Chapter 15

Angelia was stunned, her heart beating uncontrollably. Shouldn’t he be overseas at this time? Could it be that when she called him before, he didn’t ignore her but was on the plane?

“How did you come here?” Angelia asked in confusion, her breathing becoming heavy. He still seemed cold and expressionless, and she couldn’t tell what he was thinking from his demeanor.

“It seems that you’re not welcoming me,” Jerome said coldly.

“How could that be? I called you, but you didn’t answer. I didn’t think you had returned to the country. Come in and sit down,” Angelia said, taking out the slippers he wore last time from the closet and placing them at his feet.

Jerome looked at her petite figure, his eyes softening a bit. He also squatted down and ran his fingers over the wound on her forehead. The place he touched seemed to be electrified, and she felt a tingling sensation.

Angelia’s breathing became uneven as she looked at him. “It’s swollen,” Jerome frowned.

It seemed like he cared…

Angelia felt a sense of being pitied. She shouldn’t have been so random in her thoughts and smiled, saying, “You know, when Gallagher pressed my head against the coffee table and I thought I was done for, I didn’t expect the table to break and my head to be fine. I even suspected that I had practiced iron head skills when I was young.”

Jerome was not amused by her lively and vivid expression but looked at her with a deep seriousness.

Angelia felt uncomfortable under his gaze and asked carefully, “What’s wrong?”

“Are you stupid? Knowing that Gallagher has ill intentions towards you, you still followed him to such a remote place. Do you have to wait until something happens before you think of taking action?” Jerome said angrily.Unfortunately, Angelia felt a warmth in her heart, which gradually flowed into her blood. She gently explained, “Diana Manage and Anne tricked me into going there. When I arrived, I knew it was Gallagher, and I knew it wasn’t good.”

“Those two idiots were able to trick you, how low is your IQ?”

Angelia was speechless and changed the subject, asking, “Did Anne really commit a business crime?”

“The power outage at your hotel last time was her doing. She also released those photos. She privately met with the general manager of Syracuse. What do you think?” Jerome asked in response.

Angelia was curious, “How do you know all this?”

“You think it’s your IQ,” Jerome said disdainfully, standing up.

She thought she wasn’t stupid, but compared to Jerome, she really wasn’t that smart.

She also stood up, thinking that he might be hungry since he just got off the plane, and asked, “Are you hungry? I have a lot of dumplings at home. I’ll go make some quickly.”

“Okay,” Jerome agreed.

Angelia turned around, but he suddenly grabbed her hand. Due to the habit, Angelia bumped into him. Their bodies were too close, and in that instant, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly took a step back and asked, “What, what’s wrong?”

Jerome looked deeply at her and said, “I don’t have poison, why are you avoiding me?”

“Huh?” She didn’t avoid him, she was just afraid he would dislike her.

Jerome was annoyed, “I brought some ointment with me. It was developed by my research and development team. It’s very effective in clearing heat and bruises, as well as removing scars. I’ll apply it to you first.”

“You have a research and development team for medicine?” Angelia was curious and hadn’t heard of it before.

“Why else do you think I acquired companies?” Jerome replied.

She didn’t say anything about the company.The enterprise is owned by Sammie’s grandfather and is mainly focused on pharmaceuticals. Last time, she vaguely heard him asking his team to find a way to acquire the company, but she didn’t pay much attention to what happened next and didn’t want to ask too much.

Jerome took her arm and sat down on the couch. He unscrewed the lid, dipped his finger in the ointment, and applied it to her wound.

His finger wandered on her forehead, making her feel itchy and stirring her heartbeat. Especially since they were too close, all of his breath fell on her face.

She couldn’t help but think of their previous kiss, feeling uneasy. If she lost control again, what would happen? She moved back a little and smiled, saying, “I’ll do it myself.”

Jerome noticed her rejection and a cold light flashed in his eyes. “I shouldn’t have done that,” he said, slamming the ointment on the coffee table and standing up. “I won’t eat dumplings.”

Angelia remembered his previous times of walking away and felt anxious. She grabbed his hand, but her hand was very cold, causing a big temperature difference when held in his hot hand. The sensation was too strong, and Jerome instinctively tightened his grip. He immediately regretted it, wondering if he had any right to hold her hand. But since he had already held it, letting go would be even more awkward. “Why is your hand so cold?” Jerome asked. His hand was actually hot.

“Maybe it’s because I just woke up and my metabolism hasn’t started yet,” Angelia explained.

“Don’t be too fond of the cold in summer, it’s not good for your health,” Jerome let go of her hand.

He was supposed to leave, but she held his hand and didn’t say to stay, and he shouldn’t have stayed either.

“I…”

“I’ve thought about it,” Angelia interrupted him.

“You’re right, we’re innocent classmates, and even if you stay at my place, I don’t need to worry about other people’s opinions or thoughts. Stay and eat some dumplings, they were prepared for you. If you don’t think they taste good, feel free to criticize and give suggestions. I’ll improve next time and make even better dumplings.”

Jerome gazed at Angelia, with her saying “innocent” and “classmates,” it didn’t matter if he stayed at her place…

Ha.

Did she overestimate his self-control or underestimate her own charm?

“Well, then I’ll stay here for a few days,” Jerome said with no good intentions.

“Ah?” Angelia didn’t expect him to actually stay.

But she was the one who said it was okay for him to stay here, and then changed her mind. It made her seem dishonest.

“Okay, you can stay for a few days. I’ll clean up the room,” Angelia said, lowering her eyes, too shy to look at him. Her face turned red.

Were they considered living together now? She would wear pajamas at night, so she couldn’t just run around.

Jerome looked at her. “Just a few days.”

“Then I’ll go to the kitchen to make dumplings,” Angelia said softly.

