Julian quickly lowered his body and moved his ear closer to her lips. With that, Jessie decided to be honest with him. âI was considering what I should do if you unexpectedly fall in love with someone else,â she explained.
That made Julianâs heart ache a little. Ignoring the fact that there were crew members nearby, he drew her into his embrace and exclaimed, âWhat nonsense are you thinking of?â
Jessie quickly pushed him away with her small strength while terrifyingly signaling to him that there were crew members nearby.
Julian found her amusing while watching her cautious behavior, but at the same time, he respected her as well. This is her first film. Iâd better let her finish her work with peace of mind!
Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Eva was irritated by what had happened on the Internet. Her manager had taken a flight and rushed over as this matter had severe ramifications.
After much deliberation, Eva reasoned that she should obtain the termination contract before considering anything else. After all, she couldnât have allowed herself to sleep with the man for nothing!
Thus, she stood up and exited her room before going to the room next door and ringing the doorbell.
Within seconds, the man inside the room answered the door. When the door was opened, she saw him naked, with only a bath towel wrapped around his lower body. His perfect figure was exposed right in front of her eyes.
âYouâ¦â Her cheeks flushed as she gazed at his toned abs before she turned away in embarrassment.
âPut on your clothes. Iâd like to speak with you about something.â
âCome in first.â Julian chuckled deeply.
And so, Eva entered the room. However, the man behind her wrapped his arms around her waist before she could take more than two steps. His manly breath, combined with a faint scent of body shampoo, made her nervous as she felt a current rush through her body.
âYou⦠Let me go.â Eva struggled to free herself from his grip.
âDidnât you have a good time last night?â the man asked, his voice hoarse.
However, she purposefully avoided discussing what happened last night as she stated, âIâm here for the contract termination.â
âEvaâ¦â the man began calling her lovingly, his voice enticing.
Eva wanted to push his hand away, but her strength prevented her from doing so. She could only turn around to face him, but once she did, she was met with his deep, fiery gaze. Seeing that, she knew that things were about to become dangerous.
She was now kicking herself for walking into his room voluntarily.
âI⦠Forget it. Iâll go back now.â Eva spoke as she struggled to break free from his embrace.
But to the man, she was like an innocent rabbit walking right into his trap. He would not allow her to leave!
He carried her in his arms the next second, prompting her to mutter angrily, âLeave me alone, Louieâ¦â
âI canât, and I donât want to.â With that, Louie immediately carried her to his bedroom.
Eva wished she hadnât come, but it was too late. She gradually lost herself in the manâs affection, as he reawakened her previously buried love and obsession for him. She could no longer avoid her own feelings after being confronted with his intense love.
Later in the evening, Eva sat on the sofa after taking a bath. âShould I take the pills?â she asked herself.
âI donât think itâs necessary,â the man standing behind her replied.
Eva raised her head and gave him a stern look. How dare he respond to me?! Itâs all because of him that Iâm worried about this!
Louie immediately understood how those men who were tightly controlled by their wives felt. He quickly pursed his lips and remained silent.
Eva, however, felt uneasy. What if I become pregnant? What am I going to do then?
Oh God, please donât let that happen!
At this moment, Louieâs phone rang. He took a look at the screen before answering it. âHello, Julianâ¦
Dinner tonight? Sure. Iâll be there with Eva.â
After he hung up the phone, Louie looked at the woman sitting on the sofa and said, âMy brother invited us for dinner tonight. Jessie will be there too.â
Eva nodded in response. âIâll take a bath in my room,â she said as she stood up.
âTake your bath here. Iâll help you,â Louie said gently.
Eva, of course, turned it down. She had lost all trust in him.
At 6.30PM, Louie and Eva were the first to enter the restaurantâs private room. Not long after that, a lovely couple entered.
Julian and Jessie had arrived. They both came straight from the set to the restaurant, and they looked a little tired.
âHello, President Gilmore and Eva!â Jessie greeted.
Eva was surprised as she watched the duo enter the room together, as they both looked and behaved like a couple.
Louie was astute enough to notice that as well. Of course, he was aware that Jessie was special to his brother. âYou donât have to address me as President Gilmore, Jessie. Just call me Louie, as Julian does,â he said.
How can I do that? That took Jessie aback for a brief moment. She then quickly responded, âI shouldnât do that. You are my superior, and I must respect you.â
âAll right, then!â Louie did not pursue the matter further.
Eva quickly drew Jessie to the seat beside her and inquired about her earlier filming. Meanwhile, the brothers had their eyes fixed on Eva and Jessie while the women were chatting, as they were the main protagonists now.
âEva, I heard you only have slightly more than a dozen scenes left for you to wrap your part. Is that correct?â Jessie asked.
Eva replied with a nod. âYes. My filming will be completed in three or four days.â
âThen youâll be leaving, wonât you? Iâll miss you thoughâ¦â Jessie took Evaâs hand in hers as she spoke.
