Violet was in a group conversation. After her arrival was welcomed by her family, she joined the party as it was supposed to occur.Violet wasn't like Veneza, Vivian or her other sisters who were famous in socialite circles and had many connections. But just like a Leighton, Violet was either quite famous or people approached her on purpose because she was a Leighton."They're just sweet-talking people trying to get my attention," Violet thought, smiling faintly at her table mates. "I don't even know any of them, why do they keep holding me up with idle chatter?"Violet had been wanting to leave for a while, especially when she was feeling pressured by her own thoughts. She kept glancing over to where Victor was, for some reason. But when she turned around for the umpteenth time, she saw Antonio standing near Victor.Violet's eyes narrowed for a moment, not expecting to see such a sight since she knew how cold Victor and their father's relationship was. They seemed to be talking, not
Everyone was stunned and amazed by the fantastic gift Victor had given to Maria, especially since they knew who Victor was and how poor he was.They wondered; how could a man who was known to be poor and had no influence over anything, be able to give such a fantastic gift to his ex-girlfriend? Did he suddenly get rich overnight?Moreover, people were also curious about Maria's reaction. She was silent and dumbfounded, with the jewelry and diamonds falling to cover the bottom of her wedding dress. She certainly didn't expect to receive such a fantastic gift, even from the man she left a few months ago."What the hell is this? Does he want to intentionally offend me?" asked Maria, holding back her annoyance. Even so, she couldn't lie that the jewelry and diamonds in front of her looked very beautiful and sparkling.But would she accept the things Victor gave her? How would people respond? Maria thought that the people here were still the same people who had witnessed her dumping Victor
Victor went to see Dylan today.He'd decided not to think about Violet since she'd returned to his home and hadn't contacted Victor until three days had passed.Victor didn't want to care."I don't care even if she's made a fool of by her own father again. I'm too busy to take care of her life," Victor said, entering Dylan's quarters and heading straight for the back shed. "I shouldn't have been rash and acted like Violet and I had a good relationship before this. Just because she's the assistant the system chose for me, I've lost sight of the fact that she's also the sister who lacks empathy for me."Now Victor had decided to just focus on building his business. As for the assistant, it seemed Victor could find a better assistant to help him. Now Victor wanted to check on the progress of his fledgling business."Hi, Vic. It's good to see you again," said Dylan, who was focused on setting diamonds on the necklace he was working on.Victor walked in casually and approached Dylan. "Look
"Finally I found you."Violet walked into Dylan's warehouse, looking around and getting a read on what the place was when she saw Dylan's unfinished work."It looks like this place is more expensive than its warehouse-like appearance," Violet said, then turned and looked at Dylan who was staring at her. "Is this yours?""Yes, this is the warehouse where I make jewelry."Violet smiled a little. "There's no limit to one's genius even when working in a cramped space like this." Dylan and Victor didn't react. "I didn't mean to mock. By the way, is this thing made by you, too?"Violet carried the diamond necklace Victor had given her at Verlaine and Maria's wedding. Dylan was stunned to see it and glanced at Victor."Did you come looking for me to return that?" Victor asked, his tone cold.Violet walked toward him. "I see that you and this diamond craftsman are working together. I heard that the jewelry you gave Maria for her birthday was also made by a friend of yours, and that friend is
Victor drove Violet home. During the way, he was silent, causing Violet to occasionally glance at him with a look of suspicion and wonder.What had gone wrong that day to make Victor so silent, and even more so to her."Hey, Vic, did something happen?" Violet asked, she'd been holding back enough."Everything is perfectly normal.""Then what's making you so quiet like this, especially to me.""Were we ever that close that we had to make small talk every time we met?"Violet frowned, slightly offended."I know we're not close, but you've never been this cold to me before, not even when we were in Manchester."Without looking at Violet, Victor replied. "You never knew me, I'm just like this."Violet was running out of patience. Rolling her eyes, she retorted, "Don't use our bad relationship as an excuse. You yourself said you wanted to have a good relationship with me, but why are you treating me so coldly?""I'm probably looking out for your father's feelings.""Dad?" Violet
Antonio entered a room where someone was waiting for him and sat across a table separated by a curtain.Antonio sat down, allowing two different maids to pour drinks into his glass and the glass of the person behind the curtain."It seems a long time since you came to my place, Mr. Leighton," said the person, whom Antonio knew as 'The Handler'."You must know what happened to me, Handler. That's why I came to see you.""Do you want to work together? I think my business is good enough to work with Leighton's." Handler did not get an answer, until he asked again. "Or are you going to sulk... like a kid who lost his lollipop?"Antonio stared coldly at the curtain, looking at the silhouette of The Handler whose identity he still didn't know until now.Antonio sighed, unwilling to linger. "I won't beat around the bush and get straight to the reason of my come. Can I get my system back?"***Victor was living a better and normal life. He kept himself busy to take care of his business, and h
Ding dong! Ding dong!Victor was completely distracted when he heard his apartment doorbell keep ringing. He looked at the clock and squawked in annoyance."It's still 6am. Who comes this early?" Victor asked and protested, but it felt like the bell wouldn't even stop even if he ignored it.Lazily and sulking, Victor limped to the door and saw who his guest was."Good morning."His building neighbor and sister, Violet."What are you doing this early?""To teach you, of course. You gave me that order yesterday!""But not this early! Do you know what time it is?""It's 6am and people are usually on the move! What's your problem that you sound like you want to protest?"Victor sighed, still sleepy. "Didn't I tell you when you could come over?"Violet shook her head. "No, you didn't. So you can't blame me now.""Then come in an hour. That's an order." Victor was about to close the door again, but Violet held him back and forced her way in."I won't do it. I want us to study from now on."