“Compared to eating, I’d rather take a nap. I need to adjust to the time difference,” Jerome said, examining her with some deliberate intention.

Didn’t she want him to stay?

“Oh,” Angelia looked at the door to her room, then at Alyssa’s room. Alyssa’s bed was small, only one meter eight by one meter two, and Jerome was over one meter eight tall. “You can sleep in my room first.”

Jerome looked at her intently. Originally, he just wanted to tease her, but now he really wanted to stay…Possession, with both hands on either side of Angelia’s body, leaning in, the shadow of the whole person expanded around her, keeping her within his sphere of influence.

Angelia clenched her fists nervously, holding her breath.

“Do you really want me to stay?” Jerome asked. As if saying yes would mean more than just him staying.

“Anyway, I have two rooms here,” Angelia said, smiling at him.

“What if your husband comes back?” Jerome continued, his voice becoming hoarse.

“Oh, him, he…he doesn’t live here,” Angelia stuttered. She had wanted to lie, but if he lived here, he would also discover that Sammie wasn’t living with her. Saying it out loud was more like a hint. She was afraid he would misunderstand and even more afraid he would be disgusted.

“I told you last time that I don’t have a good relationship with her mother,” Angelia added.

Jerome looked at her anxious appearance, his eyes getting deeper. “You look like you want to do something with me,” he said.

“How could that be? You’re high above me, I wouldn’t even dare to think about it,” Angelia immediately denied.

“What if I give you the qualification to think about it?” Jerome continued, his eyes hiding a storm.

Angelia’s mind reacted to the meaning of his words. Was he trying to test her?

“Don’t joke around, others may not know, but you know, I have a husband and a child, it’s not appropriate to even think about it,” Angelia said seriously.

Jerome’s eyes dimmed.

The sound of knocking came, Angelia pushed Jerome away and opened the door.

Sammie stood at the door, stunned to see Jerome there, then his gaze fell on Angelia’s face, looking at something.

Angelia knew what Sammie was thinking, even with just a kick.

“Why did you come?” Sammie asked in a low voice, glancing at Jerome.

“Is it not a good time?”He just got off the plane and has something to discuss with me, I’m making dumplings for him now.

Then I want to eat too.

Sammie entered the room and smiled at Jerome, “I know you, Angelia’s future boss.”

Jerome looked calmly at him, with little expression on his face.

“We met last time,” Sammie said.

Angelia didn’t know what Sammie meant by saying they had met before, but Jerome had said that as long as there was no guilt in his heart, he could be calm and composed.

He was indeed calm and composed, and she was glad that she had been rational just now and not confused by her emotions.

“I’ll go make dumplings, you guys sit for a while.” Angelia went into the kitchen.

Sammie sat on the sofa, one foot on the other knee, shaking his foot rudely, “Angelia is good at housework, she has made this small house very warm.”

Jerome still didn’t speak.

Sammie felt embarrassed and scratched his nose, “In the future, when Angelia goes to work for you, please take good care of her.”

“Whether I take care of her or not depends on her abilities, not on her family relationships,” Jerome said meaningfully.

Sammie scratched his nose again.

Jerome was handsome, like a diamond mountain surrounded by ice, making it difficult to speak.

“I’ll go see Angelia,” Sammie said, getting up and walking into the kitchen, closing the door behind him.

Jerome’s face turned very angry, his eyes sharp as they swept towards the kitchen door.

After Sammie went in, he asked Angelia tentatively, “Why did he come here? How can this small temple of yours invite such a big shot like him?”

“He came here because of Gallagher’s matter, what are you doing here?”Sammie raised a smile that was full of ambiguity and said, “He can come here, but I can’t? Or do you want me to give you two some alone time so you can seduce him and sleep with him before I appear?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. He and I are impossible,” Angelia said firmly.

“It’s not necessarily impossible. You’re pretty and have a good figure. Men are visual creatures and may act impulsively and sleep with you. I don’t object to you sleeping with him, but I have one request: take me with you if you have the chance. I want to try him out. He looks very strong, and I want to see how he performs,” Sammie said, moving closer to Angelia.

Angelia was angry and pushed his face away. “Sammie, don’t disgust me. He’s not that kind of person.”

Sammie grabbed her wrist and turned her around, becoming even more insidious. “Who knows? Maybe he wants to sleep with you and compromise a bit.”

“Shut up. Wherever you came from, go back there,” Angelia said sternly.

“Are you afraid I’ll affect you two? Jerome may be playing around with women everywhere, you know,” Sammie said even more ambiguously.

“So you’re telling me I’m at the bottom of the food chain now?”

“Listen to me, and I’ll be good to you,” Sammie said.

“Hmph,” Angelia snorted. “Forget it. In my eyes, you’re not even in the food chain because you’re not even a thing.”

“Angelia,” Sammie was angry. “Can’t you be a little nicer to me?”

“I’m already being nice to you. Under normal circumstances, I should have kicked you out,” Angelia said seriously. Sammie, who was annoyed by her sharp tongue, kissed her on the lips.

Angelia was frightened by the sudden kiss.

Although Sammie’s character was quite despicable, she always felt safe around him because he didn’t like women.He even moved his mouth, quickly dodged, and pulled out his own hand.

Jerome opened the door, and without thinking, she ran behind him and grabbed the sleeve of his arm.

In just a moment, she felt this behavior was inappropriate and let go of his hand.

Jerome looked at her, and when he met her watery eyes, there was a layer of tenderness that he himself had not noticed.

Her behavior just now was like throwing a stone into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread out in circles.

“I have something to do, so I have to go first. As for the project, you need to pack your bags and leave with me.”

“Oh, then I’ll pack my things.” Angelia went to her room to pack her bags.

Sammie looked at Jerome’s eyes.

He was very gentle when he faced Angelia, but too cold when he faced him.

