessarily beat me.¡± She was a fifth-degree ck belt in Taekwondo after all. Even though Jared was taller and bigger than her, he seemed like a gentle giant. If they were to fight, This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. she doubted he would win. Jared didn¡¯t bother arguing with Agnes He walked over and was about to unbutton Agnes¡¯s shirt. Agnes naturally resisted, but Jared had her pinned to the bed with one swift move. Agnes had never realized that Jared was quite formidable Pressed by him like this, Agnes couldn¡¯t exert any strength at all. ¡°Let go of me,¡± Agnes shouted Jared smirked, looking at her struggling beneath him, ¡°You might want to stop showing off. Your skills are all sh and no substance.¡± She had trained in Taekwondo for over a decade and won countless medals, and he had the audacity to call her skills all sh and no substance¡¯ Agnes felt greatly insulted. She gritted her teeth and turned over. She managed to wriggle free from Jared¡¯s grip like a fish. Quickly, she grabbed Jared by the cor and threw him onto the bed. In a split second, the tables were turned. Agnes had Jared pinned down. To prevent any counterattacks, Agnes pressed her entire body onto him, looking like an octopus sprawled on a man. A triumphant smile spread across Agnes¡¯s face, ¡°How about that? Still think my skills are all sh and no substance?¡± Seeing Agnes¡¯s rare mischievous expression, Jaredughed, ¡°You seem to have recovered well. With all this energy, why don¡¯t we¡­¡± Jared leaned in closer, causing Agnes to blush. She was familiar with this look from Jared. Her heart was pounding. As Jared got closer, Agnes¡¯s mind went nk. She hadpletely forgotten what had just happened and their current situation. Her guard was down, but the warning bells in her head started ringing. As Jared drew nearer, Agnes instinctively backed away, distancing herself from him. The next second, Jared pulled Agnes towards him and flipped her onto the bed. Agnes was once again pinned down by Jared, creating an incredibly intimate atmosphere. Jared mimicked Agnes¡¯s previous move, pressing his entire body onto her. Agnes was once again unable to move ¡°What are you trying to do. Jared?¡± Agnes asked anxiously. Jared raised an eyebrow, cooll y responding with one word, ¡°Do something intimate with you.¡± It took Agnes a moment to understand what he meant. Her face turned beet red. This shameless man! It was a rather crude expression, but the way this man put it made her heart race and lose control. But Agnes was still a bit rational, she said angrily: ¡°Jared, this is in the hospital!¡± To her surprise, Jared raised an eyebrow again, a mischievous smile on his face, ¡°Perfect, I¡¯ve never tried it in a hospital before!¡± Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Agnes could feel Jared getting closer, his warm breath sweeping past her ear But Agnes waspletely immobilized, all she could do was close her eyes tight, and keep saying, ¡°get away from me, go away, Jared, let go of met Jared was definitely doing it on purpose, just to tease her This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. But her reaction was so cute, it made him want to tease her even more However, Jared knew this was not the right time. Agnes was covered in a rash and it would take some time to apply the medicine Just as Jared was about to get up, the door of the hospital room was suddenly pushed open, and a man appeared in the doorway He saw everything that was happening and heard Agnes scream. He froze for a second, and then, like a provoked bull, he rushed over pulled Jared off Agnes, and gave him a strong shove Jared, you beast!¡± Agnes was stunned to see Justin suddenly appear. Justin shielded Agnes behind him and said to Jared, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the gentleman everyone thought to be so shameless and despicable¡± Jared, who had been shoved frowned at the man in front of him. ¡°Who are you and what are you doing here?¡± Justin was somewhat in disbelief that there was someone in this world who didn¡¯t recognize him. He got even angrier, but first he turned to Agnes, ¡°Little princess, this bad guy didn¡¯t do anything to you, did he?¡± Agnes sneaked a nce at Jared, sure enough his expression was already very bad. Seeing Agnes¡¯s nk expression, Justin was even more worried about what kind of stimtion she had received Justin said, ¡°Little princess, don¡¯t be afraid. Even if he is the youngest CEO of the Tim Group, we will call the police, I am a witness, if he dares to disrespect you, we will discredit him.¡± Agnes looked at Justin¡¯s serious face, and realized that things seemed to be getting serious. Agnes wanted to exin, ¡°Justin, it¡¯s not what you think ¡± Justin was stillforting her, ¡®Don¡¯t sumb to his threats, no matter what happened, I will help you, tell me the truth.¡± Seeing Justin so persistent, Agnes simply blurted out, ¡°Justin, he¡¯s my husband.¡± Upon hearing the word ¡°husband¡±, Justin was stunned. Agnes nervously bit her lip and lowered her head This was the first time she had publicly acknowledged in front of Jared that he was her husband. Jared, who had been watching Justin with displeasure, finally had a change in his face. Jared walked up to Justin, ¡°Justin, do you still want to call the police?¡± Justin was at a loss, even though Ivan had said that Agnes was marriedst time, he was skeptical. After all, he had just heard that she had broken up with her childhood sweetheart, how could she be married so soon. But, the person in front of him¡­. Justin¡¯s face became serious, ¡°I clearly saw you just now¡­¡± He clearly saw Jared forcing Agnes, with Agnes even screaming for help. Jared sneered, his voice cold and arrogant, ¡°Since you¡¯re not married, you might not understand that this is the way we interact as a couple.¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Justin¡¯s face instantly turned unsightly, and there was a hint of embarrassment in his gaze towards Agnes. Agnes herself was also very embarrassed, feeling very awkward being seen in this situation by someone else. But in Justin¡¯s eyes, this was just the shyness of a young woman. If her husband was Jared¡­ ¡®Sorry for disturbing I¡¯ll go back first, Justin said Justin turned around and left. As he walked to the door, Agnes called out to him. be careful on the road¡± Agnes didn¡¯t know why she called out to him, but she felt that Justin was different from his usual self at the moment, as if he had suffered a major blow Justin stopped in his tracks, and Agnes didn¡¯t know what to say, so she could only say. ¡°Thank you for Justin paused for a moment, then left. The hospital room suddenly became very quiet. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re very disappointed,¡± Jared suddenly said. Agnes reflexively said. ¡°I¡¯m not. Justin and I have nothing to do with each other.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t know why she was in such a rush to exin, but deep down she was afraid that Jared would misunderstand N?velDrama.Org content rights. Jared¡¯s face looked a little better. He walked over again and said, ¡°Is there anything else? If not, I¡¯ll apply the medicine for you.¡± After such a loss. Agnes was no longer making a fuss, and began to undress. Jared turned around and walked to the door, locking the room¡¯s door When he walked back to the bed, Agnes had already undressed and was lying face down on the bed. Her figure was very good, and the curve of her back looked like it had been traced by a brush, but her back was now covered with small red bumps. Jared sat down beside Agnes and applied the ointment, smoothing it out with his fingers Agnes was both in pain and itchy all over, but the coldness of the ointment instantly relieved the pain and itching. She closed her eyes and sighed, ¡°Apply more, yes, night there, you can scratch it for me first.¡± Jared looked at Agnes, lying on the bed like azy cat, and now she wasa no longer shy. Just a moment ago, he had wanted to apply the medicine for her as if he was trying to kill her. Jared¡¯s face showed a faint smile, gently scratching Agnes¡¯s back, which made him feel like he was stroking a cat. Agnes¡¯s skin was very good, as smooth as silk, and when his fingers touched her, he felt like he was carrying an electric current. Jared lowered his head and nted a kiss on Agnes¡¯s back, slowly moving downwards¡­ Jared felt that his self-control was gradually copsing, and his breathing became heavy But Jared found that Agnes had no reaction to his teasing When he looked at Agnes again, she had fallen asleepfortably¡­ Jared was helpless, sighed, and could only continue to apply the medicine for Agnes. When Agnes woke up again, it was already the next morning, and there was no one else in the room.. She noticed that the red bumps on her body had improved somewhat, and feeling bored, Agnes got up and took a walk, then turned on the TV. The morning entertainment news was ying The news headline was ¡°The Award-winning Actor Justin Drives Late at Night to Take Mysterious Woman to the Hospital, Suspected Secret Love affairs Exposed!¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 The news released a photo taken by a passerby at a hospital and uploaded online. The photo showed Justin hugged her tightly, his face filled with worry and concern, while she seemed to be in a deep sleep. The news reports wereplicated, nad her identity was also exposed and she wasbeled as the ¡°The Princess of Starlight International Group¡± Justin, being an artist from the Starlight International Group, dating the Grand Princess of the same group seemed reasonable. So, when the news broke, no one questioned its authenticity. On the contrary, Justin¡¯s fans couldn¡¯t handle the truth, they were heartbroken, and the forums were buzzing like a beehive The topic made it to the hot headlines, with fans¡¯ cries echoing everywhere. Agnes, after reading the news, let out a deep sigh. This was serious trouble. Just as she turned off the TV, she saw Jared standing behind her, his gaze fixed on the TV. Agnes jumped with surprise. ¡°When did you get here? You didn¡¯t make a sound!¡± Jared said, ¡°Just when the news was talking about you two living together in secret.¡± H Agnes was speechless. This man did it on purpose, knowing that the news was fake, but deliberately teasing her. Agnes rolled her eyes, noticing that it was already nine in the morning She asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work today?¡± She knew he was always busy and, to her knowledge, Jared never took a day off. Ignoring her question, Jared simply said, ¡°Come and have breakfast¡± Only then did Agnes notice the wooden box in Jared¡¯s hands. It looked fancy A surprised Agnes asked, ¡°Did you make it yourself?¡± Jared snorted. ¡°Bought it.¡± Well, okay then¡­.. The box contained Agnes¡¯s favorite chicken soup. After a taste, Agnes exaggerated, ¡°Did you apprentice with the chef from this shop? The tastes are exactly the same¡± Jared, noticing the smirk on Agnes¡¯s face, replied calmly. ¡°Agnes, are you trying to tease me?¡± Agnes went back to her porridge, feeling a strange sense of joy. He obviously made it himself, but he wouldn¡¯t admit it. Agnes ate a lot, but Jared hadn¡¯t eaten. When Agnes looked up, she found Jared¡¯s gaze on her face His deep eyes, coupled with his unbeatable handsome face, were a deadlybination for any Material ? N?velDrama.Org. woman. Feeling a bit ufortable under his gaze, Agnes asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?* Jared suddenly said, ¡®My dear wife, let¡¯s make it public.¡± Agnes choked on the porridge she just put in her mouth. Jared had never affectionately called her ¡®dear wife before. The few times he did were either jokes or leases. In their marriage, Agnes never felt they were equals. The seven-year age difference was one thing, but the most important thing was their life experiences. Jared had reached the peak of his life, while Agnes was just an ordinary person Most of the time, Agnes felt like she was a junior, a child, a subordinate, or even like a pet in front of Jared. Therefore, Jared suddenly called her his wife, which made Agnes unable to ept it for a while. Agnes couldn¡¯t stop coughing, her eyes watering Jared, with a serious face, helped Agnes pat her back to ease her coughing. But her reaction to his suggestion of going public was bigger than he expected What was he to her? A boyfriend she was ashamed of? For the first time, Jared felt both angry and defeated. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Right at this moment, Agnes¡¯s phone suddenly rang, and she quickly stood up to answer it Lucky for her, the call came just in the nick of time, otherwise Agnes really had no idea how she was gonna respond to Jared¡¯s question. Go public? If she did, it would mean there¡¯s no turning back, but Agnes was still on the fence. About Mamie, she still hasn¡¯t figured it out. And she was clueless about how Jared really felt about her. The call was from Director Zoe. After hanging up, Agnes walked back to the dining table. Jared was still sitting there Agnes took the initiative and said, ¡°Director Zoe said we¡¯re having a press conference tomorrow afternoon to announce my leading role in the TV series and rify my rtionship with Justin.¡± Jared didn¡¯t react, just tidied up the takeout boxes and left straight away. Agnes could tell Jared seemed a bit ticked off. Was it because she didn¡¯t give him a clear answer just now? Agnes¡¯s allergic reactions had improved a lot, only a few red spots remaining on her face, but there were still a bunch on her body. Based on past experiences, it would probably take about half a month to fully recover In the afternoon, people from the crew started to arrive in droves, but Justin was a no-show. Not until the press conference did Agnes see Justin again, but he seemed a bit off. Up until they were about to go on stage, he didn¡¯t say a word to Agnes Ivan had already given her the speech for the press conference, but Justin was running the show, Agnes just had to sit there and look pretty The venue was packed, surrounded by reporters from major media outlets. Apparently, Justin¡¯s fans N?velDrama.Org content rights. also showed up, crowding the outside of the hotel venue. The press conference went as nned, the crew announced Agnes¡¯s identity, and Zoe personally dered Agnes as the leading actress of ¡°the Magical Romance of Cindere¡± Justin rified that his rtionship with Agnes was strictly professional Next up was the Q&A session. Most of the questions were prearranged with the media, so there were no curveballs. The press conference wrapped up quickly. As everyone was about to leave, the conference room door was suddenly flung open. A girl who looked like a student barged in, without warning, she hurled eggs at Agnes and yelled, ¡°Get out of showbiz, you sneaky climber, get out!¡± Nobody had time to react, they could only watch as she lobbed the eggs in Agnes¡¯s direction. Agnes waspletely blindsided, she was frozen in ce, she even forgot to dodge. In the critical moment, Justin shielded Agnes with his body, taking the hit from the flying eggs. Two loud sts were heard The two eggs sttered on the back of Justin¡¯s head, leaving everyone in the room speechless. After a moment of silence, Justin¡¯s agent yelled, ¡°Where¡¯s Security?¡± Security had already rushed over and quickly dragged the egg-throwing woman out of the room. As she was being dragged out, she continued to loudly protest, iming Agnes had climbed her way to the top through illicit means. Then, camera shes went on and on Justin¡¯s agent and assistant stood in front, frantically waving their hands and saying, ¡°Stop filming, everyone please stop filming¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Agnes was momentanly stunned She noticed that the two eggs that had hit Justin¡¯s head didn¡¯t break but fell hard onto the table She reached out and touched them, only to find they were cold Agnes was shocked, it was basically like being hit with two rocks. Justin, Justin, are you okay?¡± Justin stood up straight, touched the back of his head. Blood it was blood Justin was quickly rushed to the hospital where the doctor said his condition was serious, with a slight concussion. The girl who threw the eggs was reportedly taken to the police station. Investigations showed she was Justin¡¯s fan, who couldn¡¯t stand Agnes and Justin acting together and acted out in this way Material ? N?velDrama.Org. However, what should have been a serious press conference turned into a farce. In the end, to grab attention, the media focused on the female lead of the new drama being egged and Justin stepping up to protect her. They came to dispel rumors, but this made it seem more like they were confirming their ambiguous rtionship. Agnes had justpleted her discharge procedures, and now Justin had to be hospitalized In the evening. Ivan also came to see Justin in the hospital Ivan said, ¡°The director ns to stop work for half a month, you two take a good rest.¡± Agnes was already very worried, her full body rash needed half a month to heal, so this was just right. But what Agnes was more worried about was the current media coverage She sought out Ivan, wanting to clear up this issue again. Ivanforted her, ¡°Having a scandal isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing, it can also increase your poprity, who in the entertainment industry doesn¡¯t have some scandal, true or false, this level of scandal won¡¯t cause too much negative impact, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Ivan¡¯s words made sense, but Agnes still felt uneasy She didn¡¯t want people to misunderstand that she and Justin had some special rtionship, maybe because she was afraid Jared would be upset. Ivan looked at Agnes and asked, ¡°Are your allergy symptoms better?¡± Agnes nodded, ¡°They¡¯ve improved a bit.¡± Ivan asked, ¡®Do you want me to look into this for you?¡± Agnes quickly understood what Ivan meant. Before, Jared had also said that this was definitely intentional. In their view, this kind of thing was Agnes said, ¡°No need. I want to solve this myself.¡± Ivan said indifferently. ¡°That¡¯s fine Agnes quickly returned to her dormitory at Lakeside College. Because both she and Justin had idents, filming had to be suspended, and many people from the crew had gone home for a vacation. But when Agnes returned to her dormitory, Ava hadn¡¯t left. Ava sat alone at her desk reading the script. When she saw Agnes appear at the door, aplex emotion shed across her face. Then she said, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re back¡± Agnes nodded and walked in, then went to her bed, lifted her own pillowcase, as if she was looking for something Ava was uneasy inside, but there was no expression on her face. She asked, ¡°Agnes, are you looking for something? Do you need my help?¡± Agnes hugged her pillow and asked, ¡°Did you wash my pillowcase for me?¡± Ava had indeed helped Agnes wash her pillowcase and duvet cover After that incident. Ava was very scared. At that time, she had hidden the peanut powder under Agnes¡¯s pillow. To cover up this fact, after Agnes was sent to the hospital, Ava cleaned everything on Agnes bed Ava denied it, ¡°I dignit, Agnes, what are you talking about?¡± Agnes directly refuted. ¡°There¡¯s a clear smell ofundry detergent on the pillow, but it¡¯s not the one I usually use Ava, did you do something to my pillow that made me allergic to peanuts? Is that so?¡± Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Ava didn¡¯t expect Agnes to be so straightforward. Although she asked, her tone was already affirmative. Ava hung her head, her voice barely a whisper, ¡°Why suspect me? There are so many people in the crew who are green with envy over you. Why do you suspect me?¡± In asking this, Ava had already somewhat admitted her quilt. Agnes felt a pang of disappointment. She wished Ava would deny it Agnes said ¡®Maybe it¡¯s intuition, You¡¯ve been acting strangetely. And during my hospital stay, you were the only one who didn¡¯t visit¡± It took Ava a while to respond, ¡°Yes, I did it I knew you were allergic to peanuts, so I put peanut powder under your pillow¡± Ava suddenly looked up. ¡°But I didn¡¯t know it would be so severe. I thought it would just cause some hives and you¡¯d get over it.¡± Agnes asked, Beatrice told you about my peanut allergy, didn¡¯t she?¡± Ava¡¯s voice dropped even lower, ¡°Yes¡± ¡°She must not have told you that inhaling peanut powder could trigger an allergic asthma attack, Agnes said with a disappointment, ¡°I always knew Beatrice had it out for me, but I never thought you¡¯d help her.¡± Tears rolled down Ava¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Agnes I know it¡¯s toote for apologies. I¡¯ll step down from the show. But, cohsidering our old school ties, can we keep this between us? If this gets out, my career in show business is done.¡± Agnes was silent for a long time. Ava actually didn¡¯t have hope in her heart. How could she expect Agnes to keep her a secret if she had caused Agnes to be like this? After a long time, Agnes finally spoke ¡°Let¡¯s forget about this matter. I¡¯ll treat it as something I ate wrongly¡± Ava looked up in disbelief, ¡°What did you say? Are you really not going to care about it? But I made you like this.¡± Agnes managed a bitter smile, ¡°Driving you out of the show won¡¯t do me any good. At least now, you¡¯ll think twice before trusting Beatrice. I hope you won¡¯t be used by her anymore. And you did rush me to the hospital. That says something about you¡± Ava¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. She regretted her actions the moment she saw Agnes struggling to breathe. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I owe you, Agnes, Ava said sincerely. ¡°TIl repay this favor I was blind with jealousy Thanks for forgiving me.¡± Agnes was silent for a moment. Then she asked, ¡°Why were you so cold to me? Why did you let Beatrice use you?¡± Ava bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°One night, I saw Justin drop you off. You¡¯d had dinner together, but you told me you ate at the snack street. I thought you were lying Beatrice told me you took this role to get close to Justin.¡± Agnes sighed She had already guessed it. Sure enough, it was because of the trouble caused by Justin. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Agnes solemnly rified, ¡°I was indeed with Justin that night, and we did go to the snack street for some barbecue, I didn¡¯t lie to you I just didn¡¯t tell you explicitly, that¡¯s my fault. I was just afraid to upset you. Justin is such a flirt, always teasing me, but my acting career has nothing to do with him. I promise you, there will be no romantic involvement between us in the future.¡± Agnes was the one who was wronged, yet she could still exin it this way. Ava felt both ashamed and touched at the same time Ava said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve already figured it out. Justin and I are people from two different worlds. I¡¯ve always looked up to him, but as messed up as I am now, I¡¯m not worthy of his affection Agnes, I won¡¯t do anything s***d anymore, even if you and Justin are together, I will wish you well¡± Agnes could onlyugh helplessly, ¡°I can¡¯t possibly be with Justin¡± Ava seriously said, ¡°But I think Justin really likes you¡± Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been so jealous. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Agnes felt like she couldn¡¯t exin it well, ¡®Let¡¯s put it this way, Ava. For example, if someone really likes a certain type of food and thinks it¡¯s the most delicious food in the world, it doesn¡¯t mean everyone else likes it, understand?¡± Ava was stunned, ¡°But Agnes, Justin is the most handsome man in the world!¡± ¡°He¡¯s hot-tempered, stubborn, and pretentious. He¡¯s not good at all.¡± ¡°Hey, Agnes, that¡¯s a bit over the top.¡± And somehow, they ended up bickering just like they usually did. ¡°You two really get along well. Agnes, I don¡¯t know whether to call you s***d or dumb, she almost ruined your face, yet you can still joke around with her. People like you really deserve to be bullied.¡± A shrill female voice rang out from the doorway. Agnes and Ava looked over, and it was Beatrice standing there. Ava stood up, ¡°Beatrice, it was you pulling the strings behind the scenes.¡± Beatrice walked in, ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Agnes said, ¡°If you really don¡¯t know, how did you know she almost ruined my face?¡± Beatrice was temporarily speechless. Agnes said, ¡°Beatrice, I know you¡¯re the puppet master behind all this, and I will remember it.¡± Beatrice burst intoughter, ¡°So what if it was me, what proof do you have? And Agnes, with your weak personality, what could you possibly do to me?¡± Agnes smiled, ¡°I might not be able to do anything to you, but what if Justin knew that the egg-thrower at the press conference was arranged by you? What would be the oue? Considering Justin¡¯s personality, wouldn¡¯t he have Director Zoe kick you out of the crew? You should know Justin¡¯s personality, no one can interfere with his whims. You¡¯re just a minor role, while Justin is the sole male lead. If Director Zoe found out you were causing trouble that led to Justin getting hurt and affecting the shooting schedule, would he cklist you?¡± Hearing this, Beatrice¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°Agnes, you can¡¯t just make things up. It was clearly one of Justin¡¯s fans who broke in, what does it have to do with me?¡± ¡°You said it was one of Justin¡¯s fans, but that person showed no liking for Justin at all. Even after attacking him, she just kept insulting me, not showing any regret. Beatrice, there¡¯s no need for you to deny it. That person is still in the police station, and the record is out. She has confessed everything, including that you paid her. Beatrice, would you like to give it a try?¡± Beatrice turned pale, she knew that Agnes¡¯ return to the set today was inevitably to settle scores with Ava, after all, Agnes was no fool. She just came to enjoy the show, but didn¡¯t expect to be cornered by Agnes instead. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Beatrice understood that Agnes¡® words were not trying to scare her She did hire a stand¨Cin, only to trip Agnes up during the press conference However, this incident made Director Zoe very angry. And Justin got hurt in the process too He wasn¡¯t as easy to bully as Agnes. If he found out that she was the cause of his injury and hospitalization, coupled with how protective Justin was of Agnes¡­. Just like Agnes said, she might get kicked out of the crew. Beatrice asked, ¡°Agnes, what do you really want?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°I won¡¯t say it yet, but I hold onto this secret. If you pull any more stunts, I assure you, yo ur reputation in the entertainment industry will go down the drain¡± ¡°Agnes, you wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°Just watch me!¡± Beatnce was so angry that her fingernails dug deep into her palm, but finally turned away in her high h eels. From the side, Ava watched Agnes, thinking how foolish Beatrice was to think Agnes was a pushover. At this moment, Agnes radiated power. Her grace and elegance were rare, and her upbringing made h er stand out in an aristocratic way. Agnes was the true blue¨Cblooded princess At dusk, Agnes went to visit Justin in the hospital. Justin was sitting on the bed, seeming lost in thought. He didn¡¯t even react when Agnes knocked on th e door. Agnes walked in, and Justin turned his head to look at her, asking, ¡°What do you want?¡± Agnes asked. ¡°Justin, are you mad at me?¡± She could tell that ever since the press conference, Justin hadn¡¯t spoken a word to her. Justin replied, ¡°Of course I¡¯m pissed¡± ¡°Why? What did I do to offend you?* ¡°You getting married is one thing, but why the hell did you choose to marry Jared?¡± If it were anyone else, he¡¯d still have the confidence topete, but Jared¡­ Agnes found it amusing. She could tell Justin was upset, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be over this. But she was marned. Who she married was none of his business. Agnes walked over to Justin, and asked seriously. ¡°Justin, do you have some beef with Jared? Is that w hy you¡¯re taking it out on me? But he¡¯s him, and I¡¯m me.. Don¡¯t take it out on me.¡± Justin couldn¡¯t be bothered exining, so he turned away, no longer paying her any attention. Agnes said, ¡°Regardless, I want to thank you for stepping in during the press conference. Otherwise, it would be me in this hospital bed right now.¡± Justin still didn¡¯t say anything. Feeling a bit awkward, Agnes rubbed the corner of her clothing. ¡°Well, you rest up. I won¡¯t bother you a nymore.¡± Just as she was about to leave, Justin suddenly said, ¡°Agnes, is that all the thanks I get?¡± Agnes was taken aback, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Justin said, ¡°I¡¯m nning to go to Verve Holiday Resort for a vacation tomorrow. Would you apan y me?¡± Surprised, Agnes asked, ¡°Why should I go with you?¡± Justin replied, ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t forget. I got injured saving you. I even have a concussion. You helping me with my luggage, meals, and daily life, is that too much to ask?¡± Agnes realized, he just needed apanion nurse Agnes asked again, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you ask your agent, Sandy, or your assistant, Yvonne, to go with you?¡± Justin replied, ¡°Sandy is too busy, and Yvonne is too clumsy. If they were toe with me, would that even be a vacation?¡± He then raised his voice, ¡°Agnes, you just don¡¯t want to, do you? I risked my life to save you, and you c an¡¯t even do this small thing in return. That¡¯s disappointing¡­¡± Agnes immediately said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go with you¡± Before Justin could finish his sentence, Agnes agreed Justin¡¯s way of talking was surprising. He actually said such sharp words out. Who knows what else he¡¯ ll say next. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Justin raised an eyebrow, seemingly in a better mood, ¡°Then you go home and pack your luggage, we will set off tomorrow morning¡± Chapter 112 Chapter 112 After leaving the hospital, Agnes felt a bit regretful about agreeing so easily. She had many things to consider Mainly because of Justin¡¯s special status, she didn¡¯t know how many reporters would secretly pay atten tion on them. Now the scandal between them had not subsided, if they were photographed again, it would really bec ome the real evidence of the rumor. However, since she had already agreed, it was toote to regret n ow Most of Agnes belongings were still in her dormitory, but her ID card was always kept in the drawer of h er bedroom, so she had to go back there This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Although Maplewood Manor had be the filming location, the space provided by Jared was actually limited. Now that filming was temporarily suspended, there should be no one there Agnes thought that Jared had not finished work yet, so when she opened the door and entered the house, she went straight to the bedro om. When she opened the bedroom door, she found that Jared was also packing his luggage, and his suitcase was almost packed. Jared looked a little surprised when he saw Agnes appear at the door, and said, ¡°Are you back finally?¡± Agnes rolled her eyes and walked in, sitting down by the bed. ¡°Are you going on a business trip again?¡± Agnes was used to seeing Jared unpack as soon as he got back. He¡¯s a super busy workaholic, Jared responded lightly. ¡°When are you leaving?¡± ¡°The flight is at 9 pm tonight¡± Agnes fell silent, but Jared asked, ¡°Have you had dinner yet?¡± Agnes shook her head, and Jared stood up. ¡°Let me make you a te of pasta. There are ingredients i n the fridge.¡± If it wasn¡¯t for what Agnes overheard Jared and Mamie said at the hospitalst time, she would have th ought that Jared was truly a one¨Cof¨Ca¨C kind good man. He was leaving on a flight at 9 pm, but at 7:30 pm, he was cooking pasta for her in the kitchen. Agnes stood outside the kitchen door, staring at the man inside. Jared was wearing a white shirt, he mi ght be the best¨Clooking man in the world in a white shirt, and the smell of cooking in the kitchen didn¡¯t seem to have touched him at all. It was as if it wasn¡¯t a kitchen at all, but rather an artist creating his masterpiece. Agnes had the impulse to walk over and hug Jared, but in the end, she held back. Soon, Jared came out of the kitchen with a te of delicious seafood pasta. After finishing the meal, Ja red looked at his watch and said, ¡°Sorry, Agnes, I have to go now¡± Agnes knew he had to catch his flight, and it was already amazing that he could spare time to cook a pl ate of pasta for her. She said, ¡°Go ahead and take care on the road¡± Jared¡¯s footsteps didn¡¯t move, but he leaned over and whispered in Agnes¡® ear, ¡°My dear wife, give me a kiss.¡± Jared¡¯s voice was gentle, with a hint of seductive maism Agnes felt like she was being tempted, and obediently kissed Jared on the face. When her lips were about to leave, Jared gently pinched her chin, and they shared a French kiss, deep and lingering. Agnes felt like her mind was nk, and it took a long time for Jared to reluctantly let her go. Jared looked at the rosy cheeks on Agnes¡® face and felt she was too adorable not to tease. But time di d not allow him to do so. Jared leaned in and whispered in Agnes ear, ¡°My dear, wait for me toe b ack.¡± After kissing her on the forehead, he left Agnes cheeks were burning, and she gradually regained her senses. Why did she have no resistance a t all when she was with Jared? Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Jared had taken off, leaving Agnes staring nkly at a te of pasta on the table. For a split second, Agnes wanted to tell Jared about her n to hang out with Justin for the next few da ys But in the end she still didn¡¯t say anything, and Agnes felt very conflicted. She didn¡¯t even know what w as up with her. After eating her pasta, Agnes grabbed her ID and headed back to school Ava, a local, had gone home for a break, so Agnes was alone in the dorms For a long while, Agnes had been dodging the issue of Jared and Mamie in her mind. Now, she finally decided to think about it. Maybe it¡¯s just their past? Agnes felt like she had lost, sumbing to her growing attachment to Jared. Agnes made up her mind to wait for Jared toe back this time and had a showdown. Early in the morning. Agnes was woken up by Justin¡¯s continuous calls. He said that the car had been parked downstairs in the dormitory and asked her to get her luggage down quickly. Agnes nced outside, it was still dark. She thought that she¡¯d be less likely to be spotted in the daylight. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. After a quick wash up, Agnes hurried downstairs with her bags. Justin¡¯s car was indeed parked downstairs. When Agnes got in, he was taken aback and frowned, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with you? We¡¯re going on a holiday, not al kidnapping. Why are you all dressed up like that?¡± Agnes was decked out in ck from head to toe, with a ck mask and hat, practically swallowed up b y her outfit. She said, ¡°This way, I won¡¯t be recognized. Even if the paparazzi get a shot, they can¡¯t see my face.¡± Justin was speechless. They soon arrived at the airport and entered through the VIPne, avoiding any motion. They flew business ss in a private cabin with good privacy. Although Agnes was on edge the whole way, they managed to get to Verve Holiday Resort smoothly. Verve Holiday Resort was a top notch vacation spot in the country. The whole resort was actually built on an artificial ind in a massiveke, with a huge pce hotel on the ind. True to its name, the pce hotel was as luxurious as a pce. The ind boasts the highest¨C end golf course, horseback riding field, and natural volcanic hot spring pool in the country. Of course, th e most famous feature was Verve Beach. The sand here was said to be unique, clear as ss. At night, it glows under the moonlight, making it o ne of the most romantic ces in the world. Thiske ind reportedly only amodates a hundred VIPs per quarter. People who wanted to vacation here needed to book three months in advance. Unless there was a VIP card, it was said that the annual fee for the VIP card here was 10 million. Agne s thought only rich people would get such a card. Clearly, Justin was one of them. Since the number of guests was limited and the media was not allowed, every VIP needed to be verifie d before entering the ind, making it a safe ce for celebrities Reportedly, the most famous stars loved to vacation here. Justin stayed in a presidential suite with over a dozen bedrooms spread across three floors,plete with a private swimming pool and gym, The view here was stunning, like paradise on earth. However, ever since Agnes set foot on the ind, she had a bad feeling, as if something was about to go down. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 After chilling for a bit, they headed out for lunch For lunch here, people could choose to order food and had it delivered to the room by the waiter, or they could choose to go to the restaurant. The restaurant was pretty unique. It was built on the lake with transparent ss floors Walking on it felt like floating on water If you were lucky, you could even spot some fish swimming beneath. Agnes and Justin decided to check out the restaurant They heard the food was bomb. The ce was packed with high¨Crollers from around the globe. Seeing Agnes¡® cunosity, Justin started exining to her. While eating, they shared some gossip ¡°See thatdy in the ck dress? That¡¯s Countess Alexandra. She came here for vacation recently, it is said that it is because she has a boyfriend here. And that one , the eldest son of the richest man in our city, Cilian. Thatdy next to him is Chrystal. She¡¯s the hot ne w thing in the entertainment world, although she is only 17 years old, but rurnor has it she¡¯s already pre gnant¡­¡± Agnes suddenly asked, ¡°Is it true you¡¯re having a fling with Kevin, Cilian¡¯s second son?t Justin gave her a look, ¡°I¡¯m a guy, and I¡¯m into girls. Though, I do attract quite a few admirers, Kevin inc luded¡± Agnes was speechless. They continued their gossip, ¡°Like Mamie, the A¨C list star. Been in the business for years and rumors of a secret boyfriend have always been buzzing. It¡¯s one of the industry¡¯s biggest mysteries.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Hearing Mamie¡¯s name, Agnes felt her heart squeeze. Looking up in the direction Justin pointed, sure enough, she saw a beautiful face. Mamie, dressed in re d, was hard to miss. Her beauty was beyond words. She was chatting with friends, a hand casually tuc ked into her hair, the picture of elegance. Mamie was like a gorgeous red rose, making the other flowers pale inparison. Mamie was here too, Agnes was a little dazed Justin continued, ¡°I heard she came with her secret boyfriend. Word is they might be getting hitched. If we¡¯re lucky, we might unravel the industry¡¯s biggest secret.¡± A surprised Agnes asked, ¡°Secret boyfriend?¡± Justin replied casually, ¡°A friend in the business told me. Apparently, the media got wind of it and they¡¯r e all here, hoping to uncover the secret.¡± Agnes was distracted all afternoon, feeling a constant twitch in her eyelids, which made her uforta ble. Justin wanted to go horse riding in the afternoon, but Agnes wasn¡¯t in the mood. So he went alone. When he returned that evening, he found Agnes still daydreaming on the swing chai r on the balcony. He couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°Has she been like this the whole afternoon?¡± Approaching her, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s up. princess?¡± He had noticed something was off with Agnes since dinner. Agnes replied, ¡°Nothing, just thinking about some stuff.¡± Deep down, Agnes knew that the secret boyfriend Mamie had been rumored to have for years was actually Jared. But Justin said Mamie hade on vacation with her boyfriend. Agnes had some doubts in her heart. Could Jared be here too? But Jared was supposed to be on a business trip. Was she overthinking this? Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Justin asked, ¡°Got any problems? Maybe I can sort them out for you¡± Agnes shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t need your help¡± Justin said, ¡°Agnes, I didn¡¯t bring you here to upset you. Do you want to go to the masquerade ball host ed by Countess Alexander in the banquet hall today?¡± Agnes replied grumpily, ¡°You go, I don¡¯t want to¡± Despite her reluctance, Justin was determined to take Agnes He opened Agnes¡¯s suitcase, but not a si ngle dress was found, not even a pair of high heels. Justin looked at Agnes, puzzled. ¡°Howe you don¡¯t have a single dress?¡± Justin frowned, deep in thought, then said, ¡°Wait here, I know someone who can lend you a dress.¡± Before Agnes could react, Justin had already left the room. Not long after, Justin came back with a short ck dress and a pair of white, crystal high heels. Agnes asked, ¡°Where did you get these clothes?¡± Justin replied, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know where I got them. Try them on, they should fit you just fine.¡± Although Agnes didn¡¯t want to go to the ball, she put on the dress and heels under Justin¡¯s insistence. When Justin saw Agnes appear, his eyes lit up. ¡°You look really pretty today. It¡¯d be even better if you p ut on some makeup.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°It¡¯s a masquerade, everyone¡¯s wearing masks, I don¡¯t need makeup.¡± Justinughed and said, ¡°You¡¯re beautiful without it, never mind if you don¡¯t want to.¡± The ball was held at the hotel¡¯s rooftop hall, where Countess Alexandra invited all the VIPs. Agnes chose a ck mask that almostpletely covered her face. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Justin chose a prince mask and put it on as soon as he got in. Although Agnes was not well¨C known, Justin was well¨Cknown. She¡¯d heard there¡¯d be a lot of journalists at the ball, so she decided to be cautious. The hall was bustling with guests sipping their drinks andughter filled the air Agnes spotted Mamie in a white gown studded with sparkling diamonds, her makeup was exquisite, sh e looked like the Snow Queen from a fairy tale. She didn¡¯t wear a mask, just like Justin, simply holding it casually in her hand. And the man standing next to her, chatting with her¡­. That was Jared! Agnes¡¯s heart was racing, she was frustrated. But when she saw Jared¡¯s face, Agnes¡¯s heartbeat suddenly calmed down. Her mood sank like a stone. So, Jared was on a business trip, but he was actually on a vacation with Mamie¡­ Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Justin saw Agnes suddenly stop and tum to ask, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± With her mask on, Justin couldn¡¯t read Agnes¡® facial expressions, but her eyes were filled with surprise and confusion. Cunous, Justin followed Agnes gaze and was also stunned. The man next to Mamie was Jared? Over the years, Mamie had attended countless events with a plethora of malepanions, from rich h eirs and government officials to celebrities Justin wouldn¡¯t have found this strange in the past, but there were rumors that Mamie was on vacation with her boyfriend. This meant that herpanion for the day might be someone special. But wasn¡¯t Jared already marrie d to Agnes? At that moment, Mamie noticed Justin and walked over with herpanion Agnes quietly watched as the man came closer, feeling as if her world was slowly crumbling. Seeing his face, Agnes thought of Jared bustling in the kitchen for her just the night before. Life was indeed full of irony. In just 24 hours, they met again in such a manner. ¡°So you were in such a hurry to borrow clothes from me earlier for thisdy. Justin, aren¡¯t you going to i ntroduce us?¡± Agnes was surprised. So, Mamie and Justin knew each other. Right, they were both big shots in the same circle. It wasn¡¯t strange that they knew each other. Justin quickly snapped back to reality. With his worldly wisdom, he shed a charming smile, ¡°With Ma mie here, I¡¯m not the focus anymore. But maybe Mamie could introduce the gentleman next to her?¡± Mamie chuckled and introduced the man on her arm with confidence, ¡°This is Jared, the president of the Tim Group. I believe you should know him¡± Who wouldn¡¯t know Jared? Justin smiled at Jared and said, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, it¡¯s such a coincidence. We meet again. It¡¯s only been th ree days since west met at the hospital.¡± Thest time, Jared was fooling around with Agnes in the hospital room, and Justin walked in on them. Justin deliberately mentioned this, but Jared didn¡¯t seem embarrassed at all. His gaze fell on Agnes, who was standing next to Justin. Justin deliberately said to Mamie, ¡°Mamie, you should ask Mr. Whitfield why he was at the hospital.¡± Mamie caught the hint in Justin¡¯s words and asked, ¡°Jared, did you meet Justin at the hospital?¡± Instead of answering, Jared said to Justin, ¡°Justin seems to be too interested in other people¡¯s busines s. With a smile on his face, Justin openly replied, ¡°I¡¯m not that interested in Mr. Whitfield, but I am quite int erested in the people around Mr. Whitfield.¡± Jared¡¯s expression shifted slightly. This Justin was too arrogant! Agnes was d she chose a mask that almostpletely covered her face. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t know how to deal with this situation. Jared and Mamie were here on vacation, while she was here with Justin to rx. But luckily she came. At least she saw the answers she wanted. Suddenly, Agnes remembered that Jared often flew to some ces for business trips. During those tim es, Mamie seemed to be shooting a movie at the same ces with him¡­ Agnes felt her heart being pricked by a needle. She gently tugged at Justin¡¯s sleeve, signaling him to le ave. Justin understood her intentions and said, ¡°Mamie, you guys carry on. We¡¯re going eat something first, we¡¯re starving.¡± Mamieughed. ¡°Go ahead, the almond tofu in the cold dish section is pretty good.¡± Justin linked arms with Agnes and fed her away. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Jared¡¯s gaze was fixed on the woman next to Justin throughout the entire process, even though she did n¡¯t speak a word. ¡®Agnes!¡± Justin and Agnes had only taken a few steps when Jared suddenly shouted. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Agnes felt her heart leap in her chest, but she didn¡¯t stop. Instead, she quickened her pace, pulling Just in along with her. The people behind them fell silent. Mamie turned to Jared, ¡°Who were you calling out to?¡± Jared shrugged, ¡°Must¡¯ve mistaken someone for someone else¡± Agnes and Justin took a detour to the rooftop It was quiet up there, like a separate world away from the chaos and noise down below. Agnes¡® heart was still pounding as she sank weakly into one of the swing chairs on the balcony. She was clearly rattled. She had no idea Mamie and Jared would show up. Justin didn¡¯t know what to say tofort her. ¡°You okay?¡± But Agnes was filled with pain, her suspicions confirmed, just as bad as she had feared. *Justin, I need some alone time,¡± Agnes said. ¡°I can¡¯t let you be alone. I won¡¯t say anything, just sit with you, Justin replied. Agnes stayed on the rooftop for a while. Eventually, she got up and said, ¡°Justin, I want to go back.¡± Justin¡¯s face was stern. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you¡± Without another word, they re¨Centered the banquet hall. The noise of the banquet hit them instantly. It was even busier than when they¡¯d left. N?velDrama.Org content rights. People were gathered in groups, screams and cheers echoing around them. Something big was going down. Agnes had no intention of getting involved, but the crowd around them was growing. Agnes vaguely heard them talking as they walked ¡°Mamie¡¯s proposing. Oh my god, that guy¡¯s so lucky. This will be all over the news tomorrow.¡± ¡°Heard hes the youngest CEO of the Tim Group, the leader of the Big Four, the Whitfield family, Jared¡± ¡°So he¡¯s the mysterious man behind Mamie. Well, he¡¯s pretty good¨C looking, they do make a nice couple.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t n on stopping, but hearing this made her pause. She changed direction and headed into the crowd. She pushed her way through, the crowd cheering wildly. Finally, she made it to the front. Mamie was on one knee, a diamond ring box in one hand. ¡°Jared, will you marry me?¡± The chandelier above cast shadows on Jared¡¯s face, making it hard to read his expression. But he was still, not responding. The cheers grew louder. To them, Mamie was every man¡¯s dream. He must be overwhelmed with happiness, Agnes thought, her heart pounding in her chest. She too, was waiting for an answer she didn¡¯t even know. The cheering slowly died down as Jared remained silent. The excited atmosphere began to be filled wit h confusion. Then, Mamie stood up. She tiptoed and nted a kiss on Jared¡¯s lips. The cheers erupted again, louder than ever. But Agnes was frozen in ce. Everything around her disappeared, the noise, the people, all she could see were the two people kissing. Tears slipped down Agnes¡® cheeks. Suddenly, she was pulled into a warm hug. Justin rested her head on his shoulder. ¡°Silly girl, stop looking¡± Her tears fell freely now. Without a second thought, Justm took her hand and lead her away¡­ Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Agnes was whisked away from the party hall by Justin, unsure of where she was being led to, she just followed his pace Her mind went nk, unable to process any thoughts Finally, Justin suddenly stopped and said to Agnes. ¡°If you want to cry, just let it out¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Coming back to her senses, Agnes realized that Justin had brought her to a beach. This was the famous Verve Beach of Dragon Bay, the moonlight tonight was stunningly beautiful. Under the glow of the moonlight, the beach seemed to be emitting ayer of green fluorescence. The c old feel of the tide washing over Agnes¡® feet brought her back to reality. Agnes didn¡¯t cry, but instead wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Seeing it with her own eyes was good, at least she didn¡¯t have to be trapped in that conflicting emotion anymore. These days, Agnes felt like she was about to be driven crazy by the contradictions in her heart. Agnes sat on arge rock without a word, just staring nkly at the boundless water. Suddenly, Justin broke the silence, ¡°Agnes, divorce Jared. I want to marry you.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Justin, I¡¯m not in the mood for your jokes right now.¡± Justin also sat down next to Agnes. Justin said, ¡°The first time I proposed to you, you thought I was joking. Now you think the same. Do I seem that casual to you?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Because I can¡¯t think of a reason why you¡¯d propose to me. Justin, do you like me?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± Speechless, Agnes asked, ¡°Love at first sight?¡± Justin said, ¡°No.¡± This left Agnes puzzled. At the annual meetingst year, Justin proposed to her when they were clearly meeting for the first time. Justin finally spoke, ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten about me. Fifteen years ago you said you wanted to marry me.¡± Agnes was even more confused, she was only five years old fifteen years ago. Justin sighed and finally exined, ¡°I grew up in Santa Maria Welfare. The children there relied on don ations from kind¨C hearted people in society. Your mother sponsored my living and schooling expenses since I was young ¡± Mentioning her mother, Agnes was even more shocked. ¡°Your mother was a very kind person. She sponsored many children there and often brought you to visi t us. The first time we met, I was nine and you were five. You were handing out choctes to a group o f children. When it was my turn, only thest one was left, so you gave me yours. You know, that was t he first time I had chocte. The slightly bitter sweetness gave me a sudden sense of hope. We used t o y together a lot. Your mother joked that when you grow up, you can find a husband among us. You i mmediately grabbed my hand and said you wanted to marry me when you grew up.¡± Justin¡¯s words transported Agnes back to a piece of her past. Actually, Agnes had some recollections of her childhood. Agnes¡¯s mother Julia was naturally gentle and kind. She was a big star in the entertainment industry wh en she was young and then retired after marrying Preston. Preston ran an entertainmentpany, while she liked doing charity work, which won her a good reput ation. Back then, her mother indeed often took her to an orphanage. Back then, Agnes liked a boy the most, and she always called him Lil Potato. Agnes suddenly eximed in surprise, ¡°Are you Lil Potato?¡± Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Justin cracked a smile, ¡°So you finally remember.¡± But Agnes still looked incredulous, ¡°But¡­¡± In her memory, her ¡°Lil Potato¡± didn¡¯t look anything like Justin. Back then, she was at Santa Maria Welfare, where many kids liked to y with her. Only one child always sat alone in the corner, not speaking, not participating in games. The other kids said that child was autistic Back then, Agnes was still young, she didn¡¯t know what autism was, she just liked to y with that child Justin had short hair at that time, looking like a tiny potato, so Agnes nicknamed him ¡°Lil Potato¡°. Then her mother fell ill, and Agnes rarely went to the orphanage, her friends there gradually faded from memory. But Agnes still remembered the quiet Lil Potato. She never thought that person would be Justin. Their personalities were so different. Justin was a chatterbox, a popr figure in the entertainment indu stry, how could he be the quiet Lil Potato from back then? Seeing Agnes¡® disbelief, Justin said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you figured it out yet? My fans call me ¡®Potato¡®, the whole world knows my favorite food is chocte. I left my previouspany at the height of my fame to join Starlight International Group, all because of you.¡± Agnes was still hesitant, barely daring to believe. Justin reached out and ruffled Agnes¡® hair, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can wait for you.¡± Too much happened that night, Agnes felt all jumbled up when she got home, She didn¡¯t think about anything and just went to bed, sleeping until noon the next day. N?velDrama.Org content rights. When Agnes woke up and checked her phone, she found three missed calls from Jared. Seeing this, Agnes felt her heart skip a beat. It wasn¡¯t long after the dinner party. Why was Jared calling her? Agnes first thought was Jared wanted a divorce. Now Agnes realized, their marriage was just a tool for Jared to force Mamie to publicize their rtionshi p. Now that they have made up, she, an irrelevant person, should leave. Agnes stared at her phone for a long time, finally gathering the courage. Even if it was for a divorce, she should be the one to bring it up first, she didn¡¯t want to be used anymor e. She felt she had been avoiding it long enough, what had toe woulde. Agnes got up, took a shower, changed into a dress, and took great care to dress up. She stood in front of the mirror, looking refreshed. She was going to confront Jared. She walked out of the room to find Justin watching TV in the living room, the news was about Jared and Ma mie¡¯s highly discussed proposal. The entertainment show host was reporting. ¡°Mamie, the mysterious boyfriend of a famous singer, is revealed to be Jared, the CEO of the Tim Group. ording to our exclusive insider, this couple is now vacationing in Dragon Bay. In order to surprise her boyfriend, Mamie proposed to him. It seems that Mamie¡¯s happy life is about to begin. For further updates on their situation, we will continue to follow up and report¡­¡± Upon seeing Agnes, Justin immediately turned off the TV. Seeing Agnes all dressed up, Justin asked surprised, ¡°You¡¯re going out?¡± Agnes nodded and headed out. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Justin asked again. ¡°I¡¯m going to break up with Jared!¡± Agnes answered without hesitation. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 ¡°Jared has left Dragon Bay this morning, so there¡¯s no need for you to go.¡± Justin said. Agnes was surprised. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I found out when I went to return the dressst night. Mamie has also left with Jared.¡± Agnes suddenly remembered that the ck dress was borrowed by Justin from Mamie. Agnes paused for a moment, then suddenly looked up at Justin and smiled. Justin, let¡¯s travel abroad¡± For the next ten days, Agnes and Justin went to many countries and had a great time During these ten days, Agnes kept her phone turned off. She knew that if she was in the country, Jared could easily find her. During these ten days, Agnes just enjoyed herself and didn¡¯t think about anything. Until the tenth day, on the ne back to the country, Agnes looked at the thick clouds outside the window and felt like she had su ddenly returned to reality. All the things she had to face, she would have to face eventually. At least, during these ten days, Agnes had prepared herself mentally Agnes opened the file folder in her arms. Inside was a document that had just been written. Tomorrow, this short¨Clived marriage could end peacefully. When Agnes and Justin arrived at Willowbrook International Airport, it was already early morning. At this time, there weren¡¯t many people at the airport However, as soon as they picked up their checked luggage, Agnes saw a tall figure not far away. Jared was standing at the airport exit. He was wearing a ck shirt today and looked very serious. Agnes stopped in her tracks Justin also saw Jared, so he took Agnes hand and walked towards Jared. Jared¡¯s gaze fell on their hands, and his eyes became even colder They walked up to Jared Justin spoke first. ¡°Mr. Whitfield, are you here on a business trip in the middle of the night?¡± Jared answered coldly, I¡¯m waiting for you¡± Justin pretended to be surprised and asked, ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re not waiting for us, but instead co ming to settle scores with us?¡± Jared said, ¡°You disappeared with my wife for ten days. Of course, I want to settle scores with you.¡± Agnes spoke up. ¡°This has nothing to do with Justin. I brought him along. Jared, if you want to settle sc ores, then you cane to me.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Jared remained silent for a moment, and then asked, ¡°Agnes, do you know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°I know very well.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t leave herself any room to retreat. Since she had seen Jared, she wanted to resolve their issues as soon as possible. Agnes took out a document from her handbag and said, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, let¡¯s not waste each other¡¯s time . As long as you sign this, our rtionship will officially end, and we will act as if we never knew each other.¡± Jared was waiting for them here, obviously wanting to resolve their issues as soon as possible. During the ten days she was gone, he must have been very uneasy. Agnes was worned that she had caused trouble for him. He even waited for her at the airport entrance, which meant he was very eager to end his rtionship with her. Since he no longer had any attachment to her, Agnes didn¡¯t want to dy any longer. She was willing to fulfill his wish. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Jared took the file from Agnes. The title of the document was very eye¨Ccatching. ¡°Divorce Agreement.¡± Very good. It seemed she was well prepared. It turned out that the woman who had been with Justin before was really Agnes. They had been on vacation together for half a month, and as soon as they returned, she handed him a divorce agreement, apparently nned in advance. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. *Agnes, what did Justin do to you? Why do you want to divorce me as soon as youe back?¡± Agnes felt this was so ironic. Wasn¡¯t he the one who was anxious? He waited for them herete at night, just to resolve their issues as soon as possible, right? Obviously, he had reunited with Mamie first, but now he acted as if she had betrayed him. Hmph, men really excelled at shirking responsibility. Could it be that he can feel at ease in this way, wit hout a trace of guilt? If that was the case, she would indulge him. Agnes deliberately held onto Justin¡¯s arm. ¡°Mr. Whitfield, I didn¡¯t tell you, but I¡¯ve known Justin for fiftee n years, and he was my good friend back then. Now we¡¯ve reunited, it¡¯s God¡¯s arrangement. We¡¯ve bot h found the one we¡¯re destined to be with, so getting a divorce as soon as possible is a good thing for both of us. Mr. Whitfield, after you sign this agreement, we¡¯ll go our separate ways and it will never matter again.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect our marriage to be so unimportant in your eyes. But, Agnes, you can¡¯t just divorce me because you want to Get awyer to talk to me.¡± After Jared finished speaking, he calmly tore the agreement in half. Agnes was angry ¡°Jared!¡± Justin spoke up. ¡°Mr. Whitfield, why take advantage and pretend to be innocent? Agnes has already m ade concessions. Why be so harsh?¡± Jared¡¯s gaze finally turned to Justin. His voice was as cold as frost. ¡°Our affairs don¡¯t need your concer n. Justin, you¡¯re not worthy of taking away my woman¡± Agnes was angry and a little sad. Wasn¡¯t this what Jared wanted? What else did he want? Get awyer? Wasn¡¯t he afraid that his extramarital affair with Mamie would be exposed? But Agnes could also understand. She was the one who first brought up the divorce, hurting his pride. But did she not even have the night to divorce? Agnes said coldly, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, I will find awyer to talk to you.¡± Many people had already noticed the quarrel here and gathered around to watch. Agnes didn¡¯t want to attract more attention, so she said to Justin, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Agnes and Justin left the airport together. Jared watched their backs slowly disappear and stood there for a long time, his fingers slowly clenched into fists. For the past ten days, he had been looking for her. He monitored international flights every day and finally found out about Agnes¡® flight back to the country . He had been waiting here four hours in advance. Jared also knew that at that time, she was also in Dragon Bay, and some misunderstanding must have urred. He wanted to exin to her first, but before he had a chance to speak, she handed him a div orce agreement. Thinking about the fact that she had been with another man during this time, Jared ha d the urge to kill him for the first time. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 It¡¯s two o¡¯clock in the moming VIP room of the Night Queen. Three guys sat around, their eyes fixed on a gloomy¨Cfaced Jared Brayden Simonds yawned, ¡°Mi Whitfield, what¡¯s up with you today? You called us out in the dead of the night, and you¡¯re not drinking or talking You¡¯re not just here to piss us off, night?¡± Mr. K touched his chin and said ¡°Mr. Whitfield seems to be a little bit wrong today, it looks a bit like a br oken rtionship¡± Shawn pped Mr. K on the head, ¡°Stop being such a nerd¡® Didn¡¯t you hear that Mamie proposed to Mr . Whitfield? I bet he dragged us here just to show off ¡± Mr. K rubbed his head, ¡°But Mr. Whitfield doesn¡¯t look happy at all.¡± With that, all eyes were back on Jared. They started to study Jared¡¯s expression seriously and finally agreed that this was a ssic case of pre -wedding jitters. Just then, the door to the room opened. Ivan had arrived Shawn hurriedly called out, ¡°Ivan,e and see. Mr. Whitfield is messing with us. He¡¯s about to get hit ched and dragged us singleds out to rub his pre¨Cwedding jitters in our faces.¡± Ivan strolled over casually and said nonchntly, ¡°He¡¯s been married for three months already.¡± Everyone was surprised. ¡°If he¡¯s been married for so long, why is he proposing now?¡± Ivan continued, ¡°The one he married isn¡¯t Mamie, but a 20¨Cyear¨Cold girl.¡± Seeing everyone¡¯s shocked faces again, Ivan felt quite satisfied. Everyone looked at Jared in disbelief. Unexpectedly, the supposedly woman¨C indifferent Mr. Whitfield had quietly tied the knot, and with a 20¨Cyear¨Cold at that. Brayden tutted, ¡°You¡¯re really shameless¡± Shawn reminded him, ¡°Brayden, isn¡¯t your arranged fiancee also just turned 20?¡± At this, Brayden was irritated, ¡°Don¡¯t bring her up. My family is forcing us to get married while she¡¯s on summer break. I¡¯m about to run away from home.¡± Everyone sympathized with him. Apparently Brayden¡¯s fiancee was quite unattractive. Having another woman by his side was no big deal, but marrying an ugly girl was just too much to swallow. Just then, Jared suddenly said, ¡°Heartless, ungrateful woman! How could she do this to me!¡± Jared seemed to be talking to himself. He had been immersed in his own world all night, looking gloom y and staying silent. His sudden outburst caught everyone off guard. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Everyone turned their eyes to Ivan, seemingly waiting for him to exin the meaning of Jared¡¯s words. Ivan didn¡¯t let them down. He said, ¡°His wife went on vacation abroad with another man for half a mont h, and when she got back, she wanted a divorce.¡± Everyone gasped. ¡°It¡¯s amazing!¡± Shawn eximed in disbelief. Mr. K, however, said angrily, ¡°Who is that woman? I¡¯m gonna hack herputer and find out her secre ts. Jared, I want to avenge you.¡± Shawn retorted, ¡°You dare to leak his wife¡¯s secrets? Aren¡¯t you afraid of his revenge?¡± Brayden slowly stood up, sat next to Jared, patted him on the shoulder, andforted, ¡°Buddy, life¡¯s full of ups and downs. You have to fi gure it out. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Brayden seemed like he wasforting Jared, but he was enjoying the whole drama. Jared tumed his head and said, ¡°When I first came in, I saw a girl wearing bunny ears and selling liquor . If I¡¯m not mistaken, that was Kylie Brayden¡¯s expression instantly changed, ¡°If you saw her earlier, why are you telling me now!¡± He stood up, grabbed his coat, and muttered angrily as he left, ¡°That dumb woman, I¡¯m going to teach her a lesson! I¡¯ll make her regret ever showing up here!¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Shawn chuckled and said, ¡°What a hypocrite. He says he doesn¡¯t like her, but his actions say otherwise . I bet they¡¯ve already slept together¡± Mr. K worriedly asked, ¡°Jared, does Mamie know you¡¯re married? If she did, why would she propose in public?¡± Shawn added, ¡°If Mamie knew you were married, she¡¯d definitely go after your wife. If she¡¯s asking for a divorce, maybe you should just agree. It¡¯s not like she cares about you¡± Jared shot him a cold nce, ¡°Buzz off!¡± Shawn felt wronged. Why was Jared venting his frustrations on him? Ivan said from the side, ¡°Both of you, go home. I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± Shawn felt the tense atmosphere and decided not to stick around. Soon, only Jared and Ivan were left in the room. Ivan poured two drinks and handed one to Jared, ¡°I looked at Justin¡¯s credit card records. They booked two rooms during their trip to Europe, which proves nothing happened between them. I know Justin pr etty well. He might seem like a yboy, but he¡¯s a decent guy. Since he knows Agnes is your wife, he probably won¡¯t do anything too outrageous.¡± ¡°He made Agnes ask me for a divorce, even prepared the paperwork. Isn¡¯t that outrageous? I bet he¡¯s behind all this. If he dares to touch my wife again, I¡¯ll ensure he can¡¯t survive in this industry.¡± Jared only revealed his true thoughts in front of Ivan. Ivan chuckled, ¡°No need to get personal, Jared. You can¡¯t fully me Justin. Agnes must have seen M amie proposing to you at Dragon Bay, so it¡¯s not surprising she asked for a divorce. To anyone, it seem s like you would choose Mamie over Agnes. She must be heartbroken.¡± Jared snorted, ¡°Heartbroken? She looked pretty happy to me, like she didn¡¯t care about me at all. She¡¯s cold¨Chearted¡± Ivan couldn¡¯t help butugh. A jealous man is always at his most childish. Jared had always been sessful, but now he experienced a failure in love. His carefully nned life had taken a sudden turn. So far, Ivan wasn¡¯t sure how much impact Agnes wo uld have on Jared, but it seemed to be bigger than he expected As Ivan left the room, he said, ¡°You didn¡¯t mention Mamie all night. You¡¯ve known each other for years, and you rejected her proposal. That must have hurt her. Although I tried my best to stop the news from spreading, some small media outlets took things out of context and only showed the first half of the vid eo to attract viewers. This is undoubtedly a second blow to Mamie.¡± Jared¡¯s mind went back to the proposal scene. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Jared''s mind went back to the proposal scene. When Mamie kissed him, Jared froze briefly, then gently pushed her away, saying, "I''m sorry, Mamie, I''m already married." However, the atmosphere at the time was too intense, with cheers erupting all around, and the band in the banquet hall even yed the wedding march on purpose. The enthusiastic cheers almost swallowed up his voice. Then, people started to congratte him left and right. Hence, the media jumped to conclusions based on just a few pictures, reporting freely. Jared wasn''t a part of the entertainment industry, so he didn''t care about these rumors, and most of the news was squashed by Ivan. Mamie has yet to rify the situation. She''s a well-known actress in the country, and this incident undoubtedly affected her image. Jared could understand that. Jared said to Ivan, "You better talk some sense into Mamie. The media at theke must have been her doing. I told her I was married long ago, but she stubbornly set up a proposal, betting that I wouldn''t have the heart to hurt her. I certainly don''t want to hurt her, but I don''t want to hurt Agnes even more." Inside Bartley Mansion, a long-haired beauty was lounging on the sofa. The light from the chandelier hit her beautiful face, casting a faint halo over her. However, the beauty was furrowing her brows. Ivan set a tape recorder in front of her. From the recorder, Jared''s voice came out clear as day, "I certainly don''t want to hurt her, but I don''t want to hurt Agnes even more." Mamie picked up the recorder, reying that sentence repeatedly until her fingers turned white from gripping it tightly. Then, she threw the recorder with all her might. The recorder hit the ss cab in the room, immediately leaving a crack. Ivan leaned on the sofa¡¯s edge and said, "If you didn''t hear it yourself, you probably wouldn''t give up. You need to let go, Mamie. Jared has changed." Mamie was shaking all over, "I can''t ept it! Since we were kids, I''ve been the only woman by his side; how could he suddenly change his heart?" "It''s precisely because Jared has never been infatuated with any woman that I believe he has truly Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. fallen in love with his wife. You''ve been in a rtionship with him for so many years, yet there''s never been any passion. You guys are both so busy that sometimes you don''t see each other for half a year, and you both think that''s normal. Frankly, I don''t even see you two as a couple. He treats you the same way I do, like a sister, he''s used to being kind to you, but that''s not love. His feelings for Agnes are totally different." Upon hearing this, Mamie felt even more distressed. There were truths that even her brother didn''t know. Although she was Jared''s girlfriend in name, they had never truly been together. Jared was aloof and didn''t like physical contact with anyone, including her. Even when they asionally held hands, he would instinctively frown. For all these years, they hadn''t even kissed, let alone anything more. She had tried to take the initiative, but he always ignored her. She even suspected that he had a severe case of obsessivepulsive disorder. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 When Jared popped the question, she was left dilly¨Cdallying Mamie feared this guy would never open up to her, not really. 2 5 5 She even doubted if Jared¡¯s feelings for her were as deep as she¡¯d imagined. As her brother said, proposing is just a guy going with the flow. She had a Hollywood giging up then, so she used that as an excuse to turn him down. Deep down, she wanted to chat about this with Jared. It was no small matter to her. But what she never sawing was hearing that Jared had tied the knot the moment she got back ho me. She couldn¡¯t wrap her head around it. How could a guy like Jared every his hands on another woma n? Even if they did get hitched, it had to be a marriage of convenience. But when she heard those words on the tape recorder, for the first time, Mamie realized Jared¡¯s feelings for that girl might be genuine. She needed to get to the bottom of this herself. Suddenly, Mamie said, ¡°I heard that girl is the lead in your new movie, isn¡¯t she? She¡¯s shooting at Lak eside College right now, right?¡± Ivan frowned and asked, ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Mamie replied, ¡°Let me y a bit part in the movie. I want to meet her.¡± Ivan shot her down immediately, ¡°Don¡¯t cause a scene. Agnes is a good girl; you can¡¯t mess with her.¡± He knew his sister all too well. But Mamie grabbed Ivan¡¯s hand, put it on her face like when they were kids, half coquettishly, half pleadingly, and said, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re the best person in the world to me. Will you help me? I won¡¯t mess with her. I just want to know why Jared chose her¡± Lakeside College Half a monthter, it was back to business for the crew. The July sun was zing hot. Before the shoot, a few young actresses were shooting the breeze. Ava told Agnes, ¡°Did you hear? They¡¯ve finally cast the role of Naomi, and it¡¯s Mamie! I saw her agent negotiating with the director. Mamie¡¯s joining us today.¡± Naomi is the lead character, Samie¡¯s sister. She¡¯s described in the book as an upper¨Ccrust beauty. Naomi doesn¡¯t have many scenes, just three in total, but she ys a pivotal role in the storyline and is an indispensable character. They hadn¡¯t found the right actress with such a distinct character description until now. Who would¡¯ve t hought they¡¯d have Mamie filling in? N?velDrama.Org content rights. Truth be told, Mamie and Naomi share many character traits. Yet, Mamie has always been picky, only ying lead roles in movies, not even giving TV dramas a sec ond look, let alone a bit part like this. Mamie¡¯s name instantly thickened the air in the green room. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought we¡¯d have Mamie on board? They must¡¯ve shelled out big bucks. With her in th e show, the ratings will surely skyrocket.¡± ¡°You guys probably don¡¯t know, but the producer of ¡®Cindere¡® is Ivan, who¡¯s Mamie¡¯s brother, so it¡¯s n ot that surprising.¡± ¡°Ivan backs so many projects yearly, why hasn¡¯t Mamie ever been involved? I think it¡¯s more likely beca use Jared, the CEO of the Tim Group, is the big shot behind this show. Have you heard? Mamie even proposed to Jared! They might be getting hitched soon.¡± ¡°I saw that news too, but it¡¯s been hushed up now; after all, it¡¯s Mamie¡¯s private life. But I think there mi ght be some truth to it. Mamie¡¯s about to break into Hollywood but suddenly getting married now. Could she be pregnant?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, but which big shot in showbiz doesn¡¯t have kids before getting married?¡± Heartstrings On Fire Heartstrings On Fire The story goes like this: Due to opposition from the Higgins family, Sarina, who lives abroad, sends her daughter Naomi to settle in the US with her younger brother Samie. In today¡¯s shooting scene, Naomi drives off with Samie, who¡¯s been drugged and is asleep, while Sylvia chases after the car This scene doesn¡¯t seem complicated, but since it¡¯s set at Christmas, the shooting scene should be winter. The script describes Sylvia in a thick down jacket. But it¡¯ste July, and the weather is bloody hot. When she put on the down jacket, Agnes felt like she was stuffed into arge furnace The director knew this scene¡¯s harrowing and told her, ¡°This scene isn¡¯t hard. Agnes, give it your best s hot and aim for a one¨Ctake wonder Shooting began Naomi started the car, with Samie lying in the backseat. The car had air conditioning, so they didn¡¯t need to worry about them. The car started moving, and the filming equipment also moved along the rails. Sylvia started chasing after the car After running just a few steps, Agnes felt sweat pouring down. But at this moment, the director suddenly called cut Shooting stopped The director shouted, ¡°Mamie, you¡¯re driving too fast. Let¡¯s do it again¡± Then they started the second take. After a while, the director called cut again, ¡°Mamie, you¡¯re driving too slow, pick up the pace. Let¡¯s do it again.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Then the third take, ¡°Cut! Keep the speed steady, Mamie, no sudden braking.¡± Just like that, they shot a dozen times, but none passed. By now, Agnes was about to pass out from the heat. The director announced a short break for the crew. Agnes immediately took off her down jacket. She was soaked through, and her shirt was sticking to her body. The director said, ¡°Mamie, you don¡¯t seem to be in good shape today; want to switch scenes?¡± Mamie replied, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t drive often, so my driving skills are a bit rusty¡­ Let¡¯s continue, §±I pay att ention.¡± The director said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll continue after a while¡± Actually, everyone could tell that Mamie was deliberately making things difficult for Agnes. Ava was anxious on the side, ¡°Is it because Agnes didn¡¯t greet her first, so she¡¯s seeking revenge?¡± ¡°Agnes is so pitiful; if they shoot a few more times, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll have a heat stroke¡± 10-000 Beatrice, on the other hand, was secretly delighted Though she didn¡¯t know how Agnes had offended Mamie, she was sure Agnes was i n for a rough time. Even the director probably had to cater to Mamie¡¯s mood in the entire crew. Even though he knew Mam ie was deliberately making things hard for Agnes, he was helpless At this point, Justin finally couldn¡¯t hold back, ¡°Mamie, your selfish behavior doesn¡¯t suit your diva imag e. If you¡¯re unsatisfied with something, you should speak directly to Mr. Whitfield. Your current behavior is not good¡± Mamie didn¡¯t expect Justin to have such a clear understanding of their rtionship. Mamie sneered, ¡°If you really care about her, you shouldn¡¯t defend her I hold grudges, and because of your words, I might put her in even more trouble.¡± Justin also knew Mamie¡¯s character well. She wouldn¡¯t show any mercy once she decided to make things difficult for someone With her robust family background as support, hardly anyone dared to offend Mamie. This time, Agnes is probably in hot water! And¡­ action! Chapter 127 Chapter 127 The story goes like this: Due to opposition from the Higgins family, Sarina, who lives abroad, sends her daughter Naomi to settle in the US with her younger brother Samie. In today¡¯s shooting scene, Naomi drives off with Samie, who''s been drugged and is asleep, while Sylvia chases after the car. This scene doesn''t seemplicated, but since it''s set at Christmas, the shooting scene should be winter. The script describes Sylvia in a thick-down jacket. But it''ste July, and the weather is bloody hot. When she put on the down jacket, Agnes felt like she was stuffed into arge furnace. The director knew this scene¡¯s harrowing and told her, "This scene isn''t hard. Agnes, give it your best shot and aim for a one-take wonder." Shooting began. Naomi started the car, with Samie lying in the backseat. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. The car had air conditioning, so they didn''t need to worry about them. The car started moving, and the filming equipment also moved along the rails. Sylvia started chasing after the car. After running just a few steps, Agnes felt sweat pouring down. But at this moment, the director suddenly called cut. Shooting stopped. The director shouted, "Mamie, you''re driving too fast. Let''s do it again." Then they started the second take. After a while, the director called cut again, "Mamie, you''re driving too slow; pick up the pace. Let''s do it again." Then the third take, "Cut! Keep the speed steady, Mamie, no sudden braking." Just like that, they shot a dozen times, but none passed. By now, Agnes was about to pass out from the heat. The director announced a short break for the crew. Agnes immediately took off her down jacket. She was soaked through, and her shirt was sticking to her body. The director said, "Mamie, you don''t seem to be in good shape today; want to switch scenes?" Mamie replied, "Sorry, I don''t drive often, so my driving skills are a bit rusty...Let''s continue; I¡¯ll pay attention." The director said, "Then we''ll continue after a while." Actually, everyone could tell that Mamie was deliberately making things difficult for Agnes. Ava was anxious on the side, "Is it because Agnes didn''t greet her first, so she''s seeking revenge?" "Agnes is so pitiful; if they shoot a few more times, I''m afraid she''ll have a heat stroke." Beatrice, on the other hand, was secretly delighted. Though she didn''t know how Agnes had offended Mamie, she was sure Agnes was in for a rough time. Even the director probably had to cater to Mamie''s mood in the entire crew. Even though he knew Mamie was deliberately making things hard for Agnes, he was helpless. At this point, Justin finally couldn''t hold back, "Mamie, your selfish behavior doesn''t suit your diva image. If you''re unsatisfied with something, you should speak directly to Mr. Whitfield. Your current behavior is not good." Mamie didn''t expect Justin to have such a clear understanding of their rtionship. Mamie sneered, "If you really care about her, you shouldn''t defend her. I hold grudges, and because of your words, I might put her in even more trouble." Justin also knew Mamie''s character well. She wouldn''t show any mercy once she decided to make things difficult for someone. With her robust family background as support, hardly anyone dared to offend Mamie. This time, Agnes is probably in hot water! Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Like before, Mamie always found petty issues that made them retake the scenes. The director wanted to call it a day, but Mamie insisted on continuing Agnes, in her down jacket, had to run after the car for miles. Her hair went from wet to dry, then back to soaking. But she stuck it out. Justin filmed Agnes running with his phone and sent the video to Ivan, hoping for some help. After watching it twice, Ivan immediately forwarded the video to Jared. Jared was in a meeting with all the leaders and shareholders of the Tim Group. Jared kept reying the video on his phone, then suddenly stood up, mmed the table, and said, ¡°Me eting¡¯s over Then he told his secretary Leo, ¡°Leo, wrap up the meeting¡¯s minutes and email them to me.¡± With that, Jared left the meeting room. The shareholders were bbergasted. Jared was a workaholic and had never left a meeting in progress, especially not one that was so important. Leo was even more surprised. Standing next to Jared, he had seen the video Jared was watching. A little girl in a down jack et ran until she looked ready to pass out from the heat. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Jared¡¯s face suddenly turned serious, and he clutched his phone tightly About half an hourter, Jared showed up at Lakeside College. At that moment, Agnes was on her 27th take. Agnes knew Mamie was giving her a hard time, but it would affect the whole crew if she confronted Ma mie. Now, she could only wait for Mamie to stop making her life difficult. But clearly, Mamie had no intention of doing so. When Jared arrived, he saw the whole thing. Agnes was flushed and showing signs of heatstroke. Jared approached the director The director called ¡°cut¡± and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s take a break. Mamie,e here.¡± Mamie stepped out of the car leisurely, fixing her hair. She still looked drop¨Cdead gorgeous. Meanwhile, Agnes was nearly fainting in her assistant¡¯s arms. Ava supported Agnes, asking her, ¡°Agnes, are you okay? Shall we tell the director to stop for today? Yo u¡¯re going to need a hospital if you keep going like this.¡± Agnes chugged a whole bottle of cold water. She put up with Mamie¡¯s torture because Mamie was only on set for three days. If she upsets Mamie, she might leave the crew, causing a loss for everyone. This movie was the first modern fantasy film in the country, the audience base wasn¡¯t mature, and most of the roles were yed by neers. Despite Justin, the movie faced considerable market risks in the post¨Cproduction phase. Having Mamie on board was crucial for this film. Agnes didn¡¯t want the crew to lose this big star because of her. ¡°Look, Mr. Whitfield is here! Mamie just joined the crew today, and Mr. Whitfield is already here to see her. Those rumors must be true,¡± so meone on the side eximed in surprise Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Everyone¡¯s eyes turned in the same direction. Sure enough, Jared was talking to Mamie. However, they seemed to be arguing Suddenly, Mamie turned around and walked away. Jared chased after her, grabbed Mamie¡¯s arm, and took her into the nearby lounge. Everyone present looked a bit surprised. ¡°Mr. Whitfield really has some balls; the way he grabbed her arm was so dominating and cool.¡± ¡°No wonder he can handle such a proud woman.¡± ¡°What do you think they¡¯re doing in there? Could they be¡­¡± Agnes was relieved that she had just been tormented by Mamie, because she was too drained to feel u pset about it. Justin came over and asked, ¡°You all right?¡± Agnes managed a small smile. I¡¯m good, consider it a diet¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Justin gently touched her head ¡°You¡¯re such a goof.¡± Agnes rested for about half an hour. The young actresses nearby were gossiping about Mamie and Jared. Half an hourter, Mamie finally emerged from the lounge. Someone joked, ¡°39 minutes! Mr. Whitfield sure has stamina.¡± Agnes thought to herself, his performance usuallysts much longer, he must be off his game today. Agnes felt indescribably upset. Why did Jarede here? To unt his love life? The director announced that filming would continue. Under the sympathetic eyes of everyone, Agnes put on her thick down jacket again. But to Agnes surprise, Mamie was very cooperative, and they got the scene in one take. When filming ended, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but Agnes felt somewhat disappointed. Ava sighed, ¡°Agnes, you really should thank Mr. Whitfield. Mamie was probably being so harsh on you because she was in a bad mood. But as soon as Mr. Whitfield showed up, she cheered up. He really is charming!¡± A young actor nearbyughed, ¡°They spent so long in the lounge, 1 bet Mamie doesn¡¯t have the energy to be tough on you anymore.¡± The director came over, pped his hands, and said, ¡°That¡¯s a wrap for today Good job, everyone! Ton ight, Mr. Whitfield is treating us to a feast!¡± Everyone cheered at the news Life on set is not as morous as outsiders think. They usually only get to eat nd takeout. The prospect of a feast naturally got everyone excited. Many people flocked to Mamie. There were thank you¡¯s,pliments, and even congrattions. Justin approached Agnes and sighed deeply, ¡°He won everyone over so easily, he¡¯s quite cunning.¡± Agnes silently watched Jared from a distance. Jared seemed to nce at Agnes. Justin suggested, ¡°Agnes, if you don¡¯t want to go to the dinner tonight, I can take you out to eat.¡± Agnes calmly replied, ¡°Why not eat when there¡¯s a free feast? Not only am I going to eat, I¡¯m going to e at a lot ¡± Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Agnes figures if Jared wants to y lovey¨Cdovey in front of her, he should knock himself out. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Maybe after he¡¯s done expressing his feelings, he¡¯ll be willing to sign the divorce papers. Agnes just wants to quit the drama. In the evening, a truck pulled up to the set. Boxes and boxes of seafood were unloaded. The crew even set up an open¨Cair barbecue. Ava took a look and came back, all impressed, ¡°Wow, Mr. Whitfield really went all out. Australian lobsters, abalones, mussels, and whole tunas, all brought in by the truckload. I heard he even hired a Michelin¨Cstarred chef. We¡¯re really in for a treat tonight.¡± The feast was set up at the Lakeside College field. It was a sight to behold. Long tables covered in white tablecloths, exuding an exotic charm. A barbecue area, a main course area, various drinks, and red wine were on the tables. Everyone from the crew gathered, singing, dancing, and enjoying the barbecue. It was a real hoot. But Mamie and Jared were nowhere to be seen. No surprises there. With her high status, Mamie wouldn¡¯t be caught dead mingling with the crowd. Maybe they¡¯re at some posh restaurant right now, enjoying steak and violin serenades. The girls from the crew were all gathered, enjoying the seafood feast. May Kelly took a bite of sea urchin sashimi and praised, ¡°This is the freshest sea urchin I¡¯ve ever had. We have Mamie to thank for this. Mr. Whitfield is such a big spender. I wonder when he¡¯ll marry Mamie. I can¡¯t wait to see what the wedding will be like.¡± Beatrice scoffed from the side, ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever had anything nice? You¡¯re swooning over a sea urchin.¡± ¡°Beatrice, why are you so mean?¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Beatrice clearly had a bone to pick. *Beatrice, it seems like you¡¯re feeling down this afternoon. Was it because Mr. Whitfield didn¡¯t acknowle dge you when you said hello? I know you have feelings for him, but unfortunately, he¡¯s engaged to Ma mie¡± Beatrice expressed her frustration by saying, ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate how you spoke to me. The rumors about Mr. Whitfield marrying Mamie are u nfounded and should not be taken seriously¡± ¡°Everyone knows Mamie proposed. And now, on her first day on set, Jared throws this huge feast for e veryone. Isn¡¯t it obvious? Beatrice, you might have a powerful dad, but you¡¯re no match for Mamie¡± ¡°One day, I¡¯ll be even more famous than Mamie. One day, the woman by Jared¡¯s side will be me. Mark my words, you bunch of never¨Cwill¨Cbe¡¯s.¡± With that, Beatrice stormed off. Amelia broke down, ¡°She¡¯s too much. She thinks she can do whatever she wants on set because she¡¯s Preston¡¯s daughter. She¡¯s just a supporting actress but more arrogant than the lead. Always bossing u s around like we¡¯re her servants. She thinks she owns the ce.¡± Someone tried tofort her, ¡°Let it go. She¡¯s the daughter of the boss of Starlight International Group, and her mom¡¯s a famous actress. She¡¯s been spoiled since she was a kid. We, who have no connections, just have to put up with it. Once you¡¯re famous, you won¡¯t have to put up with her anymore.¡± Agnes watched, expressionless, not getting involved. Except for Ava, she had no friends on the set. Everyone thought Beatrice was the Pritchard family¡¯s golden child, trying to get on her good side while deliberately alienating Agnes. But what Beatrice just said shocked Agnes. She didn¡¯t expect Beatrice to have such high hopes for Jared. If she ever finds out about her and Jared¡¯s brief marriage, who knows how she¡¯ll react? But no one¡¯s supposed to know, right? Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Sitting opposite Agnes, Justin plonked down a heap of barbequed Argentinean red prawns. ¡°So, what¡¯s your game n for your situation?¡± Justin asked, peeling shrimp. Agnes wasn¡¯t sure. Her divorce agreement was torn to shreds by Jared. ¡°If you need awyer, I can help you out.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t want to escte things to the point where the court had to intervene. If it ever came to that, her rtionship with Mr. Whitfield would be out in the open. N?velDrama.Org content rights. And Agnes knew very well Jared wouldn¡¯t let things get to that point. Perhaps he wouldn¡¯t want anyone to know that he had been married before. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see. I believe he¡¯ll call it quits, after all, bigamy is illegal.¡± Justin nodded, handing over a peeled prawn to Agnes. *Justin, I don¡¯t want it. Agnes frowned. ¡°Jared¡¯s watching.¡± Agnes felt a pang of nerves. Without further hesitation, she took the prawn and bit into it. Justin put on a disposable glove, chuckling while he fondly pinched Agnes¡¯s cheek, ¡°Agnes, you look a dorable when you eat.¡± Jared saw everything. His face was poker¨Cfaced, but his hands were balled into fists. Agnes and Justin had their cozy moment; suddenly, she found it all a bit dull.. Why was she doing such childish things? Would Jared care if he saw? He might just think they were clowning around. So, when Justin passed her another peeled prawn, Agnes stood up and said, ¡°Justin, I¡¯m stuffed. I¡¯ll tak e off first.¡± Agnes left alone. The party was still going, but Agnes returned to the dormitory. The dormitory was very quiet. Initially, the dormitory was rented by the production crew for the actors. Now, almost all the actors were having a feast on the field. The whole dormitory was pitch ck, eerily silent. Agnes was about to go in. But she noticed a tall figure leaning under the streetmp in front of the dormitory. Agnes was taken aback before realizing that it was Jared. Why would Jared be here? But Agnes quickly understood. Probably because he saw Mamie today and finally had an epiphany. Maybe he came to talk about the divorce. That¡¯s a good thing.. Agnes walked up to Jared. ¡°Were the prawns good?¡± Before Agnes could open her mouth, Jared broke the silence. His voice was low, with a hint of sarcasm and mockery that made people frown. Agnes forced a smile, ¡°Of course, they were good. They were air¨C shipped here, each live red prawn worth hundreds of bucks. They must taste great. Thanks to Mr. Whitf ield¡¯s generosity.¡± ¡°I think, you didn¡¯t eat it because it tasted good, but because Justin personally peeled it for you. You tw o seemed pretty close.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t back down, ¡°You and Ms. Mamie seemed pretty chummy too.¡± Their eyes locked, and Jared¡¯s eyes were cold, but there was a hint of anger. After a while, Jared said, ¡°If they were so tasty, why didn¡¯t you eat more? Why¡¯d youe back so early?¡± Agnes shot back, ¡°And you? Why are you lingering outside the girls¡® dormitory? Are you¡­ waiting for m e?* Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Jared went silent for a moment, then sand word for word, ¡°I was indeed waiting for you¡± ¡°Really? So you¡¯ve finallye to your seoses to sign the divorce papera? The moment Agnes words left her mouth, the atmosphere turned i The expression on Jared¡¯s face seemed to change at her words. This woman always seemed to be talking about divorce. Was she really that desperate, not wanting to wait even for a moment Was she itching to get rid of him so she could The air went dead silent! Agnes faintly felt her phone vibrating in her bag. Who on earth would be calling her at this moment? into Justin¡¯s arms without any quilt? Agnes began to rummage through her bag to get her phone out. But this action was all too familiar to Jared A few days ago, at the airport. The moment Agnes saw him, she pulled out a set of divorce papers from her bag and shoved it in front of him, demanding a signature. Did she always carry the divorce papers with her? Was she always waiting to run into him to force him to sign? Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. As Agnes reached for her phone, Jared suddenly grabbed her hand. The next second, Agnes found herself pinned against amppost by Jared. Agnes was startled ¡°Jared, what the hell are you doing?¡± Agnes snapped, looking up to see Jared¡¯s cold and terrifying face. Jared¡¯s words seemed to be squeezed out through gritted teeth. ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t push it! His voice was low and suppressed His voice hinted at grinding anger, and his eyes were like the ocean at night, calm on the surface but s eemingly about to unleash a tidal wave of rage that would swallow everything. Agnes could feel the intense anger radiating from Jared, but she had no idea where this anger was co ming from. What had she done to piss him off? Was there a more understanding woman in the world than her? Wouldn¡¯t anyone else demand some sort ofpensation? ¡°Mr. Whitfield, how have I wronged you? The divorce papers clearly state that I don¡¯t want anything from you. What else do you want? Just sign the papers, and we can cut our tiespletely. I promise not to bother you or appear in your life to cau se you trouble. If you¡¯re still unsatisfied, tell me, what else do you want?¡± Looking at Agnes, Jared wanted to strangle her. She¡¯d rather have nothing than have anything to do with him; quite a clean break indeed. It just showed how little she cared about him, how desperate she was to leave him. In her eyes, their marriage was just a nuisance she was eager to eliminate, awkward and ugly, with no nostalgia. So, what did he, hot husband, mean to her? Jared¡¯s grip on Agnes¡¯s wrist tightened, and Agnes cried out in pain, ¡°Let go of me, Jared, what the hell do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to show you what I will do next!¡± Suddenly, Agnes felt a surge of pain in her back. Jared had her pinned against themppost and was kissing her like a madman¡­. Agnes was truly stunned, having no idea what had just happened. Jared¡¯s kiss was unlike any before; it was suffocatingly intense! Chapter 133 Chapter 133 His calm, unique scent mixed with the smell of alcohol filled her nostrils and mouth. Had he been drinking? That would exin everything! Agnes pushed Jared away with all her strength, shouting, ¡°Jared, what the hell are you thinking?¡± Jared stepped back, touching his mouth where Agnes had bitten him in her struggle. A mark of blood was left on his lip. With another step back, his expression turned colder. Agnes stared at him, her eyes wide and alert, like a cat ready to pounce. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Her anger slowly subsided. Jared was back to his usual cold facade. ¡°Agnes, believe me or not, I can make Justin fall from great heights.¡± ¡°What are you trying to pull? A chill ran down Agnes¡¯s spine. ¡°What I do depends on your actions, Agnes. Don¡¯t make me jealous, or I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do.¡± Before Agnes could respond, Jared had already turned and left. Agnes stood there with a mix of anger and confusion. What was wrong with Jared? He was back with Mamie, wasn¡¯t he? Why would he say something like th at? Does he want to share his heart with two different women? Even if she didn¡¯t mind, would Mamie ept her existence? Agnes couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on in Jared¡¯s head. Her phone vibrated in her bag. It was a missed call from Justin. Agnes was too upset to answer. The next day, she continued filming. For the next three days, Mamie was on set. Agnes thought it would be challenging, but Mamie didn¡¯t intentionally give her a hard time. Thest scene for Mamie was the grand finale of the drama. It was the wedding of Sylvia and Samie. All their friends and family were present, and the couple receiv ed Naomi¡¯s blessing. In the afternoon, everyone went to Nora Church to film the wedding. For the first time, Agnes was wearing a wedding dress, standing at the altar holding a man¡¯s hand. Justin looked stunning, like a prince straight out of a fairy tale. Mamie had someone record the whole process and send it to Jared. She also sent him a message: ¡°Your wife has a bed scene tonight. Wannae watch?¡± Sure enough, Jared returned to Maplewood Manor early. The only bed scene in the script was filmed at Maplewood Manor. Agnes was a little scared about this scene. The director exined. You need to show your feelings, got it? Samie should be filled with desire, a bit wild. The audience loves that Sylvia should go from shy to unrestrained, showing her deep love.¡± Justin suggested, ¡°I¡¯m wonderful with it. How about we add a twist? Like the main characters taking a b ath first?¡± Agnes rolled her eyes at Justin. Just hearing the director exin the scene made her blush. She really disliked being intimate with men, even if it was Justin. The thought of filming an intimate scene made her nervous. But this was work, and as an actor, she had to separate her personal feelings from her professional duties. Once everything was ready, the director waved his hand and said, ¡°Action¡± The scene started with Samie carrying Sylvia into the room,ying her on the bed, and then a deep kis s¡­ ¡°Hold on.¡± A cold male voice came from the doorway Everyone whipped their heads toward the source of the sound. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Jared stood at the door, his icy demeanor seemingly dropping the room temperature. A sea of puzzled faces filled the room. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Mr. Whitfield always up to his neck at work? Why did he always have time to monitor the film crew, mainly when this scene didn¡¯t even involve Mamie?¡± Mamie was there, too. Despite not being part of the scene, she was on set watching, just like everyone else Seeing Jared, Mamie¡¯s face subtly changed. She didn¡¯t think he would actually show Under the scrutiny of everyone, Jared walked in, approached Agnes, and coldly said, ¡°No bedroom sce nes. Get a stand¨Cin¡± His words made the room even quieter. Everyone was taken aback. Mr. Whitfield didn¡¯t want Agnes to do a bed scene? This was big news Was there something between Mr. Whitfield and Agnes? What¡¯s more, Mamie was also present. Mr. Whitfield actually stopped another woman from doing a bed scene in front of Mamie without considering her feelings. Everyone¡¯s eyes fell on Mamie. As expected, her expression had turned sour. Agnes felt even more awkward. Has Jared gone nuts? Telling her what to do in front of everyone, wasn¡¯t he afraid of being misunderstood? Justin stood before Agnes and asked, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re overstepping your boundari es? What¡¯s your rtionship with Agnes that even her scenes are your concern?