âItâs all right. After you return to Averna, we can go out for meals or go shopping.â Eva had already taken Jessie as a friend.
Suddenly, Julian interrupted and asked curiously, âIs the news on the Internet true? Are you two seeing each other?â
âOf course, that is true,â Louie answered.
Evaâs face flushed as soon as she heard that. âDonât listen to him,â she told Julian while sternly looking at Louie.
âI canât promise anything else, Eva, but I can assure you that Louieâs feelings for you are genuine and sincere.â Julian decided to assist Louie to push his brother further along in his relationship.
Evaâs eyes flickered when she heard that. She was aware of Louieâs feelings for her, but she had no plans to get married right now. After all, marriage was a big decision for a woman, and she couldnât make it after only one night of sleep.
âEva, I can see that President Gilmore treats you well,â Jessie chimed in.
However, Eva began teasing Jessie instead. âI can see that Julian treats you well too. Are you two together now?â
This made Jessie embarrassed. âThe noble Young Master Julian would not be interested in me!â
âWho else could I be interested in besides you?â Julian snorted softly in response.
Eva immediately laughed at that. âIt appears that I have good acumen. I could immediately tell that you two are a couple.â
âNo, no. We are not together yet,â Jessie quickly waved her hand in the air and denied it.
Julian held a teacup as he added to Jessieâs words, âTrue. Weâre not a couple now, but we will be in the future.â
Jessieâs face flushed when she heard that. Julianâs proactiveness surprised Louie as well. Louie had thought he was quite successful in courting Eva, but Julian now appeared to be better at courting women than him.
âJulian is a good catch. Donât pass it up,â Eva advised as she tugged on Jessieâs hand.
Jessie felt amused yet embarrassed at the same time. She was here today to check out Evaâs relationship with Louie, but she was now the one being persuaded to be with Julian!
âLook at what youâre saying, Eva. You sound as if you are my sister-in-law. Why donât you both be real sisters-in-law?â Julian teased.
Jessie and Eva both looked at each other, stunned.
Only the brothers sitting across from them laughed.
Louie then began asking questions about Julianâs relationship. âWhen did you start dating Jessie? Why wasnât I aware of it?â
Meanwhile, Jessie held her teacup in her hand. She, too, wanted to hear Julian say when he became interested in her.
With a smile, Julian responded, âWeâve only known each other for about two months. How would you know about it when you were so preoccupied with your work every day?â
Julianâs words startled Louie a little. True enough, Louie had indeed neglected his brother as he had focused his attention solely on his work.
After their meal, Julian brought Jessie back to the hotel for a rest. Eva, on the other hand, reasoned that she hadnât taken a walk through the streets in a long time and invited Louie to join her. Louie, of course, eagerly followed.
There was an interesting antique street nearby that was usually crowded at night because it had many interesting toys. Eva truly enjoyed the lively atmosphere. It was just that the crowd was so dense that Louie had to hold her hand as he was afraid that she would get lost.
With a cap and a mask on, Eva walked obediently by his side, looking just like a shy wife.
Louie had his hand on her shoulders as he walked alongside her on the crowded street and then to the scenic area. Half an hour later, he led her back to the car as the sky darkened.
Eva felt thirsty after getting into the car and grabbed a bottle of water to drink. After finishing half of it, she intended to put the bottle away, but the man beside her immediately took the bottle from her and began drinking from it.
Seeing that, she couldnât help but feel her heart skip a beat at his gesture. While she was still dazed, the man leaned over from his side to hers to fasten her seatbelt. âI can do it myself,â she said quickly.
However, even after fastening the seat belt, he did not go back to his seat. Instead, he held her chin and kissed her on the lips.
Canât this man do things in the right place? Weâre in the parking lot; how dare he do this here?!
However, Louie couldnât help himself. He adored Eva so much that he wished he could hold her in his arms all the time.
Eva awkwardly returned his kiss. Sensing that, Louie finally returned to his seat in satisfaction. âYouâve improved. At least you know how to respond to my kiss now,â he murmured, his gaze filled with his approval of her.
Hearing that, she was rendered speechless. Who cares about his compliments? What a conceited guy.
Iâll definitely push him away next time!
Louie then drove back to the hotel. Eva was in a good mood as she bought two red bracelets, which she was told would bring her good luck. She wasnât the type to believe it, but she still felt happy as the bracelets were lovely. She even bought two of them as they were a pair of couple bracelets.
She did not have the opportunity to give it to Louie earlier, so she decided to give it to him later when they arrived at the hotel.
When they arrived at the car park, she handed him one of the bracelets. âThis is for you.â
âSo, you bought it for me.â Louie reached out his hand to take it. He didnât mind the red bracelet, and he wore it on his wrist right away. Such a red bracelet meant far more to him than the million-dollar watch on his wrist.
âIt is said to bring good luck to whoever wears it. Wear it only if you want to,â Eva mumbled.