He had a strange feeling in his heart, and he couldn’t explain what it was, but it was uncomfortable.

He was uncomfortable and didn’t want others to be uncomfortable.

“Sorry, I couldn’t control myself just now and left you behind as a guest.” Jerome looked at him quietly.

“I heard that your grandfather’s family had an accident, and you seem to have a lot of free time.” Sammie was stunned for a moment, leaning against the edge of the pool, examining Jerome.

“My mother told me the day before yesterday that a foreign conglomerate was interested in acquiring the company, and the CEO there is Guy. I inquired and found out that your English name is also Guy. Is it you who is behind it?”

“The pharmaceutical factory under the company buys recycled drugs, and I don’t even know the channel for recycled drugs. How could I be involved?” Jerome asked calmly.The company has its own medicinal farmers, so there is no need for a buyback.

The headquarters is unaware of this matter and is already cooperating with the drug supervision bureau to investigate.

It is certain that someone within the company has been bribed to harm the enterprise.

Sammie asked Jerome if he knew who was bribed.

Jerome lightly chuckled with a sarcastic tone, saying that whether it was bribery or poor management, those were all issues within their company, and he wouldn’t know.

He also made it clear that he was not the one who bought off the people within the company.

If the enterprise was to be sold, they could contact him.

Sammie relaxed his attitude and said he would tell his grandfather about Jerome’s thoughts.

Angelia came out of the room with her luggage and told Jerome that she had packed her bags.

Sammie frowned at Angelia’s luggage and felt like she was going to elope with another man in front of him.

He complained that she was treating their guest poorly and asked her to cook some dumplings for Jerome to take on the road.

Angelia agreed to wait for ten minutes and cook the dumplings.

Jerome looked at her and nodded.

Sammie then asked for Jerome’s phone number in case his grandfather wanted to sell the company.

Jerome looked at him.Sammie looks pleasing and harmless.

“Your grandfather has the contact information for my project team. They are in charge of the acquisition project your grandfather wants to sell. Just contact them,” Jerome refused expressionlessly.

Sammie: “…”

He felt very frustrated with Jerome, “Do you always have to be so cold? You took my wife on a business trip, and as your employee’s family member, I should at least have your phone number, right?”

“If Angelia doesn’t trust me, she can give you my phone number,” Jerome said in a deep voice.

“Why is it so hard to get your phone number? I really want to be friends with you sincerely. Even if you’re doing business behind the scenes, maybe I can help you,” Sammie looked at Jerome with intense eyes.

Angelia leaned against the door frame, looking at Sammie with drooping eyes.

He was very generous with the man he liked, spending money without caring, and was also a weirdo.

If Jerome was attracted to Sammie, her values would definitely collapse, and she would have to buy a tofu to bump into.

“Well, I’m sorry, I don’t want to be friends with you, and as for the business, your grandfather will come to beg me to buy it,” Jerome arrogantly refused, curling his lips in a smile.

Sammie felt that Jerome was even more handsome like this.

He suddenly felt very anxious. If Angelia liked this kind of Jerome, what should he do?

“You are too arrogant. The power of the enterprise in Columbia is beyond your imagination, otherwise, that kind of thing wouldn’t have happened, and the enterprise is still standing,” Sammie said firmly.

“Power? Are you talking about the relationship between the enterprise and the governor, or the money and power relationship between the enterprise and the Minister of the Drug Administration?” Jerome asked back.

Sammie’s face looked very unpleasant, “What do you mean?””Minister, this time I cannot help your company. In a week, I will lead the company to a deeper hell. Please convey this message to your grandfather.” He raised his arm, glanced at the time, and then looked at Angelia with a sharp and fierce gaze that had not disappeared.

This was Angelia’s first time seeing him negotiate in the mall. He was sharp, domineering, assertive, and wild. With just a few words, he left the other party speechless, yet remained calm in his chest.

That kind of aura and momentum was something that ordinary people could not imitate.

No wonder when she was in college, he had already established his own business empire.

“Need a few more minutes?” Jerome asked.

Angelia regained her senses and said, “It will take a while longer.”

“I’ll go downstairs first and help you with your luggage,” Jerome said, stating a fact and not giving Angelia room to refuse, picking up her luggage and leaving.

Sammie looked at Angelia with a slightly heavy tone and asked, “What is his phone number?”

Angelia sneered, “The company is in crisis, and you’re still thinking about chasing Jerome. If your grandfather finds out, do you think he’ll be angry enough to die?”

“I want his phone number for my own purposes, you don’t need to worry about it,” Sammie said irritably.

“So, do you think I’ll tell you?” Angelia asked in return.

“Are you afraid that I’ll steal him away? Do you actually like him?” Sammie said coldly, thinking that if Angelia liked him, it would sting like a bee and make her both hurt and angry.

Angelia lowered her eyes and said seriously, “Sammie, not everything you like needs to be obtained. There’s also a thing called self-awareness. Knowing that it’s impossible, don’t even have the feeling of liking it. Everyone likes the moon in the sky, but no one can claim it as their own.”

“So…you really don’t like him?” Sammie breathed a sigh of relief.”I think I made myself clear. After I finish making dumplings, I’ll leave and when you go out, please close the door for me.” Angelia turned around and saw that the dumplings were boiling in the pot. She added some cold water and covered the lid.

“I’m not leaving for a few days, I’ll stay at your place,” Sammie said nonchalantly.

Angelia frowned, “You have so many houses, villas, and if not, your mother’s house is big too. Why do you need to stay at my place?”

“There are some… special circumstances,” Sammie said vaguely.

“That’s your business,” Angelia looked at Sammie, “When my grandmother was seriously ill and I asked you to go, where were you? Since you didn’t help me, why should I help you? It’s mutual, if you treat me well, I’ll treat you well. If you treat me badly, I won’t keep treating you well. That’s being foolish!”