¡± ¡°You know our rtionship. On the other hand, you should check if you can handle it before trying to st eal someone else¡¯s girl¡± The director came over, looking puzzled. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Justin turned to the director, ¡°Director Zoe, if a stand¨C in is used, I¡¯m out. You can get whomever you want.¡± Director Zoe was in a bind, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, Agnes¡® stand¨Cin isn¡¯t on set. This might be difficult.¡± Jared didn¡¯t care, being the main investor in this drama. ¡°Who said the stand¨Cin had to be a woman? I meant for Justin¡¯s part.¡± The director was taken aback. Ivan had found a stand¨Cin for Agnes but not for Justin. ¡°Then who could rece Justin?¡± Director Zoe asked, puzzled. ¡°Me, Jared answered without hesitation. Agnes was stunned. What on earth was happening? Everyone was confused. But one thing was clear¡­. There¡¯s definitely more than meets the eye between Agnes and Mr. Whitfield. The awkwardness was reaching a breaking point when Ivan stepped in and broke the stalemate. He had actuallye with Jared and had seen everything from the door. As the producer, Ivan had a lot of say here.. Ivan walked over and whispered something to the director. The director¡¯s face was a mix of expressions. Then he said to Justin, ¡°Justin, step outside with me. I ha ve something to discuss with you¡± Reluctantly, Justin was led out by Ivan. Suddenly, the director waved his hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s continue shooting; everyone back to your positions.¡± Everyone was stunned What were they supposed to shoot without the male lead? ¡°Mr. Whitfield, you¡¯ll be Justin¡¯s stand¨Cin Let¡¯s get started, the director said. What the heck was going on? Why would Tim Group¡¯s CEO, Jared, y a stand¨Cin on a whim? Especially in a bedroom scene? Was Jared really not worried about Mamie getting jealous? C Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Jared is getting changed. Agnes notices that the people around them are whispering ¡°What¡¯s the deal between Agnes and Mr. Whitfield?¡± 1sn¡¯t Mr Whitfield about to marry Mamie? Why is he still actively doing love scenes with Agnes in front of Mamie?¡± ¡°1 heard before that Agnes was pre¨C selected for the lead role, with a sugar daddy backing her up. It seems like that sugar daddy is Mr. Whit field.¡± ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that quiet Agnes was this type of girl?¡± Beatrice also witnessed this scene today She was fuming. She had suspected something between Agnes and Jared before. She didn¡¯t expect it to be true. She never thought that the quiet and reserved Agnes would actually be the type to cling to the powerful, even to be a mistress. All her pride was just a facade. Jared had finished changing and came out. The director exined the plot. Because they switched stunt doubles, the shooting n was different from before. Every move of Agnes became the focus. Jared would only appear from behind throughout. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Agnes stared at Jared as he slowly approached. This man, does he really not know what he¡¯s done? Doesn¡¯t he know how much trouble he¡¯s caused he r today? But Jaredpletely ignored Agnes¡® re. He even nonchntly raised an eyebrow. Having been around Jared for so long. Agnes knew this was a sign he was in a good mood. This was too much. ording to the script, Jared would suddenly lift Agnes, who was standing at the door. Jared walked over without hesitation and lifted Agnes. Agnes was not ready and screamed. But she reflexively wrapped her arms around Jared¡¯s neck. The director shouted: ¡°Action!¡± Jared held Agnes and walked towards the bed. He had barely walked a few steps when the director yelled cut. ¡°Agnes, your expression is wrong. It needs to be loving; why do you look like you¡¯re about to die togeth er?¡± Agnes wished she could die with this man, it would save her from the uing rumors and gossip. But Agnes didn¡¯t want to dy the shooting. Agnes adjusted her mindset. Jared lifted Agnes again, walked to the bed, put her down, undid his tie, and kissed her without hesitati on. There was a collective gasp in the room. But the director also yelled cut at that moment, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re too stiff. Rx a bit. You must consider the person in front of you as someone you deeply love¡± If Agnes had a knife right now, she¡¯d stab Jared. The director re¨Cexined the plot for a while. ¡°Take it from the top¡± But Agnes¡¯s performance was not satisfactory each time, which resulted in the kissing scene being sho t several times. Some girls around them whispered ¡°Is Agnes doing this intentionally, trying to take advantage of Mr. Whitfield?¡± ¡°I think Agnes is challenging Mamie Agnes¡¯s rtionship with Mr. Whitfield is definitely special. But Ma mie and Mr. Whitfield are recognized as a couple, so that¡¯s why Mamie was not nice to Agnes before. N ow with Mr. Whitfield¡¯s appearance, Agnes has a chance to retaliate. Didn¡¯t you see Mamie¡¯s face. how awful it looked?¡± ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought Agnes could be so cunning? Isn¡¯t this publicly humiliating Mamie? Mamie might be so angry that she can¡¯t ept it.¡± Chapter 136 Chapter 136 When Jared was shooting the kiss scene, his powerful chanisma made all the girls squeal He was just too hot and charming Everyone wished they could be the one in bed with him at that moment He was like the overbearing CEO in revels In fact, he was the overbearing CEO in real life Agnes had some drinks and was a bit dizzy Ava had walked up to her, holding the unsteady Agres Agr es, are you okay? Agnes shook her head The director, watching the screen, couldn¡¯t help butpliment, Agnes, you did great this time. The de pth of your eyes and your expressions of love were perfect. The kiss scene was very natural, no awkwa rdness at all Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Of course, they were natural Countless kiss scenes had made them experts Because there was another scene that night So Agnes returned to the set with everyone else On the way, everyone was quiet May Kelly couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Agnes, what¡¯s going on between you and Mr. Whitfield? Agnes didn¡¯t know how to answer. With all themotion today, things had changed. She originally wanted to divorce peacefully, pretending she had never met this man. But now. And Agnes didn¡¯t know how it was going to blow up. Marnie probably wouldn¡¯t let her off the hook. Agnes didn¡¯t know how to answer, so she leaned on Ava¡¯s shoulder and pretended to be dizzy, I have a headache Ava quickly said, ¡°Let Agnes rest for a while, she can¡¯t hold her liquor, she must be drunk now¡± Beatrice teased from the side, ¡°I think you¡¯re drunk on Jared¡¯s kiss, Agnes. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so careless, bing someone else¡¯s mistress Didn¡¯t you know that Mamie and Jared are getting marrie d soon?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you saying that was just a rumor?¡± Beatrice was taken aback but still retorted, ¡°Agnes, what¡¯s really going on between you and Jared? Do n¡¯t tell us there¡¯s nothing or treat us like idiots¡± ¡°He¡¯s my husband, okay?¡± Agnes just let it all out Everyone in the car went quiet. Beatrice was stunned, thenughed. ¡°Agnes, are you daydreaming? If Jared is your husband, I¡¯ll jump off a building¡± Beatrice¡¯sughter was full of scorn In Jared¡¯s eyes, Agnes was probably just an embarrassing mistress, and she dared to im she was hi s wife. A man like Jared, even Mamie didn¡¯t deserve him, how could he marry Agnes? Everyone else also looked skeptical As if Agnes was drunk and talking nonsense. Suddenly, Agnes thought, why bother hiding it? Even if she told the world that she and Jared were married, no one would believe her anyway The scene that night didn¡¯t get shot. Because Justin was nowhere to be found Agnes called him, but Justin didn¡¯t pick up. Agnesy on the dorm bed, Jared¡¯s face kept shing in her mind. Ava kept poking her head out from the top bunk, seemingly wanting to say something. Agnes just asked, ¡°If you have a question, just ask Ava finally asked, Agnes, what¡¯s really going on between you and Mr. Whitfield?¡± Agnes answered, ¡°If I told you we¡¯re married, would you believe me?¡± ¡°I would.¡± This time it was Agnes who was surprised, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because the way Mr. Whitfield looks at you is different. How should I put it? It¡¯s full of love¡± Jaled looked at her with eyes full of love, and she didn¡¯t even notice Suddenly, Ava got excited and crawled down from the top bunk and into Agnes¡¯s bed If you¡¯re married to Mr. Whitfield, why is there a rumor that Mr. Whitfield is going to marry Mamie?¡± 10:31 Agnes sighed, ¡°We are indeed married, but we¡¯re getting a divorce soon.¡± Chapter 137 Chapter 137 ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not into me, I¡¯m just his n B.¡± Ava could sorta guess the situation. In the love story of Cindere and the Prince, a princess is always a perfect match for the prince. Seeing Agnes¡¯s mood. Ava didn¡¯t ask any more questions. Agnes¡¯s phone started to ring. It was freaking Jared. Agnes hesitated but answered it anyway. Jared¡¯s deep and maic voice came from the other side, ¡°Why haven¡¯t youe back yel?¡± ¡°Noting back; I have work early tomorrow.¡± ¡°You promised toe home tonight.¡± ¡°When did I promise you that?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Jared¡¯s voice went up. ¡°Do you need me to remind you?¡± Agnes blushed instantly. Of course, she remembered. ¡°I don¡¯t want toe back, Agnes whispered. ¡°Do you want me to pick you up?¡± ¡°No¡°¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Then show up in half an hour.¡± Jared hung up before she could reply. Agnes was pissed off but got up and put on her shoes anyway. ¡°Agnes, where are you going thiste?¡± Agnes sighed, ¡°To see an annoying old man.¡± Ava, Agnes didn¡¯t dare to disobey Jared, so she obediently went to Maplewood Manor. Maplewood Manor was brightly lit As Agnes started to climb the stairs, she was pulled back by a strong force. The next second she was pinned against the wall. Kisses showered down on her. That familiar scent made Agnes¡¯s mind go nk In front of her was a stunningly handsome face. People always say Jared is an aloof god, just one look could make your heart race. But honestly, Jared is even more irresistible when he¡¯s passionate. Jared had one hand against the wall, the other hand holding Agnes¡¯s head, holding her in his arms, do minant yet gentle. Jared was a great kisser, Agnes couldn¡¯t resist Soon she was dizzy and disoprented. Finally, Jared carried Agnes into the bedroom. The moment they hit the bed, Agnes suddenly snapped back to reality. She pushed Jared aside. The interrupted man looked disgruntled. ¡°What time is it, and you won¡¯t let me kiss?¡± ¡°Jared, if you need to satisfy your desires, find another woman, don¡¯te to me.¡± Agnes was pissed Was she his tool for venting desires? Coming home without a word, and just¡­.. Jared¡¯sce turned dark instantly ¡°Find another woman? Agnes, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just speaking the truth, Jared, I don¡¯t know what you guys think, but for me, many problems can¡¯t b e solved by being intimate; we better keep some distance now to avoid awkwardness in the future.¡± Jared sat up straight, the desire in his eyes slowly faded, reced by a deep indifference. 1s Justin really that good that you¡¯ve decided to divorce me?¡± Agnes felt confused, not knowing how the topic suddenly changed. But what does this have to do with Justin? Their problems were never about Justin, Jared was always good at shifting focus. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Agnes was fed up with Jared¡¯s act of ying dumb. ¡°He¡¯s better than you, Jared I¡¯m done going around in circles with you. If you still refuse to divorce, I¡¯ll g o straight to a lawyer. If you don¡¯t mind being exposed¡± Jared seemed indifferent on the surface, but anger was burnin g inside him She was quite something, making him so mad in just a few seconds. In all these years, she was the firs t one to do so. She had asked him for a divorce three times in just three days Jared¡¯s voice became colder. ¡°Agnes, I forgot to tell you when we got married, divorce doesn¡¯t exist in my dictionary, only widowhood¡± Agnes looked at him in disbelief N?velDrama.Org content rights. His cold face sent shivers down her spine. She had never seen such a sinister side of Jared before. Jared mmed the door and left Soon, Agnes heard the roaring sound of a car downstairs. Jared had left Maplewood Manor Where was he going sote? Was he going to see Mamie? Agnes was exhausted, she quickly fell asleep on the bed. The next morning Agnes went to the set When she entered the makeup room, she saw everyone gathering together to discuss something As she entered, everyone immediately quieted down. They all had strange looks in their eyes. Agnes was puzzled Ava came over, a worned look on her face, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re on the entertainment headlines¡± She handed Agnes a tabloid. The headline read, ¡°Queen¡¯s fianc¨¦ caught cheating, seen sneaking around with newbie at midnight.¡± There were a few pictures below. Paparazzi obviously took them with a telephoto lens. Two people kissing in the hallway. Agnes remembered the hallway of Maplewood Manor was transparent from north to south, and the sou thernmost balcony was floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, probably where the photos were taken from. The photos were not clear, but the silhouettes of the two people could be made out. The article also revealed her identity The report was sharp, directly pointing out she was the third party between Mamie and Jared. There were various rumors that she had gotten the lead role in the new drama through under¨C the table means. The inte was filled with criticism as soon as the news came out Mamie¡¯s fans called for ¡°Agnes to get out of the entertainment industry; the topic had tens of millions of views and unprecedented heat Even Justin¡¯s fans feared that the female lead would drag down their idol, joining the call for ¡°Demand f or recement of Cindere¡¯s female lead Agnes¡¯s name was immediately at the center of public opinion. Beatrice crossed her arms and came over, gloating, ¡°Agnes, what do you have to say now, still not adm itting to being the third party? I wonder how you¡¯ll clear your name this time Mr. Whitfield will hold a pre ss conference at three in the afternoon, he¡¯ll surely cut lies with you. If I were you, I¡¯d rather kill myself now than drown in Mamie¡¯s fans¡® saliva.¡± Beatrice was ecstatic Last night, she saw Agnes sneaking outte at night and hired paparazzi to follow her. Unexpectedly, they bumped into such big news. This time, there¡¯s no way Agnes could redeem her image. In the entertainment industry, nothing is more despised than low morals. She was involved in a rtionship between Marie and the CEO of the Tim Group right at the crucial time of their engagement. As soon as the news came out, the Tim Group immediately announced that they would hold a press co nference, obviously eager to rify the situation. This kind of thing is all toomon in the entertainment industry In these cases, either you deny it until there¡¯s concrete evidence, usually, the weaker party takes the me. Of course, the man might gi ve the woman a sum of money enough for her to live worry¨Cfree for the rest of her life. But anyway, Agnes¡¯s acting career will bepletely ruined. Matrice was over the moon. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 She thought Jared was just into Agnes for her looks and was just messing around with her. Now that the cat was out of the bag. Agnes became his liability, and he would ditch her without a secon d thought Beatrice was just waiting for the moment to see Agnes¡¯s reputation take a nosedive Even though the news had hit the fan. Director Zoe didn¡¯t give a hoot, all the morning shoots went as pl anned Even though no one directly addressed it, it was in everyone¡¯s mind. At lunch, Agnes received a message from Jared It was a simple text 2 pm. Tim Tower Presidents meeting room, let¡¯s call it quits. Agnes stared at her phone for a good ten minutes She felt like a knife was cutting her Even though she saw this daying it still hurt like hell. Was it over? Jared finally got it, she should breathe a sigh of relief. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. But under the current circumstances, Agnes had no clue how Jared would deal with it. Maybe to save Mamie¡¯s face, he would really do as Beatrice predicted and cut ties with her If Jared had some decency, he might publicly announce their short lived marriage and sign the divorce papers But Agnes thought, given their current rtionship, Jared wouldn¡¯t be that decent No matter the oue, Agnes was ready to bite the bullet As Agries was in a daze. Justin sat down next to her, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you this afternoon¡± Agnes immediately put her phone away Justin gave her a nce. ¡°Don¡¯t hide it, I saw it¡± ¡°I dont want to go from one mess to another ¡°I can tell the world that I like you, Agnes If you divorce him today, fil marry you tomorrow¡± ¡°Justin, don¡¯t joke around I dont feel that way about you, we¡¯re just friends¡± ¡°This is the third time you ve rejected me Justin was clearly disappointed But after a while, he suddenly ruffled Agnes¡¯s hair, it¡¯s okay, I can wait for you, I¡¯m so handsome, you¡¯ll fall for me sooner orter Agnes asked the director for leave. She arrived at Tim Tower on time She had interned there, so she knew the ce like the back of her hand To enter the meeting room, one has to pass through the president¡¯s secretary¡¯s office first She almost knew everyone there Everyone peculiarly looked at her. Ynda Bowman stood directly before Agnes ¡°Is it true about you and Mr. Whitfield?¡± Ynda was a year ahead of her, had already graduated, and worked in the secretary department But during her internship, Agnes noticed that Ynda had a big crush on Jared. ¡°This is my business and has nothing to do with you¡± Agnes didn¡¯t know Ynda very well and was not in the mood to exin. After saying that, Agnes bypassed her and was about to leave. Ynda was so angry that she stomped her foot and pointed at Agnes¡¯s back, ¡°You shameless homew recker, how dare you show up today? I want to see what happens you¡± Ynda didn¡¯t even care about her image anymore All because she had been crushing on Jared for so long and was still ignored by him But the photo leaked yesterday. Jared was so passionate, radiating masculine solid charm, which was a total opposite of his usual cold demeanor It¡¯s not that she resented Agnes for being the third wheel, but why couldn¡¯t she be Jared¡¯s lover? Chapter 140 Chapter 140 The press conference was held in the meeting room, and Agnes purposely arrived a bitte By now, many reporters had already gathered there. The Interview hadn¡¯t even started and everyone was already chit chatting ¡°Where¡¯s Mamie? I thought she¡¯d be here¡± *This time, Mamie really lost face. She just got engaged not long ago, and her fianc¨¦ is now invalveil in a scandal with a newbie in the entertainment industry¡± ¡°You guys are just too naive. Which man in the entertainment circle doesn¡¯t love a few lovers? Maybe Mamie just chose to look the other way. As long as she can hold onto the title of Mrs Whitfield, what ha rm can these rumors do?¡± ¡°But Mamie is indeed awesome. She managed to get the Tim Group CEO to clear up the rumors. It seems he really cares about her¡± Jared sat in the chairman¡¯s seat, his gaze fixed on the door as if waiting for something. The moment Agnes appeared, Jared¡¯s expression shifted slightly He couldn¡¯t be waiting for her, could he? Agnes thought gloomily Yes, how was she supposed to sign the divorce agreement if she didn¡¯t show up? All the cameras were ready. Mr. Whitfield might not be a figure in the entertainment industry, but because of his background, he has always been the focus of attention Especially it¡¯s rumored that he is Mamie¡¯s fianc¨¦ This incident has stirred up unprecedented attention in the entertainment circle At this moment, Jared¡¯s secretary, Leo, stood up and said, ¡°Everyone quiet down. The rification pres s conference will now begin. Mr. Whitfield has something to say¡± The meeting room instantly fell silent Reporters swarmed around Jared slowly removed his sses, stood up, and began, ¡°Recently, there have been a lot of rumors about me and Agnes¡­¡± The meeting room was eerily quiet, with only the sound of camera shutters. At this time, a lot of people were already pouring in through the door. Some young female secretaries led by Ynda, and even Mamie¡¯s fans who had caused trouble earlier , managed to sneak in through some means, holding signs that read ¡°Agnes, leave the entertainment in dustry¡°. Everyone saw this scene. Jared¡¯s voice was clear, with each word entering everyone¡¯s ears, ¡°Now I will make things clear. Those are not rumors. This statement plunged the entire meeting room into silence. Everyone wore a surprised expression. What did Mr. Whitfield mean? Are the rumors false? Could they be true? Agnes was also stunned Because at this moment, Jared¡¯s gaze was fixed on her face. Agnes felt her heart stop beating for a mo ment. A reporter suddenly asked, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, what is your rtionship with Agnes? Is she truly your mistress, as the rumors suggest?¡± Seeing one reporter ask a question, the others couldn¡¯t help but follow sult, throwing out one prickly qu estion after another. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Whitfield, does Mamie know about your rtionship?¡± ¡°We heard that Agnes knocked on your door in the middle of the night. Is that true?¡± ¡°As the lead actress in the new drama The Magical Romance of Cindere, there have been rumors th at Agnes got the role through unfair means. Are you involved?¡± One question after another was hurled out. Jared coldly said, ¡°Enough¡°¡± The venue once again fell into silence Jared spoke icily, ¡°Zoe chose Agnes at the audition. She didn¡¯t get the role through any unfair means. I don¡¯t think anyone in this circle would dare to act unfairly towards r wife, w ould they?¡± Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Jared¡¯s words sent the room into dead silence Wife? What was that all about? The reporters exchanged nces, seemingly puzzled by his statement Meanwhile, thedies standing by the door, especially Ynda, wom various expressions. Agnes was standing at the door too, her surprise no less than anyone else¡¯s in the room. Sure enough a reporter broke the silence, ¡°Mi Whitfield, did you just say Agnes is your wife? Jared¡¯s voice was indifferent ¡°Agnes and I are named I was worried that the attention might disturb her l ife and studies as she¡¯s still young. That¡¯s why we didn¡¯t go public But now I have no choice Agnes is my wife. I don¡¯t want to see any negative news about us anymore. What we do in our own home is our business¡± He was obviously referring to yesterday¡¯s reported kissing scandal Jared¡¯s bold words uttered in such a serious tone were somehow stirring He might seem aloof, but he had this inesistibly attractive aura. The moreposed he appeared, the more he fired up one¡¯s imagination. Especially after yesterday¡¯s newspaper photo of the heart throbbing wall mming and princess carryin g that every woman dreams of Who would¡¯ve thought that this seemingly detached man could also be so passionate? And this side of him that drove all women crazy was only reserved for that girl named Agnes. Agnes was standing at the door, dumbstruck She didn¡¯t expect Jared to announce their marriage publicly What was he thinking? Was he doing this for his reputation? For the reputation of Tim Group? What about Mame? Sure enough, a reporter asked what Agnes had in mind. ¡°Mr. Whitfield what¡¯s your rtionship with Mamie? There were rumors that she proposed to you, and y ou two were about to tie the knot¡± Jared didn¡¯t show any emotion. He simply said, ¡°It was a misunderstanding.¡± He didn¡¯t bother to exin further, but his stance was clear. N?velDrama.Org content rights. He had gone public with his marriage to Agnes and rified his ambiguous rtionship with Mamie Anyway today¡¯s news shocked everyone. No one could imagine Jared marrying a young girl who just started her career. A reporter asked, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, why didn¡¯t Agnese today?¡± Jared answered casually, ¡°Who said she didn¡¯te?¡± By then, Jared was already walking toward the door. The reporters instinctively made way for him. But the shlights were still going crazy Jared had reached Agnes He held her hand and gently kissed the back of it under everybody¡¯s gaze. An unconscious act filled with affection made the waiting women green with envy Then, holding Agnes¡® hand, he returned to his previous spot and said, ¡°My wife is still young just starting her career I hope you all will take good care of her in the future.¡± Jared kept mentioning ¡°wife¡°, and his love for her was palpable He was calm and indifferent when rifying things to the reporters earlier. But now, when asking the m edia to take care of Agnes, he was extremely polite. It was hard not to marvel at how a man like Mr. Whitfield could lower his head for his wife Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Leo announced ¡°That¡¯s all for today¡¯s press conference You can all scram now¡± However, one brave reporter dared to ask, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, any chance we could snap a shot of you two getting cory for our headline?¡± That was a bit much Mr. Whitfield was always icy How could he agree so easily? But against all odds, Mr Whitfield didn¡¯t reject the request. He responded indifferently. All right, fine Having said that, he turned around, cupped the somewhat dazed Agnes¡¯s face in his hands, and nte d a kiss right on her lips. The room went dead silent in shock. Even Leo was bbergasted. Mr. Whitfield was always aloof, keeping people at arm¡¯s length, and loathed having too much contact wi th others. But now And the reporter only asked for a slightly intimate photo, maybe just getting a bit closer or an arm aroun d the shoulder would do. But Mr. Whitfield went straight for a kiss in front of everyone, clearly taking advantage of Agnes¡­. But then again, Agnes was his wife, so it was not too out of line. The reporters were stunned for a moment, then quickly snapped out of it to capture the moment with th eir cameras. Agnes had been somewhat out of it from the start. All she could hear were the camera shutters, and all she could see was Jared¡¯s face. After a long kiss, Jared finally let go of Agnes and affectionately stroked her hair, saying. ¡°Silly girl¡± Everyone at the door was dumbstruck Mamie¡¯s fans had initiallye to expose Agnes. But then Agnes suddenly became the legitimate wife, leaving them stunned at the door, not knowing ho w to react. The secretarial staff were even more dumbfounded How could Agnes be Mr. Whitfield¡¯s wife? A few months ago, Agnes was an intern in their department and was constantly scolded by Mr. Whitfield in his office¡­. Agnes would be in tears each time she came out, until her legs weakened Then it dawned on them So, at that time, Agnes wasn¡¯t being scolded, but Thinking about it, it all seemed suspicious They couldn¡¯t even bear to think about it, too shocked Who would have thought Mr. Whitfield was that kind of person! Ynda was so angry her eyes turned red. She and Agnes went to the same school and interned together, but Jared never gave her a second nce. Back then, Agnes was always called into the CEO¡¯s office for a scolding, everyone sympathized with h er, only Ynda was envious. Even being scolded by Mr. Whitfield himself was a kind of happiness. But looking back now, they were actually¡­ Agnes, you shameless! Ynda was so upset that she turned around and left in tears. The reporters quickly left the conference room Leo walked to the door, taking a look at the secretaries who were enjoying the show He asked coldly. ¡°Are you all done with your work?¡± Leo was the head of the secretarial department, and everyone was a bit scared of him. People scattered When Leo left, he even closed the conference room door on his way out N?velDrama.Org content rights. The conference room suddenly became quiet Agnes was still in a somewhat dazed state like she was dreaming However, Jared sat down, his face slightly colder, and said, ¡°Agnes, are you a bit out of it?¡± Seeing Jared¡¯s sudden change in demeanor, Agnes finally snapped out of it Agnes began, ¡°Jared, why did you make this public?¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Jared started off, ¡°What, did I cheappoint you? Agnes, I¡¯ve told you that ver consider divorce suggest you better cut lies with Justin, or I might have In do something¡± Justin again! Agnes couldn¡¯t help but reton, ¡°Jared can you stop using Justin as an excuse? It¡¯s clear as day that you cheated first. You and Mamie are getting ready to tie the knot, why make our rtionship public? Ist th at just asking for trouble? Jared nced at Agoes ¡°Who said I¡¯m marrying Mamin?¡± Upon hearing this Agnes felt a pang of burt. He was still denying it Did he take her for a fool? How long was he nning to keep this up? Agnes shot back, I saw it with my own eyes The day Mamie was hospitalized, you went to see her I we nt too I heard her say at the door that you were marrying me just to get back at her for rejecting your pr oposal. And at Dragon Bay you said you were on a business trip, but actually you were on holiday with her She proposed to you publicly, I saw that too You two even kissed Since you two are already together, why treat me like a fool, Jared? I might be young, but I have my dignity¡± Agnes felt wronged, but she held back her tears What she minded was being deceived repeatedly in love and treated like aughing stock. They clearly had other women, and yet they still put on a show of being good men in front of her Elton was like this, even Jared was no different! Jared paused for two seconds, then suddenly said, ¡°Since you were there that day, didn¡¯t you see me r eject Marnie¡¯s proposal? Agnes was taken aback. That day after she saw Mamie stand up, tip¨Ctoe and kiss Jared She was pulled away from the scene by Justin. But what did Jared say? He rejected Mamie¡¯s proposal? Jared seemed to have guessed that she might have only seen the first half and then left halfway through. The follow up reports were also out of context, although the news no longer reports it now But there were still many tumors about the proposals. Jared earnestly exined. ¡°I rejected the proposal on the spot that day. And yes, I went to Dragon Bay on a business trip that day: the Tim Group ns tounch a new project there i bumped into Mamie coi ncidentally, and I had no idea she would propose. As for what you heard at the hospital, it¡¯s my fault for not telling you, I did propose to Mamie, but that¡¯s in the past now Agnes, If we¡¯re to bring up the past, s hould we talk about your ten¨Cyear rtionship with Elton?¡± When Jared put it this way, Agnes felt a bit guilty for some reason. Agnes didn¡¯t know how to react for a while. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. If it was true, then what has she been worrying and hurting about these days? Could this just be a misunderstanding? Jared had already stood up and was walking towards Agnes. His face was still cold, he said. ¡°Actually, it was you who went to Dragon Bay behind my back with Justi n, then you two went on a ten¨C day vacation in Europe and told me some nonsense about old friends reuniting Agnes, tell me, did you betray me?¡± Agnes was stunned She quickly shook her head and said. ¡°No, nothing happened between me and Justin.¡± Jared closed in, ¡°Oh? But I heard he proposed to you a year ago?¡± She replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t agree.¡± Jared asked, ¡°So it¡¯s true?¡± She exined, ¡°He¡¯s an orphan my mom has been sponsoring since he was little, he probably just wan ted to show his gratitude, I didn¡¯t agree.¡± Jared asked further, ¡°Anything Else you didn¡¯t agree to?¡± She hesitated for a moment, His confession¡± Jared had pushed Agnes to the point of no return, with the conference table behind her Jared ced has hands on either side of the table, effectively trapping Agnes. The two were to close that they could hear each other¡¯s breath. Chap Chapter 144 Chapter 144 ¡°ph? A famous movie star confessed to you, and you turned him down?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t like him¡± Agnes looked at Jared, her breath almost hitching in her throat Jared calmly met her gaze, raising an eyebrow slightly He closed the distance between them and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll let you off the hook this time, but keep your d istance in the future.¡± The way Jared said it was full of implications His cool lips were almost touching Agnes. She could feel his warm breath every time he spoke, almost as if he was trying to seduce her. Agnes thoughts began to whirl Seeing Agnes looking dazed, Jared couldn¡¯t resist leaning in for a kiss In truth, Jared knew very well Agnes and Justin didn¡¯t have anything going on. But not until Agnes admitted it hersell did Jared finally feel at ease. He kissed her for a long time before finally letting go Agnes¡® face was so red it looked like she was about to bleed Her thoughts hadn¡¯t caught up yet She was supposed to be the one ming him, why is it now him forgiving her? Jared looked at Agnes face, saying with satisfaction, ¡°Come meet my parents tonight¡± Jared¡¯s words jolted Agnes back to reality like a bolt of lightning ¡°Meet your parents? ¡°Our rtionship is out in the open now, keeping it a secret from my family is impossible I¡¯m sure my fat her will take action soon! Just as Jared finished speaking, there was a knock on the conference room door Jared said indifferently. ¡°Come in.¡°. When Leo walked in, he saw Jared holding Agnes close as if he had just been doting on her In front of Jared, Agnes looked like a rabbit being eyed by a leopard Leo coughed to get their attention, then lowered his head and said, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, your father called. H e has arranged a dinner with Agnes¡¯s family tonight. He asks that you both attend¡± Jared said nonchntly, ¡°I see ¡± Leo lingered at the door, not leaving Jared asked coldly, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Leo gathered his courage and said, ¡°Mr Whitfield, the shareholders¡® meeting was supposed to start at t hree, it¡¯s already twenty¨C two past three now. The shareholders have been waiting for a while, they didn¡¯t dare toe in.¡± Agnes was mortified. She hadn¡¯t realized that so many people were gathered outside the door, and they were thepany¡¯s major shareholders. She wanted to find a hole and crawl into it Only then did she realize how intimate she and Jared must have looked? She let out a yelp and pushed Jared away. Jared, however, seemedpletely unconcerned. He leisurely adjusted his tie and said, ¡°Let them in¡± Then he turned to Agnes and said, ¡°Wait for me in my office. We¡¯ll go home together tonight¡± Agnes hurriedly said, ¡°I should Jared agreed. All night!¡± With that, Agnes made her exit. back to the set. I have a scene this afternoon. This evening¡­ you can pick me up¡± Just then, some shareholders walked in. Most of the shareholders of the Tim Group were quite elderly. They looked at Agnes as if she was a disaster w aiting to happen It was understandable Although Jared was young, everyone at the Tim Group held him in high esteem. He was admired for his business acumen, unique vision, and efficiency, and being a dedicated and so mewhat obsessed workaholic. He was strict about punctuality Once, he had an executive fired for being a minutete to a shareholder s¡® meeting N?velDrama.Org content rights. But just now. He had been chatting intimately with a woman in the conference room for a while,pletely ignoring t hem. This was unprecedented So, these shareholders were on edge, eyeing Agnes warly, fearing she might be the one to cause havo c and disrupt the order of things Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Even though Agnes was mentally prepared she was surrounded by everyone when she returned to the set. ¡°Agnes, can¡¯t believe you¡¯re actually Mr Whitfield¡¯s wife, his press conference today was mind blowing¡± ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m so jealous of you so Mr Whitfield¡¯s visit and treating us to a seafood feast was all because of you¡± ¡°Agnes, we¡¯ve been good friends for so long, and you didn¡¯t tell us, that¡¯s a bit unfair, you should treat u s to a meal aspensation¡± Almost all the girls in the crew were gathered around Agnes, chitchatting Ironically, ever since Agnes joined the crew, everyone had kept their distance from her because of her r tionship with Beatrice But now knowing that her ¡°status¡± far surpassed Beatrice, everyone was keen to get on her good side. Agnes didn¡¯t think anything was wrong with them, nor would she look down upon them, as this was sim ply the survival rule in this circle Just like grass always seeks shelter under arge tree, everyone was just doing what they had to do. Sitting alone at her makeup table, Beatrice angrily snapped her eyeliner pencil Beatrice got up and walked over, parting the crowd. ¡°Do you all really believe what the news says? I do n¡¯t believe they¡¯re really married, Jared must have said so just to protect his reputation¡± May Kelly chimed in from the side: ¡°Beatrice, didn¡¯t you watch the news? Mr. Whitfield has already ann ounced their marriage certificate, could it be fake? How does having your dream prince be your si ster¡¯s husband feel?¡± Beatrice was shaking with anger, but she didn¡¯t answer May Kelly Pointing at Agnes, she used. ¡°Agnes, when did you start seducing Jared? You¡¯ve been ying a ga me all this time, deliberately deceiving me; just how deep is your scheming? Do you take me for a fool?¡± It was clear to everyone that Beatrice had always wanted to be Mrs. Whitfield That¡¯s why she went to great lengths to attend the Whitfield family¡¯s open dating event. But at that time, Agnes and Jared had already registered their marriage. The humiliation she suffered that day at the Whitfield family was not idental but inevitable Agnes was already married to that man, yet she had to watch him ying her like a fiddle! Was she just waiting for this opportunity to humiliate mepletely today? But this usation, from Agnes¡® perspective, was a little unfair. Because Agnes had never paid attention to Beatrice¡¯s love life, she only knew Beatrice liked Jared whe n Mamie came over, and Beatrice started acting weird. Agnes replied, ¡°I told youst time, it¡¯s your own disbelief¡± Beatrice was so angry her face was turning colors, ¡°How could I ever trust you, Agnes? You must have used some dirty tricks; how could Jared possibly like you?¡± Ava calmly said, ¡°Someone once said if Jared were Agnes husband, she would jump off the Pearl Towe r. Doesn¡¯t what this person said count anymore?¡± Beatrice pointed at Ava and the others, ¡°You. Now that you see Agnes has a backer, you can¡¯t wait to g et close to her. But how long do you think Agnes can sit in this position? They¡¯ll divorce sooner orter, you¡¯ll see¡± With that, Beatrice stormed off Everyone looked at Agnes expression andforted, ¡°Agnes, she¡¯s just jealous, don¡¯t take her words t o heart.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t take it to heart at all, Beatrice had always talked to her like this since they were kids. For her, this was nothing out of the ordinary; it didn¡¯t hurt her at all. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Beatrice scanned the room and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Justin?¡± Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Ava said, ¡°He¡¯s alone in the lounge, looking a bit down in the dumps. Even Yvonne got a piece of his mi nd.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°III go check on him¡± Watching Agnes¡¯s retreating figure, everyone was green with envy. Within the cast, Agnes was the darling of everyone, from the director to producers and even the grump y Justin It was clear as day that Justin had a soft spot for Agnes His protective streak towards her was legendary, even his home¨Ccooked meals were reserved for her alone Everyone thought Agnes was one lucky gal to have won Justin¡¯s favor However, she ended up picking Jared When Agnes pushed the door open, Justin was there, stewing in his juices. Seeing Agnes approach, his mood worsened Agnes approached Justin, who snorted and turned his back on her. Agnes picked up a mirror from the makeup table and held it up to Justin, ¡°Justin, look at yourself when you¡¯re pissed off¡­¡± Justin gave her a cold stare. Agnes quickly switched gears, ¡°You look so damn good even when you¡¯re mad, truly the hottie of the e ntertainment industry¡± Justin was indeed the looker of the entertainment industry, his beauty was irresistible. Hearing Agnes¡¯s praise, Justin finally cracked a smile. He took the mirror, nced left and right, ¡°Of co urse, no one¡¯s more good¨Clooking than me Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Agnes eagerly nodded, agreeing, ¡°No one can hold a candle to your charm. Justin asked, ¡°Even better¨Clooking than Jared?¡± Agnes was taken aback but continued to tter Justin, ¡°You¡¯re the best¨Clooking¡± Justin seemed to perk up, put down the mirror, ¡°Then why did you choose him over me?¡± This wasn¡¯t a buffet, you can¡¯tpare. Agnes carefully chose her words, ¡°Justin, you don¡¯t really like me, you¡¯re just nostalgic for the girl who o nce gave you choctes.¡± ¡°But that girl is you¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same. What you missed was that moment of warmth. Over the years, you¡¯ve projected all y our feelings for that girl onto me. You¡¯re in love with the girl in your memories, but that girl isn¡¯t me.¡± Justin looked puzzled, a hint of disappointment on his face, ¡°So, this is why you rejected me?¡± Agnes looked troubled, ¡°Justin¡­¡± Justin suddenly waved a dismissive hand, ¡°Enough. I saw your press conference; your lovey¨C dovey act was something else. I ept that you like Jared, but if one day, you two divorce,e find me. As long as you¡¯re willing. I¡¯ll marry you. I can wait for you.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t break up, you might not need to wait any longer, so you won¡¯t end up alone with regrets. A c old voice came from the doorway, Both upants turned towards the door. Jared was standing there. Dressed in a clean white shirt, he stood out like a sight for sore eyes. Justin frowned, ¡°You were eavesdropping¡± Jared walked in, ¡°I wasn¡¯t eavesdropping, I was openly listening¡± That got Justin even more riled up Agnes stood up, looking puzzled, ¡°Why are you here so early?¡± Jared nced at Justin, ¡°If I hadn¡¯te early, how would I have found out about someone trying to dri ve a wedge between us?¡± Justin also stood up Both men were around the same height, emitting a powerful aura. Agnes instinctively took a step back, afraid of being caught in the crossfire. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Justin stated, ¡°I get it, she met you first. But Mr. Whitfield, you better treat Agnes right. In this era of freq uent divorces, I won¡¯t hesitate to swoop in and take her if you mess up Jared answered nonchntly. ¡°You won¡¯t get the chance. We¡¯re pretty harmonious and might have a ki d soon¡± Agnes blushed What was Jared talking about? He pulled her in for a hug then turned to Justin, grinning ¡°Right, honey?¡± His smile was infectious, but it sent chills down Agnes spine. She could only nod vaguely Jared affectionately ruffled Agnes hair Watching them, Justin couldn¡¯t stomach it any longer and left the lounge Jared turned to Agnes, Tm ufortable with you working with a guy who¡¯s into you¡± Agnes chuckled, ¡°Well, Justin is quite handsome and has a lot of fans.¡± When she nced at Jared, his face had turned stern. She quickly added, ¡°But you¡¯re richer. I remember an old saying ¡®Good¨C looking folks are a dime a dozen, but the rich ones are the real catch.¡± Jared¡¯s face darkened even more.. As Agnes and Jared left together, they drew envious nces. On their first day out. Mr. Whitfield publicly visited Agnes. His assistant even handed out gift cards, which were very generous. Although Agnes had been to the Whitfield family before, this time felt different. Agnes wondered, ¡°Will your dad and sister like me. Should I dress up¡­ I forgot to bring a gift¡± Jared, one hand on the wheel, the other holding Agnes, reassured her, ¡®Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll love you.¡± ¡°Why? ¡°Because you¡¯re adorable¡± Was Jaredplimenting her Agnes blushed involuntarily Meanwhile, at the Pritchard family home¡­ Beatrice had smashed everything in her room. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Then, she threw herself onto her bed and wept. She pounded her fist on the bed, seething with resentment. Laura walked in, ¡°Why arent you dressed yet? We¡¯re visiting the Whitfields today. Don¡¯t bete.¡± Beatrice was furious, ¡°I¡¯m not going! I can¡¯t stand Agnes smug face. I can¡¯t ept her sess!¡± Laura approached Beatrice, disdainfully asking ¡°Is that all you¡¯re capable of as my daughter?¡± Beatrice sobbed, ¡°But she¡¯s married to Jared now. I¡¯ve lost my chance. What can I do now?¡± Lauraughed coldy. ¡°So what if she¡¯s marned? Didn¡¯t your father marry Julia first? But who¡¯s enjoying the high life as Mrs. Pritchard now? Isn¡¯t it me?¡± Chapter 148 Chapter 148 When it came to Agnes¡® biological mom, Beatrice suddenly turned all serious. She knew that Agnes¡® real mom and her own mother were both big shot actresses in the entertainment industry back in the day. Later, Preston married Julia, but at the same time, he didn¡¯t cut ties with Laura Two years after Agnes was born, Beatrice came into the world. But Laura bit her tongue for ten years, only going public with Preston after Julia passed away. Beatrice blurted out, ¡°But I can¡¯t wait for ten years.¡± Laura reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. I won¡¯t let you walk in my shoes. Within a year, Agnes will definitel y divorce Jared. And you¡¯ll be the one sitting in that spor.¡± Beatrice was over the moon, ¡°Mom, do you have a n?¡± Laura replied, ¡°That¡¯s not your concern. Your job now is to doll up and make a good impression on the Whitfield family elders today¡± Beatrice perked up immediately and started prepping. Preston was in high spirits on the way, ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought Agnes would marry Mr. Whitfield? That¡¯s a surprise. But, she¡¯s my girl all right; she sure knows how to pick them.¡± Laura retorted tly. ¡°Sure, she¡¯s your daughter. Been married for four months and didn¡¯t tell us. Who k nows how long she would¡¯ve kept it hush¨C hush if it wasn¡¯t for the media. She doesn¡¯t consider me family, that¡¯s fine. But now, she doesn¡¯t even c are about you, her own father¡± Preston¡¯s face fell a bit. He truly couldn¡¯tprehend why Agnes had kept her marriage a secret. But he still said, ¡°Maybe she had her reasons.¡± Laura responded, ¡°She just dislikes me, her stepmother. Tell me, what have I done to upset her in thes e past ten years? I know she mes me for her mother¡¯s suicide and takes it all out on me. But she do esn¡¯t understand that her mother brought it upon herself¡­¡± ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not bring up the past,¡± Preston cut her off. N?velDrama.Org content rights. His face changed instantly when histe wife was mentioned. Preston said, ¡°Agnes still doesn¡¯t know her mothermitted suicide, so never bring this up in front of her.¡± Seeing Preston genuinely angry, Laura shut her mouth, finally whispering, ¡°I would never say such thin gs in front of the child. I¡¯m truly happy for Agnes marrying into the Whitfield family, it just hurt me that she kept her w edding a secret. But as long as you two are on good terms, I don¡¯t care if she misunderstands me for th e rest of her life.¡± Prestonforted her, ¡°You¡¯ve put up with a lot over the years¡± Jared¡¯s car arrived at the Whitfield family mansion just before Preston¡¯s. The butler opened the door, and the maid prepared their shoes. As soon as they stepped in, a golden retriever rushed over. Agnes was startled, Jared immediatelymanded, ¡°Oscar, sit.¡± The golden retriever obediently sat down. Agnes recognized this dog. At Grandpa¡¯s birthday party before, she and Jenny sneaked over the wall a nd were caught because this dog pounced on them. The golden retriever wagged its tail excitedly at Agnes. Jared said, ¡°Oscar seems to like you a lot.¡± Agnes reached out to pet Oscar¡¯s head, and Oscar immediately rolled on the floor. The butler urged. ¡°Pleasee in, Tim Whitfield is waiting for you in the study.¡± Hearing this, Agnes immediately got nervous again. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 The Whitfield family¡¯s swanky digs were a sight to behold, but Agnes was too anxious to appreciate the m right now. Her legs were shaking like jelly as she followed Jared upstairs. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Seeing this, Jared took the initiative and grabbed her trembling hand. They came to the door of the study, and Jared gave it a gentle knock. The door wasn¡¯t even closed Tim Whitfield¡¯s voice from inside, ¡°Come in Agnes trailed behind Jared as they walked in. There were only two people in the study One was the head honcho of the Whitfield family, Tim, and the other was his daughter, Alyssa Whitfield Alyssa, a media studies student, was a name you¡¯d see stered across all sorts of fashion magazines and news articles. Thirty years ago, she was a hot¨Cshot movie star. But at the peak of her career, she chose to step out of the limelight, settle down, and have kids. The juiciest gossip about her was that her ex¨Chusband was Asia¡¯s richest man, Cillian But the woman aged like fine wine, looking barely past thirty though she was over forty. She carried herself with an elegance thatmanded respect and admiration. When Alyssa saw Jared walk in, her face lit up with an adoring smile. Jared was Alyssa¡¯s darling, a fact that wasmon knowledge. After all, Jared¡¯s mom had passed away early, and Alyssa had raised him. However, when Alyssa spotted Agnes, her smile froze in ce. Jared noticed something was off and quickly called, ¡°Sis.¡± That seemed to snap Alyssa out of it. Jared introduced her. ¡°This is Agnes.¡± Alyssa¡¯s gaze on Agnes wasplex and intense Agnes was nervous but quickly followed Jared¡¯s lead and greeted, ¡°Hi, sis. I¡¯m Agnes¡± Alyssa managed a strained smile and asked with a hint of unease, ¡°What are your parents¡® names?¡± Agnes was caught off guard by this question and momentarily froze At that point, Tim stepped in, ¡®She¡¯s the daughter of Mr. Pritchard, the chairman of Starlight Internationa l Group. Her father¡¯s name is Preston, and her mother is Laura. You may not know since you¡¯ve been a broad for so long, but the Pritchard family is quite a big deal in Willowbrook Town too.¡± Agnes quickly replied, ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Tim.¡± Upon hearing those names, Alyssa seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She carefully looked at Agnes, then remarked, ¡°Still calling him Tim? You should call him Dad now.¡± Agnes blushed and mumbled, ¡°Dad¡± Tim let out a heartyugh, clearly in a good mood. Alyssa told Jared, ¡°Dad was just saying he would give you an earful for keeping your marriage a secret for so long. But for Agnes¡® sake, he¡¯ll let it slide this time.¡± At that point, the butler appeared at the door, announcing. ¡°The guests have arrived¡± Tim said, ¡®It must be your parents Let¡¯s go to the dining room for dinner¡± After saying this, he told the butler, ¡°Please call Ryder for dinner. He should at least greet Agnes since i t¡¯s her first time visiting¡± Alyssa said. ¡®Til fetch him Dad, you know how he hates a crowd¡± Tim suddenly remembered, ¡°Right, Agnes, you and Ryder are ssmates, right?¡± It took Agnes a moment to realize that the Ryder they were talking about was Ryder Whitfield¡¯ Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Ryder was quite the eye candy at Lakeside College. He was a top student in the medical department a nd, well, many girls¡® dreamn guy He was also allegedly her boyfriend at Lakeside College But that was all a big misunderstanding thanks to Cecile Higgins¡® clinginess, Ryder just used her as a s hield. However, Ryder had no clue about his rtionship with Jared. So, it might be awkward when they meet now Agnes followed Tim and Jared downstairs. They just happened to bump into Preston and Laura, who had just entered. Seeing Tim, Preston quickly approached to shake hands. ¡°Thank you for the invitation. It¡¯s my honor¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Tim responded with a smile, ¡°No need to be so formal, Mr. Pritchard. Our children are married, we¡¯re fa mily now.¡± ¡°My daughter marrying Jared is her good luck.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say Jared¡¯s the lucky one. Agnes is kind and cute, all thanks to Mr. Pritchard¡¯s good parenting¡± After a bit of chit¨Cchat, everyone moved to the dining room The Whitfield family had already prepared avish dinner. After everyone took their seats, Alyssa and Ryder walked in. Alyssa introduced Ryder to everyone. Despite his politeness, he seemed a bit cold and distant. Rumour has it that Ryderes from aplicated family background. He¡¯s lived overseas for many y ears and just returned. He¡¯s reserved and not really sociable. It seems like the rumors were true. Atst, Alyssa introduced Agnes, ¡°This is Jared¡¯s wife, Agnes.¡± Ryder¡¯s gaze fell on Agnes. The news about them had already spread like wildfire earlier in the afternoon. Ryder didn¡¯t expect Agnes to be married to Jared. Ryder stayed silent, which made Agnes feel a bit awkward sitting there. Agnes stood up and initiated a greeting. ¡°We meet again?¡± Ryder responded with a simple ¡°Hello,¡± and then sat down. Tim said, ¡°Wasn¡¯t Agnes the ssmate you brought home for my birthday? I thought you two knew eac h other well.¡± Ryder replied calmly. ¡°We¡¯re not that close. You misunderstood Everyone was surprised by Ryder¡¯s stern response. Laura tried to lighten the mood, ¡°Agnes is even younger than Ryder. Since they were ssmates, it¡¯s n atural for them to interact as such.¡± Timughed. ¡°He¡¯s just an introvert. He¡¯ll get used to it once they live under the same roof¡± Agnes felt uneasy throughout the meal. Pretending to be innocent, Beatrice asked, ¡°How did you meet my sister? You guys got your marriage c ertificate four months ago, but I remember her boyfriend at that time was Elton, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Her words instantly quieted the whole table. Laura red at Beatrice, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Beatrice feigned ignorance, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I say something wrong?¡± Tim and Alyssa looked puzzled If Beatrice was right, and Agnes had a boyfriend when she married Jared, wasn¡¯t that like daling two gu ys simultaneously? At this point, Jared said coldly. ¡°You mean Elton? Four months ago, I took Agnes away from that pleas ure¨Cseeking young man. He didn¡¯t deserve my wife.¡± Jared¡¯s voice was as calm as still water But his words cleared everyone¡¯s confusion. It wasn¡¯t Agnes dating two guys simultaneously, Jared too k her away from Elton. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Originally, Beatrice just wanted to test the waters and see if Jared knew about Agnes and Elton¡¯s rti onship. She didn¡¯t expect Jared to be so protective of Agnes, afraid of her being misunderstood by the Whitfield family Agnes knew that Beatrice wouldn¡¯t back down easily, she was good at causing a scene in public. But lu ckily, Jared knew her well, and Beatrice¡¯s attempts only made her look foolish During dinner, Jared was very gentle to Agnes, even cutting her steak for her. The Whitfield family had never seen this side of Jared Tim was pleased, his son was not young anymor e, and he had not had any woman by his side for many years. There were rumors that he was not inter ested in women and was gay. This worried him a lot, and he had even arranged a blind date for him. N ow he finally understood. Seeing him so caring and gentle, he felt he would soon have a grandson. Deep down, Beatrice was filled with jealousy Laura had warned her to behave herself today, not to conf ront Agnes head¨Con, not to steal the spotlight. But she couldn¡¯t control herself When Beatrice saw Jared cut a piece of steak for Agnes, she suddenly put on a smiley face and said, ¡° I love steak too, could you cut a piece for me¡± The te of Porto steak was indeed quite far from Beatrice. But her request was a bit strange. Howeve r, she put on an innocent and carefree look, which didn¡¯t raise any Suspicions But Agnes knew Beatrice was doing it on purpose. She wanted to get closer to Jared in front of her and act harmless. Agnes simply handed her the steak in her bowl and said, ¡°You can have this piece.¡± Bea trice coquettishly said, ¡°That¡¯s the one Jared picked for you; I can¡¯t take it, Jared. Could you pick anoth er piece for me? I really love Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. steak.¡± She acted as if she was just greedy for steak in order to cover up her honest thoughts. She wanted to t est Jared¡¯s reaction. Even if his woman was her sister, he could ept another one, all men were the s ame, unable to resist a woman who took the initiative. She was young and beautiful and believed she could attract men more than Agnes Beatrice looked at Jared with a greedy face. Timughed, saying. ¡°Beatrice is so innocent and lively, Jared, just pick a piece for her.¡± But Jared simply said, ¡°Shelly, is there any more Porto steak?¡± Shelly was their nanny. Shelly replied, ¡°There¡¯s plenty.¡± Jared said, ¡°Since Beatrice likes it so much, bring all the steak to her, even the pan, put it next to Beatrice, and let her eat to her heart¡¯s content.¡± Ten secondster. Beatrice looked at the pan full of Porto steak next to her, her face turned ghastly! Jared actually treated her like this! Looking at Beatrice¡¯s astonished face, Agnes couldn¡¯t help but want tough. Jared was really blunt Agnes told Jared, ¡°Come here, there¡¯s some sauce on your face; let me wipe it for you.¡± Jared leaned over. Agnes took a napkin, pretended to wipe his mouth, and actually kissed Jared¡¯s cheek quickly. No one e lse saw this scene, but Ryder, sitting next to Jared, saw it clearly. Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Jared was obviously shook. He didn¡¯t expect Agnes, who was always well behaved, to pull a stunt like t hat in public Her cheeks were burning, a hint of shyness still lingering on her face. She quickly returned to her seat after kissing him, burying her head i n her food as if nothing had happened Jared, however, moved closer to her on purpose and said, ¡°Babe, I think I¡¯ve got some sauce on my lip s too.¡± Agnes was speechless This man! It seemed like there was a price to pay for her bold move Agnes sighed, picked up a napkin, and wiped his lips. Tim couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore, ¡°Can you guys save the intimacy moment in your room? We have guests.¡± Even though he said that, he was actually quite pleased After dinner, Preston and Tim chatted in the study. Laura and Alyssa were in the living room discussing Chanel¡¯stest dress style. Jared and Ryder were talking in the yard. Beatrice took advantage of the moment and approached Agnes, asking, ¡°Agnes, did you set me up just now?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Don¡¯t just go ming people. Jared gave you the beef, not me. If you want to settle sco res, you should find him.¡± ¡°How would he treat me like that if you didn¡¯t hint him?¡± Beatrice asked. Agnes replied, ¡°Beatrice, I don¡¯t have the energy to target you.¡± Beatrice sneered, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare. Agnes, you may be Jared¡¯s wife now. But I¡¯ll let you know, I will t ake your ce and make you pay ¡°Beatrice, I suggest you stop embarrassing yourself. Jared will never like you¡± Agnes said ¡°Jokes on you. If you could be his wife, why wouldn¡¯t he like me? What makes you better than me? Men are naturally attracted to novelty, are you s o confident that he won¡¯t betray you?¡± Beatrice said. Agnes replied, ¡°He won¡¯t, I trust him.¡± From the moment Jared publicly stood up for her, Agnes chose to trust him. Beatriceughed upon hearing this, ¡°I don¡¯t believe he¡¯ll resist temptation. Agnes, just wait. Jared will fa ll for me sooner orter¡± Beatrice¡¯s words didn¡¯t intimidate Agnes, because she knew that Jared¡¯s ex¨C girlfriend was Mamie. Compared to Mamie, Beatrice was nothing special. Agnes didn¡¯t want to waste her time arguing with Beatrice and went into Jared¡¯s bedroom. This bedroom was something Agnes had already seen at Tim¡¯s birthday party. What impressed her the most was a whole wall of ss windows. They had even Agnes unconsciously recalled the scene, and her face flushed. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. She looked around Jared¡¯s bedroom. The room was mainly in ck, white, and gray, with minimal deco ration. Apart from arge bed and a floor¨Cto¨Cceiling bookshelf, there was hardly any other furniture. It was so Jared. Agnes casually flipped through the books on the bookshelf until she heard some noise at the door.. Jared walked in after opening the door. He walked up behind Agnes, wrapped his arms around her wai st, and asked gently, ¡°What are you reading?¡± Agnes showed him the cover of the book. Jared took the book from her without a change in his expression, ¡°Is it interesting?¡± Well, she was just flipping through it out of boredom. Jared¡¯s breath was already on her lips, her back pressed against the bookshelf. As his arms on the boo kshelf slowly tightened, their eyes locked, full of flirtatious tension. Agnes finally experienced how seductive a man could be, like Jared right now. She was moved by his charm and couldn¡¯t help but kiss him on the lips and yfully said, ¡°You¡¯re way more interesting than this book!¡± Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Jared¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly This was Agnes¡¯s second time today making the first move to kiss hi m After the kiss, she didn¡¯t dare to meet his eyes, obviously shy Agnes was also feeling a bit embarrassed. Did shee on loo strong? Plus, Jared¡¯s deep gaze didn¡¯t give away his true feelings. Would he dislike her for being so forward? Feeling awkward, Agnes forced a smile, slowly moving down to escape his light hold Just as she was about to break free, she was suddenly scooped up by Jared. This was different from his usual hugs. He was holding her around the waist, cing her back against t he bookshelf. Startled, Agnes instinctively tightened her legs around his waist. Jared, in turn, held her up, supporting her bottom with his hands. Their current position was highly suggestive, and they were so close they could almost hear each other ¡¯s heartbeat. Their bodies were almostpletely pressed against each other, while Agnes could distinctly feel the h eat from a certain part of his body. Her face turned as red as a beet. Before she could react, Jared was kissing her again. N?velDrama.Org content rights. A passionate kiss¡­ And soon they were tangled up in the sheets. Just as things were heating up, they heard a knock on the door. Agnes immediately tensed up, pushing Jared away, but the man lost in the moment refused to stop. It felt like her soul was on fire, as if she was floating on cloud nine. But the ever¨C loudening knock on the door brought her back to reality. She had always been a good girl, never having experienced such indulgence, yet in such a thrilling situ ation, she reached the peak¡­ Everything else seemed to disappear, as if she was floating on a calmke. The warm water enveloped her, like lying in her mother¡¯s arms gazing at the stars as a child. Calm and blissful. Jared watched her, dazed beneath him. He stroked her hair, gently kissed her forehead. He stared at Agnes¡¯s flushed face, not wanting to miss any slight change in her expression. By the time he emerged from the room, half an hour had passed. Agnes had already taken a shower, changed into fresh clothes, and sobered up. But her face was still flushed, like the evening glow. The one knocking was the butler. He hade three times during that period. The first time, Alyssa asked them to join her in the living room for some fruit. The second time, the parents wanted to have a talk with Jared in the study. The third time, the guests of the Whitfield family were ready to leave When Preston left, Agnes and Jared finally came downstairs. Alyssa said, ¡°What have you two been doing in the room that you took so long toe down?¡± Agnes immediately blushed, giving Jared a surreptitious pinch. But Jared remained calm and simply replied, ¡°There was some urgent business to attend to, so we wer e dyed a bit.¡± Alyssa grumbled, ¡°You¡¯re just like your father, such a workaholic. Can you ever earn all the money in th e world?¡± Preston, however, said, ¡°Jared is young and ambitious, that¡¯s a good thing.¡± Agnes thought to herself. He was indeed a seasoned businessman, decisive and cunning. His lying skil ls were top¨Cnotch Beatrice gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, because she saw the obvious hickey on Agnes¡¯s neck. Clearly, they had just been doing something in the room. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Tim Bald. ¡°I just had a chat with Mr. Pritchard about your wedding Now that you¡¯ve got the marriage cer tificate sorted, let¡¯s get the wedding done ASAP¡± Jared replied, ¡°I¡¯ve talked this over with Agnes. We¡¯ll have the wedding after she graduates ¡° Agnes was on the same page, considering she was still a student. She said, ¡°Let¡¯s hold off on the wedding until after I graduate I¡¯m about to be a senior, and I¡¯m gonna be super busy¡± Even though she didn¡¯t have many sses, Agnes needed to start working on her thesis. Her research topic was set and it was superplicated. Add to that, she was also acting so there was no time to pl an a wedding Besides, thinking about a Whitfield family wedding, it was bound to be a media circus. Agnes felt it was better to dy it if possible. In a nutshell, she wasn¡¯t ready yet After mulling it over, Tim said, ¡°If you guys have it all figured out, there¡¯s no rush¡± Preston gave a few words of advice and then left. Agnes and Jared were staying at the Whitfield Manor tonight. Jared was really busy and was working in the study even at night, while Agnes was flipping through a p hoto album she¡¯d picked up from a shelf in her room. It was all pictures of Jared as a kid. Sure enough, someone who was handsome now was also handso me as a kid. Almost all the pictures were of Jared with Alyssa. Everyone knew Jared and his sister were super close , and she could tell from the pictures. Jared, who¡¯de in unnoticed, walked over and asked, ¡°Why are you still up? What are you looking a t?¡± Agnes looked up Jared was already sitting next to her, arms around her, chin resting on her shoulder. He looked tired, but he was still making an effort to chat with her. Agnes said. ¡°I¡¯m looking at pictures of you as a kid. You were so delicate, almost like a girl.¡± Jared smiled a little and said, ¡°Are youplimenting me or making fun of me?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯mplimenting you.¡± Agnes said Agnes pulled out a photo, probably from when Jared was five or six. He seemed to be at some event, looking very serious. Even as a kid, there was a sense of maturity in his eyes that was simr to now Agnes said, ¡°Give me this picture, I¡¯ll keep it as a memento.¡± Jared leaned in close to her ear and asked, ¡°Why? Missing me already?¡± Agnes blushed, and when she turned her head, her lips almost brushed his face, ¡°I just think you were really cute as a kid¡± ¡°Okay, no need to exin I know how much you like me.¡± Jared said. Agnes was speechless. She continued to look at the pictures, asking, ¡°Why are there only pictures of you and your sister here, no pictures of Ryder?¡± At this, Jared¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. He said, ¡°He doesn¡¯t like pictures, he has camera phobia.¡± Camera phobia? This was the first time Agnes had heard this strange term. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Jared said, ¡°It¡¯s because of something that happened when he was young. Even though it¡¯s been many years¡­¡± Jared¡¯s expression turned serious. There was even a sh of guilt and pain in his eyes, as if he was los t in some past memory. Agnes didn¡¯t press further but changed the subject, ¡°By the way, how did you come up with the name Oscar?¡± Jared didn¡¯t expect Agnes to suddenly change the subject and was slightly taken aback. ¡°I mean the Golden Retriever Agnes said. Jared¡¯s eyes shifted, and he casually replied, ¡°Just a random name, no special reason.¡± Before Agnes could say anything. Jared said, ¡°It¡¯ste, time to sleep.¡± Agnes nodded, put away the album, and went to bed. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Agnes was headed off to the set early in the morning, and she left the house together with Jared. Whe n they were heading out, Ryder was fixing his bike. It looked like he had a t tire Even though it was summer break, Ryder still went to Lakeside College every day. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. The medical program at Lakeside College was notoriously tough. Even during summer break, they had to keep doing experiments. Jared nced over. Hop in, Ryder I¡¯m headed to Lakeside College anyway.¡± Ryder¡¯s bike wasn¡¯t getting fixed anytime soon, so he didn¡¯t refuse. Agnes sat in the passenger seat, while Ryder took the back. Through the rear¨C view mirror, she could see Ryder engrossed in his medical books all the way. Such a nerd They arrived at Lakeside College in no time, and Ryder got out first. Before Agnes could get out, Jared grabbed her arm. Agnes was puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± When Jared pointed to his cheek, Agnes immediately understood, blushed and leaned over to nt a q uick kiss on his cheek. Then she got out of the car in a hurry. Jared said, ¡°Call me when you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll pick you up¡± Agnes replied, ¡°No need, thest scene today is at Maplewood Manor. I¡¯ll just go home after¡± Jared was satisfied and drove off. After he left, Agnes noticed that Ryder hadn¡¯t left after getting off the car. He was standing right across from her, about a few feet away. Which meant, he definitely saw her kissing Jared Agnes felt mortified. But she then decided that as his elder, she should act like one. She thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Ryder, your studies are pretty intense, huh?¡± Even she found it cringeworthy the moment she said it. Why did it sound so natural when Jared called him Ryder. But when she did, it just felt so weird? Agnes saw Ryder frown. He didn¡¯t say anything, just turned around and walked into Lakeside College with his backpack on one shoulder. Agnes so regretted trying to act like an elder. Ryder must¡¯ve been put off by it. When Agnes arrived on set, everyone gathered around her in two lines, ¡°Good morning, Mrs Whitfield.¡± Before she could react, she was ushered to sit down. People were offering her water, fanning and mas saging her back, ¡°You¡¯ve been working really hard, Mrs. Whitfield¡± Agnesughed, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you guys? Please stop this.¡± They were just kidding around. Ava said, ¡°Mr. Whitfield gave everyone a big bonus yesterday. So of course, we¡¯re being extra nice.¡± Jared gave out bonuses? She had no idea. Agnes said, ¡°Alright, enough with the jokes. The director¡¯s here, we¡¯re about to start.¡± Everyone stopped fooling around when they heard the director wasing. They quickly got into their positions and started doing their makeup. Beatrice walked in with a gloomy expression and sat down in silence. Her things made a loud tter. Today¡¯s script included a scene between Beatrice and Agnes, which was also Beatrice¡¯sst scene. The scene was set in a closed¨C off vi. In the movie, Beatrice yed Ruby, who was in love with the male lead, Samie. She was jealo us of his girlfriend, Sylvia Today¡¯s scene was a party scene. It was Samie¡¯s birthday and he was throwing a pool party at his hous e. Ruby, out of jealousy towards Sylvia, nned to push her into the pool but was found out. In the end , it was Ruby who fell into the pool, causing an embarrassing scene. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 The shooting was going smooth as butter And Jared came back earlier today. He even watched them fi lming. When the director called it a day and they all went back to the set. Jared grabbed a towel and started drying Agnes hair Thanks,¡± Agnes said,ughing. Beatrice was watching from the side, green with envy. She was the one who was supposed to fall into t he pool and be soaking wet. But in Jared¡¯s eyes, it seemed like Agnes was the only one in sight. Beatrice suddenly got up and walked towards Agnes Agnes and Jared were chit¨C chatting in the garden. The garden path was paved with cobblestones and filled with various filming eq uipment. On her way over, Beatrice deliberately tripped over a tripod and hurled herself towards Jared. She let out a yelp, which drew the attention of everyone around. Everyone took a sharp breath. They all knew that Beatrice had beef with Agnes and she was always sti rring trouble. This time, it was definitely on purpose. But there were more than just one or two people who had the hots for Jared, yet the only one who would dare to openly show it was Beatrice. She was Agnes younger sister, a daughter of the Pritc hard family. Jared probably wouldn¡¯t just stand by and do nothing. But if he actually caught Beatrice, given her pers onality, she would probably take that chance to get closer to him. Then there was a dull sound. It sounded so painful. Everyone was in shock. Just now, Jared quickly dodged He not only dodged himself but also put his arm around Agnes¡® shoulder and quickly moved her aside. It was like a reflex action, shielding Agnes in his arms as if he was afraid of her getting hit by something . Beatrice face¨C nted, and it was quite a sight. She started crying on the spot, while her assistant immediately helped her up. Her hair was a mess, already wet and now sticking to her face. Her face was scraped in several ces, bleeding, looking a mess. Beatrice sobbed, ¡°My foot, it hurts¡± Beatrice had twisted her foot and it was starting to swell. Many people on the set actually felt a sense of schadenfreude at the sight because Beatrice was usuall y arrogant and rude, acting like a diva. No one could handle her. She really brought this on herself. Although they were secretly pleased, they had to put on a concerned face. May came over and said, ¡°Beatrice, you really need to be more careful. Your injuries look serious. We should take you to the hospital. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Beatrice just kept crying. Agnes never thought Beatrice would be so foolish to pull stunts on Jared, just asking for trouble. Seeing her beingughed at, Agnes felt a pang of sympathy. After all, she was her sister. Even though Agnes didn¡¯t like her sister, she couldn¡¯t just stand by and do nothing in the end, it was Agnes who took Beatrice to the hospital. Jared drove with a sullen face all the way. His wife was so kind, and she might be taken advantage of. After the check¨Cup, it showed that there was no major damage, just some minor skin wounds. With a sprained ankle, she needed to lie down and rest for a while. When they left the hospital, Beatrice suddenly grabbed Agnes¡® arm and said, ¡°Agnes, mom and dad ar e not home, so there¡¯s no one to take care of me. Can I stay at your ce for a few days?¡± Chapter 157 Chapter 157 As soon as Beatrice called Agnes, she felt something was off. The term was a bit too respectful and it made her suspect that Beatrice was up to something Beatrice imed she wanted to crash at their c e for a few days, but Agnes had a feeling that Jared was her real target. Just as she was about to say no, Beatrice turned to Jared who was driving and said, ¡°You w ouldn¡¯t turn me down, would you? I promise I won¡¯t be a bother. Just let me stay with you guys.¡± There was even a hint of flirting in her voice by the end. Agnes had to admit she was somewhat impressed by Beatrice. Her audacity was really something else . But Jared wasn¡¯t a pushover, or so Agnes thought. She expected him to turn Beatrice down without he sitation, But to her surprise, Jared said, ¡°Sure, there are plenty of empty rooms at Maplewood Manor. T ake your pick¡± Beatnce was ecstatic. She hadn¡¯t expected Jared to agree. Perhaps he didn¡¯t find her as annoying as s he thought. She shot a triumphant nce at Agnes, raising an eyebrow as if to say ¡°score one for me¡°. She was one step closer to her goal. Sharing the same roof everyday would give her plenty of opportun ities. The thought excited her. Agnes, on the other hand, was feeling a bit blue. She hadn¡¯t expected Jared to say yes, Did he feel guil ty for not catching her on purpose? Back at home, Beatrice picked a room closest to the master bedroom and moved in cheerfully. Agnes was about to go to her room, when she noticed Jared locking the door to th e master bedroom. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to stay at the Whitfield Manor for a couple of days.¡± Jared replied. It then dawned on Agnes that Jared had seen through Beatrice¡¯s n all along. He had agreed becaus e he never nned to stay. Beatrice¡¯s n had fallen through. For some reason, Agnes felt a sudden lift in spirits. As they left, she felt a mischievo us thrill. Meanwhile, Beatricey in bed, still daydreaming about all the potential romantic encounters under the same roof with Jared, Although the Whitfield Manor was sparsely popted, it was always brightly lit, day and night, because Alyssa disliked the dark. At dinner that night, Tim was thrilled to hear that Jared and Agnes would be staying at the old house for a few days. ¡°Why don¡¯t you move back in? It¡¯s great when the family¡¯s together.¡± Alyssa suggested. But Jared declined, ¡°It¡¯s a bit far from the office and Agnes¡¯s school, but we¡¯ll visit often.¡± Tim grumbled, ¡°How far could it be? It¡¯s just a short drive. I think you just enjoy your freedom too much and hardlye home¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Alyssa said, ¡°Dad, you¡¯ve got to understand the young folks. Jared just got married and it¡¯s normal that he wants to spend time alone with Agnes. Plus, you might be a grandpa sooner this way.¡± At the mention of bing a grandpa, Tim was over the moon. He then turned to Agnes and said, ¡°Agnes, eat up. You¡¯re too skinny. You need to build up your strength.¡± Agnes was taken aback by Tim¡¯s eager look. She was only twenty. Why was she supposed to think ab out having babies? ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± Ryder put down his fork and said, ¡°I¡¯m heading to my room. Alyssa frowned, ¡°You hardly ate anything.¡± Without saying anything, Ryder left the dining room and went to his room. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Jared asked, ¡°What¡¯s up with Ryder?¡± With a shrug. Alyssa replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t he always like this?¡± Jared said, ¡°I feel like he¡¯s been acting a bit offtely. Did something happen?¡± Alyssa nonchntly said, ¡°He¡¯s a teenage boy, they¡¯re all a bit stubborn. Besides, you¡¯re his role model , always pushing himself to be like you. I¡¯m not worried at all. With you being so wonderful, my son can¡¯t be far off.¡± Agnes, however, was feeling a bit uneasy. She suspected that Ryder¡¯s sudden change might have to d o with her. She was, after all, the stranger who had suddenly intruded into their family. And she was ab out the same age as him, even a few months younger, yet she was now his elder, stealing his attention , even overpowering him with seniority. Alyssa had mentioned earlier that Jared was his role model, but she had stolen his role model¡¯s affectio n. It was enough to throw anyone off bnce. Before, Agnes thought, she and Ryder were sort of friends His current coldness must be because of this. Agnes thought it necessary to have a chat with him, to tell him she couldn¡¯t steal Jared¡¯s love for him. So that evening, Alyssa prepared a fruit tter. When it was time to deliver it to Ryder¡¯s room, Agnes v olunteered, ¡°I can take it.¡± She approached Ryder¡¯s room with the fruit tter, a bit nervous. But she knocked on the door anyway. No response. | Agnes knocked again. Finally, the door opened Ryder stood there as cold as ice. But when he saw Agnes standing there, he paused for a moment. Agnes quickly shed a smile, ¡°Hi, I¡¯ve brought you some fruit.¡± Calling him Ryder in the morning had made him angry. This time, Agnes was clever, just simply greetin g him They were on equal footing now, surely he couldn¡¯t still be mad? As expected, Ryder¡¯s expression didn¡¯t worsen. He simply asked, ¡°You¡¯re just here to bring me fruit?¡± Agnes said, ¡°Well, I also wanted to talk.¡± Ryder¡¯s expression changed. Then he opened the door wider, ¡°Come in.¡± Agnes entered Ryders room. Upon entering, Agnes almost thought she was in the wrong room. Ryder¡¯s room was almost an exact replica of Jared¡¯s. A big bed, a floor¨Cto-ceiling bookcase, arge window. Agnes thought to herself. Jared really was his role model, even his room was set up the same way. He must admire Jared so much. Agnes set down the fruit tter, saying, ¡°I noticed you didn¡¯t eat much tonight.¡± Ryder coldly said. ¡°Just spit it out.¡± Not wanting to beat around the bush, Agnes dived straight in, ¡°Ryder. The truth is, Jared still loves you very much. Even though he¡¯s married to me now, that won¡¯t change. You two are blood rtives, I can¡¯t rece you in his heart. And now, you didn¡¯t lose Jared, but had me. From now on, we¡¯re family, and I¡¯ ll care for you just like Jared does¡± Agnes let everything out in one breath. But, after she said all this, she noticed Ryder¡¯s face had darken ed considerably. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Did she say something wrong again? Because when she said it, she clearly saw Ryder frown. Ryder opened his mouth and said, ¡°Are you done? If so, you can leave now.¡± Agnes felt extremely awkward. She quietly left Ryder¡¯s room, gently closing his door behind her. When she returned to her own bedroom Jared, who was sitting on the sofa reading documents, looked up an d asked, ¡°Where have you been?¡± Agnes walked over, a dejected look on her face, ¡°I think your nephew really hates me.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Oh? You mean Ryder?¡± Jared asked Agnes replied, ¡°It¡¯s all because of you. He must think I stole you away from him.¡± Jared chuckled, stroking Agnes¡¯s hair, ¡°That¡¯s not it. Ryder is just more introverted and solitary. But if y ou give him some time, you¡¯ll discover he¡¯s actually a really warm person.¡± ¡°Warm¡± was a word Agnes simply couldn¡¯t associate with Ryder. Didn¡¯t he know that Ryder was called Prince Frost at school? The next day. Beatrice, limping, came looking for trouble with Agnes at the film set. In the lounge, Beatr ice pointed at Agnes¡¯s nose and asked, ¡°Agnes, are you deliberately bullying me?¡± Agnes calmly replied, ¡°How did I bully you?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe homest night? You left me alone in that big house. Isn¡¯t that bullying me?¡± Bea trice said. Agnes replied lightly. ¡°You chose to stay at Maplewood Manor, but I didn¡¯t say we were going to stay th ere too. You¡¯re staying there not because you¡¯re alone at home, but for some other purpose, right?¡± There were many people in the lounge, and Agnes wasn¡¯t trying to protect Beatrice¡¯s dignity. Beatrice retorted, ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t use me without reason. Don¡¯t think everyone is as dirty¨C minded as you.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you exin how I made you out to be dirty¨Cminded?¡± Agnes asked. ¡°You!¡± Beatrice was choked by Agnes¡® words. Everyone clearly saw what Beatrice was up to. The fall yesterday was probably on purpose. She just di dn¡¯t expect Jared to not show any consideration. And now she had taken the opportunity to stay at the Maplewood Manor, her intentions were even clearer. Everyone admired Agnes¡¯s good temper, being a ble to tolerate Beatrice¡¯s tant coveting. Beatrice said defiantly, ¡°I¡¯m only staying there temporarily because of my injured foot. Once it¡¯s healed, I¡¯ll move out immediately.¡± After saying this, she turned and left the lounge. She didn¡¯t believe they would nevere back! Ava said, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re too nice, you¡¯ll get bullied. Look at Beatrice, she¡¯s too arrogant. Her foot is cle arly mostly healed, but she¡¯s still sticking around at your and Mr. Whitfield¡¯s house. Her intentions are to o obvious.¡± Agnes said, ¡°Never mind her. She can¡¯t possibly live there forever.¡± However, Beatrice was busy at Maplewood Manor every day, and Agnes¡¯s scenes weren¡¯tpleted u ntil two monthster. During this time, Jared never visited Maplewood Manor again. Beatrice was very angry at Agnes. It must be because she didn¡¯t want Jared toe back. On the day her scenes were finished, Jared invited the entire film crew to Noir for a celebration dinner. Noir was the most upscale and elegant private restaurant in Willowbrook Town, loved by the high¨C ss crowd. But the prices were not something ordinary people. could afford And that day, the hundreds of people on the film crew practically booked the entire Noir. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Noir was a restaurant built on an artificialke. The many pavilions were actually exquisite private room s. These rooms were connected by a winding water corridor. From a distance, the brilliant lights create d a unique scenery that also carried a sense of luxury Justin had a lot to drink, leaning on Agnes¡® shoulder, he sobbed and said, ¡°Agnes, I really can¡¯t bear to part with you. Please divorce Jared ande with me. Let¡¯s go to the Eiffel Tower, and all those roman tic and fun ces¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. As Justin spoke, he actually started singing. The melody was very gentle. But sung from the drunken J ustin, it was unforgettable. Justin sat with the director, scriptwriter, and some other key creative personnel. They were all on edge because sitting on the other side of Agnes was Jared But Justin insisted on sitting next to Agnes, not clear if he was really drunk or pretending During the three months of working together on a movie, Agnes and Justin had be friends. Justin was her childhood ymate, Lil Potato. Maybe because of their mothers, they would talk about things f rom their childhood, including the warm memories when their mothers were still alive, which Agnes mis sed greatly. Agnes said to Justin, ¡°You¡¯re drunk, let Yvonne take you home, okay?¡± Justin leaned on Agnes¡¯s shoulder and refused to leave, ¡°I¡¯m not going I want a kiss, and a hug¡± Justin was really drunk, and Agnes didn¡¯t know what to do. She stood up and said to everyone, Tll take Justin to the rest room, and let him sleep for a while. Then call Yvonnee to pick him up.¡± With that, she helped Justin up and walked out. Jared watched their retreating figures, his eyes slowly narrowing. Everyone was nervous for Justin, was he pushing Mr. Whitfield¡¯s limi ts? They originally thought Mr. Whitfield would have someone forcibly remove Justin. But to their surprise, he asked a waiter, ¡°Do you have anything for sobering up?¡± The waiter replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Jared was truly a big shot, and no one could compare to his magnanimity. His wife was being pestered by another man, yet he could so generously consider his health and ordered him a hangover soup. Jared casually said, ¡°Make me the most bitter hangover soup. My friend has unique tastes. The ordinary one might not sobe r him up, the bitterer the better¡± The waiter nced at Jared, they had never had such a request before. But he still went to prepare the soup. The people at the table all had satisfied expressions. This was the Mr. Whitfield they knew. Additionally , they deeply sympathized with Justin, the phrase ¡°asking for trouble¡± fit him perfectly. Agnes returned quickly. At the same time, the waiter brought in a very bitter hangover soup. Agnes curi ously asked, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Jared smiled, his eyes gentle, ¡°I ordered a hangover soup for Justin. He¡¯ll feel better after drinking it.¡± Agnes was overjoyed, ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful.¡± She thought Jared would be upset. Jared still smiled and said, ¡°Your friends are my friends.¡± Then he turned to the waiter and said, ¡°Take this hangover soup to the lounge, make sure he drinks it a ll.¡± Agnes was deeply touched, ¡°Honey, you are just too sweet.¡± Everyone was stunned¡® Ms. Pritchard, it seemed like she didn¡¯t know her husband well enough. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 One by one, many people came to toast. First, they toasted the director, then Jared. Of course, today was Agnes¡¯s wrap party, and naturally, she was the star of the show. Although Agnes was substituting juice for alcohol, she still drank quite a bit. Halfway through the banquet, Jared stood up and said, ¡°I have a few friends here today, I¡¯ll bring Agnes to say hi.¡± Agnes followed Jared out and curiously asked, ¡°Who are these friends you¡¯re taking me to meet?¡± Jared responded, ¡°It¡¯s Brayden¡¯s birthday today, and he¡¯s having a little get-together here. We ran into them when we came in, so it wouldn¡¯t be nice not to say hi. Plus, I can introduce you to them.¡± Agnes knew who Brayden was. He was part of one of the Four Families of Willowbrook. ¨C The Four Families of Willowbrook the Whitfield family, the Bowman family, the Simonds family, and the Bartley family all had business dealings with one another. From the previous generation, they had been friends, and the intertwined interests involved were quiteplex. ¨C The Simonds family was a hot topic whenever people chatted leisurely. Brayden was the only third generation of the Simonds family. The Simonds family had few descendants, with only one olddy supporting a huge family business. Therefore, the olddy¡¯s only wish was to have a great-grandson as soon as possible to continue the Simonds family line. So, it was said that the olddy arranged an engagement for Brayden with a girl since he was young, and forced them to marry abroad as soon as they came of age. However, Brayden did not like the girl at all and had never shown her off in public. He was always moring for a divorce. The problem was that the girl was also eager to break up. The couple was always at odds and constantly fighting. But it had been two years now, and they still hadn¡¯t divorced. Agnes curiously asked, ¡°It¡¯s Brayden¡¯s birthday, so will his rumored mysterious wife also be there?¡± Jared said, ¡°I don¡¯t know, we¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡± Agnes followed Jared through several water corridors and finally entered a luxurious private room at the far east. This was probably the most elegant and quiet ce in Noir. Pushing open the door, the lively atmosphere hit them. There were seven or eight men in the room. And, of course, each had a stunningly beautifuldy by his side. Agnes took a closer look and realized that thesedies were all minor celebrities in the entertainment industry. Maria, just yed the lead role in a new drama and gained a lot of fame. Sydney, known in the entertainment industry for her girl-next-door image, had countless die-hard fans. Jessica, who just participated in the Victoria¡¯s Secret show in Paris, was outstanding and her worth skyrocketed. There were many familiar faces from the entertainment industry that she didn¡¯t expect to see here. They had clearly finished eating. Some were ying pool, some were sitting on the couch rolling dice, others were chatting. Sydney, who was always as pure as a white lily, was now flirting and sitting on a man¡¯sp, ¡°Shawn, I just made a mistake because my hand shook. Can I have another try?¡± Shawn, the man they called, said with a mischievous look in his eyes, ¡°You were the one who suggested this game of Jenga. Our agreement was that whoever¡¯s tower falls first has to strip off an article of clothing. You can¡¯t back out now, it¡¯s your turn.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Sydney pretended to be reluctant but still took off hercy little shawl, revealing a backless tank top underneath. After taking off her shawl, she gently tapped Shawn¡¯s chest, ¡°You really don¡¯t feel sorry for me at all.¡± Shawnughed loudly, ¡°Let¡¯s continue, want to count how many clothes you¡¯re wearing today.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a jerk!¡± Sydney said Agnes stood at the door, shocked by the scene inside. Chapter 162 Chapter 162 The young inheritors of the Big Four had always been the talk of the town in the entertainment industry, and everyone wanted a piece of them. Back in the day, Jared was the one everyone was dying to get close to Agnes had never seen anything like this before. All sorts of celebs, be it icy or morous, were here trying to outshine each other it looked like some real life version of a royal court drama. Jared knocked on the door casually Finally, the peeps inside the room noticed the two neers at the door Shawn was the first to react. He pushed Sydney, who was still sitting next to him, away and greeted them, ¡°Jared, we thought Brayden couldn¡¯t even get you toe His gaze then fell on Agnes standing behind Jared Shawn was stunned, ¡°Who¡¯s this little girl?¡± Jared put his arm around Agnes¡¯ shoulder and said nonchntly, ¡°She¡¯s my wife, Agnes.¡± Shown was so surprised that he nearly dropped his jaw, ¡°So this is your twenty year old little wife?¡± Jared ignored Shawn and holding Agnes¡¯ hand, walked over to the man of the hour, Brayden. Because of their sudden appearance, the room went quiet in an instant. All eyes were on the girl beside Jared, The girl looked innocent. Her face was free of makeup, but her skin was as wless as a peeled egg. She had delicate features, a high ponytail revealing a smooth forehead and was dressed casually So, this was thedy of the Whitfield family from the Big Four. She was nothing like what they had imagined. Jared walked up to Brayden and said, ¡°Brayden, sorry, I¡¯mte.¡± Braydenughed and said, ¡°Your presence is an honor, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Brayden¡¯s gaze fell on Agnes, ¡°Agnes is truly beautiful. No wonder Jared is reluctant to bring her out, probably afraid of some yboys getting ideas.¡± Shawn chimed in, ¡°We are indeed yboys, but you two are good family men. However, Brayden, why didn¡¯t you bring your wife to show us on your birthday? Jared brought Agnes, you¡¯re being unfair.¡± Brayden replied, ¡°My wife isn¡¯t suitable for these asions.¡± Shawnughed, ¡°Oh? You finally admitted you have a wife. Looks like the day you introduce her to us isn¡¯t far away! Jared casually added, ¡°Didn¡¯t Brayden just say? He¡¯s afraid you yboys might get some ideas about her.¡± They bantered back and forth, creating a lively atmosphere. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Agnes could tell that they were really close friends. Among the people present, there was also Aaron, the eldest son of the Bowman family and Ynda¡¯s brother. And that Shawn, was a childhood friend of Brayden¡¯s. Although his family wasn¡¯t part of the so-called Big Four, they were also a prominent family with military and political background, influential and powerful. Perhaps because she was Jared¡¯s wife, thedies present wanted to get close to her, even pulling her over to the sofa to y games. After a while, she found this quite fun. Everyone was chatting andughing, and she gradually loosened up: Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Jared stepped out of the private room to take a call. Although Agnes was physically there, her mind trailed after Jared. Shawn noticed her preupation and reassured her, ¡°No need to worry. I just checked, it¡¯s a call from hispany secretary. Probably something work-rted stuff. Jared isn¡¯t like us. He doesn¡¯t have a lot of female friends. Over the years, there¡¯s really only been Mamie.¡± Shawn realized he¡¯d put his foot in his mouth. He pped his forehead in exasperation, ¡°Look at me, Property ? N?velDrama.Org. bbering away. Don¡¯t mind me, Agnes. I¡¯ll punish myself with three drinks.¡± And he did, downing three shots even though Agnes told him it wasn¡¯t necessary. Despite her words, she did feel a bit awkward. If even their friends knew about Jared and Mamie being a long time couple, their feelings for each other must be pretty deep. Agnes had never asked about Jared and Mamie, nor dared to. At least for now, Jared was a dutiful husband, always by her side. As for Mamie, Agnes decided to let time handle that issue. Suddenly, the door to the private room swung open. Agnes looked over, expecting Jared. But, as the saying went, speak of the devil. In walked Mamie. The lively room turned awkwardly quiet. No one expected Mamie to show up here. Even Brayden was surprised. As he had purposely not invited Mamie, knowing Jared would be there. Mamie walked in, dressed in a long ck dress with a matching zer draped over her shoulders. Her makeup was wless, her long, waves of hair were perfect, and she radiated authority. ¡°Brayden, you didn¡¯t invite me to your birthday party. Isn¡¯t that a bit disrespectful?¡± Mamie asked as she walked in. Brayden quickly apologized, ¡°Mamie, you¡¯re a big star, always busy. I didn¡¯t want to trouble you. It¡¯s just a simple birthday party, no need to take it to heart.¡± Mamie handed over a box, ¡°This is your birthday gift.¡± Brayden was thrilled, ¡°Mamie, you¡¯re too kind.¡± He opened the box to find a limited-edition watch. ¡°I know you collect watches. I had this one brought back from Germany. It¡¯s part of a limited edition of a hundred, not yet released, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it.¡± Mamie said. ¡°Nobody spoils me like you do, Mamie. Thanks, I love it.¡± Brayden replied. Mamie scanned the room, her gaze finallynding on Agnes. Everyone became anxious, especially Brayden, who looked worried. Mamie¡¯s sudden appearance at his birthday party and her extravagant gift surely had a purpose. Except for Jared, she hardly gave any of them a second thought. Her showing up today was likely because she knew Jared would be there. But parut Jared wasn¡¯t around. H wasn¡¯t around. His young wife didn¡¯t look like she could handle Mamie. If Mamie picked a fight, there¡¯d be no telling how it would end. Brayden signaled Aaron, seated nearby, to fetch Jared. Aaron rose and calmly left the room. By this time, Mamie was already making her way towards Agnes. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Everyone was on edge. The young actresses who were previously chilling on the couch, all stood up. They greeted Mamie with respect. Mamie¡¯s status in the entertainment industry was unparalleled, and they never thought they would bump into her here. Mamie sauntered over and grabbed a bottle of red wine from the table. Brayden, scared willess, hurried over and shielded Agnes, ¡°Mamie, we can talk it out, no need to get physical.¡± Mamie, however, burst intoughter, ¡°You thought I was gonna use this wine bottle as a weapon?¡± With Mamie¡¯s feisty character, she might indeed take a hard stance against Agnes without uttering a single word. Brayden chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Mamie, you¡¯ve always been graceful and sophisticated, never resorting to violence, I must¡¯ve misunderstood.¡± Mamie smiled, ¡°I was just curious about what wine you guys were drinking. Hmm, quite ordinary. But today, I¡¯ve brought some special booze for you.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Just as she finished a few people walked in and ced two boxes of alcohol on the table. The waiter helped to open the boxes. Inside were various types of hard liquor. Mamie said, ¡°These are fine liquors I¡¯ve collected from around the world. It¡¯s your birthday today, and these are perfect for the celebration.¡± Everyone was taken aback. The alcohol Mamie brought were all high-proof liquors. Shawn picked up a bottle, ¡°Holy cow! This is a Scottish distilled whiskey, made using 17th-century distition techniques. This whiskey has the highest alcohol content, and due to its unique storage method, it has a very distinctive taste. It¡¯s 92% proof, it¡¯s said that this liquor could fuel a sports car to 100km/h. And this one here, it¡¯s the American Everclear! Due to itsplex brewing process, it¡¯s 95% proof. But this stuff can seriously mess you up, it¡¯s banned in many states. And there¡¯s also this high- proof Puerto Rican rum, Jamaican rum. Mamie, where on earth did you dig up these treasures?¡± Mamieughed but didn¡¯t answer Shawn¡¯s question. Instead, she asked, ¡°What game are you guys ying?¡± Sydney quickly replied, ¡°We¡¯re ying Truth or Dare. Mamie, wanna join?¡± Mamie seemed intrigued, ¡°Sure, what are the rules?¡± Sydney exined, ¡°Two people take turns spinning a bottle on the table. Whoever the bottle points to when it stops has to choose Truth or Dare. Truth is asking any question, Dare is asking the other to do anything.¡± Mamie said, ¡°Sounds fun, but Truth is too boring. Let¡¯s y Dare.¡± Everyone was surprised that Mamie would be interested in this seemingly juvenile game. Maria asked, ¡°What¡¯s Dare?¡± Mamie exined, ¡°The rules are simple. The winner gets to ask the loser to do anything. If they can¡¯t do it, they have to pick a bottle from these and drink it all in one go. How¡¯s that?¡± Everyone looked at each other, at a loss for words. They all felt that Mamie was prepared and ready for a showdown. Jessica asked, ¡°This game sounds exciting. Mamie, who do you want to team up with?