âI like it as long as itâs from you,â Louie said softly. He was overjoyed that she was willing to buy him something.
She then wore the other red bracelet that she had bought. They both now wore a pair of couple bracelets.
After exiting the car, Eva quickly walked into the hotel while Louie followed her from behind.
She then proceeded to her room when they reached their floors. However, he grabbed her wrist and said, seemingly pleading with her, âSleep in my room tonight.â
âI donât want to,â Eva responded shyly.
âPlease,â Louie purred.
Witnessing how the arrogant President Gilmore deigned to plead with her, Eva couldnât help but feel honored. Thus, with a shy and reserved expression, she said, âI have to get my pajamas at least!â
A smile broke out on Louieâs face when he heard that. âOkay. Iâll wait for you in the room.â
With that, Eva pushed open the door and entered her room, her face still flushed. What exactly am I doing? How can I agree to share a room with him? Iâm well aware of how dangerous he is! Since Iâm already back in my room, perhaps I should just stay here. But Iâve promised him that I will go over.
Wonât I be deceiving him if I didnât?
She took a long while, struggling with what she should do. At last, she decided to be an honest person who kept her word.
Even if I have no plans to sleep with him, I should let him know before I come back. Eva held a small bag in her hands that contained her pajamas inside. Arriving outside the manâs room, she reached up and rang the doorbell.
The door quickly opened from the inside. It was evident that the man was very worried that she might not come.
âYouâre here! Come on in!â Louie turned sideways to let her in.
She pursed her lips and said, âI⦠I donât like sleeping with others. Iâm worried that I might not fall asleep, so Iââ
Before she could finish her sentence, he grabbed her with his long arms and forcefully pulled her into the room. âIâll sleep in the guest room. You can have the master bedroom.â
His actions left her speechless, but she blabbered an invalid excuse anyway.
âItâs getting late. Hurry up and take a shower!â he suggested in a low voice, hoping that she could get some rest as soon as possible.
âIâll sleep in the guest room.â After saying that, she opened the door to the guest room and went inside.
I guess Iâll be housemates with him tonight!
Then, she went inside for a shower. It took her half an hour to finish showering and washing her hair.
Hence, it was fully dark outside by the time she dried her hair and came out of the room. At this moment, she saw Louie standing on the balcony and enjoying the wind.
Why is he still awake? Eva walked out to the balcony to enjoy the night breeze as she felt a little restless. He was holding a glass of red wine in his hand. When he saw her walking over, he leaned against the railing in a sexy manner. His nightgown fell open slightly, and his firm chest muscles were faintly visible through the opening, giving him a wild and roguish atmosphere.
She suddenly discovered that her mouth was a little dry, so she took the glass of red wine from his hand and gulped down the contents by herself. On the other hand, he watched her finish half a glass of red wine in one gulp and smiled. âDo you want some more?â
âYes.â It felt as though the red wine could quench her thirst, so she nodded.
He went inside and poured another half glass of red wine for her. Taking the glass from him, she immediately began drinking again. She liked this type of red wine. There was a slight sweetness and tartness that gave the wine a rich aftertaste.
âIf you like it so much, Iâll give you two bottles next time,â he said. This red wine was something that he specially brought for this occasion. Not only was it expensive, but the taste was also exquisite.
Eva raised her eyebrows at those words. âOkay!â After she finished the half glass of wine, she handed the empty glass back to Louie. âI want more.â
âArenât you worried that you might get drunk?â
âIâll sleep better if Iâm drunk.â
âWhy? Do you have a hard time falling asleep when youâre with me?â he asked her with a playful smile.
She countered his question with another question. âAre you going to get me more wine?â
Naturally, he was more than willing to get her more wine. That was because he liked the drunk her tonight. She looked even more charming and adorable than usual.
Eva propped her chin on her hand, feeling a little drunk. Even so, she liked this hazy intoxicated feeling. It made her feel as though she could be more relaxed in front of this man. After she drank another half glass of red wine, she accidentally let out a belch in front of Louie.
She immediately covered her mouth in horror, feeling extremely embarrassed about her unsightly behavior. Nevertheless, he simply smiled and stretched out his hand to stroke her cheek. âThatâs what you get for drinking so much!â
She placed the wine glass down and used her hand to brush her long hair aside. At the same time, she intentionally leaned into his embrace, after which Louieâs eyes darkened in appreciation as he enjoyed her initiative.
If he had to be honest, Louie had already noticed Evaâs feelings for him. She had never once rejected him in the past, so it could be seen that she had fancied him even before this. It was fortunate that he had not given up and waited for her all this whileâthe day when their feelings for each other would come to fruition was finally here.
He hugged her and planted his thin lips in her hair. A faint scent of flowers filled his nose, making his heartstrings twitch slightly. An uncontrollable urge surged in his heart as a result, and he asked hoarsely, âWould you like to sleep together tonight?â
âNo.â Eva insisted despite being drunk.