Sammie felt guilty, “I understand, next time you ask me to go, I’ll go, okay?”

Angelia looked at him.

Despite Sammie’s extremely handsome appearance, she felt like she couldn’t communicate with him at all.

She couldn’t renew her lease here and needed to find a peaceful place. “I hope you have left by the time I come back.”

“Can you be nicer to me? That’s why I haven’t come to see you for a month,” Sammie felt annoyed.

Angelia really wanted to laugh, could he be any more self-centered?

“Sammie, it’s better if you don’t come,” Angelia reminded him.

Sammie felt even more uncomfortable.

Angelia ignored him, turned off the stove, took out a glass box from the cabinet, filled it with dumplings, took two pairs of disposable chopsticks, and put them in a thermos bag.

Sammie grabbed Angelia’s arm, “I think you treat him better than you treat me.”Angelia smiled, but there was no hint of amusement in her eyes.

She pushed away his hand and said, “He treats me better than you do. Do you have a problem with that?”

“You are my wife…”

“And you are still my husband! What you did doesn’t count for anything!”

Angelia raised her voice and interrupted Sammie, her eyes flashing with anger.

Sammie knew he was in the wrong and softened his voice, almost pleading, “If I start treating you well now, would you still want to leave me?”

As he said this, he was surprised by his own words.

In his experience, women were all about power, being cheap, shameless, and willing to sell their bodies and souls for money.

They were even hypocritical, disgusting, and unreasonable.

That’s why he preferred to play with men and mentally rejected women.

Angelia was his wife whom he had bought with money.

At first, he despised her and was disgusted by her.

But five years of being together was enough to change one’s view of another person.

Angelia was different from his previous girlfriends.

Apart from using money to save her grandmother, she never asked him for a penny in five years.

She knew everything about his affairs outside and never made a fuss.

Instead, she tried her best to help him deal with all sorts of messes and never flirted with other men.

Even when he used his status and money to tempt her, she never agreed to have a threesome with him.

He let her go so easily because he had a little more respect for her in his selfish heart.

However, Jerome’s appearance made him panic.

He realized that he cared more about Angelia than Jerome did and was nervous, waiting for her response.

Angelia looked at him seriously and said, “Sammie, even if you like men, treat someone seriously. Only when you treat others with sincerity can you receive sincerity in return. You are not faithful to love, so no one will be faithful to you.”Sammie’s eyes turned red, “When I loved with all my heart, all I got was betrayal.”

“At least I didn’t do anything wrong to others!”

“Do you think the person who betrayed you feels guilty? No, they don’t! They’re living more comfortably and freely than you can imagine, in places you can’t see!

Neville gave Lillian two million to play a supporting role in the play, the same one as Read. Last time I had dinner with them, they were very affectionate, feeding each other, kissing each other, with love marks on their necks.

Does that make you feel better?” Sammie said harshly.

“No, it doesn’t matter?!” Angelia’s eyes were misty, and past grievances flooded back from the dusty memories.

“I hate being betrayed, being hurt, and I also hate those who play with emotions and are unfaithful to love. I don’t want to become a hateful person because of these people. I’d rather be hurt than hurt others. So, Sammie, we are not the same kind of people, nor are we from the same world.” Angelia answered firmly, tears almost uncontrollable.

She didn’t want to cry in front of others, turned around and walked out the door, leaning against the wall, feeling very uncomfortable.

Sammie’s words touched the thorn buried deep in her memory, which hurt whenever touched.

Not because of unwillingness, but because of heartache, heartache for her past self, so naive and foolish.

“Why are you crying?” Jerome said in a deep voice.

Angelia looked at the stairs, and Jerome stood at the corner of the second floor, looking at her.

She was embarrassed, wiped away her tears immediately, lowered her head, and walked towards him.

“If you don’t want to leave, you don’t have to.” Jerome said in a deep voice.

“That’s not it.””Unhappy?” Jerome asked as he looked at her.

Angelia didn’t know how to answer for a moment. He took her hand and started walking upstairs, as if he was going to stand up for her.

Angelia hurriedly pulled him back. Jerome turned around and pushed her against the wall, looking at her.

“If you’ve been wronged, you should stand up for yourself. If you stay silent, people will think you’re easy to bully. Only by being strong can you protect the people you want to protect and fight for your best interests. Weakness will only make you more pitiful,” Jerome said sternly.

“It’s not like that,” Angelia said.

“What is it then?” Jerome asked.

Angelia took a deep breath and explained, “He said something that angered me, and I was angry with him too. It was even, girls like to cry, there was no grievance, only temporary emotional excitement.”

Jerome looked at her for a second, then two seconds, and then for a long time. “Angelia, get a divorce. You can live alone very well. Why suffer from your mother-in-law and husband’s anger? Your daughter will also be hurt between relatives.”

Angelia also wanted to get a divorce, but it was not possible now. “Don’t talk about this. I’ve made dumplings. You can eat them in the car later.”

“I don’t eat in the car,” Jerome said with a dull look.

Angelia felt awkward being looked at by him. “You just got off the plane and are still adjusting to the time difference. I’ll come and pick you up later. You can rest in the car and I’ll call you when we arrive at our destination.”

“It seems like I’m meddling too much,” Jerome said coldly, walking downstairs.

Angelia quickly followed him. “How could you be meddling? I feel your concern.”

“Don’t misunderstand. I just think this kind of family relationship will affect your work,” Jerome said even more coldly.Angelia didn’t misunderstand. Even if she wasn’t married, he wouldn’t be interested in her.

Jerome unlocked the car.

Angelia took a step ahead and sat in the driver’s seat, smiling at him.