¡± Mamie extended her hand without hesitation and pointed, ¡°I¡¯ll y with her.¡± She was pointing at Agnes. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 All eyes were on Agnes. Mamie was sitting across from her, giving her the cold shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re chicken out?¡± No doubt, Mamie was throwing down the gauntlet One was the new me, the other the old love, it was like watching a soap opera seeing these two women face off If Agnes didn¡¯t rise to the challenge, she¡¯d lose face in front of Jared¡¯s posse But if she did, there was a huge power disparity between the two. Mamie was a rich kid who could pull any stunt she wanted Most folks were just there for the drama Brayden was the only one freaking out Neither woman was easy to handle. If Jared¡¯s little wifey got picked on here, his birthday bash was screwed. But then. Agnes, after a two-second silence, coolly said, ¡°Alright, game on.¡± She was curious to see what storm Mamie would stir up. If a showdown was inevitable, she¡¯d just have to grit her teeth and bear it. The two women were officially at war. Shawn volunteered, ¡°Til spin the bottle. No favorites, I promise. Round one started Shawn spun the bottle skillfully and quickly. Everyone in the room was gathered around, eyes glued to the bottle on the table. The bottle gradually came to a halt, pointing straight at Agnes A smug smile yed at the corners of Mamie¡¯s lips, ¡°You lost.¡± Shawn said, ¡°Mamie, you can now ask Agnes to do something. What¡¯s it gonna be?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Sweat was beading on Brayden¡¯s forehead. He was wondering why the hell Aaron was taking so long. Mamie looked around the room and then said, ¡°The vibe in here seems to have died down since I arrived, so why don¡¯t we have Ms. Pritchard liven things up. Find a guy in this room and kiss him, tongue and all, for a minute. Ms. Pritchard, if you please.¡± The room fell silent at Mamie¡¯s words. Everyone knew Mamie was out to cause trouble, and this game was the perfect chance for her to mess with Agnes. But what she was doing was not just messing with Agnes, it was messing with the men in the room too! Kiss a guy for a minute? Knowing Jared, anyone whoid a finger on his girl wouldn¡¯t get off easily. Agnes was poker-faced. All the guys instinctively took a step back. No one dared mess with Jared¡¯s girl. They were all silently praying: Please, not me! But they were all still down for a good show. Would this chick really pick a guy and go in for a hot makeout session? Unfazed, Agnes was ready. Mamie offered, ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, you have to down a bottle. Just a reminder, this is not your average booze.¡± Agnes knew, as Shawn had already exined. These were rare, high-proof spirits that could seriously mess you up. Considering her low alcohol tolerance, one bottle could be a serious health risk. She couldn¡¯t drink it. But this dare¡­ Agnes looked around the room. All the men were on edge. They were thinking, this girl wouldn¡¯t really pick a guy to make out with, would she? Apparently, she was a young actress in the middle of shooting a film. Maybe she didn¡¯t mind. But the chosen guy would be in hot water. Jared didn¡¯t like people touching his stuff, especially his wife. Agnes¡¯s gaze finallynded on Shawn. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Shawn felt Agnes¡¯s eyes boring into him, her gaze so intense it left him quaking in his boots. Fear was etched all over his face as he stammered, ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t kid around like this. Jared will have me killed.¡± Agnes held her stare for a moment longer before her eyes drifted past him, towards the entrance of the private room. Just then, the door swung open. Jared and Aaron sauntered in. Agnes sprang to her feet, striding past Shawn towards Jared She closed the gap between them in a heartbeat, nting a kiss on Jared¡¯s lips. Cheers and whistles erupted in the room. Every guy there breathed a sigh of relief. Jared¡¯s timing was impable. Mamie had said any guy in the room, but she hadn¡¯t specified who. It was clear Mamie¡¯s aim was to stir up trouble. Everyone knew Jared¡¯s territorial nature. His wife was off limits. Rumor had it, he personally stepped in whenever his wife had to shoot intimate scenes. But instead of causing a stir, they all got a front seat to a lovey-dovey show. Jared was taken aback at first. He didn¡¯t expect the usually reserved Agnes to make such a bold move in public. But he didn¡¯t push her away. Shawn approached with his phone, quickly exining. ¡°Jared, y along for a minute. Agnes and Mamie are ying a game.¡± Jared¡¯s brow furrowed, but he quickly caught on and yed along. As the kiss went on, he even started to take the lead. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Time¡¯s up!¡± Shawn announced, holding up his phone, ¡°A full minute, not a second less.¡± Only then did Agnes pull away from Jared. She was a little dazed, her cheeks med up like ripe tomatoes. Jared wrapped his arm around her waist, whispering, ¡°Careful, babe.¡± Agnes shot him a fierce re. They were only ying a game, while pretending was all they needed to do. But Jared¡¯s kiss left her reeling. She felt like jelly, her mind in a fog. The crowd in the room was stunned. The unapproachable and aloof Jared, publicly kissing his wife for a full minute. And he seemed to enjoy it, like he hadn¡¯t had his fill yet. The rumors were true. Jared really did spoil his wife rotten. Jared was now leading Agnes towards the couch. Mamie¡¯s face darkened. She didn¡¯t expect Jared toe back just in time. She knew Jared was a stickler for rules, and he wouldn¡¯t allow his woman to get cozy with another man. But this backfired on her, giving them a chance to unt their love. Thinking of the sight of them kissing, Mamie¡¯s hand tightened into a fist as she coolly dered, ¡°One more round!¡± The room fell silent for a second before Shawn excitedly ran back. This was getting interesting. The new me and the old love were squaring off. Who would Jared choose? Everyone was enjoying the spectacle. After all, Jared was the golden boy, and his life was as precise and wless asputer data. He had never encountered a problem he couldn¡¯t solve. So his friends, who had grown up with him but always lived in his shadow, were more than happy to stir the pot! Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Shawn was eyeing everyone around him carefully. Jared didn¡¯t seem to be stopping him, so he gave the bottle another spin. But, when the bottle came to a halt, it was once again pointing at Agnes, Everyone fell silent. Shawn, feeling a bit awkward, said to Agnes, ¡°Agnes, I didn¡¯t cheat, but your luck is really.¡± With everyone watching, there was no way Shawn could have cheated. Agnes epted the challenge and asked Mamie, ¡°What do you want me to do this time?¡± W G S C Z F ? Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Mamie had a cold look on her face. All eyes were on her. She stated slowly and clearly, ¡°I want you to divorce Jared.¡± The room fell silent immediately. Things seemed to be getting serious. Everyone present knew that Mamie and Jared were childhood sweethearts. Their wedding news had even been rumored before. However, Jared suddenly announced that he was getting married with a young woman. The reason behind this was unknown to outsiders. But Mamie was also quite the character. She was a top star in the entertainment industry, the young To outsiders, she and Jared seemed equal rivals. Surely, she wouldn¡¯t be troubled over a rtionship. But it seemed like the reality was different. Now, her saying these words showed that she hadn¡¯t let go of Jared. Everyone was stunned, unsure of how to diffuse the situation. Shawn said, ¡°Mamie, it¡¯s just a game, no need to take it so seriously.¡± Mamie looked at Agnes firmly, ¡°Isn¡¯t life just a game? If you¡¯re in, you¡¯ve got to y by the rules.¡± Agnes, without a moment¡¯s hesitation, stood up and took a bottle of liquor from the box. She was about to chug it down but was stopped by Jared, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± 5 2 22 5.25 9 Shawn exined, ¡°That¡¯s the rule of the game. If you can¡¯tplete the challenge, you have to drink a bottle. But this is a rare strong liquor. It could be bad for Agnes.¡± Jared took the bottle from Agnes and said, ¡°The rules didn¡¯t say someone else can¡¯t drink for you, right?¡± Shawn quickly responded, ¡°No, they didn¡¯t.¡± Jared said calmly, ¡°Agnes is my wife, and we are one. If she¡¯s to be punished, then I¡¯ll drink for her.¡± As he finished, Jared had already popped the bottle open and started drinking slowly. Everyone was taken aback. They all knew Jared¡¯s words were actually meant for Mamie. Everyone felt a bit sorry for Mamie. How hurt must a woman be to use a game to try to win back her love? But they all knew, it was just a game for fun. Could it really change the current situation? Jared had made his stance very clear. Agnes stood there, bewildered, trying to stop him. But Jared gave her aforting look, signaling her not to worry. Agnes didn¡¯t know much about liquor, so she wasn¡¯t aware of the potential consequences of the strong drink. But Mamie did. Seeing that Jared had drunk half of it, she said, ¡°That¡¯s vodka from the Balkans in Bulgaria. Aren¡¯t you afraid of risking your life drinking like this?¡± Jared didn¡¯t stop and drank it all in one go. The moment he put the bottle down on the table, everyone pped for him. Jared didn¡¯t seem to be affected by the drink, maintaining his calm and elegance. He said in a voice as calm as the breeze, ¡°Asking me to divorce is like asking me to end my life.¡± Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Jared actually spouted some pretty mushy stuff, but it didn¡¯t sound cheesying from him, kinda heart fluttering All the girls in the room were shooting envious nces at Agnes. Jared was actually risking a showdown with Mamie for her. A look of disbelief spread across Mamie¡¯s face. She was with Jared for years, when did Jared ever say something sweet? She even started to question, did they ever had a romance during those years? She thought his cold demeanor was just his nature, why did he seem like a changed man with Agnes? ? Agnes saw Jared downing an entire bottle of booze, and worriedly asked, ¡®Are you okay?¡± Brayden chimed in, ¡°No worries, Jared¡¯s always had a great tolerance for alcohol. He¡¯s been a heavyweight since his teens.¡± Something flickered in Agnes¡¯s mind, but she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it. Something felt off. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Shawn asked again, ¡°Round two?¡± Mamie clenched her fists. With gritted teeth, she dered, ¡°Bring it on!¡± She refused to believe that she couldn¡¯t take her down today. Agnes hesitated, but Jared chuckled and said, ¡°Have fun. If you can¡¯t handle anymore, I¡¯ll drink for you.¡± The atmosphere was heating up. Everyone was curious to see how this catfight would end. The bottle started to spin again, and Everyone¡¯s heart was in their throat. In the end, the bottle slowly came to a halt, pointing at Mamie instead of Agnes. Everyone was taken aback, and some even wanted to apud. Finally, Mamie was picked. Shawn breathed a sigh of relief. If it pointed at Jared¡¯s wife three times in a row. Knowing Jared, he would cause a scene afterwards. Everyone thought, this was getting interesting. Mamie had just targeted Agnes twice, and now was her chance to strike back. Especially the young actresses, they seemed to be gloating. Mamie was always acting high and mighty, so they just wanted to see her stumble. Shawn observed everyone¡¯s reactions. Then he carefully said to Agnes, ¡°You can make a request.¡± Agnes and Mamie locked eyes, the first time she dared to meet Mamie¡¯s gaze. She said seriously, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t disturb our life again.¡± Agnes¡¯s words were short and calm, but they carried an undeniable air of confidence and determination. Who would¡¯ve thought this seemingly fragile girl could be so powerful? Mamie just demanded they divorce, sp this was like her pback. And given her status, she had some leverage. Mamie sat there, not moving. But her heaving chest and clenched fists clearly showed that she was at the end of her rope. Who did this girl think she was? She appeared out of nowhere, stole Jared, and now told her not to disturb their life. What right did she have? Did she know about her and Jared¡¯s decade-long rtionship? Did she know what they had been through? She actually dared to make such a shameless request. All eyes were on Mamie. Mamie stood up, grabbed a bottle of booze from the box, and uncorked it forcefully. She sneered, ¡°No one in this world can order me around.¡± Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Mamie started to knock back the booze, head held high. Brayden came over, trying to reason with her, ¡°Mamie, this could end badly. Quit the drinking. It¡¯s just a game, no need to get so worked up¡¯ But Mamie didn¡¯t stop. She continued to drink, her eyes locked on Jared Everyone could see it. Mamie was waiting for Jared¡¯s reaction. If Jared stepped in, that would be a game changer. Right now, the situation was super awkward. If Jared didn¡¯t step in, Mamie was definitely going to flip her lid. But then again, Mamie was Jared¡¯s ex, and they grew up together. Even if the love was lost, they still shared a bond of friendship. If Jared didn¡¯t help, he might get a rep for being heartless. But if he did, to Mamie, it would be like giving her a glimmer of hope. A little spark could start a forest fire! In the future, Mamie would definitely stir up more trouble. And his wife was right there. If he wasn¡¯t clear about his stand, it could cause misunderstandings. Jared¡¯s brow furrowed. He didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of stepping in. He kept looking at his watch, as if he was waiting for something. Just then, the door to the private room opened again. The man at the doorway was Ivan. He took one nce, strode over, and snatched the bottle from Marie. He smashed the bottle, ss shards flying everywhere. Everyone gasped. He said to Mamie coldly, ¡°How long are you nning to keep this up?¡± Ivan¡¯s timely appearance was probably not a coincidence. No wonder Jared kept checking the time, he probably foresaw Ivan stepping in. In this world, the only person who could control Mamie, besides Jared, was probably her big brother Ivan. But Ivan was also known for spoiling his little sister rotten. Actually, many people there had also grown up together, so they knew that Mamie wasn¡¯t always this arrogant. A huge part of it was because Ivan spoiled her. The Bartley family had a vast empire, but Ivan¡¯s parents died in a car ident when he was 18. At that time, he was bullied by other family members, almost losing everything. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Nobody knew how hard the 18-year-old Ivan worked to take over all the Bartley family¡¯s businesses, started Century Entertainment, and bagged half of the entertainment industry. But everyone knew that during the hardest times, it was just him and his sister. Later, after Mamie became famous, she mentioned in an interview. Their parents¡¯ death hit Mamie hard. She cried to her brother, saying that with their parents gone, nobody loved her anymore. Ivan told her that he would make her the center of attention in the entertainment industry, so that way everyone in the world would notice her, and she wouldn¡¯t feel lonely. So, Century Entertainment was actually a star factory Ivan built for Mamie. This showed how much he loved his little sister. Mamie copsed on the sofa. Probably due to the alcohol, she started crying into her hands. Without hesitation, Ivan squatted down, picked Mamie up, and left the private room in silence. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 When Mamie left, she was slumped over Ivan, drunk off her face, mumbling. ¡°Why why did it turn out like tins¡­ The private room fell silent for a while after Mamie and Ivan¡¯s exit Brayden felt awkward What should¡¯ve been a joyful birthday bash had turned into a catfight between Jared and two women. Seeing Mamie in such a state, Agnes felt terrible too. She tugged gently at Jared¡¯s sleeve, saying, ¡°I wanna go home¡± Jared turned to Brayden, ¡®Brayden, we¡¯re gonna take off. Sorry for the drama, we¡¯ll make it up to you next time? Brayden patted Jared on the shoulder, showing understanding, and said in a low voice, ¡°Take good care of Agnes when you get home. Young girls can get all kinds of crazy ideas.¡± Shawn joked from the side, ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve got a lot of experience. Isn¡¯t your partner about the same age as Agnes?¡± Even after they¡¯d gotten in the car, Agnes still felt a bit dazed. Jared gently stroked her hair, asking. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Suddenly, Agnes turned her head and asked in a dazed tone, ¡°Why did you choose me?¡± Jared was a bit puzzled, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Agnes looked downcast, ¡°Can¡¯t your feelings for Mamie after all these years outweigh your feelings for me? Why did you choose to marry me?¡± What Agnes really wanted to know was why Jared had so firmly stood by her side. She couldn¡¯t figure it out. She¡¯d always thought she was just a band-aid for Jared¡¯s emotional wounds. Just happened to be there at the right moment. But now with Mamie trying to win him back, Jared¡¯s firm stance made her suspicious. Did Jared have some other ns? Agnes even wondered whether Jared was using her to test Mamie¡¯s limits. If that was the case¡­ Agnes¡¯s gaze became gloomy. Jared seemed to be stumped by this question and didn¡¯t respond immediately. Agnes¡¯s heart seemed to be sinking to the bottom of the sea at his silence. Had she guessed right? ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m going to tell you the truth, promise not to get mad at me.¡± Jared suddenly became serious. Agnes felt a knot in her stomach, ¡°Just say it. Whatever the reason, I can handle it. I just want to know the real answer.¡±, Even though Agnes said this, she felt a pang in her chest. She probably hit the nail on the head. Jared said earnestly, ¡°I¡¯ve been pondering over this question too. But I eventually thought, you might be the only one who dares to push me around.¡± Agnes was taken aback, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Jared chuckled, as if he recalled something, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? That night, you dragged me into your room, pounced on me like a wild animal. You almost tied me up, and then you¡­ I had no chance to resist.¡± Jared was obviously referring to the first time they met. But at that time, Agnes waspletely wasted. The only thing she remembered was waking up the next day with an unfamiliar man beside her. She had no recollection of what happened before. When Jared mentioned it, her face turned as red as a ripe tomato. She said in embarrassment and N?velDrama.Org content rights. shame, ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? You¡¯re six foot one, who could force you if you didn¡¯t agree?¡± Jared looked wronged, ¡°You probably don¡¯t remember how you were then. You were like a madwoman, incredibly strong. I really couldn¡¯t resist and my clothes were even torn by you. I still have that outfit. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can show you when we get home!¡± Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Right now, Agnes just wanted to find a ce to hide. She had zero memory of what Jared had told her, but there were some things she couldn¡¯t just spill out. She was a lightweight when it came to drinking, and she wasn¡¯t a pleasant drunk. On top of that, she had ten years of taekwondo under her belt, so she was strong. What Jared said wasn¡¯t entirely out of the question. Agnes was so embarrassed she totally forgot what she was originally talking about. She thought they were both drunk that day, so that¡¯s why¡­ Suddenly, Agnes remembered something. She asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who can¡¯t get drunk?¡± Brayden had just mentioned that Jared could hold his liquor. He¡¯d just downed a bottle of hard liquor and was totally fine now. Meanwhile, Mamie was acting out after just two sips, showing how strong that stuff was. Jared nodded, ¡°Indeed, I can hold my liquor pretty well.¡± Agnes asked, ¡°Then how did you get drunk at that dinner with Director Zoe?¡± M That time Jared, as an investor, had gotten drunk at a dinner. Ivar ended up dumping him on her. In the end, Agnes had to book a room at the hotel. At that time, Agnes was mad at Jared because of his rtionship with Mamie, but that day, Jared ended up having the upper hand. Jared said casually, ¡°Agnes, they say some people are born with a worm inside them, so they don¡¯t get drunk. But sometimes the worm needs to rest. That day, the worm inside me happened to be resting.¡± Agnes was confused, thinking about what kind of worm he was talking about. When she turned her head and saw the smirk on Jared¡¯s face, Agnes suddenly got mad, ¡°Jared, are you messing with me again?¡± She huffed and stopped talking to him. Jared,ughing, took Agnes¡¯s hand and became serious, ¡°If I say I liked you the moment I saw you, you might not believe it. I find it ridiculous myself. But since the first time I saw you, I felt familiar, curious, and had no aversion to you. In fact, I couldn¡¯t help but want to be near you. So, Agnes; I can¡¯t answer your question. Because I don¡¯t think it was just a one-night stand between us. That night, I thought it through. From the moment I touched you, I intended to make you my wife and spend my life with you. So, our marriage wasn¡¯t because of that night. But because I liked you the moment I saw you.¡± Jared still remembered that night at the bar. That night, she was sloppy drunk and fell right into his arms. He usually hates physical contact with others, but that night, the moment she fell into his arms, he could smell a faint fragrance amid the strong smell of alcohol. Her flushed little face was like a ripe red apple. Friends around them all thought this girl was obviously drugged. Several even offered to help, saying N?velDrama.Org content rights. they¡¯d handle it. He usually didn¡¯t like to get involved in such things. But that day, he unexpectedly took her in his car and brought her home. That night, was a game-changer. Agnes was indeed drugged that day. Jared had investigated and soon found out it was her friend, Jenny. By then, Jenny had left. Jared had no intention of telling Agnes about it. She was kind-hearted, and he didn¡¯t want her to see the dark side of the world. Jared didn¡¯t consider himself the type to take advantage of others. But that night, he did lose control. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Jared still couldn¡¯t figure it out even now He didn¡¯t have any special feelings towards women before. Even with Mamie, there was nothing special. He thought maybe there was something wrong with him. But that night, after meeting that girl, his feelings seemed to have changed. His body seemed to have awakened a new sensation, and it got stronger and stronger. He could feel that some boundaries he had been holding onto for years were finally broken Yes, he did something not so cool this time, taking advantage of someone when they were vulnerable. He knew Agnes was not herself at that moment, but he still approached her That night, he barely slept Looking at the girl who was sleeping beside him like a kitten, he felt confused for the first time. Why her? Even he himself couldn¡¯t answer this question. Jared never believed in fate. But after meeting Agnes, he had a strange premonition. That feeling of first love. When she kissed him, the feeling of electric shock, and the involuntary tremble throughout his body, Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. were experiences he had never had before. He did struggle. The appearance of this girl seemed to have broken his bottom line, like throwing a stone into the water, causing a huge fluctuation. And yet she asked him why? He wanted to know why more than her. After hearing Jared¡¯s words, Agnes¡¯ heartbeat suddenly elerated. Jared said he liked her the moment he saw her. Fireworks suddenly popped up in her mind, and her heart was filled with pink bubbles. Agnes lowered her head, and asked shyly, ¡°So, are you confessing to me?¡± Jared smiled slightly, ¡°Sort of.¡± She was filled with joy. Jared suddenly changed the topic and asked, ¡°What about you?¡± Agnes was stunned, ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°Why did you agree to marry me that morning when I proposed?¡± Jared asked. Agnes answered, ¡°Because I had just broken up then, and starting a new rtionship is the best way to heal from a breakup. Besides, we had slept together that night. If I don¡¯t marry you, who else could I marry? You¡¯re not bad you know, so I agreed.¡± When Agnes looked at Jared again, his face was not happy. Jared gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°So, you were just using me as a tool to heal your feelings?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Agnes teased him deliberately. Seeing Jared¡¯s face getting darker and darker, she found it amusing. Jared¡¯s voice was cold, seemingly reluctant to ask, ¡°What about now?¡± Agnes stroked her chin, pretending to think, ¡°Now¡­¡± She sneaked a nce at Jared. His angry look was actually quite cute. Agnes felt that she had teased him enough, and it was time tofort him. She immediately showed a smile, and hurriedly said, ¡°Now of course you¡¯re the best and I love you the most. You know, I find your angry look very charming.¡± This was the first time Agnes had expressed her feelings so directly. She mentioned ¡°you¡± couple times in a row, which made her feel a little uneasy. But Jared seemed very satisfied with this. The serious look on his face finally eased a bit, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. He said lightly, ¡°Continue.¡± Continue what? Was this guy addicted or what? Agnes began to rack her brains, ¡°Jared is handsome and elegant, talented. His charm is irresistible.¡± Jared suddenly coughed twice. Agnes asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jared replied, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough.¡± Agnes stuck out her tongue, then leaned over and gave a gentle kiss on Jared¡¯s face. She felt like she was beginning to like this man more and more. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 After the shooting of the movie ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere, Agnes was about to start a new semester. She was now a senior On the first day of the new semester, Agnes was the talk of the town The big magical movie was shot right at Lakeside College, so it was the hot gossip among all students. But the leadingdy was none other than Agnes from the joontalions department. What was even more shocking she got hitched with the big cheese of the Whitfield ferrally at just 20. This was the buzz all summer long No doubt, Agnes became the center of attention. So, on the first day of the new semester, many were at the school gate waiting for her arrival. As soon as Agnes stepped into campus, she felt gazes falling on her from all directions, Many were looking at her, talking about her, but not daring to interact with her With her sharp ears, Agnes heard a lot of rumors. ¡°Look, that¡¯s Agnes from journalism, tied the knot with Mr. Whitfield at only 20. That¡¯s why Mr. Whitfield only epted an interview from a campus mediose it was all for her.¡± ¡°I heard Starlight International Group is run by Justin, she¡¯s so lucky. Not only did she marry into wealth, but she also got to act with the hottest and most handsome star ¡°Her dad is the chairman of Starlight International Group, and I heard he funded the movie. Justin is also a star of Starlight. So, her family background really does matte She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, we can¡¯t reallypete with that.¡± ¡°But, wasn¡¯t there a rumor that Prince Frost announced that Agnes from the journalism department was his girlfriend? Is that true? ¡°Isn¡¯t Prince Frost, Ryder Whitfield, Mr. Jared¡¯s nephew?¡± ¡°But their rtionship was public. I was there at the cafeteria when Ryder held Agnes¡¯s hand and dered it after Ceole tried to provoke him. How could that be fake? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Maybe she was with Ryder first, then got close to the family after meeting the parents!¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, this is soplicated.¡± Hearing all of this, Agnes felt ufortable. She was worried about this issue before the new semester started. While she never admitted it. Due to Cesile¡¯s midleading many people on campus had misunderstood her rtionship with Ryder. Ryder only used her as a shield to avoid Cecile. Even he probably didn¡¯t expect his shield to be a burden and tarnish his reputation. No wonder Ryder was so annoyed with her now. ¡°Look, isn¡¯t that Prince Frost? Oh my god, he¡¯s so handsome. I can¡¯t believe I get to see him on the first day of the new semeste ¡°Why is heing to school with Agnes? Do they live together?¡± ¡°Wow, his ex-girlfriend became a family member? Isn¡¯t that awkward?¡± Everyone was buzzing with gossip. Agnes turned around. Sure enough, she saw Ryder not far behind her. He was still looked handsome and aloof, wearing a simple white shirt, but with an artistic vibe. Carrying his ck backpack as usual, he gave off a cold, restrained, and mysterious feel. No wonder so many girls at school were head over heels for him. His face looked like it was straight out of an anime. Agnes couldn¡¯t help but stop in her tracks. Watching Rydere closer, when he was next to her, Agnes considered whether to politely say hi. But he didn¡¯t even nce at her just walked right past her treating Agnes as if she was invisible. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Agnes watched as Ryder walked away and let out a sigh. Maybe, he also heard those rumors at school. That probably made him dislike her even more. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Agnes didn¡¯t have a lot of sses this semester. After grabbing some textbooks for her major, she nned to head back home as sses hadrit started yet. At the school gate, she ran into Kerri. After catching up, they decided to grab some grilled fish together. At the restaurant, Agnes confessed, ¡°Kerri, there¡¯s a reason I didn¡¯t tell you about my marriage.¡± Kerri was Agnes¡¯ college roomie and her best friend besides Jenny. Agnes felt she owed her an N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. exnation. But Kerri said, ¡°I get it. Stuff like this can be hard to share¡± Agnes let out a relieved sigh, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be mad that I kept such a big thing from you.¡± Kerri hesitated, ¡®Actually, there¡¯s something I haven¡¯t told you either.¡± Agnes asked in surprise, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Kerri nervously confessed, ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m married too, but I haven¡¯t told anyone.¡± Agnes was stunned. Kerri, with her gentle demeanor, kind nature, and outstanding academic performance, was a medical student at the renowned neurology department of Lakeside College, the same major as Ryder. She was always the model student, spending all her time studying, doingb work, writing papers, or doing clinical rotations with professors. She rarely mingled with boys outside her major. How on earth did she end up married? Agnes asked, ¡°When did this happen?¡± Kerri confessed, ¡°Two years ago, I got married in Vegas when I was 18.¡± The more Agnes thought about it, the moreplex it seemed. There must be a story there. Before Agnes could ask, Kerri exined, ¡°You must think it¡¯s unbelievable, like something out of a TV drama. But my life is just like that. I was an orphan, lived in an orphanage for 12 years, then got adopted by a family. They paid for my education and nned out my life to a tee. From the moment they adopted me, I knew I had no freedom. They¡¯ve done so much for me. So no matter what they arranged, I had to ept.¡± Agnes could see the helplessness on Kerri¡¯s face. For a moment, Agnes felt she couldn¡¯t keep prying. She could tell, Kerri wasn¡¯t happy in her marriage. How could a girl who was forced to marry at 18 possibly have any love in her life? Agnes had heard about some wealthy families adopting helpless girls to groom them into suitable brides for their disabled sons when they couldn¡¯t find a suitable match from a good background. Then, these girls would be bound by their gratitude for the rest of their lives, unable to make their own decisions. Agnes never thought this would happen to Kerri. Seeing Agnes¡¯ worried look, Kerri said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Luckily, he¡¯s not into me and has been thinking about divorce. I¡¯m just waiting for him to let me go so I can start my own life.¡± Kerri didn¡¯t mention who her husband was and Agnes didn¡¯t ask. If it was bound to end, there was no need to dig deeper. Agnes had always held this view. Kerri must have made up her mind to tell her about it today. Agnes said, ¡°Well, I wish you a speedy divorce.¡± Kerri clinked her ss with Agnes¡¯ and said, ¡°Thank-you.¡± Chapter 175 Chapter 175 The two continued to chat for a bit. Out of the blue, Kerri said, ¡°I just saw that you¡¯re pretty popr in the voting for the school culture festival. Looks like you stand a good chance of winning the wholepetition. Mr. Whitfield seems to have boosted your poprity quite a bit.¡± Agnes asked, puzzled, ¡°What culture festival?¡± Kerri exined, ¡°The annual school culture festival. Each school sends a performance topete, and the winning performance gets a reward. It¡¯s a big deal for the school¡¯s reputation. Plus, this year¡¯s festival coincides with Lakeside College¡¯s centenary celebration, so we got the hosting rights. The school¡¯s taking it super seriously.¡± Agnes was actually familiar with the yearly school culture festival. It was like a big cultural exchange the hosting rights. The festival took ce at the end of October every year, with top universities nationwide sending a performance topete. Top government officials woulde to watch, and in recent years, there was even a hefty cash prize and a medal of honor. Although it was ostensibly to promote cultural exchange, in reality, it was a power struggle among the major universities. The school always ced great importance on this event. Agnes said, puzzled, ¡°But aren¡¯t all thepeting performances handled by the performing arts department?¡± The reason Agnes didn¡¯t make a big deal out of this event was that for many years, the opportunity to participate was basically given to the performing arts department. The students there were incredibly talented. Some of them had even entered the entertainment industry and made a name for themselves. Naturally, they should be the ones to take on such a task that brought glory to the school. It was said that the school culture festival was a great opportunity for performing arts students to showcase their talents, as many people from entertainmentpanies woulde on the day of the The current rising star in the entertainment industry was the champion of thest culture festival. Her stunning opera performance swept everyone off their feet. She was spotted by a talent scout, released her first album, and starred in two TV series in the same year, bing famous overnight. Almost all performing arts students saw the culture festival as a stepping stone to the entertainment industry, and there would be some disputes every year over the performance. V¡­ Kerri said, ¡°In the past, this had nothing to do with us. But this year the school has a new rule. Apparently, the school has decided that thepeting performance will be a y this time, so there¡¯s a school-wide vote to select a male and female student with the highest poprity to be the leads of the y. The announcement was sent out a month ago, and the voting is posted on the official website, with the names of almost all students on it. The deadline is tomorrow. I checked this morning, and among the girls, you have the highest poprity right now, followed by Cecile.¡± A month ago, Agnes was fully devoted to the drama crew and had no time to pay attention to anything else. Now, she finally had some free time to pick up her phone and nce at the campus forum, which she usually never cared about. Sure enough, in the poprity vote, she was leading with over thirty thousand votes. The second ce only had over ten thousand votes. She was undoubtedly in first ce. She also casually nced at the voting situation for the boys. Without a doubt, the first ce in the boys¡¯ vote was everyone¡¯s favorite, Ryder. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Agnes was a bit baffled She had nothing against participating in a drama performance. After all, it was all about bringing honor to the school and she always felt a strong sense of duty towards that But to pair up with Ryder¡­ Agnes couldn¡¯t envision how awkward that would be. Kerri said, ¡®Agnes, you better brace yourself. Tomorrow is thest day of voting I don¡¯t think Cecile would let this opportunity slip by so easily Her obsession with Ryder is well-known. How could she possibly pass up the chance to rehearse a y with Ryder?¡± Even though Kerri put it that way, Agnes was still at a loss. The voting wasn¡¯t over yet and the official results hadn¡¯t been announced. And even if she wanted to discuss this with school executives, Agnes had no idea who to go to. She could only wait and see how things would unfold. However, the next morning, as soon as Agnes opened her eyes and checked the campus forum. She saw that her votes had been overtaken by Cecile, who was leading the poprity chart with a Property ? N?velDrama.Org. 50,000 vote advantage. Agnes actually felt relieved. It was within her expectations. How could Cecile possibly give up this golden opportunity? Even if it meant getting people to rig the votes, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising. However, when Agnes was about to close the forum, she noticed a new thread that was even more popr than the voting thread. The title of the new thread was ¡®Don¡¯t be fooled by her looks, the sinister girl from the journalism department.¡± Agnes had a bad feeling and when she clicked on the thread, her suspicions were confirmed. The thread was about her. Agnes read the whole thread from start to finish and by the end, she could only conclude that it was filled with lies. It fabricated a lot of negative content about her, like how she used Ryder to get close to Jared, and used unfair means to get the leading role in Cindere. It said she was promiscuous, frequented bars and led a chaotic personal life. It even said that she was secretly canvassing votes for the campus election. Every evidence in the thread was falsified. Agnes¡¯s fingers began to tremble involuntarily. She never liked being the center of attention, but she was always thrust into the spotlight. There were already thousands of replies to the thread. Agnes randomly scrolled through a few. ¡°I never expected her to be such a schemer, there¡¯s so much story behind this. Using an ex-boyfriend to get close to his family, then quickly getting married after rising to the top. Very few people can pull that off.¡± ¡°How can you be Mrs. Whitfield without some tricks? Besides, the cultural festival has always been handed over to the performance department. This year¡¯s sudden open vote might have some secrets.¡± ¡°This kind of girl has a good family background, is pretty, heartless, cunning, and emotionally intelligent. No wonder she¡¯s a winner in life at just 20. It¡¯s so unfair!¡± ¡°This is just the opinion of the thread starter. Don¡¯t just jump on the bandwagon. I¡¯m a journalism student. I know she¡¯s a good person. ¡°Kid, haven¡¯t you heard that women are dangerous? Even the pretty ones are no exception. A friendly reminder, keep your distance from her to avoid trouble.¡± Almost all of thements were derogatory and defamatory, with many personal attacks. Of course, there were also people who pointed out objectively that these were unfounded usations, but not many people were interested in pursuing the truth. All they knew was that this girl¡¯s rise was meteoric, which made them envious. Agnes couldn¡¯t bear to continue reading. At the end, she nced at the signature. The one who posted this was: Cecile is the superstar. There was no doubt that it was Cecile. Chapter 177 Chapter 177 After Agnes got to school, she made a beeline for the drama department. She¡¯d done a quick online search for the department¡¯s ss schedule. Turned out Cecile had arge-scale culture ss at nine in the morning in a lecture hall. Agnes was already waiting at the door before they finished ss. N?velDrama.Org content rights. The moment the bell rang students came pouring out. Everyone cast weird nces at Agnes waiting by the door. Every now and then, Agnes could even hear whispers of hypocrite and malicious Finally, out came Cecile. Seeing Agnes, she raised an eyebrow and smirked in disdain, ¡°Well, look who it is, the hottest starlet of the moment. What brings you to our humble drama department? Let me guess, you¡¯ve done one y and you¡¯re already thinking of switching careers?¡± Agnes cut to the chase, ¡°Did you post that thread on the school forum?¡± Cecile yed dumb, ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. You¡¯re the one who wanted to be in the limelight, and now you¡¯re exposed. Why drag me into this?¡± Agnes retorted coldly, ¡°Cut the act. I¡¯ve traced the forum ID, and the registered ount is your student ID. Are you still going to deny it?¡± Cecile¡¯s smirk didn¡¯t falter at being exposed; she seemed rather smug. She said sarcastically, ¡°So what if I posted it? I didn¡¯t lie. You climbed up thedder using Prince to get to Jared. Younded the role of Cindere only because of your father¡¯s connections, didn¡¯t you? I justid out the facts for everyone to see your true colors.¡± Agnes shot back, ¡°Do you even know what the truth is? Your so-called truth is just made up. You only aim to defame me, to knock me off the poprity list so you can take over my ce. The real hypocrite here isn¡¯t me, it¡¯s you.¡± The crowd at the door had already grown since ss ended. Seeing the school¡¯s two hot topics shing, everyone stopped to watch. Some even whipped out their phones to record the whole thing. Agnes¡¯ direct usation seemed to have left Cecile red-faced and angry, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re talking nonsense. I¡¯ve always been the top of the poprity list. Why would I fight with you over a role that¡¯s already mine?¡± ¡°Already yours? I don¡¯t think so. You think everyone in school is an idiot? You¡¯re obviously rigging the votes. Cecile, let me tell you. I wasn¡¯t interested in this role before, but you¡¯ve crossed the line. I¡¯m telling you now, I¡¯m taking that role. We¡¯ll see.¡± With that, Agnes turned and walked off, leaving a buzz behind her. ¡°Oh my god, Agnes is so badass.¡± ¡°She seems to have a point. Why did such a post appear at this crucial time? And indeed, Cecile¡¯s votes are now far beyond Agnes¡¯, ¡®she was behind by over 10,000 votes just yesterday. Something fishy¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Could it be that what Agnes said is true? That Cecile deliberately posted it to frame her.¡± *Shut up!¡± Cecile¡¯s furious roar resounded from afar. Agnes had blurted out those words in a fit of anger. She hadn¡¯t really decided whether to participate in the schoolpetition, but now, it seemed she had no other choice. Yet she had no regrets. With people like Cecile, the more she let them push her around, the worse they get. Agnes had avoided trouble before not because she was afraid of Cecile, but because she didn¡¯t want to stir the pot. But now that trouble hade knocking. If she still chose to endure it, then she¡¯d really be a pushover. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 After Agnes came out, she gave Jared a ring. Jared was in a meeting, but he paused it, and went to the balcony to answer, ¡°Agnes, what¡¯s up?¡± Agnes asked, ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Shoot.¡± ¡°I remember you said you have a hacker mate, the one who traced back the anonymous posts Jenny Fitz spread on the school forum. Can you pass me his contacts? I need him to do me a favor¡± Jared responded, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll shoot his info your wayter.¡± It took Agnes by surprise how quickly Jared agreed, so she asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what favor I need?¡± Jared said, ¡°If you wanted to tell me, you would¡¯ve.¡± Agnes thought it was unnecessary to bother Jared about it. Plus, what she needed was kinda childish, so she said, ¡°I¡¯ll fill you in when I get the chance.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Jared¡¯s voice was gentle. After hanging up, Jared dialed Mr. K¡¯s number. Mr. K responded, ¡°I¡¯ll go all out.¡± Jared said, ¡°Report back to me afterwards.¡± Mr. K retorted, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit much? Why are you always keeping tabs on her?¡± Jared countered, ¡°Ourpany¡¯s tech director position is still up for grabs. Maybe I should have a chat with your mom?¡± ¡°Jared, I messed up! My mom still thinks I¡¯m in the States, don¡¯t spill the beans. Whatever Agnes asks me to do, I¡¯ll keep you posted.¡±¨C Agnes soon received a call from an unknown number: ¡°Hello, this is Mr. K, what can I do for you?¡± Agnes made her request. Mr. K assured her, ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll sort it out in no time.¡± Agnes felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°Thanks, sorry for the trouble.¡± Mr. K cheerfully said, ¡°It¡¯s okay! Jared¡¯s business is my business, Jared¡¯s wife is my¡­¡± Agnes was taken aback. Mr. K realized he¡¯d put his foot in his mouth and quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, I misspoke, don¡¯t take it personally. I¡¯ll get back to you.¡± With that, Mr. Khung up. Agnes was still a bit dazed. Why did this guy seem so unreliable? -But as it turned out, although Mr. K was a bit of a chatterbox, he was top notch. In the afternoon, Agnes¡¯s votes started to skyrocket. By the cut-off time for voting, Agnes had just edged out Cecile Higgins by a single vote. Agnes had asked Mr. K to help her rig the votes. She told him that she just needed to beat the original first ce by a hair. And this ¡°hair¡± turned out to be one vote. It was clear that in the afternoon, Cecile was also rallying for votes. But, she was always held back by Mr. K. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The video of Agnes and Cecile¡¯s morning conversation at the ssroom door was also uploaded to the school forum. Soon, the whole school knew that these two popr girls were officially at war! Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Agnes saw the final results and was pretty chuffed. Mr. K is really something else. Keeping a one-vote lead must be tough, and just this one vote might already have Cecile blowing a gasket. Even though victory is within arm¡¯s reach, it always seems to be trailing by one vote. Cecile was obviously fuming. She knew this was Agnes hitting back. The next day, Cecile dragged Agnes to the Dean¡¯s office. She used Agnes of rigging vote, therefore her first ce should be revoked. Dean was nning to confirm the cast and arrange rehearsals. She¡¯d also heard about the ¡°one vote difference¡± incident on the forum. Agnes said, ¡°Yeah, I rigged the votes, but I reckon I¡¯m not the only one doing it. Andrea, you should look into it. I suggest disqualifying all those involved in vote rigging¡± Cecile was gobsmacked. So that¡¯s what Agnes was up to! She tantly rigged the votes to force the school to investigate and get her punished too. But how could Andrea not see through this? In a public vote, vote rigging is bound to happen. Especially with the two girls in front of her, one the mayor¡¯s daughter and the other the most popr rising star. The school had already made up its mind. They saw Agnes¡¯ poprity and thought she could benefit the school. But, dealing with Cecile isn¡¯t a piece of cake either. Now, both of them rigged the votes and their poprity is sky-high. If they disqualified both, it¡¯d be a massive loss for the school. Andrea thought for a moment and said, ¡°Both of you are pretty popr. I¡¯ll give you both the script, and you can form your teams and rehearse. In half a month, you¡¯ll perform in front of the school. The more audience, the higher your poprity. Then, I¡¯ll select the more popr team for thepetition. Is that fair?¡± Andrea thought, this way, everyone will rehearse, no time will be wasted, and they can promote within the school. Plus,petition between them would spur improvement. Both agreed. As they left the Dean¡¯s office, Cecile said to Agnes, ¡°Agnes, let¡¯s make a bet, see who gets picked in the end, you or me.¡± Agnes said, ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the stake?¡± Cecile said, ¡°If I win, you let me p you three times, how¡¯s that?¡± Cecile seemed smug, as if she could already see herself pping Agnes. Agnes said, ¡°Fine, but if I win, you have to announce to the whole school over the PA system that your previous posts were all lies, and you have to personally apologize to me!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Cecile agreed, ¡°Deal.¡± Agnes headed home with the script. Now she agreed to this, she needed to start preparing. The reason she made a bet with Cecile was to leave herself no room for retreat. < Z F F = * This was her only chance to prove her innocence, she couldn¡¯t give it up easily. If she doesn¡¯t take a firm stand this time, there will be more false usations in the future. Agnes was already fed up. Agnes approached Kerri Bradford to discuss strategies. Kerri said, ¡°Finding actors won¡¯t be hard. You¡¯re the president of The Journalism Society, there are bound to be many willing participants. But I must remind you, Cecile is a performing arts student, a teacher¡¯s pet. The performing arts department will definitely help her rehearse to grab this opportunity, that¡¯s her big advantage. Plus, they have many popr, talented actors. If you want to beat Cecile, the only thing you can do now is to find a partner who is more popr than the performing arts students.¡± Agnes and Kerri thought of the same person and almost at the same time said, ¡°Ryder Whitfield! Chapter 180 Chapter 180 The only person who could outshine the performing arts department in terms of poprity was Ryder from the medical school. But the moment his name was mentioned, Agnes immediately vetoed him. The reason Agnes did not want to participate in thepetition was because she did not want to share the stage with Ryder So why was she inviting him to join now? Kerri said, ¡°Agnes, Ryder is your only shot at winning He¡¯s the top dog in the male lead poprity vote. If you don¡¯t go for him, Cecile will. You better make a move now! With your rtionship with Jared, you N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. should have no problem convincing him to take your side.¡± What Agnes didn¡¯t tell Kerri was that Ryder was currently pissed at her. Agnes was torn In fact, Kerri was right. Cecile already had a huge advantage. Without Ryder, Agnes wouldn¡¯t stand a chance of winning. She didn¡¯t fancy being humiliated by Cecile in public. After all, she and Ryder were practically family. He should lend a hand if his aunt was in trouble, right? So, after parting ways with Kerri, Agnes headed straight the medical school. But Agnes did not expect to be one step behind. Ryder was in theb. Theb was quiet, but Cecile was already there. ¡°Prince, do me a favor, will you? You¡¯re the top pick in the poprity vote, the rightful male lead. I know you¡¯re swamped, but you¡¯re a bright spark. You won¡¯t need much rehearsal time. This is about bringing honor to our school.¡± ¡°Plus, the prize money for thispetition is 200K. I promise, with our poprity, we can outshine the other universities. Once we win all the prize money is yours, okay?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re not short of cash, but even if you don¡¯t join now, the school will still force you to participateter on, because you¡¯ve already been picked as the male lead.¡± Ryder, engrossed in his experiment, was bothered by Cecile¡¯s interruptions: Finally, he snapped, ¡°I have no interest in performing in a y. I¡¯ll go talk to Andrea myself and tell him to find someone else.¡± Cecile asked, ¡°Ryder, are you refusing to join my team because you¡¯re waiting for Agnes to ask you?¡± At the mention of Agnes, Ryder¡¯s body stiffened slightly. He looked up to see Agnes standing in the doorway. With her back to the door, Cecile didn¡¯t realize Agnes was already there. Cecile continued loudly, ¡°Ryder, I¡¯m not a fool. I know you fancy Agnes, but you should know that the two of you can never be together. She is now your¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Ryder cut her off sharply. Caught off guard by Ryder¡¯s icy demeanour, Cecile was left speechless. Ryder¡¯s expression was colder than usual. The temperature in theb seemed to drop a few degrees.. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have said that,¡± Cecile stuttered. Ignoring her, Ryder¡¯s gaze shifted past her to the doorway. Cecile turned around to see Agnes standing quietly in the doorway. Cecile quickly put two and two together. No wonder Ryder was so upset just now. She turned to Agnes and snapped, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Agnes walked in andid it out: ¡°I¡¯m here for the same reason as you.¡± She approached Ryder and blurted out, ¡°I want you to be the male lead in my y¡± Upon hearing this, Cecile was livid ¡°Agnes, how could you be so shameless? You¡¯re his aunt by marriage now, don¡¯t you know to avoid inappropriate interactions? Do you want the whole school to think Prince is getting too close with his aunt? Or, are you just trying to y the field?¡± ¡°Cecile, don¡¯t twist my words. If there¡¯s anything inappropriate between us, he knows better. Andrea asked us to form our own teams for thepetition. It¡¯s only fair that I fight for a popr male lead As for what you¡¯re implying, time will tell that we¡¯re innocent.¡± Cecile snapped, ¡®Agnes, you know what I can¡¯t stand? Your holier than thou attitude. You only care about yourself. Have you considered Prince?¡± ¡°Alright, you two, cut it out,¡± Ryder interjected Cecile asked, ¡°Are you really going to do the y with her?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Ryder replied, ¡°I¡¯m not doing the y. You both can leave.¡± Agnes was the first to leave, believing that if Ryder said he wouldn¡¯t participate, then he wouldn¡¯t. Plus, with his aloof personality, he probably wasn¡¯t interested in acting in a y. The next day, rumors circted that Ryder would be acting in a y with Cecile. All the news was posted on the school bulletin board, including thepetition between Agnes and Cecile¡¯s teams, and their bet. Standing in front of the bulletin board, Agnes was a bit agitated. So, Ryder really agreed to be the male lead with Cecile? At lunch, Agnes confirmed the news with Kerri. Kerri, who was on the same course and had the same tutor as Ryder, interacted with him frequently. Kerri wondered, ¡°I can¡¯t figure out why Ryder would support Cecile and turn you down. Could it be that he¡¯s nning to sabotage her at the crucial moment?¡± Agnes responded, ¡°you are overthinking. Do you think he¡¯s that type of person?¡± Ryder was not thatplicated. He either didn¡¯t agree to it, or he gave his all. Being his ssmate for three years, Kerri knew this well. Kerri didn¡¯t know, but Agnes did. Ryder simply didn¡¯t like her. Kerri sighed, ¡°I think our chances of winning are slim. Cecile has be ¡®strong. Where can we find a male lead who canpete with Ryder?¡± Agnes also felt a bit down. She banged her head on the table and groaned, ¡°Why did I bet with her? I feel like I¡¯ve lost already. Ryder, you traitor!¡± But Agnes was only a bit down at lunch. After she finished eating, she said, ¡°Regardless, we need to give it our best shot. Who¡¯s the second most popr guy?¡± Kerri answered, ¡°It¡¯s Vinson from the drama department.¡± Vinson, a drama student, had gained some poprity after shooting a promotional video with Ava. He was good-looking, humorous, humble, and well-liked. But, his poprity paled inparison to Ryder¡¯s. Agnes quickly found Vinson, who readily agreed to help. Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Agnes spent the entire day, finally deciding on all the characters. That night, she summoned everyone in a ssroom for a meeting. She distributed the script to everyone. The school chose the y ¡°Romeo and Juliet¡±. It¡¯s a ssic love story that everyone knows. Agnes is ying Juliet, and Vinson is Romeo. Kerri will be ying Juliet¡¯s nurse. Agnes said, ¡°Tonight, everyone go back and read the script well. Tomorrow we start rehearsing officially. We only have half a month. In half a month, we will perform at the same time as Cecile¡¯s team, so I hope everyone can give it their all.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Everyone was full of enthusiasm. By the time Agnes returned to Maplewood Manor, it was already nine o¡¯clock. Jared had just arrived home. He asked Agnes, ¡°Why are youing back sote?¡± Agnes told Jared that she was participating in the school culture festival¡¯s theatrical performance. Jared asked, ¡°y performance? Is there a kissing scene?* Agnesughed, ¡°Is that all you care about?¡± Jared said, ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from acting from entering the entertainment industry. I only have one requirement, no kissing scenes, no bed scenes, no overly intimate scenes.¡± Agnes asked, ¡°What if I can¡¯t choose my scenes?¡± Jared said, ¡°Then I be the understudy for that actor.¡± Agnes said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the media might write big articles about how the president of the Tim Group¡¯s hobby is being his wife¡¯s kissing scene understudy!¡± Jared leaned in close to Agnes¡¯s ear, taking off his coat, ¡°I don¡¯t care what they say.¡± Jared¡¯s breath made Agnes¡¯s ears tickle, but she was really tired today. She gently pushed Jared away, ¡°It¡¯s just a regr y, there are no kissing scenes. You can rx now, okay?¡± Jared pretended to be regretful, That¡¯s a shame. If there were erotic scenes in bed, I could¡¯ve been the understudy.¡± Agnes joked, ¡°Whose understudy? The beds?¡¯ Jared was speechless. Agnes didn¡¯t tell Jared about her bet with Cecile. She also didn¡¯t tell him that Ryder was also participating and was on Cecile¡¯s team. Agnes didn¡¯t say anything because she didn¡¯t want to worry Jared. These things should seem childish to Jared. He¡¯s busy every day and doesn¡¯t have time to deal with these petty student conflicts. As for Ryder, Agnes felt that if she told Jared, Ryder might think she was tattling behind his back and might dislike her even more as a result. After all, Ryder really didn¡¯t have any obligation to help her. After sleeping on it, Agnes felt much better. The next day, they started rehearsing officially. Lakeside College has two auditoriums, one is East Hall, and the other is West Hall. In half a month, they will perform in these two halls at the same time. But in reality, East Hall is a bit older, much smaller than West Hall, and the environment is much worse. The better rehearsal location is undoubtedly West Hall. Agnes thought, since she¡¯s already lost the advantage of the actors, then she should utilize the geographical advantage. She knew that these two halls have always been managed by the campus logistics department. Agnes found the staff member responsible for managing the auditoriums, submitted her rehearsal application to him, and got the key to West Hall. In the morning. Agnes and a few members moved all the props to West Hall. At noon, Agnes invited all the members to have lunch together. Everyone nned to start rehearsing in the afternoon. However, when they arrived at West Hall, they found all their props that they had moved in the afternoon were thrown outside. When Agnes walked in, she saw Cecile directing. ¡°Throw this, this, and this, all out.¡± Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Agnes rushed forward to stop them, ¡°What the hell are you guys up to?¡± Cecile walked over and said, ¡°We need to rehearse in the West Hall, so we gotta clear out all the unrted stuff.¡± Agnes retorted, ¡°I¡¯ve got the permission slip for the use of West Hall. For the next half a month, it¡¯s ours. Please leave.¡± Cecile arrogantly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the drama department gets priority to use the hall? What good does your permission slip do? The teacher helping us rehearse is our department head and the principal¡¯s daughter. Do you really think you can argue with me over the usage of West Hall?¡± Kerri chimed in, ¡°Even if she¡¯s the principal¡¯s daughter, she should still y by the rules.¡± Cecile scoffed, ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you go and tell the principal about the rules?¡± After saying this, Cecile turned around and continued to direct, ¡°Throw out all the remaining props and costumes.¡± Agnes¡¯s team wasn¡¯t about to back down. A heated argument broke out and it almost came to blows. Just then, Ryder showed up with his backpack. Seeing Ryder, Cecile immediately put on a big smile and went over to him, ¡°Ryder, why are you here so early? I thought you¡¯d only have time to rehearse in the evening.¡± Ryder, expressionless, asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ceciletched onto Ryder¡¯s arm, ¡°Just some people who don¡¯t know how to behave causing a fuss.¡± Kerrished out, ¡°Cecile, what the hell are you talking about? Ryder, you came at the right time, you judge.¡± Kerri exined in detail about Cecile¡¯s attempt to take over West Hall, including how Agnes went to the school early in the morning to apply for the use of the hall and how they had worked hard to move the props. Kerri said, ¡°You guys are way over the line! West Hall is a public space of the school, there¡¯s no such thing as special privileges!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were on Ryder, as if waiting for his judgement. Ryder had great influence, and he was the only one who could control Cecile. If he decided to back out, Cecile would have no choice but toply. Agnes¡¯s gaze also fell on Ryder¡¯s face. Even though Ryder and Cecile were on the same team, Agnes believed Ryder was fair-minded. Agnes didn¡¯t believe Ryder would agree with Cecile¡¯s actions. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ryder was silent for a moment, and finally looked at Agnes, coldly saying, ¡°You might as well give up. You can¡¯t possibly win the selection, why bother?¡± Agnes didn¡¯t expect Ryder to say this. Others seemed surprised too. Regardless, everyone knew that Agnes was Ryder¡¯s aunt. Even just for that rtionship; Ryder should help her. Cecile was also surprised. She hadn¡¯t expected Ryder to openly support her. Smugly, she said, ¡°Agnes, Prince is right. If you admit defeat now, we can forget about our bet. If you insist on going on, don¡¯t me me for not showing mercy.¡± Agnes retorted, ¡°I won¡¯t give up, and I won¡¯t admit defeat.¡± With that, Agnes turned to the others, ¡°Let¡¯s move our things to East Hall.¡± As she walked away, Cecile¡¯s triumphantughter followed her, ¡°I¡¯d love to see how long she can hold out!¡± Chapter 184 Chapter 184 The whole afternoon, everyone was hustling to move props to the East Hall. Kerri was puzzled, ¡°Why are we just giving in like this?¡± Agnes exined, ¡°Even if we stayed and fought, the oue would be the same. So why should I bust my hump? The principal is running for the position of Cultural Department Head and needs Cecile¡¯s father¡¯s political backing. He¡¯s definitely gonna back her up.¡± Kerri fumed, ¡°I¡¯m not angry about Cecile, it¡¯s what Ryder said. Lately, he¡¯s been acting like he¡¯s under some dark spell, totally different. He used to be man of few words, but he could always see right and wrong clearly. I don¡¯t get why he¡¯d side with Cecile this time.¡± Agnes replied. ¡°They¡¯re on the same team, helping Cecile is just par for the course. Now, quit whining and let¡¯s clean this ce up.¡± By the time they finished cleaning the East Hall, it was already evening. Everyone was dead tired. Agnes had nned to have dinner with everyone, but then Jared called to say that the old manor was hosting guests that evening and wanted them toe back. Agnes had no choice but to rush back to Maplewood Manor, take a shower, and switch into fresh clothes. In the cat, Agnes asked, ¡°Who¡¯s Grandpa hosting tonight?¡± Jared answered, ¡°He served in the military when he was young. lung. After retiring, he always valued the camaraderie among hisrades. Tonight¡¯s guest is an old buddy from his military days who¡¯s been living abroad. He couldn¡¯t make it for Grandpa¡¯s birthday, so he¡¯s paying a visit now that he¡¯s back in the country.¡± Agnes nodded. Jared added, ¡°Of course, the key point is that he¡¯s bringing his granddaughter. This is basically a blind date in disguise.¡± Agnes was sipping on her juice when she heard ¡®blind date¡¯ and almost spat it out. Agnes asked cautiously, ¡°Blind date? For who?¡± Jared found Agnes¡¯ sudden tension amusing, ¡°Who else? Ryder, of course. Who did you think it was?¡± It took a moment for Agnes to process. Because Tim had once arranged a blind date banquet for Jared, Agnes immediately thought of Jared when she heard ¡®blind date¡¯. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Agnes said, ¡°Isn¡¯t Ryder the same age as me? He¡¯s only 20 and they¡¯re already setting him up on a blind date, isn¡¯t Grandpa being a bit too hasty?¡± Jared said, ¡°He¡¯s a year older than you. Actually, this isn¡¯t really a blind date. Grandpa just wants them to meet and be friends, After all, his aunt is even younger than him, and he¡¯s about to graduate without even a girlfriend.¡± Agnes huffed, ¡°He doesn¡¯t see me as an aunt at all. We¡¯re always at each other¡¯s throats.¡± The thought of what happened earlier today made Agnes seethe with anger. Jared picked up on something, ¡°What, you two had a falling out?¡± Agnes sighed, ¡°Never mind. I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± Jared probed a bit more, but Agnes didn¡¯t say much. She wasn¡¯t the type to talk behind people¡¯s backs. 255552 She knew that Ryder was prejudiced against her because of his uncle. If he found out she¡¯d been badmouthing him to Jared, their conflict would only escte. Soon, they arrived at the brightly lit Whitfield Manor. As they entered, Jared asked the butler, ¡°Where¡¯s Ryder?¡± The butler replied, ¡°He just got home. He¡¯s in his room now.¡± Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Agnes went upstairs with Jared, giving a nod to Tim as they passed by They hung out for a bit. Suddenly, the butler popped up, ¡°Sir, your guests have arrived Tim cracked a satisfied smile, ¡°Jared,e down with me to wee the guests. Agnes, go fetch Ryder and both of you head straight to the dining room.¡± Agnes gave a curt nod Tim and Jared went downstairs. Agnes was taken aback for a moment, then turned around to find Ryder. The closer she got to Ryder¡¯s room, the more peeved she felt. Finally, she stopped at the door. Agnes took a deep breath, getting ready to knock, but before her fingers touched the door, it swung open. Ryder was standing there Agnes froze, hand still hanging in mid-air. Ryder seemed just as surprised to see Agnes at his door. He paused, then scowled, ¡°What do you want?¡± Agnes asked, ¡°Why did you help Cecile today? She was clearly in the wrong.¡± Agnes couldn¡¯t hold back her annoyance. Ryder replied, ¡°I just told the truth. You really didn¡¯t need to waste your energy.¡± Agnes was riled up by his words, ¡°So, you¡¯re so sure you guys are going to win, huh?¡± I never do anything I¡¯m not confident about.¡± *So, you joined Cecile¡¯s team just to help her beat me? Ryder, what did I do wrong? Why are you treating me this way?¡± Ryder¡¯s gaze darkened, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± Agnes was confused, ¡°Then why are you treating me this way?¡± Ryder coldly said, ¡°I just don¡¯t like you.¡± With that, Ryder left the room. Agnes was seething. When Agnes entered the dining room, the guests had already arrived. Agnes spotted a girl about her age. But, her style was totally different from Agnes¡¯. She was wearing a belly-baring tank top and a butt- skimming miniskirt. She was pretty, and her smile was as bright and warm as sunshine. The girl was trying to chat with Jared in broken localnguage. Agnes frowned. Tim was chatting with his old friend. Seeing everyone had arrived, he said, ¡°Let me introduce you all. This is my old friend, Wace George, and his granddaughter, Anna George.¡± Anna, full of energy, introduced herself, ¡°I¡¯m Anna, this is my first time in this country, nice to meet you all.¡± Her localnguage pronunciation was pretty rough, sounding a bit awkward. Wace exined, ¡°My granddaughter grew up abroad. She¡¯s not really fluent in the localnguage, but she¡¯s great in other ways. Please bear with her.¡± Tim said, ¡°Anna is a lively and cheerful girl. I really like her.¡± Then Tim added, ¡°Let¡¯s all take a seat and start the meal.¡± Anna insisted on sitting next to Jared, clinging onto his arm and chatting away. The initial n was to set up Anna with Ryder, but she didn¡¯t talk to him at all, only showing enthusiasm towards Jared. After a bit, Jared suddenly said, ¡°Let me introduce you. This is my wife, Agnes.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. A noticeable disappointment Bashed in Anna¡¯s eyes, ¡°Wife? She¡¯s your wife? You¡¯re married?¡± Her pronunciation was so off that it sounded like she was grinding her teeth as she spoke. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Jared took Agnes¡¯ hand and announced, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m married¡± Anna eximed with surprise, ¡°But she looks so young!¡± Jaredughed and said, ¡°I just have a thing for young, pretty girls. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Agnes nearlyughed out loud. He actually said that out loud! Her mood brightened a lot. Jared always cared about her feelings. Alyssa chuckled, ¡°You announce it to everyone you meet. The whole world knows you¡¯re married now, stop bragging.¡± From start to finish, Anna and Ryder didn¡¯t interact. Ever since Jared announced his marriage, Anna seemed a lot quieter. Ryder was like a ghost, silently eating his food. Agnes really loved oysters. When there was only one oyster left on the te, both Agnes and Ryder reached for it. Agnes paused and withdrew her hand. Ryder took the oyster without any hesitation and put it on his te. Alyssa, who was sitting beside them, saw this. She scolded Ryder, ¡°How could you be so thoughtless?¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Ryder acted as if he didn¡¯t hear her. Agnes quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m Ryder¡¯s aunt, I should let him have it.¡± Ryder¡¯s hand paused noticeably. Actually, Agnes knew Ryder did it on purpose. When there were many oysters before, he didn¡¯t eat any, but he just had to fight her for thest one. Ryder was just unhappy with her, both at school and at home. Agnes was really angry inside. She knew Ryder was particrly bothered by the fact that she was his aunt, so she decided to suppress him with her status as an elder. Sure enough, Ryder suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯m done eating, I¡¯m going back to my room.¡± After finishing his sentence, he got up and left. Actually, this was not the first time this had happened. Many times before, as long as she was present, Ryder would leave early. The fact that he stayed until the end of dinner today was already quite rare. The Whitfield family all thought that Ryder was just going through puberty, so they didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. After dinner-Wace and Tim were chatting in the study. Anna took Agnes to chat in the yard. Jared went upstairs to Ryder¡¯s room. Ryder was in his room writing a report. F Looking at the professional data on theputer, he felt so annoyed for the first time that he couldn¡¯t even read a single word. Jared walked in. Ryder was surprised, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Jared walked over to Ryder and handed him a small rectangr ck box, ¡°This is a gift I brought back for you from myst business trip. Ryder opened the box and saw a ck fountain pen inside. Jared asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡± Ryder smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯ve shaped my taste since I was young. I like anything you choose.¡± Jared casually said. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you like the aunt I chose for you?¡± Ryder seemed to pause for a moment. He quietly closed the box. Casually sitting on Ryder¡¯s desk, Jared calmly asked, ¡°Can you tell me why you don¡¯t like Agnes?¡± Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Ryder suddenly lifted his head, asking, ¡°Did Agnes tell you I don¡¯t like her?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything, but your actions spoke volumes,¡± Jared replied. His dislike for Agnes had been obvious the whole evening. He even resorted to petty tactics like snatching food. Knowing Ryder as he did, Jared knew that he had never particrly liked or disliked anyone in his life. This intense dislike was a first. Ryder asked coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t get why it¡¯s her. Weren¡¯t you always into Mamie? She¡¯s nowhere as good as Mamie, why would you marry her?¡± ¡°Because my heart fluttered, Ryder. If you meet a girl, and the moment you set eyes on her, you feel a jolt like electricity, even your heart starts racing, and you start trembling. That girl is the one for you. That¡¯s my advice.¡± ¡°So, you really do like her, right?¡± Ryder¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°Yes, I love her,¡± Jared replied. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ryder lowered his head, his emotions unreadable, and said, ¡°I get it.¡± Jared patted Ryder on the shoulder, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like her, don¡¯t be too harsh on her, got it?¡± Ryder just muttered a reply. The next day. After breakfast, Jared drove Agnes to school. Ryder didn¡¯t join them in the car. He had gotten up early, but didn¡¯t have breakfast with them. The rehearsals went smoothly. But Cecile kept stirring the pot. Agnes didn¡¯t mind the daily squabbles. Until the day before the performance selection. Agnes had herst rehearsal that night. As soon as she entered East Hall, everyone swarmed her, saying, ¡°Agnes, we¡¯re screwed.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Our props and costumes have been ruined.¡± Agnes went backstage to see for herself. All the props and costumes had been sttered with paint. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± ¡°Do we even have to ask? Obviously, Cecile is ying dirty, ruining our props and costumes. Tomorrow is the selection, she¡¯s ruthless.¡± Vinson said, ¡°She already has the upper hand, why would she do this? Kerri retorted angrily, ¡°This way, she¡¯s guaranteed to win.¡± Agnes frowned. The other members were freaking out, asking anxiously, ¡°Agnes, what do we do? Without props and costumes, how can we perform the y? We only had one set of costumes, borrowed from another school and now they¡¯re ruined.¡± Kerri said, ¡°I¡¯m gonna confront Cecile.¡± Agnes grabbed Kerri¡¯s hand, ¡°When were these costumes ruined?¡± ¡°Everything was fine at our rehearsalst night, but this morning they¡¯re like this. I think Cecile must¡¯ve sent someone to sabotage usst night.¡± ¡°Do you have any proof?¡± ¡°Do we even need proof? Who else could it be?¡± Agnes said, ¡°Without evidence, if we rashly confront her, she won¡¯t admit it. She might even turn it around on us, saying we¡¯re framing her because we¡¯re not confident about winning. After all, as Vinson just said, they¡¯re very confident about their performance tomorrow. To outsiders, they wouldn¡¯t need to do this.¡± Kerri frowned, ¡°So what do we do now? We can¡¯t just let it go. And without props and costumes, what are we going to do tomorrow? Are we really going to give up?¡± Chapter 188 Chapter 188 ¡°Y¡¯all keep rehearsing. I¡¯ll handle the wardrobe situation.¡± With that, Agnes took off. ¡®Agnes, where are you headed?¡± Kerri hollered after her. Agnes beelined for Century Entertainment. She had already given Ivan a ring previously. So she faced no hurdles on her way up and went straight to the CEO¡¯s office. Ivan¡¯s secretary, Faye, recognized Agnes: ¡°The boss is in a meeting, just chill here for a bit.¡± After waiting less than five minutes in the office, Ivan made his return. ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve reached out since we wrapped up the TV series,¡± Ivan said, entering with a gentle expression and steady stride. Agnes stood up immediately: ¡°Mr. Bartley, there¡¯s a favor I need to ask.¡± *Jared is my friend, and you¡¯re his wife. Please call me Ivan.¡± Agnes hesitated slightly: ¡°Ivan.¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± Agnes spilled the beans about her university drama performance. ¡°You¡¯ve got clout in the industry. I was thinking maybe you could hit up a production crew for some props for us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a piece of cake. Century Entertainment has its own prop warehouse. I¡¯ll take you thereter, pick whatever you need.¡± Agnes breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: ¡°Thanks, Ivan.¡± ¡°But I do have a question. Your dad could¡¯ve easily sorted this out too. Why did youe to me?¡± ¡°My dad¡¯s been swampedtely. All the stuff with Starlight International Group has been handed off to my stepmom, so¡­¡± In recent years, Preston Pritchard has been dealing solely with investments, leaving all matters of N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Starlight International Group to Laura. For Agnes, asking Laura for help was a bigger hassle than turning to Ivan. Ivan immediately got the picture and didn¡¯t probe further. Ivan changed the subject: ¡°Since I did you a solid, don¡¯t you owe me one?¡± Agnes was taken aback. What could he possibly need her help with? ¡°If it¡¯s within my power, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Ivan nced at his watch and said, ¡°It¡¯s almost lunchtime. How about treating me to a meal?¡± So it was just a meal. That¡¯s easy. ¡°Treating you to a meal is the least I can do. What do you feel like eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m craving carbs today.¡± Agnes thought for a moment: ¡°How about Italian pasta at Cloud View?¡± Cloud View is the city¡¯s swankiest restaurant, known for its famous pasta. Ivan shook his head: ¡°I don¡¯t feel like going anywhere fancy today. Any homey little diners around?¡± Agnes pondered for a moment and then her eyes lit up: ¡°I know just the ce. Right outside our university, I go there all the time.¡± Ivan and Agnes walked into Burger Barn on the university¡¯s local food street. ¡°You mean to say you¡¯ve brought Jared here before?¡± Agnes looked pretty smug: ¡°Yep, I¡¯ve brought him here. He said the burgers are really good.¡± The beef burger came out piping hot. Agnes suggested, ¡°Better eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡± Ivan took a bite, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡± Agnes asked Ivan chuckled, ¡°Of course, Jared¡¯s a picky eater. If he says it¡¯s good, then it must be.¡± The burger had a homey taste to it, although the beef was of average quality and the excessive seasoning masked the original vor. Having grown up with Jared, Ivan knew how picky he could be, especially about food. This kind of burger definitely wasn¡¯t Jared¡¯s cup of tea. Jared probably just said it was good to keep Agnes happy. Agnes grinned from ear to ear. ¡°If it¡¯s good, have some more.¡± Ivan responded with a smile, ¡°Sure, you should have some more too.¡± Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Both of them had a huge meal. When it came time to pay, Ivan reached for his wallet. Agnes quickly cut him off, ¡°I told you I¡¯m treating you, a beef burger isn¡¯t going to break my bank.¡± With a smile, Ivan put his wallet away and didn¡¯t argue with Agnes. After eating, Ivan took Agnes to the prop room at Century Entertainment. It was a massive storage room, pretty much like a prop supermarket. Rows upon rows of shelves were filled with all kinds of props, from ancient to modern, they had everything. Ivan helped Agnes pick out props, and they quickly found all the ones they needed. Ivan called over Faye and instructed him, ¡°Help Ms. Pritchard take these props to her school.¡± ¡°Sure thing¡± As he finished speaking, Faye suddenly pulled out a small box and handed it to Ivan, ¡°Oh, by the way, Mamie just had her assistant drop this off.¡± Agnes was right there at the time. It was a sleek little ck box. Inside was a men¡¯s diamond-encrusted watch. There was also a note in the box. It read, ¡°To my dearest Ivan, Happy Birthday.¡± Ivan smiled as he put the watch away. Agnes was surprised, ¡°Is it your birthday today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Agnes seemed a bit upset, ¡°If I¡¯d known, I wouldn¡¯t have treated you to a burger. I should have gotten you something nicer.¡± ¡°Having someone to eat with is more than enough for me. Is there aw against having a burger on your birthday? Agnes, I¡¯ve had a great day. Thanks for eating with me.¡± Hearing this, Agnes felt a pang in her heart. This high and mighty Ivan didn¡¯t have anyone to eat with him. Perhaps on his birthday, he felt even lonelier, which is why he asked her to join him. Agnes didn¡¯t know what to say, she just said, ¡°Well, if you ever can¡¯t find anyone to eat with, you can call me. I may not have enough money to treat you to fancy meals, but I know all the best eats around here.¡± ?van gently replied, ¡°Sounds good.¡± Agnes said her goodbyes and left with Faye. As Faye was driving, he looked at Agnes in the rear-view mirror, a smile on his face. Agnes asked, ¡°What¡¯s so funny, Faye?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the first person, besides Mamie, who¡¯s managed to get a genuine smile out of Mr. Bartley.¡± Agnes found this odd. In her mind, Ivan was always a gentle person. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Mr. Bartley have anyone to eat with on his birthday? Isn¡¯t it a bit too lonely?¡± Faye barely held back augh, ¡°Mr. Bartley got hundreds of birthday telegrams today, not to mention phone calls and texts. There are definitely plenty of people who¡¯d love to have dinner with him, but Mr. Bartley is too busy to deal with all the invites.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s so busy, why did he have dinner with me?¡± ¡°Ms. Pritchard, you must mean a lot to Mr. Bartley for him to take time out of his schedule to have dinner with you and help you find props.¡± Mr. Bartley is a man who values his time greatly, yet he took out two hours today to help Ms. Pritchard get props. Agnes was a bit confused. She was the one who had dinner with him, how did it turn into him having dinner with her? But even if Ivan treated her differently, it was probably because of Jared. They arrived at the school soon after, Faye helped move all the props into the auditorium. Kerri and the others were all amazed when they saw it, ¡°Agnes, where on earth did you get such Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. beautiful props and costumes? Chapter 190 Chapter 190 All those old props and costumes from before were practically ancient relics of the school, and many were already damaged. But everything Agnes brought was brand spanking new and really fancy. Especially the costumes. It was as if they were custom-made for the characters. They were a whole lot better than the previous ones. Agnes said with a smile, ¡°I borrowed these from a friend, so handle with care, guys. I¡¯ll need to return themter.¡± Kerri stated firmly, ¡°I¡¯ll stay up all night for guard duty, just in case someonees to cause trouble.¡± Agnes couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pull an all-nighter with you.¡± Vinson suggested, ¡°How about we all stay and take turns on guard duty? We can squeeze in more N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. rehearsal time. After all, the show¡¯s tomorrow. No matter what, we¡¯ve got to give it our all.¡± Everyone agreed. Agnes felt a huge sigh of relief. At first, staging this y was just a bet with Cecile, a way to vent her frustrations. But through the past two weeks of rehearsals, Agnes had grown to enjoy the process. The teamwork, the friendly atmosphere, and their shared goal made it all worthwhile. 2 2 2 2 3 F F No 2, 2 ¡ì 2 They all knew the score. Even with the cool props, they were still behind Cecile in terms of poprity. Not to mention, Cecile could use Ryder¡¯s fame to hype up her show. During Cecile¡¯s rehearsals, West Hall was practically trampled underfoot. And that¡¯s not even mentioning the actual performance day. But win or lose, Agnes was satisfied that she¡¯d given it her best shot. Meanwhile, at West Hall. A group of people were also having their final rehearsal. Lina from the drama department whispered something to Cecile. Cecile¡¯s face changed instantly. She clenched her fists and said, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re quite capable. You managed to dodge this bullet.¡± Lina asked quietly, ¡°Should we continue with our n tonight?¡± Cecile scoffed, ¡°Are you dumb? They¡¯ve already been burned once, do you think they¡¯ll fall for it again? No need to do anything else. Even if their props are made of solid gold, they won¡¯t stand a chance against me tomorrow.¡± Then she asked Lina, ¡°Did you distribute the flyers I asked you to?¡± Lina replied, ¡°Done and dusted. The school notice boards are stered with our flyers. Everyone knows that anyone whoes to watch our show at West Hall tomorrow will get a souvenir. Don¡¯t worry, West Hall will be packed.tomorrow.¡± A smug smile appeared on Cecile¡¯s face. Lina asked confusedly, ¡°Cecile, we already have a good chance of winning, with Prince Frost and you here. Why did you spend so much on these souvenirs?¡± Cecile replied coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t get it. I don¡¯t just want to win, I want to win hands down. I want East Hall to bepletely empty, Aghes¡¯ efforts over the past two weeks to. be in vain, utterly destroyed. Have people stationed around East Hall tomorrow. If anyone tries to go in, lure them over with the souvenirs.¡± A sly smile appeared on Cecile¡¯s face. She thought to herself, ¡°Agnes, this time, I will beat you to a pulp, make you utterly humiliated. I want Prince to see your humiliation, your ipetence, and bepletely disappointed in you. And about that bet, just thinking, about you being humiliated in public makes me ecstatic! I won¡¯t be showing any mercy!¡± Chapter 191 Chapter 191 The vibe at Lakeside College was lit. Today was the day when the two most popr girls at Lakeside College were going head to head in public. At nine o¡¯clock, East Hall and West Hall were kicking off their theater ys at the same time. When the curtain fell, the hall with the most audience would be crowned, and their show would represent Lakeside College at the College Culture Festival. Fast forward to 850 In the hall where Agnes was there were only a handful of people, all friends from The Journalism Society Kerri was grinding her teeth, ¡°Cecile has spent a load of money on small gifts, every person who goes to West Hall gets one. Many people were lured in by thatt Agnes chuckled. ¡°My defeat this time looks pretty grim¡± ¡°She¡¯s ying this game just to win.¡± Seeing Agnes looking down, Kerri asked with concem, ¡°Agnes, are you okay?¡± Agnes took a deep breath, ¡°No matter what, even if there¡¯s only one audience watching, we must finish the y Get ready, it¡¯s about to start¡± Kerri didn¡¯t say anything more. Just as she finished her sentence, amotion was heard from the entrance of the hall Everyone turned their heads to look. A flood of students poured into the hall. They were screaming at the top of their lungs, ¡°Justin! It¡¯s really Justin!! Justin, I love you!!¡± Agnes was stunned. There he was, the man with the sunsses, slowly walking into the hall surrounded by bodyguards. It was Justin Agnes didn¡¯t expect Justin to show up out of the blue. Justin¡¯s appearancepletely changed the game. Within minutes, the hall was jam-packed Even the doorway was filled with people. And tons of students were still trying to squeeze in, it was locking a bit out of control Justin took a seat in the very middle of the first row, took off his sunsses, revealing his signature charming smile He didn¡¯t say a word, just nced at Agnes on stage. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The hall erupted with screams All the actors on stage were also hyped up Kern was gripping Agnes¡¯ arm. ¡°Justin, oh my god, it¡¯s the real movie star Justin! I finally get to see him in person today¡± Agnes looked at the hall that was now filled to the brim, and said to Kem, ¡°Let¡¯s get started¡± The music began, and the y officially started The y went smoothly and had a great response throughout. Although at first, everyone¡¯s attention was on Justin. But Justin was watching intently, and gradually, everyone started to be drawn to the actors on stage. When the cuntain fell, Justin was the first to p Then, the hall erupted with thunderous apuse Justin stood up Suddenly, he had a bouquet of roses in his hand Justin walked up to the stage and handed the roses to Agnes, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re so great Agnes was filled with gratitude. ¡°Thank you. Justin¡± The hall went wild again. The mention of Justin¡¯s name stirred up the hall Some people even tried to rush the stage But they were stopped by Justin¡¯s bodyguards. Despite this, the hall was bing increasingly chaotic, with screams echoing Many people tried to rush the stage, and the bodyguards seerned to be overwhelmed Things wore about to go south. Agnes quickly grabbed Justin¡¯s hand and said. ¡°Wenued to leave, or things could get dangerous.¡± Many people tried to rush the stage, and the bodyguards seemed to be overwhelmed. Things were about to go south. Agnes quickly grabbed Justin¡¯s hand and said, ¡°We need to leave, or things could get dangerous.¡± Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Agnes just waltzed out the backdoor with Justin. She casually grabbed a jacket and a hat from backstage for Justin to disguise himself. When they slipped out the backdoor of the auditorium, nobody spotted them. Agnes finally realized the power of being a celebrity. Turns out, the crowd wasn¡¯t just limited to the people inside the auditorium, there was a line stretching from the auditorium all the way to the school gate From the start to the end of the show, for one and a half hours, people were still pushing and shoving, trying to get into the auditorium. Agnes managed to drag Justin into an emptyb. When they finally stopped, Agnes huffed and panted, ¡°Why did you suddenly show up?¡± Justin chuckled, ¡°I came to see your performance. You¡¯ve been ghosting me for a while.¡± Ever since the movie shooting wrapped up, Agnes had rarely been in touch with Justin. ¡°How did you know I had a performance today?¡± ¡°I just got back from the film festival yesterday, Ivan invited me to dinner and he mentioned it casually, so I came over today. You could¡¯ve asked me for props. I could¡¯ve gotten you better ones.¡± Agnes felt a wave of gratitude, so it was Ivan who had helped her out. Agnes told Justin, ¡°You really saved my bacon today, what do you want to eat, my treat.¡± ¡°I did you a huge favor and all you are offering is a meal?¡± Agnesughed and asked, ¡°Then what do you want?¡± Justin thought for a moment, I haven¡¯t decided yet, but you owe me one. You¡¯ll have to pay it back when I need you.¡± ¡°You really know how to bargain.¡± Thanks for thepliment. Justin said, slinging his arm over Agnes¡¯s shoulder ¡°Let¡¯s go grab a bite.¡± After lunch, Justin took off. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. As an international superstar, it was really something for him to squeeze in some time to show support. When Agnes went back to East Hall, the crowd had already dispersed. But some of the main cast were still there. Seeing Agnes return, Kerri rushed over and said, ¡°Agnes, I can¡¯t believe Justin came! We totally turned the tables on them. Did you know? All the audience at West Hall left. In the end, Cecile tore her costume and smashed the props mid-performance. It was so satisfying.¡± Another actor chimed in, ¡°You bet, she spent a fortune on souvenirs and now they¡¯re piled up like a mountain backstage. No one wants them, she totally took a hit this time¡± ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re such a sneak.¡± Speak of the devil, Cecile showed up. Cecile¡¯s furious voice echoed from the entrance. Agnes looked over to see Cecile storming up to her, pointing at her nose, ¡°You¡¯re so shady. You got Justin to cause trouble.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Cecile, it¡¯s a fairpetition. The winner is determined by the number of audience members, there were no rules against using any means to attract the audience. You bought a bunch of souvenirs and heavily promoted them on the notice board. You even tried to steal audience members from East Hall. You even deliberately damaged our props and costumes. Compared to your methods, ours seem pretty fair¡± Kerri added, ¡°Some people only allow themselves to do bad things but can¡¯t stand others doing the same. After all the wrongs you¡¯ve done, you still have the nerve to make a scene here. If the school had a ¡®Thickest Skin¡¯ award, you¡¯d definitely win it¡± ¡®Kerri, you¡¯re gonna pay for this.¡± Cecile was thoroughly enraged. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Cecileunched herself at Kerri out of nowhere. Thud! A dull sound echoed through the room. Cecile¡¯s arm was seized by Agnes, who flipped her onto the ground with one swift move. Everyone around was stunned speechless. Agnes moved like lightning, in one fluid motion, leaving everyone awestruck. Who could¡¯ve seen thising? Agnes, having such a badass move up her sleeve? Cecile, winded from the throw,y on the ground for a good while before growling, ¡°Agnes, you¡­¡± How dare Agnes make a fool of her in public! Struggling to her feet, Cecile spat, ¡°Agnes, do you think you¡¯ve won? The selection isn¡¯t over yet, it¡¯s Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. still anyone¡¯s game.¡± With that, Cecile stormed out of the hall. ¡°What¡¯s she up to now?¡± Kerri rolled her eyes. Later in the afternoon, the heads of both drama clubs were summoned to the administrative office by Andrea. ¡°Agnes, your y was fantastic. And who would¡¯ve thought that Justin even showed up? It gave our school a huge publicity boost, we even made the headlines. The principal¡¯s thinking of rewarding you. So, I¡¯m announcing that your drama club will be in our school culture festival. You¡¯ve got half a month, so do your best to shine¡± Andrea said. Agnes replied, ¡°We won¡¯t let you down.¡± Just then, Cecile interjected, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit early to make a decision? I don¡¯t think Agnes¡¯ team can pull off the performance!¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Romeo and Juliet without Romeo? How¡¯s that supposed to work?¡± Agnes furrowed her brows, an ominous feeling creeping up on her. She couldn¡¯t help but nce at Vinson, the actor ying Romeo. Sure enough, Vinson was frowning guiltily. He mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry There¡¯s been a family emergency, and I¡¯ve asked for a long leave. I can¡¯t participate in the uing rehearsals, so¡­¡± Agnes felt a chill run down her spine. Kerri was the first to react, ¡°What¡¯s going on at home? Just tell us, we can figure this out together. But you can¡¯t back out now, you know how much this selection means to Agnes.¡± Vinson hung his head, his voice filled with regret, ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Kerri snapped, ¡°What did Cecile offer you to betray us like this, Vinson? Are you really going to screw over everyone¡¯s hard work these past two weeks Vinson kept his head lowered, his eyes shut and his fingers tightly clenched. All he could muster was a soft, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± Cecile, on the other hand, burst intoughter. ¡°Without Romeo, your team can¡¯t perform. We¡¯ll take your ce. Agnes, it seems you¡¯ve lost the bet after all. ording to our agreement, you owe me three ps I told you, I won¡¯t show mercy¡± Cecile¡¯s arrogance was too much. She walked up to Agnes, and right in front of the principal Andrea, raised her hand to p her. But before her hand couldnd, it was stopped mid-air by a force. ¡°Enough!¡± Ryder¡¯s voice echoed across the room. Everyone was taken aback. All eyes were now on the cool-headed guy¡­. Ryder then coldly dered, ¡°I¡¯ll take Vinson¡¯s ce.¡± Chapter 194 Chapter 194 ¡°What did you just say?¡± Cecile looked incredulous. Ryder shrugged off Cecile¡¯s hand. Turning around, he told the director, ¡°I¡¯ll be stepping in for Vinson as Romeo.¡± Even Andrea was taken aback by this dramatic turn of events. But Agnes was indeed a talented actress, and her previous poprity would surely make the school event a hit. Andrea said, ¡°That¡¯s the best possible scenario. Now, I dere Ryder will rece Vinson as Romeo, Spend some time rehearsing and get used to each other. Bring honor to our school in two weeks.¡± As she left the office, Cecile was trembling with rage., Ryder simply walked away. Agnes stared at his retreating figure, puzzled. He always seemed to hate her, so why did he help her at this critical moment? ¡°Agnes, you got lucky this time, but don¡¯t count on this kind of good fortune next time.¡± With that, Cecile attempted to leave. But Agnes blocked her path, ¡°Isn¡¯t it time we settled our scores?¡± ¡°What scores?¡± Cecile yed dumb. Agnes tossed a piece of paper at her, ¡°Remember our bet? I won, so you need to go to the administration office and clear up that you intentionally ndered me on the school forum. I¡¯ve already prepared the statement. Go now. Cecile nced at the statement, her fingers trembling with anger. ¡°I won¡¯t read it.¡± ¡± ¡°Alright, then like you, I¡¯ll give you three ps. But I¡¯ve been practicing Taekwondo since I was a kid, so my punches might be a bit hard. But to go easy on you would be a disservice to all the things you¡¯ve done! Agnes had already raised her arm. ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll read it!¡± Cecile gritted her teeth. ¡± * She hadn¡¯t expected Agnes to be a Taekwondo practitioner, though it should¡¯ve been obvious from the shoulder throw she did earlier that day. If Agnes really hit her, she might be disfigured. Kerri told a ssmate, ¡°Go with her to the broadcasting room. Make sure she reads the statement word for word!¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Ten minutester. Cecile¡¯s voice came over the school¡¯s PA system, I¡¯m Cecile, and I¡¯m here today to clear up a misunderstanding I admit that I intentionally ndered Agnes on the school forum without any proof, and sabotaged her props during the y. I deeply regret my despicable actions and take this opportunity to sincerely apologize to Agnes, and I hope she can forgive me¡­¡± Agnes and Kerri were in stitches as they heard Cecile gritting her teeth. ¡°Sweet justice! Look at her gritting her teeth in anger. She must be livid.¡± Agnes smiled, ¡®She¡¯s been too arrogant. Hopefully, this will teach her a lesson Thank goodness for Ryder¡¯s help. Otherwise, you might¡¯ve been in trouble.¡± Feeling pleased, Agnes didn¡¯t head back to Maplewood Manor after school, but went straight to Tim Tower. Her public affair with Jared had garnered a lot of attention, and everyone now knew that this 20-year- old college student was actually the wife of the CEO of the Tim Group Everyone greeted Agnes with respect. Agnes hadn¡¯t told Jared she wasing, so she didn¡¯t take his private VIP elevator. Instead, she took the staff elevator to the 99th floor. The elevator opened directly to the secretarial department outside the CEO¡¯s office. Agnes had Interned here for a month, so she was familiar with everyone. Everyone was surprised to see her. Her former Intern buddy, Mia Taylor, was the first to greet her, jokingly saying, ¡®Good afternoon, Mrs. Whitfieldi How can assist you today?¡± Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Agnes blushed slightly, ¡°Mia, stop teasing me.¡± Mia chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m just stating facts. Are you here to see the boss? He¡¯s in a meeting right now.¡± The other people in the office were attracted by their conversation and came over to say hello. ¡°Lock, isn¡¯t this the boss¡¯s wife? We should show her some respect.¡± Agnes felt a bit ufortable surrounded by everyone. 111 wait for him in his office.¡± Agnes then made her way through the office towards the boss¡¯s office. Suddenly. Agnes bumped into someone. A loud shriek filled the room, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. The person Agnes bumped into was none other than Ynda Bowman. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ynda and Agnes were schoolmates and had previously interned together in the Tim Group¡¯s secretary department. Everyone knew about Ynda¡¯s crush on Jared. Ynda had been holding a cup of coffee and a stack of papers, all of which were now drenched. ¡°So being the boss¡¯s wife means you can just bump into others? This is our workce, not your yground. We need to work to support ourselves, but you have the boss to take care of you.¡± Ynda¡¯s sharp and sarcastic words created a tense atmosphere. Who would have thought Ynda would dare to confront the boss¡¯s wife like this? But considering Ynda¡¯s background, it wasn¡¯t surprising. She was the heiress of the Bowman family and was rumored to have been nted in the Tim Group. Why would Ynda not stay in her ownpany, but instead join the Tim Group¡¯s secretary department? Everyone could see her intentions. During their internship, they had joked about Ynda potentially bing the boss¡¯s wife. After all, the Bowman family and the Whitfield family were a perfect match in terms of wealth and status. But then Agnes showed up. Naturally, Ynda was fuming. 