âWhy not?â
âIf I sleep in the same room with you, do you think Iâll have any time to sleep?â she complained slightly.
âDonât worry. I promise Iâll let you sleep well.â After Louie hoarsely finished his sentence, he reacted like a beast that had been eyeing its prey for a long time and pounced upon her as though she were his prey.
She had understood the implications of her actions tonight. When she came here, she had already mentally prepared herself for what might happen. This man had always been intensely attracted to her, but her reserve as a woman had prevented her from taking the initiative.
âEva, I love you.â Leaning close, he whispered in her ear and his thin lips kissed her earlobes. In response, she hugged him tight and actively searched for his thin lips.
The corners of the manâs mouth curved into a smile. At this moment, the long wait he suffered previously was worth it.
In another room, Jessie was chatting with Julian on the phone. Although they were only separated by one room, there was a unique charm in using written words that brought endless fun to the conversation.
Lexie, who was nearby, felt extremely envious! Nevertheless, she was happy that Jessie was in a relationship with Julian because she believed that Jessie deserved to have him.
âTo be honest, Jessie, I canât accept any woman being in a relationship with Young Master Julian.
Youâre the only one who gives me the feeling that the two of you are a match made in heaven when youâre together,â she said.
Naturally, Jessie was overjoyed to hear those words! It was just that she did not wish to reveal their relationship to the public yet. Part of the reason was their current cooperation with each other. Their relationship would affect the promotional results of their movie, so they could only maintain a cooperative relationship for now.
The fact that they were in a romantic relationship with each other had to be kept secret.
This point was something Lexie had also considered, so she suggested, âBut, Jessie, you and Young Master Julian should not reveal your relationship to the public yet. He has many female fans. Iâm worried that they might affect your movie premiere.â
âYeah! Youâre right. Iâve also considered that issue, so I will maintain my distance from him.â
Early the next morning, Eva vaguely heard the ringing of a phone. It was just that she was still a little sleepy, so she continued to sleep and felt Louie planting a kiss on her cheek. Immediately after that, he kicked off the blankets and got out of bed to answer the phone.
It was at this moment that she was fully awake. He had gone out to the living room to answer the phone, so she wore her clothes and went out to accompany him. At this moment, she heard his voice entering her ears. âMr. Constantine, I will come back as soon as possible to discuss the engagement.
Please give me a little more time. I will give you a proper explanation. Donât worry. I will fulfill the agreement that my parents made with you back then. I will not make things difficult for you.â
Eva paused in the middle of walking out into the living room. Engagement? Does he have an engagement? Why have I never heard him mention that before?
When he finished his phone call and returned to the room, she was already on the bed and ready to sleep again. She did not wish to let him discover that she had eavesdropped on his phone call.
During breakfast, Louie invited Director Cooper to eat together so that he could ask about Evaâs role in the scene. If her scenes could progress quickly, then she would be done in two days. Although he was in a rush to return and dissolve his engagement, he wanted to wait until Eva was finished so that he could bring her back to Averna with him.
âI donât want to be so rushed. Iâve been a little tired recently, so I want to rest before I continue filming.â
Eva realized that Louie wanted to wait for her to return to Averna, so she deliberately dragged things out because she didnât want to go back.
After saying that, she looked up at the man. âIf you have something urgent, you should go back first!â
âNo worries. I can wait for you.â
âI plan to stay here for another week or two. Are you planning to wait for me?â She deliberately pointed out.
Louie pondered in silence for a moment. âIn that case, Iâll go back and settle something this afternoon.
Iâll come back as soon as possible and wait for you to finish filming, then Iâll bring you back to Averna.â
âAlright. You can go back first!â She nodded.
At 10:30AM, Louie left the hotel. On the other hand, Eva inquired about Julianâs filming location today because she wanted to visit him.
Julian was filming at the studio today. Thanks to his current role, he had many wire-flying scenes to film. Not to mention, he was filming with Jessie today. Their cooperation could be considered remarkably cohesive at this point.
After they finished filming, Eva walked over and talked to Julian. Jessie was still filming at this moment, so they entered the resting lounge. âJulian, Iâd like to ask you something. Does your brother have an engagement?â
Julian was taken aback. âHow did you know?â
âI overheard him on the phone this morning. Tell me. What is going on?â
He had been very young at the time. He was only five years old when his parents set up the engagement for his brother, and he later heard from his brother that this engagement was what brought the companyâs business back to life.
Unfortunately, he did not know the clauses that were written in the engagement. âItâs true that Louie has an engagement. Itâs something our parents decided when they were still alive, but I believe that this engagement will not affect your relationship.â
âWhy? Thatâs because my brother has no feelings for Miss Constantine.â
âWill there be any losses if your brother fails to go through with the engagement?â Eva asked anxiously.