Jerome sat in the passenger seat, his eyes showing a hint of emotion. He bit his teeth and faced her, “Do you often smile at men?”

Angelia’s smile became even brighter, “Only at you.”

Jerome’s brows furrowed, looking calm, “What does that mean?”

“Thank you for helping me out when I was in trouble. My grandmother, the hotel, and Gallagher were all causing me problems. I remember every help you’ve given me. In the future, I will work hard.”

Jerome suppressed his anger, his eyes sharp. He didn’t want her to work hard.

“Is this your way of repaying me?” Jerome asked her unhappily.

“I will do my best,” Angelia replied confidently.

Jerome lifted her chin and teased her, “How will you do your best? If I ask you to sleep with me?”

Angelia’s heart raced as she looked into his eyes.

“Why would you ask that?”

“Afraid?” Jerome asked with a smirk.

“I’m married,” as she had told Sammie, she wouldn’t play with emotions. She easily gave her heart and couldn’t play around with it.

“So, if you can’t do your best, don’t make promises. It will only disappoint people,” Jerome said coldly, clenching his fists and turning his head to look ahead.

He hated her married status, very much.

Angelia felt exhausted.

“Go to Denver Denver,” Jerome said in a low voice, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair.

Angelia saw that he hadn’t fastened his seatbelt, so she helped him fasten it.Jerome angrily said, “If you don’t dare, don’t provoke me, or else I can’t guarantee that I won’t do something that will make you regret it.”

Angelia was feeling sad, confused, struggling, and complex. “Do you like me?” she asked.

“A woman who won’t even divorce, why should she get my affection? Do you think I can’t find another woman, or am I so desperate that I’ll take anyone?” Jerome retorted, sarcastic and annoyed.

“He’s referring to me,” Angelia thought, her eyes misty with tears. “In Jerome’s eyes, am I the kind of woman who can sleep with a man just because my life is difficult and my marriage is unhappy? No, I’m not.”

She pressed her forehead in frustration, feeling muddled by her emotions. Jerome wasn’t asking her to sleep with him, but to expose that she wasn’t trying her best.

“You think I’m hypocritical, don’t you?” Angelia asked directly, tears flowing uncontrollably. “Yes, I’m hypocritical, I’m cunning, I’m struggling to survive in life, and I flatter people in my work to gain their favor, recognition, and help.”

Realizing that she was getting too emotional, she took a deep breath and stopped her tears. “I’ll prove myself through my actions. If you think I’m not doing well, you can fire me. As for the money I owe you, I’ll definitely pay you back.”

Jerome looked at her tears, feeling like his heart was being squeezed by a hand, both sour and painful. “You don’t have to go,” he said.

“I want to go,” Angelia stubbornly replied, setting the navigation and driving away.

Jerome’s words echoed in her mind: “A woman who won’t even divorce, why should she get my affection? Do you think I can’t find another woman, or am I so desperate that I’ll take anyone?”Yes, she is the food that Jerome won’t eat even when he’s hungry.

He wants women, and there are countless options for him to choose from.

She is a married woman who should know better, why does she feel so sad and aggrieved?

She clenches the steering wheel tightly to balance her emotions.

Jerome looks at her, then looks at her again, and finally says in a deep voice: “I was too harsh just now.”

He is essentially apologizing to her, and this is the first time he has taken the initiative to apologize to her, even though his father has forced him to do so, he has never lowered his head.

Angelia’s just-stabilized emotions are once again stirred up, her eyes turn red again, as if being recognized for her grievances, but unfortunately, she feels even more aggrieved.

She forces a smile and says, “No, it’s fine.”

Okay, this can stop her from overthinking and getting lost in her feelings.

Jerome is too attractive, and it’s easy to get deeply involved with him.

At that point, it will be difficult for her to maintain her original intention.

They don’t speak again, and Jerome closes his eyes.

Angelia looks at Jerome and turns up the air conditioning.

The place is farther than she expected, or maybe it’s a navigation problem.

They are getting more and more off track, and the road is getting worse.

Jerome is awakened by the bumps, he opens his eyes and looks at Angelia’s face.

She is driving seriously, but the road ahead is all muddy, and the navigation is still telling them to keep going.

She is afraid that Jerome will think she can’t find the way, so she grits her teeth and keeps going.

Jerome glances at the navigation, “Drive another hundred meters and stop.”

“I can handle it,” Angelia says confidently.

“I know,” Jerome says in a deep voice.

Angelia looks at him, and if the boss tells her to stop, she should stop.

Being stubborn will only make people more disgusted.

She drives another hundred meters and stops in front of a small hill.”You stay in the car, I’ll go to the mountaintop. It’s dangerous when it gets dark, I’ll be back within an hour,” Jerome instructed.

He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. She also got out and closed the door. “Since I came here to work, I don’t need to waste time sitting in the car. I’ll go with you,” Angelia said bitterly.

“Don’t be stubborn,” Jerome frowned.

“You’re my boss. If something happens to you on the mountain, people might think I murdered you. I need to ensure your safety,” Angelia replied.

Jerome looked at her with a charming smile. Angelia was just as her grandmother had described her – gentle on the outside, but strong on the inside. “Then follow me,” Jerome said in a deep voice, heading up the hill.

Angelia turned on her phone flashlight and followed behind him, trying to light the way in front of him as much as possible.

Jerome frowned and said in a low voice, “Light your own way.”

“I can see. You’re the boss,” Angelia said.

Jerome hated the word ‘boss’. It seemed to make their relationship too clear, too cold and distant. He reminded her, “You’re a woman.”

Angelia smiled and said that there was no distinction between men and women in work. If she couldn’t do it, she would be replaced. “Let me correct you, I’m a strong woman. Jerome doesn’t need to see me as just a woman,” she said.