1 ¡°It¡¯s you who bumped into me on purpose,¡± Agnes responded calmly. Agnes had been walking normally when Ynda suddenly stood up and walked right into her. Clearly, she was picking a fight. Ynda dropped her stack of papers, ¡°These are my hard work for the day, the reports I painstakingly put together, and now they¡¯re ruined. My day¡¯s work is gone. Why would I falsely use you, Agnes?¡± Agnes frowned. People around started whispering. ¡°That report is thepany¡¯s semi-annual employee reimbursement form, it¡¯s all manually sorted out, very troublesome. Ynda wouldn¡¯t deliberately mess it up.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s too bold, even if it¡¯s Agnes fault, she¡¯s in a higher position now, and Ynda dares to confront her directly.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of the Bowman family, of course she¡¯s not afraid. Besides. I¡¯ve always been puzzled, the boss is already married, why is she still waiting here?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just too stubborn¡± Agnes couldn¡¯t defend herself. Suddenly, someone shouted, ¡°The boss ising out,¡± Everyone turned their eyes towards the meeting room. Sure enough, Jared came out of the meeting room and noticed the situation. He seemed to notice Agnes and headed straight over. Agnes always deemed to inadvertently cause inisunderstandings. And she currently had no to exin herself clearly. Agnes blushed, she originally wanted to surprise Jared, but instead seemed to have caused him trouble.. Jared had noticed Agnes for quite some time. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 He nced at the shattered cup on the floor and the reports stained with coffee scattered around, asking solemnly, ¡°What the hell happened?¡± Ynda jumped in to exin first, ¡°Boss, I was about to bring you these reports to look over, but she intentionally bumped into me. I know she¡¯s your wife, but she needs to apologize to me. I worked my butt off on these reports all day.¡± Agnes was fuming. There¡¯s no way Jared would believe her, right? Agnes blushed as she looked at Jared. But Jared was unfazed, asking Ynda, You¡¯re saying she bumped into you on purpose. But why would she do that?¡± Ynda was taken aback, ¡°I think it might be jealousy, She might have misunderstood that there¡¯s something going on between us¡­ Everyone in the room gasped in surprise. Ynda really had guts to say anything. Wasn¡¯t this just stirring the pot between Jared and Agnes? Even if there was nothing going on, this was just asking for misunderstandings. Jared¡¯s voice remained calm, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that Agnes misunderstood that there¡¯s something going on between us, thus she was upset and bumped into you on purpose?¡± Jared¡¯s gaze never left Ynda, Ynda¡¯s cheeks flushed. She had never been under such intense scrutiny from the boss before. This feeling¡­ was intoxicating Ynda replied, ¡°I think that¡¯s it.¡± Would Jared understand her feelings by saying this? In fact, she had always liked this man and believed she was better than Agnes in every way. Although the Pritchard family was also wealthy, it fell shortpared to the Bowman family. She didn¡¯t understand why Jared would choose Agnes when they were both interning at the Tim Group. Jared raised an eyebrow slightly. Then he said coldly, ¡°Since your presence here causes misunderstandings for my wife, you can hand in your resignation to HR tomorrow¡± Everyone gasped in surprise. Agnes¡¯ eyes widened in shock¡­ When Jared turned to Agnes, his gaze softened significantly. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. He said, ¡°Next time youe to see me, let me know in advance. I¡¯ll arrange for someone to pick you up so you won¡¯t run into such troubles¡± Everyone was shocked. This tant favoritism was too much. Almost all faces showed signs of envy and jealousy Ynda couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing, ¡°Boss, what did you say? You want me to quit?¡± Jared didn¡¯t bother with her anymore, coldly saying, ¡°I don¡¯t like repeating myself With that, he took Agnes¡¯ hand and walked towards his office. Ynda was shaking with rage, sitting down on a nearby chair, her fingers turning white Everyone was dumbstruck. Jared actually asked the person Agnes didn¡¯t like to resign, how bossy was that? Even if the boss was smart and saw through the situation, he shouldn¡¯t be so rash. Not to mention Ynda¡¯s background, he should show some respect to the Bowman family. Agnes followed Jared into the office Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Once they were in, Agnes said, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think this is right.¡± Jared chuckled, ¡°What do you think isn¡¯t right?¡± Agnes said, ¡°The whole thing about you firing Ynda. Even though she was deliberately making things difficult for me, it didn¡¯t have to result in her losing her job. Also, the Bowman family isn¡¯t just any ordinary family¡­¡± ¡°I got one question for you, Jared cut her off. Agnes was taken aback. Jared asked, ¡°Are you happy that I fired her?¡± After a moment of hesitation, Agnes blurted out, ¡°Yes!¡± Jaredughed softly, ruffled Agnes¡¯s hair and said, ¡°That¡¯s all that matters. And this serves as a warning. Does anyone think they can mess with my wife, Jared¡¯s wife? Let¡¯s see who dares to bother you in the future,¡± Jared¡¯s words were said in a casual manner. But Agnes felt like she waspletely submerged in a jar of honey. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Suddenly, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Jared¡¯s waist, ¡°Honey, you¡¯re going to spoil me rotten.¡± Jared turned, cupped Agnes¡¯s face and ced a gentle kiss on her forehead, ¡°Spoil you rotten, I will. It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± Agnes was beaming inside. Just as the two were nning to go out for avish meal, they received a call from Alyssa. She said that Tim had just suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized. So, they hurried off to the hospital. Tim was already settled in a VIP suite. Upon seeing Jared and Agnes, he chided Alyssa, ¡°I told you, it¡¯s just an old problem. You didn¡¯t have to bring Jared and Agnes into this.¡± Agnes approached the bed, ¡°How could we not know? If you don¡¯t tell us, we¡¯ll worry even more.¡± Tim looked at Agnes¡¯s worried expression and chuckled, ¡°I know my own body. We all have to ept aging. But I¡¯m d you¡¯re here¡± Alyssa chimed in with a serious look, ¡°Lucky I found him in time. He was gasping for air on the floor. The maid wasn¡¯t careful, forgot to give him his medicine. I¡¯ve fired all of them. Tim added, ¡°You¡¯re just overreacting, even fired the servants.¡± Alyssa turned to Jared, ¡°Jared, I need to go to France for a fashion show. I think you two should move back home for a while. I don¡¯t trust the new staff yet. Someone needs to keep an eye on them.¡± Jared nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± Leaving the hospital, Agnes regretted, ¡°We should¡¯ve moved back home earlier. Today was too close. I can¡¯t even imagine what would have happened.¡± Jared stayed calm, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just another one of Alyssa and Tim¡¯s schemes. They put on a show every year, hoping I¡¯ll move back.¡± Agnes was shocked. You mean Tim was faking it?¡± Jared nodded, ¡°Didn¡¯t he look perfectly healthy? And if it was serious, wouldn¡¯t Ryder be there?¡± ¡°Maybe he doesn¡¯t know?¡± ¡®Maybe he just doesn¡¯t want to be part of their drama.¡± Agnes was speechless. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just expose the truth?¡± she asked. Jared smiled, ¡°Tim cares a lot about his pride. If 1 expose the truth, wouldn¡¯t that be a p in his face? Let¡¯s just move back for a few days, so his efforts won¡¯t go in vain.¡± So, the next day, Agnes and Jared officially moved back to the Whitfield Manor with no set return date. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Tim was out of the hospital the next day. At dinner the next day, Agnes saw Ryder again. Although Ryder had agreed to rece Vinson in the role, he never heard from her didn¡¯t contact her, and didn¡¯t participate in the rehearsal. That was a problem because the school festival was in half a month, and the school was taking the performance seriously. Therefore, it was necessary to hurry up and rehearse. After dinner, Agnes saw that Ryder didn¡¯t go back to his room but was bathing Oscar in the yard. Ryder wasn¡¯t keeping a straight face, he was talking to Oscar while bathing him. Where on earth did you go today? You¡¯re all muddy. Lucky I¡¯m bathing you, or if Jared saw it you would be in trouble.¡± There was a touch of doting in Ryder¡¯s words, and even a hint of a smile on his lips. Agnes walked over and squatted next to Oscar, patting his back and said, ¡°I never thought you¡¯d look so cute when you smile.¡± Ryder was taken aback, then instantly put on his poker face: ¡°I can¡¯t stand people cozying up to me.¡± Agnes yed innocent: ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about you, I was praising Oscar. Look at him, isn¡¯t he adorable when he smiles, just like a cherub.¡± As she spoke, Agnes intentionally teased Oscar¡¯s face. Ryder just snorted, a hint of blush on his face, and bowed his head. He seemed a bit miffed. Agnes felt that Ryder wasn¡¯t as icy as the rumors said. It was actually fun to joke around with him. Agnes chuckled silently, then put on a serious face: ¡°Ryder, thank you¡± As Ryder was rinsing Oscar¡¯s paws, he said coldly: ¡°No need for thanks, I¡¯m just doing it for Jared.¡± Agnes suddenly felt that Ryder might not dislike her as much as she thought. Agnes said, ¡°No matter who you¡¯re doing it for, you helped me, and I appreciate it. By the way, let¡¯s start rehearsing at East Hall tomorrow night.¡± Ryder didn¡¯t respond. Agnes was still waiting for his answer. Oscar was getting impatient from the bath, trying to break free several times. Ryder suddenly said, ¡°Help me hold him. He always gets annoyed when I wash his back paws¡± Agnes quickly held Oscar¡¯s neck and pressed him with her body. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. By the time the back paws were washed, both of them were panting. Just as they stood up, Oscar also suddenly stood up and shook his fur vigorously. Agnes was all wet, She almost screamed, ¡°Oscar, did you do that on purpose?¡± Seeing Agnes¡¯s angry face, Ryder suddenly burst intoughter. Hisugh was really charming. Agnes said, ¡°See, you should learn from Oscar, smile more, you look good when you smile.¡± Ryder¡¯sugh was really good-looking. His smile was clean and pure, like the first rays of sunlight on a snow-capped peak. Agnes was really praising him this time, but his face turned gloomy again in an instant. Well, he was indeed a moody boy. Ryder said, ¡°You should go inside, you¡¯re all wet.¡± Ryder was already avoiding eye contact. Agnes looked at her clothes and nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go in first then¡± Chapter 199 Chapter 199 When Agnes walked in, Jared and Alyssa were in the living room having a chat Seeing Agnese in all drenched, they asked, ¡°Agnes, what happened to you?? Agnesughed and said, ¡°Just gave Oscar a bath, ended up soaked. I¡¯m heading upstairs to change clothes.¡± With that, Agnes headed upstairs N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. After a while, Ryder also came in all wet, still holding Oscar by the hand. Alyssa remarked, ¡°So they both bathed Oscar together? It seems like their rtionship has improved.¡± Jared chuckled, I¡¯m heading upstairs.¡± Agnes¡¯s clothes were wet, so she decided to take a shower when she got to her room.. When she came out of the bathroom, she ran into Jared. Jared sat on the edge of the bed, patting the spot next to him, ¡°Come here.¡± As Agnes toweled her hair, she walked over and sat next to Jared. Jared naturally took the towel from Agnes and helped her dry her hair. Agnes leanedfortably against his shoulder, like a little kitten. Jared asked, ¡°You and Ryder made up?¡± At this, Agnes¡¯s eyes lit up. She told Jared about the school ypetition and the wager. Finally, Agnes said, ¡°He was really reliable when it mattered, but it¡¯s all because he respects you, so the person I should be thanking is you.¡± Agnes snuggled in Jared¡¯s arms. Jared felt that this girl was different from before. He could feel that before, she was a bit scared of him, not daring to look him in the eye when she spoke. Whenever they were together, she was always very passive But now, she was actually taking the initiative to be affectionate. She had be more lively and radiant. Jared had to admit, he enjoyed this change, enjoyed her dependence, admiration, and love. Jared leaned down to kiss her, ¡°I prefer if you show your gratitude in practical ways.¡± ¡°No, my hair is still wet.¡± ¡°No? Don¡¯t worry, I can handle it.¡± The next day, Jared drove Agnes to school. He just happened to see Ryder also getting ready to leave on his bicycle. Although Ryder came from a well-off family, he never needed anyone to drop him off or pick him up from school, he always cycled. Jared offered him a ride, but was rejected. This made Agnes feel a bit embarrassed. Agnes said to Jared, ¡°Maybe I should start biking to school too, your car is too shy, every time you drop me off it draws a crowd¡± Jared thought for a bit, ¡°Sounds good, I travel for work sometimes and may not be able to drop you off every day.¡± After a day of sses and dinner, Agnes headed to East Hall. ¡± It was time to start preparing for the school festival performance. Even thought was still the same y as before, with the change of the male lead. everyone had to readjust. The other members had already gathered in the auditorium. Kerri asked, ¡°Will Ryder actuallye back? What do we do if he doesn¡¯t show up for rehearsal?¡± Agnes had already raised this issue with Ryder the night before. But whether Ryder would actuallye back, Agnes was not sure. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Cynthia suddenly eximed excitedly, pointing at the entrance. Ryder walked in. Chapter 200 Chapter 200 He was wearing a white shirt with a ck shoulder bag slung over his shoulder Outside the auditorium, the sun was setting. He seemed to stride in, riding the glow of the sunset, exuding a charming nonchnce within his cool demeanor. Several girls in the auditorium praised his handsomeness at the same time,¡± so handsome!¡± Agnes felt delighted and said to Ryder, You¡¯re here.¡± Ryder¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who said rehearsals start today?¡± The rehearsal officially began. After changing into costumes, everyone couldn¡¯t help but marvel at him once again. ¡°OMG. Ryder looks so handsome in costume.¡± The rehearsal went smoothly, considering that everyone was familiar with the script due to the previous auditions. Towards the end of the rehearsal, Cynthia walked down the stage and took out her camera to snap a photo. Suddenly, Ryder lost control, as if he couldn¡¯t maintain his bnce. He crouched down, looking terrified, holding his head, and uttered in a cold, almost harsh tone: ¡°Stop taking pictures!¡± Everyone was stunned, clueless about what had just happened. Even Cynthia was taken aback and didn¡¯t know how to react. Agnes, on the other hand, recalled her previous question to Jared about why there were no childhood photos of Ryder at home. Jared mentioned that Ryder had a fear of camera lenses. At the time, Agnes didn¡¯t inquire further. She simply found the question peculiar. But Agnes never imagined it was true. After a while, Ryder regainedposure. Ryder said, ¡°Sorry, but can we not take photos next time?¡± * N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Cynthia replied, ¡°But on the day of the performance, many people will definitely be taking photos. If you can¡¯t handle that, how will you perform?¡± On the way home, Ryder and Agnes walked one after the other. Whitfield Manor wasn¡¯t far from the school, about a half-hour journey. Initially, Agnes nned to take a taxi back. However, seeing Ryder pushing his bicycle without riding it, she quietly followed behind him. Cynthia¡¯s words had clearly affected Ryder. After dinner, Agnes pulled Jared into the room and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the story with Ryder¡¯s fear of camera lenses?¡± Jared frowned and said, ¡°He was kidnapped when he was young. The kidnappers took numerous photos to threaten the Thomas family. That¡¯s when he developed this psychological trauma¡± Agnes was incredibly surprised. ¡°So, he really is the son of the richest man, Cin Thomas¡± In fact, there were many rumors about Ryder¡¯s biological father. The most widely epted version was that he was the child of Cilian and Alyssa Whitfield, the wealthiest couple in this country. Cilian was notorious for his phndering ways and had already been married three times. His marriage to Alyssa was kept low-profile back then, so it remained unknown to the public. But now Agnes learned that Alyssa was Cilian¡¯s second wife Ryder was also acknowledged as the third son of the Thomas family. It was reported that Cilian had been trying to bring Ryder back home for years, but Alyssa strongly opposed it. Sighing, Agnes asked, ¡°So, there really isn¡¯t any solution for Ryder¡¯s fear of camera lenses?¡± Jared replied, ¡°We¡¯ve tried numerous times throughout the years, even consulted several psychologists, but the impact on him was significant That incident also influenced his introverted and solitary nature¡¯ As Jared spoke, he appeared full of self-me That year, he was 12, and Ryder was 6 when they went to the amusement park together, andter¡­ Agnes tightly held Jared¡¯s hand, ¡°You can¡¯t me yourself. Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. After all, you were just a child back then Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Jared¡¯s voice was low, ¡°So I¡¯ve always felt guilty about Ryder and my sister, because I didn¡¯t protect him back then. He was actually a cheerful kid who loved tough when he was little.¡± Agnes saw Jared beating himself up, and it broke her heart, but she had no clue how tofort him. The next day. Agnes and Ryder cycled to school together. However, the whole trip was spent in silence. After school in the aftemoon, Agnes, on a whim, went to see a shrink. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. By evening. Agnes headed to the East Hall for a rehearsal. The drama club members hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Only Kerri was there, sweeping the hall. Seeing Agnes looking down, Kerri hurried over, ¡°Have you figured out what¡¯s up?¡± That was Ryder¡¯s privacy, and of course Agnes couldn¡¯t make it public. Agnes said, ¡°It¡¯s about some stuff that happened when he was a kid. But it¡¯s a tough nut to crack because I went to consult a psychiatrist in the afternoon.¡± Kerri asked, ¡°What did the psychiatrist say?¡± The psychiatrist said if the usual mental interventions have been tried, the only option left is to ovee psychological barriers through coercive intervention¡± Kerri was like, ¡°You mean by forcing him to face his fear? Just keep taking pictures of him and forcing him to face?¡± Agnes nodded, ¡°But that¡¯s brutal, and it¡¯s not our ce to do that.¡± Kerri anxiously said. ¡°But we don¡¯t have time to change the roles now, what are we gonna do?¡± agree to the forceful treatment,¡± a cold male voice came from behind. Agnes and Kerri turned around to see Ryder. Agnes was like, ¡°But you¡­¡± Ryder calmly said, ¡°Let¡¯s give your method a try.¡± By evening, all the members had gathered. Agnes closed the hall door and switched off the lights.. She had borrowed some SLR cameras from the photography club. Now everyone was standing under the stage with a camera Ryder was alone on the stage, expressionless. Agnes, serious-faced, said, ¡°Let¡¯s kick things off.¡± At that moment, everyone lifted their cameras and started shooting, the dim hall was instantly lit up by the shes. ¡°Ah! Ryder on the stage let out a low moan, instinctively covering his eyes with his arm. He was about to fall, leaning against a prop on the stage. Agnes immediately said, ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stop, keep going¡±¡± Ryder struggled to say. Everyone looked at Agnes She nodded and they continued shooting Ryder on the stage looked like he was being tortured, his hand white-knuckled on a table, eyes tightly shut as if lost in painful memories, his body starting to shake uncontrobly In the end, he could barely stand, leaning heavily on the table. Finally, Ryder copsed. Agnes rushed onto the stage, Ryder, are you okay?¡± Then she immediately waved everyone to stop, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for today, stop recording Ryder sat on the ground, curled up like a scared chuld, burying his head in his knees, trembling all over He looked fragile and pathetic Nobody had expected to see this side of the cold price they knew Agnes told the others. ¡°You guys can leave now I handle thas¡± Everyone knew Agnes was taking care of Ryder¡¯s pride, so they all left Only Agnes and Ryder were left in the hall, with a single, din light, creating a stilling atmosphere. Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Agnes knelt down and said worriedly; ¡°Ryder, are you okay?¡± Ryder was still shaking all over. Agnes was pondering how to handle this situation. She probably shouldn¡¯t have done it this way Agnes said, ¡°I¡¯ll turn on the light, might make things better.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± Before Agnes could stand up, her hand was seized by Ryder. He didn¡¯t lift his head, still in a curled posture, but his hand was tightly holding onto Agnes¡¯s hand. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Agnes could only silently sit back in her spot, saying, 1 won¡¯t go She had no idea how much time passed like this. All Agnes knew was that her hand, gripped by Ryder, was numb. But Agnes also gradually felt Ryder¡¯s trembling ease. Finally, Ryder let go of her, raising his head. Agnes¡¯s hand was pinched white, almost void of any sensation. But she still asked Ryder with concern, ¡®Are you feeling better?¡± Ryder¡¯s face was gradually returning to normal. Looking at Agnes¡¯s pale hand, he said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± Agnes was startled for a moment, and then shook her hand,ughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯ll be fine in a bit.¡± Ryder said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Agnes checked her watch, it was already nine o¡¯clock. They rode home together, They entered the house one after the other, and happened to meet Alyssa when they changed their shoes. Alyssa asked, ¡°You two came back together?¡± And came back sote. Agnes said, ¡°Ryder and I were rehearsing a y for a school performance, we just finished¡± The moment Agnes mentioned ¡®Ryder, Ryder paused while he was changing his shoes. Alyssa was surprised and unbelievingly asked Ryder, ¡°Really? You actually participated in a drama?¡± She knew her son disliked crowded ces. He¡¯d never participated in any performance since he was little. Ryder answered perfunctorily, then coldly said, Tm going upstairs first¡± When Ryder was going upstairs, Jared wasing down. Upon seeing him, Agnes rushed over. She ran too fast and almost tripped, but was caught by Jared. Jared gently said, ¡°How can you still be so clumsy like a child, watch your steps. Agnes snuggled into his arms and whispered, ¡°I missed you¡± The words made Jared happy. Heughed, pinched Agnes¡¯s cheek, and gave her a peck on the lips. They were at the corner of the staircase, out of sight. But Ryder wasn¡¯t far away He was on the upper staircase and saw this sweet scene. Ryder¡¯s eyes darkened. He quickly returned to his room. Jared brushed the bangs off Agnes¡¯s forehead, softly asking, ¡°Why sote today?¡± ¨C told you before, I¡¯m rehearsing a y now. ¡°How about I pick you up at night?¡± performed in ten days, I¡¯ll being homete these days.¡± ¡°No need, your nephew is here, what are you worried about? He¡¯s rehearsing with me.¡± Jared nodded, ¡°Then I need to remind him to take good care of you¡± Agnes smiled. The feeling of being the elder of someone older than herself was a bit strange Jared asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡±, Agnes whined, Tm starving, I haven¡¯t had dinner, can you make me something? Jaredughed, ¡°Sure!¡± Agnes suddenly remembered, ¡°Oh, Ryder hasn¡¯t had dinner either, can you make him something too?¡± Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Jared made Agnes favorite dish. Just standing by it made Agnes¡¯ mouth water. Jared said, ¡°It¡¯s almost ready, go fetch Ryder.¡± Agnes responded and happily went out to find Ryder. After a couple of knocks, Ryder opened the door. Upon seeing Agnes at the door, Ryder frowned. Ryder asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Agnes said, ¡°Jared cooked it. You haven¡¯t had dinner,e join us.¡± Ryder said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry¡± With that, he shut the door. Agnes shook her head helplessly. She really couldn¡¯t figure out Ryder¡¯s temperament. She thought their rtionship had improved. But he was so moody. Agnes said, ¡°Your nephew¡¯s not hungry, he¡¯s not eating¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Jared frowned. Agnes sat down, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll eat it all.¡± Agnes was truly hungry, after two bowls, patting her belly, she said, ¡°Honey, you¡¯re making me fat.¡± Jared reached out and pinched Agnes¡¯ cheek, ¡°That¡¯s good, being fat gives you meat to eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a pig¡± ¡°You¡¯re a greedy little pig.¡± While they were fooling around, Alyssa came in Upon seeing Alyssa, Agnes immediately sat up straight and called out, ¡°Sis.¡± In this house, the one Agnes was somewhat afraid of was Alyssa. Although Alyssa was kind to her and spoke gently. Perhaps it was because she had seen her interviews before, she felt that she was a big shot in the fashion world, dignified and elegant, and naturally distant. Alyssa walked in with a smile, ¡°Jared, Agnes, I¡¯m going abroad soon, I came to tell you, live here for a while, it makes dad happy to have you around.¡± Jared grunted in response, then stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you to the airport Alyssa said, ¡°No need, the driver can take me, get a good rest tonight¡± Alyssa walked up to Jared and naturally adjusted his cor, ¡°Jared, don¡¯t put all your energy into work, pay attention to your health, eat on time, sleep on time, you might not care now because you¡¯re young, but when you get older, you¡¯ll have all sorts of problems.¡± Jaredughed and said, ¡°I¡¯m not a kid anymore, why do you have to say this every time you leave?¡± Alyssaughed and said, ¡°In my heart, you will always be a kid ¡± Agnes felt the scene in front of her was very warm. These two people in front of her eyes were important figures in the business and fashion world, unmatched by others. But at this moment, they showed the simplicity and reality of ordinary people. The days that followed were as usual. Going to ss, writing papers, rehearsing, and then home. It was worth mentioning that Ryder¡¯s lens phobia improved day by day after Agnes stimted him in extreme ways. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Even when they¡¯re under the spotlight of the camera, they keep their cool. But they don¡¯t totally lose control, even if they restrained themselves a little, others would be able to notice. All members were very happy. As the days rolled by the school celebration was just around the corner. For thest few days, Agnes and Ryder had been practicing even after they got home. Sometimes they¡¯d be upte into the night rehearsing. They¡¯d practice on the little balcony of the sunroom on the second floor. This spot happens to be next to Jared¡¯s study. Sometimes, Jared would purposely leave his French doors open so he could overhear their lines. Sometimes, Ryder would scold Agnes when she mispronounced her lines. Sometimes, he could even hear them bickering and horsing around. Surprisingly, Jared even heard Ryderugh. Ryder¡¯s always been a bit of a loner, rarely everughing out loud. But just in these few days, Jared¡¯s heard himugh three times. Jared got up and headed towards the balcony The two on the other side have finished rehearsing and were discussing the details of a line Their heads were close together, in a bit of a disagreement over a line. But even though they¡¯re arguing, there¡¯s a slight smile on Ryder¡¯s face, like he¡¯s purposely teasing Agnes. Agnes, on the other hand, was debating seriously. Jared¡¯s steps paused slightly. When Agnes looked up and saw Jared, she immediately got up and ran over, grabbing Jared¡¯s arm and grinning from ear to ear, ¡°What brings you here? Are we being too loud and disturbing you?¡± Jared shook his head, ¡°Nah, I just thought I¡¯d drop by and see how you guys are doing.¡± Agnes said. ¡°Great, how about we show you what we¡¯ve got?¡± But Ryder¡¯s already stood up and walked over, his face back to its usual coolness, ¡°I¡¯ll take a break first.¡± After saying this, he left the balcony. Agnes rolled her eyes, ¡°He¡¯s such a party pooper.¡± Then, she added, ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just shy, he idolizes you and might be nervous.¡± Jared chuckled. Suddenly. Agnes looked up at him, saying with anticipation: ¡°Our school celebration is in three days, can youe and watch me perform?¡± Jared pretended to frown, ¡°I have a business trip tomorrow, not sure if I can make it back in time.¡± Jared watched as Agnes face fell from hopeful to disappointed This little girl changed expressions so fast. Suddenly Jared pinched her cheek, Alright, I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ll be back a day early, I¡¯ll definitely be there to support you¡± Agnes immediately brightened, ¡°Our performance starts at 3 in the afternoon, its the final act of the celebration, don¡¯t forget, okay?¡± The next day, Jared left for his business trip He tried to cut the trip short and managed to catch the flight home the night before the school celebration. Earber, he had told Agnes over the phone that he might not be able to make it back that night. Agnes was slightly disappointed. However, Jared arrived at the Whitfield Manor at 9:30 that night. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Imagining the bright smile on Agnes¡¯ face when she saw him, Jared¡¯s heart was filled with warmth for some reason. It¡¯s only been two days, but he missed her deeply. When the butler opened the door and saw Jared. he¡¯s surprised, ¡°Mr Whatfield, arent you supposed to be flying back tomorrow?¡± Jared casually replied, ¡°I changed my ns, where¡¯s Agnes?¡± ¡°Mrs Whitfield and Mr. Ryder were rehearsing their y on the balcony. They should still be there.¡± Jared headed up the stairs, directly towards the balcony. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Two figures were visible in the distance. Jpon seeing the two people over there clearly. Jared gradually came to a halt. A marble table sat on the small balcony. At this moment, Agnes was asleep on it. yder was sitting next to Agnes. le still held a script in his hand. But he didn¡¯t move. His gaze firmly settled on Agnes¡¯ face. hen, he saw Ryder slowly lower his head, gently kissing Agnes¡¯ cheek. from Jared¡¯s angle, he could see both of their faces clearly. Agnes was deeply asleep,pletely unaware. And Ryder¡¯s lips were just lightly touching Agnes cheek. His eyes were closed, his eyshes trembling, and his fingers tightly clutching the crumpled script. From his trembling fingers, his restraint and endurance could be seen. Even the pain he couldn¡¯t hide¡­ Jared was tucked away, silently observing this scene. His eyes slowly darkened, turning into an unfathomable ck¡­ His fingers also slowly clenched into a fist In the end, Jared turned and left. Agnes was awakened by Ryder. When she woke up, she was somewhat confused: ¡°What happened?¡± Ryder looked at her: Wipe your drool, your sleeping posture is really bad.¡± Agnes casually wiped her face, but there was no drool? Agnes asked, ¡°Did I fall asleep? Where did we leave off with the lines?¡± Ryder replied. ¡°Go back to sleep, staying upte isn¡¯t going to help.¡± Agnes thought about it, they had already practiced quite a bit. When she looked up, she saw Ryder¡¯s face as red as an apple. Agnes stood up, cing her hand on Ryder¡¯s forehead: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Your face is so red, do you have a fever?¡± Ryder sensibly stepped back, avoiding Agnes¡¯ hand. He didn¡¯t look at Agnes, seeming somewhat flustered: ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m going back to my room.¡± After speaking that, he quickly left. Agnes stood on the balcony in a daze. Was he having one of his episodes again? Always getting angry for no reason But, he couldn¡¯t really be sick, could he? Agnes returned to her room, ncing at the clock on the wall, it was already ten o¡¯clock. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Maybe because she just had a nap, Agnes wasn¡¯t sleepy at all. She wondered where Jared was He was supposed to be back tonight, but it was postponed to tomorrow. She didn¡¯t know if he was lying to her, maybe he just didn¡¯t have time toe back. Agnes sighed, but he was really busy, he was in charge of the entire Tim Group. Agnes couldn¡¯t really me him. But, she really missed him¡­. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to call Jared. The phone rang for a long time without being answered, was he asleep? Just as Agnes was about to give up, Jared¡¯s deep voice came from the other end: ¡°What do you need..* Hearing this voice, Agnes was slightly taken aback. Because Jared¡¯s voice was too cold, like sinking in ice In the past, when she called him, his tone was not like this. Agnes was a bit flustered, she said ¡°Nothing special, just wanted to ask what you¡¯re doing.¡± Jared¡¯s voice was still cold: Tm in a meeting¡± Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Agnes was deeply disappointed. Maybe it was Jared¡¯s frosty tone that shattered her hopes. But she might have really bothered him. ¡°Well, you go on with your stuff.¡± Jared grunted a response and hung up the call. Agnes held the phone, feeling her heart sink a little more. She just missed him, just wanted to hear his voice. Meanwhile¡­ Jared stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in his office on the 99th floor of Tim Tower. In his hand was a half-burned cigarette. He rarely smoked. In the hazy smoke, his face looked incredibly indifferent. The scene on the balcony just now seemed to reappear before his eyes, his fingers clenched tight, feeling more irritable than ever. He didn¡¯t expect¡­ The next day was the campus festival of Lakeside College. The whole Lakeside College campus was very lively. Today Lakeside College was open to the public, students from other schools coulde and visit. Of course, the highlight was the campus festival performancepetition among 32 colleges. Agnes¡¯s drama was scheduled to start at three in the afternoon. It was thest performance of the wholepetition. Before going on stage, Agnes kept looking at her phone backstage. She was wondering why Jared hadn¡¯t texted her yet. He said he woulde¡­ Maybe he was really too busy. But even if he couldn¡¯te, he should have told her. Agnes was hesitant about whether to call Jared. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. But she was afraid of being rejected likest night. She didn¡¯t know when she became so cautious. What a headache ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that our star, Agnes? You¡¯re so unrecognizable in your costume, it¡¯s a pity you didn¡¯t major in acting.¡± A teasing voice came from behind her. Agnes turned around to see Cecile strutting over, surrounded by a group of girls Agnes frowned and asked. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Cecile said with her arms crossed, ¡°I¡¯m here to watch your performance. Don¡¯t look at me like that, I¡¯m here to congratte you. Give it your best shot, I¡¯ll watch till the end.¡± Then, Ryder came over He calmly walked up to Cecile and said, ¡°Don¡¯t stir up trouble¡± Seeing Ryder, Cecile grinned, ¡°Ryder, you¡¯re looking hot today. I¡¯ll send you flowers after the performance.¡± ¡°No need, Ryder replied, his expression cold. ** Kerri ran over, ¡°Stop chatting, it¡¯s our turn. Get ready to go on stage.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t have time to think about anything else and immediately got ready A girl next to Cecile said, ¡°Ryder is protecting her. Agnes is so today, her future career will be smoother, I saw several agents are here¡± AKRO sue apprated at the corner of Cecile¡¯s she stole your role, and if she gets maized by savezi da OLTINKANTNO SE everything is uncertain performance hasn¡¯t started yet, who knows how it will turn out sess or failure, Agnes, you stole my role and the guy f like, I¡¯ll make sure you remember this day forever. The performance was about to begin, and the lights in the auditorium gradually dimmed. The curtain slowly pulled back, and the music started to y.. Jullet fell in love with the man her family hates. She shouldn¡¯t have met him in the first ce, now it¡¯s toote.¡± As the narration went on, the characters came out one after another¡­. Chapter 207 Chapter 207 The show was very sessful.. You could tell from the continuous apuse During intermission, Agnes was backstage, peering out at the audience. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. She was looking for Jared But it was a sea of people below the stage, and with the dim lighting, Agnes couldn¡¯t see clearly. The final act of Agnes¡¯s performance began. It was Juliet¡¯s love suicide scene The plot was extremely tragic. Tears streaming down her face, Juliet said. ¡°What is this? A cup held tight in my true love¡¯s hand? I know, it must be poison that has ended his life. s! You drank all the poison, leaving none for me? III kiss your lips, perhaps there¡¯s some poison left on them, enough to kill me. Your lips are still warm!¡± At this point, amotion broke out, Juliet stabbed herself with a dagger and fell from the high tform¡­. The ce she fell was only about a meter high, and there were stairs made up of props. Even though it was just a meter, there was a cushion where shended, so Agnes wouldn¡¯t get hurt. There were flower and nt props to cover it up. The ending was Juliet and Romeo dying together. So, after Agnes fell, she had to lie there motionless on the cushion until the show ended and the curtain came down¡­ A voiceover came on ¡°The families of Romeo and Juliet were heartbroken over the lovers¡¯ suicide In regret, the two families reached a tragic reconciliation.. Lying there motionless, Agnes couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Jared hade today. But suddenly, the stage lights began to flicker, going bright and dim. The next second, a scaffold on the side of the stage suddenly fell, tipping towards Aghes. There was a sudden scream of terror from below the stage Agnes was deep in thought and didn¡¯t react in time. The next second, Ryder, who was backstage, rushed up. He threw himself over Agnes There was a muffled groan of pain. The scaffoldnded right on Ryder¡¯s back!! Tranquil Care Hospital. Agnes and Jared were both standing outside the emergency room. Agnes was sitting on a chair. Just thinking about what just happened made her body shake uncontrobly. If Ryder hadn¡¯t rushed up without hesitation, using his body to protect her, she would be the one lying in the hospital. But Agnes didn¡¯t know what was happening now. Jared was standing at the door of the emergency room. Agnes locked up and saw his back. Turns out, Jared came to watch their performance and he was really close After the ident, Jared was the first one to rush up on stage and take Ryder to the hospital. If it weren¡¯t for his calm and decisive action, Agnes didn¡¯t know what would¡¯ve happened Jared walked over to Agnes, holding her trembling hands: ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. He should be fine* Agnes looked at Jared ¡°But I¡¯m still scared¡± Jaredforted her ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m here, I won¡¯t let anything happen to him.¡± Just then, the door of the emergency room opened. The doctor walked out, surrounded by a group of nurses. + Agnes immediat stood up, ran over, and asked anxiously. ¡°Dr. Elisha, how is Ryder doing now? Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Dr. Elisha pulled off his mask and said, ¡°He suffered a fractured rib, but the injury is not serious. In order to prevent seque, he needs to be hospitalized for observation. But don¡¯t worry too much. Young people are generally very strong, and he should recover soon.¡± Jared let out a sigh of relief When he turned to look at Agnes, he found her already in tears. Agnes was clearly shaken. When that hefty iron frame came crashing down, she felt as if she were being dragged into the depths of the ocean. A huge wave came violently and almost drowned her. But Ryder had grabbed her. When Agnes looked at Ryder again, he was already lying in the hospital ward His chest was strapped down He was sitting up straight, furrowing his brows, a hint of pain visible on his face. Jared walked to the bedside and asked him, ¡°How are you feeling now?¡± Ryder gave a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯m alright. Don¡¯t tell my mom and grandpa. I don¡¯t want them to worry¡± Jared responded, ¡°I know.¡± After Ryder finished his gaze shifted to behind Jared. Agnes walked up behind Jared, her eyes still red and swollen. ¡°Are you okay¡­ ¡°Are you okay¡­ The two said this sentence almost at the same time. Afterwards, the ward returned tits previous tranquility Jared furrowed his brows Agnes was the first to speak. ¡°I wasn¡¯t injured. Luckily you were there¡± Ryder nced at Jared, his tone returning to its usual coolness. ¡°Im d you¡¯re okay, In that situation, I would have protected anyone, so don¡¯t mind it.¡± On the way home Agnes sat in Jared¡¯s car, finally regaining herposure. But Jared was poker-faced, not uttering a word. The temperature in the car seemed to have dropped a few degrees. Agnes felt increasingly guilty. Ryder was Jared¡¯s favonte nephew, and now he was in the hospital because of her. That must¡¯ve upset Jared a lot. In her heart, Agnes silently decided to do her best to make it up to him. The next morning when Jared woke up, he found no one beside him. He nced at the wall clock and found it was just past five in the morning Jared frowned, getting up. Agnes was not in the room. When he left the room, he went to the dining room and saw Agnes cooking soup Jared walked over and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Agnes turned around ¡°I¡¯m making Ryder a soup. He can¡¯t eat solid food now, so he can only have soup.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You can ask the nanny to do this kind of thing¡± Agnes responded, ¡°He was injured saving me. Now, he¡¯s in the hospital and I can¡¯t do much. I can only do what I can to express my gratitude.¡± Agnes had put the cooked soup into a thermos. Then she told Jared, ¡°You can go back to sleep. I¡¯ll deliver breakfast and then head to school¡¯ For several consecutive days, Agnes got up early to make soup. From the initial soup, to mushroom soup, and then to tomato soup, there were diferent variations every day Actually, Agnes¡¯s cooking skills were just average. But, in order to take care of Ryder, she specifically asked the chef at home for advice, and would repeatedly cook soup at night, gradually mastering some skills. These days, she was even learning how to cook other dishes. Every night when Jared came home, he could see Agnes busying herself in the kitchen. Then, he would silently enter the study, not returning to the bedroom until veryte Agnes gradually noticed that Jared seemed busier these days, returning hometer andter. Sometimes, to wait for him, she would deliberately stay in the kitchen a little longer. When Jarede home, she would always cheerfully bring a bowl of freshly cooked soup to his study However, Agnes noticed that Jared never had it. 1 The next morning, the soup was still on the desk in the study. Agnes was a bit disappointed, but she also knew Jared was picky about food Maybe her cooking skills weren¡¯t good enough, so she put even more effort into cooking. * 7 * A But it seemed like it was all for naught Chapter 209 Chapter 209 1 Obviously, the chefs at home praised her for her improved cooking skills, but why did Jared refuse to take a bite? Today, Agnes was cooking Italian chicken soup. She nned to bring it over to Ryder tomorrow morning From afar, she noticed the light in Jared¡¯s study was on again. Jared used toe to the kitchen to check on her when he came home. But now, he would go straight to his study and be busy untilte into the night. By the time Jared returned to his room, Agnes was already asleep. Over the week Agnes and Jared rarely chatted. Agnes filled a bowl with soup and camned it over to Jared¡¯s study. But Jared wasn¡¯t looking at his documents. He was standing on the small balcony of his study, smoking, lost in thought. Agnes had no idea Jared smoked. No wonder she noticed a faint smell of tobo in the house these past few days. Agnes stood at the door, knocking gently Jared turned around. 4 As soon as he saw Agnes at the door, Jared immediately extinguished his cigarette and walked over. Jared asked, ¡°What brings you here?¡± + Holding the bowl of soup in her hands, Agnes said, ¡°I cooked Italian chicken soup today, it¡¯s really good, try some.¡± Jared frowned and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to bring soup here anymore, I don¡¯t like to eat these stuff. There was a hint of coldness in Jared¡¯s words that made Agnes, still holding the bowl of soup, feel awkward. Somewhat nervously. Agnes asked, ¡°Did something bother you? You¡¯ve been¡­¡± ¡°I want to be alone for a while.¡± Before Agnes could finish, Jared cut her off. And in his tone, Agnes felt a clear sense of impatience and irritation. Agnes was slightly stunned, and then said, ¡°Then remember to go to bed early¡± With that, Agnes left with the bowl of soup Property ? N?velDrama.Org. She didn¡¯t even step into the study. She walked down the long hallway Agnes felt a bit down, even wanting to cry But she suddenly thought she was being too sensitive. Maybe Jared just ran into a tough problem at work. Since she couldn¡¯t help, she shouldn¡¯t add to his troubles with her emotions. Agnes held back her tears and smiled at herself. Agnes, you need to be Jared¡¯s sunshine, bringing him warmth and light Thinking this, Agnes started to feel better again. Meanwhile, in his study, Jared clenched his fist and mmed it on the desk. His knuckles cracked loudly. Jared had never been so troubled before, his heart feeling as if it was being bitten by a thousand ants. He knew he had been cold and heartless to Agnes these past two days. Seeing her trying so hard to please him only made him feel more inntated He wasn¡¯t even sure what was going on. He was probably running from the problem for the first time, not daring to think too deeply about what was wrong The next morning, when Jared woke up, Agnes was already gone from the Whitfield Manor Jared checked the time it was seven in the morning Agnes should be at the hospital now Without even having breakfast, Jared drove to the hospital When Agnes arrived at the ward, Ryder was already awake. Ryder¡¯s condition had greatly improved and there were noplications. He was just immobilized by straps and had a bit of trouble moving. But the doctor said he could be discharged in a couple of days and would be fine with some rest at home When Ryder saw Agnes enter, he couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly But he said, ¡°Why u here san Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Agnes said, ¡°What¡¯s with you Whitfield folks? Can¡¯t you show a bit of gratitude?¡± For some reason, looking at Ryder reminded her of Jared. She felt stifled inside She couldn¡¯t vent her anger on Jared, so she took it out on Ryder. After all, he was Jared¡¯s nephew and he looked a lot like Jared. Noticing Agnes¡¯s mood, Ryder¡¯s expression shifted slightly, ¡°Did you have a fight with Jared?¡± Agnes ced a food box on the table and opened it one by one, ¡°No¡± ¡°Then why do you look upset?¡± ¡°Maybe because the soup I cooked isn¡¯t tasty.¡± Ryder fell silent for a while. After a long pause, he finally said, ¡°Your soup is delicious¡± Agnes was taken aback. Then she suddenly turned her head She looked into Ryder¡¯s eyes. Ryder¡¯s ears immediately turned red, and then he looked away. Agnes, however, burst outughing. Heplimented her and was actually shy about it. Although Ryder was mostly cold and moody like Jared, he asionally showed a cute side. Agnes felt a little better. Holding a bowl of soup, she teased him, ¡°What did you say just now? I didn¡¯t hear clearly, say it again.¡± Ryder turned shy. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything¡± Agnesughed, ¡°You just said my breakfast was delicious, but now you¡¯re denying it, why so shy? Compliment me, I¡¯ll be happy, and I¡¯ll cook more delicious food for you N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Ryder didn¡¯t say anything Agnes passed the soup, ¡°Here, today¡¯s breakfast is Italian chicken soup, I started cooking itst night.¡± Ryder finally turned around and reached out to take it. But he just changed the bandage this morning, and it was a bit tight, causing a sudden pain in his chest when he moved. Ryder clutched his chest and grunted. Agnes became worried, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ryder shook his head, Tm fine Agnes saw him pick up the bowl with a frown. Every move seemed stiff, as if he was enduring pain. Agnes immediately took the bowl back, ¡°Don¡¯t move, let me feed you.¡± Although Ryder seemed reluctant, he didn¡¯t object. Agnes brought a chair over to the bed and sat down. Ryder sat on the bed. Agnes scooped up a spoonful of soup and brought it to Ryder¡¯s mouth. But Ryder was staring at Agnes¡¯s face, as if in a daze. Agnes urged, ¡°What are you daydreaming about? Open your mouth.¡± Ryder snapped out of it and obediently took a small sip. Agnes looked at him expectantly. ¡°How¡¯s it taste?¡± Ryder didn¡¯t look into Agnes¡¯s eyes, but he still nodded and said softly. ¡°Delicious.¡± Agnes¡¯s mood suddenly improved a lot, You¡¯re the cutest.¡± Ryder blushed and retorted, ¡°Who¡¯s cute?¡± Agnes teased him with a smile, ¡°You look really cute, obedient and cute¡± ¡°I¡¯m not Oscar¡± You¡¯re even cuter than Oscar¡± Agnes enjoyed teasing Ryder more and more, mainly because seeing his usually icy face imitated was a pleasure. At this moment, a tall figure had been standing at the door for a while¡­ Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Jared didn¡¯t step inside. He just stood at the entrance for a while and then tumed around and left Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After leaving the hospital, Agnes went straight to school. As soon as she got there, she heard a group of girls gossiping. ¡°Have you heard that Cecile was expelled from school?¡± ¡°For real? Cecile is the mayors daughter. She has been domineering in the school, causing many problems, but the principal¡¯s been tuming a blind eye. Did she really get expelled?¡± ¡°Yup, it¡¯s true. It¡¯s not known which powerful person she offended, but she¡¯s been fired ¡°That¡¯s really good news! The queen bee of the school¡¯s mean girls got expelled. Guess the rest will have to toe the line now.¡± Agnes, hearing all this, was a bit puzzled. Cecile got expelled? Why? At lunch, Agnes mentioned it to Kerri Kerri said. ¡°It might be Jared¡¯s doing I gotta tell you something. The stage copse at the school festival wasn¡¯t an ident. Someone used sulfuric acid to corrode the material of the stage which caused the stage to copse¡± Agnes was shocked. ¡°Who would be so vicious?¡± If someone had gotten hit by the steel frame of the stage, it could have been fatal. If someone did it on purpose, that¡¯s murder. Kemi continued. ¡°I heard the acid was in a timed device. The culprit could control the time. And the stage copsed when you were on it. So, who in this school hates you enough to do something so vicious?¡± ¡°Cecile?¡± Agnes couldn¡¯t believe it. There was a lot of conflict between her and Cecile, but Agnes couldn¡¯t believe that degile would want to kill her. Kerri went on, ¡°So, Cecile getting expelled is a good thing She has always harbored malice towards you, plus she lost a bet to you before. Fortunately, she was expelled, otherwise we don¡¯t know what she will do in the future.¡± Agnes was still a bit dazed. ¡°So I think Jared had something to do with Cecile being expelled. She¡¯s a mean girl who tried to frame his wife and hurt his nephew, Mr. Whitfield wouldn¡¯t stand for that¡± Heanng Kern talk like that, Agnes started taking it more seriously She wanted to ask Jared what was going on when she got home But she didn¡¯t expect him to be off to Japan on a business trip. The day he came back was the same day Ryder was discharged from the hospital. Ryder was discharged in the afternoon and came home for dinner. Everyone at home already knew. Tim was very worried, and Alyssa came back early from Paris. Thankfully, Ryder was recovering well. He could walk freely now. Jared was away on business for a week. He rarely left for this long. Agnes spent every day counting the hours. Eventually, she couldn¡¯t help but ask Jared¡¯s secretary about his schedule. The day Jared came back, Agnes went to the airport to wait for him. The ne was dyed Jared didn¡¯t arrive until the evening Agnes greeted him with a big smile and an enthusiastic hug ¡°Jored looked surprised ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I asked Leo about your schedule I wanted to surprise you¡± ¡°Jpred sounded indifferent. ¡°We¡¯re in public, we should behave. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Agnes was taken aback She didn¡¯t understand why Jared was so cold all of a sudden. Every time she came back frorn a trip, she¡¯d go to pick him up and he¡¯d always be happy Jared took a few steps, saw that Agnes was still standing there, and turned and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you Agnes responded and rushed to catch up. Maybe he¡¯s just too tired, Agnes thought Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Once they got in the car. Agnes had been secretly watching Jared¡¯s expression. Jared looked really wiped out All Agnes wanted to do was to cheer him up This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She said, ¡°Jared, Ryder got discharged from the hospital today. I cooked dinner myself.¡± Hearing that name, Jared frowned, opened his eyes, his voice cold as ice, I know¡± Agnes bit her lip gently. ¡°I ordered a cake for Ryder. We can pick it up in a bit.¡± Jared¡¯s fingers twitched slightly, his voice still icy, ¡°Alright, After getting the cake, Agnes got back into the car all excited, telling Jared. The owner of the bakery also gave me a bouquet of lilies. Ryder was discharged from the hospital. Today is just the nght gift for him.¡± ¡°Agnes, you were too involved in that scene.¡± Jared suddenly said. Agnes was puzzled What shocked her was not what Jared said, but his expression. His face was as cold as an ice sculpture, and his eyes, they were like icy daggers, radiating a cold glow. Agnes, as if she didn¡¯t catch on for a moment, asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± A trace of mockery appeared on Jared¡¯s face, ¡°Ryder, Ryder, how many times do you need to say this name every day? Agnes, please recognize your identity. He¡¯s not Romeo and you¡¯re not Juliet. Please show some self-awareness as my wife.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t understand. It took her a while to finally catch on Disbelief filled Agnes¡¯s eyes. ¡°Jared, what do you think I am?¡± What was Jared implying? He actually suspected her of having an affair with Ryder. While Jared was away on a business trip, they would call each other every night. Agnes did mention Ryder, but that¡¯s because he¡¯s Jared¡¯s nephew, and someone he cares about a lot. Agnes was just updating Jared on Ryder¡¯s health condition to put him at ease She didn¡¯t expect Jared to think this way. Anger welled up in Agnes out of nowhere, on top of that, she felt it was incredibly ridiculous and absurd. Her and Ryder, how could that even be possible? But Agnes still tried to keep herselfposed and exined, ¡°I think you got the wrong idea. Ryder and I are just friends, plus, he¡¯s your nephew. I¡¯ve always seen him as my nephew too.¡± Jared¡¯s fingers clenched tightly. He got a wrong idea? What he saw with his own eyes could not be wrong. Ryder was someone he watched grown up and he had been acting strangetely. Jared knew that Agnes was innocent and probably didn¡¯t do it on purpose. But he vented the frustration he had been holding back for days on her anyway. Jared pinched the bridge of his nose, his voice extremely lined, ¡°Keep your distance from him from now on. The Whitfield family¡¯s reputation is good, and I don¡¯t want it ruined because of you two.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t respond But her heart ached as if it was being stabbed with a knife The Whitfield family¡¯s reputation can¡¯t be ruined because of the two of them? Has Jared already concluded that they¡¯re having an affair? Agnes remembered when she was framed by Jenny, and everyone misunderstood her only Jared trusted her unconditionally -But now The car smoothly pulled up to the Whitfield Manor Jared and Agnes got out of the car The lights of the Whitfield Manor were still shining bright Yet Agnes suddenly felt a chill Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Once they stepped inside, the butler took Jared¡¯s coat and said, ¡°Jared, Ms. Pritchard, Tim, and Alyssa are all waiting for you in the dining room.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Ryder?¡± Jared asked. ¡°The young master just got home and should be in the dining room as well, the butter replied. Jared nodded in response, and then headed upstairs toward the dining room. Agnes was silent carrying a cake and trailing behind Jared This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She had forgotten about the lily flowers gifted by the cake shop owner and didn¡¯t bring them inside. Alyssa lit up when she saw Jared, gently touched his face, and said with a frown, Jared, why did you lose so much weight?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t lose weight just been out of town on a business trip,¡± Jared replied Alyssa stared at him for a moment before saying. ¡°You definitely lost weight. You¡¯ve always been a picky eater, you surely didn¡¯t eat well while out. Next time, I¡¯ll send our chef with you, so I won¡¯t have to worry¡± Jared responded with a helpless smile, ¡°I was on a business trip, not a vacation¡± Then he changed the subject, asking, ¡°What did you make for dinner today?¡± ¡°I made fish and chips, roast chicken, grilled lobster, and spaghetti bolognese, all your favorites, Alyssa replied with a smile. The Whitfield family actually had a dedicated chef who would prepare a vy of dishes, mostly high- end seafood and imported ingredients. But these home-style dishes were rare treats Alyssa turned to Agnes and said, ¡°Jared once had spaghetti bolognese at a restaurant in another city and has been craving it ever since. I hired many chefs to make it, but he always said it wasn¡¯t the real spaghetti bolognese, just regr noodles. I had no choice but to go to that city and learn how to cook it myself. Jared is really picky.¡± Agnesughed and said. ¡°You¡¯re really good to Jared.¡± Alyssa looked at Jared with a loving smile, ¡°Of course, he¡¯s my beloved little brother That¡¯s when Agnes noticed Ryder sitting at the dining table, his gaze fixed on Alyssa His eyes seemed to show a hint of ustomed loneliness. Despite her short stay at the Whitfield Manor, Agnes had noticed this. Alyssa seemed to care more for Jared than for Ryder, whether in how often she talked to him, or fixing his attire before they went out. And Jared acted like a child around Alyssa. But Alyssa¡¯s care for Ryder was significantly less obvious, not that she didn¡¯t care, hut she wasn¡¯t as expressive. Perhaps it was because Ryder was always cold and distant, as if he rejected everyone Agnes handed the cake to Ryder, saying, ¡°Congrats on your discharge. This cake is my gift to you.¡± ¡°Thanks¡± Ryder replied. During dinner, only Tim, Alyssa, and Jared were talking Ryder didn¡¯t say a word. And the usually lively Agnes was unusually quiet, just eating silently. Alyssa noticed Agnes¡¯s change in mood and asked, ¡°Agnes, what¡¯s wrong? Is something bothering you?¡± ¡°No. Im just thinking about some things, Agnes quickly denied Jared casually said, ¡°Agnes and I are nning to move out tonight.¡± Agnes suddenly looked up at Jared ¡°Why are you moving out?¡± Tim asked, puzzled. Alyssa said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they don¡¯t always have to stay with us. Jared is newly mamed, let him enjoy his newlywed life. It¡¯s okay for them to move out, as long as they visit us often.¡± Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Agnes didn¡¯t utter a single word the whole time, but she was very sad. Jared was nning to move out. She felt like he was convinced she and Ryder were having a secret affair After dinner, Agnes didn¡¯t want to stay in her room. She was feeling way too suffocated So, she went out to the yard There was a marble bench in the yard. Agnes sat down, stanng nkly at the night sky. Oscar came over and nudged Agnes¡¯s ankle with his nose. Agnes looked down, giving Oscar¡¯s fluffy head a pat ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Agnes had no idea how long she¡¯d been sitting there Suddenly, a cold voice came from behind her. Agnes turned her head and it was Ryder. Agnes suddenly stood up. For some reason, she was feeling a little nervous. Probably because she knew Jared had misinterpreted their rtionship, Agnes was feeling a bit ufortable. Agnes gave a small smile: ¡°Nothing, just hanging out with Oscar Ryder also came over, squatted down, patted Oscar, and asked, ¡°I was asking about you and Jared, what¡¯s up?¡± Agnes didn¡¯t expect Ryder to ask that Agnes tried to sound as normal as possible: We¡¯re fine, why do you ask?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°I can tell, he¡¯s not in a good mood¡± Actually, Jared was acting no different from usual, Agnes had no idea how Ryder noticed. But she would definitely not tell Ryder about Jared misunderstanding their rtionship. That would be way too awkward. Agnes tried to change the subject: ¡°You seem to know him pretty well.¡± + + 1 ¡± . * N 14 . ¡± + . 4 * ¡± ¡± 17 ¡± A ** 4 ¡± ¡± ¡± ? * * ¡± ¡± 1 Th ¡± L 1 4 . ¡± Ryder was silent for a moment: ¡®I¡¯ve always looked up to him since I was a kid, he¡¯s amazing, able to support the Tim Group since he was 17. He¡¯s a genius, but I¡¯m not. No matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t catch up to him. Tim and Alyssa always only have eyes for him.¡± Agnes was surprised Such a cold person would actually say something like that. At Lakeside College, he was seen as a genius by others, the best student in the medical school. Why would he think like that? Agnes suddenly felt that Ryder had been living in Jared¡¯s shadow since he was a child, and the psychological pressure must be great. ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have topare yourself to him. You¡¯re you, not anyone else. Why do you have to ¡°Because I don¡¯t want my mom to always only say good night to him, remind him to eat on time, pack his luggage, bring him gifts, always only have eyes for him.¡± When Ryder said this, there was no jealousy, but a deep sense of sadness and helplessness. Agnes didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. The two just sat in silence, with Oscar sniffing around their feet. ¡°Ryder¡± a cold voice came from behind. Agnes and Ryder both turned around. Jared came over, holding a gift box in his hand, handed it to Ryder: ¡°This is a gift for you.¡± Every time he came back from a business trip, Jared would bring him a gift. Ryder opened the gift box, inside was a car key. Jared exined, ¡°You¡¯re about to graduate, I thought you might need a car. This car was ordered overseas, it can be delivered to the house in a month. It¡¯s just a regr car, because you¡¯re about to start your internship at the hospital, and the luxury cars we have at home are too conspicuous. I hope your first luxury car is bough: with your own sry¡± The Whitfield family¡¯s underground garage was filled with many cars, but they were all very expensive luxury cars Ryder said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Jared was silent for a moment, and then said, ¡°Actually, Agnes helped me choose this gift. If it wasn¡¯t for her, I might not have thought of it. You should thank her.¡± Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Suddenly, the garden became so quiet it was deafening. Agnes furrowed her brow at Jared What on earth was Jared talking about? She had never brought up the topic of the car. Why was he saying all this? Ryder stayed silent for a while, and just said lightly: ¡°thanks¡±. Then Jared spoke again. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you regard Agnes as your aunt. Do you think that Agnes is not from our family?¡± Agnes finally understood that Jared was forcing Ryder, so he said what he said just now on purpose. This made Agnes very angry Firstly, Jared knew damn well that Ryder was older than her and they were ssmates. She disliked pressing him as a rtive. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. This was the reason for their estrangement before, and now that their rtionship was a little better, Jared brought up the subject again. Secondly, Agnes knew Jared was just trying to remind her that she and Ryder were now family. She should always keep her distance from him. The words seemed to be directed at Ryder, but they were probably meant for her Jared still didn¡¯t trust her!! Anger ignited in Agnes¡¯ heart! Jared¡¯s gaze, however, was fixed on Ryder. His words were far from confrontational, even apanied by a faint smile. But Ryder was as indifferent as an ice sculpture, he stood there quietly without speaking. ¡°Why won¡¯t you talk to Agnes? Jared asked nonchntly. Ryder remained silent, his expression unreadable. But after spending some time together, Agnes had gotten to know him. This boy was the same as Jared, the more expressionless and calm he was, the more agitated his heart was. They didn¡¯t easily express emotions on their expressions, but it didn¡¯t mean they were emotionless From Agnes point of view, Jared was bullying Ryder by doing this. He clearly knew Ryder¡¯s character, and he also knew that Pyder cared about her identity. He already felt that he was not valued at home, his mother and grandfather only loved Jared, and now Agnes suddenly came. However, Jared was still forcing him, forcing him to ept the fact that Agnes was his elder, that is, forcing him to lower his status in this family by another level. For Ryder, it was brutall Ryder still refused to speak or even meet Jared¡¯s gaze. He just lowered his head and pinched the car key box with his fingers. ¡°Why won¡¯t you ept it? Have you never acknowledged Agnes as your aunt in your heart? Ryder, what are you thinking?¡± ¡°Enough, Jared! You¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Agnes said suddenly Agnes felt that it was too much to bear. He doubted her, and now he doubted Ryder. What a cold man Ryder was, didn¡¯t he know that? It was originally apletely fabricated thing, but he wanted to let everyone know, make everyone felt dissatisfied? How would she face Ryder, how would she face everyone in the family? Jared¡¯s gaze darkened, his expression turning icy Agnes shoved Jared aside and turned straight into the house. Jared stood there for a moment, then turned and entered the house too. Only Ryder was left standing where he was, staring at the bright light in the room, and Jared catching up with Agnes¡¯s back¡­ Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Ryder recalled, the first time he heard the name Agnes, was on the third day of military training after enrolling in university. At that time, he had juste back from abroad and was still not used to domestic life and jetg The scorching summer, the high-intensity military training, and what was worse, he ran into a very strict officer. Back then, military training wasn¡¯t divided by majors or sses. It was random, each group consisting of sixty people from different majors and sses. In order to test their endurance, the officer would always make them stand in the zing sun for half an hour before lunch every day when the sun was at its strongest He was not feeling well in those few days, but kept pushing through When he felt that he was about to fail and the world in front of him began to be blurred, someone next to him suddenly handed him a bottle of mineral water The girl¡¯s voice was clear and pleasing to the ear, ¡°Hey, boy, this is for you.¡± He strained his eyes to look at the person next to him, only to see a face that made his heartbeat race. She handed him a bottle of mineral water and said softly, ¡°Drink it, but don¡¯t let the officer see you.¡± Ryder took the water bottle, which had clearly been drunk from before. He was a germaphobe, not liking to use things that others had touched, let alone water that someone else had drunk. However, at that moment, he didn¡¯t mind at all. He opened the bottle and took a big gulp, and the world in front of him gradually became clear. From that day on, he began to pay attention to this girl. Unfortunately, just as they were about to get to know each other, they were separated into different training groups due to re-grouping. But he still often saw her. For instance, during breaks, she liked to sit under the basketball hoop on the yground with a group of friends, chatting, and sometimes even sneaking some snacks That summer, the temperature was unusually high When everyone was sitting on the ground, exhausted after training, she could always be seen handing out bottles of mineral water to the people around her. He wasn¡¯t good at making friends, but he still learned her name from others. Agnes¨C That summer was long, hot, and suffocating But that name was like a block of ice in the summer heat, making him feel cool and refreshed every time he thought of it. In the following years, he hardly ever spoke to Agnes, but he knew everything about her She was a journalism student, loved eating at the second cafeteria. She spent most of her weekends in the library, and at nine-thirty every night, she would run ap around the yground before going to bed¡­ And her boyfriend, named Elton Taylor. He had been quietly paying attention to this girl, but she seemed unaware of his existence. Jared once told him, ¡°If you look at a girl and your heart races at first sight, if you feel like you¡¯ve been electrocuted and can¡¯t stop trembling, then, that girl is your true love.¡± However, by the time he realized this, she had already be Jared¡¯s girl. But his memory was still stuck in that summer, her crisp voice, ¡°Hey, boy¡­ Agnes had already returned to the house, and Jared followed her in. They started arguing, and Alyssa, seeing this, walked over Agnes saw Alyssaing and stopped arguing with Jared. Alyssa asked, ¡°What¡¯s up with you two, why the fight?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Agnes didn¡¯t answer, but Jared said. ¡°We¡¯re leaving¡± He grabbed Agnes hand and started heading out. Agnes walked along, trying to shake off Jared¡¯s grip as they went. Chapter 217 Chapter 217 There was obviously some beet between them, and just then, Ryder walked in. Alyssa noticed that Ryder¡¯s mood was off too. She called out to him a few times, but he seemed not to hear and went straight upstairs. Alyssa frowned. Once they got in the car, Agnes didn¡¯t say a word, and Jared looked pretty grim. Finally, Agnes couldn¡¯t hold back and asked, ¡°Jared, why did you say those things? You don¡¯t trust me at all. How am I supposed to face Ryder now? What do you think he¡¯s going to think?¡± Jared suddenly mmed on the brakes, and the car came to a stop by the roadside Jared said coldly. ¡°How can I trust you when you¡¯re always thinking about him?¡± Agnes was taken aback, ¡°I¡¯m not thinking about him, I just don¡¯t understand why you think that. What have I done to make you think there¡¯s some ambiguous rtionship between Ryder and me? you suspect me, you should at least have some proof. You can¡¯t just use me for no reason¡± Agnes thought she and Jared had been together long enough. He shouldn¡¯t be the jealous type, nor get mad over trivial stuff, it was just beyondprehension. What on earth made Jared misunderstand her? ¡°Evidence, do I still need evidence? Isn¡¯t everything you¡¯ve been doingtely the best evidence?¡± Agnes was furious. What on earth had she done wrong? seemed like Jared was just randomly using her. His attitude now was cold and firm, as if he was absolutely certain. It was as if no matter what Agnes said, he wouldn¡¯t believe her. And why should she exin something that never happened? Suddenly, Agnes didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. She felt an indescribable unfairness. ¡°Jared, I don¡¯t want to exin to you anymore. I am clear about what I¡¯ve done, and no matter what I say, you won¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡®Agnes, from today onwards, you¡¯re not allowed to get close to Ryder.¡± Jared said coldly after a few seconds of silence. What chilled Agnes was that his tone was almost a waming H Getting close to Ryder? N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. So, Jared not only thought they were flirting, but also that she was the one initiating it? Or did he think she was trying to seduce him? Yes, since he thought there was a problem between them, and Ryder was so aloof and wouldn¡¯t approach her. There was only one possibility, that she was the one approaching Ryder, actively seducing Ryder. Agnes thought this was just ridiculous. Agnes almost yelled out, ¡°Jared, I¡¯m not as bad as you think!¡± With that, Agnes opened the car door and got out. Jared didn¡¯t catch up Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Agnes kept running after getting off the car, and finally stopped beside a bus stop. She couldn¡¯t hold back the tears any longer. Why was this happening? Agnes didn¡¯t get it. She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. She sat on the bench for a long while, deciding not to go back. The sight of Jared¡¯s suspicious gaze was like a sharp knife cutting into her. She didn¡¯t want to go home either Beatrice was waiting tough at her misery and she couldn¡¯t just roll over and let her win. Agnes checked her phone and finally decided to call Kerr. In less than 20 minutes, Kerr showed up They had a short chat and then left together. Meanwhile, a ck Maybach was parked not far from the bus stop. The man inside had a gloomy face, lighting up a cigarette He lit it up but didn¡¯t take a puff, just letting it burn down to the stub before lighting another one. The car was filled with smoke and the smell of tobo. Jared wasn¡¯t really fond of the smell. But the slightly bitter scent seemed to calm him down. Why did he say those hurtful things to her? Even Jared thought he was aplete fool He knew she was innocent and he should have protected her more. That was what hismon sense was telling him. But every time he saw Agnes with Ryder, it felt like a snakebite to his heart. He overheard their conversation Ryder had never spoken that way to his family before. Jared only realized then that Ryder had his own share of troubles and dilemmas. What bothered Jared was that Agnes was the first one to break through Ryder¡¯s defenses. Jared knew the gravity of the situation. Ryder was simr to him in many ways, once they fell, it was hard to let go. But each time, Agnes would insist there was nothing special between her and Ryder, which frustrated N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Jared. What a blockhead! Couldn¡¯t she see it? Jared wasn¡¯t doubting Agnes, but he was beginning to doubt himself. Ryder was his nephew, cold on the outside but warm inside. He and Agnes went to the same school, they were the same age, they had things to talk about. And Agnes was still somewhat reserved around him. But with Ryder, it was different. Agnes was more outgoing, joking with him, teasing him. It made Jared feel that Agnes was more at ease with Ryder, more herself. For the first time, Jared realized that even he could feel jealousy, and it was driving him crazy. Agnes got in the car with Kerri, her mind elsewhere the entire ride. Finally, Agnes noticed the car had stopped at Maplewood Manor and Kerri had already exited the vehicle. ¡°Why did you bring me here? I don¡¯t want to go home. That¡¯s why I called you, Agnes asked after getting out of the car But then Agnes considered that Kem was a boarding student and the single beds at school were really cramped. There was no way two people could fit. If she had known, she would have just found a spot in the school library to stay for the night. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Kerr said. ¡°Who said anything about going home? I¡¯ve moved out this semester and I¡¯m living here now.¡± Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Agnes looked surprised. ¡°You live here too?¡± Kem answered, ¡°I told you I¡¯m married, this house is our new home. We bought it two years ago but haven¡¯t lived in it until recently. I moved here to find a quiet ce because of some stuff going on at home¡± Agnes just hummed in response and followed Kerri into the house Even though they lived in the samemunity, there was still some distance between the houses. All the houses in thismunity were detached houses with gardens. Each house was surrounded by tall trees and had its own driveway. They didn¡¯t bother each other, and the privacy was great. So Agnes, who had been living here for a long time, had hardly ever seen her neighbors. All these houses were fully booked before they were built. The developers would contact the homeowners before starting construction and design the houses ording to their preferences. So each house had its own characteristics, there was no uniformity. Jared¡¯s house was designed to be simple and low-key, but Kerr¡¯s house was quite luxurious Seeing Agnes standing at the door in shock, Kerri exined, ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, my husband¡¯s a rich kid, he designed this house.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°I think it¡¯s great. Your husband may be a rich kid, but at least he¡¯s talented. But Kerr, This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. who did you marry? You never told me¡± Agnes was clearly curious She knew a bit about the distinguished families in the Capital. Anyone who could afford a house in Maplewood Manor was surely not ordinary She might even know them. Kerri sighed, ¡°Do you want to meet him? He¡¯s inside, you¡¯ll know once you go in.¡± Agnes was surprised ¡°So you¡¯re living here with him.¡± Kern quickly said, ¡°No, he got kicked out of his house and has been freeloading off me.¡± Kem sounded angry, but her face turned red. She turned around and went into the house ¡± 1 4 474 ¡± 4 16 Suddenly. Agnes felt that Kem¡¯s marriage might not be as simple as she thought, there might be some stories. Although Agnes felt that this was Kerri and her husband¡¯s private space, and she might disturb them by man¡¯s voice from upstairs ¡°Kerr, where did you go sote? Did you go see that little bastard again?¡± 15 ¡± Kerri snapped back: ¡°Is there anyone in this world who¡¯s a bigger bastard than you? You came uninvited, eating my food, drinking my drinks, do you have the face to talk about others?¡± ¡°I bought this house¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯ve forgotten, you gave this house to me two years ago. You said it was mypensation after our divorce, now the name on the property deed is mine¡± The man slowly approached, trapping her between the stair railings, his tone vague Kern, you¡¯re thinking strangely. We¡¯re not divorced yet.¡± The man¡¯s lips were about to touch hers¡­ Cough cough cough¡­. Agnes couldn¡¯t help but cough a few times. Why did she see this as soon as she walked in? Kem immediately pushed the man in front of her away. The man finally noticed that there was another girl who came back with Kerri She was standing under the stairs, covered byrge green nts, so he didn¡¯t pay attention for a while. But when he recognized her face, tho man eximed in surprise, ¡®Agnes?¡± Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Agnes waspletely taken aback because the man standing in front of her was Brayden Simonds! So¡­ so¡­ Kerri was the adopted daughter of the Simonds family, the one everyone in town knew about but no one had ever actually seen? Agnes could hardly believe it. Kemi had already walked up to Agnes, looking a little surprised she asked. ¡°You guys know each other?¡± Agnes nodded. ¡°I went to his birthday party once with Jared.¡± Kem frowned, ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs, don¡¯t mind him ¡± Halfway up, they were stopped by Brayden who looked like he¡¯d just had a bath, weaning a grey bathrobe. His hair was wet and his face was somewhat stern. He said to Kerr, ¡°What on earth is going on?¡± Kerri replied, ¡°Brayden, Agnes is my friend, she will be staying here temporarily, it¡¯s none of your business. Also, you better not snitch or I¡¯ll toss your stuff out¡± Brayden frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t be so stubborn, you¡¯re making things difficult for me.¡± Brayden turned to Agnes ¡°Agnes, is it okay for you to spend the night outside like this? Does Jared know you¡¯re here?¡± Agnes looked a bit scared, ¡°Am I disturbing you guys? Maybe I should just go Agnes could tell. Although Kerri and Brayden seemed to bicker all the time, they were husband and wife living under the same roof. What their rtionship was exactly, was hard to say. Her being here, would inevitably cause disturbances. But Kem grabbed Agnes¡¯s hand, ¡°Where would you go if you leave now? Don¡¯t mind him, it¡¯s my house, you can stay as long as you want.¡± With that she dragged Agnes upstairs. Brayden frowned and went back to his own room. Kem prepared a guest room, fully equipped. She brought over some new clothes, ¡°You¡¯re about my size, you can wear my clothes for now¡± Agnes still felt a bit awkward, ¡°I¡¯m still causing you trouble.¡± ¡°What trouble? You have no idea how happy I am to have you here. I can¡¯t stand Brayden, living under the same roof with him is driving me crazy¡± Agnesughed, ¡°Do you really dislike him that much?¡± Kerri quickly said, ¡°Absolutely, we¡¯re like oil and water, we can¡¯t be together for more than three minutes without fighting¡± Agnesughed, ¡°But when he tried to kiss you just now, you didn¡¯t dodge¡± ¡°Well¡­ I was caught off guard. Normally, I would¡¯ve fought with him.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, no more excuses. Actually, Brayden is a nice guy. He¡¯s Jared¡¯s friend. I¡¯ve heard Jared mention him before. He may seem a bit wild on the outside, but he¡¯s not a yer At hisst birthday party, even though there were lots of beautiful women, none of them were by his side¡± Kerri said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to defend him. Anyway, there¡¯s no future for us, we¡¯ll be getting a divorce soon¡± Agnes didn¡¯t know much about their situation, so she couldn¡¯t offer any advice. Was there a secret behind their peaceful mamage? Agnes sighed deeply, ¡°Anyway, thank you for letting me stay here¡± ¡°Just rx and make yourself at home. But I can¡¯t guarantee that Brayden won¡¯t tell Jared ¡± When Herri mentioned Jared, Agnes¡¯ eyes darkened N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 ¡°Why did you guys fight? Was there a misunderstanding?¡± Kerri asked. Agnes endured the gnevance in her heart and told the whole story. After hearing the story, Kerri couldn¡¯t believe it: ¡°It¡¯s too much for him to doubt you and Ryder What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Having it all out in the open, Agnes felt a lot better But she was disappointed, and she fell on the sofa and didn¡¯t want to move: ¡°Men are not reliable. Kerri also said: ¡°There is no good man in the world¡± ¡°Exactly¡± Brayden had just changed and passed by the door of the guest room. The door was ajar, and he happened to overhear their conversation. A smirk tugged at his lips, almost bursting intoughter. Then he jingled his car keys, heading straight down to the garage: The 99th floor office of the Tim Group Upon opening the door, Brayden saw Jared standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, his back turned, looking lonely. Brayden strolled over, plonked himself down in Jared¡¯s office chair, tossed his car keys on the desk, spun the chair around and sighed, ¡°Being the boss is no pic. Workingte into the night, it¡¯s not as cushy as my life¡± Jared turned around at this, nced at Brayden, and said dryly. ¡°Your carefree days are numbered. I hear your brother is thriving at the Simonds Group. Has Madeleine Simonds taken a liking to him? Just wait, soon enough you¡¯ll be called to work at the Simonds Group.¡± The Simonds family might not have many heirs, but their connections wereplex Madeleine, a widow from a young age, single-handedly managed the massive Simonds Group. She had one son, Jadeon Simonds However, Jadeon fell for a divorcee with a child, Lavinia. After much dispute with Madeleine, he finally married Lavinia and brought along her child. Raised in the Simonds family, the child changed his name to Kent Simonds under Jadeon¡¯s guidance. He¡¯s Brayden¡¯s half-brother, five years his senior, but not rted by blood to the Simonds family Brayden and Kent didn¡¯t get along, and Madeleine wasn¡¯t fond of this ¡°grandson.¡± However, after a tragedy struck the Simonds family and Jadeon and his wife died in a ne crash, leaving Madeleine devastated, she reluctantly let Kent handle the business and began training him. Brayden was young then, and Madeleine was running out of steam. Her original intention was to groom an assistant for Brayden, but to her surprise, Kent had gained significant influence in thepany over the years. This raised Madeleine¡¯s hackles Even though he was considered part of the Simonds family, Madeleine would never hand over the vast Simonds estate to someone not rted by blood. So, recently, she¡¯s been nagging Brayden to start N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. working at thepany Brayden was getting pretty fed up. 4 Jared hit a nerve with hisment. Feeling a bit awkward, Brayden said, ¡°I think it¡¯s good to let him run thepany. He¡¯s the one who¡¯s hard working, and he¡¯s willing to. I just need those shares, getting dividends every year Howfortable this kind of life is! Madeleine just dislikes r me. She forced me to start a family before, now pushing me to inherit the family business. She doesn¡¯t know what my dreams are¡± ¡°What¡¯s your dream?¡± ¡°To be a man of leisure.¡± Jared was speechless Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Brayden looked at Jared¡¯s expression and waved his hand, saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know you may not understand. I didn¡¯te here to talk about my own matters. What are you nning to do about this?¡± Jared¡¯s gaze turned deep. ¡°What exactly are you referring to?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. I just told you over the phone that your wife is currently with my wife. When do you n on going to pick her up?¡± Jared leaned against the window and fell silent for a long time. ¡°Let¡¯s see how the situation unfolds¡± ¡°What exactly happened between you two? You used to be so in love, making us all envious. How did things change so quickly?¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Jared looked at the night scenery outside the window, with car lights flickering like stars Standing there, his inner self was filled with loneliness Jared didn¡¯t respond. There were many things he couldn¡¯t just say casually Brayden started advising him, ¡°You should cherish her and make her unable to leave you. That way, she¡¯ll depend on you and won¡¯t leave. You could try going to pick her up directly, let her rest a bit, and stabilize her emotions¡± Jared turned around, nced at Brayden, and then said, ¡°Nonsense.¡± A faint smirk appeared on Brayden¡¯s lips. ¡°This isn¡¯t nonsense. It¡¯s my valuable experience.¡± Jared rolled his eyes. When Brayden left, Jared still wasn¡¯t convinced by his words. How could someone usually so brilliant be so stubborn when it came to matters of the heart? Agnes ended up living in Kem¡¯s vi. It was close to their home, perhaps only a five-minute walk away. But for Agnes, it felt like the ends of the earth Agnes poured all her energy into her studies, conveniently as she was busy writing her thesis and had no room for other thoughts. Because of their previous campus activities, she and Ryder Whitfield were popr on campus. Agnes didn¡¯t like excessive attention, so she spent most of her time in the library and only returned homete every day. One day, when she came home, she was extremely exhausted and went upstairs without turning on the lights. The stairs and corridor were covered in thick carpets, making no sound as she walked When Agnes reached the master bedroom, she heard noisesing from inside. Unconsciously, Agnes halted her steps. The bedroom door was half-open, with a faint light seeping through the crack. Kerri¡¯s voice was clearly filled with anger. ¡°Brayden, get out!¡± Brayden¡¯s voice carried a hint of frivolity. ¡°If I leave now, will you be willing?¡± Kern was even more furious ¡°Brayden, you¡¯re the most shameless roquel Get out!¡± And themotion inside the room seemed to intensify Brayden¡¯s voice became somewhat hoarse ¡°Kem, you¡¯re my wife, and what I give you, you must ept!¡± Then there was a heavy thud, as if someone inside the room had bumped into something Suddenly, Kerr let out a scream! Agnes sensed that something was wrong Could they have resorted to violence during their argument? So, without hesitation, she pushed the door open.. Agnes had intended to intervene, but upon seeing the scene inside, her face instantly turned red¡­. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 They were actually making love. Agnes immediately turned around, frantically covering her eyes. So, when Kerri said she was going out, she meant. Even though they were covered with a thin nket, she didn¡¯t see much. But the scattered clothes on the floor and those positions, obviously showed their behavior¡­. Agnes really wished she could find a ce to hit her head and get it over with. ¡°Uh, sorry, I¡¯m leaving now, you guys carry on With her eyes covered, Agnes hurriedly rushed out of the room. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. As she reached the door, she bumped into the doorframe because she was covering her eyes, and then she stumbled out of the door. Agnes ran out of the vi all the way to a dimly lit ce in the distance. But her face still felt like it was on fire, and she forcefully pped her own head. Why did she rush in there so impulsively? Too embarrassing, how was she going to face those two in the future? As Agnes walked, she regretted. Agnes walked out step by step along the private driveway of the vi. She didn¡¯t know where to go for a moment. When she reached the gate of themunity, Agnas suddenly felt lost. In such a big city, where should she go? Just then, a car drove from a distance, it was the Maybach she was all too familiar with Two beams of car lights shone directly on her. Agnes wanted to dodge but it was toote. The car had already stopped next to her and the car window slowly rolled down. Inside the car was Jared¡¯s indifferent face. ¡°Get in ¡± She hadn¡¯t seen Jared for several days and there had been no contact between them Jared hadn¡¯t even sent her a text. Agnes knew Jared¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t take the initiative to contact her, but she still subconsciously checked her phone. There was a faint expectation in her heart, but even Agnes didn¡¯t know what she was expecting These days, she had arranged her schedule to be full, busy until ten in the evening before going home. But Jared was like a nightmare she couldn¡¯t escape from, appearing in her mind whenever she had a moment of free time. Agnes felt that if this continued, she would definitely copse. But at this moment, seeing Jared¡¯s face so close, and his familiar indifferent tone, Agnes suddenly found it ironic. These days, she had been struggling in pain and on the verge of copse, but he was still calm and Then what about the pain she had suffered in these past days, and the struggles in her heart? And, for Agnes, this matter hadn¡¯t passed Agnes tried to make herself look as calm as Jared Agnes asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me?¡± Jared looked at Agnes coldly. ¡°No¡± Maybe it was this kind of indifference that made Agnes unbearable, and she turned to leave In the end. Jared got out of the car and caught up with Agnes, grabbing her arm directly: ¡®Agnes, when are you going to stop arguing with me?¡± Agnes looked helpless ¡°Do you think I¡¯m arguing with you? Jared, it¡¯s you who doubted me, ndered me, should I ept your humiliation? Jared, I tell you, this matter is not over¡± Jared¡¯s face had already turned cold: ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Agnes looked at Jared ¡°Unless you apologize to me and to Ryder, otherwise I¡­¡± Before Agnes could finish speaking, Jared turned and left Then she heard the sound of the car engine roaning Jared¡¯s car quickly drove away Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Agnes couldn¡¯t hold back the tears, but she raised her head and tried not to cry. She had been 100 naive, thinking that someone like Jared would actually apologize He had always been a man of divine nobility, so why would he ever admit his mistakes? In his eyes, she was intentionally getting close to Ryder. And now, he had stopped the car to talk to her, but only because he didn¡¯t want to make a scene. She had actually expected him to apologize, and that made him angry enough to leave Agnes stared into the darkness, suddenly feeling a sense of confusion With no money and nowhere to go, she could only return home in the end. When Agnes arrived at the Pritchard family mansion, it was alreadyte at night. Everyone was asleep, so Agnes took out her keys to open the door. However, it wouldn¡¯t budge. Eventually, even the rm went off, waking up Preston and Laura. It was already midnight by then. Preston went downstairs to investigate and was surprised to see Agnes standing at the door. ¡°Agnes, what are you doing here?¡± 4 Beatrice also came down, still groggy and unaware of what was happening. As soon as she saw Agnes, she immediately snapped awake. ¡°I thought we had a burr in the house. Turns out it¡¯s just you.¡± Beatrice emphasized the word ¡°burr¡± with particr emphasis ¡± 4 ¡± 4 A ¡± ¡± ¡± ¡± ¡± ¡± ¡± T ¡± 14 Preston was actually quite pleased. ¡°Come in, it¡¯s freezing outside. Why are you dressed so lightly? And where¡¯s Jared? Did youe back alone?¡± ¡°I think she looks like she got kicked out of the house. Agnes, did you have nowhere else to go, so you came back? Look at you, it¡¯s truly pitiful, Beatrice remarked Preston shot Beatrice a re ¡®Shut your mouth. Can¡¯t you speak nicely to your sister Since Agnes had alreadye back, she had prepared herself, but she didn¡¯t expect the locks on the door to be changed. ¡°Dad, why can¡¯t my key open the door, and why can¡¯t set off the rm?¡± A A L * ¡± ¡± ¡± 4.4 Laura, wearing silk pajamas, also came over. ¡°I changed the locks. We had a break-in before, and I lost a lot of my jewelry. So I changed the locks Agnes, you¡¯ve been away for so long that my new key can¡¯t be given to you¡± Laura¡¯s tone was gentle, even carrying a hint of intimacy, but Agnes never felt it was genuine. When she arrived just now, she found that the main gate of the mansion wasn¡¯t ever locked. 1 4 ¡± If the house had really been burrized, how could they be so careless? However, Agnes understood in her heart, even though she would never expose her Agnes simply replied, ¡°Well then, Ms. Laura, just give me the new key tomorrow.¡± Laura¡¯s expression subtly changed, but her smile remained. ¡°But Agnes, why did youe back so Upon hearing Laura¡¯s words, Preston grew suspicious ¡°Agnes, what¡¯s going on? Are you having a disagreement with Jared?¡± you walk Agnes said, ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip in Japan right now. I just lost the key to Maplewood Manor, so I came back to stay for a few days. You¡¯re probably overthinking things.¡± Laura smiled and said, ¡°If you haven¡¯t had a disagreement, then that¡¯s great Your father and I only hope for a happy married life for you¡± Preston also breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Agnes, it¡¯ste. You should go to bed too.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Agnes nodded and went back to her room. Chapter 225 Chapter 225 As Agnesy in bed, she suddenly felt powerless Her mind was filled with images of Jared¡¯s cold face Her heart felt as heavy as a rock, making it hard for her to breathe. As Agnes rolled over, the door was flung open. Upon seeing the person who walked in with pride, Agnes frowned. ¡°Beatrice Pritchard, it¡¯s basic manners to knock before you enter someone¡¯s room,¡± Agnes remarked. Beatrice crossed her arms and sneered, ¡°Agnes, this is my house. Everything here is mine. You¡¯re just a freeloader. Oh, and by the way, I forgot to tell you, I changed the locks There are only three keys, and none of them are yours.¡± ¡°Beatrice, I¡¯m tired Don¡¯t start trouble or I promise you¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°You gonna hit me? Yeah, right, Agnes I know you¡¯re all badass with your taekwondo but you don¡¯t have the guts to hurt me You¡¯re just living off our dad¡¯s quilt. If you ever hit me, he won¡¯t love you anymore.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t get mad. She was used to Beatrice¡¯s mockery. If she let every little thing get to her, she¡¯d drive herself crazy. Beatnce was a pain in the ass she couldn¡¯t deal with, but she could avoid. Agnes took out her earbuds from under the pillow, plugged them in, and just ignored Heatrice, closing her eyes andying back down. Beatrice went on, ¡°Agnes, did you have a fight with Jared Whitfield? I told you, why would Jared ever be interested in you? You¡¯re so boring. He just found you fresh for a while Tell me, did you guys break up?¡± Beatrice said a lot, but Agnes ignored herpletely Beatrice thought that she had had a fight with Jared because she understood Agnes¡¯s character. Agnes would nevere back to this house unless she was absolutely desperate And she came back today,te at night, no less. It must be because she had nowhere else to go. Agnes had just said that Jared was on a business trip in Japan. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. When Beatrice heard, she smirked inside. She had been keeping track of Jared¡¯s schedule, and he hadn¡¯t been away these past few days. Agnes was lying, and that just confirmed her suspicions. But no matter how much Beatrice pressed, Agnes barely reacted. What Beatrice hated most was Agnes¡¯s haughty demeanor. She stormed over and yanked Agnes¡¯s earbuds out, ¡°Are you deaf? Can¡¯t you hear me when I¡¯m talking to you?¡± Agnes suddenly grabbed Beatrice¡¯s wrist. Her voice was icy, ¡°Give me my earbuds¡± In fact, there was no sound in the earbuds, she had heard every word Beatrice had said. She knew she should ignore Beatrice. But Beatrice kept mentioning Jared, and in the end, she couldn¡¯t hold back her anger. Beatrice¡¯s wrist was held tightly, the pain made her cry out, ¡°Agnes, let go of me, it hurts¡­¡± Agnes suddenly let go, and Beatrice fell to the ground, her right hand shaking uncontrobly from the pain, ¡°Agnes, how could you do this to me.¡± Agnes walked over, picked up her earbuds, and said coldly, ¡°if you don¡¯t leave now, do you want your other hand to get hurt too?¡± Beatrice was furious. Usually, Agnes was very easy-going, no matter how much she insulted her, she would just ignore her. But today, she suddenly got angry. This at least proved one thing, everything she just said was true, so it pissed her off Even though Beatrice¡¯s hand hurt, she felt a sense of joy inside, ¡°Agnes, I won¡¯t hold you responsible. No wonder Jared kicked you out with you acting like this.¡± Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Beatrice stormed off in a huff, leaving Agnes lying in bed, feeling miserable and clueless about what to do next. The next day, being the weekend, Agnes had no school, so she slept in until noon. Apart from grabbing some lunch, she spent the entire day holed up in her room, not venturing outside In the evening, there was a knock on her door, and Agnes assumed it was her nanny Latonia, calling her for dinner. However, to her surprise, it was Beatrice standing there. Beatrice appeared to be in high spirits, a big grin stered on her face as she said, ¡°Agnes, let¡¯s go to the dining room for dinner. My mom cooked today, and she whipped up all your favorite dishes.¡± Agnes nced at Beatrice, her brows furrowed. Beatrice usually didn¡¯t chat her up like this. Something was definitely up And Beatrice looked rather odd today, dressed in a white dress. Her hair, usually wavy, had been straightened, and she wore a lighter, more natural makeup look, which made her look stunningly different. Agnes, although not really in the mood for dinner, sensed that today was somehow special. Beatrice, all smiles, urged Agnes to hurry downstairs where everyone was waiting. Beatnce left, and Agnes, still in her pajamas, hurriedly changed and made her way to the dining room. As she entered, she was taken aback by who she saw sitting at the table it was Jared Jared was engaged in a cheerful conversation with Preston, who had a broad smile on his face. Next to Jared sat Beatrice, who seemed to be deeply involved in the conversation, sweetly addressing him. Agnes felt a pang of surprise and confusion. Beatrice, noticing Agnes, immediately came over and put her arm affectionately around hers, weing her to the table. Despite Beatnce¡¯s smile, Agnes could sense something cunning in her eyes. It became apparent that Beatrice¡¯s earlier sweetness and elegant appearance were all for Jared But why was Jared here in the first ce? Agnes felt like she was being dragged to the table by Beatrice. Preston chided, ¡°Agnes, Jared came over today. Why didn¡¯t you let us know earlier?