âIâm not too sure about that either. We might have to transfer the corresponding amount of company shares based on the loan from back then to the Constantine Family! The Constantines have never asked us to return the money because it was considered their daughterâs dowry.â
A bitter feeling surged through her heart. Does that mean Louie will have to pay a heavy monetary price to the Constantine Family if he marries me?
âWhat about Miss Constantine? Does she have feelings for Louie?â She inquired further.
For a moment, Julian didnât know how to answer. Lucy Constantine was in love with his brother, but Louie had never even looked at her way before. In any case, she would not willingly allow the engagement to be dissolved so easily.
âEva, donât think too much about this. Iâm sure my brother will have a solution to this situation,â he reassured.
âI understand.â Eva nodded as she understood something. Miss Constantine is probably in love with Louie! Thatâs why the Constantine Family would rather refuse the money and force him to fulfill the contract instead.
Julian returned to filming his scenes and Eva decided to head back to her car. At this moment, her phone rang. She picked up her phone and saw that it was an unfamiliar number. âHello, who is this?â
âHello, Miss Duncan. I am Lucy Constantine, Louieâs fiancée.â An aggressive voice came from the other end of the phone.
She had just entered her car when she received the phone call. Taking a deep breath, she answered the other woman politely. âHello, Miss Constantine.â
âI recently saw some rumors about you and Louie online. I donât know whether they are real or fake, but Iâm guessing that they are fake. In any case, itâs probably just a ruse for you to gain some popularity.â
Eva listened and denied the claims. âYouâre right. The rumors are fake, not real.â
âI have heard many stories about how people in the entertainment industry would use any means possible to increase their standing. Eva, Iâm sure Louie played a huge role in your achieving your current position, but itâs fine. You are earning money for him after all. I understand.â
âThank you for your understanding.â
âMy father has started discussing our marriage recently. If nothing goes wrong, you will be able to attend our wedding this year.â Lucy had a confident voice as she spoke.
âThatâs great! I will come if I have the chance to,â Eva answered.
âDo you know why Iâm so confident that I will marry Louie? Leaving aside the debt that his parents owe to my father, we also have a contract in place. If he refuses to take me as his wife, then he will have to transfer 20% of his companyâs shares to my family. The value of those shares when converted to money is not something you can begin to understand. Even if you are Eva Duncan, I donât think that any man would be willing to pay such a high price for you!â
Eva paled considerably at those words, but she let out a soft laugh. âMiss Constantine, I donât fully understand what youâre saying. Iâm just an actress after all. In any case, I wish happiness to both of you.â
âIt doesnât matter whether you understand or not. What matters is that you understand the gravity of the situation.â Lucy hung up after she finished speaking.
At that, Eva sighed softly. It turns out that the situation is more serious than I ever imagined. I never expected our relationship to involve such an astounding amount of monetary interest.
She closed her eyes in exhaustion. The idea of running away came back again in full force, to avoid causing any trouble for him. She sincerely did not wish for Louie to pay such a heavy price just to be together with her. It was enough that they once loved each other deeply. There was no need to be together for the rest of their lives.
The intense preparations for a grand wedding were currently taking place in Averna. As the heroine of the wedding, Queenie passed every single day in a good mood. Whatâs more, she discovered that she was carrying the crystallization of her love just this morningâshe was pregnant!
The elders of the Manson Family were overjoyed by the news. After all, they finally received the long-
awaited news about their future grandchild. Nigel had not wanted his wife to experience the hardships of pregnancy so soon, but Queenie had chosen to let nature take its course instead!
She had fallen in love with the idea, especially after seeing the young girl from the Presgrave Family.
Therefore, she was wondering in excitement what her first baby with Nigel would look like!
Would the baby look like him? Or would it look like me? Would it be a boy? Or a girl? In any case, Queenie was not stressed by her pregnancy and she simply wanted to naturally welcome her first baby into the world.
In that way, the date of the wedding gradually approached with only one more week to go.
The elders of the Silverstein Family were living on cloud nine. They used to be very worried about the person whom their daughter was going to marry, but there was nothing for them to worry about now.
On the side of the filming crew, Jessie was also looking forward to going home to attend the wedding.
In the blink of an eye, she had already been filming for nearly a month.
Three days later, she and Julian both applied for leave so that they could step away from the filming crew to attend the wedding. As bridesmaids and groomsmen, they had to be prepared for the wedding.
Eva finished filming her role two days later. She had shortened the filming time because she wanted to complete her scenes earlier and return to Averna as soon as possible.
Three days later, Julian arranged for his brotherâs private plane to come over. Then, the three of them boarded the plane and headed to Averna together.
On the plane, Jessie discovered that Eva was gloomy and unhappy. She had heard from Julian that Louie had an engagement that had yet to be dissolved.
âEva, why donât you eat something?â Jessie sat opposite Eva.
âThanks, Jessie. I canât stomach anything at the moment.â Eva shook her head.
âWhat are your plans for the future?â Jessie asked.