Violet sighed and her shoulders dropped slightly. Her eyes looked tired from the indirect accusations Victor had been making."Can you just think that I helped you because I wanted to return the favor without associating my father?""Unfortunately, not." Victor replied quickly and with certainty. "I still want to keep an eye on you. You look like you could do anything for your father. Betraying me shouldn't be that difficult, right?""Victor, you and my father are two different things to me.""Really?" Victor still looked incredulous."Well, what do you want me to do to make you trust me?"Victor paused, thinking. "Nothing," he replied. "Just make sure you won't betray me in the end."Violet didn't respond, as she couldn't seem to persuade Victor with words for now."Do you have a plan for your business yet?" Violet asked, changing the subject.Victor shook his head. Taking a sip of his fresh milk to refresh his mind."I might start out as an amateur, but I still have my doubts that I
Violet slowly opened the door to the room with the overpowering medical odor. She took a quick glance inside, and now had a perfect view of the figure sitting on the thickly blanketed bed as she glanced out the large glass window. Seemingly lost in thought, he seemed calm and unconcerned about his surroundings. Even when Violet pulled out a chair and took a comfortable spot to sit next to him, Victor remained passive. Violet glanced at her man with a quizzical look, as if she wanted to start a conversation. After five days of unconsciousness, Victor finally opened his eyes this morning. Violet rushed to him to see how he was doing, but it seemed that only his physical state had improved. Violet ventured to touch Victor's hand, and to her surprise, Victor flinched. Violet couldn't help but be surprised by the man's response. "Violet...," Victor said in a low voice, he looked up at Violet but those eyes seemed to be empty without a focal point. "You were here, I didn't realize,"
Connor approached Emily, then looked at the little girl’s sleeping face while gently rubbing her slightly gaunt cheeks. “So... how did it go?” asked Connor, Jack flinched as he understood what the question meant. However, Jack chose to remain silent, making Connor smile because he suspected that his guess was correct. “Failed, yes...,” the old man said, smiling haughtily.“I won’t give up, Dad.” Jack said with conviction, making his father look down on him even more. “I’ll try until Emily gets her new heart.”“You’re pretty optimistic for a kid who just felt the pain of failure after not listening to his parents, Jack. Don’t you want to complain and complain to this father of yours?” Jack was silent, his jaw hardening as he held back his anger. He knew full well that all his father was doing now was mocking his failure, making Jack feel reminded of the pain when his high hopes ended in failure again.Indirectly, Connor seemed to be saying: "Expecting kindness from a monster like Victo
After a few minutes spent cleaning up, Violet and Victor met back at the dining table for breakfast. As before, there weren’t many ingredients in Victor’s refrigerator. Violet used the ingredients she had on hand to make breakfast, and thankfully it didn’t turn out too badly.Victor doesn’t wait long and eats his share of breakfast. Violet stares at him intently, waiting for his reaction. But Victor just ate without saying anything. Even though he was eating well, Violet was still waiting for a comment from him. And when she didn’t get one, the girl chuckled. It made Victor stop eating and ask, “What’s wrong?”Violet looked at him with pouting lips. “You’re not going to compliment my cooking again this time?”“I already ate it.”“But at the very least, I want to hear your comet. You kept eating without saying anything.”“I already ate it, isn’t that clear evidence that I didn’t reject your food. At least the taste is still acceptable to the human tongue, hence why this human wants to
Violet opened her eyes and frowned. Her blurred vision clearly felt unfamiliar with the place where she opened her eyes, but no sooner had she paused and remembered, than Violet remembered where she was. Because of this, she hurriedly turned her body around to find Victor sleeping next to her.This was the second time Violet had woken up looking at Victor’s face to start her day. But the first time, Violet hadn’t been this close. She and Victor were like two poles far apart, but now they were like twigs and leaves that were always attached.Violet moved closer, wanting to see the details of the man’s face more closely. As she stood still and looked at him, Violet realized that Victor was indeed as handsome as everyone said he was. All this time she had recognized it silently, covered in prestige and always denying it even to herself. But now, she didn’t hesitate to smile, amazed.Her mind, which had not been filled with anything, was now filled with Victor, Victor and Victor. Violet w