¡± Beatrice instantly chimed in, ¡°Jared, Agnes mentioned you were on a business trip in Japan. When did youe back?¡± Agnes knew Beatrice would ask something like this. But she didn¡¯t feel guilty, she just looked at Jared N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Jared casually replied, ¡°I just got back from Japan, and came straight here from the airport.¡± Beatrice¡¯s expression froze for a moment. He hadn¡¯t really gone on a business trip to Japan, yet he agreed so naturally. Beatrice said this just to inform Jared that Agnes was lying But instead of exposing the truth, Jared had gone along with her lie. Beatrice¡¯s fingers clenched tightly Laura emerged from the kitchen, beaming, ¡°Agnes, you should ve told us earlier, I could¡¯ve cooked more dishes. It was too rushed today, and I could only whip up some basic ones.¡± Even though she said ¡®basic¡¯, there was a wide variety of dishes on the table. Agnes casually said, ¡°He¡¯s not a head of state or something Treating him like a VIP isn¡¯t that like treating him as family?¡± Laura never saw iting that Agnes would talk back to her. Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Agnes was usually the quiet one, so her sudden rebuttal took everyone by surprise Laura awkwardlyughed it off. ¡°Why are you suddenly butting heads with me? Jared is, of course, family¡± Preston quickly interjected. ¡°Let¡¯s all sit down and have dinner Agnes, please, take a seat Jared just watched Agnes from the sidelines He was seated at the night of the host, Preston. And Beatrice had no qualms about taking the seat on the left. Preston chided, ¡°Heatrice, don¡¯t be so thoughtless. That seat should be for Agnes.¡± Beatrice retorted. ¡°This has always been my spot. I¡¯m used to sitting here¡± Agnes said nothing and took the seat farthest from Jared She didn¡¯t even look at him. She didn¡¯t understand why he had stormed off yesterday and then showed up out of the blue today. What was he here for? Laura quickly changed the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy the meal. Jared, I made this salmon especially for you. I chatted with Agnes before, and she mentioned that this is your favonte¡±. Jared replied indifferently. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Laura.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Laura¡¯s expression faltered when she heard him call her Ms Laura He regarded Preston as his father-inw, but he still called her Ms Laura. Just because Agnes refused to call her mom, he followed suit Agnes just quietly ate her food, unbothered by the drama. Jared spent the dinner chatting with Preston, discussing stocks, financing, and real estate prices. Beatrice kept interrupting, but herments were often ridiculous. Laura served another dish, roasted lobster. The crustacean¡¯s shell was hard and prickly, making it difficult to peel, but it was Beatrice¡¯s favorite dish. She pricked her finger while peeling the lobster, drawing blood Beatrice held out her finger to Jared, ¡°Look, I pricked my finger¡± Jared replied nonchntly, ¡°Put a band-aid on it.¡± Beatrice giggled. ¡°Thanks for your concern.¡± And then Jared started peeling the lobster He chatted with Preston while effortlessly peeling the lobster. Beatrice thought Jared¡¯s movements were graceful. His long fingers, his unhurried movements gave off an indescribable rxed aura. The peeled lobster went into a new te glistening and translucent, and Jared¡¯s fingers remained oil-free. Beatrice couldn¡¯t contain her happiness when she mentioned her pricked finger, and Jared took it upon himself to peel the lobster for her. A sense of anticipation welled up inside her, and the feeling only grew stronger as time passed. After a while, Jared stopped, wiped his hands with a wet napkin, and naturally handed the te to Beatrice It was meant for her, and she was overjoyed, eager to reach out and savor the dish ¡°Thank you Beatrice started to say, but her words were cut short as Jared said nonchntly. ¡°Give it to Agnes¡± In an instant, Beatrice¡¯s face turned pale But Jared gave her a polite smile, ¡°Thank you¡± Beatrice managed a strained smile, ¡°Sure¡± Saying that, she got up and camed the te over to Agnes. Despite trying to control herself, she still mmed the te down in front of Agnes her voice dripping with sarcasm, ¡°Agnes, Jared is so considerate, night? You¡¯re so lucky.¡± Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Beatrice was consumed by envy as she watched Jared hand over a te. In her hopeful excitement, she thought the te might be for her However, Agnes seemed preupied, lost in her thoughts while staring at the shrimp. Jared¡¯s behavior left Agries wondering about his intentions Was he trying to make amends? Alter dinner, Agnes had nned to retreat to her room, but Jared remained on the sofa, engaged in a conversation with Preston Laura approached Agnes and requested her assistance in cutting some fruit, providing her with a task to distract her As Agnes headed to the kitchen, she returned to find Preston had already lefi. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Meanwhile, Beatrice was enthusiastically chatting away beside Jared, and they both seemed engrossed in something Curious, Agnes walked over to see what had captured their attention. To her surprise, Beatrice had brought out an old photo album to share with Jared, who appeared genuinely interested As Agnes rarely took photos, most of the images in the album were from the time when her mom was still alive, and she was just a young girl. But there were a lot of Beatrice¡¯s photos. She always loved to doll herself up. Because Laura also loved photography, most of the photos in the album were of Beatrice. There were only a few photos of Agnes. Beatrice said excitedly. ¡°Look, this is a photo of me when I was five years old. It¡¯s so cute, right? When I was five, my mom took me to shoot advertisements and I was even on the cover of magazines. This is my middle school graduation photo. At that time, I was the prettiest girl in the whole school. And this¡­¡± Beatrice continued talking, but when she finally looked up, she realized that Jared hadn¡¯t been paying any attention to her at all. Instead, he was fully absorbed in examining a picture he held in his hands. The photograph featured Agnes and her mom when Agnes was just five years old, the edges now tinged with yellow from the passage of time. The picture had casually slipped out from the album as they were flipping through its pages, capturing Jared¡¯s interest for an extended penod This discovery filled Beatrice with fury. Had all her efforts to exin herself been in vain? It seemed like she could never manage to capture this man¡¯s attention. Even when they were looking at photos together, his focus was always on Agnes Beatrice quickly flipped through the album. In the end, she found a photo tucked in between pages. Beatrice pulled out the photo and feigned surprise, ¡°How is this photo still here? I thought Agnes threw out all their photos after she broke up with Elton. I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s still one here.¡± Sure enough, Jared¡¯s curiosity was piqued by the name ¡°Agnes He nced at the photo in Beatrice¡¯s hand, and she pretended to be shocked as she spoke, ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to. Agnes and Elton were together for ten years, and their rtionship was very deep. Agnes is a sentimental person, so it¡¯s understandable that she kept a photo of them. Please don¡¯t be mad I think Agnes just wanted to hold onto a memento, and there¡¯s no other meaning behind it¡± Jared¡¯s gaze fixated on the photo, capturing the moment when the boy and girl in the picture leaned their heads together, wearing radiant smiles filled with joy and vitality Agnes, at that time, had a sweet smile resembling a blooming spring flower-bright and dazzling. The boy¡¯s eyes were filled with love as they rested on the girl¡¯s face in the photograph. Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Beatrice couldn¡¯t contain her excitement as she noticed Jared¡¯s face growing more senous. She had luck on her side when, years ago, Agnes was sorting out photos and she managed to secretly keep one for herself. Originally, she had intended to use it as leverage to threaten Agnes, but she hadn¡¯t anticipated its use in this moment With a tinge of regret and nostalgia in her voice, Beatrice began spinning a tale, ¡°You know, Agnes and Elton were victims of a cruel twist of fate. If only her fnend hadn¡¯t stolen Elton away, they might have been married by now. They were incredibly close, Elton used to visit our house frequently, even staying overnight in Agnes¡¯s room when he didn¡¯t go home. We all thought they were destined to be together, but then¡­¡± As expected. Jared¡¯s expression darkened with each passing second. What Beatrice was saying weighed heavily on him, and unbeknownst to her, Agnes was witnessing the whole exchange. What nonsense was Beatrice spewing? Sure, Elton Taylor dide over a lot, but even when he stayed the night, he definitely never slept in her room. Through all these years, from their childish youth to their clueless adolescence, they never crossed any boundaries. Beatrice was just stirning the pot, trying to get Jared¡¯s hackles up. Her rtionship with Jared already had a Ryder Whitfield shaped obstacle, and now there was an Elton too. Agnes scoffed in her mind. Then she walked over, setting the fruit te on the table. She took the photo from Beatrice¡¯s hand. Agnes tore the photo into pieces, then threw them into a nearby trash can. Beatrice was stunned, she even forgot for a second that Jared was right there, yelling but, ¡°Agnes, what the hell are you doing?¡± ¡± A * N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. A It was only after she spoke that she realized Jared was right next to her. She quickly changed her tone, ¡°What are you doing this for? Jared¡¯s not that petty, you don¡¯t have to go to such extremes to prove your innocence. Right, Jared?¡± Beatrice was thrilled seeing this She knew there must be trouble in paradise between Agnes and Jared. Because during dinner, Agnes didn¡¯t say a word Jared was poker-faced, showing no signs of emotional change. But Agnes was a terrible actress, anyone could tell there were issues between the two If not now, when would she have a better chance to stir things up? Agnes said coldly, ¡°Beatrice, it¡¯s none of your business to meddle in our affairs. Do you think he¡¯s some kind of fool to fall for your cheap tricks?¡± After saying that, she turned to Jared, ¡°I need to talk to you.¡± After that, Agnes turned and left. Beatrice was fuming. She didn¡¯t expect Agnes to be so ruthless in clearing up the misunderstanding. She quickly exined to Jared, ¡°Jared, I wasn¡¯t trying to stir things up. She¡¯s just being overly suspicious, always thinking the worst.¡± Jared, however, didn¡¯t pay Beatrice any mind. He followed Agnes straight upstairs. After Agnes entered the room and closed the door, she turned around and asked, ¡°Jared, what are you here for?¡± Jared replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had something to tell me?¡± ¡°Jared, I have nothing to say to you, I just don¡¯t want to see Beatrice stirring up trouble¡± ¡°Why do you care about that troublemaker?¡± Agnes was taken aback So Jared knew what was going on Jared said coldly, ¡°You might not have anything to say to me, but I have something to say to you.¡± Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Agnes was tight-lipped, seemingly waiting for the words to follow. However, Jared stayed silent for a long while without uttering a word Finally, Agnes couldn¡¯t bear it anymore ¡°Spit it out, will you?¡± Jared seemed to heave a sigh: ¡°Agnes, can we stop bickering?¡± ¡°Bickening? Jared, you think I¡¯m the one bickering? You¡¯re the one using me for no reason, you¡¯re the one misunderstanding my rtionship with Ryder, and now you¡¯re saying that I¡¯m the one bickering. Jared, do you really think I¡¯m a pushover? I won¡¯t let this slide. I¡¯ve said it before, this isn¡¯t going to be over so easily!¡± ¡°Ryder likes you!¡± Agnes had just delivered a mouthful of angry words. When Jared bluntly cut her off with a single sentence, Agnes thought she must have heard him wrong. ¡°What did you say?¡± Jared stated clearly: ¡°I said Ryder likes you, as a man likes a woman.¡± Agnes found it unbelievable. + But after a moment of shock, her anger red up even more. ¡°Not only are you ming me, now you¡¯re ming Ryder too? Jared, I¡¯m so disappointed in you. If you¡¯vee here just toy more me on me, then please leave. I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± Jared was angry too. ¡°Agnes, are you deaf or just dumb? You don¡¯t understand a damn thing¡± ¡°Even if I don¡¯t understand anything, it¡¯s better than you using people left and right¡± Agnes was pissed off to the max. ¡± # ¡± + ¨C 1 ¡± . ¡± 16 ¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. First, he said that she was the one chasing after Ryder, now he suddenly says Ryder likes her Agnes replied coldly: ¡°Are you happy only when you think you¡¯ve been betrayed?¡± I¡¯m not your ve, why should I listen to you? I have my own choices and thoughts ¡°So, your choice is to oppose me? Your thoughts are to continue flirting with him?¡± Suddenly, Jared lunged forward, grabbing Agnes¡¯s hand, pinning her against the wardrobe in the next second. Jared¡¯s eyes were icy cold, gripping Agnes¡¯s slender wrist tightly: ¡°Till say it again, Ryder likes you. I don¡¯t care what you think, but from today on, you¡¯re not allowed to flirt with him. You don¡¯t need to understand why, just do as I say ¡° In reality, ever since Jared started thinking this way. Agnes had not seen Ryder at all The school was big, but she still bumped into him asionally. But even when she did, Agnes deliberately avoided him. She always felt a bit ufortable. But she had never actively flirted with Ryder. She hadn¡¯t in the past and she wouldn¡¯t in the future. However, the way Jared spoke, with such a strong tone,pletely disregarded her feelings. He had never trusted her. ¡°Jared, if you¡¯re so sure of yourself, then there¡¯s nothing I can say ¡± Agnes stopped talking too. She turned her head, her chest heaving She could clearly feel Jared¡¯s grip on her arm getting lighter and lighter. The pain in her wrist was like a stab to her heart. Yet Agnes bit her lip, enduring the pain. Jared was even more furious. He couldn¡¯t understand why Agnes couldn¡¯tprehend what he was saying Wasn¡¯t Ryder¡¯s affection for her obvious enough? She was just a little girl, did she understand a man¡¯s heart? Yet she stubbornly believed it was just innocent friendship. If things continued this way, they would only get worse One day, Ryder might not be able to pull himself out, and be his nval in love. Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Seeing Jared, Beatrice immediately beamed, sweetly calling out his name. Jared frowned, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Beatrice was holding a pile of new clothes, ¡°I brought you some clothes. You¡¯ve never stayed at my ce before I noticed you didn¡¯t bring any change of clothes today These are all new, left by Elton, but never worn. You can wear them today¡± Jared¡¯s frown deepened Beatrice felt a thrill of joy She had sensed tension when they went upstairs earlier. Perhaps the photo of Agnes and Elton she had produced in the living room did the trick Now, she deliberately brought a new shirt to further stir the pot, hoping their disagroreent would intensify, possibly even explode today. Seeing Jared¡¯s dark expression, Beatrice entered the room and ced the clothes in conspicuous spot on the bed. TII leave these here, I¡¯ll go now Beatrice womed she might have pushed too far and Jared would resent her, so she left hastily after cing the clothes. She¡¯d said her piece, now it was just a matter of how much they would fight Agnes was stubborn and wouldn¡¯t easily back down. The more people misunderstood her, the less inclined she was to exin. Her pride would surely be her downfall The room suddenly fell silent. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Jared closed the door and locked it, then came over. Agnes rubbed her arm, her voiceced with cold indifference, ¡°You re not nning to stay here tonight, are you?¡± Jared hadn¡¯t brought any clothes and there weren¡¯t any he could change into here. Plus, he was a clean freak, there was no way he would wear the same clothes two days in a row He wasn¡¯t sure where Beatrice had gotten these clothes from to stir the pot But ording to his nature, he wouldn¡¯t wear these clothes whether they belonged to Elton or not His nightclothes at home were custom-made by top Italian tailors, time-consuming and expensive. Such a man who demanded high standards in life would hardly settle for these ¡°rough clothes¡±. Jared looked at Agnes. ¡°You in a rush to get rid of me?¡± Agnes felt exasperated, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Are you going to wear these clothes?¡± Jared casually picked up a shirt from the bed, clearly disliking it, ¡°Your ex-boyfriend had terrible taste, to actually wear something like this out.¡± Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Agnes murmured. This isn¡¯t his shirt. He never wears blue.¡± Jared¡¯s face darkened even more, ¡°So you still remember his preferences, huh?¡± Agnes had noeback. This guy was a pro at arguing. ¡°I was just pointing out that it¡¯s not his shirt. If you don¡¯t mind, you can wear it.¡± ¡°I do mind¡± Agnes was taken aback, ¡°Then go home, I don¡¯t have any clothes here for you to change into.¡± ¡°Agnes, you should know, the more you want me to leave, the less I¡¯m going to.¡± Agnes felt exhausted, she wasn¡¯t really thinking that. ¡°Suit yourself then, I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡± Agnes grabbed some clothes from the wardrobe and went into the bathroom. After she went in, Agnes hesitated for a moment, but she decided to lock the bathroom door When Agnes emerged from her room, she found Jared sitting on the single sofa, arms crossed, emanating an aura of indifference. His face had grown even colder than before, leaving Agnes perplexed about what could have happened. Suddenly, Jared¡¯s voice pierced through the tense silence, sounding cold and distant ¡°Agnes, do you see me as a bad guy? Caught off guard, Agnes was taken aback and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean¡± Jared pressed on, his tone still icy. ¡°Why did you lock the bathroom door before you took a shower?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. As Agnes continued to dry her hair, she paused for a moment, trying to grasp the situation. Then, she nonchntly responded, ¡°You knew I was taking a shower, so why did you attempt to open the door? I locked it just to keep the creeps out.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying I¡¯m a creep?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that, you said it yourself.¡± Jared was pissed, he got up and walked towards Agnes. Agnes felt an unexined sense of danger. Before she could react, she was already in Jared¡¯s arms. Agnes instinctively wrapped her arms around Jared¡¯s neck. 447-4 1 TH But she quickly let go of him, ¡°Jared, what are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Since youbeled me a bad guy, I cant let that title go to waste, can I?¡± ¡± ¨C + The next second, Agnes found herself pinned down on the bed, as Jared¡¯s passionate kiss descended upon her His touch on her smooth skin made Jared tremble with emotion Agnes had a faint, intoxicating scent. The longing Jared felt for her was immeasurable Dunng the days they were apart, Jared felt unlike himself. Agnes¡¯s face constantly appeared in his mind, even as he toiledte into the night, exhausted from work. Yet, every night when he returned, sleep eluded him. He felt an emptiness beside him, as though something crucial was missing. In just a few months, Agnes had be an integral part of Jared¡¯s life, deeply ingrained like a habit. To make matters worse, he even dreamed of her. Waking up in the middle of the night and seeing the empty space beside him, Jared could only feel a dull ache in his chest He had thought a lot during these days. He knew he had lost his senses this time. If it were anyone else, he wouldn¡¯t have cared. Whether it was her first love Elton orter Justin He had never felt such pain before Because I was Ryder, his beloved nephew since childhood, the person he owed the most in his life. Whenever Jared thought of these, he felt an unbearable pain in his heart Long and passionate kisses seemed to no longer satisfy him He began to forcefully tear at Agnes¡¯s nightgown¡­ Jared¡¯s attitude flipped so fast that Agnes couldn¡¯t even catch up. Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Jared was lounging on the bed, with a smug grin still stered on his face. And it suddenly dawned on Agnes. All of his earlier behavior was just on act Agnes immediately scowled. Then she silently stood up, looking down at Jared Jared raised an eyebrow, but felt a chilling from Agnes, ¡°What are you up to?¡± Agnes stomped on his stomach. ¡°You¡¯re so annoying!¡± Although it was out of anger, Agnes didn¡¯t really stomp hard. She didn¡¯t want to stir up the calm situation again. After stomping. Agnesy back on the bed, burrowed into the covers, and turned her back on Jared, ignoring him. Jared walked over and lifted the nket, ¡°Are you mad?¡± Actually, she wasn¡¯t angry, but she went from being worried to suddenly realizing she had been yed. A mix of relief and anger, the feelings wereplex. Jared didn¡¯t tease her anymore He got up and headed for the bathroom. But once he was inside, Jared didn¡¯te out for a long time Agnes guessed, maybe he didn¡¯t have any clothes to wear. This guy was probably hesitating inside. He surely wouldn¡¯t wear the clothes Beatrice brought. And the clothes he had taken off, he wouldn¡¯t wear them again. Agnes secretly peeked out from under the nket, looking towards the bathroom. She wanted to see how Jared woulde out. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. He couldn¡¯t possibly stay in the bathroom the whole night After a while, Jared finally came out. But to Agnes¡¯s embarrassment, he was stark naked. He just casually wrapped a white towel around his lower body. That was her towel, thin and small She could vaguely see¡­. As Jaredy down next to Agnes, her face instantly turned red Embarrassed, she covered her face with the nket and avoided eye contact with him. Jared seemed exhausted, his steady breathing indicating that he had fallen asleep. However, Agnes couldn¡¯t find sleep herself. Its understandable that anyone would have trouble sleeping with their naked husband lying next to them, and he had a handsome face Because of this, Agnes didn¡¯t dare to turn over, she just stayed by the edge of the bed For the first time, Agnes suffered from insomnia with Jared lying next to her Since she couldn¡¯t sleep, Agnes got up. She carefully lifted the nket and headed for the bathroom. Jared was exhausted, the work pressure these days was heavy and his mood was gloomy, he always had trouble sleeping. But today, he didn¡¯t expect to fall asleep as soon as hey down. However, as soon as Agnes got up, he woke up He didn¡¯t know where she was going, and after a while, Agnes still hadn¡¯te out of the bathroom. He could hear asional small sounds from inside. Curiosity piqued, Jared stood up, wrapped in a nket, and walked towards the bathroom. To his surprise, he found Agnes washing his shirt. The shirt was already clean, but there was no dryer in the room. So, Agnes resorted to using a hairdryer to try to dry the shirt. Jared was at a loss for words, feeling a warm and affectionate emotion welling up from the bottom of his heart. He suddenly felt a bit regretful about something Jared watched from outside the bathroom for a long time, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t resist walking straight in. He gently wrapped Agnes in the nket, startling her. As she turned around, Jared kissed her. Unlike their previous kisses, this time, his kiss was gentle, tender and cautious¡­ Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Maybe it was because the light was too dim Or maybe it was because the night was too beautiful Agnes finally gave into temptation Their bodies were pressed together tightly under the covers In the heat of the moment. Agnes still had some sense. The clothes aren¡¯t dry yet Jared pinned her against the bathroom wall, holding her waist tightly, changing postions, and a heated kiss followed As their lips tangled together he mumbled ¡°Screw it In the moming. Agnes woke up to the sensation of something tickling her face, like feather She rubbed her eyes, and as she opened them, she was greeted by a handsome face that made her heart flutter Jared was already awake, his fingers gently touching her brows. Confused. Agnes frowned and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jared¡¯s voice hoarse from sleep, carried a certain maism as he replied, ¡°Nothing just wanted to look at you.¡± His simple words made Agnes blush Agnes dared not meet Jared¡¯s eyes, they seemed to sparkle Agnes puffed out her cheeks unconsciously, ¡°Sweet-mouthed guy¡± Jared leaned towards Agnes, pulling her into his embrace That in itself was nothing, but Agnes¡¯s hand identally touched something Then she noticed that Jared was not wearing any clothes She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You¡¯re too much, sleeping naked!¡± ¡°Is that too much? There¡¯s worse, wanna see?¡± Agnes quickly surrendered, ¡°No, I¡¯m too tired. I have school today.¡± Last night they Jared was like a wild beast that hadn¡¯t eaten in seven days. Jared smirked. Then just let me hold you and don¡¯t move But it seemed Agnes remembered something, she pushed Jared away. ¡°Your clothes Having said that, she got up and went to the bathroom Jared frowned When Agnes came out of the bathroom, she looked dejected She was still holding Jared¡¯s shirt from yesterday She couldn¡¯t sleepst night and decided to wash Jared¡¯s shirt since she couldn¡¯t sleep anyway, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have anything to wear the next day Who knew that in the middle of drying the shirt, Jared suddenly came in Then At that time the start was just thrown on the sink, it was still wet and wrinkledpletely unwearable Agnes came over andined. ¡°This is all your fault, look what happened to the start?¡± Jaredughed. ¡°Okay is all my fault but it¡¯s just a shirt, why do you care so much ¡®I¡¯m not wormed about the sturt. Im womed about what you¡¯re going to wear out toda Just as Agnes finished speaking there was a knock on the door Agnes was puzzled Who woulde knocking so early? Jared Leaned to understand something ¡°Go and open the door it should be the solnion to your problem¡± Agnes walked over with a juzzled jook Unexpectedly it was Jated a secretary Lec at the door Leo was holding several preses of clothing saying ¡°Mc Whitfield asked me to bring se Agnes was stunned for a moment. Thank you¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, it¡¯s my jou have to yo now Agnes turned back to the room ¡°Looks like you had akeady ted for tem to bring clo?ima Jared had already sat up ¡°But really appreciate you washing my clothesst nigh This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Agnes walked over and threw the clothes on him ¡°Twas just named you wouldn¡¯t be anything to wear and it would be awkward when you go out.¡± Chapter 235 Chapter 235 They both started to get up and dress. Not long after, the doorbell rang again. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Agnes went to answer the door, and there stood Beatrice. Agnes asked, ¡°What brings you here this early?¡± Beatrice was busy peeping into the room. Upon seeing Jared, she said, ¡°You¡¯re up already. My mom wants you toe over for breakfast, she made soup herself.¡± By then, Jared had made his way to the door. He casually asked Agnes, ¡°Can you check this button for me? It won¡¯t button up.¡± Agnes tumed around. Jared¡¯s shirt was on, except for the cor button. Agnes turned back to help Jared button up, and it was done in no time. But Jared grabbed Agnes hand and kissed it gently. ¡°Thanks, honey¡± Seeing this, Beatrice¡¯s face darkened. Jared then acted like he just noticed her, his voice instantly cold, ¡°Got it. We¡¯ll be right over.¡± Beatrice forced a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll be going then. Hurry up.¡± She left, clenching her fists. She had initiallye to witness their meltdown. 3 She thought the two would quarrel over Elton, but howe their rtionship seemed even better after a night? And Jared¡¯s gaze seemed to linger on Agnes all the time. He didn¡¯t even look at her from start to finish Beatrice was fuming She couldn¡¯t help but storm into the kitchen. She said to Laura, ¡°I can¡¯t stand it anymore. Didn¡¯t you say they¡¯d be divorced within a year? Why are they still together?¡± Laura nced at the door and red at Beatrice, ¡°Watch your mouth. What if someone heard?¡± Beatrice was exasperated, ¡°Seeing them so intimate imitates me. Why would someone as outstanding as Jared fall for an ordinary woman like Agnes? I¡¯m younger and prettier than Agnes Why won¡¯t he even nce at me?¡± Laura spoke calmly, ¡°Men need variety sometimes. He might be tired of the same type of women. If he likes Agnes¡¯ type, you need to act more graceful and innocent in front of him. Look at you now, can¡¯t even hold it in. How are you going to rece Agnes and be Jared¡¯s wife?¡± The mention of Jared¡¯s wife excited Beatrice immensely. Beatrice tugged at Laura¡¯s arm, ¡°Mom, tell me, what¡¯s your n? I don¡¯t want to wait anymore. Help me, mom . 4 ¡°Alright, calm down. Don¡¯t worry, Agnes¡¯ birthday ising I need to confirm something. It¡¯s a great opportunity! At breakfast Laura said, ¡®Agnes, your birthday ising. Your dad and I discussed, we didn¡¯t celebrate your 20th birthday properlyst year, so we want to make it up to you this year Your dad has booked a floor at Caesar International Hospital, We¡¯re going to throw you a proper party. We¡¯ll invite all your friends and ssmates, including Jared. You can let his family know. We hope they can make it¡± Jared responded, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be there.¡± Actually, Agnes never thought about having a big party. But Laura and Preston didn¡¯t discuss with her and sent out all the invitations They even invited all the big shots. In the past, these people might not necessanly show But this time, no one was missing. Chapter 236 Chapter 236 People naturally went because of the Whitfields. That day was November 11th. It¡¯s a day jokingly called ¡°Singles Day¡±. This timest year, Agnes ended her decade-long rtionship. She felt like her world was copsing. But now, as Agnes nced at the man driving next to her¡­ Well, life¡¯s like a box of choctes. You never know if the next one¡¯s gonna be bitter or sweet. ¡°Why are you staring at me? Do you think your husband is particrly handsome today?¡± Jared¡¯s teasing words came from the side. Agnes snapped back to reality. These days, Agnes moved back to Maplewood Manor. Although they made up, there¡¯s still this issue. The name ¡°Ryder¡± was like a ticking bomb between them. It¡¯s not that they¡¯ve resolved it, but they¡¯ve mutually decided to put it aside. And Agnes knew, this ticking bomb would eventually explode at some point. ¡°Jared, you re not young anymore, you need to ept that you¡¯re getting old.¡± ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m only 28¡± ¡°28 is old enough.¡± Jared frowned, fell silent for a while, then said, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s have a kid. After all, if we don¡¯t have one now, I¡¯ll only be having one when I¡¯m old.¡± Agnes instantly became alert at these words. These days, Tim was always persuading them to have a kid 14 He even had someone send over some nourishing food. Agnes was helpless + Agnes quickly changed her tone, ¡°Jared, you¡¯re still young, you should prioritize your career, we can take our time with the baby thing ¡°You¡¯re wrong, I want a kid more¡± Jared responded casually. ¡°Jared, you¡¯re still young, no rush.¡± Just now she was saying he¡¯s old, now she¡¯s saying he¡¯s young Agnes¡¯ attitude changes really fast. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. They soon arrived at the Caesar International Hospital, A waiter immediately weed them. After getting out of the car, Agnes and Jared went to the banquet hall on the top floor together. Caesar International Hospital is the city¡¯s most luxurious top-tier hotel Once they entered, they felt like they were in a pce. The banquet hall was already filled with people. # They were dressed luxurious, adomed with a variety of jewels asionally raising their sses, chatting happily. The crystal chandelier was like a waterfall of light, slowly flowing. As the main characters, Agnes and Jared attracted countless gazes as soon as they entered Agnes was only wearing a white cocktail dress with light makeup. She had naturally glowing skin, hair as bright as seawood, rosy lips and white teeth, she looked like Snow White from a fairy tale Jared was also dressed in a suit, looking dashing. The two of them standing together were like a prince and a princess, a perfect match When they entered, Agnes was originally walking behind Jared Jared deliberately slowed down to wait for her. When they were walking side by side, he held Agnes arm and put it in his OWNL Almost all the guests had arrived. Preston and Tim were chatting, and Laura was also next to them. When they saw Agnes and Jareding over, Laura said, ¡®Agnes, you¡¯re the star today, how could you be sote and keep everyone waiting? It¡¯s really not appropriate.¡± Before Agnes had a chance to reply, Jared casually said, ¡°I was in a meeting, which dyed us a little. Besides, today is Agnes¡¯ birthday. The birthday girl is of course the most important. Even If wo keep everyone waiting for a while, it¡¯s only right Don¡¯t you think so, Ms. Laura?¡¯ Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Jared was clearly defending Agnes Laura retorted, ¡°Well duh, it¡¯s Agnes¡¯ birthday. We¡¯re throwing her a party so she can have a good time.¡± Some of the old timers from the Whitfield family were there too. Agnes went around giving them a nod and a smile. Then she saw Ryder again. He was standing behind Alyssa, all quiet and observant, like some kind of invisible stalker. Agnes¡¯ heart did a weird flip-flop in her chest Jared¡¯s words echoed in her mind, ¡°Ryder likes you¡± Agnes shook her head involuntarily. No way! Absolutely no way! That¡¯s just Jared being paranoid! Agnes exchanged a few words with Ryder Then they both dispersed. This birthday shindig wasn¡¯t a run-of-the-mill party, it was more like a fancy dinner. There were all sorts of buffets lined up in the banquet hall. Champagne towers were all the rage. Most folks were holding a ss of champagne, having a grand old time. There was a huge dance floor in the banquet hall. Lots of people were waltzing around Quite a few big shots from Starlight International Group were there too. Seeing Agnes and Jared, they came over to congratte her. . ¡± ¡± Agnes wasn¡¯t really into these kinds of things, but it was her birthday bash, so she had to put up with it. Preston and Laura were hobnobbing with some business bigwigs. In reality, Agnes felt like this wasn¡¯t so much a birthday celebration for her, but more of aworking opportunity for the Pritchard family using the Whitfield family. And it was not a good feeling Beatrice was originally chatting with a group of socialites. Seeing Jared, she made a beeline for him¡­ She sweetly called out, ¡°Jared.¡± Both Jared and Agnes turned to look at Beatrice. Agnes frowned The dress Beatrice was weaning¡­ it was hers. Beatrice saw Jared scrutinizing her, and she blushed. Laura had told her to emte Agnes¡¯ style since Jared seemned to like it. + This dress was one she had found in Agnes¡± wardrobe. It was a beige dress with tiny flower prints She thought it was a bit out of date, but maybe Jared liked this style Beatrice said to Jared in front of Agnes, ¡°You¡¯re making me blush, staring at me like that. Jared said, ¡°That dress you¡¯re wearing¡­ Beatrice¡¯s heart fluttered It¡¯s working! Jared really likes this style! She had always dressed to the nines whenever she saw Jared, but he had never looked at her this way before Beatrice was over the moon. Just when Beatrice was expecting apliment, Jared suddenly said, ¡°it¡¯s really ugly¡± Beatrice was taken aback. Without waiting for Beatrice¡¯s reaction, he grabbed Agnes¡¯ hand and walked away Beatrice was so pissed she wanted to tear her dress off right there and then. She knew jul Agnes had terrible tastel How could Jared possibly like it? Perhaps Agnes intentionally left this ugly dress in her wardrobe to embarrass her. Beatrice clenched her fistal you were wearing it, it would look great. But on someone else, it looks temble¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Agnes sighed, ¡°I really don¡¯t know what Beatrice sees in you. She¡¯s always trying to win you over ¡°Does she really like me? She¡¯s just interested in my fame¡± ¡°And how do you know I¡¯m not interested in your fame?¡± ¡®Because..st night, you cried and told me you love me¡± Agnes¡¯ face tumed red at the memory ofst night. She was out of it then, were her words even credible? And she didn¡¯t remember saying anything like that. ¡°What? You don¡¯t remember? Do we need to revisit it tonight?¡± ¡°Jared, stop teasing mer * Chapter 238 Chapter 238 For the celebrity party, Agnes found it quite dull, even though she was the center of attention today. There weren¡¯t many people present, and none of them were her friends. On the contrary, Beatrice had invited all of her friends, and the socialites from the Capital seemed more interested in making friends with her. Beatrice had changed into another outfit, and now she looked like a radiant butterfly gracefully dancing among the flowers. She was dancing with Chester, the star from Starlight International Group Many stars from Starlight International Group attended the party this time, but Agnes noticed that Justin hadn¡¯te. On the other hand, Ivan was present and currently engaged in conversation with Jared Century Entertainment and Starlight International Group had beenpetitors in the past, but their rtionship seemed rtively good since their joint investment in ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere¡± However, Agnes believed that it was only superficial. In the business world, there are no permanent friends or enemies, only eternal interests. Feeling bored, Agnes ate some food and then went to the moftop terrace. At that moment Alyssa was chatting with several top models, and Laura approached her with a wine ss, saying, ¡°Alyssa, your outfit today must be thetest Chanel collection, perfect for your style.¡± Alyssa raised her ss and smiled, ¡°Thank you. We are family now¡± They began conversing with each N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. other Seeing them talking, the other models tactfully moved away. Laura said, ¡°Although Agnes doesn¡¯t have a mother, with a caring sister like you, her father and I can rest assured. Alyssa chuckled. ¡°Agnes is a good kid, pure-hearted and kind. I really like her.¡± Laura sighed, ¡°Actually, her father and I feel indebted to her Despite treating her like my own daughter, she has always been distant from me. She feels like I¡¯ invaded her family, and until now, she has never called me ¡®mom! Over the years, she has be somewhat isted, and her father and I have been worried about her mental well-being. But now, with Jared¡¯s love and your affection, I don¡¯t have to feel so guilty anymore.¡± As Laura spoke casually, Alyssa was taken aback, ¡°Agnes is not your biological daughter?¡± Alyssa is always busy, mostly in foreign countries, so she doesn¡¯t know much about the domestic situation. Laura sighed, ¡°Even though her father and I have been married for ten years, she still calls me Ms. Laura Maybe I am not doing enough as a stepmother, she never regards me as her real mother¡± Having said this, Alyssa suddenly recalled. Although Jared and Agnes were married now, their marriage was a secret at first and both families knew nothing about it. After the news was revealed, they just met once over a meal. Since there were no immediate ns for a wedding, the two families had little interaction. At thest meeting. Agnes didn¡¯t address Laura and their rtionship didn¡¯t seem close. Alyssa suddenly thought of something. ¡°What was Agnes¡¯s biological mother¡¯s name? ¡°Her name was Julia. She was a very famous movie star twenty years ago.¡± As Alyssa heard this, her fingers loosened and the champagne ss in her hand fell to the ground, shattering into pieces Alyssa said ¡°Sorry¡± and immediately bent down to clean up the mess. But she cut her finger on the shard of ss and blood trickled down her fingertip. Laura immediately called over the waitstaff who quickly cleaned up the shattered ss Alyssa apologized, ¡°I¡¯m so clumsy.¡± Laura pretended to be concerned, ¡°You should get some ointment for that cut. You look pale, are you feeling okay?¡± Alyssa replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a bit tired. I¡¯ll go rest for a bit.¡± With that, Alyssa turned around and left with the waiter. Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Alyssa¡¯s fading figure gradually disappeared from Laura¡¯s sight, and she cracked a smile, realizing that everything she had dug up was indeed true. After leaving the chapel hall, Agnes finally exhaled a sigh of relief. Today, she had decided to wear high heels, but unfortunately, she identally twisted her ankle. Luckily, there was a bench on the rooftop where she could sit Agnes took off her shoes and started rubbing her foot when she heard a cold voice from the side. Turning her head, she saw Ryder standing there, holding an ointment. Confused, she asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I followed you up here, Ryder replied calmly. This ointment can help with your pain. He handed it over to her. Curious, Agnes took the ointment and questioned, ¡°Why do you have this?¡± Ryder sat down beside her and exined, ¡°I saw you twist your ankle and asked an attendant for it¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Agnes replied, feeling a bit unsure of how to react. She squeezed out the ointment and applied it to her ankle. The atmosphere between them fell into silence Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Seeing Ryder again brought a mix of emotions for Agnes. The deserted rooftop was now just upied by the two of them, and she couldn¡¯t help but consider what Jared might think if he saw them together. Agnes finished applying the ointment and said, ¡°I should probably head back.¡± Ryder was silent for a moment, then asked, ¡°Are you avoiding me?¡± Agnes answered awkwardly, ¡°Of course not, I just feel a bit cold¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend. I know you¡¯ve been avoiding me. At school, you act like you don¡¯t see me. Is it because of Jared? ¡°He¡¯s just too suspicious.¡± Thinking about this, Agnes couldn¡¯t help but feel angry. But immediately, she realized her words might have given Ryder the wrong idea. Agnes quickly nfied, I didn¡¯t mean that, he¡¯s not suspicious of us. I mean, he¡¯s just a suspicious person, it¡¯s not about you.. Agnes suddenly felt she was making a mess of things, the more she exined, the worse it seemed to get. But Ryder didn¡¯t react, and she wasn¡¯t sure if he understood. Agnes suddenly fell silent. She took a deep breath, determined to rify the situation, especially since Jared had also asked her to figure it out on her own. Agnes said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because we¡¯ve been rehearsing together and spending so much time together that he¡¯s be a bit jealous.¡± Feeling awkward, Agnes continued, ¡°You might find it absurd. We¡¯ve been arguing about this, but now I believe we haven¡¯t done anything wrong, and time will prove It¡¯ ¡®Agnes, have you seen Robin Hood?¡± Ryder suddenly interjected in a calm tone. Agnes hesitated slightly. ¡°Yes, I have. What about it?¡± Ryder¡¯s voice sounded somewhat distant and chilly 4 * ¡± # ¡± F ¡°In Robin Hood, there¡¯s a scene that left a deep impression on me. Maid Marian tells Robin Hood. We were once betrothed, but now I am mamied to my husband Now that I¡¯ve met you again, people will surely think I still love you. If I were to ask for your help again, they¡¯d all call me shameless and unfaithful Robin Hood hurriedly replies, ¡°We only need to be true to our own conscience and not care about what others say Maid Marian asks, ¡®But what if I feel guilty in my own conscience?¡± After Ryder finished speaking, there was a moment of silence all around It felt as if Agnes¡¯s heart had plunged into an abyss. Then, she heard Ryder¡¯s indifferent voice again from beside her, ¡°Agnes, but what if I feel guilty in my own conscience?¡± Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Agnes was staring nkly at Ryder She totally didn¡¯t see thating. As always, Ryder¡¯s face was cold and indifferent. He spoke as if he was telling someone else¡¯s story, t and emotionless. Yet Agnes was totally freaking out. Agnes barely dared to look into Ryder¡¯s eyes: ¡°Why would you¡­?¡± Agnes was aplete mess Ryder calmly replied, ¡°Im telling you this just to let you know that he didn¡¯t misunderstand me. I don¡¯t want you to not believe him and cause misunderstandings between you two¡± Agnes was at a loss for words. So, Ryder¡¯s admission now was also to prove that Jared was right, to avoid any conflict between them? But Agnes felt like things just got a whole lot moreplicated. Ryder paused for a moment, his voice seemed to drift from afar ¡°Agnes, Ive liked you for a long time, since the first day of college when you handed nie a bottle of mineral water I didn¡¯t want to say it, but I know that hiding it now would only cause more misunderstandings. But there¡¯s only one thing I want to tell you now, Agnes, like you. It¡¯s my business, Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. not yours, you get it?¡± After saying this, Ryder turned around and left the rooftop. Agnes stood there dumbfounded, staring at his back, muttering to herself, ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± Agnes was zoning out on the balcony.. A gust of cold wind blew by, clearing her muddled thoughts a little. Once Agnes came to her senses, she realized that she had misunderstood Jared. And during that time, Agnes thought Jared was just being unreasonable, petty, and ridiculous. But now.. * ¡± Agnes found herself overwhelmed with emotions as she stood on the rooftop. After a while, lost in her thoughts, she decided to head inside. Unaware of her surroundings, she identally bumped into a man, and her reflex made her step back and apologize. It was then that she recognized the man as Ivan. Ivan chuckled, teasing her, ¡°You still got that habit of not looking where you¡¯re going, huh?¡± The memory of Ivan saving her from a near ident while crossing the street shed in Agnes¡¯s mind. She felt a bit embarrassed and assured him, ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful.¡± As Agnes tried to move past him, Ivan called her back. Curious, she turned around and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ivan informed her, ¡°The premiere date for The Magical Romance of Cindere¡¯ is set for Christmas, a month from now. Are you avable? I¡¯d like you to participate in the preunch promotional activities¡± Agnes replied eagerly, ¡°Sure, I¡¯m free. Just send me the schedule when it¡¯s ready¡± Even though Agnes hadn¡¯t signed any contracts, she felt it was the least she could do as a main cast member of the show. Ivan suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch together tomorrow. I¡¯d like to discuss our uing work schedule in detail¡± Agnes agreed right away ¡°Oh, by the way, have you seen Jared?* Ivan replied. ¡°He should be in the break room. I heard Alyssa might have gotten hurt, and Jared went to see her.¡± Hearing that Alyssa might be injured, Agnes, not knowing what had happened, immediately said. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on her too! Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Agnes made a beeline for the lounge. The lounge door was wide open, with only Jared and Alyssa inside. Without hesitation, Agnes walked in and called, ¡°Alyssa.¡± Alyssa looked up. As her gaze fell on Agnes¡¯s face, Alyssa felt a momentary blur in her vision. There was something about Agnes¡¯s appearance that had struck her as odd the first time they met. Yet, she couldn¡¯t fathom why she hadn¡¯t given it more thought back then. Agnes resembled Julia so much that it had been impossible for Alyssa to ignore. Concerned about Alyssa¡¯s injury, Agnes approached her and asked. ¡°You okay, girl? I heard you got hurt. Where did you get banged up?¡± Observing Alyssa¡¯s hand wrapped in gauze, Agnes reached out to check on it, but to her surprise, Alyssa pulled her hand away and responded distantly. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Feeling a bit awkward, Agnes straightened up and withdrew her hand, ncing briefly at Jared, who seemed to wear a slight frown. Just then, Ryder walked into the scene. Seeing Ryder seemed to make Agnes nervous. She didn¡¯t even dare to meet Ryder¡¯s eyes, just kept her head down, pretending she hadn¡¯t seen him. Clearly, Alyssa had called Ryder over After Ryder entered, Alyssa stood up and told Jared, Tm beat today, headed back.¡± Jared nodded, ¡°Rest up, I¡¯ll drop by tomorrow¡± Alyssa forced a smile, then left with Ryder. The lounge suddenly fell silent. Finally, Agnes spoke up, ¡°What¡¯s up with Alyssa? She seems down.¡± Jared pondered, Tm not sure either.¡± Then he turned to her, ¡°What about you?¡± Agnes was taken aback, ¡°What?¡± ¡°You seemed a bit awkward when you saw Ryder, didn¡¯t you?? ¡°I wasn¡¯t feeling awkward.¡± ¡°Agnes, stop ying games with me¡± Agnes was silent for a while, lowered her head and whispered, Tm sorry.¡± After Agnes finished, Jared didn¡¯t respond. After a while, Agnes looked up, puzzled. She met Jared¡¯s bright eyes. Jared spoke up in a seemingly casual tone, ¡°So, Ryder came clean with you?¡± Agnes knew that a sharp guy like Jared would be able to figure everything out. Just like how he had figured out Ryder¡¯s special feelings for her, while she had beenpletely clueless. Agnes told him everything that had happened on the balcony. After she finished, she sneaked a peek at Jared Jared¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, he wasn¡¯t angry, just seemed to have expected everything. ¡°I know I misunderstood you before, I just thought you were narrow-minded and easily jealous, I didn¡¯t expect¡­ ¡°With your slow brain, you wouldn¡¯t have figured it out. After all, Ryder is a tough nut to crack.¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for that kiss on the balcony, Jared might not have discovered Ryder¡¯s secret feelings. Ryder¡¯s hiding skills were top notch. He had pretended to despise Agnes so much. Looking back, he was just covering his affection for her Agnes, like a guilty child, tip-toed to Jared, gently shook his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, it¡¯s my fault for misunderstanding you. I¡¯ll listen to you in the future, and I won¡¯t doubt you anymore¡± Jared was satisfied with Agnes¡¯s apology ¡°Really? You¡¯ll do whatever I say?¡± Agnes nodded earnestly, ¡°Absolutely¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s have a baby¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that, Jared, I haven¡¯t graduated yet.¡± ¡°You and our daughter can take graduation photos together¡± ¡°Why a daughter? What if it¡¯s a son?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a son, we¡¯ll have another one, a daughter.¡± Jared was getting closer to Agnes, It¡¯s a big task, so This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. we need to get a move on, darling, maybe we could start night now Agnes finally realized she was being teased by Jared pretending to be angry. red think wou nis i to not cama eun Chapter 242 Chapter 242 This ce is a lounge after all, folks might pop in anytime. And naturally, Jared wouldn¡¯t do anything too out of line. He cracked a joke to his wife, then left the lounge with a satisfied smirk. Agnes, pouting like a goldfish, followed him out. Outside, the scene was still lively, people were toasting and having a good time. Suddenly, Jared stopped in his tracks, turned around, one hand behind him and the other extended out in a ssic invitation-to-dance pose, looking utterly gentlemanly and charming. Agnes was momentarily stunned, then asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°May I have this dance?¡± Jared¡¯s voice was deep, dripping with allure. Agnes ced her hand in his palm, like a proud little swan, ¡°Td be delighted.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Together, they stepped onto the dance floor. Because of a previous acting gig. Agnes had been schooled by a dance teacher. Until that moment, Agnes had never danced with Jared. The experience was entirely different from anything she had felt before. When they danced together, she noticed how Jared¡¯s palm was dry and warm, and they were so close that she could catch the scent of his freshness. His eyes, usually reserved in showing emotion, now seemed filled with an intensity that made him captivating, especially with the chandelier above casting a golden halo around him. Agnes couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away from Jared, as he seemed to glow, utterly enchanting her. The world around them faded into the background, and they locked eyes for a brief moment before Jared lowered his head, and their lips met in a kiss As they waltzed, the onlookers couldn¡¯t help but react with surprised cheers and wolf whistles. The dancing crowd came to a halt, and all eyes were on Agnes and Jared. Normally, being the center of attention would make Agnes ufortable, but tonight was different. She was lost in the magical atmosphere, and everything else seemed to disappear, leaving only Jared and his captivating glow Agnes thought of a saying. ¡°He¡¯s like a rainbow, only when you encounter him do you realize how extraordinary he is.¡± The apuse and cheers continued. Mostly, it was the envious whispers of women. ¡°Mr. Whitfield and Ms. Pritchard are a perfect match, like a real-life Prince and Princess.¡± ¡°Yeah, Ms. Pritchard is so lucky. She¡¯s not the most beautiful, nor does shee from the best family, but she won Mr. Whitfield¡¯s affection.¡± ¡°Beatrice, your sister married Mr. Whitfield, you¡¯ll surely benefit. Mr. Whitfield has so many great people around him, have him introduce you to someone, you could have a good marriage too¡± Beatrice, seeing all this, was so angry she was lost for words She said indignantly, ¡°Let¡¯s see how long their lovests.¡± With that, she stormed off. By the time Agnes and Jared returned, it was alreadyte. Once in the car, Agnes realized how hungry she was. She had barely eaten anything all night. Jared said, ¡°There¡¯s food in the back seat.¡± Agnes turned around and almost screamed, ¡°When did you get this birthday cake?¡± Agnes quickly took it, then opened it up.. The cake was small, but very delicate and cute. Agnes immediately picked up a spoon and started eating. Jared frowned, ¡°You haven¡¯t made a wish yet.¡± ¡°I forgot¡± With that, Agnes ced the cake on herp, put her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a wish ¡°What did you wish for?¡± Jared asked Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Agnes said, ¡°I hope my studies go smoothly, and my grandmother stays healthy and lives to at least a hundred.¡± Thinking of her grandmother, Agnes felt quilty. It was her birthday today, but her father hadn¡¯t invited her grandmother, and she hadn¡¯t visited her grandma in a long time. Jared furrowed his brows. He noticed that his name wasn¡¯t mentioned in her wishes. He let out a faint hum, clearly dissatisfied, ¡°Stupid girl, don¡¯t you know that wishes won¡¯te true if you say them out loud?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°If you already knew that saying them out loud would prevent them froming true, why did you ask me in the first ce?¡± Agnes continued to enjoy her cake. However, suddenly she let out a scream and found a diamond ring inside the cake. She was pleasantly surprised and quickly wiped off the cream from the ring using a tissue. Then, with excitement, she handed the ring to Jared, ¡°Is this the birthday gift you got for me?¡± Jared raised an eyebrow, ¡°Do you like it?¡± Of course, Agnes liked it, not just because it was a diamond ring, but because Jared had prepared a gift for her. She had felt a bit disappointed earlier Agnes smiled and nced at Jared, ¡°You hid it so well. Weren¡¯t you afraid I might have swallowed it just now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not considering everything. You¡¯re quite clumsy, and it¡¯s possible you could have done something like that.¡± Agnes frowned, ¡°Jared, do you really think I¡¯m that dumb in your eyes?¡± Jared fell silent for a moment and then said seriously, ¡°Perhaps among the women I know, you are the dumbest.¡± Agnes was angry. Why was this person so unpleasant? ¡°Why would you marry someone as dumb as me and even give me a ring?¡± Agnes asked, puzzled. They had secretly married before, simply obtaining their marriage certificate, and Jared hadn¡¯t given her a ring. So when she saw the ring as a gift, she was pleasantly surprised. The current Agnes was wedding. To her, this was the best gift. But now that he had given her a gift, why couldn¡¯t he say a few words of praise? Jared calmly said, ¡°Because I love you, dear. Happy birthday¡± Agnes was stunned for a moment. Why was he always full of surprises? He had almost never said he loved her N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Her nose felt sour, and tears threatened to flow. For the first time, Agnes felt grateful that she had met this man and fallen in love with him. He made her previously lonely and empty life feel so warm and stable. ¡°I love you too, forever¡­¡± Agnes responded in her heart. The next day! Agnes slept until 10 in the morning. She must have overslept because she was so tired fromst night. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t have any sses today. Agnes remembered she had an appointment with Ivan and quickly got up to wash and change. She got ready quickly and headed straight to the Century Building. A group of reporters surrounded the entrance to the Century Building, but Agnes didn¡¯t find it strange. This building housed many celebrities, and it was amon ce for entertainment journalists to hang out. Agnes dressed modestly and wore a scarf and a hat, quickly blending into the crowd. As soon as she entered the Century Building, the reporters behind her suddenly became lively. A luxurious car had stopped outside. Amid the crowd, Mamie stepped out of the car Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Mamie being here was no surprise, being the top dog at Century Entertainment. But considering their past, Agnes thought it best to steer clear of her. And so, she quickly ducked into the elevator and made a beeline for Ivan¡¯s office. Since they¡¯d set up a meeting beforehand, Ivan¡¯s secretary Faye ushered her in no problem. Ivan was on the phone and motioned for Agnes to take a seat on the couch. Agnes sat, quietly waiting. After a bit, Ivan hung up, walked over and apologized for making her wait. ¡°No biggie,¡± Agnes replied with a smile, Tve only been here for five minutes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s for lunch today?¡± Ivan asked. ¡°I¡¯m easy,¡± she responded, ¡°You pick the ce. Lunch is on me this time. I still owe you for the favor you did me.¡± Ivan responded softly, ¡°You promised me one thing. I can¡¯t let you off the hook that easily. I¡¯m buying today¡± Today¡¯s agenda was all business Agnes didn¡¯t push it, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take you out another time.¡± Ivan passed Agnes a document, ¡°This is your promotional schedule for the next few days. Let me know if there¡¯s anything you¡¯re not cool with.¡± Agnes flipped through it. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be a problem. I¡¯ll do my best to cooperate¡± ¡°Agnes,¡± Ivan began, ¡°1 hope you¡¯ll reconsider signing with us.¡± Agnes had managed to dodge signing a contract when she was filming the TV series, and had managed to turn down Ivan¡¯s offers since Agnes gave a small smile, ¡°Showbiz isn¡¯t really my thing.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re already in it¡± Ivan pointed out, ¡°After Christmas, when The Magical Romance of Cindere¡¯ airs, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll blow up. I¡¯ve got a couple of solid movie scripts, if you sign, you can pick one you like and ride the wave. I can make you the next Mamie¡± His voice was calm but firm. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Think she can be the next me? Not on my watch!¡± The office door swung open. Mamie walked in. She must¡¯ve juste from an event, wearing only a thin dress despite the November chill A fur shawl draped over her shoulders, her hair cascading down, her makeup icy. Mamie walked in, mming her purse on Ivan¡¯s desk, ¡°You know I can¡¯t stand her. Why would you want to sign her up? Century Entertainment can have me or her, not both. Choose wisely¡± Ivan frowned, ¡°Mamie, don¡¯t be unreasonable Business and private life are two different parts¡± ¡°To me, they¡¯re one and the same Mamie turned to Agnes, her powerful aura and heels making her tower over her Almost arrogantly, Mamie said, ¡°You stole Jared, now you want to take my ce too? Agnes, no matter how sly you are, I won¡¯t let you seed. As long as I¡¯m in this industry, you won¡¯t have a chance to shine. Just you wait, I won¡¯t make things easy for you.¡± ¡°Enough, Mamie!¡± Ivan roared. Marie looked at Ivan, somewhat incredulous, ¡°Brother, you¡¯ve never yelled at me before.¡± Mamie seemed to be more agitated, ¡°Agnes, what have you done to them? They¡¯re all losing themselves because of you. Today, I¡¯m going to expose you for who you really are¡± With that, she raised her hand to p Agnes. Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Ivan had Mamie in a firm grip, ¡°Mamie, I¡¯ve spoiled you rotten. If you can¡¯t change, you might as well go back to the country you used to live in.¡± With that, he forcefully let go of her arm. Mamie was in disbelief. Her ever-doting brother, who had always listened to her since they were kids, had changed into apletely different person. He was treating her this way for a stranger, Furious, Mamie stormed off. Agnes had witnessed the siblings¡¯ spat. Although she seemed like a bystander, she was actually part of the drama, Ivan was furious too. Agnes had never seen the usually calm and collected Ivan this angry, his veins were popping from his forehead. But when he faced Agnes, he quickly regained hisposure, Tm sorry, Agnes. I apologize on her behalf. I spoiled her.¡± Agnes managed a weak smile, Tm okay¡± During dinner, Ivan didn¡¯t bring up the contract signing again. For the next month, Agnes was swamped. She was attending various promotional events, investor¡¯s dinners, and interviews. Despite the exhaustion, she was happy to be with old friends like Justin and Ava. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The only downside was running into Mamie in the entertainment industry. Mamie was arrogant and disrespectful. She was like an imperious queen. But everyone catered to her pampered het, happily crawling at her feet, calling her ¡°queen. There was a high-end jewelry auction dinner that night. The hosts were the investors of ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere,¡± so Agnes and her friends were in attendance. The event also attracted many socialites from the Capital The highlight was a ruby ne called ¡°The Heart of the Kingdom.¡± The ruby weighed 40.63 carats, surrounded by 150 diamonds of various sizes, worth around 14 million dors. But the gem was reportedly reserved by a mysterious tycoon, not for auction, but as the final exhibit. Almost all the top tycoons came for this. Agnes knew little about these jewels. She found events like these dull and would sneak off to y on her phone when she could. The venue had two floors, the bottom floor being a huge banquet hall disying the jewels to be auctioned, except for the ne. It had a separate exhibition room and would only be open for the Mamie was present too, and as per usual, would stir trouble when she saw Agnes. Wanting to avoid problems, Agnes decided toy low and headed upstairs. Agnes randomly chose a room, pushed the door open, and went in. The room was empty, devoid of any furniture, even a chair. The only oddity was the lighting on the walls and the ceiling Noticing it wasn¡¯t a lounge, Agnes decided to leave, only to bump into Mamie at the door Mamie frowned, her tone icy, ¡°What are you doing here, sneaking around?¡± Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Agnes had already nned to avoid her, Agnes responded: ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± Then she was about to turn around and leave. ¡°Hold on.¡± Agnes turned back ¡°What¡¯s up?* ¡°Agnes, I don¡¯t care what Ivan promised you, but you better steer clear of him. He¡¯s been buddies with Jared for a long time. If you cause a rift between them, I won¡¯t let you off the hook.¡± Agnes felt ufortable: ¡°Why would they fall out because of me?¡± Mamie strode over, her haughty and cold gaze scanning Agnes: ¡°I can¡¯t figure out what¡¯s so alluring about you. But you better behave yourself. I can¡¯t stand women like you who appear innocent but are actually maniptive. I¡¯ve seen enough tricks in the entertainment industry, don¡¯t even think about trying to outwit me.¡± With that, Mamie strode off in her high heels. Agnes was left puzzled. She could tell that Mamie was hinting at something, but she had no clue what it was. Since they¡¯d already argued, Agnes decided to head downstairs. She took out her phone from her purse to text Jared. All her essories were sponsored by luxury brands, including the small bag in her hand, studded with expensive pink diamonds. It was worth a fortune. So Agnes was extra careful. So bored Agnes texted Jared. In a while, Jared texted back[Thene back early, I¡¯ll pick you up.] [No can do, it¡¯s work. But it¡¯d be nice if you were here] Agnes added a sighing emoji. After waiting a while, Jared didn¡¯t text back. Agnes figured he was probably working overtime and didn¡¯t want to disturb him. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. At that moment, Ava came over. ¡°Agnes, why are you here alone? The auction is about to start, let¡¯s go watch together.¡± Agnes went with Ava to another showroom. The precious jewels disyed earlier were being auctioned off one by one. The starting bids were over $100,000 Some antique jewelry even shot up to millions of dors. Ava enviouslymented: ¡°I wish someone would gift me a ne like that one day. I bet wearing it would feel like being a British princess.¡± Agnes teased her. ¡°Wearing such a heavy thing around your neck, aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Ava rolled her eyes. ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re such a dummy!¡± Agnes also found the nes beautiful, but to her, these luxuries were just embellishments. She had no obsession over them. In fact, she didn¡¯t wear nes or bracelets unless necessary, feeling they were constricting. The jewels were auctioned off one by one. Mamie bought three pieces in a row, worth over $5 million in total, making everyone envious. Finally, thest segment arrived. The host announced ¡°Now, for the most exciting part, I know you¡¯re all eager. Let¡¯s move to the second floor showroom to admire the top-tier jewelry ¡°The Heart of the Kingdom I hope your visit is worthwhile.¡± Everyone perked up This ne named ¡°The Heart of the Kingdom¡± was rumored to be a beloved item of a queen. It¡¯s not just a ruby ne, but also symbolizes supreme power and honor. Only a true queen deserves to own it. Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Everyone was chatting while going upstairs. ¡°I heard ¡®The Heart of the Kingdom¡¯ has been bought by some mysterious rich man. I wonder who¡¯s the lucky one to get such a rare treasure¡± ¡°Whoever owns The Heart of the Kingdom¡¯ must be living the dream. Its value is off the charts now.¡± They slowly made their way up and finally, led by a server, entered a room. Agnes immediately realized that this was the weird exhibition room she had identally stumbled into earlier. A wave of confusion washed over her. If this was such a rare treasure, why was the exhibition room door unlocked, and she could just walk right in? Everyone had entered the exhibition room. The room had an unusual lighting, the light reflected off crystals and danced on the walls like flowing water. She took a look around, feeling like she was under the sea. The server held a remote and said, ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, please enjoy The Heart of the Kingdom.¡± With that, he pushed a button, and as the music started, a lift appeared in the exhibition center. On the lift was a transparent ss disy stand. Everyone gathered around, waiting to admire the beauty of ¡°The Heart of the Kingdom¡¯. But the moment the ss disy case fully emerged, Someone screamed, ¡°The Heart of the Kingdom is gone!¡± The room instantly fell into chaos. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s really gone, what happened, was it stolen?¡± ¡°But everyone here today had to go through identity and fingerprint verification. If ¡®The Heart of the Kingdom was stolen today, then it must have been taken by someone here.¡± The host was in total panic. Soon, the security manager of the exhibition room arrived. Suddenly, a group of security guards appeared outside the exhibition room. The manager walked in and said, ¡°The Heart of the Kingdom¡¯ being stolen is a big deal. We are currently investigating. We hope for everyone¡¯s cooperation and apologize for any inconvenience caused¡± Someone in the crowd loudly said. ¡°This thief is bold, daring to steal such a valuable item. We have to find out or everyone here is a suspect¡± What these nobles cared about the most was their reputation. Now being pointed as possible theft suspects, naturally, they could not bear it. So everyone cooperated with the investigation. Someone whispered, ¡°Who do you think stole it? This is too bold, daring to steal such a valuable item.¡± ¡°The Heart of the Kingdom is worth 14 million dors, and now it¡¯s priceless. If found, with such arge amount, the thief will spend the rest of his life in prison.¡± After a while The manager walked in and said, ¡°We have reviewed the surveince footage. We can confirm that the ne was in the disy case three hours ago. And within these three hours, only two people who are present here appeared at the door of the exhibition room.¡± The crowd was excited again, everyone was looking at each other. The security manager¡¯s words meant that the suspect could be one of the two, or they might have Someone couldn¡¯t take it anymore, ¡°Who is it? Who had the guts to steal The Heart of the Kingdom?¡± The manager¡¯s gaze swept over the crowd, then he coldly said, ¡°It¡¯s Mamie and Agnes Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Suddenly, the whole venue went dead silent. Everyone was staring in shock at the two women in the middle of the room. These two women were familiar faces to everyone. One was a top-tier actress, the object of everyone¡¯s attention with an immense reputation. The other, although a neer in the entertainment industry, was already immensely popr. She was also thedy of the Tim Group. There were plenty of gossips surrounding these two women. They all involved one man ¨C Jared, the CEO of the Tim Group. There were rumors that Jared was the secret boyfriend of Mamie, who even proposed to him. But it waster revealed that Jared was already married, and his wife was none other than Ms. Pritchard who was currently in the room The rtionship between these two women was notonously bad. If the Heart of the Kingdom was stolen, there was no way they could have done it together. But if it was said that one of them did it, that was even harder to believe Mamie, an international star known for hes arrogance, wouldn¡¯t stoop to theft And Ms. Pritchard, hailing from a prominent family and thedy of the Tim Group with immense wealth, had no reason to risk her reputation for a ne. When Mamie and Agnes heard the security manager utter their names, they were both stunned. Agnes had a bad feeling about this Mamie, upon hearing her name, stormed out of the crowd, pointing at the manager and said, ¡°How dare you nder me, bring out whoever is in charge here!¡± Those present knew about Mamie¡¯s temper The MC hastily apologized, ¡°Ms. Mamie, you are our special guest, we¡¯re not suspecting you. But the ne is missing, and we need to investigate. Could you tell us why you were on the second floor when it¡¯s clearly marked as off-limits?¡± Mamie turned around, sneered,¡± was following Ms. Pritchard up In an instant, Mamie¡¯s words drew all eyes to Agnes. Agnes felt her heart sink. Her feeling of unease intensified. The MC also approached, ¡°Ms. Pritchard, why were you on the second floor?¡± Agnes answered truthfully, ¡°I was tired and was looking for a rest room¡± Agnes hadn¡¯t noticed the ¡°no entry¡± sign, which made her feel even more puzzled. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The MC was at a loss of what to do. After all, these were two women not to be trifled with. The manager said, ¡°We¡¯re sorry, but to clear your names, please cooperate with us for a check¡± It was, essentially, a body search. Mamie was the first to lose her temper, ¡°Who gave you this power? I don¡¯t want to talk to you, don¡¯t touch me, or I¡¯ll sue this auction house into bankruptcy.¡± Mamie made it difficult for everyone, while the MC was constantly exining and persuading. The crowd began to whisper. ¡°Why is she so agitated? Did she steal it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know Mamie¡¯s temper? As the most popr star in the industry, being searched in public would be a huge humiliation even if she didn¡¯t take anything¡± Everyone seemed to be watching a fascinating drama. Finally, Mamie lost her temper, opened her bag, and dumped everything out, ¡°Look, open your eyes and see, is there any ruby in there?¡± Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Mamie dumped everything out of her bag onto the floor. All kinds of expensive cosmetics, including two pieces of jewelry worth five million dors being auctioned today, were tossed carelessly on the ground. In the end, she threw her bag on the floor in anger The bag was sponsored by a top brand, not her personal property. It was encrusted with countless diamonds, worth a fortune. Her tantrum was surprising to say the least But indeed, the ruby was not in the bag. If the ruby was stolen tonight, it must still be in the exhibition hall. Now, countless people were outside, using inframed to search, but it was no use The most probable scenario was that the thief hid the ruby on their body And the two most suspicious people were dressed in evening gowns, without pockets, they couldn¡¯t N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. possibly hide the ruby on them. So, the ruby could only be in their handbags. No wonder the manager insisted on checking. Although Mamie had dumped everything out of her bag the manager still carefully checked it himself. In the end, he reorganized her things and returned the bag to Mamie: ¡°Ms. Mamie, I¡¯m sorry, we¡¯re just following procedures, please understand.¡± Of course, Mamie wouldn¡¯t agree: ¡°You¡¯ll be hearing from mywyer¡± Then, the manager finished inspecting Mamie¡¯s bag and went to Agnes: ¡°Ms. Pritchard, I¡¯m sorry, but we also have to check your bag. If you feel ufortable doing this in public, we can go to another room¡± Agnes didn¡¯t hesitate and passed her bag over. She didn¡¯t steal any jewelry, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of being checked. Since Mamie had proven her innocence, if Agnes acted suspiciously, it would only make people suspect her more Moreover, a few minutes ago, Agnes had just opened her bag to check the time, there was nothing inside. Agnes wasn¡¯t afraid of being checked either The security manager took Agnes¡¯s bag and began searching through it After a moment, his expression suddenly changed, and he pulled but a ruby ne from the bag. He handed the ne to Agnes and asked, ¡°Ms. Pritchard, what¡¯s going on?¡± The atmosphere in the exhibition hall immediately tensed up and erupted intomotion. usations flew, iming that Agnes, the mistress of the Tim Group. was the thief. People expressed disbelief that such a beautiful woman would resort to theft. Agnes was bewildered and shocked. She knew she hadn¡¯t stolen the ruby, but it was found in her bag. There was only one usible exnation: someone had set her up. The only person she could think of who might do this was Mamie. Mamie had always harbored hatred towards her, and they were the only ones who had been to that ce. Agnes clenched her hands, feeling the weight of the situation. She stared coldly at Mamie, whose expression wasplex, neither showing off nor remorseful, but rather disying a hint of contempt Agnes couldn¡¯t help but admire Mamie¡¯s acting skills, even in this troubling situation. Agnes said, ¡°I didn¡¯t steal the ruby, and I don¡¯t know how the ruby ended up in my bag. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can call the police and get this thoroughly investigated If Agnes didn¡¯t do it, she absolutely wouldn¡¯t admit it. The surrounding gossip became more intense. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s still arguing, isn¡¯t the ruby the best evidence?¡± ¡°The hundred-year reputation of the Whitfield family is ruined by a woman.¡± ¡°Look at her arrogant face, as if the whole world owes her something. What an actress, she really knows how to act¡± Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Being on the receiving end of everyone¡¯s me, that was what it felt like right now. But Agnes knew, she couldn¡¯t show weakness now, or people would think she was guilty. If someone was trying to frame her, then this was a battle. And the battle had just begun. She absolutely couldn¡¯t throw in the towel. The manager said, ¡°This is serious, we¡¯ve already called the police. You should turn yourself in, it might lighten your punishment.¡± Agnes¡¯s voice came out cold and hard, ¡°Tve already said, the ne wasn¡¯t stolen by me. Why should I turn myself in? What you should do is investigate properly, to see if someone is setting me up.¡± After she finished speaking. Agnes¡¯s gaze fell on Mamie Everyone there noticed this little detail. ¡°Does Ms. Pritchard mean Mamie stole the ruby and put it in her bag to frame her?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not impossible. Ms. Pritchard is already thedy of the Tim Group, and Mr. Whitfield is extremely fond of her. She wouldn¡¯t ruin her reputation for a ruby.¡± ¡°I heard that Mamie often gives Ms. Pritchard a hard time, and she¡¯s always been quite willful, so this might be true.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys consider that Ms. Pritchard got caught and is trying to pin the me on Mamie. She¡¯s still so young but has already achieved so much sess, she must not be a simple person.¡± Chatter filled the exhibition hall. Everyone was giving their two cents. Mamie came up to Agnes with a scoff, ¡°Agnes, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so cunning, using me of stealing the ruby. Looks like I didn¡¯t misjudge you, you¡¯ve been fooling everyone¡± Agnes didn¡¯t back down, ¡°I never mentioned you. Maybe you should confess before anyone else does.¡± Mamie was left speechless. Just then, a man¡¯s voice came from the crowd, ¡°I took the ruby¡± The hall instantly fell silent. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned towards the source of the voice It was the CEO of the Tim Group, Jared. Jared walked forward. The host rushed up to him, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, what did you just say? You said you took the ruby?¡± Jared nonchntly said, ¡°I am the buyer of the ne. It¡¯s a Christmas gift for my wife. I put the ruby in her bag to surprise her, but it seems to have caused a misunderstanding¡± Everyone was puzzled. At this time, the person in charge of the jewelry show, the CEO of the Stone Group, ud Stone, appeared in the crowd. ud said, ¡°I can confirm that Mr. Whitfield is the buyer of The Heart of the Kingdom. I have the certificate right here.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ud brought out the certificate. Everyone saw the price on it and gasped. It was worth a staggering twenty million dors. Mr. Whitfield casually spent twenty million dors just to prepare a Christmas present for his wifel With Jared¡¯s appearance, public opinion immediately changed. ¡°So it was all a misunderstanding. Mrs. Whitfield is so lucky, this was actually a surprise from Mr. Whitfield that almost turned into a shock.¡± ¡°Mrs. Whitfield is truly the luckiest woman in the world. It¡¯s really enviable.¡± Chapter 251 Chapter 251 The host¡¯s face shifted. He seemed to sniff something fishy. But ud had whipped out the paperwork, so there shouldn¡¯t be any room for doubt. The ne, ¡°The Heart of the Kingdom, belonged to the Stone Group before it was auctioned off. And the Stone Group was the high muck-a-muck of the exhibition. If the big cheese said it was a misunderstanding, then it surely was one. The host quickly regained hisposure and handed ¡°The Heart of the Kingdom¡¯ to Jared, saying, ¡°Seems like a mix-up, we owe you, Mrs. Whitfield, an apology. Here¡¯s your ne, Mr. Whitfield, why don¡¯t you do the honors?¡± Jared took the ne and began to walk slowly towards Agnes. She was clearly puzzled, having no idea what was happening. Did Jared really buy the ne for her? It didn¡¯t seem like his style, leaving her with a mind full of questions but no answers in sight. Amidst everyone¡¯s curious gaze, Jared approached Agnes and positioned himself behind her. With the ne in hand, he gently ced it around her neck, saying. ¡°Darling. I¡¯m sorry. I wanted to surprise you, but it ended up causing a misunderstanding. My bad.¡± Jared¡¯s voice was so tender that it filled the otherdies present with envy. What made this woman so special that she had Mr. Whitfield wrapped around her finger? In that moment, Agnes was deeply moved. She looked down at the ruby ne around her neck, her eyes welling up, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± Someone in the crowd shouted, ¡°Kiss, kiss!¡± And then almost everyone joined in the chant. Jared gave a small smile, then cupped Agnes face and nted a deep kiss¡­. All this was seen by Mamie, her fingers clenched tightly. Finally, she turned and left. For the rest of the time, Agnes was showered with envy and praise Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She went from being used of a thief to the most envied woman in the world. But Agnes didn¡¯t see Mamie again. By the time she left the exhibition, it was already 10 pm. Agnes had many questions, but didn¡¯t know where to start. When she got into the car, Mamie suddenly appeared. Her car parked next to Jared¡¯s. Mamie walked over, gave Agnes a disdainful nce, and then the ruby ne around her neck. Then she calmly said to Jared, ¡°Jared, we need to talk.¡± Jared said, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Mamie said, ¡°Even if we¡¯re not lovers, can¡¯t I say something? Jared, the more cautious you are, the more it shows there¡¯s no basic trust between you two.¡± Agnes said, ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll wait for you in the car¡± Then Jared and Mamie left. But Agnes got out of the car and followed them as soon as they turned their backs. She still found tonight¡¯s event a bit off. She knew eavesdropping was wrong, but she followed them anyway. Mamie and Jared stopped in a garden outside the exhibition hall. There was a big rock in the garden. To avoid making any noise, Agnes took off her heels. She tiptoed behind the rock barefoot. She clearly heard Mamie¡¯s voice, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the ne?¡± ¡± Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Jared replied nonchntly, ¡°Is it wrong for me to buy a ne for my wife?¡± Mamie sneered, ¡°The Heart of the Kingdom was auctioned off at Sotheby¡¯s three years ago. It went for $14 million, bought by some mystery bidder. You and I were both there. You might fool others, but do you really think you can pull the wool over my eyes?¡± ¡°So what do you think happened?¡± ¡°Jared, you¡¯ve been acting strangely today, especially with ud being here. His purchase certificate Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. isn¡¯t even dry yet, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too obvious?¡± Jared fell silent. Mamie said, ¡°But I must admit, you¡¯ve got some guts. I bet you got in touch with the original buyer through ud, bought the jewel off him for a high price, and quickly signed a new certificate to prove Agnes¡¯s innocence. You spent $20 million on a $14 million ne, just to get Agnes out of a tight spot. You knew that if Agnes was taken away, no matter what happened next, everyone would think she was guilty. The best way to smooth things over was to make Agnes the owner of the ne, but Jared, spending $10 million to protect a thief? Do you have a conscience? Jared answered coldly. ¡°Agnes could never be a thief. I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this.¡± Mamie challenged, ¡°On what grounds do you believe she¡¯s not a thief? The ne was found in her bag ¡°She has no reason to do this, she¡¯s not greedy for wealth.¡± Mamieughed, ¡°She has every reason to do this. Not for the value of the ne, but to frame me.¡± Jared insisted, ¡°Agnes is not that kind of person.¡± ¡°Mamie, you saw it with your own eyes. When you arrived, everyone was discussing it. Almost everyone thought I was arrogant, that I framed Agnes. She stole the ne and made sure she was caught, then med me. Jared, she¡¯s not as simple as you think.¡± 1 believe Agnes wouldn¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Mamie, then what¡¯s the truth? When it was time to search her, she was so calm, even handing over her bag voluntarily. Would a normal person react that way? Everything was premeditated¡± Jared said calmly, ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. She doesn¡¯t have the capability to do this. I¡¯ll investigate and give you an exnation.¡± An angry Mamie retorted, ¡°You¡¯ve all been fooled by her Jared, I thought you were a calm and wise man. Why have you suddenly be so ignorant about this? What has she done to make you all serve her? Fine, I¡¯ll wait. If wait for you to investigate and give me an exnation. If you can¡¯t find out, I won¡¯t let her off. fm not a pushover. Don¡¯t me me for being ruthless to your wife then Mamie stormed off in her high heels, while Agnes chose to stay where she was. As she stood there, her heart slowly grew cold and numb. It became apparent to Agnes that the ne she received wasn¡¯t a pre nned gift from Jared, instead, it seemed like ast-minute ¡°emergency¡± solution. What bothered her even more was that Jared hadn¡¯te clean about it. He hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about the ne, not even an hour after they left the showroom. Agnes had been overjoyed by the surprise, but now it all felt like a deception. Questions swirled in her mind. Why did Jared feel the need to resort to this emergency solution? Was it to ¡°prove¡± her innocence in some way, or was he afraid that Mamie would be wrongly used? Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Agnes wasn¡¯t daydreaming. She¡¯s been listening to their conversation all this time. In their chat, Jared never considered another possibility. That Mamie might be setting her up. Jared said he¡¯d get to the bottom of it and give Mamie an exnation. Why the hell does he owe Mamie an exnation? Agnes is the one being victimized here. It¡¯s most likely that Mamie set her up, so why is he still exining things to her? Jared insisted that he trusts Agnes¡¯s integrity, but his only evidence in her favor is that ¡°Agnes isn¡¯t capable of pulling something like this off.¡± He bought that ne and kept it secret, which means he¡¯s still having doubts. He¡¯s doubting if she really did steal, if she tainted the Whitfield family¡¯s reputation, and if she set up Mamie. Otherwise, he could¡¯ve justunched a thorough investigation and made the results public. Because he doesn¡¯t fully trust Agnes, he¡¯d rather shell out 20 million bucks to keep the peace! Should Agnes feel happy or sad about Jared¡¯s willingness to foot the bill for her without hesitation? Agnes¡¯s mood was sinking, feeling like a wave of sadness was washing over her. Agnes stood there for a while. Soon after, her phone rang. It was Jared calling. Agnes suddenly didn¡¯t want to pick up. Because Agnes didn¡¯t know what to say. Should she confront him? Agnes suddenly felt a little scared. Before, Jared had always protected her in front of Mamie But then, Mamie was just being a brat, obviously bullying her Jared was like a hero defending the weak But that didn¡¯t involve the fundamental trust. Now, Agnes was having doubts. If he had to choose between Mamie and her, who would Jared choose? Would he choose to trust Mamie without hesitation? Actually, she already saw Jared¡¯s answer just now All this time, Agnes overlooked that Jared and Mamie have been best buds since they were kids. Even if they don¡¯t have romantic feelings anymore, the understanding and trust between them still exists. Maybe, is Mamie using this? The phone rang again, Agnes hesitated whether to answer it or not. But the phone screen suddenly went ck. The phone ran out of juice Agnes finally breathed a sigh of relief. This spared her from making a decision. When Agnes returned to the parking lot, Jared¡¯s car was already gone. It waste into the night, and Agnes had no idea what time it was Dressed in her formal attire, Agnes aimlessly wandered the streets. Thankfully it waste at night and the streets were deserted. Otherwise, she would¡¯ve drawn a lot of weird looks Agnes didn¡¯t know how long she walked, finally she sat down at the edge of a flower bed Agnes felt lost, unable to describe her feelings ¡°You¡¯re really gutsy, walking around at night with such an expensive ne on.¡± Suddenly, a male voice floated down from above. Agnes looked up and saw it was Ivan. Agnes was a bit surprised: ¡°What are you doing here?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Agnes looked around and realized she had unwittingly walked to the Century Building Agnes forced a smile: ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Ivan¡¯s voice was gentle and inviting: ¡°Get in the car, I¡¯ll drive you home.¡± 4 Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Agnes Pritchard frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back.¡± Ivan shrugged off his coat and draped it over Agnes¡¯ shoulders, ¡°Whatever¡¯s going on, get in the car first. It¡¯s bloody cold out here.¡± It was mid-winter, and the chill was biting. Agnes was only dressed in an evening gown. Her face was flushed from the cold, but she didn¡¯t feel it at all. Once in the car, Ivan asked, ¡°Where to?¡± Where to? Agnes felt lost. Where should she go? Ivan said, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s grab a bite first.¡± Ivan took her to a small diner by the street. It was tucked away in a nondescript neighborhood that most people would never find, but it had a cozy and quiet atmosphere. The fried potato balls from this ce were crispy and irresistible Agnes didn¡¯t have much of an appetite, but she still managed to eat half of a serving of steaming hot potato balls. After eating, she felt somewhat rejuvenated. ¡°What the hell happened? Weren¡¯t you at the auction dinner tonight? The ne you¡¯re wearing, isn¡¯t that Kingdom Heart? I thought it wasn¡¯t up for auction?¡± Ivan knew her schedule like the back of his hand, since he was the one who arranged it all. Agnes was at a loss. There were things she didn¡¯t want to talk about After all, Ivan was Mamie¡¯s brother. Whether Mamie had set her up or not, she didn¡¯t want to stir up trouble between them without proof. Agnes said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask, I don¡¯t want to talk about it for now¡± Ivan poured Agnes a cup of hot milk, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell me, that¡¯s fine But you cant just not go home. Jared Whitfield has been looking for you everywhere He¡¯s beside himself.¡± Agnes frowned. How did he know that Jared was looking for her? So they had been in touch before Ivan showed up? Agnes felt a little uneasy. Sure enough, as soon as Ivan finished speaking, Jared appeared at the door Agnes was speechless, she just shot Ivan a re. Ivan chuckled, ¡°I couldn¡¯t just leave you out here, so I called Jared toe get you. Whatever issues you guys have, sort them out.¡± With that, he got up, grabbed his car keys and left. At the door he patted Jared on the shoulder, ¡°Talk it out.¡± And with that, Ivan was gone. Jared stood at the door for a moment, then walked in, expressionless Agnes averted her eyes, silent. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me?¡± Jared asked in a deep voice. ¡°Because I was curious about what Mamie had to say to you.¡± So, you overheard our conversation in the garden?* N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Agnes turned back to look him in the eye, ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Jared was silent for a moment, then asked, ¡°if that¡¯s the case, why are you angry? I never doubted that you stole the ne.¡± Agnes retorted sarcastically, ¡°Yeah, because I¡¯m not that capable¡± Jared frowned, ¡°You¡¯re angry just because of that?¡± Agnes shot back, Jared, if I told you that Mamie put the ne in my bag to frarerne, would you believe me?¡± . Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Jared didn¡¯t hesitate: ¡°I know what Mamie is like. Although she can be a bit bossy and stubborn at times, she wouldn¡¯t do something as low as this.¡± Agnes suddenlyughed. Just as she thought, Jared chose to believe Mamie without a second thought. She didn¡¯t need to ask any more questions. She didn¡¯t have any solid proof that Mamie had set her up. But the reason Jared trusted Mamie was because he knew her. He believed she hadn¡¯t stolen the ne because ¡°she didn¡¯t have the guts¡±, Agnes took off the ne from around her neck and handed it to Jared ¡°This thing is too precious, I can¡¯t ept it.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Jared¡¯s face turned cold: ¡°What are you doing? I bought it for you. If I don¡¯t give it to you, who the hell should I give it to?¡± ¡°Whoever you want to give it to.¡± Jared looked at Agnes quietly, then said coldly: ¡°Fine.¡± On the way home, they both remained silent. Agnes didn¡¯t know what Jared was thinking. And she didn¡¯t want to know. Jared said he would investigate, so she would wait for his investigation. When they got home, Agnes went straight to the guest room. In the days that followed, Agnes was swamped with work and had little to rest Even though she and Jared lived under the same roof, they hardly saw each other. And when they did, they didn¡¯t chat On Christmas Day, ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere¡±, starring Agnes and Justin, premiered. The show¡¯s ratings skyrocketed on the first day, reaching the highest in its time slot. The unique magical themebined with a young idol drama setting and Justin¡¯s poprity immediately caused a huge stir The next morning. Agnes woke up to find her name all over the news headlines. This was what they called instant fame. The poprity of ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere¡± severely disrupted Agnes¡¯ life Every time she went to school, she was mobbed by fans. Even in the quietest library, crowds of people nearly caused chaos just to catch a glimpse of her. Adding to the fact that she would run into reporters everywhere, Agnes could hardly go to school anymore. Luckily, all her sses had ended and she only needed to finish writing her thesis Agnes had no choice but to take a two-month leave of absence, in the hope that her life would return to normal once the buzz around the show had died down. During those days, she was constantly busy with press conferences,mercial events, and interviews. Sometimes, Agnes didn¡¯t go home for a week, staying in an apartment arranged by thepany. Jared called her every day, but they only talked briefly At some point, Agnes felt a rift growing between them, This rift had always been there, but they had chosen to ignore it in the past. This nft was caused by their hasty marriage¡­ Looking back, the realized the hadn¡¯t even known this man for a full year. After attending a grand opening ceremony, Agnes returned to Century Building. Ivan, who also attended the event, was the owner of Century Building and Agnes¡¯ temporary agent, with all her work arrangements made by him. By the time she got back, Agnes waspletely worn out. In the dressing room, she quietly removed her makeup alone. Ivan walked in, holding a paper bag ¡°I noticed you didn¡¯t have dinner tonight, so I bought you a burger and fries.¡± Agnes was surprised. ¡°You left the car first, just to buy me dinner?¡± Ivan smiled gently I know you¡¯ve been upset recently, but you still need to eat well Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Agnes took the food. ¡°Thanks, Ivan.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Ivan plonked himself on the single-seater next to her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what went down between you and Jared, but I heard he¡¯s been feeling pretty rotten too. I ran into his secretary today. Leo said things are getting really tense at the Tim Group, all the bigwigs are on edge. Apparently, Jared¡¯s been piling on the pressure in meetings, they¡¯re all close to cracking.¡± At the mention of Jared, Agnes felt a pang in her heart. Ivan sighed, ¡°Jared doesn¡¯t usually fet his emotions show. If he¡¯s like this now, I reckon he must be really upset but doesn¡¯t know how to vent. What really happened between you two?¡± Agnes didn¡¯t really know either. She had been waiting for an answer these days. Jared had said he would get to the bottom of the ne issue, but he hadn¡¯t given any feedback yet. Agnes thought about it and realized there were only two possibilities. Either Jared hadn¡¯t found any leads yet, or he had found out that this had something to do with Mamie His silence might just be him trying to protect Mamie. Agnes suddenly blurted out, ¡°I have a question for you.¡± Ivan calmly responded, ¡°Shoot¡± ¡°If someone helped you unconditionally when you were wrongly used, but they didn¡¯t fully believe in you, would you be pissed off?¡± Ivan answered, ¡°If I were wrongly used, I¡¯d do everything I could to clear my name wouldn¡¯t give anyone the chance to doubt me.¡± Agnes froze after hearing this. Ivan continued, ¡°You¡¯re talking about the ne thing, right? Jared told me, it¡¯s all pretty weird. The auction house staff, the emcee, even the security manager, they all vanished. Jared¡¯s already announced that he¡¯s the buyer of the gemstone, so he can¡¯t investigate publicly, otherwise, it¡¯ll stir up more trouble.¡± So Ivan knew too. Agnes hung her head Ivan fell silent for a moment, ¡°I know you suspect Mamie. Agnes, I¡¯m not defending my sister. If she really did this, I¡¯ll make sure she will get punished. But I raised Mamie and I feel responsible for how she¡¯s turned out. I spoilt her, made her arrogant and rude. But that¡¯s because you don¡¯t know what we went through as kids. When she was bullied, she had to put on a tough exterior, make the world afraid of her. She may be a bully on the surface, but she¡¯s not bad. She might p someone in the face, but she¡¯d never scheme behind their back. Agnes, if you trust me, please give her the benefit of the doubt just this once. There might be more to it than meets the eye¡± Agnes wavered, she said, ¡°I won¡¯t me anyone without evidence, don¡¯t worry.¡± Ivan was Mamie¡¯s brother. Agnes couldn¡¯t me him for what he had said, she could even understand his predicament as brother. But when simr words came out of Jared¡¯s mouth, all Agnes felt was an unnamed anger building up in her heart, unable to dissipate. That was why their rtionship had grown cold these days. Agnes really didn¡¯t understand why That night, Agnes called Kerri Bradford and spilled the beans about everything. After listening. Kerr coolly said, ¡°You¡¯re clearly jealous. But Mr. Whitfield¡¯s behavior is Indeed out of line. If I were in your shoes, I¡¯d be ticked off too.¡± Chapter 257 Chapter 257 T The word jealousy¡¯ exploded in Agnes¡¯ mind, it was like a light bulb moment. Agnes had always thought it was Jared¡¯s distrust that caused her pain. But it wasn¡¯t that Jared didn¡¯t trust her, it was just that his trust in her wasn¡¯t as unconditional as it was with Mamie His trust in her came with conditions. Jared thought shecked the capability, the guts, but his attitude towards Mamie was different. His trust in Mamie was as unconditional as his trust in Ivan, it was based on mutual understanding and rapport. That made Agnes feel even more miserable Agnes didn¡¯t really care if Mamie had actually framed her. What she cared about was Jared¡¯s unconditional understanding and trust in Mamie In the end, she was simply jealous. Yes, very jealous. After hanging up the phone, Agnesy in bed staring at the ceiling So what if she was jealous? It was something she couldn¡¯t change. It was the umtion of their years of feelings. Agnes buried her head in the quilt, feeling so upset that she wanted to cry The next day. Agnes went to thepany At nine in the morning, she was to be interviewed by an entertainment show. After Agnes got into the elevator, the door was about to close when a guy wearing a baseball cap and carrying a toolbox walked in. The elevator at Century Building could only be used bypany staff and required a staff card to operate. Century Entertainment was an entertainmentpany with many celebrities, so strict restrictions were put in ce to prevent harassment by journalists and fans. The guy got into the elevator and stood still in the corner. Agnes found it a bit odd and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your card? You need to swipe it to select your floor¡± The guy¡¯s voice was low, ¡°Could you press the 26th floor for me? I¡¯m here to fix some pipes¡± The 26th floor housed the artist studios, Agnes was heading there as well. Today¡¯s interview was special. The show interviewing Agnes was called ¡®Celebrity Family¡¯ which focused on the daily lives and personal rtionships of celebrities. At nine o¡¯clock, Agnes arrived on time with her make-up done. When she entered the interview room, she was taken aback. Sitting in the guest seat was Jared. When Ivan had arranged the work, Agnes had thought it was just a small interview and had no idea Jared would be there. The press was taking pictures of Jared. Jared was indifferent, just casually reading the interview script, and chatting with the host. Seeing Agnese in, he stood up and naturally walked towards her In fact, the moment Agnes saw Jared, she understood. It was definitely Ivan¡¯s hope that through this interview, she could have a chance to have a good chat with Jared Agnes knew she had avoided facing him, but now she had nowhere else to run. Agnes started off the conversation with, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Jared had a slight smile on his face, but his voice was low, ¡°Mrs. Whitfield, you haven¡¯t been home for half a month, why do you think I¡¯m here?