Eva considered the question for a moment, after which she shook her head. âI guess Iâll rest first! Iâve been feeling tired recently. Letâs go out for afternoon tea and dinner if we have the time.â
âSure, thatâs a great idea.â Jessie was elated to have made a friend like Eva. It was something she would never even have dared to imagine in the past.
When the plane landed, two cars came over to pick them up. One car was there to bring Jessie and Julian back to the Silverstein Residence while the other car was there to bring Eva home.
Jessie received a phone call from her mother while she was on the road. It had been a month since she last saw her parents, so they missed her badly. They initially wanted to visit her at work, but she had not allowed them to visit since she wanted them to focus on her sisterâs wedding first.
She then informed the man beside her. âMy mother said that she has prepared a feast and invited you over to our house for lunch.â
âOkay!â Julian nodded, not bothering to be reserved.
âLetâs maintain some distance when we reach my home, okay?â Jessie suggested.
âWhy?â He frowned.
She shyly explained, âItâs embarrassing.â She couldnât shake the feeling that getting into a relationship with Julian so quickly seemed to indicate that she had used some sort of underhanded means to win him over. Therefore, it was better if their relationship had progressed slowly.
Julian immediately saw through her thoughts. Although he was both angry and amused by her antics, he could only respect her decision. âAlright, fine. Weâre just normal friends. Is that okay?â
âYeah, okay.â Jessie nodded, feeling happy.
Just as Evaâs car entered the highway off the airport, she received a phone call from Louie. âHello?â
âCome to my house.â The manâs deep and hoarse voice was pleading with her.
âIâm tired, and I want to rest at home. Letâs not meet each other for the next few days.â She refused his request and suggested, âYou should prepare the documents for the contract termination.â
âAre you still thinking about terminating your contract?â
âNo matter how far our relationship progresses, the termination of my contract will not be delayed. I want to terminate the contract. You need to keep to your word,â she replied seriously.
âCome to my house and talk.â
âForget it! I will discuss the termination of my contract with the legal department myself! You can focus on your own work.â
âWithout my consent, they wonât even bother to talk to you in the first place,â the man on the other end of the phone responded forcefully.
Eva paused for a moment before she asked, âCan you be reasonable? Do you want me to sue you in court? Will that finally make you happy?â
âCan you bring yourself to sue me?â
âIf I have to take that step, then I will definitely go ahead and sue you.â She was not joking around with Louie.
He sighed and cursed softly. âWhat a heartless person.â
Despite listening to such doting words, she felt a sense of bitterness inside her heart. She told the man on the other side of the phone, âIâm hanging up. Donât call me if thereâs nothing important.â
Eva returned to her apartment, which was a large and luxurious unit in an excellent location that had been allocated to her by the company.
She sent her assistant, Linda, back to rest. Then, she walked from the elevator to the door of her apartment. It had been a long time since she came back, so it was fortunate that she had servants coming to clean her apartment at regular intervals.
Eva opened the door and walked into her apartment. Then, she suddenly saw a menâs suit on the sofa and couldnât help tensing in fear at the sight. Who came to my house? Is there somebody in my house?
She was descending into a full-blown panic attack when she suddenly recalled that the security system of this community was one of the best in the area. There was no way anybody could enter her house that easily!
Just as her heart was threatening to jump out of her chest, she suddenly saw a figure emerging from the balcony and walking toward her. âYouâre back.â
As soon as she saw this person, she yelled, âHow did you enter my house?â
It was none other than her employer, Louie.
âDonât you know that the company has a copy of the key for all the houses that are allocated to you?â
She remained silent. Is that his reason for barging into my house? Thatâs so unreasonable!
âI told you I need to rest. Hurry up and return to your company!â After saying that, Eva put her luggage down and turned to walk toward her room so that she could get some rest.
However, at this very moment, Louieâs slender but firm arms circled her waist from behind. âI missed you. I missed you so much.â
Her body stiffened for several seconds, but a numbing current soon surged from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. His very aura was attracting her, so much so that all the cells in her body were reacting to him.
âLet go of me!â Eva struggled hard to free herself.
âIâm not letting go. You refused to come to my house, so I had no choice but to come to yours instead,â
Louie said hoarsely.
He had to meet her today. Otherwise, he simply could not focus on anything else.
She spun around to face him, hoping to use her eyes to chase him away. Contrary to her expectations, she was captured by the deep affection in his eyes as soon as she made eye contact with him. She couldnât bring herself to say any harsh words to him, so she could only beg him. âPlease leave! Iâm begging you!â
Be that as it may, he caressed her cheek and held her lower jaw gently. Lifting her face slightly, he planted a kiss on her lips. âIâm not going anywhere tonight. Iâm going to stay right by your side.â
She closed her eyes in helplessness. His kiss made her entire heart tremble in response, and she couldnât stop herself from hugging him tightly.
He leaned down and carried her, then he walked toward her bedroom. Her rebellious intention to resist his advances seemed almost pitifully ineffective in the face of this man.