Jerome gritted his teeth, stopped his steps, and looked at her askance. “Have you heard of the legend of Denver?” he asked.

“No,” Angelia respectfully looked up, putting herself completely in the position of an assistant, playing the role of Whitfield. The more Jerome looked at her like this, the more angry he became, suppressing his anger.

“Denver is a village discovered in 1962. When it was discovered, the village had long been abandoned, maintaining its former appearance. It is said that the village is cursed and evil ghosts come out at night. Some people have seen a ghost with a silver-white glow all over its body here. In 1997, people from an archaeological team came here and all died,” he explained.Angelia’s scalp was tingling.

She didn’t believe in ghosts and gods, but she was afraid of them from the bottom of her heart.

A gust of wind blew, and it seemed like a cold air entered her from the soles of her feet, causing her hair to stand on end.

Unusual sounds came from the woods on the hillside, saying “Xilisuoluo”.

Angelia subconsciously looked behind her…

“What’s wrong, Miss Independent, are you scared?” Jerome teased.

Angelia heard Jerome’s mockery, pursed her lips, and looked straight at Jerome.

This person, Jerome, was sometimes really annoying.

He knew she was afraid of ghosts, yet he told her ghost stories in this dark and terrifying hillside without any light.

“Jerome, do you have a girlfriend?” Angelia provocatively asked.

Jerome’s eyes paused, looking down at her stubborn little face, “What’s wrong?”

Angelia smiled, “Being your girlfriend is definitely not an ordinary person. You need to have a cold-resistant physique, Buddha’s personality, and be gentle, considerate, tolerant, and not afraid of ghosts.”

Jerome looked at her vivid appearance and remembered their first encounter.

It was the first day of school.

His driver dropped him off at school, and as soon as he got off the car, he attracted a lot of attention from his classmates, but no one dared to approach him.

She was carrying a backpack and walked towards him, smiling and asking, “Classmate, do you know where the Wenjiao building is?”

At that time, he was rebellious and in a bad mood because of certain things, so he casually pointed her in a direction and said in detail, “You walk along this road to the end, turn right to the end, and you’ll be there.”

She was naive and really walked in the direction he pointed.

As a result, she was late for the first class, and when she turned around, she glared at him.

After the first class, she walked up to him with a smile on her face and asked, “Do you have a girlfriend?”He still remembers his heart suddenly beating fast at that time, then she laughed and said, “I think you’re hard to find. Who bullies people like you? Even your girlfriend was bullied away.”

That night, he couldn’t sleep. When she said that his girlfriend was bullied away, he had a feeling that she was his girlfriend and he really bullied her away.

Returning to reality, “Is that how you treat your boss?” Jerome asked in a low voice. Instantly, Angelia hesitated and her little temper just now disappeared. “Who scared me first?”

“I didn’t scare you,” Jerome looked behind her, “she’s standing behind you now.”

Angelia looked behind her in fear, but there was nothing. She realized that Jerome had tricked her and looked at him angrily, “Is it fun to play with me?”

“If you’re scared, just stay in the car,” Jerome said and continued up the mountain. They climbed for about twenty minutes and reached the top of the mountain. Jerome looked out into the distance and Angelia followed his gaze, but it was pitch black and she couldn’t see anything.

“What are you looking at?” Angelia asked curiously.

“Denver,” Jerome replied.

“Ha! It’s night now, and it’s dark and windy. What can you see?” Angelia found it funny.

“Didn’t you hear me? Isn’t the ghost shining silver all over? Of course, you have to see it on a dark and windy night,” Jerome replied.

Angelia couldn’t help but roll her eyes and looked elsewhere. Suddenly, a person appeared one meter behind them, and Angelia was really scared this time.

“Jerome,” she grabbed his arm without thinking. Jerome frowned when he saw the person and said unhappily, “You scared her.”

“I’m the security guard here. What are you doing here so late?” the security guard asked suspiciously.”Why am I here? Do I need to report to you?” Jerome said coldly.

The security guard became angry and said rudely, “This is not a place for you to wander around. Leave now.”

“What do you mean by wandering around? Do you see us carrying rifles or bows and arrows?” Jerome said firmly.

Angelia understood what the security guard meant by “wandering around” and blushed, pulling Jerome away.

“What are you afraid of?” Jerome held her hand back. “We can come and go freely here.”

“Better safe than sorry. We can’t see anything at night anyway. Let’s come back tomorrow,” Angelia said kindly.

Jerome’s emotions were quickly calmed by her gentle tone. “Watch where you’re going,” he said.

Angelia felt it was inappropriate to be held by him and tried to pull away.

“Don’t move. Going downhill is harder than going uphill. If you fall, I’ll have to carry you,” he said.

“I won’t fall,” Angelia said confidently.

“Do you want to hear another legend about Denver?” Jerome asked, diverting her attention.

“Hmm?” Angelia smoothly shifted her thoughts.

“Denver used to be the most famous village within a hundred miles, covering an area of 4.26 square kilometers.”

“4.26 square kilometers is huge. It’s bigger than a whole village,” Angelia said.

“There was a temple, shops, doctors, tailors, and some wealthy families in the village. They mainly grew medicinal herbs, tea, and did business. Later, the villagers were infected with a plague and the entire village died out. It was sealed off because of the plague and because it was remote and separated by mountains, it wasn’t discovered until 1962.”

“How could they do business in such a remote and mountainous area? Climbing hills back then was much harder without steps like we have now,” Angelia asked, raising a question.”The mountains here have signs of fault zones, which means that a long time ago, this place was not surrounded by mountains and the roads were relatively smooth. Moreover, the rivers flowed through here, regardless of which river, they were all very smooth. It was just a tectonic movement that blocked this area and brought about a plague,” explained Jerome.