¡± That¡¯s right, Agnes hadn¡¯t been home for half a month. Ivan had arranged an apartment for her at the there Jared¡¯s voice had a hint of coldness, but there was a slight smile on his face. The others couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying and thought they were whispering sweet nothings. ¡°I¡¯m working¡± ¡°Okay, then fil apany you at work today¡± * This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 258 Chapter 258 At this point, a staff member chimed in, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, Ms. Pritchard, let¡¯s get this show on the road.¡± Agnes and Jared took their seats. Today¡¯s interview was a bit out of the ordinary, less of a formal interview and more of a casual chitchat. Even the seating arrangement was a cozy loveseat The host sat off to the side, turned to the camera and began, ¡°Hey folks, today we¡¯ve got the pleasure of hanging out with Ms. Pritchard and Mr. Whitfield, who are quite the power couple. Mr. Whitfield, you splurged on a super pricey ruby ne as a Christmas present for Ms. Pritchard a couple of weeks ago. Ms. Pritchard, how did you feel when you got such an extravagant gift?¡± Upon hearing the host mention the Kingdom Heart, Agnes felt a pang in her heart. But she was on live TV, so she had to put on a happy face, ¡°The gift was indeed extraordinary, and I was utterly surprised¡± The host turned to Jared, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, why did you decide to go all out with such an extravagant ne? Does this gift carry any special meaning?¡± Jared responded coolly, ¡°Nothing particrly meaningful. I just thought it would look beautiful on my wife.¡± Agnes shot Jared a nce. That man was always so casual when he lied The host¡¯s voice was filled with envy, ¡°We¡¯ve all heard that Mr. Whitfield absolutely dotes on his wife, and it¡¯s clear to see that today. What was the scene like when Mr. Whitfield and Ms. Pritchard first met? Any fun stories to share?¡± At this, a blush crept up Agnes cheeks. Their first meeting was not something she wanted to share in public. Jared chimed in, ¡°I fell for my wife at first sight. The moment we met, I was totally smitten.¡± Jared seemed casual, but when he said ¡°smitten¡± he nced at Agnes Agnes could clearly see a hint of provocation in his expression. Agnes immediately understood what he meant by ¡°smitten¡±. Usually, Jared loved to joke that she ¡°raped¡± him at their first meeting Now, he was implying the same! Agnes felt her face and ears turn red. The host seemed to pick up on the detail, ¡°Is Ms. Pritchard blushing? It seems like your first meeting must¡¯ve been quite a hoot.¡± The host went on with more questions, most of which were answered by Jared. He spoke at a leisurely pace, each response brimming with wit and wisdom. Agnes felt as if she didn¡¯t recognize him. Usually, he didn¡¯t talk much, but that could be the result of years of business experience. As a top businessman, he definitely knew how to put on a show The interview went super smoothly. The host waspletely smitten by Jared¡¯s charm and even admitted that she wished she could find a boyfriend like him. At the end of the show, the host asked, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, is there anything you¡¯d like to say to Mrs. Whitfield?¡± Jared turned to Agnes, looked into her eyes, and said earnestly, ¡°Darling, Im sorry. There have been times when I haven¡¯t considered your feelings, but that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t trust you. You¡¯re the closest person to me in this world, and even if everyone else didn¡¯t believe in you, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate. Where there¡¯s light, there¡¯s shadow, but I want you to remain pure and beautiful always, and I¡¯m willing This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. to shield you from all the shadows. I just want you to be happy. If I¡¯ve hurt you in any way, I hope you can forgive me, because I truly love you so much.¡± Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Jared¡¯s words camepletely out of the blue. Others might not have understood, but Agnes totally did. He exined about the ne thing. He had bought the Kingdom Heart without telling her, just to surprise her, and he was willing to bear all the whispers and plots behind the surprise. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Agnes hadn¡¯t seen iting. She¡¯d been ming him all this time! Her eyes were instantly moist. The host was also taken aback, ¡°Seems like there¡¯s some story between you two. Mr. Whitfield rarely gave interviews to the media, especially from the entertainment press They had tentatively approached Mr. Whitfield for this interview because they were interviewing Ms. Pritchard. To their surprise, Mr. Whitfield had agreed without a second thought Now it seemed that Mr. Whitfield just wanted to use this chance to apologize to his wife. Jared¡¯s heartfelt apology had clearly moved Ms. Pritchard. The ratings for this episode were sure to skyrocket. The host was more than willing to y mediator, ¡°Ms. Pritchard, is there anything you¡¯d like to say to Mr. Whitfield?¡± Agnes hung her head, tears streaming down her face. Jared handed her a tissue, ¡®Baby, no more tears, I¡¯ll let you call the shots tonight.¡± Jared¡¯s voice was so low that only Agnes could hear him, even the host didn¡¯t catch it. That man was always so cheeky no matter what the asion! Agnes, flustered and angry, grabbed his arm and bit it. The host got anxious, ¡°Ms. Pritchard, you can¡¯t bite people!¡± But Jared just smiled, even affectionately ruffled Agnes hair, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m used to it, as long as she¡¯s happy¡± She immediately let go of Jared, and angrily retorted, ¡°When did I ever bite you?¡± ¡°You probably don¡¯t remember. Next time I¡¯ll keep evidence to show you¡± Having been with Jared for a while, she instantly knew that what Jared was referring to was not a good memory Agnes blushed again and punched Jared in the shoulder. The host watched their banter and chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s clear that Ms. Pritchard has given us her answer. That concludes today¡¯s interview. We thank Mr. Whitfield and Mrs. Whitfield for joining us.¡± At the beginning of the interview, the host was a little apprehensive. Mr. Whitfield was a master of deflection, unwilling to reveal anything about his private life that the audience would be interested in. The host had initially thought the interview might be a bit nd. But the final scene was truly spectacr, and Ms. Pritchard¡¯s performance was naturally charming After the host announced the end of the interview, everyone started packing up. Then, just as a few people were about to leave, a reporter from ¡®Celebrity Family¡± suddenly rushed over and announced, ¡°Breaking news! Mamie¡¯s being held hostage on the rooftop, the guy¡¯s threatening her to jump off the building with him. Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Everyone¡¯s face turned white when they heard the news. A swarm of reporters bolted out with their cameras instantly. Jared, with a stem expression on his face, said, Tm going to check it out.¡± Agnes, equally shocked, quickly added, ¡°Me too.¡± Three minutester, everyone had flocked to the rooftop of the Century Building. The ce was already jam-packed with people. Agnes overheard someone nearby ask, ¡°What happened?¡±, Someone answered, ¡°Some crazy fan of Mamie busted into her dressing room and proposed to her. When she humiliated him, he went ballistic, took Mamie hostage and is now threatening to jump off the building with her ¡°That¡¯s terrifying! Mamie is too popr for her own good. Some fan proposed to her at a film festival, and another creep hid under her hotel bed.¡± ¡°How the hell did this criminal get past the Century Building¡¯s tight security?¡± Jared pushed through the crowd to the front, Agnes trailing behind him. When Agnes got a clear view of the scene, she was petrified. Mamie was being choked, standing on the unprotected edge of the rooftop. A crowd of security guards surrounded them. The criminal waved a gun around and screamed at the crowd, ¡°Nobody move! If anyone takes one more step, we¡¯re jumping¡±¡± Recognizing the criminal¡¯s face, Agnes was taken aback. The guy was decked out in work clothes, which seemed oddly familiar to her. Turned out he was the ¡°plumber¡± who had been headed to the 26th floor that morning! What the hell? The rooftop was a mess, but everyone was too scared to make a move. Everyone was whispering. The boss isn¡¯t here today. He¡¯ll lose his mind when he hears Mamie¡¯s been taken hostage¡± ¡°This is definitely gonna be front-page news tomorrow, but will it be entertainment or crime?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s just bluffing. Mamie should be fine.¡± Despite being held hostage, Mamie was defiant and fought back, ¡°You lunatic! If you want to die, go ahead. But you¡¯re not dragging me down with you. You¡¯d better let me go now, or rl make sure you rot in jail for the rest of your life.¡± He seemed very agitated, ¡°Mamie, I love you so much. Why won¡¯t you marry me? Just say yes and I¡¯ll let you go. No one loves you more than I do.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Mamie¡¯s voice was filled with disgust and disdain, ¡°Marry you? There are plenty of guys who want to marry me. Should I say yes to all of them? You better let me go, or I¡¯ll make sure you never see the light of day again.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of sunlight if I can¡¯t have you? Mamie, you¡¯re my sunshine. I¡¯ve watched your movies over and over. I know every line. My favorite is from ¡®Geisha¡¯, I¡¯ve always wanted to be cherished, properly ced, well-preserved, free from fear, suffering, wandering, and loneliness! I¡¯ve watched that scene countless times. Your tears were like the moon in the sky. The more I watched, the more I felt like you were talking to me. So, I proposed. If you marry me, we¡¯ll be happy. Please, will you marry me?¡± Heartstrings On Fire Chapter 261 Heartstrings On Fire Chapter 261 ¡°You lunatic! Let me go!¡± Mamie was seething with anger, struggling furiously. But the guy suddenly went ballistic, stumbling a few steps closer to the edge of the roof. Mamie almost lost her footing. ¡°If you don¡¯t agree to be with me, we¡¯ll jump together, he threatened. ¡°If we can¡¯t be together in life, we¡¯ll be together in death!¡± Mamie had a fear of heights. She nced down and let out a shriek Nobody dared to intervene. The cops and the negotiators were still nowhere in sight The guy had a gun and seemed mentally unstable. Even the security guards didn¡¯t dare to get too close. Everyone kept their distance. But Mamie had already pissed him off. The situation was spiraling out of control. Just then, Jared burst to the front. He loudly dered, ¡°Even if you jump now with her, she¡¯d end up in heaven and you, a bloody murderer, would end up in hell. You still wouldn¡¯t be together. You have got to survive because that¡¯s the only way you have a chance. Anything can happen? The guy seemed stunned by Jared¡¯s words, then had an epiphany. He looked at Jared with hopeful eyes, ¡°Then tell me what should I do? How can I get Mamie to marry me? I love her so much, I can¡¯t live without her, I just can¡¯t.¡± Jared slowly walked towards him, appearing very calm. He extended a hand to the guy, ¡°Come down first, and I¡¯ll tell you. I promise¡± The guy seemed to hesitate. One hand held the gun, the other was around Mamie¡¯s neck. Mamie¡¯s facepletely changed when she saw Jared. She didn¡¯t dare to speak out, just shook her head vigorously. But Jared was still getting closer to them. The guy still seemed unsure. He turned to look at Mamie, noticing her tear-streaked face andplex expression. When she looked at him, her face was filled with disgust, as if she were looking at garbage. But when she looked at Jared, her eyes were full of warmth, even Sympathy The guy reacted instantly, tightening his grip on Mamie¡¯s neck. He shot at Jared and shouted, ¡°You¡¯re a liar! You two know each other, don¡¯t you? I remember now, you¡¯re Jared, the CEO of the Tim Group, and Mamie¡¯s longtime boyfriend. When Mamie proposed to you at Dragon Bay years ago, I was there. You actually rejected her, you rejected the most beautiful woman in the world.¡± As the gunshot rang out, everyone retreated away in fear, leaving arge circle This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. around them. ¡°Jared!¡± Both Mamie and Agnes screamed Jared¡¯s name almost simultaneously Agnes rushed forward, her heart pounding, ¡°Are you hurt? Where are you hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Jared responded. The shot had missed him. Tears welled up in Agnes¡¯ eyes. Jared calmly said, ¡°You need to leave,¡± Agnes shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. I¡¯m staying with you.¡± Mamie also shouted, ¡°You go back! Everybody get out of here! He¡¯s a madman. Jared, you need to go.¡± 11 Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Hearing Mamie¡¯s shout, the crazy dude got even more excited, pointing his gun directly at Jared, a freaky smile ying on his lips. He turned his head and looked at Mamie tenderly: ¡°Mamie, do you see this? This is the man you spent your youth loving. He betrayed you in the end, married another woman. How about I take revenge for you? If I kill him, wouldn¡¯t you be happy?¡± Mamie was furious, her eyes filled with rage: ¡°If you dare to hurt him, I won¡¯t let you off even if I die.¡± The guy frowned, looking utterly puzzled: ¡°Why are you still protecting him? Mamie, he¡¯s ditched you, why do you still love him? Why can¡¯t you give me a chance when I love you so much?¡± Mamie seemed topletely ignore him, just shouting at Jared: ¡°Get out of here, I don¡¯t need you to save me, go!¡± The guy was losing it, one momentughing hysterically, the next yelling in a monstrous rage. He yanked Mamie back several steps. Jared was still trying to get closer, trying to persuade ¡°You love her, right? Look at how much pain she¡¯s in now! If you really love her, can you bear to see her in pain? How about this, let me be your hostage. Use me as a threat, Mamie will definitely agree to all your terms. You know, I¡¯m her favorite person. Propose to her then, she¡¯ll definitely say yes.¡± All the while, Mamie was yelling at Jared to leave. Agnes didn¡¯t stop Jared from taking the risk, because she knew that if he didn¡¯t try to help, regardless of what happened to Mamie, Jared would live with guilt for This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. the rest of his life. Anes stood in ce, just silently watching the scene unfold. criminal seemed to be moved by Jared¡¯s words. 1. Mamie would rather die than let this man take a nsk. This man was her weakness. If he threatened Mamie with Jared¡¯s life, she would definitely agree to marry him. As long as she agreed, as long as they got married, he would definitely treat her well, she would surely fall in love with him eventually. A glint of light shed in the criminal¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Fine,e here,e over here,¡± Jared slowly walked towards the edge of the rooftop. Mamie was frantic, cursing: ¡°Jared, get away, I don¡¯t need you to save me!¡± Everyone was moved by the scene. The criminal was clearly a nutcase. He was obsessively in love, and all he wanted was for Mamie to ept his proposal. Everyone knew that Jared was just saying those things to get him to release Mamie first. It was a stalling tactic, but Jared had indeed put himself in danger. That was the edge of the rooftop, he could fall off if he wasn¡¯t careful. And the madman still had a gun. If he reacted, he would definitely go berserk, and who knew what would happen then. Jared kept his cool and told the criminal: Tm here now. Release Mamie first, then we can negotiate properly. Trust me, she will willingly ept your proposal.¡± The man¡¯s face showed a dreamy yet sweet expression, as if he was already imagining their beautiful future He said happily: ¡°Yes, I hope she willingly epts, I don¡¯t want to force her, I really don¡¯t.¡± He slowly let go of the arm around Mamie¡¯s neck. Chapter 263 Chapter 263 His arm was barely off Mamie¡¯s neck when the guy seemed to snap back to reality, yelling. ¡°You tricked mel She wouldn¡¯t have agreed!¡± He immediately grabbed Mamie¡¯s hand again. Just then, Jared lunged forward, knocking the gun out of the man¡¯s hand. The criminal lost his bnce, fell backwards and, as luck would have it, grabbed Mamie¡¯s skirt. Mamie was yanked with such force that she fell backwards as well, Quick on his feet, Jared rushed over and caught Mamie as the criminal plummeted from the top of the Century Building and vanished from sight. Mamie was left dangling in mid-air Jared, sprawled on the ground, managed to grip her hand, but his body was sliding forward due to gravity, and his upper body was already at the edge of the rooftop Agnes had been slowly making her way over. After the event, she rushed over and grabbed one of Jared¡¯s legs, and yelled, ¡°Help! Quick!¡± Everyone around pitched in, and together they pulled the two back up. No one had expected things to take such a turn. That had been one hell of a close call Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Once back on solid ground, Mamie was in a daze. The normally haughty woman was now shaking like a leaf. She had just witnessed the criminal fall hundreds of meters from the building to his death. Now, assistants and other staff were flocking around her, asking if she was okay. ¡°Mamie, are you alright? We were so worried about you.¡± ¡°Mamie, it¡¯s over. Everything will be okay.¡± While everyone wasforting her, Jared was patting Mamie¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Mamie, speak! Look at me! Look at me!¡± Jared¡¯s voice was stern, like amand, but it was clear he was worried. Mamie seemed to remember something from the past and shrieked, ¡°Leave me alone! Get out! All of you, get out!¡± She began to scream, clutching her head and pulling at her hair like a madwoman. Everyone was at a loss. She was safe after all that, so why wasn¡¯t she calm? Jared picked Mamie up. Mamie clung to his cor like a drowning person clinging to a floating piece of wood, shaking in his arms. At Hope Hospital. Agnes and Jared stood outside the ward. Inside, several nurses were restraining Mamie¡¯s hands, stopping her from moving. The doctor was injecting her with a tranquilizer. Agnes couldn¡¯t get the image of Mamie¡¯s frenzy out of her head. She had been curled up in aer, refusing to let anyone near her, as if the whole world was against her This obviously wasn¡¯t just due to the shock she had just experienced, but due to a deeper psychological reason. Finally, Mamie calmed down and seemed to fall asleep on the bed. Agnes asked Jared, ¡°Why did she suddenly act like that?¡± Jared was silent for a while before replying, ¡°When she was a child, she was deliberately pushed off a rooftop. She fell into a swimming pool and nearly drowned. It was a traumatic experience from her childhood. Today¡¯s incident probably triggered her most painful memories, which is why she reacted the way she did¡± Agnes was taken aback. She had no idea that Mamie had been through such a horrifying experience. Chapter 264 Chapter 264 A crowd of reporters swarmed outside the hospital. Agnes knew the whole thing was going to be sshed across tomorrow¡¯s front pages, Half an hourter, Ivan showed up. He was all dusted up and had a worried look on his face. ¡°How¡¯s Mamie? Is she okay?¡± he asked. Agnes had never seen Ivan so freaked out like this. He took a ne early this morning for a meeting out of town. It was just past noon now. He must have heard about Mamie as soon as hended and rushed back immediately. ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Jared said, ¡°just a bit shaken up.¡± Ivan rushed into the ward. Jared turned to Agnes, ¡°Let¡¯s go grab a bite¡± But Agnes had absolutely zero appetite. After they had a meal, they went to the police station to give statements. The police had identified the perpetrator. He was a schizophrenic with severe delusions. He watched Mamie¡¯s movies everyday and gradually came to believe that she was his girlfriend. His house had no windows, and the walls were stered with posters and photos of Mamie. He had nned the proposal for a long time, and was even prepared to die with her if she rejected him. The gun he brought was smuggled in. The guy was a radical and had served time for a criminal case before. He died on the spot when he fell from the roof today By the time Jared and Agnes left the police station, it was already dark Agnes sat in the car in silence Jared suddenly grabbed her hand, ¡°Those things I said up on the roof, I only said them bause I had to. Don¡¯t overthink it, okay?¡± Agnes was a bit out of it. She wasn¡¯t really overthinking anything at the moment. She wasn¡¯t even sure what Jared was trying to exin. ¡°I¡¯ve been reflecting these past two weeks, Agnes said, ¡®I think I didn¡¯t trust you enough, Jared. You were just trying to help me, but I selfishly thought it was all about Mamie. I knew deep down that you trusted me, but I was still mad. I kept asking myself why I was so mad and now I understand: it¡¯s because I wasn¡¯t part of your past. Your past with Mamie is like a mysterious box to me, I can¡¯t see anything inside it. I¡¯ve been trying to understand you, to understand your past feelings. I¡¯ve been through a rtionship with Elton Taylor, so I know letting go isn¡¯t easy. I¡¯m always scared, scared that N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. I¡¯m just a fling to you; scared that in the end, you might think the woman you loved for so many years is the one for you.¡± Agnes finally let out what was on her mind. These were feelings she¡¯d been avoiding and hiding, but Jared¡¯s words today had opened her heart. Agnes knew that with Jared¡¯s personality, saying something so out of character in public was like making a promise. If he ever let her down in the future, he would surely face public bacsh, but he didn¡¯t care. He didn¡¯t leave a backup n for their marriage. If she still couldn¡¯t trust him after all this, then Agnes could only feel that she didn¡¯t deserve his love Jared gave Agnes a puzzled look, ¡°Don¡¯t I know who¡¯s right for me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I just feel that I¡¯m not as beautiful as Mamie, not as aplished.¡± ¡°All you need is me.¡± Agnes was deeply moved. But the next second Jared began to grill her, ¡°What did you mean when you said it wasn¡¯t easy to let go of your feelings for Elton?¡± Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Agnes suddenly froze. She was just making an example. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. I was just making an example.¡± ¡°So you still haven¡¯t forgotten about that guy?¡± ¡°I forgot about him a long time ago.¡± ¡°Do you guys still keep in touch?¡± ¡°No, absolutely not.¡± Agnes turned red as a beet, flustered. Jared suddenly reached out and ruffled her hair, ¡°Don¡¯t ever mention that guy again, got it? Not even in your thoughts.¡± Agnes obediently agreed. Just like that, Jared¡¯s distraction made Agnes forget what she was about to say. What was it again? Regardless, despite the scare today, Agnes¡¯ gloomy mood of the past few weeks had lightened up. She actually wanted to ask about the ne but didn¡¯t in the end. Ivan had mentioned before that the investigation had hit a roadblock The auction house people disappearing without a trace indicated that there were some big, shady hands pulling the strings behind the scenes. Agnes wasn¡¯t sure if Mamie was trying to harm her, but she believed that one day, the truth would The next day, whether it was the social or the entertainment section, the main headline was about Mamie being held hostage by a rabid fan. There happened to be a reporter at the scene. The whole incident on the rooftop was recorded in its entirety. Aside from highlighting the social phenomenon of rabid fans being, several parts of the video were singled out by the entertainment media, including the part where Jared confessed that he was Mamie¡¯s favorite person. As Agnes was there, she knew full well that this was a case of the media taking things out of context for the sake of grabbing attention. Everyone there knew that the criminal was mentally unstable; Jared had to say that to get the criminal to lower his guard. But now, that statement had be evidence of a rtionship between Mamie and Jared. Rumors started spreading that Agnes was the third party in Mamie and Mr. Whitfield¡¯s rtionship. Because ording to the criminal¡¯s time frame, Mamie had proposed to Mr. Whitfield when she was at Dragon Bay, showing that they were still together. However, based on Jared¡¯s previously revealed mamage timeline, he was already married to Agnes at that time. Mamie¡¯s love life was sensationalized by the media and became a hot topic on social media. Agnes even saw fans calling for a boycott of ¡°Cindere¡± and for her to quit the entertainment industry There were tens of thousands ofments in support of this, but Agnes didn¡¯t pay much attention to N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. it. She knew the truth. As amunications student, she knew that the hype around such scandals wouldn¡¯tst more than a few weeks. As long as she ignored them, the rumors would eventually fade. But Agnes had a bad feeling in her gut. Online public opinion had always been diverse and contradictory, but after the incident, all she saw were insults and slurs against her. She couldn¡¯t help but suspect that someone was manipting public opinion. Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Agnes was full of doubts. How could it be such a coincidence? Someone had framed her for stealing a ne, and it seemed like that incident was being used to stir up trouble. Agnes could sense that someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes. The first person that came to mind was Mamie. But firstly, Jared believed in her. Secondly, even if the ne incident could be exined as Mamie setting her up, what about the actions of the crazed fans? Could Mamie risk her life just to create a scandal? Besides, the situation was so dangerous at the time, and the criminal lost his life as a result. It couldn¡¯t have been premeditated. Agnes was very confused, but she didn¡¯t want to create another disagreement between Jared and Mamie because of this. Jared must have seen the news too. He was on the phone with his secretary early in the morning. By the afternoon, the reports about this incident on newspapers and TV had disappeared, but the online discussions were still heated. Public opinion on social media was very hard to control. The more people tried to suppress a view, the more popr it became. But Agnesforted Jared and told him not to pay too much attention to the rumors online. Before long, the heat of this topic will naturally die down. There were countless news in the entertainment industry every day. Truth or lies, right or wrong, ck or white, how many people really cared? Still, Agnes wanted to confirm some things personally. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. That afternoon, Agnes went to the hospital. Was Mamie faking her illness? Only when they were alone could she possibly show her true colors. Agnes went to the VIP ward of the hospital. The whole floor only had her as a patient, and there was a security guard at the entrance of the floor The security guard recognized Agnes, knowing that she was the woman who hade to the hospital with Jared yesterday. Agnes walked past without any problems. The hallway was carpeted thickly, and Agnes made no noise when she walked on it Agnes got to the door of the ward She was going to knock, but found that the door was open, and there was more than just Mamie in the room. Agnes clearly saw that it was a middle-aged woman in her forties or fifties, dressed very fashionably and in designer clothes. Agnes didn¡¯t know who she was. She remembered Ivan saying that their parents had died in a ne crash a long time ago. Just then, the harsh voice of the woman came over. ¡°You¡¯ve disgraced the Bartley family! You¡¯re just an actress, nothing more than a cheap woman who sells herself in front of the camera! Why did we ever adopt you?¡± Mamie curled up at the head of the bed, seemingly unable to bear it any longer and ended up saying ¡°When you say things like that, you don¡¯t sound like a richdy from a respectable family, you sound more like a shrew from the street.¡± The elegantly dressed woman was infuriated by her words. She took a step forward and pped Mamie hard across the face, ¡°You little bitch, you¡¯re getting brazen, even daring to talk back to me! I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a star out there. In here, you¡¯re just a dog raised by the Bartley family!¡± Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Mamie was crouched in a corner, beaten down. Thedy strutted her stuff, ¡°I can¡¯t fathom what my brother was thinking, adopting you, a burden. If they hadn¡¯t rushed back to celebrate your birthday, they wouldn¡¯t have died so early. Ivan¡¯s a sap, always protecting you, a mongrel from God knows where.¡± I¡¯m neither a burden, nor a mongrel Mamie suddenly shouted, her voice filled with rage. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°The Bartley family should¡¯ve never taken you in! You surviving that¡¯s just your dumb luck.¡± Mamie gritted her teeth, ¡°I knew it. You were the one who pushed me off the roof that year.¡± ¡°So what if I pushed you off? You should¡¯ve died when you were five, but you lucked out.¡± Mamie¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°Why? Because of you, I lost my own daughter. How do you expect me to treat you? You should¡¯ve been dead.¡± ¡°Antonia¡¯s death wasn¡¯t my fault. She was just going back with my parents. I lost my parents too. How can you me this on me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if it wasn¡¯t for your birthday, they wouldn¡¯t have gone back, and my daughter would still be alive. You¡¯re just a bastard that cost the Bartley family three lives. This is what you owe me, owe the Bartley family¡± Mamie seemed to grow colder, I¡¯ve always felt guilty towards you. That¡¯s why I put up with your abuse all these years. But when you pushed me off the roof,! already repaid the life I owed you. If you treat me like this again, I won¡¯t show mercy Thedy was livid, ¡°Mamie, don¡¯t forget who you are! You were just a starving beggar on the streets. Killing you would be as simple as squashing an ant, but I don¡¯t want you dead now, I want to torment you, make you a star in public, but a servant to the Bartley family behind the scenes. I want to see how you handle this fake wealth and glory¡± ¡°Get out! Stay away from me!¡± Thedy strode over and grabbed Mamie¡¯s hair, ¡°You wench, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson today! Ivan can protect you for now, but not forever.¡± Suddenly, bang! The hospital room door was kicked open by Agnes She stepped forward, grabbed thedy¡¯s wrist, and twisted it with all her strength. A snap echoed through the room, followed by thedy¡¯s scream of agony Shey on the ground in pain, pointing at Agnes, ¡°Who are you? What have you done to my hand? You wench, what did you do to me?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Nothing much, I just dislocated your arm.¡± Thedy¡¯s face tumed pale when she heard Agnies, ¡°Do you know who I am? How dare you talk to me like that?¡± ¡°The Bartley family is the most historic and cultured of the Big Four, And you Lara, are in charge of the Bartley family. People always thought that thedy of the Bartley family was gentle andposed. Little did they know, you¡¯re just a foul-mouthed woman who could inflict harm on a five-year-old. If everyone knew the truth, I wonder if they¡¯d be disappointed, or perhaps re-evaluate you.¡± Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Lara¡¯s face changed dramatically when she heard what Agnes said, ¡°Quit talking nonsense here or I¡¯ll get awyer and sue you for defamation.¡± ¡°Mrs. Lara, you can certainly get awyer, but your reputation will bepletely ruined by then.¡± Agnes pulled out a voice recorder from her pocket. Lara¡¯s voice could be heard clearly from the recorder, ¡°So what if I pushed you down the stairs? You should have died when you were five, but you were lucky and escaped¡± Lara looked at her in shock, ¡°You actually secretly recorded me?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Then she pointed her finger at Mamie, ¡°Is this a trap you set?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Mrs. Lara, unfortunately, I¡¯m a journalism student. Carrying a voice recorder is part of my job. Now, this is the evidence of your crime.¡± Although Lara¡¯s hand was immovable, she stood up and rushed towards Agnes, trying to grab the recorder. But Agnes moved quickly and easily dodged her. Lara collided with the edge of the bed and screamed in pain again. Agnes coldly asked, ¡°Are you not leaving yet, or do you want me to hand over the evidence to the police right now? I will give this recording to Mamie. This is a matter for the Bartley family. I don¡¯t want to interfere. You better hope she is forgiving enough to let you go.¡± Lara gritted her teeth. She never thought that after bullying Mamie for so many years, she would now be caught in the act. Agnes kindly reminded her, ¡°If you don¡¯t get a doctor to fix your arm soon, I can¡¯t guarantee there won¡¯t be any after-effects.¡± Lara didn¡¯t dare to underestimate the situation and had to leave first. The room suddenly quieted down, Agnes looked at the woman in the corner, who seemedpletely different from the Mamie she knew. Her hard shell was gone, like a hedgehog without its quills. For a moment, Agnes didn¡¯t know what to say She ced the recorder in front of Mamie, ¡°Although her actions were attempted murder, I¡¯m afraid the statute of limitations has passed, so calling the police now is useless. However, I think you can give the recording to Ivan.¡± Mamie slowly looked up. Although she was trembling, her eyes were still cold, ¡°What are you doing here, tough at me?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°If I wanted tough at you, I wouldn¡¯t havee in here. If I had taken out my phone earlier and secretly recorded a video to put online, that would beughing at you¡± Mamie bit her lip, hugged her knees, and turned her head to the side. Usually, Mamie wore morous and aloof makeup, looking stunning and radiant. At that moment, she was barefaced but still beautiful. She looked a few years younger, without the majesty of a celebrity. Agnes lightly bit her lip, ¡°Actually, I came to ask you something today. But since you¡¯re not in a good mood and don¡¯t want to see me, I¡¯ll go now¡± Just as Agnes turned to leave, Mamie suddenly called out to her. Agnes turned back and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Mamie still looked indifferent, ¡°What do you want to ask me?¡± Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Agnes asked, ¡°Just to be sure, did you put Kingdom Heart in my bag?¡± Mamie snorted, ¡°Are you using me of what?¡± Agnes retorted, ¡°Why are you so ungrateful? If it wasn¡¯t for me just now, you¡¯d still be being bullied by that woman. You¡¯re always so cocky with me, why did you back down when facing an old woman?¡± Mamie shot back, ¡°Mind your own business.¡± Mamie was fearless, but she was scared of that home. She was afraid of hearing the family curse, afraid of anyone mentioning her parents¡¯ and Antonia¡¯s deaths. Over the years, she often had nightmares and was afraid of the dark, so she preferred the spotlight on stage. But Lara would show up every now and then to remind her, to provoke her She had been tormenting her since she was a kid. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. That fear instilled from childhood still haunted Mamie. She had tried to fight back, but each attempt only resulted in self-injury and implicated her brother. Ivan had fallen out with the Bartley family for protecting her. He didn¡¯t want a penny of the Bartley fortune and established Century Entertainment for her. Mr. Brian cherished his eldest grandson, giving Lara the excuse to badmouth Mamie in front of him. Even though Mamie was a popr star, the Bartley family had not only wealth, but the ultimate power. If not for Ivan¡¯s protection, she would have sunk into the mire long ago. Agnes took a deep breath and eamestly said ¡°I swear, I didn¡¯t take the ne to frame you. I also believe you didn¡¯t take it. From the start, I felt that someone was pulling strings behind the scenes, but I haven¡¯t figured out what their real intent is. If you want to know too, we can team up.¡± Mamie looked up and asked, ¡°Why do you suddenly believe me?¡± Agnes paused and said, Tm not believing you, but I believe Jared. If he believes in you, then I trust his judgment.¡± Mentioning Jared, Mamie¡¯s eyes dimmed again. She stared at the girl in front of her. Agnes was makeup-free, looking as innocent as a high schooler But judging by her calm handling of Lara and her agility, Mamie was certain that this girl had an extraordinary endurance and courage that was iparable. So now, she wasn¡¯t sure if she was acting. What kind of person was she? Mamie said, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯d better not give me a chance to catch you out.¡± When Agnest left the hospital, she felt inexplicably happy. For some reason, she felt like she had been reunited with Mamie As Agnes was about to hail a cab, a group of people suddenly rushed over from not far away. They shouted, ¡°It¡¯s her, Agnes! The homewrecker ruining Mamie¡¯s happiness! She even has the audacity to show up at the hospital where Mamie is staying!¡± A group of people holding cards rushed over. Agnes could clearly see the words on the cards: ¡°Agnes, get out of the entertainment industry!¡± ¡± Agnes quickly realized that this crowd were probably Mamie¡¯s fans. Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Agnes had never thought she¡¯d be ambushed by a celebrity¡¯s fans one day. If it¡¯d been only three or five people, Agnes could¡¯ve put up a fight. But these people were like they¡¯d gone mad, charging straight at her They threw the water bottles and cards they were holding in Agnes¡¯ direction. Agnes had no choice but to turn tail and run, She was chased for a good distance, before finally shaking them off by running into an office building. The fans followed her in, but were stopped by the security guards at the door because there were too many of them. Agnes was very familiar with this office building, as she had interned at CHERRY on the floors above. Agnes felt a sudden pang of nostalgia for old friends, so she took the elevator up. Ben had juste in from outside. He looked shocked to see Agnes. Everyone in the office surrounded Agnes when they saw here in. Even the editor-in-chief, Siam, came out of his office. ¡°Agnes, long time no see! Never thought you would end up being a big star, Siam said, grinning. Agnes blushed, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve always wanted to thank you. You helped me out a lot by lending me two thousand bucks back then.¡± Back when Agnes had hit Ivan¡¯s car, she had asked Siam to advance her half a year¡¯s sry. Sheter found out that thepany didn¡¯t allow sry advances. Siam had actually loaned her his own money. Siamughed, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat the small stuff. But Agnes, you¡¯re in showbiz now. If you get any juicy insider info, you gotta let us know as soon as possible Agnesughed, ¡°Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m here? To bring you news?¡± As she said this, Agnes pointed to the window. Everyone walked over to the window and looked down. There was arge crowd down below, holding posters and cards, shouting, ¡°Agnes, get out of showbiz! Agnes, get out of showbiz!¡± Siam turned around, ¡°Agnes, are you sure you want this as tomorrow¡¯s headline? You¡¯re openly Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. challenging Mamie. Her fans are numerous. If things get out of hand, it¡¯ll be hard to reel them back in.¡± Agnes said. ¡°I do want to challenge her. Go ahead and report it. The more sensational, the better, Il take responsibility for any fallout.¡± Since Agnes had already said this, Siam was more than happy to oblige. The next day CHERRY¡¯s exclusive front-page headline: ¡°Mamie condones her fans¡¯ hooliganism! Who¡¯s the real homewrecker?¡± After the article was published, it caused an uproar in the entertainment industry. Various forums and fan groups were in total chaos. When Agnes woke up in the morning, she casually browsed through thements on Twitter. ¡°Marie¡¯s way out of line, letting her fans behave like this. It¡¯s downright violent!¡± ¡°Agnes is the homewrecker. The fans are just helping her see justice.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t Agnes have fans too? We should stand up and support her!¡± ¡°Agnes and Jared got married fair and square. Mamie should avoid causing misunderstandings. Who knows who¡¯s the real homewrecker!¡± ¡°Agnes is the homewrecker, homewrecker, homewrecker Homewreckers out of showbiz! Team Mamie forever!!¡± In no time, there were hundreds of thousands ofments, all with different opinions Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Agnes hit the office bright and early She had a jam-packed schedule for the day. Emily, Agnes¡¯ assistant, was freaking out: ¡°Agnes, have you seen the news? You¡¯re making headlines!¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I been in the headlinestely? Whatever¡± Emily looked super stressed: ¡°This is different. Agnes, you need to talk to the boss about handling this N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. PR crisis. Mamie is the boss¡¯s sister, as long as he steps in, this thing will blow over quickly.¡± Agnes, however, retorted, ¡°Why should I take crap lying down? If these people want to stir up trouble, let them. The bigger the fuss, the better.¡± Both Emily and the makeup artist working on Agnes were taken aback. This was totally out of character for Agnes. It seemed like she had been seriously wronged. Or maybe it was because all the rumors were saying that Mamie was Jared¡¯s old me, and Agnes was the other woman She must have been at the end of her rope. Still, Emily was worried. Agnes might have skyrocketed in poprity thanks to ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere¡±, but she wasn¡¯t in a position to go head-to-head with Mamie Agnes asked Emily, ¡°Is the itinerary for the SH G arranged?¡± Emily snapped back to reality and excitedly said, ¡°Agnes, I have good news and bad news, which one do you want to hear first?¡± Agnes said, ¡°Give me the good news first.¡± Emily looked smug: ¡°The good news is, thanks to ¡®The Magical Romance of Cindere, you¡¯ve been nominated for Best Actress at the SH G. Agnes, you¡¯ve just debuted, and to be nominated at the most prestigious film and TV g in the country is unprecedented. It¡¯s enough to make countless starlets green with envy.¡± Agnes was surprisingly calm after hearing the news: ¡°And the bad news?¡± Emily¡¯s face fell: ¡°The bad news is that Mamie is also nominated. She¡¯s won Best Actress three years in a row, so it¡¯s likely she¡¯ll win again. But Agnes, just being nominated is an amazing aplishment, so you shouldn¡¯t worry too much about the oue.¡± Agnes seemed deep in thought. After a while, Faye suddenly came over ¡°Agnes, the boss wants to see you in his office¡± Agnes acknowledged. She was scheduled to do a cover shoot for a magazine this morning. The shoot was in Century Building¡¯s own studio, so she had plenty of time. Agnes went to Ivan¡¯s office Ivan put down his newspaper as Agnes walked in. Agnes approached him and asked ¡°Did you need something?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I wanted to get your opinion on. QN Jewelry wants you to be their spokesperson, the contract is for one year. Would you consider it?¡± ¡°ON Jewelry? Why would such a big brand want me?¡± Ivan smiled and said ¡°They¡¯reunching a new product, targeting a pink and youthful style. They think your performance in ¡®Cindere¡¯ fits their needs perfectly¡± Agnes replied, ¡°But I don¡¯t n on getting deeper into the entertainment industry.¡± Ivan said, ¡°I understand your concern. You¡¯ve always been reluctant to sign contracts, and I respect that. If you don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t force you. But the endorsement fee is close to a million dors. If you turn it down, I¡¯m afraid you might regret it.¡± Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Agnes hesitated for a bit but eventually said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take the endorsement.¡± Ivan chuckled, ¡°Wow, that was a quick change of heart.¡± Agnes gave a candidugh, ¡°Hey, who ever said no to more money, right?¡± Ivan chuckled heartily, ¡°Jared¡¯s loaded, you¡¯re still worried about a bit of cash?¡± ¡°His money is his, mine is mine. Two different things.¡± Agnes said: ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I have to get back to work.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Agnes left the CEO¡¯s office. From start to finish, Ivan hadn¡¯t mentioned her feud with Mamie. Agnes felt that Ivan had never shown any bias towards either of them. She was grateful for that. Agnes headed to the photography studio. After two hours of shooting, she was beat. As as she was leaving the studio, she ran into Mamie. Mamie blocked Agnes, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re so cunning, snatching my endorsement while I¡¯m away. How could you do something so low?¡± Agnes frowned, ¡°When have I ever snatched your endorsement?¡± Emily reminded her, ¡°Agnes, Mamie has been the face of QN Jewelry for a while now.¡± Mamie said arrogantly, ¡°Stop ying dumb! Agnes, you¡¯re new and you¡¯re trying to take my ce? I¡¯ll show you what happens when you get too cocky¡± They stood at the entrance of the studio, with peopleing and going. Seeing this ¡°spectacle¡±, everyone stopped to stare, some even sneaked out their phones to take pictures. At that moment, Ivan arrived. He asked Mamie in displeasure, ¡°When were you discharged? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Mamie ignored his question and instead asked straight away, ¡°Why did you give her the endorsement that was supposed to be mine? I¡¯m fine with Mr. Bartley supporting new talents, but I won¡¯t stand being the price for it.¡± Ivan responded professionally. ¡°Your contract with QN Jewelry ended this year. They specifically asked for Agnes. Her aura fits the style of QN Jewelry¡¯s new collection. Agnes has nothing to do with it, it was my arrangement.¡± Seeing Ivan defend Agnes, Mamie was fuming. She said to Ivan, ¡°Century Entertainment can only amodate one of us. Mr. Bartley, if you insist on keeping her then I¡¯ll leave Century Entertainment.¡± Ivan seemed angry as well, ¡°Mamie, do you realize what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°Ivan, do you really know what you¡¯re doing? Why are you treating me like this for a stranger? What¡¯s so appealing about Agnes that everyone treats her so well? No matter what, Agnes and I are like oil and water! You have to make a choice now.¡± Ivan frowned. A crowd had gathered around them, waiting to see how this drama would end. What will Ivan choose? One was his own sister, the other a new talent thepany was heavily promoting. No matter who he chose, there will be losses. Agnes stepped forward ¡°Mamie, Ivan is your brother, there¡¯s no need to put him in a difficult position. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Let¡¯s do this, since both of us are nominated for Best Actress, let¡¯s make the SH G next week the stake. If you win, I¡¯ll quit showbiz, if I win, you quit. Dare you take the bet?¡± When Agnes spilled those beans, everyone freaked out. Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Sure, Agnes was a fresh face who rocketed to stardom overnight, but how did she have the guts to say something like that? For the past decade, Mamie had been racking up awards left and right, bagged the best actress title three years in a row, and was universally regarded as the queen of the entertainment industry. Agnes throwing down this gauntlet was just asking for trouble. A smirk crossed Mamie¡¯s face. ¡°Agnes, are you sure you want to gamble with me?¡± Even Ivan seemed caught off guard: ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t be rash.¡± But Agnes brushed him off, saying firmly, ¡°I want to bet with you. But if both of us lose, we wipe the te clean, and you stop hassling me¡± Mamie gave a cold and arrogantugh, ¡°If I don¡¯t win, Ill retire and leave the entertainment industry for good.¡± With that, Mamie tumed on her heel and left. The onlookers all felt a pang of regret. These two were just too impulsive. They were basically gambling with their futures. And anyone could see that Agnes was digging her own grave In the CEO¡¯s office. Ivan said, ¡°Why did you have to be so impulsive? I could have helped you deal with the issue between you and Mamie.¡± Agnes chuckled, ¡°You know as well as I do, I never nned on sticking around in the entertainment industry. If I can make a ssh on my way out, it¡¯s not a bad deal for me.¡± Ivan was silent for a while, then sighed, ¡°I know you¡¯re not in it. Alright, you can go now After finishing her work, Agnes didn¡¯t head home, but went to Tim Tower instead. With the Ynda Bowman incident still fresh in everyone¡¯s mind, everyone in the secretarial department was polite to her as she passed through. But there were odd looks in people¡¯s eyes. Agnes figured it was because of the recent news, so she didn¡¯t think much of it. Mia Taylor was surprised to see Agnes, ¡°Agnes, was that really your sister who just came in? She was way over the top.¡± Agnes was taken aback ¡°Who?¡± Mia was surprised: ¡°You don¡¯t know? Half an hour ago, a girl named Beatrice Pritchard barged in, iming she was the CEO¡¯s wife¡¯s sister and demanded to see the CEO. We told her to wait, but she made a fuss, saying we were brushing her off. She made a scene in the secretarial department for two hours and even had us pour her tea. I wasn¡¯t sure of her identity, so I let her have her way till the CEO finished his meeting¡± Beatrice was here? Agnes frowned. She headed to the CEO¡¯s office, not bothering to knock, just pushed the door open. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Jared was writing something, then tore off a piece of paper and handed it to Beatrice. Beatrice took the paper, thrilled: ¡°Jared, you¡¯re so generous! Our whole family is so grateful. Agnes is so lucky to have married you.¡± Jared¡¯s voice was cold: ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you can leave now.¡± Beatrice¡¯s voice became even more coquettish: ¡°Jared, I waited two hours for you in the secretarial department, and now you¡¯re in such a hurry to get rid of me? i haven¡¯t eaten yet today, I¡¯m starving. Can you take me out for a meal?¡± Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Agnes couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She stormed into the office: ¡°Beatrice, what on earth are you doing here?¡± It was only when she entered did she notice that Beatrice was holding a check. However, she couldn¡¯t make out the amount on the check Agnes was taken aback: ¡°What¡¯s that you¡¯re holding? Let me see.¡± Beatrice quickly stuffed the check into her bag, a smile spreading across her face: ¡°It¡¯s a little something from Jared. Agnes, you haven¡¯t been home in ages. Did you know Dad¡¯spany is in hot water? We¡¯re all family here, there¡¯s no harm in asking Jared for help unless you don¡¯t consider him family. ¡°Beatrice, you must think I was born yesterday. Even if Dad¡¯spany is in trouble, you should have money?¡± That got Beatrice¡¯s blood boiling. But with Jared around, she had to keep her cool and not lose her temper. All she could do was grit her teeth and say: ¡°Agnes, you¡¯ve married into money, and you¡¯re living it up in showbiz, so naturally, we¡¯re beneath your notice. But I wouldn¡¯t be doing this if we weren¡¯t in a tight spot. Jared hasn¡¯t said a word, yet here you are bad-mouthing me. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go home and ask. Dad¡± Tears welled up in Beatrice¡¯s eyes, making her look like she was wronged. She shot a nce at Agnes, only to find Jared¡¯s eyes fixed on Agnes,pletely oblivious to her emotional state. Beatrice knew Agnes was stubborn. Thest thing she wanted to do was owe someorie a favor, even if that someone was Jared. Beatrice was afraid that Agnes would demand the money back. She turned to Jared and said: ¡°I won¡¯t bother you any longer. I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± Agnes tried to stop Beatrice, but Jared held her back: ¡°Hold on. Didn¡¯t youe to see me? Why are you leaving so soon?¡± Agnes was furious ¡°Jared, what the hell did you do? Why did you give her money?! Jared chuckled, pulling Agnes onto hisp: ¡°Are you mad?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Jared, what¡¯s going on?¡± Jared wanted to enjoy her angry face a bit longer, but seeing how livid she was, he decided not to tease her anymore. He honestly said. ¡°Beatrice came to borrow five hundred thousand dors, saying your father is in a financial bind. So, I lent it to her.¡± Agnes frowned ¡°How could you just hand over the money like that? Do you just believe whatever she says?¡± Jared said: ¡°Half a million isn¡¯t a big deal. I heard your father¡¯s recent investments went belly-up. If she came to me, your family must know about it too. We can ask when we go home. If there is a problem at home, it¡¯s my responsibility to help.¡± Agnes frowned more deeply To be honest, there was a rift between her and Preston Pritchard because of Laura, but if hispany was in serious trouble, Agnes would never stand by and do nothing Her mother also contributed to the establishment of thispany. What Agnes couldn¡¯t ept was that Preston didn¡¯t say a word to her, but let Beatrice ask Jared for money directly. This put Agnes in a really awkward spot. Chapter 275 Chapter 275 *Trust me, Jared, I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this. If it¡¯s as you said, I¡¯ll figure out a way to give you back,¡± Agnes pledged. Even though Jared insisted that Beatrice was the one who borrowed the money, Agnes knew Beatrice had no intention of repaying it. She couldn¡¯t stand Beatrice¡¯s attitude ¡°We don¡¯t have to be all polite with each other, do we? It¡¯s just half a million, Jared brushed off. ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°There¡¯s no difference. Let¡¯s drop it for now. If it bothers you that much, we can go home and ask tonight¡± Agnes knew Jared might get mad if she insisted on refusing the money. After thinking for a moment, she shook her head, ¡°You don¡¯t have to go back. Don¡¯t you go to the Whitfield Manor every Sunday? I¡¯ll check it out first and let you know.¡± Jared agreed. Agnes rarely went to the Whitfield Manor these days. Partly because she was really busy, and because she tried to avoid Ryder Whitfield. She hadn¡¯t been in contact with Ryder since their farewell on the rooftop. There were some issues that only time could resolve Agnes left Tim Tower early, surprisingly running into Beatrice in the lobby. Spotting Agnes stepping out alone, Beatrice immediately approached and pointed at her usingly, ¡°Agnes, you traitor! You lived in our house for over a decade and now when we¡¯re in trouble, you¡¯re just sitting on your hands. I¡¯ll make sure Dad sees you for who you truly are. He¡¯s felt guilty towards you all these years. This time, I¡¯ll show him that his most beloved daughter is nothing but an ingrate¡± Agnes stepped forward, grabbing Beatrice¡¯s arm, ¡°If there is a real problem at home, I won¡¯t stand by and watch, but Jared is not your ATM. He doesn¡¯t owe you money. Give me the check.¡± Agnes thought about it and decided she couldn¡¯t let Beatrice walk away with that check. Even if half a million meant nothing to Jared, if Beatrice got away with it once, she¡¯d definitely keep Beatrice abruptly shook off Agnes¡¯s hand and clutched her bag with a triumphant smirk, ¡°Agnes, it has nothing to do with you. It¡¯s Jared¡¯s gift to me, and you¡¯re not getting it. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be sure to thank him.¡± With that, Beatrice turned on her heel and left. Agnes knew Beatrice had been spoiled since childhood, but she never thought she could be so shameless. Beatrice and Agnes arrived at the Pritchard family vi almost at the same time. Agnes headed upstairs to Preston¡¯s study. The door was open, and Preston was on the phone. He was pacing around the room, puffing on a cigarette Agnes could vaguely hear him mention ¡°loan¡± and ¡®shortage of funds.¡± After Preston finally hung up, Agnes knocked on the study door. Preston looked up to see Agnes. Chapter 276 Chapter 276 His face turned ashen, then he forced a smile, ¡°Agnes, what brings you back all of a sudden?¡± Agnes strolled in and said bluntly, ¡°I just saw Beatrice in Jared¡¯s office. She borrowed money from him. What the hell is going on?¡± Preston gasped, ¡°She really went to him? I¡¯ve told her countless times not to bother Jared. This is our family business.¡± Agnes anxiously asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Preston sighed, ¡°I invested in some projects earlier and they tanked. Thepany¡¯s strapped for cash now. Some of our top-tier talent contracts are expiring, and they¡¯re not keen on renewing with us.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± ¡°What good would telling you do? We didn¡¯t even tell Beatrice. She probably overheard my conversation with Laura and went to Jared for the money. But that won¡¯t solve the problem. She¡¯s such a naive kid.¡± Agnes frowned, ¡°How much do you need?¡± Preston paused, ¡°Twenty million dors.¡± Agnes was shocked, ¡°How is it this much?¡± Preston wore a grave expression, ¡°Agnes, you have no idea what¡¯s going on. The entertainment industry has changed. Century Entertainment has taken most of the resources, new media outlets are rising, and the big stars are opening their own studios. I thought if thepany couldn¡¯t keep up, I would leave and invest elsewhere. That way, even if thepany went downhill, I could leave enough Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. for you and Beatrice. But I didn¡¯t expect all the investments to flop. Thepany¡¯s stocks are plummeting, and the banks won¡¯t lend us money. If this continues, we may go bankrupt.¡± Preston lit a cigarette, looking distressed. Agnes never paid attention to business matters and hadn¡¯t anticipated thepany¡¯s dire straits Agnes was at a loss for words. Preston said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. Laura and I will handle it. You should just pretend you don¡¯t know.¡± At dinner, Beatrice triumphantly showed a check in front of Agnes and handed it to Preston, Dad, this is from Jared Jared¡¯s so generous, while Agnes seems reluctant. I wonder what¡¯s on her mind.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°I just think, even if the Pritchards go bankrupt, we¡¯re not so poor to beg from others. If you borrow money, you should at least write an IOU. It¡¯s basic manners.¡± ¡°Agnes, who are you to critique me? I did this for the family business, didn¡¯t I? Now that you¡¯ve married into a wealthy family, you¡¯re so high and mighty. You have no idea how crucial even a penny is to us right now.¡± Beatrice smugly said, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m the one who borrowed the money, What¡¯s it got to do with you? Agnes, if you don¡¯t want to help, fine. But you can¡¯t stop me from seeking help from others.¡± Chapter 277 Chapter 277 ¡°Alright, you two can cut out the arguing now,¡± Laura cut in. Laura took the check and put it in front of Agnes, ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t get mad. Beatrice is still young, not quite understanding certain things, but she means well. If this money is causing you trouble, then take it back. Ourpany may be in a tight spot, but we¡¯re not desperate for half a million.¡± Even though Laura spoke softly, her words were dripping with sarcasm. Preston was quite irked as well. The Pritchard family used to be loaded, when did they ever squabble over half a million? Preston said impatiently, ¡°Agnes, take this money back to Jared. After all, it¡¯s our family issue, we really shouldn¡¯t have involved him.¡± Agnes quietly pocketed the check and said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll figure out the money you need. But we really can¡¯t ept Jared¡¯s money¡± Preston sighed. Beatrice and Laura exchanged a look. After dinner, Preston and Laura went to the study. Agnes retumed to her room. Sheid on her bed pondering over many things, then got up and went to the study. The study door was closed, but the conversation inside was clearly audible. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°I know Agnes is proud and would never willingly ask Jared for help, so I had Beatrice give it a shot. It may not be a huge amount, but it at least shows that Jared is willing to help. The only hope for our she even made a special trip back. I think it¡¯s impossible to ask her to seek help.¡± Preston¡¯s voice echoed from inside, ¡°Agnes should never have been dragged into this. We may not be as good as the Whitfield family, but Agnes is still my precious daughter, not a tool for us to use.¡± Laura scoffed, ¡°Preston, you really do spoil Agnes. But have you ever thought about Beatrice? She¡¯s only 19, she¡¯s had a cushy life, and her dream is to be a top star in the entertainment industry. If she experiences thepany going bankrupt and ends up shouldering family debt, how will she cope? Will her friends still respect her? Agnes has already married into the Whitfield family, and Jared adores her, so what¡¯s the big deal if she asks him for some help? Does Beatrice¡¯s future and happiness not matter to her?¡± Preston didn¡¯t respond. Laura stormed out, mming the door behind her. Luckily, the staircase was just around the corner from the study. Agnes was hiding on the other side of the wall and wasn¡¯t spotted by Laura. Agnes sat on the stairs, deep in thought. Agnes hoped her marriage to Jared could be pure, not tainted by business interests. She didn¡¯t want the Whitfield family to be the Pritchard family¡¯s financial safeguard. But now, with their family facing a crisis, she couldn¡¯t just stand by After all, that was thepany her father founded and her mother put her hard work into it. Agnes ran her fingers through her hair, filled with anguish and indecision. Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Agnes mulled it over for a bit, then went back to her room to grab that check. Then she headed to Preston¡¯s office. Preston was just sitting on the couch zoning out. Agnes walked over and handed him the check, ¡°Dad, you hang on to this for now. It may not do much, but it¡¯s better than nothing¡± Preston looked up. ¡°Agnes.¡± ¡°Consider it as a loan from the Tim Group. I¡¯ll figure out a way to pay it back. I¡¯ll try to find other sources of cash too. I¡¯ve just taken a gig as a brand spokesperson, once I get the fees for that, and payment for my previous film and some other ie, I¡¯ll transfer it all to your bank ount. Preston felt uneasy, ¡°Agnes, you don¡¯t have to do this. I don¡¯t want to drag you down Agnes was cool as a cucumber, ¡°Look, the way things are at home, I can¡¯t just turn a blind eye. I¡¯ll do my best, but I hope you guys won¡¯t rely on Jared. He¡¯s my husband, but he doesn¡¯t owe us anything.¡± Preston sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No matter what Laura says, I won¡¯t jeopardize your happiness. I owe you too much. You¡¯ve finally found a home where I can rest easy. I won¡¯t let anyone look down on you.¡± That wasn¡¯t really what Agnes meant. In fact, if there were no other options left, Agnes would definitely ask Jared for help. But Agnes hoped that as long as there were other options, they wouldn¡¯t view the Whitfield family as their only hope. As Agnes left the study, she was stopped right at the door by Beatrice. ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re so low! That money was clearly borrowed by me.¡± Agnes looked at her coldly. ¡°Since you overheard my conversation with Dad in the study, you should know, I¡¯ll be paying Jared back this money. If you want this favor, then write a check, I¡¯ll give it to Jared, and you can pay him back.¡± Beatrice looked at Agnes with disdain, ¡°Jared is your husband, Isn¡¯t his money your money? I won¡¯t fall for your trick and take on this debt for no reason.¡± ¡°Since you also know that his money is my money, then what does my money have to do with you?¡± Beatrice was furious, ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t get cocky! Everything you have now will be mine sooner orter! Just wait and watch!¡± Agnes had no interest in arguing with her She went straight into her room, closed and locked the door, leaving Beatrice to pound on the door in anger. In the following days, Agnes was still swamped with work. Yesterday, she flew to S City. This year¡¯s SH G was being held there. Her bet with Mamie had already caused a stir online. Most people thought Agnes was being overconfident and was asking for trouble. Of course, there were also people praising her for her courage and willingness to challenge a top star N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. The day before the g, Agnes was scheduled to walk the red carpet with Justin. Justin had been abroad shootingmercials these few days, so Agnes rarely had the chance to see him. When Justin arrived and saw Agnes, he started scolding her, ¡°Why did you bet with Mamie? You have no chance of winning, why do something so foolish?¡± Agnesughed and replied, ¡°That was just an impulsive thing, but what if I get lucky?¡± ¡°No matter how lucky you are, you can¡¯t win, Justin was really pissed. Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Agnes yed the victim, ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe in me?¡± Justin sighed seriously, ¡°Mamie¡¯s been in this industry for ten years. She may be a bit headstrong and arrogant, but she¡¯s well-respected, and her acting skills are top-notch. She¡¯s buddies with the judges of SH G. The g is organized by Universal International Entertainment, and their CEO is one of Mamie¡¯s suitors. She¡¯s got talent and luck, how could you possibly beat her?¡± Agnes didn¡¯t seem to care, ¡°Alright, Justin, enough said. If I really lose, then I¡¯ll just quit acting. It¡¯s not a big deal to me.¡± Justin didn¡¯t know what to say to this stubborn girl in front of him. She gained huge sess as soon as she debuted. Just with a TV series, she was nominated for best actress. This was a dream for many, but she didn¡¯t give a damn. Then, Agnes thought of something, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s going on inside Starlight International Group?¡± Justin was a key member of Starlight International Group. In order to keep him, Preston had given him some shares, making Justin one of the shareholders. Upon hearing this, Justin frowned, ¡°I only know that almost all the big names that Starlight International Group relies on have left. ¡°Why is that?¡± Justin got serious, ¡°In fact, your Dad has been less involved in thepany in recent years, and your stepmother is basically in charge. She¡¯s not a businessperson and she¡¯s domineering and harsh. Im not surprised that Starlight International Group has be like this.¡± Agnes felt heavy-hearted. She knew what Justin was talking about, but after ten years, Laura was still the person her father trusted the most. So, there were many things that Agnes couldn¡¯t say in front of Preston. Justin seemed to have thought of something suddenly, ¡°But Agnes, there¡¯s something you need to pay special attention to.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I once saw your stepmother with¡­ Justin stopped mid-sentence, ¡°Never mind, I don¡¯t have solid evidence, I better not say it. But you should keep an eye on your stepmother¡¯s actions and who she¡¯s hanging out with.¡± Agnes felt puzzled. What was Justin trying to say? Just then, Emily came over ¡°Agnes, Justin, it¡¯s time for you to walk the red carpet.¡± Agnes and Justin left the hotel together. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. There were dedicated cars downstairs to pick up the guests. It only took three minutes to drive from the hotel to the venue, but the organizer probably prepared more than a hundred luxury cars to transport the stars. Justin helped Agnes into a convertible Ferrari. Because there were drones filming from the air, the car drove slowly From the moment they left the hotel, all the footage would be shown on the big screen at the ceremony. A few minutester, they arrived at The Jolsen Auditorium where the ceremony was held. Outside the auditorium, a 500-meter-long red carpet wasid out, with barriers and security personnel on both sides. Arge number of journalists were taking photos and filming outside the barrier. The whole red carpet area was flickering with lights, and the stars were gathered here like a gxy. Chapter 280 Chapter 280 Justin hopped out of the car first, then strutted over to Agnes, swinging the car door open for her like a real gentleman, and took her hand to help her out. The car zoomed off, and Justin led Agnes by the hand onto the red carpet. Agnes was decked out in a gold, off-the-shoulder mermaid dress. She¡¯s got the height and the dress just entuated her killer figure. Reporters and fans swarmed all around. People were hollering, ¡°Justin, Justin, I love you!¡± The noise was earth-shattering. Justin was used to all the hoo. He shed his charming smile in different directions, waving like a gentleman and sending the crowd into a frenzy. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. To make the most out of the photo ops, the event organizers had stressed that the stars should take their sweet time on the red carpet. So, Agnes and Justin took a leisurely ten-minute stroll, and they were only halfway down the red carpet. Suddenly, there was a ruckus behind Justin, and even the media turned in unison. Justin didn¡¯t look back, he just coolly said, ¡°Looks like your arch-nemesis has arrived Agnes was still trying to figure out who Justin was talking about. She followed the crowd¡¯s gaze and saw Mamie stepping out of a Bugatti Veyron. But soon, Agnes¡¯s ever-present smile began to fade. Justin nced in that direction and sensed trouble. He looked at Agnes, ¡°Why is he here? Agnes, you didn¡¯t know about this, did you?¡± There was a surprised chatter among the reporters outside. ¡°Is Mr. Whitfield Mamie¡¯s date? Am I seeing things?¡± ¡°That¡¯s him! Mr. Whitfield is Ms. Pritchard¡¯s husband, but he¡¯s walking the red carpet with Mamie! And Mamie and Ms. Pritchard are both up for Best Actress, isn¡¯t he asking for trouble?¡± ¡°Look at Ms. Pritchard¡¯s face, she clearly had no clue.¡± ¡°Looks like we¡¯re in for quite a show tonight.¡± Mamie didn¡¯t do the usual stop-and-go walk like the other stars, she confidently made her way directly towards Agnes, and the media followed her. Mamie and Jared stopped right next to Agnes and Justin. All the cameras were focused on the four of them. Mamie was the first to speak as if trying to exin to Agnes, ¡°My date had to bail at thestminute. Jared was nning on surprising you, so I asked him to join me on the red carpet. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± Mamie said it casually, but her eyes were filled with undeniable disdain and provocation. Agnes immediatelyughed, ¡°You¡¯re just walking the red carpet together. We¡¯re all entertainers here, it¡¯s no big deal. I totally understand, of course.¡± Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Agnes smile was clearly a bit forced Justin was anxious as heck on the side. He knew that this whole scene would totally be blown up by the media. He also found Agnes¡¯ reaction a bit weird because she¡¯s normally not like this. Back in Dragon Bay, they had simr encounters. At that time, Agnes just seemed crushed and left, not as confrontational and fierce as now. Obviously, Agnes had grown a lot over these few months. Justin shifted his gaze to Jared. He thought Jared would exin a bit, but Jared just kept smiling as if none of this had anything to do with him. Justin¡¯s fist clenched unconsciously, regretting letting go so easily in the past. Other stars on the red carpet were also standing near them, not wanting to miss out on the drama. Mamie¡¯s smile, though casual, was dazzling, ¡°Ms. Pritchard, you must remember our agreement.¡± ¡°Sure thing¡± ¡°I hope you won¡¯t regret it, Ms. Pritchard.¡± ¡°Same to you.¡± Both were smiling, but anyone could notice the hostility hidden beneath those smiles. In front of everyone, Mamie took Jared¡¯s arm, ¡°Jared, let¡¯s go in.¡± Jared nodded Justin¡¯s eyes were fixed on Agnes. He was really worried about her. Mamie choosing Jared as her date was clearly a public humiliation to Agnes. Justin had no idea what This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Jared was thinking. Mamie tumed to leave, but just a few stepster, something unexpected happened. Mamie¡¯s long dress suddenly fell off. Mamie was wearing an off-the-shoulder gown with a train trailing on the carpet. Through the lens, it was clear that Mamie¡¯s dress fell off because Agnes stepped on her train. Everyone on the scene gasped. The surrounding reporters also stirred up and started snapping like crazy. This was definitely going to be the headline news of the month. Ms. Pritchard must have done it on purpose, right? Mamie publicly took away her husband, so she wanted to embarrass Mamie too! Fortunately, Mamie was wearing a conservative ck slip-inside The reporters were disappointed that they didn¡¯t catch a ¡°wardrobe malfunction¡± shot But still, this was a major red-carpet mishap. Mamie let out a scream. Her dress was halfway off, but luckily Jared reacted quickly and took off his own suit jacket to cover Mamie. Mamie turned her head, fuming. ¡°Agnes.¡± Agnes quickly responded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Mamie was so angry that she was shaking all over Mamie¡¯s assistant rushed over to pick up her dress, ¡°Mamie, let¡¯s leave first.¡± Mamie red at Agnes, ¡°We¡¯ll settle thister¡± Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Mamie, nked by her assistant and bodyguard, was first to ditch the red carpet and hop into a trailer. Jared just shot Agnes a look and followed Mamie. All the reporters were jazzed to capture this moment on camera. The red carpet and the award ceremony were all broadcast live. Once this scene aired online, thement section went totally bananas. ¡°Agnes must have done that on purpose! She is so shameless, resorting to such measures to make Mamie look foolish in public!¡± ¡°Mamie was the one who provoked her first. Mr. Whitfield is Agnes¡¯ husband. Mamie deliberately chose him as her escort, isn¡¯t that deliberately humiliating Agnes? ¡°Mamie has walked the red carpet many times, wouldn¡¯t she know her dress could get stepped on? Maybe she just wanted to take out the have deliberately set Agnes up.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°You must be against Mamie to spread this kind of rumor! Mamie is too ssy to degrade her own image to frame a newbie who poses no threat.¡± 1 think the real culprit here is Mr. Whitfield. His behavior today is a real letdown. Isn¡¯t he renowned for spoiling his wife? Not long ago, he gifted Agnes such expensive jewelry, but now he¡¯s walking the red carpet with Mamie, what¡¯s up with that?¡± ¡°They¡¯re just friends, what¡¯s the big deal about walking the red carpet together? Didn¡¯t Agnes also walk the red carpet with Justin?¡± On various social media tforms, fans from both sides started to throw shade at each other. Meanwhile, Agnes and Justin slowly made their way to the end of the red carpet. There was a huge signature wall at the end of the red carpet. The host would chat briefly with each celebrity there and ask some questions. After Agnes walked over, the host said, ¡°There seemed to have been some mishaps earlier. Ms. Pritchard, could you tell us what exactly happened?¡± Agnes looked sincerely apologetic, ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying attention earlier and identally stepped on Mamie¡¯s dress. It was an ident and I feel really sorry about it When Mamiees overter, I¡¯ll definitely apologize to her.¡± The host smiled, ¡°Mamie walked the red carpet with your husband today, are you really not mad at all?¡± Agnes, ever gracious and natural, responded, ¡°They¡¯ve grown up together and are really good friends. I trust my husbandpletely.¡± ¡°Last question: Ms. Pritchard, why would you make such a bet with Mamie? Are you confident about winning tonight? If you lose, will you really quit the entertainment industry?¡± Agnes said, ¡°I always keep my word.¡± ¡°Ms. Pritchard is the bravest actress I¡¯ve ever met. May all your wishese true! The host asked Justin a few questions and then said, ¡°Good luck tonight Ms. Pritchard, Mr. Justin, please make your way into the venue.¡± Agnes, arm in arm with Justin, walked into the hall. Justin had been worried since the beginning, but he was also a bit baffled. Agnes¡¯ actions and words today were quite different from her usual self. Agnes turned her head and saw Justin staring at her with a furrowed brow She chuckled, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Chapter 283 Chapter 283 ustin cut to the chase, ¡°You seem a bit off today, Agnes. What the hell are you trying to do?¡± Agnes shed a smile, ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon, but I hope you can do me a favor.¡± Justin frowned when he saw that Agnes was obviously ying with the suspense. In Jolsen Auditorium, everyone¡¯s seats were already set. Agnes and Justin were in the front row, with Mamie two seats away from Agnes. Right now, that seat was still vacant. Stars on the red carpet also entered the venue one after another. Agnes had seen almost all the big stars in the entertainment cycle Of course, in addition to stars, there were also well-known directors and producers. Agnes also spotted Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Ivan. She and Justin went over to say hi to him. After some chitchat, everyone returned to their seats. Not a single one mentioned about the incident on the red carpet. When everyone was basically in ce, the host took the stage. Mamie¡¯s seat was still empty Agnes even heard some of the actresses around her whispering. ¡°Mamie may note. She debuted for so many years, and no one dared to embarrass her. Agnes ¡°She has confidence. With the Whitfield family behind her, she will naturally not be afraid of Mamie.¡± ¡°You sure the Whitfields will always support her? Mr. Whitfield came with Mamie today. What does that tell you?¡± ¡°No matter what, tonight, one of these two people must quit the entertainment circle. This may not be a good thing for us.¡± Agnes deliberately shot a nce their way. A bevy of brightly dressed girls instantly fell silent, even stering on friendly smiles at Agnes. Soon the g officially kicked off. The host started the spiel. Halfway through, the main doors suddenly swung open, shbulbs flooded the room. Mamie walked slowly in the most dazzling light. She was in a fiery red dress. Her cascading curls were tumbling down, her eyes radiating an icy, regal beauty. With each step, she seemed to be walking on cloud nine, utterly stunning Next to her was none other than Jared Whitfield, CEO of the Tim Group. Dressed in a suit, Jared had the same reserved and noble demeanor, a natural fit. At first nce, they really did seem like a match made in heaven. Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to this power couple Even the host paused for a few minutes, then openly remarked, ¡°Mamie is truly radiant today¡± When Mamie reached Agnes, she gave her a haughty look, then took her seat. The g officially began. The SH G presented more than twenty awards. The best actor and best actress were thest two awards to be announced. In between, there were many performances and thank-you speeches. Before they knew it, two hours had passed. Suddenly, someone noticed that both Mamie and Agnes had vanished from their seats. Chapter 284 Chapter 284 The award ceremony was tedious and drawn out, so it¡¯s no surprise that some celebs chose to duck out early. Especially those who don¡¯t have any nominations or works on show, and were just here to strut their stuff on the red carpet. But Mamie and Agnes, they¡¯re both up for Best Actress. Their sudden disappearance was, well, puzzling. Their dates, Justin and Mr. Whitfield, were still in their seats, Jared seemed pretty chill, while Justin was constantly checking his watch. The Best Actress showdown was set to kick off in twenty minutes Justin was clearly in a hurry. He leaned over and said a few words to Ivan. Ivan said, ¡°We¡¯ve still got time. I think they should be back on time. Meanwhile, up on the sixteenth floor of the banquet hall annex, in an auxiliary lounge, Agnes was grilling Mamie. ¡°Why did youe with Jared and I knew nothing about it?¡± ¡°Agnes, do I need to report my every move to you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to know your whereabouts, but Jared is my husband¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s why you deliberately stepped on my dress on the red carpet, to make me look like a fool?¡± At this, Agnes¡¯s tone sharpened, ¡°You brought that on yourself. Mamie, you might be a superstar in everyone else¡¯s eyes, but to me, you¡¯re nothing¡± ¡°Agnes, I can¡¯t believe you would stoop this low! And that crazed fan who tried to push me down the N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. stairs a while back, did you put him up to it?¡± Agnes said, ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Agnes, stop pretending. The security in Century Building is tight, not even a fly could get in. I checked the elevator footage, you went up with that fan. Agnes, were you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°Without evidence, how can you use me?¡± ¡°Agnes, I know what you¡¯ve done. I won¡¯t let you get away with this. You said if you didn¡¯t win Best Actress, you¡¯d voluntarily quit showbiz.¡± Td like to see who¡¯s going to quit, you or me.¡± Main hall of the g. The Best Actress award was about to be announced. The nominees include superstar Mamie, rising star Agnes, seasoned actress Kaley, and sweetheart Silvia. Of course, the odds-on favorite was Mamie, who¡¯s been Best Actress for three years running. The host looked at the empty seats in the front row, and felt a little anxious. Where did the two of them go? The winners would be announced soon, and they hadn¡¯t appeared yet. Just when everyone¡¯s was nervous about the two of them, Mamie and Agnes walked in through a side door, one after the other, and returned to their seats. The host breathed a sigh of relief, stepping into the center of the stage and holding an unopened envelope in hand: ¡°And now, the moment we¡¯ve all been waiting¡± for! The winner of the 23rd SH G Best Actress is¡­¡± On the big screen behind the host, the images of the four candidates were constantly switching. Chapter 285 Chapter 285 People¡¯s tension reached its peak at this moment. ¡°Ladies and gents, our Best Actress award goes to Sylvia from the ¡°Magical Romance of Cindere¡¯, yed by Agnes Pritchard!¡± the host announced in a booming voice. There was an uproar in the audience. Agnes¡¯ acting was undoubtedly excellent. Her poprity skyrocketed after her performance in her first domestic fantasy idol drama. But in any case,pared with Mamie, she was slightly inferior in every way. She actually snatched the Best Actress award from Mamiel What¡¯s even more shocking was the wager between Agnes and Mamie: the loser had to quit the showbiz. Now Agnes won. Was Mamie really gonna quit showbiz? The camera then zoomed into Agnes¡¯s face. She was all smiles, not overly surprised, but calm, almost suspiciously calm. ¡°SH G has always been fair and square. How much dough did the jury get from her? How the heck did she be the Best Actress?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know how powerful Ms. Pritchard¡¯s background is? She¡¯s the mistress of the Tim Group. It¡¯s not impossible for her to buy a Best Actress award.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t Mr. Whitfield close to Mamie?¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just pretending to be close to Mamie. Perhaps, in reality, he¡¯s helping his wife get rid of her ¡°In any case, I think there must be something wrong with the selection of the best actress this year.¡± The host¡¯s voice echoed in the hall, ¡°Now, please wee Ms. Pritchard to the stage to ept her award.¡± Agnes stood up and walked to the stage. Presenting the award was famous director Darby. He handed the trophy to Agnes and hugged her. ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Pritchard.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Agnes said. Now it was time for her eptance speech. Standing in front of the podium, Agnes graciously said, ¡°Thank you, SH G, for this honor. Thanks to all my fans. I¡¯m really surprised to receive this award today¡­ While Agnes was giving her speech, all eyes were on Mamie. For her, the honor of Best Actress was snatched away by a neer. She shouldn¡¯t be able to ept it. Was there really gonna be news about Mamie quitting showbiz tomorrow? Even the cameraman pointed the lens at Mamie. Agnes was giving her speech on the stage, but the big screen¡¯s background was Mamie¡¯s face. Mamie looked serious, but she kept her cool. After all, she¡¯s been through thick and thin in showbiz. After losing the Best Actress award, she still managed to stay calm, even pulled off a standard smile when the camera panned over her. If she really quit showbiz, that would be a huge loss for the industry. Everyone thought, with so many loyal fans and a decade in showbiz, she wouldn¡¯t just walk away. If Agnes was smart enough, she should take this opportunity to give Mamie a way out, to resolve the conflict. This would earn her respect and could be beneficial N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. for her career. It was the perfect ending everyone was hoping for But at this moment, Agnes on the stage had finished her thanks-speech. She didn¡¯t leave the stage, but stared straight at Mamie She paused for a moment and then said, ¡°I think everyone knows about the bet between Mamie and me¡­ Chapter 286 Chapter 286 What was supposed to happen happened after all. Everyone present was super pumped. It was the critical time for these twodies, either to start a showdown or to reconcile. ¡°Mamie once said, if I could win the best actress, she would quit showbiz. I hope she can keep her word The whole venue was boiling again. Agnes, in the end, chose to confront. Everyone had to admire Ms. Pritchard. She obviously could choose to keep a low profile, but she chose to be straightforward and provocative. She didn¡¯t even leave Mamie any way out. Now, with all eyes on her, if Mamie doesn¡¯t respond, she might be seen as coward, afraid to keep her promise. But, if Mamie really chose to quit showbiz, the loss would be too big for her. The camera then switched to Mamie Behind the stage, the big screen showed the face-off between the two, one icy, one calm. The silence in the venue was filled with tension Just when everyone was in the dark about what would happen next, a video suddenly popped up on the big screen at the back of the stage. The video was crystal clear, featuring Mamie and Agnes, dressed in the gowns they were wearing now. Clear dialogue came from the video ¡°So, that¡¯s why you deliberately stepped on my dress on the red carpet and made me look like a fool in Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. public?¡± ¡°You brought it on yourself. Mamie, you might be a superstar in other people¡¯s eyes, but to me, you¡¯re nothing¡± ¡°Agnes, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d do this! And that crazy fan who wanted to push me down the stairs a while ago, did you arrange it?¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about¡± ¡°Agnes, stop pretending. The security in the Century Building is tight, not even a fly can get in. Iter checked the elevator footage, it was you and that fan who went upstairs together. Agnes, were you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°Without evidence, how can you use me?¡± ¡°Agnes, I know exactly what you¡¯ve done. I won¡¯t let you off easily. You said if you didn¡¯t win the best actress, you¡¯d quit showbiz.¡± ¡°Td like to see who¡¯s going to quit showbiz, you or me.¡± This was the conversation between Agnes and Mamie in the dressing room just now. Almost everyone was stunned. This was too dramatic ¡°So, she did intentionally step on Mamie¡¯s dress to embarrass her in public.¡± ¡°The incident with Mamie¡¯s crazy fan was her doing! Agnes was actually plotting to kill! How can a murderer be the best actress?¡± ¡°Look at how confident she is, she must have known that she was going to be the best actress. Never thought the SH G jury could be bribed.¡± Someone shouted, ¡°We can¡¯t ept Agnes as the best actress! She shouldn¡¯t be the best actress.¡± Then, more people started to join in, ¡°We can¡¯t ept this! We can¡¯t ept this!!¡± The host didn¡¯t expect this to happen and didn¡¯t know how to defuse this awkward situation! Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Midnight The Jolsen Auditorium is as empty as a ghost town. Just a few hours ago, it was the ce to be at the 23rd SH G. But at this moment, there was no one here. Only Agnes was left sitting alone on the steps in front of the stage, covering her face with her hands, seemingly crying silently. Two hours ago, she was crowned Best Actress. However, the moment she thought she had reached the top, she immediately fell to the bottom. No one cared why that video was ying on the big screen, and no one cared if she was being framed. All they cared about was whether her Best Actress award was well-deserved and if she really sabotaged Mamie, and the evidence seemed pretty solid. Even Jared had stepped onto the stage, only to say, ¡°You¡¯ve really let me down.¡± Now, everyone¡¯s gone home. This could be the biggest scandal in the entertainment industry in recent times, and likely the talk of the town for months toe. Agnes might now bepletely discredited and never recovered. She remained seated on the steps This was the oue she wanted. Discredit was what the oue she wanted. And now, she¡¯s just waiting. Waiting for the first person to walk into the auditorium. There¡¯s a clock tower outside The Jolsen Auditorium. At this moment, the clock struck twelve. Midnight Just then, the auditorium doors swung open. A voice echoed from the entrance. A man slowly walked in, his shadow stretching longer and longer under the moonlight He was tall and well-dressed, but his face was obscured in the dim light Walking at a leisurely pace, hands in his pockets, he looked every bit the gentleman. He walked up to Agnes, paused for a moment, then finally said, ¡°You should go home.¡± Agnes kept her face covered. Her voice was filled with sadness, ¡°Where do I have a home now? I¡¯m afraid he will give me a divorce agreement tomorrow¡± The man replied, ¡°Then you can¡¯t spend the night here. Go home and figure out how to solve the problems.¡± That¡¯s when Agnes suddenly looked up. Her face was calm and collected, no traces of tears to be found. ¡°Im here because I was waiting for you, Agnes said. The man seemed surprised, ¡°Oh? Waiting for me?¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯de.¡± The man gave a small smile, ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Because the victor alwayses to taste the fruits of victory. My fall from grace, being abandoned by everyone, this is your victory.¡± But the manughed. His voice was maic, ¡°Agnes, how could you say that? I thought we were friends.¡± Agnes stood up. ¡°Friends? That¡¯s just your disguise. From the moment you entered my life, this oue was inevitable. I didn¡¯t believe it at first, but I knew, the first person to show up would be the one who set the trap. The one who pushed me into the abyss, pulling all the strings behind the scenes. That person is you, Ivan.¡± The man in front of her, behaving so elegantly and smiling so gently, was indeed Ivan He didn¡¯t seem angry at Agnes¡¯s usations, nor did he try to vehemently deny them, or even show N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. any strong emotions. He just lifted theers of his mouth, full of mockery. ¡°Agnes, I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡± Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Agnes¡¯ voice was eerily calm, almost sincere in a strange way. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°Ivan, it¡¯s just you and me here. I know that the moment you stepped in, all the security cameras stopped working. There¡¯s no need for you to deny it.¡± A silence hung in the air before Ivan responded with a smile, ¡°So you think I¡¯m the one who leaked the video that tarnished your reputation?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a suspicion, it¡¯s a fact.¡± Tve always been good to you. Why would you think that?¡± Ivan¡¯s tone remained smooth and steady. Their conversation had an eerie calmness, like a casual chit-chat. Agnes said. ¡°The circuit on the 16th floor is faulty, no guests are allowed in. No one would go to the 16th floor unless they knew we were there.¡± ¡°Oh? So you¡¯re implying that I knew you were on the 16th floor and I purposely filmed the video?¡± ¡°The lounge we were in was tucked away, in the middle of the floor. This building has dozens of floors, countless rooms and lounges, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to find us.¡± ¡°Then why do you suspect it was me?¡± ¡°Because the only person who knew where I was, was Justin. I intentionally let Justin tell you? Ivan frowned, ¡°So you knew I wasing?¡± ¡°Yes, I knew you¡¯de. I even intentionally said those things to Mamie. I knew you¡¯d definitely record it and then blow it up.¡± A look of confusion swept across Ivan¡¯s face. He chuckled, ¡°Well, I¡¯m puzzled. If you had suspicions about me, why would you deliberately say things that mislead the public? The crazy fan incident had nothing to do with you. Why would you take the me for a premeditated murder?¡± Ivan looked at Agnes, a peculiar light in his eyes, more like admiration, ¡°Agnes, can you tell me what you¡¯re doing?¡± Agnes alsoughed, ¡°I did this just to bait you.¡± ¡°Bait me?¡± Ivan smirked, ¡°But why would you do that? How did you know I¡¯d reveal the video at the ceremony?¡± ¡°Because it was the perfect time to take me down. I¡¯d just won best actress, I was at the peak of glory. Releasing the video at that moment would send me straight to hell¡± Thave no reason to do that.¡± ¡°You do. You did it for Mamie.¡± The atmosphere suddenly grew tense. Agnes continued, ¡°Was it you who nted Kingdom Heart¡¯ in my bag to frame me? You probably did it to ruin my reputation. I don¡¯t think you¡¯d arrange for a crazy fan to threaten Mamie, but once that happened, you manipted public opinion, painting me as a home wrecker. Moreover, you intentionally gave Mamie¡¯s endorsement to me, creating more conflicts between us. Today, if I didn¡¯t win the best actress, you probably wouldn¡¯t be in such a rush. But because I forced Mamie out of the entertainment industry, you had no choice but to take me down now.¡± Chapter 289 Chapter 289 ¡°Your reasoning sounds usible, but you have no solid evidence to back up your ims,¡± Agnes just chuckled, not rushing to offer any proof. Instead, she blurted out all her thoughts, ¡°Ever since Kingdom Heart, I¡¯ve had always felt like someone was manipting everything, and that someone is right beside me. At first, I didn¡¯t know his purpose, but as simr incidents kept happening, I finally understood that- this guy just wanted to discredit me. So, I decided to y along with his scheme to lure him out.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m targeting you for my sister¡¯s career? Agnes, don¡¯t forget, it¡¯s me who got you into showbiz, made you star in Cindere, and step by step turned you into an eye-catching star. If I wanted to tamish your reputation, why would I do all that?¡± Agnes said calmly, ¡°Ruining my reputation is just your means, not your end. Your real goal is to wreck my marriage with Jared¡± Ivanughed, ¡°The more you exin, the more puzzled I get.¡± ¡°All your actions were aimed to shatter the trust between Jared and me. You knew Jared would get involved in the Kingdom Heart deal. You knew I would suspect Mamie, but Jared wouldn¡¯t, and that would cause a rift between us. You seeded. That ne indeed put our marriage in a trust crisis, but we made up. Then, through that crazy fan, you exposed Mamie¡¯s past with Jared, trying again to break us. I bet you¡¯ve got more ns, but I have no clue what you¡¯re gonna do next. You insisted on me signing the contract, even trapped me in Century Entertainment with a hefty ad fee, just to keep me near so that you can keep track of my every move and find opportunities.¡± Ivan seemed very patient, even a bit admiring. ¡°You make some points. Go on!¡± ¡°I have no idea what your next move is, so I gotta make the first move. Whatever result you want, I¡¯ll give you. Now that I¡¯ve lost everything, what¡¯s left for you to worry about?¡± Ivan pped. He said appreciatively, ¡°Agnes, I didn¡¯t expect you to see through my strategies so clearly. Makes me feel like a loser. You¡¯re right, I did all that. The charity banquet was my doing. Five years ago, I was the secret buyer of Kingdom Heart. I bribed the MC and the security chief to nt Kingdom Heart in your bag during the check. Oh, you probably didn¡¯t know, that security chief is actually a top-notch magician, so nobody noticed it under their noses. Agnes¡¯s expression gradually stiffened. Ivan continued, ¡°You guessed right, the crazy fan incident was an ident, but indeed. I¡¯ve been N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. attacking you ever since, trying to destroy you. I just wanted to create a trust crisis between you and Jared. Once trust is gone from a marriage, it¡¯s not far from falling apart¡± Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Agnes asked casually, ¡°So, when did you start having a scheme against me?¡± Ivan frowned, thinking, ¡°Well, that was a long time ago. Right from the first time we met.¡± ¡°The first time we met, you mean when we had that car ident?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Agnes recalled her first encounter with Ivan. She had scratched his fancy car with her bike and ended up paying him two grand. A smile spread across Ivan¡¯s face, ¡°I noticed you were out of it, so I deliberately had my driver steer towards you, causing you to hit my car? Agnes had suspected Ivan had been plotting from early on, but she never guessed that even their first meeting was prenned. So, every step she took afterward, including acting in the TV drama and her daily life, were all part of Ivan¡¯s n. Agnes found this seemingly gentlemanly man in front of her terrifying ¡°Ivan, you¡¯re such a conspirator.¡± Ivan smiled gracefully. ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡± Then he took a deep breath, ¡°But Agnes, you got one thing wrong just now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You said that the mastermind would definitely be the first person to show up here tonight, to enjoy the fruits of his victory. But that¡¯s not necessarily the case.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± I¡¯m saying. I genuinely wanted tofort you.¡± Agnes snorted, ¡°How hypocritical.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you want to misunderstand me. Agnes, my goal was indeed to make you divorce Jared. I didn¡¯t want to see Mamie upset. She¡¯s my precious little sister, so I had to do this. But I can make it up to you.¡± ¡°How to make up for it?¡± ¡°After you divorce Jared, I can marry you!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you.¡± Ivan smiled gently, ¡°If you¡¯re not willing to ept mypensation, I won¡¯t force it. But I have a few questions for you.¡± ¡°Go ahead¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve been suspicious of me and saw through my motives and means, and even can predict my next move, why did you y along? Now that the game is up, no one will believe you, not even Jared. You¡¯ve failed. What¡¯s the point of knowing the truth? The lighting in the hall remained dim. Half of the man¡¯s face was hidden in the shadows, like a seemingly gentlemanly devil. Agnes said calmly: ¡°No, Ivan, you definitely didn¡¯t expect that all of this is a sham. This is just a performance Mamie and I put on. The so-called bet, the dress-stepping incident, and even the words we exchanged in the dressing room, everything was prenned. It¡¯s just a show. The headline tomorrow won¡¯t be about me framing Mamie. Instead, it¡¯ll be about Mamie and I coborating on a new movie with real-life actors, depicting the changes in the entertainment industry. Today¡¯s g is just a part of the real story in the movie. We contacted Universal International Entertainment in advance and exined our intentions and demands. The president of Universal International Entertainment agreed and shared parts of the script with a few A-listers attending the g. The stars in the audience can testify in front of the media that everything today was just acting ording to the script. Mamie and I even filmed a video exining this half a month ago. The fan sabotage, the dress-stepping incident, and this g, all are part of the script. In fact, Mamie and I withdrew from thepetition for Best Actress long ago. The SH G will announce the new winner of the Best Actress, and a proper awards dinner will be rescheduled three dayster¡± Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Agnes spoke firmly, ¡°Ivan, I haven¡¯t failed. But everything you¡¯ve done can¡¯t stay hidden anymore.