â¦
At the Silverstein Residence.
The elders of the Silverstein Family happily welcomed their second daughter home. They had missed her terribly after not seeing her for an entire month. At the same time, they were also very welcoming toward Julian, who came home with her.
âMr. Gilmore, thank you for taking care of Jessie during this period.â
âItâs nothing. Itâs what I should have done.â
âI heard that youâre Nigelâs best friend, so you can already be regarded as family. We have troubled you greatly,â Brandon said.
Maggie held her daughterâs hand and pulled her daughter to the sofa. Then, she sat down and observed her daughter. âYouâve lost weight! Youâve lost weight again! You should take the time to increase your nutrition intake while youâre home these few days.â
âMom, I didnât lose any weight! I ate very well.â Jessie laughed. She was somebody who couldnât gain weight no matter how much she ate. However, she had to control her food intake now that she was filming. âWhat about Queenie and Nigel?â
âThey went to the wedding planner to prepare the final touches of their wedding. Weâll go out and have a lavish dinner tonight. Young Master Julian, please join us later!â Maggie invited.
Julian smiled and nodded. âSure, Mrs. Silverstein.â
Lunch at the Silverstein Residence was a scrumptious feast. After Julian finished eating, he received a phone call from the company. There was an advertising contract that he needed to discuss, so he had to go back to the company for the discussion.
He ultimately had no choice but to leave early. When he was about to depart, Jessie walked him to the car. It felt as though they had spent an entire month together, so she felt a little reluctant to see him leave.
âCall me if thereâs anything,â he said, seemingly reluctant to close the car window that was rolled down.
âAlright. Go on! Iâll see you tonight.â After seeing Julian off, Jessie went back inside to accompany her parents. Maggie had prepared many gifts for her, including jewelry and formal dresses. These were items that her mother had bought for her because they seemed to suit her well.
âMom, Iâm planning to visit the orphanage in the afternoon and bring some presents over for them.â
âWeâll go with you.â
âNo need, Mom. I can go alone. Iâll be back after a short chat with the director of the orphanage.â
âAlright. Please stay safe.â
At 3.00PM, Jessie prepared many gifts and brought them to the orphanage. It so happened that a reporter was skulking around the entrance of her house, especially after he had followed her from the airport. News regarding her was very valuable recently, so he did not leave.
He later followed her car when Jessie left the house. He was surprised that her destination turned out to be an orphanage. Not to mention, he could easily take many pictures of the yard from his car. He watched as she gave out presents, held hands with the children at the orphanage, and chatted with them happily.
She even hugged and coaxed a crying child.
The reporter couldnât help feeling a little heavy-hearted after taking so many pictures. He originally wanted to sell pictures of her negative activities, but she turned out to be such a kind lady instead. She did not bother to maintain her image as an idol and seemed completely indifferent about getting her clothes dirty. In fact, her smile around the children was bright and happy.
In the end, the reporter sold the pictures he took to some media outlets at a low price and left.
That evening, the media published these pictures with the caption, âThe Most Beautiful Smileâ.
The Jessie in the pictures was the real her, not a pretentious version of herself. Her smile, when she was with the children, was very infectious. As a result, the fans who were starting to follow her learned about her honest and kind nature.
Compared to the idols who posed for pictures, those pictures and videos of her made others aware of her sincerity. The number of her fans abruptly increased as a result.
When Jessie returned home, she received a phone call from Lexie telling her that she had been followed during her trip to the orphanage in the afternoon. On the contrary, she was unhappy about being publicized in this manner because these were things that she should have done in the first place.
In any case, there was nothing much she could do as the photos had been reposted countless times.
Fortunately, her fans loved her very much and did not perceive her in a negative light due to this incident.
That night, the two sisters finally met each other at the restaurant. Queenie held hands with Jessie.
Although they looked very similar, it was easy to differentiate between the two ladies.
Meanwhile, Nigel called Julian and invited the latter over for dinner. It didnât take long for Julian to appear.
Inside the restaurant, the two equally handsome men were a sight to behold. They caused all the serving staff passing by to experience an increased heart rate, and even the female guests couldnât help sneaking glances at them.
However, they soon noticed the pair of women holding hands and chatting away happily behind the men. The sight left them sighing in amazement. What good-looking couples!
These two couples were simply too good-looking to be true! Some people also recognized Julian and Jessie as idols but did not dare to approach and greet them.
Julian generally gave off the impression that he was a cold and unapproachable noble. That was why his fans knew to keep their distance and not disturb him even when they ran into him.
The two elders of the Silverstein Family had been waiting for the arrival of their daughters at the restaurant. When they saw those four walking in together, they had the feeling that Julian would eventually become part of the family. It was only a matter of time.
âDad, Mom.â The two daughters sat on each side of the parents while the two men sat on the other side of these women.
This feeling made the two elders of the Silverstein Family absolutely overjoyed.