Jack was silent for a moment, at a loss for an answer. “I-I did it because I had no other choice. I wanted a child so badly-““Well, I see,” Verlaine said, interrupting Jack’s unfinished speech, “the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree,” he said with a quiet murmur.Verlaine then cleared his throat loudly, as if signaling he was about to begin his important conversation with Connor and Jack tonight.Connor began with, “As you told me on the phone that you would tell me about the next plan tonight. Tell me.”Verlaine raised both eyebrows. “Ouh... you’re so impatient, Mr. Grayson,” he said in a joking tone. “Is it because it’s late, so you don’t want to make small talk any longer?”“I brought Jack so you can use him for your plans too,” Connor replied, changing the subject.Verlaine raised one eyebrow, realizing that Connor was really impatient for the plan he had. “Well... I’ll say it,” Verlaine said then, no longer wanting to mince words. “In a few days, there will be a party held by
"Beautiful tuxedo," said the man with hazel eyes, to the short-haired woman standing in front of him. "When did you buy it?"Maria smiled broadly, pleased that the choice item she had bought for Verlaine had responded so well to the man. She rushed to her lover, sitting on Verlaine's lap intimately as she put her arms around his neck."I bought it a long time ago but since you've been so busy lately, it's been difficult for me to find the right time to give it to you," Maria said, explaining in more detail. Verlaine simply nodded and smiled, though his heart was still cold as ever. "Do you like it?" Maria's question drew Verlaine's gaze away from his gift.The man smiled sweetly, growing wider. "Of course," he replied, pecking her cheek gently.Maria was delighted. She then without hesitation kissed him briefly on the lips, showing her happiness. They looked at each other for a few seconds, until Maria spoke up again."Verlaine, what did you do during your vacation? That place yo
That distracted Violet from the beautiful dresses before her. “Really? What is it?” “A wedding anniversary celebration.” “Ah, Mrs. Scarlett and her husband, huh?” said Violet, smiling, her eyes focused on the dresses again. “Your adoptive parents will be celebrating their wedding anniversary. It must be a happy day for them.” “We’re also allowed to be happy on their happy day.” Violet froze, frowning in confusion. “What do you mean?” she asked later. “Should we go to the dance?” asked Victor, causing Violet to turn her face away slowly. The girl stared at Victor, confirming her thoughts which were immediately confirmed by Victor’s next words. “Should we pick out the dresses now?” Violet, of course, would immediately smile widely. She nodded her head with twinkling eyes, looking very excited and happy. The two of them started their agenda; choosing a dress that would be used to attend the celebration party like Victor said. While her feet were busy moving to and fro, Violet’s l
Later that day, they decided to go out. The romantic term is 'date'. Victor waited for Violet to get ready, and Violet waited for Victor to get ready. One thing in common was that as a result of the waiting time, they were mesmerized by each other's charms in their date-ready best. Violet smiled broadly, waiting for Victor to come out of the room and watching him from the dining table with her chin propped up. "Your dress sense isn't much different from the last time, but somehow it looks so luxurious and appropriate this time," Violet says, complimenting him. Victor smiled slightly and walked over. "Is it because I'm seeing it with love this time? You look absolutely marvelous." "I didn't know you were the type to compliment your partner," Victor said, taking Violet's hand to lead her out of the apartment. "Hm. I didn't know I was the type of person to do this to their partner either. You were my first partner, you know?" "Really?" "Yeah... I've only ever confessed my feelings,
Meanwhile, Verlaine was now hurrying away to a place, which was none other than his private apartment. There, he would meet Maria who had just finished cooking a meal for herself. Maria had no idea that Verlaine had returned from his ‘vacation’ in Vermont, she only knew that he had extended his vacation on the pretext of falling in love with the vast and soothing expanse of grass.Hence, when she saw his presence at the technological door, she couldn’t help shouting his name. “VERLAINE...!” The woman ran at full speed, rushing to hug Verlaine tightly while her body was twisted like a romance scene in a movie.“Are you coming home today?” asked Maria as soon as Verlaine released her embrace. She was delighted to see Verlaine standing in front of her after they had not seen each other for almost a week.“Yes. I wanted to give you a surprise,” Verlaine replied as he kissed Maria’s neck, making her grimace occasionally in amusement. “You were surprised?”“I’m so surprised that I’m speech