¡± Ivan¡¯s face changed instantly. He stepped forward, ¡°What are you talking about? Are you and Mamie ying some kind of game?¡± Agnes nodded, ¡°Yes, all of today was just a performance choreographed by us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you could pull off the SH G¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t have this ability, but your sister does. Mamie and the president of Universal International Entertainment, Farrell, are friends. She asked him for a favor and he agreed instantly.¡± Ivan¡¯s face darkened. That guy Farrel, after all these years, is still causing trouble for him! ¡°Why would Mamie agree to y along with you?¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s the only thing you didn¡¯t seeing, ¡¯cause you think she¡¯s too proud and the person Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. she dislikes most is me. But I never told her that I suspect you¡¯re the puppet master behind the scenes. Even if I did, she wouldn¡¯t believe me, so, I had to let her see and hear for herself.¡± After saying that, Agnes suddenly turned around, ¡°Come out.¡± Ivan felt a sinking feeling in his heart. Mamie and Jared both emerged from behind the big screen. Mamie lookedplicated, stepping up to Ivan. Ivan¡¯s calm and gentle expression finally faded, ¡°I thought you¡¯d gone back to the hotel?¡± ¡°Agnes said she¡¯d show me a good show, so I came back. Ivan turned to Jared, ¡°So you¡¯re in on this too.¡± Jared said, ¡°They¡¯re the directors, and I¡¯m just a supporting actor.¡± Mamie looked at Ivan incredulously. ¡°Why would you do this?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to see you depressed all the time because of a man. I wanted to help you reim everything that belongs to you.¡± Mamie looked tom. She used to hate Agnes for stealing her lover. She used to resent her beloved brother for treating Agnes differently, but she never thought that it was all a trap set by Ivan. Mamie felt heartbroken. Ivan suddenly pointed the finger at Jared, ¡°Jared, do you remember the promise between us? You said you¡¯d take good care of Mamie, but you didn¡¯t. There¡¯s a price to pay for breaking promises.¡± Jared¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°I¡¯ve never hidden my love life from you. I considered you a trustworthy friend. But Ivan, you tried to wreck my marriage. Even if Agnes and I were to divorce, and I were to marry Mamie, do you think we¡¯d be happy? Mamie and I missed our best chance, and it¡¯s impossible to go back. What you did was too extreme¡± Ivans face was very gloomy, a far cry from his usual graceful demeanor. Jared¡¯s voice was still cold, ¡°You actually don¡¯t care whether there¡¯s love between Mamie and me. You just want Mamie to be the daughter-inw of the Whitfield family Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Mamie looked at Ivan suspiciously, ¡°So you¡¯re just nning to use me?¡± Being the daughter-inw of the Whitfield family and thedy of the Tim Group, those titles are pretty attractive, huh? If she married into the Whitfield family, it would definitely give his career a big boost, right? In the past, Mamie would never doubt her own brother But now, after Ivan has done so many unbelievable things, Mamie suddenly felt lost. She looked at the man in front of her, the man who once loved her deeply, and felt as if she had never really known him. At this moment, Jared said, ¡°Mamie, the whole world can misunderstand him, me him, but you can¡¯t. He just wants to protect you.¡± ¡°Protect me?¡± ¡°Only the Whitfield family can overwhelm the Bartley family. If you be the daughter-inw of the Whitfield family, no one from the Bartley family would dare to mess with you. I guess that¡¯s what Ivan¡¯s thinking¡± On hearing this exnation, Mamie was flooded with a mix of emotions. Shock, guilt, sorrow, heartbreak, all these intense emotions seemed to weave into a, tightly enveloping her. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She quietly looked at Ivan, unable to say anything for a moment. A hint of pain showed in Ivan¡¯s eyes, Tm sorry, Mamie, I haven¡¯t been able to protect you well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Mamie whispered. Although everyone said she¡¯s domineering and willful, she could still distinguish right from wrong. Ivan did make mistakes, but all his actions were for her. Suddenly Mamie spun around and bowed deeply to Agnes, ¡°I know my brother has done many things to wrong you, but he did it all for me. I don¡¯t dare to hope you¡¯d forgive us, but I¡¯m willing to face the consequences. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll announce my retirement from showbiz, aspensation to you.¡± Ivan stared at her in shock. He quickly grabbed Mamie¡¯s hand, ¡°Since these things have been exposed, I¡¯ll take responsibility for what I¡¯ve done.¡± Agnes was also taken aback. Ivan said to Agnes, ¡°You should know, everything I did was without Mamie¡¯s knowledge. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have helped you catch me, the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. Since all this has nothing to do with her, I hope you don¡¯t me her Tomorrow, I¡¯ll hold a press conference to clear everything up, and I¡¯m also willing to take all legal responsibilities¡± Mamie immediately objected, ¡°No! If you hold a press conference, Century Entertainment will be finished.¡± Ivan turned to Jared and said, ¡°Jared, I know you¡¯re a man who holds grudges. I deceived you, betrayed you, but please, for the sake of our many years of friendship, don¡¯t let Mamie be implicated.¡± Jared looked at Agnes and said, ¡°All this time, the one you¡¯ve hurt isn¡¯t me, but my wife. I¡¯m just a bystander. The final decision is Agnes¡¯. If Agnes wants to put you in jail, I¡¯ll hire the bestwyer to help her.¡± Mamie held Agnes¡± hand tightly, almost pleading. ¡°Please don¡¯t. Whatever my brother has done, I¡¯ll take the fall. I¡¯ll leave showbiz. I¡¯ll stay away from you. Please don¡¯t ruin him.¡± Agnes answered, ¡°My reputation was damaged, I was ndered, and I was even almost framed as a murderer. How could I easily forget such things?¡± Mamie lowered her eyes. Agnes continued, ¡°However, if you agree to my three conditions, I might consider not pursuing his responsibility.¡± Hope sparked in Mamie¡¯s eyes, ¡°Tell me, no matter what the conditions are, I¡¯ll agred Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Agnes went quiet for a bit. She said, ¡°Tomorrow, the media will announce that this whole g was just a show. If you suddenly announce that you¡¯re bailing out of the entertainment industry. that would generate a lot of attention, and I¡¯ll never be able to exin it. So, my first condition is that you can¡¯t quit the industry, but keep business as usual¡± Mamie was a bit taken aback. Agnes then turned to Ivan, ¡°I¡¯m nning to sign with Century Entertainment. If these negative rumors about you get out, Century Entertainment would be screwed and so would my future. So, my second condition is that this matter cannot be made public.¡± Ivan just silently stared at Agnes. ¡°My third condition is, since you deliberately had me crash into your car, you should return the two thousand dors to me.¡± Ivan was dumbstruck, ¡°Agnes, you¡­¡± Agnes feigned arrogance, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m done talking. I¡¯m so tired these days, I need to go home and rest.¡± Agnes grabbed Jared and left. The hall was left with just van and Mamie. Jared¡¯s car was parked outside. Agnes got in and slumped into the seat, she was very tired but felt rxed inside. Jared gently touched Agnes¡¯ face, smiling. ¡°Nice acting.¡± Agnes gave a small smile, ¡°You too.¡± Agnes thought back to when she was on stage, hitting rock bottom, and Jared told her. ¡°You have let me down so much.¡± Even though she knew it was all a ruse, her heart still felt like it was being stabbed Seeing how worn out Agnes was, Jared felt a pang of sympathy, ¡°I told you to let me handle it, but you insisted on this whole charade and now look at you, all worn out.¡± Agnes sighed, ¡°I wasn¡¯t really interested in outing Ivan as the puppet master I had my suspicions about him from the start, but I wanted Mamie to see it for herself Otherwise, no matter how I exined it, she wouldn¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°So you weren¡¯t just putting on a show for Ivan with Mamie, but you were putting on a show for Mamie with me? When did she be so important to you?¡± Agnes was taken aback, ¡°Is there?¡± ¡°Or why would you go to such troubles? Have you ever thought about what would happen if you make a fake out at some point, or if Mamie betrays you halfway? You will really be charged with countless crimes.¡± ¡°She wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± Agnes said. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, just a hunch,¡± Truth be told, Agnes didn¡¯t pity Mamie, but when she saw Mamie being humiliated at the hospital and swallowed her humiliation, Agnes thought of herself. She¡¯s been doing the same thing at home for years, hasn¡¯t she? Laura seemed nice to her on the surface, but behind the scenes, the rtionship between her father N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. and her had been separated. They both lost their closest people when they were very young In some ways, Agnes could rte to Mamie. She didn¡¯t want to be her enemy. Jared started the car ¡°But, you forgive Ivan so easily, do you really want it in your heart? He has done so many things to frame you.¡± ¡°I believe he won¡¯t do it again, Ivan is smart, and Mamie surely wouldn¡¯t allow him to do that again. Plus, they both owe me now, so my future at Century Entertainment will probably be smoother.¡± At this, Jared seemed a bit pissed, ¡°I thought of him as a friend, but he tried to marry my wife! I won¡¯t let him off that easily. I¡¯ll find a chance to teach him a lesson.¡± Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Agnesughed, then said seriously. ¡°You really don¡¯t need to worry about Ivan. He¡¯s already got someone he likes.¡± Jared¡¯s face changed. He thought for a moment, then said grimly, ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Nothing is impossible.¡± Jared¡¯s expression grew even more serious. He knew what Agnes meant, but he had never thought in that direction before The next day. Agnes opened her phone, and was immediately flooded with countless new messages. The previous night¡¯s SH G was live-streamed, so news about Mamie¡¯s dress being stepped on, her being framed, and the scandal behind the Best Actress award had spread like wildfire all night. But this morning, the news hadpletely flipped. Every media outlet was leading with the same headlines. ¡°A dramatic tum of events at the SH G¡± ¡°Mamie and Agnes team up for new drama, dress incident was part of the script¡± ¡°The farce was actually a promotion for a new drama¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. All the media reported that the previous night¡¯s SH G was a prearranged performance for the plot of Mamie¡¯s new movie. Several other big-name stars also revealed the scripts they had received in advance, The video that Agnes and Mamie had privately recorded was also released at the right time, clearing up everything Public opinion exploded. Tumed out everything was a misunderstanding! I heard the movie is funded by Universal International Entertainment and it depicts the realplexities of the entertainment industry¡± ¡°This is too dramatic, they even got the SH G to y along! This really is a big deal. ¡°So all the disputes between Agnes and Mamie were fake? I guess Mamie¡¯s previous rumors with Mr. Whitfield were part of the script too?¡± ¡°Have you heard? The new Best Actress is Silvia. The SH G will hold the awards ceremony again in three days¡± ¡°Why her? If Mamie backed out, Kaley should¡¯ve been the top choice¡± At breakfast, Jared asked, ¡°Were you serious about signing with Century Entertainment yesterday?¡± Agnes nodded slightly, ¡°The movie about the entertainment industry that I¡¯m working on with Mamie is still going to be filmed. This was actually a coincidental event. Farrell had previously invited Mamie to film a movie, so I took advantage of the situation. The script for this drama is pretty muchpleted now.¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to stay in the entertainment industry anymore?¡± Jared never opposed anything Agnes wanted to do, but Agnes still didn¡¯t want to tell him the truth. She was really short of money now. She had never been able to ask Jared for money outright. The reason she wanted to sign with Century Entertainment was for the high signing fee that Ivan had promised before. Her popnty was sky high right now. If she took on a few more movies and ads, it would at least solve the current financial crisis at Starlight International Group Agnes was stuck between a rock and a hard ce After breakfast, Agnes went to Century Entertainment. Surprisingly, Mamie arrived even earlier than Agnes no Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Mamie was waiting for Agnes in her lounge room, obviously. Agnes put down her handbag and said, ¡°Is there anything you want from me?¡± ¡°Agnes, I still want to apologize to you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here to apologize on behalf of your brother, right? Let the past be the past¡± Mamie seemed to be in aplicated mood, ¡°I now finally get why Jared is so into you. Your tolerance is really something not everyone has.¡± Agnes chuckled, ¡°Actually, I can be quite petty too. I just let you guys owe me a favor intentionally, in case I need something from you down the line.¡± Mamie alsoughed, ¡°No worries, I¡¯ve already figured it out over the past few days. Jared has never actually loved me. Seeing his attitude towards you, that¡¯s when I realized he only treats me like a brother treats his sister, and you and him, you¡¯re the real deal. Do you know what? Even though we¡¯ve been together for years in name, he¡¯s never been jealous for me¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Agnes sat quietly, listening to her story. A hint of helplessness showed on the corners of Mamie¡¯s mouth, ¡°I know it in my heart, but I just can¡¯t bring myself to let go. Do you know why I like Jared? When I was five, I was pushed from the top of a vi and fell into a swimming pool. I almost drowned. It was Jared who saved me. Actually, I was unconscious at the time I couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, only remembering the feeling of drowning. I remember grabbing his cor, like grabbing a lifesaver. When people are desperate, they form excessive dependence. He is my hero, so I¡¯ve always loved him.¡± Agnes suddenly frowned. There¡¯s something I probably should tell you.¡± Mamie paused, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°About your drowning incident when you were five. Iter asked Jared, and what he said seemed to be a bit different from what you remember.¡± Mamie¡¯s face changed, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Jared said, the one who saved you from the water wasn¡¯t him, but your brother. He was a step too minutes. Your brother thought you couldn¡¯t be saved, and almost went crazy.¡± Mamie was stunned. How could this be possible? Mamie, incredulous, said, ¡°But my brother can¡¯t swim.¡± ¡°Jared said, he also didn¡¯t know how Ivan got you out. He definitely couldn¡¯t swim then, but he was soaked to the bone. Who else could it be?¡± Mamie seemed to be greatly shocked. For all these years, in her memory, that shadowy teenager was always Jared Mamie muttered to herself, ¡°But when I opened my eyes back then, the first person I saw was Jared.¡± Agnes sighed, ¡°That¡¯s because Ivan, seeing you regain consciousness, couldn¡¯t control himself and ran into the yard crying. He thought he had lost you.¡± Mamie waspletely stunned, as if enchanted. How could this be? For so many years, Jared had always been her superhero. Because of this, she could never convince herself to give up chasing him. Even though she was only five then, but up until now, she still remembered the feeling of drowning vividly. Every time she thought of that moment, she still felt the deep despair and fear Rather than saying she loved Jared, it¡¯s more urate to say that she saw him as a life-saving support. But she had mistaken the person. Her superhero was actually Ivan, her brother who had always been protecting her with his life. Chapter 296 Chapter 296 Mamie couldn¡¯t describe her mood. Her eyes were puffy and it felt like her world had been turned upside down. To others, it might have been a trivial matter from the past, but to her, it was of utmost significance. Suddenly, Mamie stood up. ¡°Thanks for telling me all this. I¡¯ve got some stuff to deal with, so I¡¯m gonna head out.¡± With that, Mamie left the lounge. Agnes spected she was probably going to look for Ivan to verify the matter She heaved a sigh. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good thing for Mamie to tell her about it, but anyway, it was the truth. About N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. half an hourter, Ivan¡¯s secretary Faye came to find Agnes, ¡°Ms. Pritchard, the CEO would like to see you.¡± Agnes followed Faye to the CEO¡¯s office. One entire wall of Ivan¡¯s office was a massive floor-to-ceiling window. He was standing by the window, his back to Agnes, his shadow stretching long. Agnes knocked softly on the door. Ivan turned his head. Agnes closed the door behind her and walked in. ¡°Did you tell Mamie that I was the one who saved her from drowning when she was little?¡± Ivan asked first. Agnes nodded, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you ever exined it to her, knowing she¡¯s been misunderstanding it all these years?¡± Ivan frowned, ¡°Letting her think it was Jared wasn¡¯t a bad thing. I thought it would help their rtionship.¡± ¡°But you might not know, a big part of why Mamie loves Jared is because of this misunderstanding. If you¡¯d told her the truth earlier, maybe the person she loves would be¡­¡± ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m her brother!¡± Ivan interrupted. ¡°But you¡¯re not rted by blood¡± ¡°Even without blood rtion, I¡¯m her brother, always a family member to her After a moment of silence, Agnes asked, ¡°But are you really okay with that? Are you okay with just being her brother for the rest of your life? She¡¯ll marry someone else, have kids with someone else. Won¡¯t it break your heart? Can bear it?¡± you ¡°Enough! Agnes, what the hell are you trying to say?¡± Ivan had never spoken to her so harshly before. He seemed eager to deny something ¡°Sorry, Agnes, what you said was too much. I admit I¡¯ve done many things wrong to you, but I did it all for Mamie¡¯s future because she¡¯s my sister, my only family But Agnes suddenly interjected, ¡°You know why I suspected you?¡± Ivan was slightly taken aback, not understanding why Agnes suddenly changed the topic. ¡°You were very discreet. Jared never figured out who put the Kingdom Heart in my bag. You¡¯ve always been very caring and fair in work. You were wless, but you know why I still suspected you?¡± Ivan looked slightly troubled. He had always thought his ns were moving quite slowly and many hadn¡¯t even started yet. So far, he had always thought that his identity should not have been exposed. Just like Agnes said, his n was foolproof. He didn¡¯t know where he went wrong Chapter 297 Chapter 297 He remained silent, as if waiting for Agnes to give an answer. Agnes began, ¡°On the day Mamie was mobbed by her fans, Jared and I took her to the hospital. You cameter, so we left. But I¡¯d left my coat on a chair in the corridor, so I went back to get it. That¡¯s when I saw¡­¡± Agnes trailed off. She¡¯d hardly believe it if she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes. She¡¯d seen Ivan kissing a sleeping Mamie. His eyes were shut tight, his lips pressing against hers. His face looked like he was in a world of pain. Agnes had never seen him like that before. His hand clenched the bedsheets. Even from a distance, Agnes could see the veins on his hand bulging. That¡¯s when the penny dropped for Agnes. The affection Ivan had for his sister was not the regr sibling thing. Ivan¡¯s pupils constricted and his face turned dark. So, Agnes had seen it all that day. No wonder! He had kept this secret for years, nobody knew, not even Mamie. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. He had nned to keep it a secret forever, even if it killed him. Just like Agnes said, he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of Mamie getting married and having kids,pletely out of his life. But after all, Mamie was his sister. Even though they were not blood-rted, they had grown up together. He didn¡¯t know when his forbidden love started. He feared Mamie would be disgusted if she found out. Truth be told, he was disgusted with himself. On the surface, he acted as if it didn¡¯t bother him, but these past years, he had suffered a great deal because of this. Agnes revealing his secret today, felt like a release from his repressed pain. Ivan sank into the couch and said, ¡°Agnes, I know you must think that I am perverted now I fell in love with the younger sister I raised by myself.¡± Agnes was silent for a bit, not knowing what to say. But Ivan began to confide. Some things had been suppressed in his heart for too long, and now he had finally found an outlet. Those intense emotions poured out like a flood breaking a bank. ¡°When I first met Mamie, she was only four. She had passed out from hunger on the street, so mom took her home. I was shocked. How could a kid be so frail? || was friendly to her, but when I found out my parents wanted to adopt her, I was upset, even started to dislike her. But she didn¡¯t know any of this. She¡¯d call me ¡®brother¡¯ every day, always following me around. She didn¡¯t understand anything at that age, but I couldn¡¯t ept this sudden sister, didn¡¯t want to share my parents¡¯ love with her¡± Ivan seemed to be lost in deep memories. Chapter 298 Chapter 298 ¡°It was one heck of a hot summer. That day, my parents went to an orphanage to sort out adoption procedures. I deliberately took her out for a spin. I brought her to the Pearl Tower, told her I was off to buy some ice cream and I¡¯d be right back, asked her to wait for me there. In reality, I sneaked back home all by myself. I was actually hoping she¡¯d get lost, or even worse, get snatched up by some human traffickers. When night fell, my parents came home and asked where my sister was, I told them I¡¯d ditched her. My mom was going crazy at that time, and my dad also beat me severely. I finally told about leaving her at the Pearl Tower. My parents quickly drove over to find her, and I tagged along. To this day, I can¡¯t forget how she was still waiting at the Pearl Tower, asking every passerby, ¡®Could you buy me an ice cream? Once I get the ice cream, my brother wille back.¡± Tears began welling up in Ivan¡¯s eyes, ¡°She was so clearly terrified. She was out under the sun all day, her face was even starting to peel, but she was still smiling while asking strangers for help. Lots of people, seeing this poor kid, would buy her an ice cream. Then, she¡¯d just stand there with her ice cream, waiting. Every time her ice cream melted, she¡¯d ask another stranger to buy her one. With the weather being so hot, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to eat the ice cream, she just kept waiting and waiting. When my parents found her, someone had just bought her an ice cream. When she saw us, she immediately ran to me with her ice cream in hand, offering it to me like it was some kind of treasure, ¡®Brother, here¡¯s your ice cream! Can we go home now?¡± I stood there bawling my eyes out, because of my selfishness, because of her innocence. I can never forget those eyes of hers, those careful, humble, eager to please eyes. She was only four. In reality, she knew I was trying to abandon her, didn¡¯t she? When we got home, I got another whipping from my parents, then was locked up in the basement for some reflection time, with no dinner. Sometime after midnight, she sneaked in through the smallN?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. basement window, and took out an apple from her clothes for me, saying, ¡®Brother, I hid this, you should eat it. From then on, I swore to myself, I¡¯d never abandon her again. She was my sister, and I was going to protect her for life.¡± Ivan went on to share a lot more, including how they were bullied by their family after their parents died unexpectedly, and how they depended on each other to survive By the time he finished, Agnes couldn¡¯t help but let her tears flow. She¡¯d always thought she was the unfortunate one, having lost her mom at a young age. But she had no idea, there were so many others in this world who¡¯d had it worse than her. She could hardly imagine the pain that Ivan and Mamie had to endure. Ivan talked for two whole hours, right up till noon. Finally, he offered a bitter smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for dumping all this on you.¡± But Agnes responded, ¡°If you¡¯re notfortable entrusting her to someone else, why not keep your promise and protect her always? Does society¡¯s opinion really matter that much?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me, but it means a lot to her. She¡¯s a superstar in the public eye, and every star has its shadows. My overprotectiveness has made her arrogant and willful, made a lot of enemies who are just waiting to see her fall from grace, I can¡¯t let them find her weak spot.¡± Agnes let out a deep sigh. She understood that Ivan was afraid of Mamie finding out about his true feelings. If Mamie only saw him as a brother, this whole thing couldpletely ruin their sibling rtionship. ¡°Agnes, I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell Mamie about your feelings. If anyone should tell her, it should be you¡± Gratitude filled Ivan¡¯s eyes Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Ivan gradually regained hisposure. Agnes said, ¡°The real reason I came today is to talk about signing a contract with you? Ivan asked, ¡°Why the sudden interest in a contract?* Agnes answered honestly, ¡°Because I need the money.¡± ¡°What would the CEO of the Tim Group think if he heard his wife talking like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking around here. I hope that after I sign the contract, you¡¯ll arrange more work for me.¡± Ivan turned serious again. ¡°No problem. You¡¯re really very popr now, signing with you is a win for our ¡°All right, get the contract ready. I want to sign as soon as possible, the sooner the better. Also, please transfer the signing fee to my ount ASAP¡± Ivan said, ¡°Your contract is ready. If you want to sign, we can do it now.¡± Agnes was slightly surprised, ¡°So, my signing with Century Entertainment was part of your n?¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t even figured out how to use your contract, but you preempted me.¡± Ivan said frankly. Agnes chuckled, ¡°Then let¡¯s sign now¡± As they were signing, Ivan teased her, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to think it over? Aren¡¯t you scared I¡¯ll keep using you? Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m a schemer Agnes didn¡¯t even lift her head, ¡°Not scared. I know all your secrets. Worst case scenario, we both go down.¡± ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re ruthless.¡± After they finished signing the contract. Agnes said, ¡°Mr. Bartley, before I officially start work, I would like a few days off¡± ¡°Sure. Is a week enough?¡± ¡°Enough.¡±Ivan didn¡¯t ask her why. The reason Agnes wanted time off was to visit her grandmother in the countryside. She hadn¡¯t seen her grandmother in a long time. In a few days, it would be her mother¡¯s death anniversary. Her grandmother would definitely be very sad. Every year, Agnes would go to the countryside for a few days to keep her elderly grandmother After leaving the Century Building. Agnes called Jared. After hearing her out, Jared stayed silent for a moment, then said, ¡°You go home first. Fil¡¯apany you in the afternoon.¡± Agnes was shocked, ¡°I¡¯ll be gone for a week! Do you have the time?¡± ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m the boss.¡± He was the boss, so he should be busier. As far as Agnes could remember, Jared had never taken a day off. ¡°You really don¡¯t have toe with me. I can go alone. You¡¯re not used to country life¡± ¡°Agnes, are you plotting something?¡± Agnes was taken aback, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why are you trying so hard to prevent me from visiting your grandmother?¡± Agnes was stumped. She was just worried that Jared, who had always lived a privileged life, wouldn¡¯t be able to adapt to the rural environment. Jared said, ¡°That¡¯s settled then, you go home first. I¡¯ll be back after my meeting.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Agnes said, ¡°I need to stop by my father¡¯s house first. I left some clothes I bought for my grandmother there.¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll pick you up from the vi¡± After hanging up, Agnes headed to the Pritchard family¡¯s vi. She had previously bought some new winter clothes and shoes for her grandmother, nning to bring them this time. Preston and Laura weren¡¯t home. Once she got to the vi, Agnes went to her room and started packing. Just then, Beatrice came home Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She had gone to audition for the lead role in a famous director¡¯s new drama, but was eliminated in the first round She was looking for an excuse to vent her anger Seeing Agnes packing in her room, she kicked open the door and stormed in, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re such a big start Even the SH G is part of your performance.¡± Agnes nced at Beatrice, a cool indifference in her gaze. Chapter 300 Chapter 300 1000000 Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Beatrice, don¡¯t make trouble. I¡¯ll be outta here as soon as I finish packing¡± Beatrice watched her pack her things, and was even more furious. ¡°Why, the Pritchard family hasn¡¯t gone bankrupt yet, but you have looked down upon us. Are you so eager to sever ties with us? Agnes, you have no conscience¡± Seeing Agnes¡¯ calm demeanor only fueled Beatrice¡¯s imitation. Yesterday was supposed to be her happiest day. At the SH G, Agnes had just won Best Actress and then her scandal broke. She thought this time, Agnes would be down for the count. She was so ecstatic she didn¡¯t sleep a wink. Unexpectedly, the next moming, the so-called scandal turned out to be a publicity stunt for her new show. Only a few hourster, Agnes suddenly returned to the top, and her joy was instantly shattered. That¡¯s why she was in such a foul mood and flunked her audition today. It was all Agnes¡¯ fault!! Agnes ignored Beatrice at all. Beatrice was the kind of person who got more obnoxious the more attention you paid her, she had no sense of reason. Agnes just acted as if she didn¡¯t exist, continuing to pack her stuff. But this arrogant attitude of Agnes was what Beatrice hated the most. She grabbed Agnes¡¯ packed stuff, throwing it all over the ce: ¡°Agnes, you dare to snub me! I¡¯ll show you today, I¡¯m not one to be messed with.¡± Before, if Beatrice pulled this crap, Agnes would¡¯ve fought back, but not today. Agnes just quietly watched Beatrice throwing her stuff around, not saying a word. Beatrice continued her tantrum, feeling a perverse sense of satisfaction But she also felt something was off Agnes was acting really weird today and she wasn¡¯t looking at her, but rather, behind her Beatrice felt a twinge of unease. She slowly turned around and saw Jared standing in the doorway. Her heart sank That bitch! No wonder she was so calm. She must¡¯ve known that Jared wasing and let Beatrice make a fool of herself! All of Beatrice¡¯s efforts to maintain adylike image in front of Jared were ruined!! Beatrice eximed in panic: ¡°Jared.¡± Jared strolled in, not giving Beatrice a nce as he passed by her He said to Agnes, ¡°I¡¯ll help you pack¡± He then started picking up the clothes strewn across the floor Beatrice stood there, at a loss Wasn¡¯t this humiliating her? Agnes was so damn annoying! But Beatrice had to swallow her pride. She tried to apologize to Jared, ¡°Jared, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just in a bad mood today. ¡­ I lost control. Her eyes welled up with tears, an innocent look on her face. Jared didn¡¯t even look at her, just coldly said, ¡°You should be apologizing to your sister, not me.¡± Apologize to Agnes? How can it be? Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Beatrice gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Agnes, I¡¯m sorry. I acted impulsively. I¡¯ll help clean up.¡± ¡°Just leave, Agnes replied calmly. Beatrice was filled with resentment. She was kicked out as soon as Jared arrived. Was Agnes really that alert of her? But she shouldn¡¯t stay at this moment, or Jared might dislike her even more. Swallowing her anger, Beatrice said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave first.¡± With that, she left the room. Jared looked quite displeased, ¡°Do you usually let her push you around like this?¡± Agnes chuckled, ¡°If we really get physical, she¡¯s no match for me. I just don¡¯t want to fight with her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so forgiving!¡± Agnes smiled and said, ¡°Why so mad? It¡¯s no big deal, I¡¯m used to it. She can¡¯t hurt me Tm mad because you¡¯re used to it. Agnes, what kind of family did you grow up in to be so submissive?¡± What kind of family environment? This was the environment she lived in. What Beatrice just did was just the tip of the iceberg Agnes continued tofort Jared, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry anymore. We rarely have the chance to rx together. Aren¡¯t you looking forward to this vacation?¡± Hearing this, Jared seemed to cheer up a bit. After packing their luggage, Jared carried it out of the room. Unexpectedly, Beatrice was standing at the door. She cautiously asked, ¡°Are you two going on vacation?¡± Jared turned his head and coldly asked, ¡°What, you want toe too?¡± Beatrice was taken aback. She could feel that Jared was not sincerely inviting her, but she couldn¡¯t help but say, I happen to be free these days. If you guys don¡¯t mind¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, I mind¡± With that, he took Agnes¡¯s hand and left the building. Beatrice was shaking with anger, her fingers clenched into fists, her nails digging deep into her palms. If Agnes hadn¡¯t deliberately embarrassed her in front of Jared, how could he be so cold to her? Agnes, your good days are almost over! The sweeter you are now, the more painful it will be in the future Laura said she was almost ready. Beatrice couldn¡¯t wait to see their rtionship fall apart, mutual hatred, disdain, and finally bing strangers. After they got in the car, Agnesughed and said to Jared, ¡°Your reaction was so childish, not like your usual style at all.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Jared just grunted, ¡°If she dares to bully you again, I¡¯ll do something even more childish.¡± With that, their car drove out of the Pritchard family¡¯s vi. Agnes¡¯s grandmother lived in a ce called Foxglove Vige. It was sparsely popted and inconvenient to ess, with only one road. Agnes used to take a long-distance bus there. After getting off, she had to walk five kilometers to reach her grandmother¡¯s house Usually, she would leave in the morning and arrive at night But today, Jared drove them there in just four hours. Agnes didn¡¯t tell her grandmother they wereing, because she didn¡¯t know how to contact her Agnes had worked hard to save money and bought a mobile phone for her grandmother, but the old Agnes had no choice but to give the phone to her grandmother¡¯s neighbor, and usually learned about her grandmother¡¯s life through the neighbor. After leaving the main road, the car bumped along a small path and finally stopped in Agnes¡¯s grandmother¡¯s yard Chapter 302 Chapter 302 It seemed like Agnes¡¯s grandma was already fallen asleep. Not a speck of light was in the yard, but tonight¡¯s moonlight was exceptionally bright. After getting out of the car, Agnes headed for the front door. It was a modest bungalow with a small building on either side, one looked like a kitchen, chimneys gave it away, the other resembled a sheep pen, a few sheep were inside, snoozing away. Jared also got out of the car, standing in the yard, taking a gander around. After a while, the door swung open. Agnes¡¯ grandma, donning a coat, stood at the doorway. Seeing Agnes, she cried out excitedly. ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Grandma, I missed you,¡± Agnes hugged her right away. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. The olddy¡¯s face was lit up with joy, ¡°I missed you too.¡±¡± At this point, Jared walked over. Agnes quickly introduced him, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m hitched now. This is my husband, Jared, We haven¡¯t tied the knot yet. I wanted to bring him to meet you first.¡± The olddy turned her gaze to Jared. Jared respectfully greeted, ¡°Hello, Grandma. Im Jared¡± The olddy gave him the once-over, but seemed rather unpleased, ¡°Oh. Come in.¡± Grandma¡¯s sudden displeasure caught Jared off guard. Agnes didn¡¯t expect her Grandma to be unhappy with Jared at first sight. Jared¡¯s face always exuded an air of nobility, as if he was untouchable. Why didn¡¯t Agnes¡¯ Grandma like him? Agnes cast a nce at Jared, who had a rare innocent look on his face. Jared whispered to Agnes, ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± Agnes shook her head, indicating she didn¡¯t know either. They both entered the house. The house was modest, with minimal furnishings, but it was spotless. Grandma looked at Agnes with a face full of joy. ¡°Hay you had dinner?¡± Agnes shook her head, ¡°We didn¡¯t get a cl Grandma cheerfully said, ¡°Then Agnes quickly said, ¡°Gray ¡°How can you just With that, C Par for you. I just got some chicken from the market this morning¡± tfood, so you don¡¯t need to go to any trouble.¡± n¡¯t talk to me about trouble.¡± .was heading to the kitchen. aid, ¡°You,e help me wash and chop the vegetables.¡± esort! tchen was more like a showroom, just for show. andma¡¯s side and said, ¡°Grandma, let me help you. I remember I loved helping you in the kitchen when I was little.¡± d finish, Jared had already stepped forward and said, ¡°Grandma, let me help you.¡± Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Jared followed the granny into the nearby cabin. Agnes wanted to go too, but the olddy stopped her. The granny said, ¡°The kitchen is too smoky, you can¡¯te in. Go rest in the room.¡± How could Agnes rx leaving Jared there alone? Yet Jared shot Agnes a nce, hinting her to listen to the granny and note over Agnes had to stay alone in the room, fidgeting. Her granny had always been kind and hospitable, never objected to her getting married and often suggested she bring her boyfriend home for a visit So why did she seem to have a problem with Jared? Jared had been polite andposed, hadn¡¯t said anything wrong. Anxious and uneasy, Agnes couldn¡¯t help but sneak a peek into the kitchen. The kitchen door was closed, so Agnes resorted to peeking through the window. Her Grandma was boiling water. Jared was standing on the side, chopping veggies. He¡¯d never done this before, had no clue where to start. The olddy came over, guided him step by step, then remarked, ¡°How on earth did Agnes fall for someone as stupid as you!¡± God! The first and probably the only one to ever call Jared stupid would be her granny. Watching Jared silently engrossed in chopping vegetables, Agnes oddly found him a little awkward. But Jared was still like before, exuding an air of elegant aloofness He had taken off his coat, wearing only a thin light grey sweater, looking like a student Agnes hadn¡¯t expected to see Jared so out of his depth. She watched him nervously chop away, unable to peel her eyes off him. Agnes watched from the doorway for a while. It was only when Jared started getting the hang of it that she finally went back to her room. Half an hourter, the granny prepared a feast, calling her to eat. Agnes couldn¡¯t wait to dash into the kitchen. She immediately went to check on Jared. Perhaps it was standing for too long, but when he saw her, Jared swayed a little. Agnes quickly ran over to support him. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She asked with concern, ¡°Are you okay?¡± A smile crept onto Jared¡¯s face, Tm fine¡± As the olddy served the food onto the table, she nced over at them, ¡°Tired from just this much work? How can this man be even more delicate than a woman? What a softie¡±¡± Chapter 304 Chapter 304 When Agnes heard her grandma¡¯s words, her heart nearly skipped a beat. ¡°Gran, do you even know who you¡¯re talking about?¡± The youngest CEO of the Tim Group, a business genius, lord of the Whitfield family, being called a softie! Agnes anxiously nced at Jared. But Jared was smiling, his voice pleasant, ¡°Gran¡¯s right. I¡¯ll work harder.¡± He even looked at Agnes after speaking. Seeing Jared¡¯s smile, Agnes felt even more on edge. Her Granny had made her favorite seafood pasta, mushroom soup, roast chicken¡­ The three of them huddled around a small table. Gran told Agnes, ¡°Eat up. You¡¯ve lost weight since thest time you were here.¡± Jared was still standing. Granny didn¡¯t tell him to sit, so he stayed put. Agnes quickly said, ¡°You should sit and eat too. My grandma¡¯s cooking is better than any restaurants.¡± Jared looked at Granny, who finally said, ¡°Let¡¯s all eat together¡± Jared sat down, tasted the food, and genuinely said, ¡°Your cooking is amazing, this is the best seafood pasta I¡¯ve ever had.¡± Granny scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t butter me up¡± Agnes felt her heart racing. Jared just chuckled and kept eating. Although all the food was Agnes¡¯ favorite, she couldn¡¯t truly savor it. No matter what Jared said, her Granny always found a way to pick on him. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. When had Jared ever been treated like this? Agnes was terrified Granny would cross his line. But Jared remained polite from start to end, epting everything with a smile. Agnes felt guilty. He kindly joined her to visit Granny but was treated unfairly. But she knew her Granny¡¯s stubborn personality. If Agnes stood up for Jared, her Granny would only get more heated. After dinner, her Granny stood up and ordered Jared, ¡°You do the dishes Then she took Agnes¡¯ hand, ¡°I made you some winter cotton shoes,e try them on Agnes wasn¡¯t thinking about trying on shoes. Her mind was on Jared. Her Granny was treating Jared like a servant. Yet Jared maintained his respect, showing no signs of anger, his voice still gentle. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll do it now.¡± Agnes was led into another room by her Granny. Finally, she couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, ¡°Granny, why don¡¯t you like Jared?¡± While rummaging for the shoes from the cab, the olddy said somewhat irritated, ¡°You¡¯re like your mom, always picking good looking but useless men. Your dad was handsome, but what about the result? Not even half a year after your mom died, he married that Laura woman.¡± Agnes finally got it. Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Turned out, her Granny was all twisted about Jared because of her Dad. Her Granny used to be really sweet on Dad too. Agnes remembered, they always had a ton of fresh veggies at home, personally delivered from Granny¡¯s farm. She¡¯d always say homegrown veggies are the healthiest. But then, her Mum passed away all of a sudden. It hit her Granny hard. She couldn¡¯t forgive Preston for the death of her daughter At first, Preston woulde down to the countryside to visit, even tried to get her Granny to move in with him in the city, but she¡¯d refuse to see him every time. These past few years Preston visited less and less. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. *But Jared is different,¡± Agnes said. ¡°You can¡¯t hold a grudge against him because of Dad. They¡¯re two different people.¡± But her Granny looked pretty bummed out. ¡°The better looking the man, the less reliable and responsible he is. I don¡¯t want you going down the same road as your mother.¡± Agnes tried to exin, but her Granny was stubborn. Suddenly, Agnes regretted not stopping Jared froming to the countryside. Her shoes were a bit tight, so Granny suggested a little alteration. While Granny was snipping away at the shoes, Agnes sneaked out of the room. Jared was in the kitchen doing the dishes. He¡¯d taken off his gray sweater and was only wearing a white shirt. It was the dead of winter, but there were beads of sweat on his forehead. Agnes rushed over at once. ¡°Take a break. I¡¯ll do the dishes.¡± Jared had driven for four hours today and was already very tired. Agnes felt really sorry But Jared rolled up his sleeves and gently pushed Agnes aside. ¡°It¡¯s okay if Granny caught mezing around, she¡¯d probably like me even less.¡± ¡°Tim really sorry¡± Agnes said guiltily. ¡°You¡¯re taking responsibility for my dad ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jared asked. Agnes told him about her conversation with Granny. Jared looked thoughtful. ¡°Maybe you should just leave tomorrow,¡± Agnes suggested. ¡°Granny¡¯s a stubborn olddy. You might have a rough time here.¡± As Jared continued with the dishes, he said, ¡°If she¡¯s got a bad impression of me, then I should stick around and change her mind. She¡¯s your Granny and she¡¯s important to you, so she¡¯s important to me too.¡± Agnes was moved by Jared¡¯s words. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t disturbi me doing the dishes here. You can go to the room with grandma ¡°No, I want to stay here with you. I can give you a massage.¡± Agnes stood behind Jared, insisting on giving him a massage. A smile tugged at the corner of Jared¡¯s mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a rush to give me a massage. I¡¯ll give you plenty of chances to show off tonight.¡± Agnes hadn¡¯t thought much of it, but seeing Jared¡¯s smirk, she suddenly got the hint She blurted out, ¡°I¡¯m not dealing with you anymore,¡± and ran out of the room blushing Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Agnes ran back to the house, but found that her grandmother was not there. After a while, her grandma returned. ¡°Where did you go?¡± she asked. ¡°I asked Jared to fill up the big kitchen vat with water after he finished washing the dishes,¡± the olddy replied. Agnes couldn¡¯t hold it in, ¡°Grandma!¡± The olddy nced at her, ¡°He should do more work. That¡¯s how he¡¯ll learn to cherish his wife¡± Agnes stormed out, but a smirk appeared on the olddy¡¯s lips. Once outside, Agnes indeed found Jared, hauling water at the well. She hurried over, snatched the bucket from Jared, ¡°It¡¯ste,e back to the room to rest.¡± Jared smiled, Tm alright, Agnes. You go ahead and rest.¡± Standing at the doorway, the olddy had a stern look on her face. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Jared nced at her, took the bucket back from Agnes and whispered, ¡°Let me show off a bit in front of grandma. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not that weak.¡± Then he continued with his task Agnes stood at a distance, her heart aching. After watching for a while, the olddy spoke up. ¡°Once Jared fills up the vat, you two should sleep. I¡¯ve already made your beds. I¡¯m off to bed now? Once the olddy went inside, Agnes immediately grabbed another bucket and began to help Jared. Jared, however, didn¡¯t want her to. Rolling up his sleeves, he frowned, ¡°Go back to the room and rest.¡± Agnes said, ¡°Tm as strong as you. Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m a fifth-degree ck belt in Taekwondo.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a job for a girl.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time. Let¡¯s race to see who can do it faster.¡± Jared looked at Agnes, helplessly saying, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re making me feel ipetent. My wife isn¡¯t supposed to do heavy work, not ever.¡± Agnes was speechless and could only give up, but she still stayed by his side, heart aching. She sat at the doorway, chin resting on her hands, watching Jared busy hauling water She thought this man, even when just hauling water, was different from others. He always had a calm and elegant aura. Agnes admitted, even just watching Jared hauling water, she was fascinated. Chapter 307 Chapter 307 About half an hourter, Jared finally managed to fill up the water tank. As he emerged from the kitchen, Agnes promptly met him. While helping him to massage his arms and back, she said apologetically, ¡°You must be very tired. Grandma is unreasonable! If being handsome is a crime, then you must be guilty of a heinous crime¡± Agnes¡¯s words made Jared feel really good. He raised an eyebrow at her, ¡°Have you been eating sweets tonight? Why are you so sweet-talking?¡± Agnes replied with a ttering smile, ¡®Honey, you¡¯ve worked hard, go to the room and rest.¡± There was no bathroom here. They could only wipe their bodies down with wet towels. Jared was frowning all the way. Agnes knew that Jared was a clean freak who couldn¡¯t stand not showering for a day, but the conditions here were really poor. There was only arge wooden tub in the room for bathing, but filling it up required boiling plenty of water, which was a real pain. Tonight, there was no way they could take a bath. Agnes¡¯s room was tiny, but Granny kept it immactely clean. The sheets and quilts were all washed spotlessly Agnesy in bed, burying her head in the pillow. Jared also changed into his pajamas. ¡°Come to bed, it¡¯s already midnight¡± Agnes was bushed, and Jared must be dead beat. Agnes¡¯s bed was not big, and having two people on it was a bit tight. Agnes tried to make as much room as possible, pressing herself against the wall to make Jared more But unexpectedly, Jared also turned on his side, pressing closely against Agnes¡¯s back. Then, he pulled Agnes into his arms. Agnes foved so much this sleeping position. Her back was against his chest, she waspletely enveloped in his hold, feeling incredibly safe. But Agnes was so tired that she soon began to drift off. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she felt a hot breath at her ear. Jared was gently kissing her neck, and his hand, which had been resting at her waist, started getting restless. Agnes turned her head slightly, her eyes half-closed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Im tired, but I¡¯m also desired.¡± Soon, Agnes lost sleepiness. In the heat of the moment, Agnes suddenly said, ¡°You¡¯re too tired today, how about I take the lead?¡± Hearing the usually passive Agnes suddenly propose this made Jared very happy. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He immediatelyid t, ¡°Go ahead, do as you wish.¡± Agnes regretted her words quickly, because apart from symbolically kissing Jared¡¯s lips twice, she had no idea what to do next. In the end, Agnes decided to give up. Shey in Jared¡¯s arms, I¡¯m really tired, let¡¯s just sleep¡± Jared couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°That¡¯s the end?¡± Agnes looked at him with an innocent face, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s end.¡± Jared¡¯s expression gradually became serious. Agnes didn¡¯t dare to look at him, feeling guilty: Then, Jared grabbed Agnes¡¯s arm and suddenly pinned her underneath him¡­. His voice was husky, ¡°Agnes, y with fire and you¡¯ll get burned¡± Chapter 308 Chapter 308 The rooster¡¯s crow was unusually crisp this moming Sunlight seeped through the window,nding on Agnes¡¯s face. Agnes rubbed her sleepy eyes. Just as she turned her head, she saw Jared looking at her, like he¡¯d been awake for a while now. Agnes was a bit taken aback, then asked, ¡°Did you not sleep well?¡± Jared¡¯s sleep quality has always been poor. He¡¯s super sensitive to his surroundings. On such a simple and cramped bed, he might not have slept all night. Agnes immediately felt a mix of guilt and pity. Jared gently touched Agnes¡¯s face: ¡°As long as you¡¯re by my side, I can get used to anywhere.¡± Jared¡¯s voice was still raspy from the morning, sounding incredibly sexy. Agnes took the initiative to kiss him, then looked at him like a kitten would. To Jared, this was undoubtedly a temptation. Without hesitation, he kissed her back. Agnes panicked and said, ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t we alreadyst night?¡± ¡°Mrs. Whitfield, you seem to underestimate your husband¡¯s capabilities.¡± Just as Agnes was trying to push him away, there was a sudden knock on the door. Grandma¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Agnes,e out for breakfast.¡± Agnes quickly pushed Jared away: ¡°Grandma will find out! Let¡¯s go have breakfast first.¡± Jared looked extremely disappointed. He buried his face in Agnes¡¯s neck and mumbled like a child, ¡°I was just about to have my breakfast¡­¡± After washing up, they sat at a small table in the yard for breakfast. The winter sun shone warmly on them, and thembs in the sheepfold were waking up and starting to eat. The air here waspletely different from the city, fresh and clean. Agnes turned her head and said, ¡°Life in the countryside isn¡¯t too shabby. When we are old, we could choose a ce surrounded by beautiful mountains and clear waters, grow some corn and vegetables, and keep a cat and a dog. Isn¡¯t that lovely?¡± Jared chuckled, ¡°Sure, the environment here is great, but facilities are outdated. It would be better if it could be developed into a resort¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Agnes watched Jared looking around, already starting his business nning, and teased, ¡°You¡¯re such a businessman through and through.¡± After breakfast, Grandma came over She handed Jared a pile of wooden nks: ¡°The roof of the sheepfold is broken. It leaks when it rains. You should fix it today, make sure it¡¯s done before dark¡± Agnes protested, ¡°Grandma, if you keep this up, I¡¯ll go back to the city tomorrow¡± The olddy just gave Agnes a nce, ¡°He¡¯s a man, shouldn¡¯t he be the one to fix it?¡± Agnes said, ¡°Can¡¯t Laird just fix it? I¡¯ll give him some cigarettes to express my appreciation.¡± Laird was Grandma¡¯s neighbor, and he always looked out for her. Agnes was very grateful for him and would always bring him gifts when she visited Grandma was slightly displeased, ¡°Always asking others for help, it¡¯s embarrassing. Besides, don¡¯t we have a ready helper now?¡± Jared just smiled faintly, ¡°Alright, F¡¯ll fix it. No need to ask anyone else.¡± Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Over the next while, Jared was all tied up fixing the roof of the sheep shed. Agnes couldn¡¯t lend much of a hand, all she could do was hold thedder steady and pass him his Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. tools. But what Agnes didn¡¯t expect was that Jared patched it professionally. In less than half a day, the whole roof of the sheep shed was as good as new. When Jared came down, he was still fresh and clean, not looking like he¡¯d just done such heavy work at all. Agnes looked at Jared with admiration in her eyes, ¡°Honey, is there anything you can¡¯t do? You even know how to fix roofs!¡± Jared chuckled, ¡°Now you know how perfect your hubby is, don¡¯t you?¡± This guy just couldn¡¯t take apliment, he¡¯d go straight to being full of himself. But, Agnes thought, even when Jared was full of himself, he was still incredibly charming Agnes paused for a moment, then suddenly suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the Lairds¡¯ and use their bathroom for a shower? They¡¯ve got a water heater. I used to pop over there to use the bathroom when I came back in the past.¡± Jared frowned, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit odd?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Not at all. Granny and the Lairds are like family. I used to go there for meals when I came back.¡± Jared felt that he indeed needed a shower. He couldn¡¯t stand the smell of sheep on him, so he didn¡¯t object. The Laird¡¯s ce wasn¡¯t far from theirs, just a few minutes¡¯ walk. Their house was two stories high, the best in the whole vige. As they walked, Agnes exined to Jared, ¡°This house was rebuilt by Mari. Mari is Laird¡¯s daughter, she studied abroad and now works in a foreignpany She¡¯s a stunning beauty with a great personality, the vige¡¯s pride and joy.¡± Agnes and Jared stepped through the gate of the Laird¡¯s house. Laird¡¯s wife, Helena, saw Agnes first and quickly rushed over with joy, ¡°Agnes! When did you get back?¡± Agnes walked over and handed her the gift she brought, ¡°Thank you for looking after my Granny.¡± Helena said, ¡°Your Granny always treated us like her own children. We were poor when we were young and ate a lot of her food. It¡¯s only right that we treat her well.¡± That¡¯s when Helena noticed Jared standing next to Agnes and curiously asked, ¡°And who might this be¡­ Agnes quickly introduced him, ¡°This is my husband, Jared,¡± Helena was very surprised, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re married?¡± Agnes nodded, ¡°Yes, but we haven¡¯t had a wedding yet. When we do, you and Laird muste Helena immediately responded, ¡°Of course, we won¡¯t miss it.¡± Then, Helena led Agnes and Jared into the house, saying, ¡°Come on in! You¡¯re eating here tonight. Lucky for us, Mari¡¯s back too. Laird bought a lot of seafood We can all enjoy a seafood feast tonight.¡± ¡± Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Agnes quickly exined her reason for visiting: ¡°Helena, actually, we¡¯re just here to borrow your bathroom, you know we don¡¯t have one at our ce. My husband just finished fixing the barn and his clothes got all dirty, so I thought we could use your bathroom to take showers.¡± Helena immediately replied, ¡°Sure, go right ahead. Agnes, I¡¯m about to get Laird to start on dinner, you guys are not allowed to leave tonight. I¡¯ll have your grandmae over in a bit, and we¡¯ll all have dinner together.¡± Agnes and Jared headed to the second floor. The second floor of Helena¡¯s house had a separate bathroom, rarely used. Whenever Agnes came to borrow the bathroom, she went there. As they were walking down the hallway, a bedroom door suddenly swung open. Mari stepped out from inside. She was very surprised to see Agnes, ¡°Agnes, when did you get back?¡± Agnes cheerfully greeted her, ¡°I just got backst night, Mari. It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been back too.¡± Mari paused for a moment when she saw Jared standing behind Agnes. Then a surprised look crossed her face, ¡°And this is¡­ Agnes introduced with a smile, ¡°This is my husband.¡± Mari looked shocked, ¡°You¡¯re married?¡± Agnes blushed a bit, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re married.¡± ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re here to borrow the bathroom. Sorry for the trouble.¡± ¡°No problem, go right ahead.¡± Agnes led Jared to the bathroom, gave him a brief rundown, and then said, Til leave first. Once you¡¯re done, I¡¯lle in and take my shower¡± Actually, Agnes had brought her own clothes. She hadn¡¯t taken a showerst night and already felt quite ufortable. ¡°Aftering to this ce, I realized that water is really important. Every drop is precious,¡± Jared said with augh. Agnes was puzzled, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°To save water, we could shower together¡± Agnes blushed, ¡°You¡¯re joking again. I refuse. I¡¯lle back when you¡¯re done.¡± With that, Agnes left the bathroom. Seeing theme up together, Mari might misunderstand if they stayed in the bathroom together for long. Agnes didn¡¯t brush it off as casually as Jared did. After leaving, Agnes went to chat with Mari. Mari seemed quite curious about Jared, kept asking how they met and got married Agnes naturally didn¡¯t tell the whole truth, after all, their rtionship didn¡¯t start off too well. So she vaguely mentioned that they met at apany where she was interning and gradually fell in love. Mari said, ¡°So you guys work together¡± Agnes didn¡¯t deny it. They were workmates, only that Jared was her superior at the time. Initially, Agnes worried that Mari might recognize Jared, but it seemed like she didn¡¯t Mari used to work in a foreign country and only transferred to a multinational corporation in S City Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. this year, so it wasn¡¯t surprising she didn¡¯t know Jared. That was better, Agnes didn¡¯t want everyone to treat Jared differently. After a while, Jared came out. Agnes picked up her clothes and told him, ¡°Tm going to take a shower. You can wait for me downstairs¡± Jared nodded. After Agnes left, Jared was about to leave the room. But Mari approached him, saying with a smile, ¡°Agnes and I grew up together. I didn¡¯t expect her to get marned so soon. By the way, can I call you Jared?¡± ¡± Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Jared gave a poker-faced nod. ¡°So Agnes just said you guys work together, what do you do exactly?¡± Jared answered casually, ¡°Just a regr job.¡± Mari chuckled, changing the subject, ¡°Agnes has got a good eye. You¡¯re clearly a very good person.¡± Jared didn¡¯t seem interested in small talk, he turned to leave the room. Mari called out to him, ¡°Jared, could you do me a favor?¡± Jared turned around. Mari gave a small smile, ¡°There seems to be something wrong with myptop, could you take a look?¡± By then, Mari had picked up theptop from the desk and walked over to Jared, have to work tonight but myputer just froze and there are some important files on it that haven¡¯t been backed up yet. Really sorry for the trouble, Jared¡± Jared furrowed his brows slightly. He sat down on the single-seater couch in the room, starting up theputer. The screen was ck. Jared tweaked a few programs and restarted theputer. In just a few minutes, theputer was back to normal. Mari had just brought over a cup of coffee, only to see that theputer was already up and running. Mari eximed in surprise, ¡°Jared, you¡¯re really amazing Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. With that, she handed him the cup of coffee, ¡°This is a coffee my friend brought over, give it a try.¡± Before Jared could reach for it, Mari¡¯s hand shook and a cup of coffee spilled onto Jared¡¯s pants. Mari cried out in surprise, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She quickly grabbed some tissues from the table and prepared to wipe Jared¡¯s pants. But before her hand could touch Jared, Jared suddenly stood up and took a step back. Then he said in a cold tone, ¡°Stay away from me.¡± Mari was clearly not expecting such a reaction from Jared. She stood there in shock, tissues still in hand. Just then, Agnes walked out of the bathroom after a shower and saw what happened. Agnes quickly went over, saying awkwardly: ¡°Never mind, Mari He¡¯s a neat freak and doesn¡¯t like to be touched.¡± Agnes grabbed some tissues and wiped Jared, but he didn¡¯t seem to care. Mari quicklyposed herself, giving a smallugh, ¡°My bad, I identally spilled coffee on Jared.¡± Helena came upstairs and saw them all in the room. She said with a smile. ¡°You guys shoulde downstairs for dinner! Agnes, your grandma¡¯s here too.¡± Everyone went downstairs, with Agnes and Jared trailing behind. Agnes shot Jared a look, ¡°You were really rude just now.¡± Jared frowned, ¡°Your neighbor is a bit weird.¡± Agnes pinched him, ¡°You¡¯re the weird one. The Lairds are all very nice. It¡¯s just a small ident. Good thing Mari is understanding and didn¡¯t hold it against you.¡± At dinner, the Helena family was very weing Agnes grandma didn¡¯t seem to like Jared very much, she was rather aloof, After dinner, her grandma and Helena were chatting in the kitchen. Laird invited Jared to y a game of Go Agnes and Man were enjoying some fruits and chatting by a small table in the yard. Mari said, ¡°Agnes, did you know there¡¯s a boat race in town tomorrow? You and Jared can¡¯t miss out on such a fun event now that you¡¯re back.¡± Chapter 312 Chapter 312 A few kilometers from Foxglove Vige, there¡¯s this ce called Starfall Vige. The town was surrounded by water on three sides, with some of the houses even built directly on the water. To get around, people had to boat it. Every year, just before the end of the year, Starfall Vige hosted a boat race. The boat race was the most popr event of the year, so people from many surrounding viges were attracted toe here. And there were plenty of other fun activities happening around the same time. Right in the thick of it all, Agnes agreed without hesitation. On one hand, she thought it was a rare opportunity. Since she was back in town during this big bash, she could also take Jared to experience it. On the other hand, Agnes knew her grandma well enough to know that if they were home tomorrow, she¡¯d find all kinds of ways to rope Jared into doing chores. Jared had only been back for two days and he¡¯d already done a ton of manualbor. If the Whitfield family found out, they¡¯d feel sorry for him. After hanging out at Mari¡¯s for a bit, they headed home. Once home, Grandma had Jared off doing something else. Agnes felt more and more d that tomorrow they were going out to have fun. In the morning, Agnes woke Jared up. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Her grandma was out in the fields early. Agnes hurried Jared along, saying, ¡°Get up quick, or we won¡¯t be able to slip out before Grandma gets back.¡± Jared looked surprised, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Agnes suddenly realized shepletely forgot to tell him about it, since she was totally bowled over when she got home yesterday. Agnes excitedly said. ¡°I¡¯m taking you somewhere cool today. This way, Grandma can¡¯t ask you to do all kinds of hard work anymore.¡± Jared looked at the excited and mysterious Agnes. She seemed like a kid. So he asked, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll see when we get there. I promise it Ill be fun.¡± Before her Grandma got back, Agnes and Jared had a quick breakfast and set off Jared was going to drive, but Mari¡¯s red Benz was parked right outside their house Man got out of the car and said, ¡°Agnes, Jared, ride with me No need to take two cars, the town¡¯s crowded today and probably there is no ce to park.¡± Jared was initially excited, but his brows furrowed when he saw the red Benz. But Agnes had already agreed to Mari. She grabbed Jared by the arm and headed for the car Jared asked in a deep voice, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Agnesughed and said: ¡°Mari ising with us. It¡¯s a little more crowded, and we get a free ride¡± Soon after, Jared was pulled into the car by Agnes. Mari started the car. The whole way, Jared was silent. Agnes felt something was off. He was excited just now. Why did he suddenly m up? In the back seat, Agnes tried to cheer him up by squeezing his hand and leaning over to coo at him. But Jared seemed out of it Finally, Agnes asked in a soft voice, ¡°Why do you seem a bit down?¡± Jared nced at Agnes but didn¡¯t say anything. Man heard this from the front seat. She¡¯d been keeping an eye on the two in the rearview mirror. Mari joked, ¡°Jared, are you upset because I¡¯m cramping your private time with Agnes?¡± 1 Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Jared was just staring out the window, not saying a word, as if he hadn¡¯t heard a thing. Agnes felt a bit awkward, knowing Jared¡¯s snobbish character in public. So, she covered for Jared, ¡°He doesn¡¯t mean anything by it, he was born that way, Mari, please don¡¯t mind it.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Jared shot Agnes a nce. In a short while, they reached Starfall Vige Today, Starfall Vige was buzzing like never before Even though it¡¯s in the middle of nowhere, its boat race was super famous, drawing crowds from other cities just to catch the action. The boat race took ce on Starfall River, with water so clear you could see your own reflection. Though the race hadn¡¯t started yet, the banks of Starfall River were already jam-packed with people. Agnes was a bit bummed, ¡°With all these people, we¡¯re not gonna find a decent spot Man chimed in, ¡°I know a ce that was not too crowded with great view Agnes was surprised to find that Mari led them to the riverbank where the race was about to start. The view was incredible, they could even see the faces of the racers clearly. But the reason this ce wasn¡¯t buzzing with people was because of a broken spot on the riverbank that hadn¡¯t been fixed yet. Watching the race from here, it was easy to take a tumble into the water when it¡¯s crowded. Still, there were a few brave souls around, though not many. Mari warned, ¡°This is probably the best spot, but just watch your step. The riverbank is busted. It¡¯s easy to fall into the river.¡± Agnes was thrilled. She bolted to the front, hollering with the crowd. Then, she turned to Jared, ¡°Jared, look at those guys, they¡¯re ripped, all of them have six pack abs.¡± Jared frowned, ¡°Are they really that great?¡± Agnes stuck her tongue out teasingly, ¡°Don¡¯t be such a wet nket. I¡¯m just taking a look, not gonna touch them.¡± This woman still wanted to touch them? Jared pinched Agnes¡± face, ¡°No more looking, let¡¯s go home.¡± Agnes quickly held onto Jared¡¯s hand, pleading for forgiveness, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just here for the race, okay?¡± Jared released his grip. Mari stood nearby, watching the two of them interact. They were like a couple in love, which was admirable. Agnes had lived a life of privilege since she was little. Every time she visited the countryside, everything felt fresh and exciting, like the chicks and ducks were new toys. She said she loved the countryside because it was quiet and cozy. But Mari, who had grown tired of this ce, knew otherwise. Agnes found the chicks and ducks cute, probably because she didn¡¯t have to clean up after them. She loved the homemade food, probably because she was used to fancy, exotic dishes. Mari had been a hardworking student since she was little. She had one goal in mind to get out of the countryside and be someone people looked up to. In fact, she had achieved that, she now had a high-paying, respectable job. But that wasn¡¯t enough. She had only managed to escape the countryside but couldn¡¯t break into high society. Even though she was a top performer at work, she was still working for someone else. Her only way out was with a little help She was excellent and beautiful and many rich businessmen had expressed interest in her Although she was outwardly friendly, she didn¡¯t really fancy these fat, nch people. Until sheid her eyes on Jared for the first time¡­ Mari admitted, she was attracted to this man with a unique elitist charm The Boat Race started quickly. Chapter 314 Chapter 314 With the sound of drums, the boats shot forward like arrows, racing at full speed. Onlookers at the shore were amazed by the spectacle, and everyone began cheering for their favorite boat team, shouting words of encouragement. Especially, they ran alongside the boats as they departed Though Agnes¡¯s group wasn¡¯trge, they were still a good number of people. They were caught in the middle of the crowd and had to follow the flow of people. All of Agnes¡¯s attention was captivated by the boat race. Then, she heard a noise and someone shouting. ¡°Someone fell into the water!¡± Agnes looked towards the water and saw that it was Mari. People¡¯s attention shifted because of the incident. Everyone started to worry. However, the embankment was quite high with no steps to get down, and the water level was shallow, making it difficult for even skilled swimmers to get back up onto the shore. Agnes felt extremely anxious How could Man have fallen into the water when she wasn¡¯t even standing close to the water¡¯s edge? She might have been pushed down by the excited crowd. Mari struggled in the water, crying for help as she slowly sank, her voice echoing in desperation. Agnes was beside herself with worry and grabbed Jared Whitfield¡¯s arm, saying, ¡°What do we do? Jared, you have to go and save her.¡± Agnes knew that Jared could swim, and he was an excellent swimmer at that. The Whitfield family even had an outdoor swimming pool. Agnes had once seen Jared swim, disying a skill levelparable to that of a professional athlete. However, Jared frowned and hesitated, not making any moves to jump in. Agnes watched as Mari continued to sink And the people around them were merely pointing and talking but showed no intention of jumping in to help. Unable to wait any longer, Agnes began taking off her shoes, preparing to jump in herself. But before she could remove her shoespletely, Jared stopped her with a firm grip on her hand. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked. ¡°No matter what, I can¡¯t just stand by. I can swim too, don¡¯t worry,¡± Agnes insisted. Jared¡¯s face remained stern as he nced at the water again. Then he held onto Agnes and said, ¡°Alright, you stay here. I¡¯ll go and rescue her¡± Agnes was grateful that Jared was willing to go. But before he got into the water, he slowly took off his shoes and clothes, which made Agnes even more anxious. In the water, Man was still struggling, and it looked like she had only two hands left. If this continued, even if Jared managed to save her, she might have already drowned Finally, with a graceful dive, Jared jumped into the water. Within a few minutes, he had pulled Mari to safety, and a group of people helped to haul her ashore By this time, Mari had lost consciousness Agnes was very worried She urgently held onto Jared¡¯s hand and pleaded, ¡°Jared, save her, save her! What do we do now?¡± Jared remainedposed and asked the people around him, ¡°Does anyone know CPR?¡± Most of the people around were elderly vigers from Starfall Vige, and they had no idea about CPR Jared scanned the area and found a disheveled wanderer picking up cigarette butts by the river. Jared handed him some money and said, ¡°Please do me a favor. This money is your reward¡± The wanderer¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw so much money. Jared taught him how to give Mari CPR Jared taught it twice, and he went through it in great detail. The wanderer was smart. He¡¯s a quick learner The wanderer followed Jared¡¯s instructions. Before long. Mari regained consciousness. Chapter 315 Chapter 315 When Mari opened her eyes, she saw a scruffy man with a full beard giving her artificial respiration. Seeing his face approaching, she felt extremely disgusted and wanted to throw up. She immediately pushed the man away and said, ¡°Back off! What are you doing?¡± Jared took a step forward and said, ¡°Mari, he just saved you¡± Mari looked up and saw Jared¡¯s cold but handsome face. Last night, while chatting with Agnes, she identally overheard Agnes mentioning that Jared was a swimming expert. She fell into the water due to the crowd¡¯s pushing. she thought Jared would definitely jump in to save her. If that happened, she would have a reason and opportunity to get closer to him. However, she stayed in the water for a long time and was about to expose the fact that she could actually swim. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She wouldn¡¯t risk her life just for a guy. Just when she was about to swim to the shore on her own, Jared jumped into the water. Mari was delighted. But she had struggled in the water for too long, so to avoid revealing her swimming ability, she purposely took a mouthful of water. Therefore, when she was rescued and brought ashore, she was genuinely drowning She thought that since Jared was willing to jump in to save her, he must be willing to perform CPR on her As she regained some consciousness just now, she was filled with joy. But when she opened her eyes, she didn¡¯t expect to see such a repulsive face. Man looked at Jared, wondering if he had noticed something. But with so many people watching, she couldn¡¯t get angry. So, she apologized to the homeless man, ¡°Thank you for saving me. I got scared just now, sorry¡± The homeless man didn¡¯t care about all that after all, he had already received his money. He bowed to Jared twice and then left. Mari was still sitting on the ground,pletely soaked. Thinking about the mouth-to-mouth with the homeless man just now made her feel extremely disgusted Agnes quickly came over and said, ¡°Mari, you really scared me just now! How did you suddenly fall into the water? Do you feel ufortable anywhere? Should we take you to the hospital for a check- up?¡± Seeing Agnes¡¯s worried face, Mari felt very angry. She didn¡¯t expect Agnes to witness her being bullied by a homeless man and yet did nothing to stop it. But on the outside, she forced herself to smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, let¡¯s go back.¡± On the way back, Agnes was driving. Both Jared and Man werepletely soaked, and they needed to get home quickly to take a shower and change clothes. Because it was winter, Agnes was worried they might catch a cold. Jared sat in the passenger seat without saying a word throughout the journey. Mani sat in the back seat, tightly holding her fingers. After they arrived home, Agnes said, ¡°I need to use your bathroom.¡± Then she drove to Mari¡¯s house. Helena saw the two of theming back all wet and asked anxiously, ¡°What happened?¡± Mari replied, ¡°I identally fell into the river while watching the rowingpetition, but thankfully, Jared saved me.¡± Helena was very grateful to Jared, ¡°You both hurry up and take a shower. It¡¯s so cold outside; make sure you don¡¯t catch a cold¡± Agnes said to Jared, ¡°You go and take a shower first, I¡¯ll get your clothes, and Til be right back.¡± Before Jared could react, Agnes turned around and ran off Jared could only sigh and went upstairs on his own Mari¡¯s room had a bathroom, so she naturally went back to her own bedroom. Jared used the separate bathroom he had usedst night. But not long after, the door to the separate bathroom was opened, and Man appeared at the doorway Chapter 316 Chapter 316 M Jared was adjusting the water temperature. Hearing a noise at the door, he turned his head to look. But when he saw who was standing at the door, his face immediately turned serious. It was Mari at the door. At this moment, Man had already changed her clothes. Her previously soaked clothes were now reced, and she was wearing a pink silk pajama. The pajama was a bit revealing, but it entuated Man¡¯s beautiful figure. Mari looked a bit shy as she walked in and closed the door. Jared watched her every move with a furrowed brow ¡°What are you here for?¡± The iciness in Jared¡¯s voice was unmistakable. Man said, ¡°Jared, I¡¯m here to thank you. If it wasn¡¯t for you pulling me out of the nver earlier, I might be dead.¡± emotion. Jared¡¯s voice was still cold, devoid of any ¡°And how do you n to repay me?¡± Mari gathered her courage to look at Jared, ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want me to do.¡± This man was incredibly handsome. His eyes were particrly deep, captivating at first nce. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. He exuded an innate noble aura, making people afraid to approach, yet unable to suppress the urge to do so. Mari was a bold woman. It was because of this boldness that she was able to climb the corporatedder step by step. But she had never taken any of those men seriously. She knew what she wanted. The man of her dreams was exactly like Jared. She had heard the name Jared long ago. In the financial world, who didn¡¯t know he was the youngest president of the Tim Group? He was a business genius, and the Whitfield family had a prestigious reputation. But she didn¡¯t expect that Agnes could marry such a man. Agnes was really lucky But since she also had this opportunity, she had to cherish it. She rarely had such opportunities, and this was the first time she could get so close to such a man. So no matter what means, she couldn¡¯t let this opportunity pass easily. She had to make something happen between them. As for the future, she would cross that bridge when she got there¡­ Man walked step by step towards Jared. She had seduced many men before, but she had never been this nervous. The men from before would have pounced on her before she even approached. But Jared was different, his expression was unchanged, even somewhat cold. This made Mani a little unsure, but then she thought, aren¡¯t all men the same? Some may appear calm on the surface, but they¡¯re even crazier behind closed doors. Mari was now right in front of Jared, her eyes staring deeply into his, seemingly with a captivating charm. She began to undo her straps, then said to Jared, Jared, I can offer up my body to you, how about it?¡± Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Jared said, ¡°You think you¡¯re good enough for me?¡± Mari¡¯s fingers froze suddenly on her shoulder strap. She looked up at Jared, his face seemed stripped of a mask, his eyes filled with disgust. Mari seemed not to have heard correctly, she asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± Jared stepped back two paces, as if to keep his distance from her. Jared said, ¡°Mari, You graduated from an elite school, don¡¯t you know what shame is?¡± Mari¡¯s gaze was full of disbelief, she had never seen anyone reject her before. Actually, she had a hunch when she fell into the water. But Jared still jumped in to save her. This gave her a glimmer of hope. She jumped into the water on purpose, just to test him, Mari said, ¡°I can give up everything. Jared, do you believe in love at first sight? From the moment I saw you, my heart raced. I don¡¯t care about status, and I don¡¯t care about the future. I just hope you can give me a chance.¡± But the disgust in Jared¡¯s eyes became more and more obvious. ¡°Mar, your behavior gives me a new understanding of human nature. I have no interest in people like you. Please don¡¯t do anything that makes you lose your dignity.¡± But Mari was still not willing to give up. As Jared turned to leave, she asked loudly, ¡°Is it because of Agnes? I promise I¡¯ll keep it a secret. I won¡¯t let her know.¡± She didn¡¯t believe that a man like Jared would only have one woman in his life. She thought if she had a chance, she could, as long as there was a glimmer of hope. Jared said, ¡°I won¡¯t betray my wife, as for you, you only make me feel disgusted.¡± Man¡¯s heart felt like it had been stabbed by a knife. Jared¡¯s humiliation of her was like stripping her naked and throwing her into a crowd N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Mari, trembling, said, ¡°Since you¡¯re not interested in me at all, why did you save me today?¡± ¡°Because Agnes is very innocent. If I didn¡¯t save you, you would definitely swim up yourself. But then, Agnes would find out you were acting, everything you did was to get close to me! Mari, surprised, said, ¡°Is that the reason? You knew I could swim?¡± Jared said, ¡°Mari, your tactics are too poor.¡± Mar no longer held back, she walked up to Jared and asked with a smile, ¡°When did you realize I liked you? Was it when I asked you to fix myputer? Or was itst night when I deliberately spilled coffee on you?¡± She asked Jared to fix herputer just to create some alone time. And spilling coffee on Jared¡¯s pants was just an excuse to have physical contact with him. Most men couldn¡¯t resist this. Although Jared¡¯s reaction at the time was big, she wasn¡¯t sure if he was pretending to be serious. But then Agnes interrupted her, so she started another n, using the rowing race to test Jared¡¯s feelings for her If he had realized her other intentions for him, he wouldn¡¯t have jumped in to save her. Since he saved her, it means he epted her ¡°other intentions¡±. This was her way for years. It charmed countless men Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Jared chuckled coldly, ¡°I knew it from the start. The eyes never lie, and yours are filled with desire.¡± Mariughed, ¡°So you knew from the beginning that I had a crush on you. . Mr. Whitfield, you¡¯re such an experienced business leader that you¡¯ve already honed your perceptiveness. However, Agnes is not like you, she is just a child who has not grown up yet, and ambitious people like me can better help you. How about letting me be your sword in the business world? I don¡¯t care even if you exploit me.¡± When Mari saw her chance of seducing him going nowhere, she immediately changed tack. As long as she had the chance to be around Jared, she believed that one day she would win his heart. Jared scoffed, ¡°You aren¡¯t fit to be my tool.¡± ¡°Jared!¡± Mari¡¯s face began to darken. She had never met a man like this in all these years, and Jared had lost his patience to argue with her. Jared said sternly, ¡°Mari, your ambition has nothing to do with me. I¡¯ll pretend today¡¯s incident didn¡¯t happen. But don¡¯t show up around me or Agnes ever again, and don¡¯t let her know about today, or I assure you, nopany will hire you in the future.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Jared¡¯s words were cold, he wasn¡¯t joking around. Yet Man couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You don¡¯t want to tell Agnes. Are you afraid she¡¯ll misunderstand?¡± ¡°No, I just don¡¯t want you, a piece of trash, to pollute her innocence¡± Mari was shaking with fury. All the men treated her like a gem, buut why did Jared see her as trash? Did he really hate her that much? Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Agnes¡¯s voice came faintly from outside, ¡°Jared, are you done bathing? Open the door, I¡¯ve brought you clothes¡± Jared gave Mari a cold nce. Mari knew what Jared meant. If Agnes saw her standing in front of him in such revealing clothes, she would definitely misunderstand. Jared wouldn¡¯t allow that. Mari gritted her teeth and hid behind the thick curtains. Jared opened the door, Agnes was standing there with clothes in her hand. Seeing Jared still soaking wet, she asked in surprise, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you bathed yet?¡± ¡°Tll go back and do it.¡± ¡°Why, doesn¡¯t grandma¡¯s house have a bathroom?¡± ¡°This ce is too dirty.¡± Jared¡¯s voice was full of disgust, then he took Agnes and left. After Agnes and Jared left, Mari came out from behind the curtains. Her fingers were buried deep into her palm. ¡°Jared, you may be high and mighty, but the humiliation I suffered today. I will make you pay someday!¡± Agnes found it very strange. Helena served Jared coffee, but Jared didn¡¯t ept it. Agnes was a bit upset, ¡°Jared, that¡¯s really rude, you know?¡± Jared turned around, ¡°From now on, don¡¯t go to Mari¡¯s house to shower anymore, understand?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be going back in a few days, I¡¯ll have someone build a bathroom for your grandma¡± Hearing Jared¡¯s words, Agnes suddenly felt touched. She had been thinking about it for a long time, but the water and electricity facilities at grandma¡¯s house were very rudimentary. If they were to be renovated, all the circuits would need to be redone. Agnes didn¡¯t trust the local craftsmen, and as grandma was old, she was worried about the safety of the wiring But she had full faith in Jared¡¯s capability. Agnes immediately beamed, ¡°You go change into clean clothes first. I¡¯ll heat up some water for you, then you can bathe and change.¡± ¡± Chapter 319 Chapter 319 She didn¡¯t expect that by the time they got home, her Granny had already boiled hot water ahead of N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. time. Rows of thermos sks were lined up in the kitchen. Agnes brought out the tub for bathing. The tub was very clean, waxed on the top, making it look brand new. However, when Agnes started pouring water into it from the thermos, Jared couldn¡¯t help but frown and ask, ¡°Am I really supposed to bathe in this?¡± Agnes nodded seriously and said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you watched period dramas? People in those shows bathed in tubs like this. I¡¯ll sprinkle some dried flower petals in itter, a king¡¯s treatment. What do you think?¡± Jared joked, ¡°So what was the king¡¯s treatment like, bathing with whichever lover he wanted to?¡± Seeing the mischievous look in Jared¡¯s eyes, Agnes knew what he was about to say, So she held up her hand in a stopping motion and said, ¡°Stop dreaming, you¡¯re not a king.¡± After setting everything up. Agnes pped her hands satisfactorily and said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the yard, enjoy.¡± Then, without waiting for Jared¡¯s response Agnes quickly left. If she didn¡¯t leave quickly. Agnes was afraid she wouldn¡¯t be able to leave all night. The weather was great that day. Although there was no moon, the stars were densely scattered in the sky. In the yardy an old locust tree. The tree had been struck by lightning not long ago and was chopped off its branches and leaves, leaving only a thick trunk lying there, yet to be cleared. Agnes sat on this old locust tree, looking at the starry sky. The nights in the countryside were quiet and dreamy. Agnes remembered, her mother used to say, the stars in the sky were the eyes of the departed. Even if they were not beside their loved ones, they were watching from the sky. Agnes had grown up and knew this was just a beautiful fairy tale But she preferred to believe it was true, that way, her mother was watching her from the sky. Agnes suddenly felt sentimental. Yes, she missed her mother. To stop herself from wandering in thought, Agnes decided to find something to do After looking around the yard, Agnes found some potatoes that her grandmother had just dug up today An idea came to Agnes. She used small branches to make a fire pit on the ground, and then buried the potatoes in it. She also took a few corns from the kitchen and threw them into the fire pit. Then she started to roast on the fire. When Jared came out after his bath, he saw Agnes taking out chunks of charred things from the fire pit. Seeing Jarede out, Agnes excitedly waved at him and said, ¡°Come here, I have something cool to show you.¡± Jared walked over, frowning, and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Agnesughed and picked up a potato. She blew on it for a while, then broke the potato in half. The potato gave off a caramel scent, and Agnes couldn¡¯t help but drool. Agnes broke off half and gave it to Jared, ¡°Roasted potato, you¡¯ve never had it before, right? It was my favorite when I was a kid ¡± Jared looked at the charred potato, frowned, and didn¡¯t reach out to take it, ¡°Can you eat this?¡± Then the next second, half of the potato was shoved into his hand by Agnes, her hands were a bit dirty, but she pulled him directly onto the tree trunk in his fresh clothes Jared said, ¡°Hey, I just took a bath¡± Agnes carelessly replied, ¡°Honey, it¡¯s time to change your neat habit, and eating this potato may help you change it. Try it, take a bite, you definitely won¡¯t think it¡¯s dirty.¡± Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Jared was soothed by Agnes¡¯s gentle call of ¡°honey¡±. Now, she called him that more naturally. Jared took a bite of a roasted potato. The well-roasted potato was fragrant, sweet, and soft, melting on his tongue as soon as he bit into it. It suddenly reminded Jared of his first kiss with Agnes. That kiss was just as sweet He turned his head to look at Agnes, who was looking at him expectantly. She asked, ¡°How is it, how does it taste, is it sweet?¡± Jared replied, ¡°Not bad, it tastes like you.¡± Agnes frowned, ¡°That¡¯s a weirdparison.¡± But then she turned her face away and busied herself with the in the fire. She probably didn¡¯t think that Jared was thinking about something while eating a potato. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. As Agnes gnawed on the, she told stories from her childhood, ¡°I loved staying at my grandma¡¯s house when I was little, because there were all sorts of foods that you couldn¡¯t get in the city. In the summer there were berries, in the winter there were potatoes. Once, I followed the neighborhood kids to raid a beehive and ended up in the hospital because of the bee stings. Another time, I fed all the corn that my grandma was saving for seeds to the sheep, and she chased me around the yard with a broom,¡± Remembering the embarrassing past, Agnes started tough. But Jared waspletely absorbed, his eyes full of adoration. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you were such a troublemaker when you were little.¡± Agnes was indeed a troublemaker as a child, not liking to follow rules, climbing trees and catching fish with the boys. Although she was the youngest, she always followed behind. However, since her mother passed away, she hasn¡¯t yed like she used to. Agnes sighed, ¡°I really miss being a kid, if only we didn¡¯t have to grow up and have so many troubles.¡± Agnes seemed to remember something and lightly kicked the fire with her shoe ¡°Ms. Pritchard, you married the best man in the world, what troubles could you possibly have?¡± Agnes turned around and red at Jared, ¡°Do you know how annoying it is when you¡¯re being so narcissistic?¡± ¡°Really? I thought it would be charming.¡± This man was beyond repairing from his narcissism However, Jared¡¯s face in the dark night seemed even brighter than the stars. His features were perfect, without any ws, the curve of his chin looked as if it had been carved by a knife, theughter in his eyes was different from his usual seriousness, a bit mischievous, making hearts race, He had just taken a shower, his hair was still slightly damp, but his face looked incredibly handsome. He had every right to be narcissistic Looking at him, Agnes mysteriously started to feel ¡°jealous¡±, and she suddenly smeared his face with her hand. Her hand was covered with the charcoal ash from the roasted potato, and several ck marks immediately appeared on Jared¡¯s face. Agnes suddenly burst intoughter, pointing at Jared¡¯s face and saying, ¡°You look like a tabby cat, Jared you¡¯re a tabby cat¡± However, Jared¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious. Agnes felt a little nervous. He was a clean freak, and he had just taken a shower Would he be mad at her for teasing him like this? However, the next second, Jared held Agnes¡¯s face and kissed her deeply¡­. Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Agnes was a bit lost in the moment. She widened her eyes, staring at the handsome face in front of her. But in no time, Jared had her all dizzy with his kiss. She could smell his good scent, and Jared went from being bossy at first to being gentle. They were smooching under the starry sky. Above them was the endless night sky, with stars that seemed like spilt silver on the ground. The evening breeze blew, but they weren¡¯t cold. A bonfire was in front of them, the popping sound of popcorn echoed in the air. Sheep bleated in the distance every now and then, as if even the air was filled with sweetness. That was the starry sky in Agnes¡¯ memory, the sweetest kiss she ever had. So much so that yearster, when she was in a foreignnd, gazing at the brilliant city from her apartment in Manhattan. What emerged in front of her were that starry night, the leaping bonfire, and the taste of potatoes¡­. That bitter-sweet memory, it kept torturing her¡­. The next day, Agnes and Jared got up early. Because it was the anniversary of her mother¡¯s death. Her mother was buried in the most expensive cemetery in Willowbrook Town, but it was nearby. Her grandmother had buried all of her mother¡¯s belongings in a small mound behind the hill and erected a tombstone. Every year on the anniversary, Agnes woulde here to pay her respects. She prepared the offerings, then they climbed up the hill together. Her grandma was feeling pretty down today, probably because she was reminded of her deceased daughter Agnes was also sad, but she didn¡¯t show it. When they reached her mother Julia¡¯s grave, her grandma took out the items from the basket one by one. Those were all pastries made by her grandma in the morning ¡°Julia, these are your favorite things. And this pastry, the sesame harvest this year was especially good, so this pastry made from it is especially fragrant. You loved it when you were little¡­¡± As her grandma rambled on in front of the tombstone, Agnes was feeling pretty choked up. During the ceremony, Jared, following the rural custom, knelt down and kowtowed three times. Jared sincerely called out to the tombstone, ¡°Mom.¡± When Agnes heard this, tears inexplicably fell from her eyes. It had been so many years since she had called out that word. Jared earnestly said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of Agnes from now on. I won¡¯t let her suffer any grievances. I will bring all the good things in this world to her 1 hope you approve of us being together¡± Afterwards, Jared respectfully kowtowed again. Her grandma was also wiping her tears at the side. Then she said, ¡°Alright, the ceremony is over. You guys go back first. I¡¯ll stay here and keep your mom Agnes said, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± But the old woman waved her off, ¡°I have some private words to say to my daughter. You guys go back first. Jared, when you get back, help me clean the yard¡± Agnes raised her voice, ¡°Grandma, why are you making Jared work again?¡± But Jared was very willing. ¡°Alright, grandma¡± Then they went back Agnes pouted. ¡°The yard is already clean. Grandma just likes making you work¡± But Jared didn¡¯t mind, ¡°Her making me work shows that she sees me as family I can feel that grandma Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. treats me well Agnes was left speechless in surprise. Jared, you really know how tofort yourself Hes been back for so many days, and grandma has never shown a hint of a smile to him, always getting reasons to make him work Agnes didn¡¯t feel that grandma was treating him well at all. Therefore, Agnes always felt guilty inside. Why didn¡¯t her grandma like Jared? Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Agnes suddenly had a bold idea. She grabbed Jared¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s secretly eavesdrop on Grandma, okay?¡± Jared frowned, ¡°That¡¯s not appropriate, I refuse¡± Jared was an upright person, and even with Agnes pulling at him, he didn¡¯t want to. ¡°Then you can go back. I¡¯ll go alone,¡± Agnes said. With that, Agnes ran away, and Jared was really gone. In the back mountain, there was arge jujube tree with lush branches covered in winter jujubes. Agnes hid behind the tree. She overheard her grandma still chattering away, ¡°Julia, I think Jared¡¯s a good kid. At first, I thought he looked quite handsome. I couldn¡¯t help but think Agnes would be just like you, always hiking good- looking boys. But these past few days, I deliberately had him help me with so many things, and that young man didn¡¯t utter a singleint. He¡¯s very meticulous in his work, I see how caring he is towards Agnes, and you can rest assured.¡± Agnes heard everything Grandma said and felt extremely happy. So, it turned out that Grandma didn¡¯t dislike Jared after all. These past few days of making him do physicalbor were just a test. Agnes was ecstatic and couldn¡¯t wait to tell Jared the good news. As she turned to leave, she heard Grandma sigh as if in sorrow, ¡°Child, why were you so desperate to take pills and end your life back then? Do you know how heartbroken I¡¯ve been all these years just thinking about it? If you were still alive, seeing Agnes living well would be so wonderful. I never approved of that man, Preston Pritchard, but you insisted on marrying him, and as a result, you left us. How could you bear to leave me? I raised you since you were little. You were my life¡± As Agnes¡¯ Grandma said this, her tears began to flow. ¡°In the end, it was my inability. Even though that man betrayed you, as an old woman, I didn¡¯t have the Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. capability to take care of Agnes. I could only let her stay in that house, where his affair with that woman disheartened you and choose to end your life. Poor Agnes spent so many years there. I don¡¯t know if she suffered any grievances She continued to cry, but a trace of contentment appeared on her face. ¡°Luckily, she¡¯s got a good husband now, that Jared. The more I see him, the more satisfied am. Besides being too handsome, he has no other faults. I¡¯m just afraid that handsome face might attract other women, Child, please bless our Agnes to live a happy life¡± Her grandma talked a lot in front of the tomb. Agnes, standing behind the jujube tree, waspletely stiff. Did her Grandma just say that her mother¡¯s death was a suicide? Agnes never knew her mother Her memories of that time were somewhat blurry because she knew her mother was hospitalized in her final days. Dad said her mother was in poor health, so she couldn¡¯t always disturb her mother. However, every few days, Agnes would visit her mother in the hospital. During those times, her mother would try her best to support herself and tell Agnes stories, and Dad was very considerate back then. In fact, over the years, even though Dad remarried quickly, and Agnes knew he had affairs within the marriage, she still couldn¡¯t let go of some feelings. Yet, whenever Agnes thought of her mother¡¯s serious illness, thest days spent in the hospital, and Dad¡¯s meticulous care for her during that time, she felt somewhatforted. She believed Dad still deeply loved her mother. He was just a little unfaithful, that¡¯s all, That had been Agnes¡¯s belief all along However, Agnes had never known that Julia had actuallymitted suicide! Agnes felt like shocked. Chapter 323 Chapter 323 It was as if she had been shoved into an icyke, her whole body shivering. Her grandma¡¯s words meant that her mom hadmitted suicide, falling into deep despair after discovering her dad¡¯s affair. Then, what did all of Preston¡¯s care and tenderness towards her mother when she was hospitalized mean? Was it all just a show for her? If so, Agnes felt like thest bit of warmth left between her parents had disappeared. Agnes even forgot how she got home. When Agnes walked into the yard, Jared had just finished cleaning up and was washing his hands by the well. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Seeing Agnes return, he approached her and asked curiously, ¡°Did your grandmother mention me?¡± But Agnes seemed to be lost, walking into the house like a robot, as if she hadn¡¯t heard Jared¡¯s words at all. Jared immediately sensed that something was off. After entering the house, Agnes hid under the covers and started crying. The news had hit Agnes hard, and she felt like something inside her had been destroyed. Her mom hadmitted suicide. If her mom really didmit suicide, then it was her dad¡¯s fault. Agnes felt an indescribable pain in her heart. She could forgive Preston for his years of infidelity and even for having another daughter. But she couldn¡¯t forgive his betrayal that led to her mother¡¯s suicide. In Agnes¡¯s memory, her mother was such a gentle person. How could he bear to hurt her? What had she gone through to choose to leave this world? Agnes couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine.¡± Jared sat down by the bed, gently patting Agnes¡¯s back. He didn¡¯t rush to ask anything, just quietlyforted her After a while, hearing her grandma¡¯s footsteps returning, Agnes lifted her head from under the covers, wiping away her tears forcefully. Only then did Jared ask, ¡°What happened? Can you tell me?¡± Agnes shook her head, ¡°TIl tell youter. It¡¯s about my mom. I need to confirm some things.¡± Agnes didn¡¯t want Jared to know about her mom¡¯s suicide, and her mind was a mess night now. Jared didn¡¯t press further. Agnes¡¯s mother died ten years ago. That was certainly a deep wound in her heart. There was no need for him to probe. If she wanted to talk about it, she would tell him. After a while in the room, her grandma called them for dinner. During the meal, grandma¡¯s attitude towards Jared was much better, even adding more food to his te. Jared was a bit bbergasted. Agnes knew very well that everything before was just her grandma testing him. Now that he had probably passed the test, that¡¯s why she started treating him kindly. But after dinner, Agnes said, ¡°Grandma, I n to go back to the city tomorrow.¡± ¡°Why are you leaving so soon?¡± ¡°I have some work to handle. Don¡¯t worry, grandma, once I finish this busy period, I wille back to visit you often.¡± When Agnes and Jared were about to leave, her grandma prepared a lot of things for them, including the vegetables she grew, filling up an entire cart Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Before they left, grandma handed Jared a bag with a pair of handmade cotton shoes in it. ¡°I made these shoes for you. I nned to spend a couple more days on them, but since you¡¯re leaving so suddenly, I finished themst night. Not sure if they¡¯ll fit though.¡± Agnes had never seen Jared so excited. He tried the shoes on immediately and ran a couple ofps in the yard like a kid: ¡°Grandma, the shoes fit perfectly. Thank you.¡± And then he refused to take them off. Grandma was also thrilled. As they pulled away, she stood in the doorway. Jared watched her leaning against the door frame in the rear view mirror. He said to Agnes, ¡°I think grandma is too lonely. We should bring her to the city to live with us.¡± Agnes shook her head: Tve told you many times, she won¡¯t leave her farnd and sheep. She¡¯s used to the country life and wouldn¡¯t fit in the city. Let her live her way.¡± Jared nodded, ¡°Then we muste back to visit her more often.¡± Agnes smiled and held Jared¡¯s hand: ¡°Thank you. You¡¯ve been working hard these days.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I actually had a pretty chill time. But why did you decide toe back so soon? I really don¡¯t want to go back to work! If you¡¯re sessful, could you consider raising me?¡± Agnes didn¡¯t expect Jared to say such a thing. She pretended to be serious: ¡°What is your specialty that makes it worth my raising?¡± Jared replied honestly: Tm good with my hands and I¡¯m not clingy. Does that count? Agnes was speechless. After returning. Jared went to the office. Agnes knew that he would be very busy for a while. After all, the Tim Group was a huge business empire, being able to take a few days off was a luxury for him. Agnes returned to the Pritchard family. As the butler opened the door, Agnes asked: ¡°Where¡¯s my dad?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the study Agnes nodded and went straight upstairs. The study door wasn¡¯tpletely shut. Agnes saw her father sitting at his desk, smoking He looked troubled by a pile of documents on the table. Suddenly, he threw all the documents to the floor in frustration, smashing the ashtray in the process. Agnes frowned, pushed the door and went in. Preston seemed slightly stunned when he saw Agnes. Then he hid his imitated expression and said gently: ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re back.¡± Agnes looked at the mess on the floor and asked. ¡°What happened?¡± Preston stood up: ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just a minor issue at thepany. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Agnes knew all about thepany¡¯s issues, and they were definitely not minor. But for now, she was also looking for solutions. Agnes started Tve signed a contract with Century Entertainment for one million dors. Plus my previous eamings, that¡¯s a total of 1.2 million. I¡¯ll transfer this money to your ount as soon as possible. You can use it to deal with the current difficulties. If that¡¯s not enough, Fl figure out something else.¡± Preston immediately looked ashamed: ¡°How can I use your money, especially when you¡¯ve worked so Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. hard for it.¡± Preston knew Agnes didn¡¯t want to develop a career in the entertainment industry Signing with Century Entertainment was clearly for the signing fee ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about other things during this special time. Anyway, I won¡¯t just sit by and watch Starlight International Group go bankrupt. After all, mom co-founded thispany¡± said Agnes The mention of Agnes¡¯s mother seemed to change Preston¡¯s expression slightly Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Agnes cut straight to the chase, ¡°Dad, do you remember that yesterday was the anniversary of mom¡¯s passing?¡± Preston¡¯s expression changed immediately. ¡°How could I possibly forget?¡± A wave of sadness washed over Preston¡¯s face, ¡°It¡¯s been a whole decade since your mom passed away. I visited her yesterday. Her image on the gravestone is still the same as it was ten years ago, her smile so kind and loving. But I¡¯ve aged¡± Seeing her dad¡¯s mncholic demeanor, Agnes said, ¡°Dad, I have a question for you, and I want you to tell me the truth.¡± Preston had rarely seen her daughter look so cold. He had a sense of foreboding in his heart. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°How did mom really die? Was it due to illness, or was it suicide?¡± Agnes¡¯ lips trembled as she uttered the word suicide. Even now, Agnes couldn¡¯t ept this reality Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. When Preston heard the word, he seemed frozen. For a moment his face changed strangely. Just by looking at Preston¡¯s unusual behavior, Agnes felt like she already knew the answer. Preston asked, ¡°Who told you this, was it your grandma?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know how I found out. I just want the truth. Did mommit suicide? Tell me, did she die by suicide?¡± Agnes was getting worked up, her fingers clenched tightly into a fist Her body started to tremble uncontrobly. Suddenly, the man she¡¯s been calling ¡®dad for over two decades felt like a stranger to her. Preston looked at Agnes, his strength seemed to drain away. He slumped into the couch, one hand covering his face in agony, ¡°Your mom¡­ shemitted suicide.¡± That sentence, like, threw Agnes into the deep end. So it was all true. Her grandma was telling the truth. Her mother hadmitted suicide because of her father¡¯s betrayal. Agnes was devastated. She had a perfect family, a mother who loved her dearly, but it was all ruined by her own father. Agnes gripped her hand tightly, holding back the tears. ¡°Dad, why did you do this? Why did you betray mom? What was wrong with mom? Why did you have to mess around with other women? Why did you hurt mom? Why did you make her feel so desperate that shemitted suicide?¡± Preston looked utterly miserable, he couldn¡¯t even lift his head. Every mention of Julia seemed to plunge him deeper into his memories of the past, and he started choking back sobs. Seeing him like this, Agnes was almost certain of his guilt. Now, Agnes could finally understand the despair her mother must have felt when she was betrayed by the person she trusted the most. She felt like the world was too filthy, not worth sticking around. ¡°Why did you do this? Tell me, you married Laura less than half a year after mom died. Beatrice Pritchard is only two years older than me, which means you¡¯ve been having an affair for at least eight years. I¡¯ve never brought this up before, but that doesn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t affected. I¡¯ve been trying to convince myself, telling myself that even though you betrayed mom, you still loved her. That woman was just a momentarypse in judgment. But now, mommitted suicide because of you, you¡¯re the one who drove her to it, you¡¯re the murderers!¡± Agnes was almost screaming out of control. ¡°Who told you we killed your mother? She brought it on herself.¡± A female voice echoed from the doorway. Agnes turned around, and there stood Laura Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Agnes stared at her in disbelief, ¡°What did you just say?¡± Laura walked in, and her usual affability seemedpletely gone. Her tone wasced with sharp sarcasm, ¡°I said Julia got what wasing to her. She brought it on herself.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you insult my mother!¡± Agnes was teetering on the edge of losing control. Her mother had been dead for ten years, why was she still being insulted by the woman who had caused her death? ¡°Your mother was exposed to scandal, attacked by all sides, and finallymitted suicide in shame, which has nothing to do with anyone else¡± Agnes was clueless about what this woman was prattling on about, but every word out of Laura¡¯s mouth made her want to hurl Agnes tried to keep her cool, ¡°You better make yourself clear, or I won¡¯t care if you¡¯re my elder. I won¡¯t Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. let you off.¡± Laura was about to retort when Preston suddenly cut in, ¡°Don¡¯t bring up the past in front of the kid.¡± Laura was seething. ¡°Why can¡¯t I say it? After all these years, have I ever treated your daughter badly? I treated her like my own, gave her the best of everything, and all I get back is that woman¡¯. Preston, haven¡¯t I shouldered enough me? I¡¯ve had it. I, Laura, will not tolerate this injustice¡± Preston was also fuming but couldn¡¯t stop Laura. Laura let it all out, ¡°Your mother used Starlight International Group¡¯s name for charity, setting up the Angelic Wings charity fund. But she pocketed the funds that were meant for disaster-stricken children. When the truth came out, she ended her life out of shame. How was her death my fault? I knew your father when I was young, but we were genuinely in love, and I never once tried to break up his family. I silently devoted ten years to this man, gave birth to his children. What was after? And yet you me your mother¡¯s death on me. How can I take away the guilt of this murderer? I¡¯m not a pushover!¡± Agnes was in denial, ¡°You¡¯re lying, you¡¯re deceiving. My mother would never do such a thing.¡± Agnes refused to believe it. She would rather die than believe it. Her mother was such a kind person. She was always charitable, donating to orphanages, earning everyone¡¯s respect. She changed the lives of so many children, and Justin being one of the beneficianes, She absolutely refused to believe her mother could do such a thing Laura sneered, ¡°Even though it¡¯s been a decade, because it involves political corruption, the news was suppressed by the government. But it was a well-known scandal in the entertainment industry. If you want to verify, you can still find some clues from ten years ago. If you don¡¯t believe me, go check it out for yourself, see if I¡¯ve told a single lie!¡± Agnes¡¯s eyes were red-rimmed, her body trembling. Preston stormed over, gripping Laura¡¯s arm tightly, ¡°I told you to stop. Agnes is just a kid, why are you making her bear all this?¡± Laura defiantly shot back, ¡°So she shouldn¡¯t bear it, but I should carry false usations? She¡¯s an adult now, she should take responsibility. Her mother was nothing more than a fake do-gooder, and she got what she deserved in the end¡­ ¡°Smack!¡± With a crisp sound, Preston¡¯s handnded a harsh p on Laura¡¯s face. Chapter 327 Chapter 327 The air in the study seemed to freeze in an instant, even Agnes looked bbergasted. Laura lifted her head, one hand covering her cheek, looking incredulously at Preston. All these years, Preston had treated her like a precious gem. No matter what she did, even if she brought Starlight International Group to the brink of bankruptcy, Preston never med her. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. But there was one taboo between them all these years that woman, Agnes¡¯s biological mother, Julia. Preston was also stunned. He was always gentle, and even in middle age, he was quite a gentleman. His actions just now were out of control due to his emotions. Preston grabbed Laura¡¯s arm, T¡¯m sorry, Laura, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± But Laura violently shook off Preston¡¯s hand, ¡°Always for that woman, Preston, do you have a conscience? She¡¯s been dead for ten years. Ten years, and you still can¡¯t forget her. Whenever she¡¯s mentioned, you be a different person. She¡¯s your ex-wife, then what am I? I¡¯ve been with you quietly for ten years, and took care of you and your daughter for ten years. Is my devotion less important than a dead person? Preston, I¡¯m not going to let this go!¡± With that, Laura tumed around and left. Preston wanted to chase after her, but after two steps, he came back. He sat on the couch smoking, while Agnes was stunned. After a long time, Agnes asked with a trembling voice, ¡°That¡¯s not true, right?¡± Agnes hoped Preston would deny it. She firmly refused to believe that her mothermitted suicide for a mistake that ruined her reputation. Preston sighed, ¡°It¡¯s all true, but your mom was impulsive back then. I couldn¡¯t believe it either, but that was the result of a police investigation. Your mommitted suicide out of guilt. It was a big scandal at that time. The police investigation files, including your mom¡¯s statement, are all in a safe. If you don¡¯t believe it, I can show you.¡± Agnes still couldn¡¯t ept it. How could it be like this? That can¡¯t be true! Preston took a puff of his cigarette and said, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to keep your mother¡¯s image intact in your heart, but no matter what, it¡¯s in the past. She¡¯s your mother, and you were her favorite¡± Agnes stepped back, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. You¡¯re lying, you¡¯re all lying!¡± With that, Agnes ran out. When she got to the stairs, she saw Beatrice, who had juste back. Beatrice bumped into her on purpose, ¡°Agnes, can¡¯t you watch where you¡¯re going?¡± Agnes¡¯s eyes were red, she didn¡¯t even look at Beatrice, and ran off Beatrice was puzzled. What made Agnes so upset that she ran out crying? She¡¯s always been proud and rarely cries. Beatrice, who took pleasure in others¡¯ misfortunes, was all the more curious as to what happened to Agnes, Did she have a problem with Jared? After Agnes rushed out of the vi, she wandered aimlessly on the streets. The sky was gloomy, and it was drizzling, but Agnes seemed oblivious Agnes¡¯s mood gradually calmed down, but she was full of confusion She didn¡¯t trust a word Laura said She believed her mother was the kindest person in the world and would never do such a thing There must be something unknown about this. Agnes decided to get to the bottom of it Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Agnes mulled it over and then headed straight to CHERRY. Although CHERRY was a gossip magazine newspaper, it had been established for more than ten years, and it could be said that it was a media with rich experience. If the event from that era was as sensational as it seemed, she might be able to dig up something. Agnes was tight with the staff at the magazine, so she coulde and go as she pleased. After all, she was a hotmodity in the entertainment industry. Everyone was always thrilled to see her. Agnes made a beeline for Ben, the most seasoned entertainment journalist at CHERRY He was also the only one who had been with the magazine for over ten years. When Agnes mentioned the scandal of the Angelic Wings Foundation¡¯s donation fraud a decade ago. Ben frowned and said, ¡°I have a vague memory of it, but I was a newbie then and don¡¯t remember much. All I recall is that the news was all the rage, but because it involved some government corruption, it was squashed and all the online information was scrubbed. It¡¯d be tough to find anything now. There was indeed no information online. Even when Agnes searched her mother¡¯s name in the search engine, the results were blocked. Agnes was disappointed. But something suddenly urred to Ben: ¡°We have a warehouse where we store all the issues since the start. Even though the news was suppressed, there must have been coverage before that. If you really want to know, I can take you there.¡± A glimmer of hope sparked in Agnes¡¯ eyes, ¡°Ben, you¡¯re a lifesaver.¡± Ben took Agnes to the warehouse, where mountains of newspapers were stored. Even though they were sorted by year in storage boxes, each box had at least a thousand issues. Ben said, ¡°The incident you¡¯re looking for is a decade old. Yes, the relevant materials are in here, but I can¡¯t guarantee you¡¯ll find them. With so many papers and no idea which issue it¡¯s in, it¡¯s like looking for a needle in a haystack.¡± But Agnes said, ¡°I can take my time, Ben, you go ahead if you have things to do.¡± Ben had work to do in the afternoon, so he left soon after. Agnes was left alone in the warehouse, sifting through piles of newspapers. She went through them one by one, page by page. But there were just too many papers. After about four hours. Agnes hade up empty Later, Jared called He said his father invited them to dinner at the Whitfield Manor, Agnes agreed. Looks like she wouldn¡¯t be finding anything today. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Agnes decided to leave ande back tomorrow. But after sitting for a long time, her legs and feet were numb. As Agnes stood up, she tripped and knocked over a pile of newspapers. She immediately bent down to tidy up, but then she saw the front page headline on one of the papers, ¡°Angel or Devil? Angelic Wings Foundation¡¯s Julia Arrested for Embezzling Donations¡± Seeing her mother¡¯s name, Agnes¡¯ heart seemed to stop. There was also a photo on the paper. Indeed, it was her mother when she was younger But she was surrounded by police, with handcuffs on her wrists. Her face looked nk and desperate, like a puppet on strings, nothing like the mother Agnes remembered Agnes slowly bent down and picked up the paper. The report didn¡¯t go into detail. Because it also involved political corruption, many government officials were implicated Chapter 329 Chapter 329 The report said Julia once set up a fund named ¡°Angelic Wings¡±, aiming to help orphans and left- behind children. At that time, after the earthquake, many children became orphans. Julia raised funds, nning to build a welfare home. But shockingly, she transferred most of the donations she received into her personal ount. The story was finally revealed because of a one-time donation of $2 million from a wealthy man. However, this money didn¡¯t end up in the construction of the orphanage, instead, it vanished into thin air. After an investigation, it was found that the money had been divided up and there was little left. In the course of the investigation, some scandals of collusion between government and business were also revealed, and the impact was extremely bad. In the end, Julia was sentenced to 8 years in prison, but due to health issues, the sentence was postponed. During this time, Julia overdosed on sleeping pills in the hospital, and she never woke up. After Julia¡¯s death, the two government officials involved were also taken down, and the whole drama gradually faded from public view. Because of orders from higher-ups, the media stopped reporting on it. Agnes stared at the report, feeling her blood turning to ice. She couldn¡¯t believe her mom would embezzle donations. Her mom had always been so gentle, so kind. She often visited the welfare home to see the kids, buying them lots of stuff. She was always super gentle with animals. Agnes simply couldn¡¯t picture her mom doing something like this. Agnes felt a huge unease. She went from disbelief to gradually feeling upset and heartbroken. If her mom really did these things, did she have her reasons? Agnes was unwilling to think of her mom as a bad person. However, as the years went by, all that was left were bits and pieces of clues. Her mom was already gone. There were so many things Agnes would never know Agnes squatted down, going through all the reports about her mom again. Some reports even dissected her mom¡¯s family background in great detail. In the pile of reports, Agnes found an old photo. It was a photo of her mom when she was young, about twenty years old At that time, her mom had just graduated from film school, and it was a graduation photo with her ss. Although these reports were just digging up some gossip, Agnes saw a familiar face in the photo. It was Alyssa Whitfield. Even though it was a photo from twenty years ago, Alyssa didn¡¯t look much different from back then. Time might have taken away her youthfulness, but it added charm to her When she saw the photo, Agnes¡¯s heart raced. In the photo, Alyssa and Julia could be seen hugging each other, smiling broadly and looking very close. Agnes stared at the photo for a long time. Finally, the tucked the newspaper into her bag. She skimmed through the event, realizing it was a long time ago. Jared had already called to ask where she was Agnes told him her location and Jared showed up quickly. Agnes got into the car, her mind full of doubts. As Jared was driving, he reached out and held Agnes¡¯s hand, ¡°Still struggling with that thing?¡± Agnes shook her head, ¡°It seems to be getting moreplicated¡± ¡°Do you need my help?¡± ¡°No need, and if I can¡¯t figure it out, I¡¯ll ask for your help.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Agnes fell silent for a while, then suddenly asked, ¡°Did Alyssa graduate from film school?¡± Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Jared pondered for a moment, ¡°Well, she was a special admission student, started studying in the film academy at 13 and graduated at 16. After that, it seemed like she went to Sydney for two more years of education, When she came back, she entered the film industry and was pretty popr. You know, she married Cilian Thomas at the peak of her career¡­¡± Agnes was deep in thought. So, Alyssa and her mom really graduated from the same school, even in the same year. From the photos, they seemed to have a good rtionship. Suddenly, Agnes recalled something. When she first met Alyssa, Alyssa¡¯s expression changed noticeably upon seeing her Her first question was about her parents. At that time, Agnes found it bizarre but didn¡¯t think much about it. Now it seemed that maybe Alyssa saw Julia in her After all, Agnes and her mom looked strikingly simr. They soon arrived at the Whitfield¡¯s As they got out of the car, they spotted Ryder Whitfield. Ryder was in the yard giving Oscar a bath. Oscar, upon seeing Jared, immediately ran over wagging his tail, all wet and covered in bubbles, and pounced on Jared. Jared gave a sitmand and Oscar obediently sat down. Jared bent over, patting Oscar¡¯s head, ¡°Good boy.¡± At this point, Ryder also walked over, ¡°Ryder.¡± But Ryder didn¡¯t greet Agnes. He seemed to consciously avoid her gaze. Agnes felt a bit awkward. She quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll go in first.¡± Then she dashed into the house Agnes knew she was a coward, but she had no other choice but to run away. Jared was outside talking with Ryder for a while, so Agnes went upstairs by herself. The butler said Tim was in the study writing. Tim has a habit of not being disturbed while writing. His study has a box full of papers he¡¯d written. Every time Tim finishes writing, he puts the paper in the box and locks it, not letting anyone see So no one knows what¡¯s written in those boxes Agnes didn¡¯t go to the study. She went straight to the rooftop. The butler said Alyssa was there The rooftop was filled with nts, the soil was specially dug up from the marsh. Alyssa nted many nts on the rooftop, creating an aerial garden. There were all sorts of peculiar nts, most of which Agnes couldn¡¯t name. Whenever Alyssa had free time, she would personally take care of the nts on the rooftop. When Agnes arrived, Alyssa was tending to an orchid, her favorite one. Each nt was said to cost over $5,000, specially transported from Kinabalu National Park in Mysia. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. She always took care of them with great care. ¡°Alyssa Agnes called out. Alyssa seemed to be in deep thought at the time. Agnes¡¯s sudden voice startled her. Her fingers involuntarily loosened, and the orchid pot in her hand fell to the ground The pot broke, and the orchid¡¯s stem snapped ¡± Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Agnes didn¡¯t expect Alyssa to be freaked out. She rushed over, picking up the flower pot from the ground. The pot was shattered, seemed like an expensive one. The orchid was broken too, a kind that supposedly only blooms every few years. Alyssa had been nurturing it for two years, and it hadn¡¯t bloomed yet. Agnes felt a certain indescribable emotion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± But Alyssa just looked at the flower nkly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, just throw it away.¡± ¡°But this kind of orchid is ram¡± Alyssa only had this one. ¡°It¡¯s dead now, useless. Why would I keep it?¡± Agnes noticed Alyssa¡¯s voice was colder than usual. The look in her eyes was icy, totally different from before Truth be told, it had been a while since Agnes had been back. Since her birthday party, Agnes and Alyssa had barely spoken. But Agnes knew, Alyssa being like this was definitely due to the rare orchid. The one she had painstakingly nurtured for two years, scared and ruined just like that Agnes felt guilty, while Alyssa began tending to other flowers, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can go now.¡± Agnes had something to ask, but didn¡¯t know how to word it. She just stood there holding the flower pot, Alyssa straightened up, ¡°What¡¯s up? ¡°I have a question for you. Alyssa seemed to reflexively furrow her brow But she said, ¡°What do you want to ask?¡± Agnes hesitated and said, ¡°Do you know a woman named Julia? She¡¯s my biological mother.¡± If Julia really knew her, or even if they were friends, then Agnes could learn more about that time from Alyssa. Regardless of the truth, Agnes just wanted to know more. But when Agnes said the name, Alyssa noticeably stiffened. Her face turned pale, her eyes instantlyplicated. It was all very odd to Agnes. Why Alyssa reacted like that to her mother¡¯s name? N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. But at the same time, Agnes was certain, Alyssa knew her mother. ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡± Alyssa said. When Agnes looked at Alyssa again, she had turned around, casually tending to a lily ¡°Alyssa, are you sure you really don¡¯t know her?¡± ¡°Agnes, I¡¯ve told you I don¡¯t know this person. I¡¯ve never even heard this name. Why are you asking me this?¡± For some reason, Agnes felt like her heart was being crushed by a stone, she could barely breathe. Next, she felt a tremendous disappointment and confusion. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a casual question¡± Agnes murmured. At that moment, Ryder appeared at the door, ¡°Time for dinner¡± After speaking. Ryder nced at Agnes, then left. Agnes also left, still holding the broken orchid in her arms. Alyssa didn¡¯t move, she seemed to be focusing on caning for the flowers. After Ryder and Agnes left, Alyssa¡¯s legs suddenly went weak, and she sat down on the swing chair next to her Chapter 332 Chapter 332 From the moment she found out Agnes was Julia¡¯s daughter, Alyssa knew the day woulde. She just didn¡¯t see iting this fast, this sudden. And her first reaction was denial. If Agnes wasn¡¯t sure, she wouldn¡¯t ask her straight out if she knew Julia. But if Agnes knew about her past with Julia, she wouldn¡¯t ask her like this. Alyssa¡¯s secrets, those deep in her memory, were like a mirror covered in dust. And now, a gust of wind hade and blown away all the dust from the past. The painful, dark, even mad past was reflected clearly in the mirror, making her scared and shaking. Tim was already in the dining room, looking really happy to see Agnes. ¡°Agnes, it¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been home. You¡¯ve lost weight.¡± Agnesughed, ¡°Dad, I didn¡¯t lose weight, and I¡¯ll visit you more often.¡± Tim let out a sigh on purpose, ¡°We don¡¯t have many people in our family. Recently I feel more and more lonely in this big house. It would be much livelier with a kid around.¡± Agnes was bothered. Every time she visited, Tim would bring up this topic repeatedly. Sometimes it was about his old war buddies holding their grandkids, sometimes about the housekeeper resigning to take care of her own kids. Agnes understood his loneliness, but she can¡¯t just have a kid immediately because he wants one. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Besides, she hasn¡¯t graduated yet, and she and Jared haven¡¯t even started nning their wedding Most importantly, she¡¯s only in her twenties, isn¡¯t it too early to have kids? But Agnes didn¡¯t want to argue with Tim, so she just looked at Jared with pleading eyes. Jared said, ¡°Agnes is still young. She¡¯s a kid herself, I don¡¯t want her to be a mom so soon.¡± ¡°She is young, but what about you?¡± Tim looked disappointed. ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with having kids when you¡¯re young? It¡¯s easier to recover. Plus, we have so many housekeepers, you guys don¡¯t have to take care of the kid yourselves, you just have to give birth, leave the rest to me. I¡¯m old, and my health is deteriorating. This is the only wish I have left in my life¡­ Tim¡¯s words got sadder and sadder. Seeing the once brave man now so heartbroken, Agnes couldn¡¯t bear it. She quickly said, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll have a baby. Dad, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll put it in our n to have a baby as soon as possible¡± Tim immediately lit up. ¡°I love all my grandchildren, as long as it¡¯s your and Jared¡¯s child, I will spoil them. I¡¯m not rigid, I won¡¯t force you to have a certain number of kids, you can have as many as you want. If you only want one, I won¡¯t insist. Whether it¡¯s a boy or girl, I will leave all of Whitfield family¡¯s assets to them.¡± Tim was very happy, but Agnes looked helpless. Tim¡¯s mood swings were too drastic. Just then, Ryder walked in. Hearing what Tim said, he stopped at the door. Agnes feltplicated Tim¡¯s favoritism towards Jared had reached this point. The child wasn¡¯t even born yet, and he already said he would leave all the Whitfield family¡¯s assets to them. But Ryder was also Tim¡¯s grandson, he even changed hisst name. Agnes sighed in her heart Ryder had alreadye in Tim asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Alyssa?¡± Ryder replied, ¡°Mom said she wasn¡¯t feeling well, so she didn¡¯t want to have dinner tonight¡± ** Chapter 333 Chapter 333 When Tim heard that Alyssa wasn¡¯t feeling well, Tim immediately became very concerned: ¡°Why is she suddenly sick? Is it serious? I gotta go check on her.¡± Ryder replied, ¡°No worries, she¡¯s already resting¡± Tim decided not to disturb Alyssa, but he was still on pins and needles. Agnes was also feeling low, suspecting that Alyssa¡¯s difort was due to her breaking Alyssa¡¯s beloved orchid. Tim said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat dinner first.¡± After dinner, Agnes retreated to her room, weighed down by thoughts all night. In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but tell Jared, ¡°You go check on Alyssa. I broke her orchid today, I¡¯m worried she¡¯s mad at me.¡± Jared replied, ¡°She¡¯s not the type to hold a grudge¡± Nevertheless, he went to Alyssa¡¯s room. Agnes initially didn¡¯t want to, but felt like she should apologize properly and also headed to Alyssa¡¯s room. But the room was locked, and no one answered after she knocked a few times. Just as she was about to leave, she saw two figures on the terrace, it was Jared and Alyssa.. Agnes went over and found Alyssa tending to her nts. Jared was holding a pot of flowers, saying, ¡°Alyssa, if you¡¯d like, I can buy you a few more. Agnes didn¡¯t mean to break your orchid.¡± Alyssa replied, ¡°I know. I don¡¯t me her.¡± But when Jared asked why she didn¡¯t eat and imed to be unwell, Alyssa suddenly tumed serious: ¡°Jared, if I didn¡¯t like Agnes, would you leave her?¡± Jared¡¯s face turned serious at her words He asked calmly. ¡°But you used to like Agnes a lot. What happened?¡± Alyssa¡¯s face changed, but she didn¡¯t answer his question. She chuckled, ¡°I was just joking, Jared, you know I¡¯ll always support you.¡± Hearing this, Agnes was stunned. Something inside her seemed to sink and she turned and ran off. Alyssa saying she didn¡¯t like her, even asking if Jared would leave her, hurt her deeply Even though Alyssater said it was just a joke, Agnes could tell it wasn¡¯t, and it was more of a test. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Could it really be because of an orchid that Alyssa, who used to treat her so well, was acting this way? Agnes couldn¡¯t figure it out, and she felt incredibly down. She didn¡¯t want to return to her room, so she went to the yard and sat on a swing under arge locust tree, lost in thought. Agnes was puzzled. Alyssa knew her mother, but pretended not to. Alyssa¡¯s current attitude towards her was alsopletely different from before What was going on? After a while, Agnes felt something on her ankle. Looking down, she found Oscar licking her foot. Agnes squatted down, hugging Oscar¡¯s head, her heart full of unspoken bitterness, ¡°Oscar, can you tell me why? Why? Why?¡± Suddenly, a chuckle came from afar. Looking up. Agnes saw Ryder slowly walking over. ¡°Agnes, are you acting in a soap opera now?¡± Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Agnes was feeling super awkward. Ryder showed up and she hadn¡¯t noticed him at all. Getting up, Agnes resettled herself on the swing. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Just took Oscar out for a walk and we just got back. Oscar likes to y in the backyard after a walk. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. By the way, you¡¯re sitting on Oscar¡¯s swing now,¡± Ryder said. Agnes quickly got up, and Ryder¡¯s smirk became even more pronounced. Only then did Agnes realize that Ryder was just joking. Golden retrievers don¡¯t swing, so Agnes shot Ryder a re. Ryder came over, sat down on the stone bench under the locust tree, and while grooming Oscar, he asked, ¡°Why are you sitting here all mopey? Where¡¯s Jared?¡± ¡°He¡¯s chatting with your mom. I just came out for some fresh air.¡± Then came a long stretch of silence In the past, when Agnes and Ryder were together, she would always yak on and on while Ryder just listened, asionally asking a question or two. They had gotten close from rehearsing and performing in ys together. But ever since she found out Ryder had feelings for her, Agnes felt like she couldn¡¯t chat as freely as before. Agnes didn¡¯t speak and Ryder was silent, which made her feel even more embarrassed. Just as Agnes was about to leave, Ryder suddenly said, ¡°Tm moving out soon.¡± Curiosity piqued, Agnes asked, ¡°Are you moving out of the Whitfield Manor? To where?¡± ¡°I¡¯m interning at the Tranquil Care Hospital now, so I rented an apartment at the Lotus Residence nearby.¡± Agnes nodded, ¡°You¡¯ve told me that your dream is to be an excellent neurosurgeon. Congrattions. You¡¯re getting there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still early days. I still need clinical experience and practice. But I won¡¯t give up.¡± Agnes encouraged him, ¡°Keep going, you¡¯ll make it.¡± ¡°And you, you once told me you wanted to be a reporter¡± Agnes¡¯s eyes dimmed a bit. Yes, her dream was to be a reporter, to expose the dark side of society, to help those on the edge of despair, to fight against the world¡¯s injustices using the power of media That was her dream. But now, she was stuck in the whirlpool of the entertainment industry for money. Even though she didn¡¯t hate this industry, it still had nothing to do with her dream. Agnes gave a wry smile, ¡°If there¡¯s a chance in the future, I¡¯ll still pursue my career dream.¡± ¡°What dream?¡± Jared¡¯s voice came from not far away. Walking over with a smile, Jared asked, ¡°Howe I¡¯ve never heard about your career dream?¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Because I want to do it on my own. If I told you, you¡¯d arrange everything for me in a heartbeat. Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Jared ruffled Agnes¡¯s hair, ¡°So what is your career dream?¡± ¡°You guess, I¡¯m not telling you¡± Ryder had already stood up. Sensibly, he said, ¡°Jared, I¡¯m heading back to my room now.¡± With that, he left with Oscar Jared¡¯s face turned cloudy. ¡°Why can¡¯t you share your dreams with me? Why only with Ryder?¡± Agnes nced at Jared, ¡°Are you jealous?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here appreciating the night scene, discussing life goals. Of course I¡¯m jealous! Jared was jealous like a kid His expression seemed to say, Tm not happy, soefort Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Agnes suddenly slipped into Jared¡¯s arms from his elbow, like a little fish, saying. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, we didn¡¯t really talk about anything, just a few words. I promise, from now on III only stargaze and chat about my life goals and dreams with you, okay?¡± Jared looked down at Agnes¡¯s fluffy head, her sparkling eyes looking innocent and cute. He couldn¡¯t help but cup her face, nting a big kiss on her, then said, ¡°But I prefer talking about having kids with you.¡± Agnes was taken aback, then said, ¡°Mr. Whitfield, remember your old cold-hearted image?¡± What happened to you now? They stayed outside a bit longer before heading back. Agnes never asked what Jared and Alyssa had talked about. Because she knew, whatever Alyssa had said, Jared definitely wouldn¡¯t tell her the truth. She didn¡¯t want to push Jared to lie, so she chose not to ask. But, Agnes had a new worry hanging over her When the holiday ended, Agnes headed to Century Entertainment the next day. A few days earlier, Ivan had already sent her work schedule to her email. Agnes looked at it, indeed it was full of work. Agnes went to Ivan¡¯s office. When she walked in, there was another person inside. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. It was Nyssa, who was a top agent at Century Entertainment, having helped many popr stars rise to fame. Seeing here in, Ivan introduced her, ¡°Agnes, good timing. From now on, Nyssa will be your agent. She¡¯ll discuss your uing work with you in detailter.¡± Agnes immediately went over, smiling, ¡°Nyssa, please take care of me from now on! Nyssa replied, ¡°No problem, we¡¯ll help each other.¡± In the morning, Agnes spent time understanding her work schedule for the next three months. She had three ad endorsements, five interviews, two variety show guest appearances, and a movie, Of course, the most important thing was that movie. She had acted in a drama with Mamie before, which was actually a lead up to that movie, to promote it. The movie was called ¡°Neb Dreams¡± Mamie was the lead, and Agnes yed a viin in it, quite challenging. The scale of the movie was massive, almost the top production team in the industry, and the director was Hamish, who had just won a big award at the Cannes Film Festival. Basically, any actors who had acted in his movies, whether lead or supporting, would shine in the industry, because his standards were very high. Countless aspiring actors, even if they didn¡¯t get paid, would do whatever they could to show their face in his movies, as if that would gild their acting skills. Nyssa also said, ¡°You must seize this opportunity to act. It¡¯s not easy to get the chance to act under Hamish¡¯s guidance. You can learn a lot from him. Every frame of his movie is filled with artistry. Even though your character isn¡¯t the lead, it has a lot of screen time, and the character¡¯s development and range are extensive, it¡¯s a big test for your acting skills, I believe you will gain something from this movie.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Nyssa, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll cherish this opportunity.¡± In the afternoon, Agnes received the script. They nned to assemble in three days. At five in the evening, Agnes suddenly received a call. The call was from Laura Over the years, Laura had called her only a handful of times. Chapter 336 Chapter 336 Even if something major was up at home, it was always Preston who would call. Agnes stared at the caller ID on her phone, her brows furrowing slightly, but in the end, she picked up. Laura¡¯s gentle voice came through the phone. ¡°Agnes, will youe home for dinner tonight? I¡¯ve made your favorite dishes.¡± Hearing her voice, Agnes felt a pang of difort. Laura¡¯s words from before were like thoms stuck in her heart. She said her mother had brought it on herself and deserved her fate. Even if her mother had done something wrong, Agnes didn¡¯t think Laura had the right to say these things. Agnes¡¯ voice was cold, ¡°I have something on tonight. I won¡¯t be home.¡± ¡°Agnes, are you still upset with me?¡± Laura asked, ¡°I want to apologize for what happened the other day. That¡¯s all in the past. I shouldn¡¯t have said those things. made you bear it all. Your mother was just impulsive back then and I shouldn¡¯t have ndered her out of spite. Agnes, I¡¯m a woman too. Your father¡¯s heart still belongs to your mother, and I was just jealous. But can you forgive me this once? I¡¯ve been part of this family for ten years. You might not consider me family, but I think of you as my own daughter. Let tonight¡¯s dinner be my apology, okay?¡± Agnes felt a whirlwind of emotions. Even though she never considered Laura as family, Laura was her father¡¯s wife and they had a child together She and Beatrice might not get along, but they shared the same blood. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. If Laura really had nothing to do with her mother¡¯s death, Agnes didn¡¯t see a need to hold a grudge. After some hesitation, Agnes agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be home tonight.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to bring Jared with you. I¡¯ve made his favorite dishes too.¡± After she hung up. Agnes called Jared In no time, Jared came to pick her up and they both headed to the Pritchard family mansion. On the drive, Jared suddenly asked, ¡°Oh, I forgot to ask, did your father sort out hispany¡¯s issues?¡± Agnes wasn¡¯t too clear on the current situation of Starlight International Group, but she gave all the money she received to help her father. Preston didn¡¯t mention specifics after that. Agnes replied, ¡°It¡¯s being sorted. Don¡¯t worry too much. If anything really happens, I¡¯ll let you know¡± Jared nodded, he had done some digging himself. Starlight International Group was in dire straits, with only one artist, Justin, holding the fort. The others had already jumped ship. Thepany was also facing severe financial issues He had already contacted Preston privately and sent a substantial amount of money in the name of the Tim Group. Starlight International Group had temporarily escaped its woes, but Jared didn¡¯t tell Agnes about this. Agnes was stubborn and sensitive. Jared knew she didn¡¯t want their marriage to be a financial crutch for the family So, she insisted on signing up for a TV series and gave all the ie to Preston. The only condition Jared had when he helped Preston was not to use Agnes¡¯ money. He would find an excuse to return the money to her in time After all, it was her first paycheck, and it shouldn¡¯t be used to pay off someone else¡¯s debts. Chapter 337 Chapter 337 The Pritchard family¡¯s mansion was just around the corner, and Beatrice was waiting at the front door. As soon as she saw the two of them get out of the car, she greeted them warmly. ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re back! Come in quick, it¡¯s freezing out here.¡± Agnes only thought Beatrice¡¯s behavior was unusual. Because when they walked in, Beatrice actually had slippers ready for her. Beatrice had never done such a thing before. Even if she wanted to show off in front of Jared, she wouldn¡¯t go this far Today, she wasn¡¯t sticking to Jared like a candy wrapper like she used to. Instead, it seemed like she had switched targets and was trying to please Agnes at every turn. Agnes was feeling a bit uneasy.. When they were climbing the stairs, Jared was leading the way, and Beatrice was walking behind, arm in arm with Agnes. Agnes deliberately slowed her pace. Once Jared was upstairs, Agnes stopped in her tracks and refused to move ¡°Agnes, why aren¡¯t you moving? Mom¡¯s already made dinner. If you don¡¯t hurry up and eat, it¡¯ll get cold. Come on, she cooked all your favorite dishes.¡± To someone who didn¡¯t know them well, they might like the sisters were really close ¡°Beatrice, stop pretending. What¡¯s going on with you?¡± But Beatriceughed and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? It¡¯s nothing. I just feel like I¡¯ve been so stupid. Dad told me about the money you gave him to save thepany. Agnes, I really admire you. I was wrong to fight with you all the time: Can you forgive me? Can we make up and forget the past, be good sisters?¡± Beatrice¡¯s expression seemed sincere But Agnes wouldn¡¯t have fallen for it if she hadn¡¯t known the real Beatrice. Agnes pulled her arm out of Beatrice¡¯s grip, ¡°Beatrice, stop it. I think our old way of getting along was just fine. You¡¯re acting like you¡¯re plotting something. If you have something to say, just say it. You¡¯re making me ufortable.¡± Beatrice¡¯s face seemed to change for a moment. Then her smile widened, and she even began to flirt, ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re really breaking my heart. I really do want to make up with you. We¡¯re both dad¡¯s daughters, and we share some of the same genes, I¡¯m your family, right?¡± Hearing this, Agnes felt a pang in her heart. As a child, Agnes had imagined having a sister or brother. Then her dad remarried and brought home a sister ¨C Beatrice. Although Agnes couldn¡¯t ept her father¡¯s new marriage, she had no ill feelings towards Beatrice, after all, she was also dad¡¯s child. Over the years, Beatrice had always been aggressive and confrontational, even going out of her way to humiliate others. Most of the time, Agnes chose to bear it. She thought, no matter how despicable the person in front of her was, she was still her family. But over these years of interaction, Agnes had never thought of making up with Beatrice. This was making her very ufortable. And there was definitely a reason for Beatrice acting like this. If she was sincere, that would be weird. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Still, Agnes didn¡¯t want to argue with her. She simply said, ¡°I¡¯d be grateful if you could stop being so confrontational all the time¡± After that, she continued upstairs. Beatrice chased after her, ¡°Agnes, I promise I won¡¯t be confrontational anymore. I¡¯ll listen to you from now on, okay?¡± Agnes looked at Beatrice, her brow furrowing even more. What was up with her? As soon as they set foot in the dining room, Laura greeted them warmly. ¡°Agnes, Jared, wee back! Come on in, dinner¡¯s all set.¡± Preston was also in the kitchen. Chapter 338 Chapter 338 And he seemed in high spirits, no longer the anxious and helpless soul he¡¯d been Seeing Jared, he also stood up and said, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Everyone sat down to eat Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Agnes noticed that everyone was acting so strangely. Beatrice was even peeling shrimps for her. If Beatrice was doing this to butter up Jared, Agnes would get it. But now, with Beatrice¡¯s attention shifted to her, Agnes felt particrly ufortable. Midway through the meal, Preston handed over a bank card saying, ¡°Agnes, take your money back.¡± Agnes was baffled, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not strapped for cash. You keep it for a rainy day.¡± Preston said, ¡°Starlight International Group¡¯s crisis is over. The Japanese bank agreed to loan us funds. We¡¯ve finally weathered the storm.¡± Hearing Preston¡¯s words, Agnes finally breathed a sigh of relief. No wonder Preston seemed so cheery today. Without making a fuss, Agnes epted the bank card. After dinner, Preston and Jared were having a coffee chat in the living room, while Agnes retreated to her room. Soon, Beatrice was at the door.. She was holding a fruit te, filled with sliced fruits. Beatrice used to barge in without knocking. But today, she knocked a few times. Agnes, can Ie in?¡± Agnes was confused, but didn¡¯t rush to find out why. She believed the truth woulde out sooner or ¡°Sure,e in.¡± Beatrice walked in, handed the sliced fruits to Agnes, ¡°Agnes, I prepare these fruits myself. Give them a try.¡± Agnes tried one and said, ¡°Thanks.¡± Beatrice put down the fruit te, but didn¡¯t leave. She hesitated for a while, as if she had something to say. Agnes said straight up. ¡°Spit it out. I might not have time for youter.¡± Finally, Beatrice said, ¡°Agnes, I hope you can put in a word for me with Director Hamish, see if I can get a small part in Neb Dreams. I heard there are still many¡± minor roles uncast.¡± So that was it. Actually, Agnes had guessed it all along. Agnes said, ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I haven¡¯t even met the director. And he¡¯s known for being strict, hates industry¡¯s under-the-table dealings, and has high standards for every role. I can¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°Agnes, I know this is a bit troubling for you, but I have no other way. Even a small role, I¡¯d take it. I want to shine like you in the entertainment industry. Most importantly, I hope to be able to take responsibility for my career like you when faced with difficulties. Agnes, can you help me?¡± Agnes responded formally, ¡°I really can¡¯t help you. It¡¯s beyond my reach.¡± Beatrice hesitated for a while before saying, ¡°I know you¡¯re not familiar with Director Hamish or even know him, but I heard he¡¯s tight with the Whitfields, he and Tim are good friends, and I think Jared is familiar him. If Jared could put in a few good words for me¡­¡± ¡°Beatrice, it¡¯s absolutely impossible. Don¡¯t be under any illusions¡± Agnes cut her off sternly. Beatrice seemed taken aback. Chapter 339 Chapter 339 ¡°Beatrice, you can ask me for help, but you can¡¯t expect me to beg others for you. Especially when it¡¯s about their principles, I won¡¯t put them in a tight spot just to help you. If you really want a role in Hamish¡¯s movie, there are auditions. You can go through the regr process. If you don¡¯t have the chops, I won¡¯t lift a finger¡± Beatrice stood in front of Agnes, and she seemed very aggrieved. ¡°I know this is a hassle for you. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Forget it if you don¡¯t want to do it.¡± With that, she turned to leave. Just as she got to the door, Jared walked in. Beatrice nced at Jared, and her tears immediately fell But she didn¡¯t stop. She wiped her tears and bolted. Jared frowned, ¡°What¡¯s going on? You two squabbled? It¡¯s rare to see you on the losing side.¡± ¡°It¡¯s her problem¡± It¡¯s normal for Beatrice to ask for a role, but when Agnes said no, she didn¡¯t fight back, and she didn¡¯t get angry, which was unusual. The old Beatrice would never let things slide if she didn¡¯t get her way. What¡¯s more, she had prepared for a long time this evening, and had done a lot of preparatory work, including peeling shrimp and preparing fruit. Was she just putting on a show of weakness for Jared? Agnes couldn¡¯t figure it out, and she didn¡¯t want to. Whatever Beatrice wanted, she wouldn¡¯t help, so she didn¡¯t need to dig deeper. The next day. Agnes and Jared went to the restaurant and saw Beatrice bustling about in the kitchen. Seeing them, Beatrice immediately beamed, ¡°You¡¯re up! Mom and dad left for work early. I made breakfast,e and eat.¡± This time, Agnes really started to admire Beatrice¡¯s persistence.. She rarely saw Beatrice swallow her pride like this, and she wasn¡¯t ready to throw in the towel yet. Sure enough, over breakfast, Beatrice brought it up again. This time she asked Jared directly. ¡°Jared, could you do me a favor?¡± Agnes frowned, ¡°Beatrice, I made myself clear yesterday¡± But Beatrice looked hurt, ¡°Agnes, don¡¯t be like this. It¡¯s just a small favor for Jared. And it¡¯s about my dream. I don¡¯t care if you think I¡¯m beneath my dignity, I have to fight for my dream.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you.¡± Jared took a bite of food and suddenly spoke. Both Beatrice and Agnes were stunned Beatrice was surprised because Jared agreed before she even asked. She felt an irrepressible joy, but she didn¡¯t let it show in front of Agnes Agnes, however, looked serious. What on earth was Jared thinking? Jared said, ¡°I heard your conversationst night. You want me to help you get a role in Hamish¡¯s movie, no problem, it¡¯s a piece of cake.¡± Beatrice¡¯s joy was even greater. She didn¡¯t expect Jared to remember their conversation fromst night. You agreed so quickly. What does this mean? But Agnes seemed very cold. But she was also confused. This wasn¡¯t Jared¡¯s usual style. Sure enough. Next, Jared said, ¡°Tve read the script too. There¡¯s a role that I think suits your needs. The Whitfield family has some connections with Hamish. I think if I ask him to give you a role, he won¡¯t refuse¡± Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Beatnce was thrilled. Jared had just said there was a role that suited her. What was that supposed to mean? It meant Jared knew her well, so much so that he thought about her even when he was reading the script. So, she held a special ce in Jared¡¯s heart. He knew Agnes would be pissed, but he still mentioned the role in front of her Beatrice was over the moon. It seemed her goal would be reached soon. It was hard for Beatrice to hide her excitement. She grabbed Jared¡¯s arm and couldn¡¯t help but coo, ¡°Thank you, you¡¯ve been so good to me.¡± But Jared dodged her hand, a look of disgust crossing his face. This left Beatrice puzzled. Still, considering Jared was fighting for her role, Beatrice brushed it off. Maybe he just didn¡¯t like being touched. Agnes watched the pair coldly, then abruptly put down her fork, ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Then Agnes got up and left the restaurant.¡± Watching Agnes go, Beatrice immediately said, ¡°Why is she so upset? We¡¯re family. It¡¯s okay if you help me. She¡¯s just being petty. But I won¡¯t hold it against her.¡± Jared seemed to ignore her, he got up and went after Agnes. Beatrice watched through the restaurant window as Agnes walked out, got into Jared¡¯s car. They both looked pretty unhappy. Beatrice was thrilled. If Agnes was unhappy because of her, or if a rift formed between them, Beatrice would be even more delighted. After all, she got a role, caused a misunderstanding, and it didn¡¯t cost her the effort she had been putting in sincest night. Beatrice clenched her fist, a malicious grin on her face Agnes, your good days are numbered. After Agnes got into the car, she angrily asked, ¡°Jared, what¡¯s the deal? Why are you getting a role for Beatrice?¡± Agnes had always despised the unspoken rules of the entertainment industry, she would never do such a thing. But Jared justughed, ¡°Why so uptight? I¡¯m just trying to get back at her for you¡± A puzzled Agnes asked, ¡°What do you mean ¡®get back at her for me? What do I need you to do?¡± ¡°You know how Beatrice always bosses you around, makes your life miserable? Now it¡¯s her turn to taste her own medicine.¡± Agnes seemed to get it, ¡°So you¡¯re just promising her verbally, and not actually going to get her the Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. role?¡± Jared started the car, nced at Agnes, ¡°I keep my word. If I said I¡¯d get her a role, I¡¯ll get her a role¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jared finally stopped being cryptic, ¡°She said she wanted to y an ordinary role, night? Let¡¯s give her an ordinary role, how¡¯s that sound?¡± Agnes was taken aback, ¡°So you¡¯re making her an extra? She¡¯ll never ept it¡± Jared smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure she has lines.¡± Agnes had been reading scripts at thepany for the past few days. They were set to start filming in three days. Unexpectedly, on the third day, Beatrice found Agnes. She angrily threw the script in front of Agnes, ¡°Agnes, this is your evil, isn¡¯t it?¡± Chapter 341 Chapter 341 Agnes just happened to be leaving the Century Building. Beatrice was waiting at the entrance, arguing with a few security guards. They wouldn¡¯t let her in, but Beatrice insisted Seeing Agnes, Beatrice got even more pissed off and charged over Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. She dropped her script and started interrogating. Agnes picked up the script, ¡°Beatrice, what the hell is wrong with you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking what¡¯s wrong? Agnes, am you deliberately trying to humiliate me? It¡¯s one thing you didn¡¯t give me a role, but now you promised me one, and what kind of role is this?¡± Agnes looked at the folder, indeed it was a script, but only one page Beatrice¡¯s role was a customer service rep, and she only had one line: ¡°Wee¡± Jared was such a jerk. He said he¡¯d give Beatrice a line, and he literally gave her just one. Such a minor role, and he even went through the trouble of sending her the script. For Beatrice, it was a total insult But Agnes just shrugged, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d be willing to y a regr role? Didn¡¯t you just say that?¡± Beatrice was livid, ¡°So you used this to screw with me, to insult me, Agnes, your tactics are so low. Agnes remained calm, ¡°You begged Jared for this role, now that he gave it to you, you¡¯re not happy. You need to take it up with him. What do you want from me? From the get-go, I never promised you anything. What does yourck of a good role have to do with me?¡± Hearing this, Beatrice was even more furious. Jared had clearly agreed. Back then, he must have genuinely wanted to help her, it must be Agnes who messed up and came up with such a crap role to appease her. Shed rather have no role than this But Beatrice knew she had to keep her cool. If Laura found out she went after Agnes because of this, she¡¯d definitely criticize her for being hotheaded. She had other reasons for wanting to be in this y, but Beatrice just couldn¡¯t help being angry. Beatrice gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, Agnes, even if it¡¯s just one line, fl nail it. You just wait and see. You can try to stop me all you want, but one day you¡¯ll pay¡± With that, Beatrice stormed off in a huff. Agnes was just left there, everything happened so fast. Shooting starts tomorrow. There¡¯s a get-together tonight. Agnes, Mamie and the rest of the main cast were meeting the director and the producer for a meal. The producer of this film was Farrell, the CEO of Universal International Entertainment The film is specially tailored for Mamie. Herst movie got her an Oscar nomination, but she didn¡¯t win. Word is this film is a big budget global production, recruiting top Hollywood teams and renowned domestic directors, all for Mamie to take another shot at the Oscar Farrell was going all out with his investment because he¡¯s been chasing after Mamie. Agnes went with Ivan Apparently, Mamie and Farrell had gone out to y golf this afternoon. Ivan didn¡¯t look too good. Others might not know, but Agnes knew why Ivan was down But the atmosphere in the car was too stifling Agnes couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°They just yed a round of golf, it¡¯s normal between friends. Besides, if Mamie really liked Farrell, she would¡¯ve epted his advances a long time ago. Why would he still be chasing her after five years without sess?¡± Chapter 342 Chapter 342 Ivan didn¡¯t hide his emotions in front of Agnes. After all, she was the only one who knew his true feelings for Mamie. ¡°Things are different now, Mamie¡¯s single, and that guy is like a weasel sneaking in, his specialty is to cling on like a leech.¡± He seemed a bit pissed off after saying this. Agnes had never seen Ivan so jealous before. Guess all guys look the same when they¡¯re green with envy, acting like petnt kids Agnes couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. She decided to poke him, ¡°That might be a bit risky, after all, girls can be easily touched by a guy who gives his all. And for women, being touched and falling in love are like ice and water, once the ice melts, it bes water.¡± Hearing this, Ivan¡¯s face darkened even more. Dinner was at a five star hotel, filled with an antique aura, every brick and tile was a relic. After parking the car, a doorman took over. Stepping in felt like walking onto a movie set. The private rooms here were named after the dwellings of ancient kings and queens. When they entered, Hamish and several producers and editors were already there. Also chatting were Farrell and Mamie Farrell sat next to Mamie, performing a magic trick he just learned. He covered his hand with a napkin, had Mamie blow on it, and when he removed it, there was a rose. Then Farrell handed the rose to Mamie, saying in broken English, ¡°Mamie, this rose is shy in front of you because you¡¯re more beautiful that it.¡± Mamie burst intoughter, ¡°Farrell, your English has improved a lot.¡± Agnes almost forgot Farrell was of Korean nationality, he was mixed race, but mainly lived in Korea. The most renowned Korean agencies were under Universal International Entertainment. He was handsome, no less than the stars in the entertainment industry. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. So whether it¡¯s here or in Korea, he was quite popr and well-loved. ¡°Child¡¯s y.¡± Ivan suddenly whispered next to Agnes. Agnes almost burst outughing. Ivan walked over with Agnes, introducing everyone in turn. Agnes stood next to Ivan, politely greeting everyone. When introducing Farrell, Ivan paused and said, ¡°This is the president of Universal International Entertainment, Farrell, his English is ¡®great, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll take good care of us in the future.¡± Ivan changed his tone when he said ¡°great¡±. Hearing Ivan¡¯s words, Farrell responded with a big smile, ¡°Ivan, I¡¯m really happy that you¡¯re praising me¡± Everyone suddenly burst intoughter, even Mamie couldn¡¯t help butugh. She grabbed Farrell¡¯s arm and said, ¡°He¡¯s teasing you, didn¡¯t you notice the change in his tone when he said ¡®great?¡± Farrell still looked puzzled, ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t Ivanplimenting my English?¡± Then, he suddenly turned to Ivan, ¡°Ivan, that¡¯s not cool, why are you teasing me? You know I¡¯m mixed race, but I¡¯ve always lived in Korea, that¡¯s why my English isn¡¯t that good¡± Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Ivan chuckled like a mischievous kid, ¡°Haha, I was just kidding to see how good your English is. In fact, you speak English very well.¡± Hamish jumped in to exin, ¡°Actually, Mr. Bartley here is hinting that you should win the girl¡¯s heart ASAP¡± Farrell was thrilled to hear this. He walked over to Ivan, gave him a light pat on the shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to win Mamie¡¯s heart soon.¡± Ivan¡¯s face darkened immediately, and Agnes finally got the meaning of you reap what you sow. The dinner went smoothly, with everyone in high spirits. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Even though Hamish was rumored to be a strict person, he was actually quite fun and humorous in private. He often cracked jokes, keeping everyone in stitches. When it came to movies, he could talk on and on, without a pause. Suddenly, the door to the private room swung open, revealing two familiar figures. Agnes looked surprised seeing Laura and Beatrice walking in. Laura, holding a ss of wine, strode in, Theard you¡¯re here, Hamish. I had toe and toast you, after all, you directed my first film.¡± Hamish was equally pleased to see Laura, ¡°Long time no see, Laura! Your departure from the acting scene was a big loss for us. Come on, let¡¯s drink up.¡± Agnes was surprised to find that Laura and Hamish were close After finishing her drink, Laura said, ¡°I overheard in the hallway that you are here. My daughter, Agnes, is going to star in your new movie. Hamish, you must take good care of her¡± Laura was active in the industry and had connections with all the directors and producers Over the years, she had been handling most of the affairs of the Starlight International Group. Everyone respected her and knew about the Pritchard family¡¯s situation. Laura was Agnes¡¯s stepmother. Hamish responded, ¡°I like Agnes. I¡¯ve watched her TV dramas. She¡¯s a promising neer. Leave her to me, and you can rest easy¡± Laura poured another drink and toasted Hamish. At this point, she gave Beatrice a signal. Beatrice stepped forward promptly, ¡°Hamish, I¡¯m Beatrice, and you¡¯re my idol, Im so happy to meet you today. Let me toast you too.¡± Beatrice had just graduated from high school and was studying at an acting school. She was not famous in the industry, and Hamish didn¡¯t know who she was Laura introduced her, ¡°This is my daughter Beatrice. She¡¯s studying acting at a film school. You¡¯ve always been her idol. She was thrilled to know you¡¯re here today. She admires you so much.¡± Hamish, already a bit tipsy, was ttered by Laura¡¯s praise and was in high spirits. He turned to look at Beatrice, ¡°Future star, eh? The entertainment industry will be yours, the Pritchards, soon,¡± ¡°You¡¯re giving her too much credit,¡± Laura chuckled, ¡°Hamish, there¡¯s something I¡¯m a bit embarrassed to say. My little girl loves acting, especially seeing her sister Agnes in your drama, she¡¯s green with envy. She also wants to y a small role in your drama. Could you consider giving her a chance to hone her acting skills?¡± Hamish frowned slightly. Everyone present understood that Laura¡¯s real purpose today was not to drink. She was here to get a role for her biological daughter. Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Before Hamish could say anything, Laura continued, ¡°If you find it troublesome, then forget it. After all, I just think you have a high status in the film industry. If this kid can get some guidance from you, she¡¯ll surely benefit for life¡± Hamish furrowed his brow, speaking with earnestness, ¡°Laura, we¡¯ve been old friends, so for your sake, I¡¯ll take her under my wing. There¡¯s actually a supporting role for a female character yet to be cast, but it also depends on this kid¡¯s talent and dedication¡± Laura was delighted upon hearing this, ¡°Beatrice,e on, thank Hamish¡± Beatrice was also thrilled and raised her ss for a toast. Laura smiled, saying, ¡°Both of my daughters am now under your care.¡± Agnes¡¯s expression remained unchanged throughout, and she seemed quiteposed. It was understandable for Laura to help Beatrice secure a role Laura and Beatrice took their seats at the table together. After dinner, as they were leaving. Laura approached Agnes and said, ¡°Agnes, why don¡¯t you stay over at home tonight? It¡¯s perfect because tomorrow you¡¯ll join the filming team with Beatrice. If you both go together, you¡¯ll have each other¡¯s support, and I¡¯ll be more at ease too.¡± The movie ¡°Neb Dreams¡± had dozens of scenes in total, but most of them were set in the bustling city of S City. Tomorrow, they would head there to join the filming team. Agnes didn¡¯t want to go back, but outright refusing might offend her stepmother In fact, many people outside were curious about Agnes¡¯s position in the Pritchard family and her rtionship with Laura. At that moment, Jared unexpectedly showed up. Jared said, ¡°Agnes won¡¯t be going back tonight. She starts filming tomorrow, as you know, Ms. Laura. I can¡¯t bear to be separated from Agnes.¡± Jared¡¯s direct words caused a few people to chuckle, but his use of ¡°Ms. Laura¡± also made everyone understand a few things. Today, Laura came to fight for a role for her daughter, using her rtionship with Hamish on the surface, but in reality, it was also because Agnes had an important role in this movie, and Hamish was giving face to Agnes. Laura always referred to Agnes as her daughter in front of others, iming their rtionship was like biological mother and daughter Jared¡¯s use of ¡°Ms. Laura¡± exposed the true nature of their rtionship, and it was likely that he called her that following Agnes¡¯s lead. Laura had been part of the Pritchard family for ten years, yet Agnes had never addressed her as ¡°Mom¡± to this day. This inevitably made people think their rtionship wasn¡¯t good, and the affection Laura disyed at the dinner table was merely a one-sided act. Laura¡¯s smile seemed a bit forced, but she still said with a smile, ¡°Young people are full of energy. Well then, we¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Beatrice red angrily at Agnes and then left. After getting in the car, Agnes curiously asked, ¡°Why did you suddenlye here?¡± Agnes hadn¡¯t told Jared about the dinner tonight, so how did he know she was here? Jared looked a little disappointed. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to see my lovely wife tomorrow, so I naturally wanted to look at you a bit more tonight.¡± Agnes¡¯s heart was filled with sweetness, ¡°The crew will have breaks, so don¡¯t worry, I¡¯lle back to see you whenever I have time.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. 1 may have been waiting too long for your vacation.¡± Agnes helplessly said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about it. You need to work, and so do). Just endure it for a while.¡± Jared raised an eyebrow, ¡°No problem, I¡¯lle see you when I¡¯m avable¡± 4 Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Agnes didn¡¯t take it too seriously. He was so busy, so he didn¡¯t have time to trek all the way to S City, a thousand kilometers away, just to see her. She was flying to S City the next day, and her flight was at nine. When Agnes woke up, it was already eight. She might not make it And Jared was still snoozing They had both been dog-tired the previous night, so they were out like a light. Maybe it was because they were about to part ways. But now there was no time. Agnes hastily woke Jared up. ¡°You gotta drive me to the airport, it¡¯s a race against the clock, I still gotta go through security.¡± Agnes quickly got out of bed, but before she could steady herself, Jared caught her And there she was, pinned under Jared again. The sleepiness gradually faded from his eyes, reced by a spark of something else. He didn¡¯t say a word, just started kissing her neck, his hand roaming all over her Agnes was freaking out, ¡°Jared, knock it off, I¡¯m gonna miss my flight¡± ¡°No way, no way, move aside.¡± But her resistance was futile, and by the time she came to her senses, another hour had passed Agnes stared helplessly at the ceiling,pletely exhausted, while the man next to her rolled out of bed, satisfied. Seeing him in such a good mood that he was even humming a tune, Agnes was fuming. She got up and gave Jared a pinch on the arm, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, what do we do now, I¡¯m gonna miss my flight.¡± But Jared just cheerfully said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m heading to S City for a business trip these few days, and I happen to have a private jet.¡± Agnes¡¯ eyes lit up. ¡°You have a private jet? Why didn¡¯t I know?¡± ¡°Agnes, you know so little about your husband¡¯s assets. I¡¯ll have Nancy draw up a list of my properties for you tomorrow.¡± Agnesughed, ¡°Is that necessary? Isn¡¯t this a good thing? Don¡¯t you rich guys worry about marrying gold-diggers?¡± ¡°Agnes, you¡¯re mistaken. The moment we got married, those assets weren¡¯t just mine anymore, they were ours. If you don¡¯t know about them, it means you don¡¯t care about me, so you need to get acquainted¡± Agnes was speechless Jared¡¯s way of thinking seemed a bit off the wall, but having a private jet to ride in was just toofy Once they were on the ne, Agnes stretched out on the massage chair, ¡°Did you n this all along, is that why this morning you¡­¡± She broke off, blushing ¡°What?¡± Jared, who was buried in a pile of paperwork, suddenly looked up, a teasing smile on his face, ¡°Of course I nned it. That¡¯s why I was so reckless.¡± Agnes huffed, ¡°Can you tell me in advance next time you decide to be reckless? I get nervous easily¡± I¡¯m giving you a heads up now¡± Jared put down his paperwork and walked over to Agnes, Agnes had a bad feeling about this, ¡°What are you up to?¡± Jared was already taking off his clothes, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I need to give you a heads up if I want to be reckless?¡± Agnes couldn¡¯t fathom how this man could have so much energy when she was utterly drained. She took the initiative to tackle Jared, ¡°No, stay cool.¡± Agnes even used some wrestling moves. Jaredughed, ¡°Are you scared of me?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Agnes blushed, ¡°Who¡¯s scared of you? I just don¡¯t want you to disrupt my work¡± Jared held Agnes tight, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stop teasing you. I can¡¯t bear to see you so worn out.¡± Theyid therefortably, chatting ¡°What brings you to S City this time?¡± Agnes didn¡¯t know much about Jared¡¯s work, nor did she ask much about it. Chapter 346 Chapter 346 Jared started, ¡°It¡¯s not exactly business. Alyssa is nning to start her own clothing brand in S City, so I Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. bought an old brand for her as a foundation. She doesn¡¯t know jack about business operations, so I gotta help her out here for now¡± Agnes was shocked, ¡°Alyssa¡¯sing to S City too?¡± Jared answered, ¡°She¡¯ll be here in a couple of days.¡± Agnes pondered over it. She remembered thest thing Alyssa said to Jared, which made her feel a bit down. She knew how important Alyssa was to Jared If Alyssa really didn¡¯t like her, Jared would be caught between a rock and a hand ce. Agnes initially nned to ask Alyssa more about her mother¡¯s past, but now she didn¡¯t dare to bring it up. ¡°Silly girl, what are you thinking, so lost in thought?¡± Agnes snapped back and gave Jared a smile. ¡°Nothing much, by the way, where are you staying after you arrive in S City?¡± Jaredughed and said, ¡°What, do you want to live with me?¡± Agnes retorted, ¡°I wish I could live as far away from you as possible.¡± This was her true feelings. If she and Jared stayed in the same hotel, would she have time to go over her scripts at night? Jared seemed a bit miffed, ¡°Agnes, I feel you¡¯ve been giving me the cold shoulder recently.¡± Agnes was taken aback, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t¡± Jared said, ¡°You¡¯ve got so many fans now, and you¡¯re not as sweet to me as before Agnes was bewildered, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t, seriously.¡± Jared suggested, ¡°Then move in with me at the Grandeur Mirage Manor Although Agnes never lived in S City, she knew that ¡°Grandeur Mirage Manor was the most luxurious vimunity in the city center. She didn¡¯t expect Jared to have a ce there. Agnes responded, ¡°No way, I must stay in the hotel arranged by the crew, otherwise people will say I¡¯m putting on airs Jared gave her a sour look Agnes tried to pacify him, ¡°How about this, if I finish work early, or on a day off, I¡¯ll definitelye visit you, okay?¡± Finally, Jared reluctantly agreed. At noon, they arrived in S City S City is a global financial metropolis. Thend value here is sky-high, and the housing prices are through the roof. Many people work their whole lives, and can¡¯t even afford a small house outside the outer ring of S City Agnes thought about Jared¡¯s vi in Grandeur Mirage Manor. She started thinking, the most unfair thing in the world might be that what you pursue your whole life is some people are born with. In the afternoon, Agnes joined the crew and attended the opening ceremony. The crew also arranged for a hotel. Their main filming location in the near future was S City TV station, and the hotel was the nearby Celestial Skyline Hotel. After a busy day, Agnes checked into the hotel. Mamie also came along, always with a bodyguard This was mainly because she had too many fans and a crazy fan incident had happened before Concerned, Ivan assigned two more bodyguards. Mamie was quite annoyed by this. While they were checking in, Beatrice also happened to arrive. In fact, only the main cast of the film were arranged to stay at the Celestial Skyline Hotel, while the rest of the cast were arranged to stay in the crew¡¯s dormitory Of course, Beatrice was one of them. But she didn¡¯t stay in the crew¡¯s dormitory, but moved her luggage to the Celestial Skyline Hotel by herself. When she saw Agnes and Mamie, Beatrice walked over with a smile, ¡°Mamie, what a coincidence, I didn¡¯t expect you to stay here too.¡± Mamie nced at her through her sunsses, ¡°And you are?¡± Chapter 347 Chapter 347 ¡°Tm Beatrice. I¡¯m actually in the movie the Magical Romance of Cindere, and we met a couple of nights ago at the hotel.¡± Mamie said, ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t remember.¡± Mamie had already checked into the hotel. Mamie took her room key and said to Agnes, Tm heading upstairs now. Come by my roomter. Tonight, you¡¯ll join me and some influential people from the industry for dinner. It¡¯ll be beneficial for your future connections¡± Agnes nodded in agreement, and Mamie left directly Beatrice couldn¡¯t believe her eyes as she witnessed this scene. She knew that Mamie and Agnes had coborated in an act during the SH G, but she always thought it was just a reluctant cooperation between the two. After all, Mamie¡¯s involvement in ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere¡± had made Agnes¡¯ situation quite miserable. When did their rtionship be so good? Wasn¡¯t Mamie interested in Jared? Wasn¡¯t she Jared¡¯s ex-girlfriend? Given her high status, how could she spare Agnes? Beatrice couldn¡¯tprehend it at all. Agnes paid no attention to Beatrice and simply waited for the hotel staff to handle the check-in procedure. But Beatrice approached Agnes, feeling triumphant. ¡°Didn¡¯t I disappoint you, Agnes? You must be seething inside right now.¡± Agnes couldn¡¯t be bothered. She frowned and said, ¡°Beatrice, if you have delusions, go see a doctor. I¡¯ve said it before, your role has nothing to do with me, and I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re ying the lead or some minor role. Your affairs are none of my concern, so please stop bothering me from now on.¡± The hotel staff respectfully handed the room key to Agnes, but Beatrice snatched it away and threw it on the ground. ¡°Agnes, I know you¡¯re furious. Don¡¯t pretend You wanted to block my path in the entertainment industry, but let me tell you, I won¡¯t let you seed. One day, I¡¯ll have more fans and be more famous than you. Your jealousy won¡¯t do you any good. It¡¯s all because I have a good mom, while your mom is nothing but a dishonest fraud.¡± Agnes¡¯ face darkened instantly. ¡°Beatrice, if you say that about my mom again, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°I told you, Agnes, your birth mother is nothing but a scammer, a big fraud!¡± As soon as Beatrice finished that sentence, Agnes stepped forward and pinched Beatrice¡¯s chin with force. Beatrice¡¯s jaw dislocated, and she couldn¡¯t close her mouth, leaving it wide open. Beatrice had no idea what just happened, but she knew she suddenly couldn¡¯t speak, couldn¡¯t close her mouth, and felt intense pain in her jaw. you bi bitch¡­ She couldn¡¯t even clearly utter the profanity, and saliva involuntarily dripped from her mouth. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. However, Beatrice was filled with fear at that moment, not knowing what Agnes had done to her. Just then, a group of reporters barged in. Even though security guards were trying to stop them, they still took photos chaotically, pointing their cameras inside. Beatrice was very angry. Chapter 348 Chapter 348 If she was photographed like this, her image would be ruined. She grabbed Agnes¡¯ arm, babbling. ¡°Agnes, I messed up¡± Agnes didn¡¯t give her the time of day. She picked up her room key, grabbed her luggage, and headed upstairs. Beatrice could only put on a face mask and head to the hospital As she passed a bunch of paparazzi, she was scared to death of being photographed, but she didn¡¯t expect those reporters to not even bat an eye at her They were all snapping away at Agnes figure, which only made Beatrice even more ticked off. Agnes was feeling down in the dumps. Indeed, Beatrice¡¯s words had really ticked her off. Beatrice was always spouting off hurtful things, but Agnes never held a grudge. But when Beatrice brought up her mom, Agnes couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. Up until now, Agnes still couldn¡¯te to terms with what her mom did back in the day. Those old news stories seemed to scream out the harsh reality. Whenever Agnes thought of this, it felt like a punch to the gut Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Agnes headed back to her room, and after a bit, she heard a knock on the door. Agnes opened the door to see Mamie standing there. Agnes called out, ¡°Mamie.¡± Mamie walked in, seeing Agnes low spirits, ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± There were so many annoying things, and Agnes didn¡¯t know where to start. Mamie didn¡¯t pry. She just helped Agnes pick out some clothes, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go out and blow off some steam. I¡¯ve got some friendsing over tonight, let¡¯s go together.¡± Agnes wasn¡¯t in the mood, ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I start filming tomorrow. I¡¯ll stay at the hotel and read the script.¡± With you feeling this down, I doubt you¡¯ll be able to concentrate on the script. Come on, there¡¯ll be some familiar faces. It might do you some good to get out Mamie was pretty persuasive, and in the end, Agnes followed her out. They snuck out, Mamie didn¡¯t even bring any bodyguards. Agnes didn¡¯t have a clue where Mamie was leading her, turns out they ended up at some hidden bar. This bar was tucked away in a small alley. You wouldn¡¯t know it was there unless you were a regr But the inside of the bar was spacious and luxurious, with waitstaff bustling around There was even a band performing on stage, pretty popr online with a lot of fans. Agnes followed Mamie into a VIP room, which was quiterge and filled with people Some were singing, some were ying cards, it was quite lively. When Agnes and Mamie appeared at the doorway, everyone was shocked. Everyone knew about Mamie and Jared, and the young woman before them was Jared¡¯s wife Their joint appearance was quite a shocker Could it be that Mamie had brought this young woman here for them to mess with? There were indeed some familiar faces in the room, like Shawn, whom Agnes had met at Brayden Simonds¡¯ birthday party. Shawn¡¯s hometown was in S City. Shawn couldn¡¯t believe it when he saw these two. Today¡¯s n was just to wee Mamie, so why did Mamie bring this young woman along? Thest time at Brayden¡¯s birthday, these two women had caused quite a scene, almost scared the living daylights out of everyone. What on earth was happening today? What shocked Shawn even more was Mamie actually holding Agnes¡¯ hand as they walked in. She even introduced Agnes to all her other friends, who were all bigwigs in the industry like screenwriters and authors. These were all the connections Mamie had umted over the years, so why was she introducing this young woman? Chapter 349 Chapter 349 When Shawn was introduced, Mamie nonchntly said, ¡°This is the rich yboy you¡¯ve met before.¡± Shawn snapped back, ¡°Everyone has their own image. Why do I get pegged as just a rich yboy?¡± Mamie sternly wamed Agnes, ¡°Mark his face well. You can befriend anyone, but steer clear of him, He¡¯s known as S City¡¯s most infamousdies¡¯ man. He flits from one woman to another, almost like a prized stallion. Keep your distance.¡± ¡°Mamie,¡± Shawn interjected, sounding exasperated, ¡°Why are you painting me in such a bad light? Even if you hadn¡¯t warned her, I wouldn¡¯t dare pursue Jared¡¯s woman. Give me some respect here¡± After Shawn finished speaking, he wanted to p himself twice. Why did he have to blurt out ¡°Jared¡¯s woman¡±? Would Mamie be angry? He was really confused by the situation. What was Mamie¡¯s purpose in bringing this actress today? Everyone present seemed aware of the situation and shared Shawn¡¯s confusion. So, when Shawn voiced his thoughts, many felt anxious on his behalf. Yet, Mamie remained stoic, showing no reaction. Mamie shot Shawn a dismissive nce, stating, ¡°It¡¯s good you understand. If you step out of line, Jared won¡¯t hesitate to handle you¡± Later that evening, while the group enjoyed drinks and conversation, Agnes abstained from alcohol, choosing instead to sip on a ss of juice. Shawn spent the entire evening observing Mamie and Agnes closely. Their rtionship really seemed to have been mended. It didn¡¯t look fake, there wasn¡¯t even a hint of conflict But everyone knew how hung up Mamie was on Jared. Back then, she even drank several bottles of hard liquor but still refused to give up. So, what was the situation now? Jared was really amazing. He could actually make these two women live in peace, which made Shawn admire him greatly. Driven by curiosity, Shawn sat next to Agnes, ¡°Agnes, why are you sitting here alone, Aren¡¯t you bored?¡± Agnes nced at Shawn, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to y.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t, I can teach you.¡± Saying that, Shawn picked up a deck of ying cards, shuffled them, and happily began dealing. But Agnes was still not interested. Shawn, feeling awkward, suddenly asked, ¡°Agnes, tell me the truth, have you and Jared divorced?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. That was the only possibility Shawn could think of Agnes frowned at the gossipy Shawn, Til tell him tonight that you asked me this question.¡± ¡°No, Agnes, Jared will think I hope you two divorce. He definitely won¡¯t let me off the hook. I hope you two can be happy and have a child soon.¡± Agnes ignored him. Rejected, Shawn could only quietly walk away with his cards He still couldn¡¯t figure out Mamie¡¯s intent. But based on his understanding of Mamie, she might be nning a big move. He knew that Mamie was a notoriously strong-willed and capricious person, she could definitely aplish anything. Now she had brought Agnes to the bar Could it be¡­.. A series of dramatic revenge scenarios floated through Shawn¡¯s mind, Therefore, he went outside the bar alone, quietly picked up his phone, and dialed Jared¡¯s number¡­ Chapter 350 Chapter 350 When Jared picked up the phone, Shawn hastily updated him on the situation in the private room. Finally, he said: ¡°Jared, get your ass over here before Mamie starts throwing a fit. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure no one gets near her until you arrive¡± After hearing everything, Jared responded with surprising calmness, ¡°Just keep your distance from her. That¡¯s all task.¡± He then ended the call. Shawn felt wronged. Today, both Mamie and Jared seemed off Jared was always so protective of Mamie. Why didn¡¯t he seem concerned about her potentially being mistreated today? As Shawn re-entered the private room, he noticed some people pressuring Agnes to drink. Unexpectedly, Mamie intervened to prevent them. Shawn blinked in disbelief, questioning if he was hallucinating. But as the evening progressed, none of the troubles he¡¯d anticipated materialized, Ultimately, Mamie and Agnes departed together. At their hotel. Mamie reminded Agnes, ¡°Rest up, we have work tomorrow.¡± Agnes replied with a nod, ¡°You too. Mamie¡± She felt a deep sense of gratitude for Mamie, who genuinely considered her a friend. That night, Mamie introduced Agnes to her friends without any reservations. It struck Agnes as strange, just months earlier, they were at odds. Yet now, they stood as friends. Upon getting to know Mamie better, Agnes malized she wasn¡¯t as haughty or overbeanng as she¡¯d initially thought. She was straightforward, strong most of the time, but sometimes, she acted like a little girl. That¡¯s why her friends all liked her. Agnes, who was initially down, felt much better after hanging out with Mamie Agnes returned to her room. Upon opening the door, something felt off Agnes was staying in a suite. Why were the lights in the living room on? She found it strange, but walked in anyway. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. When she opened the door to her bedroom, she was shocked. Sitting on the bed, in his pajamas, with aptop in his hand, that man was clearly Jared. Upon hearing the noise at the door, Jared looked up and asked nonchntly ¡°Back already? Did you have fun at the bar?¡± Agnes¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. However, the sight of Jared evoked a mix of shock and exhration within her She rushed over, a flurry of questions spilling out, ¡°What brings you here? Don¡¯t you reside at the Grandeur Mirage Manor? How did you enter without a key card? And how did you know I was in the bar?¡± Her excitement palpable, she continued her rapid-fire questioning Jared shut hisptop and responded calmly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you aware that the Celestial Skyline Hotel is a part of the Tim Group, and I run the show here? I have the liberty to pick any room I desire. And really, I¡¯m just sharing a room with my wife, nothing more. You dashed off to the bar barely half a day after I was gone. How could I not be concerned? So, I¡¯ve decided to stay with you from now on.¡± Agnes was shocked: ¡°You¡¯re moving in with me?¡± ¡°Why, you don¡¯t want me to?¡± ¡°No, I just want to know¡­¡± Why would he want to share a hotel room with her when he had his own vi? ¡°You can choose. Either I move in here, or you move to my vi. It¡¯s up to you.¡± After some thought, Agnes said: ¡°Then you can move in here¡± Jared looked pleased. He patted the space next to him: ¡°Come here¡± Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Agnes started to walk away. But Jared leaned in to sniff her ¡°What are you doing?¡± Agnes asked, feeling confused. Jared gently patted her head, ¡°Good, you haven¡¯t been drinking¡± Agnes knew she couldn¡¯t handle her alcohol, so she rarely drank when she was out ¡°But how did you know I went to the bar? Agnes asked, puzzled ¡°I have my ways¡± Agnes huffed in annoyance, not pleased that he wouldn¡¯t tell her But she also understood Most of Mamie¡¯s friends were also friends with Jared So, it wasn¡¯t surprising that he knew. Jared pinched Agnes¡¯s cheek, ¡°You should go take a bath and get some rest. Isn¡¯t your production starting tomorrow?¡± But she knew rest wouldn¡¯te easy However, now that Jared was here, Agnes epted it and felt happy. She had thought they would have to spend some time apart because of filming, but to her surprise, they still got to live together. Agnes grabbed her clothes, ready to go take a bath. But then there was a loud knock on the door. She frowned. Who woulde to see her at this hour? Agnes opened the door to find an angry Beatrice. ¡°Agnes, you left me in the hospital until now. You dislocated my jaw! It¡¯s swollen now, how am I supposed to film tomorrow? Did you do this on purpose?¡± Agnes responded coldly, ¡°If I remember correctly, you¡¯re not filming tomorrow.¡± ¡°Anyways, I won¡¯t let you off easily, Agnes. Don¡¯t think I can¡¯t do anything to you. If the director knew about the scandal from ten years ago¡­ ¡°Beatrice, say one more word and you might not just dislocate your jaw this time.¡± Agnes knew what Beatrice was about to say. She was going to bring up Agnes¡¯s mother, Julia. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. No matter if Julia had done something wrong in the past, it wasn¡¯t Beatrice¡¯s ce to keep bringing it up. Beatrice was scared by Agnes¡¯s words and reflexively covered her jaw. But after a moment, she let her hand drop and said sarcastically. ¡°There are cameras in the hallway. If you hit me, I¡¯ll expose you. Bullying your own sister just because you¡¯re famous, Agnes, aren¡¯t you afraid it¡¯ll ruin your reputation?¡± Agnes stepped forward, ¡°You can try. Let¡¯s see if I¡¯m scared.¡± Beatrice backed up, actually looking scared, ¡°I didn¡¯te here to fight with you today Celestial Skyline Hotel is out of rooms. I have to stay with you¡± ¡°Celestial Skyline Hotel is huge, how can they be out of rooms?¡± Agnes frowned. ¡°They have rooms, but they¡¯re out of presidential suites. You wouldn¡¯t want me to stay in an ordinary room, right? I can¡¯t stand such a simple ce. The rooms are pitifully small. It¡¯s not a waste if one more person stays here. You¡¯re not that stingy, are you, Agnes?¡± Beatrice was being incredibly unreasonable. She refused to stay in the amodations provided by the production team and insisted on staying in the Celestial Skyline Hotel. But then, sheined that the regr rooms in the Celestial Skyline Hotel weren¡¯t good enough. Agnes said honestly, ¡°That won¡¯t work. It will be inconvenient for you here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s inconvenient about it? Agnes, you stayed at my ce for ten years, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m staying here because I respect you.¡± With that, Beatrice pushed past Agnes without any regard. She then walked into the room with her luggage. The presidential suite really was something else. The interior was decorated luxuriously and Beatrice was very satisfied. She headed straight to the bedroom. And then she saw Jared sitting on the bed, looking at her coldly with a frown. Chapter 352 Chapter 352 ¡°Uh¡­ Jared, what you doing here?¡± Beatrice was gobsmacked, standing frozen at the doorway. She hadn¡¯t seen thising, bumping into Jared here. She was just green-eyed knowing Agnes was staying in this swanky suite. With Agnes¡¯s personality, if she insisted on moving in, Agnes would just have to turn a blind eye. So here she was, encountering Jared was thest thing on her mind Now it dawned on her what Agnes meant by inconvenience Could Agnes not survive without a man for one second? Jared red at Beatrice, his voice icy. ¡°Do I need to show you the door?¡± At Jared¡¯s words, a chill ran down Beatrice¡¯s spine. Looks like he still had it in for her. All thanks to Agnes. But Beatrice didn¡¯t want to ruffle Jared¡¯s feathers. So she picked her luggage and walked out dejectedly. As she left, she shot a nasty re at Agnes. The next day, Agnes started shooting This movie was unquestionably a big leap for Agnes. Agnes wasn¡¯t a ssically trained actress, and even though she had some experience shooting TV series, there¡¯s a world of difference between TV series and movies. Hamish was a stickler for acting and quality. Agnes was having a hard time during the shooting. But luckily, she was a quick study and the vibe of the crew was really supportive. Mamie, an international award-winning actress, her acting skills were top-notch and she was more than willing to guide Agnes selflessly. These two girls were so pally on set that it made others green with envy. Even though Mamie was a brilliant actress, she was a bit of a snob, barely socializing with the rest of the crew. When she wasn¡¯t working, she would stay in her own dressing room. Even at crew dinners, she never showed up. But she and Agnes were thick as thieves. She always looked after Agnes as if she were her own little sister She even made a cup of coffee for Agnes every morning In the entire crew, only Agnes got to enjoy Mamie¡¯s homemade coffee, the director didn¡¯t even get this privilege. This was the talk of the crew Wasn¡¯t Mamie Jared¡¯s ex? Shouldn¡¯t she and Agnes be at each other¡¯s throats? Beatrice was both jealous and confused. What happened to Mamie? In the shooting of ¡°The Magical Romance of Cindere¡±, Mamie¡¯s cameo was only to give Agnes a hard time. Back then, her attitude towards Agnes was downright hostile. But now, she¡¯s done aplete change. Beatrice initially thought Mamie had an ulterior motive, first to win her over, then to exact revenge. But half a month had passed and all she saw was Mamie¡¯s attitude towards Agnes getting better, but no signs of trouble Even when Jared visited the set, the three of them could have a cordial conversation. This was totally bizarre to Beatrice. But then Beatrice overheard that Jared would be leaving in a week. These days, Beatrice had been keeping an eye on Agnes and Jared Lately, Agnes had night shoots every day, working till the wee hours of the morning Sometimes, Jared woulde to the set to wait for her. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Even if he didn¡¯t show, he would call Agnes at 9 pm. every night. Agnes walked to the window to take the call But the voice on the other end could still be heard. ¡°I¡¯ll bete today, don¡¯t wait for me¡­ and you don¡¯t need to pick me up, really¡­ I¡¯ll be careful, I¡¯ll take half a day off tomorrow to be with you¡­ When Agnes came back, the other actresses said enviously, ¡°Agnes, Mr. Whitfield is really good to you¡± ¡°How did you manage to win the heart of a man like Mr. Whitfield? Can you share your secrets with us?¡± Agnesughed, ¡°Eat up, we¡¯re about to roll¡± w Chapter 353 Chapter 353 1 Beatrice was just hanging out and keeping her ears open She wasn¡¯t in the scene tonight Yet, she decided to stick around on set all day, just to keep an eye on Agnes Today presented a golden opportunity After dinner, everyone swung into work mode Beatrice quietly slipped away She headed for the Celestial Skyline Hotel Before that, she had stopped by a convenience store and bought two bottles of beer and a bottle of hard liquor Outside the hotel, the quickly chugged down the two beers, then sshed the liquor on her clothes. She had no intention of drinking the hard stuff, she needed to stay sober, to remember everything that would happen tonight Thinking about this. Beatrice trembled slightly with excitement Then, she walked into the Celestial Skyline Hotel, took the elevator straight up to the top floor, to the presidential suite The hallway was very quiet. Beatrice stumbled along the plush carpet. When she reached the door, Beatnce knocked hard After a moment, the door was opened. Beatrice felt a surge of joy inside her Jared was the one who opened the door Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Jared had obviously just taken a shower He was wearing a blue id pajama set Jared was always Jared, even in pajamas, he looked good. But Beatrice couldn¡¯t look at him straight. Beatrice pretended to be drunk and slumed, ¡°Jared¡± Jared frowned, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Jared. I¡¯ve had a lot to drink, I¡¯ve got something to tell you.¡± Beatrice leaned against the door frame, looking like she could pass out at any moment. Jared¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°Wait till you¡¯re sober¡± He was just about to close the door But Beatrice stepped forward to block the door, ¡°Don¡¯t close the door, I have something to tell you, but I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have the courage to say it when I¡¯m sober, 1 have to say it tonight¡± With Beatrice blocking the door, Jared couldn¡¯t close it Jared simply opened the door and walked back into the room He sat down on the sofa, his voice t, ¡°What do you want to tell me?¡± Beatrice felt a bit nervous The man in front of her was very intimidating, always giving off a superior vibe. But he was nothing like this in front of Agnes Fortunately, Beatrice had the excuse of being ¡°drunk¡±. Beatrice stumbled into the room. A faint smile graced Beatrice¡¯s lips as she whispered, ¡°Jared, could you get me some water? I¡¯m parched.¡± Jared¡¯s face creased into a frown, but he still rose to fetch her a ss of water, setting it down on the table with a hasty gesture devoid of warmth. His brusqueness left Beatrice slightly disheartened, though he had still done as she¡¯d asked. As Jared made his way back, he found Beatnce upying his spot on the sofa, drifting between wakefulness and slumber, reminiscent of a drowsy feline On hoticing his return, she perked up, beaming at him, ¡°Thank you¡± Jared responded by folding his arms, his eyebrows knitted together, looking distinctly displeased ¡°What do you really want to tell me?¡± ¡°Jared¡­ could you be a little nicer to me? You¡¯re always so cold towards me¡± Beatrices tone was a bit coquettish. However, Jared¡¯s frown deepened Beatrice got straight to the point, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t want you to be my brother-inw at all, I want to be close to you like Agnes is, more affectionately. Do you know every time I think you are my brother-in-