“I think this legend is more reliable than the first one,” Jerome said with a hint of helplessness in his eyes. He tightened his grip on her hand, and said meaningfully, “You really are a coward.”

His tone sounded indulgent and gentle.

Angelia became uneasy, withdrew her hand, and brushed her hair from her forehead. “Are you planning to develop this place?” she asked.

“I have that plan, so I came to inspect it this time,” Jerome replied in a deep voice. He didn’t hold her hand again, but slowed down his pace.

Suddenly, he understood what the security guard meant by “wilderness”. “Do people often misunderstand you without explanation?” he asked.

Angelia smiled slightly. “Those who believe in me, even if I don’t say anything, know that I have been falsely accused. Those who don’t believe me, even if I say something convincing, will not believe me.”

“Then present the facts, provide evidence, and make those who don’t believe you have to believe you. Those who are skeptical will stand by your side, and don’t give those villains a chance to be proud,” Jerome said in a deep voice.

Five years ago, Neville knew that she had been drugged, his father knew that Lillian was betraying her by carrying Neville’s child, and Neville knew that Lillian pushed her down the stairs.

For their own interests and emotions, they sacrificed her.

“I don’t care, as long as I stay away from them,” Angelia said.

“So you’re the extraordinary one, not only able to withstand the cold and heat, but also possessing a Buddha-like personality – gentle, considerate, kind, tolerant, patient, and not afraid of ghosts,” Jerome said with frustration.

Angelia replied, “…” She could tell he was mocking her and turned her head away. She wasn’t avoiding confrontation, but rather didn’t want to waste her time and energy on someone who didn’t like her. Even if she proved her innocence, what difference would it make? Her father, Neville, was still on Lillian’s side, leaving her feeling even more isolated.

Jerome held her hand, but Angelia pulled away. He grabbed it again and asked, “Aren’t you the one who doesn’t care about other people’s misunderstandings? Why are you scared when I hold your hand?”

Angelia bit her lip, feeling stubborn. She grabbed his arm and said, “If you, Jerome, aren’t afraid, then why should I be? I’m a married woman, and you’re a Harvard Medical School genius. No matter how you look at it, I’m the one who benefits.”

“Is that so?” Jerome sneered. His eyes held a wild beast lurking in the darkness, and he grabbed her chin, kissing her lips. Angelia felt an electric shock spread through her lips, causing her spine to stiffen. This wasn’t the first time he had kissed her, but it was the first time that had made her feel scared.

She remembered what Jerome had said during the day – that she was a woman he wouldn’t touch even when he was starving. What was he doing now? Was he trying to prove that she was scared? Well, she was. She wasn’t Jerome’s match and didn’t have his self-control.

She was easily swayed by her emotions and thoughts, and her heart was pounding.

She instinctively stepped back, forgetting there were steps behind her, and lost her balance.Jerome’s eyes flashed with worry as he hugged her waist and was pulled forward by her.

If he fell on her, he would be fine, but she would suffer, not only from falling but also from bearing his weight.

He leaned his body and held her.

Angelia expected pain, but instead heard a crack from Jerome’s arm.

Her heart tightened, feeling a sudden pain that flowed through her, and she immediately stood up and asked worriedly, “Jerome, are you okay?”

Jerome tightly pursed his lips, his face turning pale with pain.

His arm couldn’t move at all.

“I let you take advantage of me, what are you hiding from?” Jerome said helplessly.

Angelia felt embarrassed and said, “Let me help you up.”

“Walk properly yourself, don’t make me hurt you and carry you. If you dare to fall again, I will throw you down from here,” Jerome warned, standing up himself.

Angelia listened to Jerome’s warning, pursed her lips, and controlled her emotions.

She was actually very upset, her eyes red and hidden in the darkness.

She shouldn’t have backed down.

She would rather be injured herself than involve Jerome.

“I’m sorry,” Angelia apologized sincerely.

“It’s not your fault, let’s go,” Jerome walked ahead.

She used the flashlight on her phone to light the way.

It would take three hours to return to the city from here, so she navigated to the hospital in town, which would take half an hour to drive to.

Jerome didn’t say a word on the way.

Angelia saw that his face was very bad, with dense cold sweat on his forehead, making her feel even more guilty.

When they arrived at the hospital, fortunately, the doctor was reliable and didn’t take an X-ray, but touched Jerome’s bone and said, “You dislocated it, young man, bear with it.”Dislocation is not a big problem, but it can be very painful. She knows that, looking at Jerome, her eyes unconsciously turned red.

The doctor glanced at Angelia and jokingly said, “Girlfriend? Your boyfriend is fine, no need to cry.”

“Uh, that…” Angelia was about to explain that she wasn’t, but then heard Jerome say, “She’s a crybaby, she’s cried many times today.”

Angelia “…”. She’s not a crybaby, she can count the number of times she’s cried on her fingers. But today, she did cry several times, without even a reason to refute.

The doctor laughed, “It’s true that women are made of water.”

“Gala.” The doctor put Jerome’s arm back in place while speaking. It was too sudden and the sharp pain made Jerome groan.

Angelia became anxious, “Doctor, please be gentle.”

The doctor smiled kindly, “This is how bone-setting is done. Young man, your girlfriend really cares about you, you’re lucky.”

Jerome looked at Angelia with a softness in his eyes, as if it could overflow with water and drown her in it.

Angelia was very nervous, the two of them now looked like a couple. She turned her head, not wanting to think about it too much and bother herself.

Jerome stood up, bent his arm, looked at the time, “Let’s find a hotel to stay in first, and then go eat. You must be hungry too, right?”

“It’s almost ten o’clock now, restaurants might be closed,” Angelia offered her own opinion.

“There’s a row of night stalls in Qingqiao, you can go eat there,” the doctor suggested enthusiastically.