Thanks to the two young couples at dinner, the atmosphere was extremely jovial. Queenie also shared her happy news with the rest of her family.
âSo, Iâm going to be an aunt!â Jessie was looking forward to her new identity. In addition, she was very happy that her sister was going to have a baby.
âCongratulations, Nigel!â Julianâs eyes were filled with envy. After that, he glanced at the woman who was looking happy to be an aunt in the future.
Jessie had squeezed in between Queenie and her mother, participating in the discussion about what to prepare for the birth of the baby.
Nigelâs expression was also filled with anticipation. When he realized that he was about to become a father, he became incredibly emotional and grateful. He was grateful that the woman he loved the most was going to bring a new life into his life.
After dinner, the two daughters and their mother took the chance to go shopping at a nearby shopping center. The three men naturally accompanied them. To prevent his fans from recognizing him and disturbing their shopping spree, Julian wore a mask to conceal his face.
Unfortunately, many reporters were lurking in the shopping center. One of them was initially following another celebrity, but his sharp eye had spotted Jessie and Queenie among the crowd.
He was immediately stunned. Jessie is part of a twin?
That was an extremely rare piece of news. Moreover, if he was not mistaken, the two men following behind them were the president of the Manson Group and Julian Gilmore. The old man accompanying them was also very familiar as he could often be seen gracing the front page of the business magazines. Thus, the reporter hurriedly took pictures of this unexpected group of people browsing the shops.
It wasnât until they left the shopping center that the reporter searched for information on the old manâs background information. Sure enough, he was right to think that the old man looked very familiar. The old man turned out to be Brandon Silverstein, a renowned giant in the food and beverage industry. It would seem that Jessie was his daughter and the second daughter of the Silverstein Family.
Unexpectedly, the information uploaded on the Internet claiming that she had entered the entertainment industry without any backing was completely wrong. Not only did she have a strong family background, but her sister was also married to the future head of the Manson Group. No wonder Julian was willing to go shopping with her. It could be seen that the Silverstein Familyâs daughters held incredible charm.
They shopped until 9.00PM. Nigel then brought Queenie home while the two elders of the Silverstein Family brought their youngest daughter home. Likewise, Julian returned to his apartment.
Early the next morning, a drowsy Jessie received a phone call from Lexie, informing her that there was a new scandal being circulated in the media.
She forced her sleepy eyes open and read the article about her. The title was âThe mysterious background of the newly-debuted actress, Jessie Silversteinâ.
When she saw the picture of their entire family shopping together last night, she propped her chin on her hand with a sinking sense of helplessness. She was coming to realize that she no longer had a private life since she entered the entertainment industry. It didnât matter where she went because she would still be photographed.
âJessie, it turns out youâre the Silverstein Familyâs second daughter. Everybody in the entertainment industry is shocked. We all thought that you were Cinderella, but the truth is youâre a swan!â
âThatâs right. I was transformed from an ugly duckling.â Jessie laughed and replied through a voice message.
To be honest, it was all thanks to Julianâs help that she found her family again. If he had not recognized her at a glance, she did not know how much longer it would have taken for her to find her family! If she had missed the information about her relatives, then she might never have met her parents or her sister in her entire life!
As such, she was very grateful to Julian. After hearing that he was filming an advertisement at the company today, she was consumed by the urge to visit him while he was filming. She wanted to see how charming he was while on the set.
In the past, she could only gain scraps of information through media releases. In contrast, she now had the opportunity to visit the scene in person. How could she let such an opportunity slip through her fingers? Although she was still a little sleepy, there was a strong driving force that pushed her out of bed.
She had worn many heavy industrial costumes while filming on the set. Hence, she couldnât help feeling very refreshed when she wore a simple t-shirt and hoodie after she finished washing up.
Jessie informed her parents about her plans before she left the house. Her fatherâs driver came to pick her up. Although she had her driverâs license, she had never driven a car ever since she obtained her license, so she did not dare to drive on the road.
She headed straight toward the headquarters of the Gilmore Corporation and was immediately recognized by the staff upon her arrival. Inquiring about the location of Julianâs advertisement shoot, she learned that he was on the sixth floor. Moreover, the filming was already underway since he arrived very early in the morning.
As soon as she heard that, she quickly ran off at the astounding speed of a fan chasing their favorite celebrity. Charging straight into the elevator, she went straight to the sixth floor.
She was Julianâs biggest fan today. Arriving at the shooting location, she discovered that the film set was very luxurious. The mixture of gray and silver backdrop gave off an extremely classy and elegant feeling.
At this moment, Julian was wearing a black shirt and black pants. His shirt was half open for the make-
up artist to style, and his entire being was exuding a sense of masculinity. Beneath his open shirt were faintly visible firm chest muscles that made him extremely attractive.
Jessie stood behind the staff and peeped secretly. She did not disturb him and simply admired him from afar. This man was truly a walking pheromone billboard, especially when the black shirt turned him into a masculine and sexy man.