Angelia smiled and looked up, “Thank you.”

Jerome’s face darkened, “Don’t smile at men casually, especially in a strange town.”

The doctor: “…”.

Angelia: “…”. She knew he meant well, but saying that would make others misunderstand.He stopped the car in front of the best hotel in town.

It seemed that there were no three-star hotels.

He handed his ID to the front desk and said, “Give me two presidential suites.”

The front desk smiled and said, “I’m sorry, we don’t have presidential suites here.”

Jerome lowered his standards and said, “Then give me two standard rooms.”

“We only have one standard room left,” the front desk said politely.

Angelia interrupted curiously, “It’s not the weekend today, why is it so crowded?”

The front desk patiently explained, “There is a Denver in our town, which is said to be an old house left over from before. It will be developed in a while, and many people have come inexplicably.”

Angelia understood and suggested to Jerome, “Why don’t you stay here and I’ll find a nearby small hotel.”

“Let’s go find one together,” Jerome said, not trusting her to go alone.

They looked for several hotels, all of which were full.

“Um…” Angelia took a deep breath.

When she was his room manager before, they slept on the same bed and nothing happened! Why was she so nervous this time?

Jerome didn’t like her, she didn’t need to be so coy.

Besides, it was too late.

If they waited any longer, there might be no rooms left at that hotel.

“Let’s just take that standard room, anyway there are two beds,” Angelia said softly.

“Aren’t you worried your husband will misunderstand?” Jerome asked thoughtfully, with some starry-eyed look in his eyes.

“The innocent need not fear,” Angelia replied.

“I thought you would say you don’t care,” Jerome said coldly, driving towards the hotel…

The closer they got to the hotel, the more uncomfortable Angelia became, looking around nervously.Jerome noticed her nervousness and said, “If you don’t want to go, you can still change your mind.”

“What is there to regret?” He said, as if they were going to do something special.

Angelia put on a smile and expressed her concern, “I’m just worried that there won’t be any rooms left, and we’ll have to sleep in the car tonight. It’s so hot, we can’t open the windows or turn on the air conditioning, it’ll be so uncomfortable.”

“Okay,” Jerome replied, “as long as you don’t regret it.”

Angelia’s heart trembled at his voice, which was like a drumbeat, deep, elegant, and also shocking.

She turned her head and looked out the window, trying to clear her mind and think of it as a normal business trip with no room, just one night to make do.

When they arrived, the room was still available, and Jerome checked them in.

The room was okay, relatively clean, and on the sixteenth floor.

Jerome looked at the time and said, “Let’s go eat, it’s getting late.”

“Can I take the dumplings with me? If we don’t finish them today, they might go bad tomorrow,” Angelia whispered.

Jerome nodded.

Angelia brought the dumplings with her as they walked to Qingqiao to eat. It was only about 500 meters away.

Although it was past ten o’clock, Qingqiao was still lively, with a street full of restaurants and bright lights.

Jerome chose a decent-looking restaurant and sat down. The waiter handed them the menu.

“What do you want to eat?” Jerome handed the menu to Angelia.

“I don’t have any preferences, no dietary restrictions, and I’m not picky. You can order,” Angelia didn’t take the menu.

“Do you think I’m picky?” Jerome asked in response.

Angelia remembered what he had said in the afternoon, that even if he was hungry, he wouldn’t choose her.

She propped her chin with her left hand, lowered her eyes, and said softly, “Very picky.”

“I’m just allergic to lobster, everything else is fine,” Jerome explained.”Um.” Angelia responded with a sound, dipping her fingers in water and scribbling on the table.

He glanced at her hand, no nail polish, sharp nails, fair fingers, a bit meaty, looking particularly cute, and soft when held, just like her personality, gentle yet firm.

Five years ago, she held his hand…

Jerome moved his gaze away, stopped reminiscing, and just thought of something, feeling the heat rising in his body.

He ordered shrimp, crab bread, pepper squid, tomato and egg, and fish tofu soup. “Do you want to order anything else?” “We won’t be able to finish all of these.” Angelia poured him barley tea.

Three men and a woman came to the next table.

“Have you heard, Denver is haunted.” A short, chubby man said.

“Don’t scare me, how is that possible?” The woman retorted.

“This is true, my friend, we’re close, he’s brave, took his brother to Denver at night and saw a ghost emitting silver light all over his body, with a green face and sharp teeth, scared him so much that he ran home and was sick for several days. I went to see him, and he told me himself.” The short, chubby man said.

“It’s impossible, fatty, is it true or false? Don’t scare me, I was planning to go.” The girl was scared, her hands crossed and rubbing her numb arms.

“It should be true.” Another medium-sized skinny guy said: “My uncle went there, and he came back saying that he saw ghosts, not just one, and died suddenly at home within a week, the cause of death was suspicious, no external or internal injuries, scared to death.”

Angelia listened to what they were saying, feeling uneasy, looking at Jerome.

He was calm, drinking his tea calmly, as if he hadn’t heard the discussion at the next table, and his expression was relaxed.”Jerome, do you believe what they say?” Angelia asked tentatively.

“Ghosts?” Jerome scoffed. “They’re just legends. Even if they exist, what’s there to be afraid of? Humans are the scariest things out there.”

Angelia gave him a genuine nod of approval. Someone like Jerome wouldn’t be scared even if ghosts were real.

After finishing their meal, they walked back to the hotel and it was already midnight.

“Um…you go ahead and take a shower first. Later, I’ll help you…wash your clothes,” Angelia said hesitantly, remembering how he had gotten angry when she didn’t wash his clothes when she was his room manager before.

Jerome looked at her deeply. He usually handled his own personal clothing, but her shy demeanor seemed to have planted a seed in his heart. “Okay.”

Angelia blushed.

She was afraid of being caught, so she turned around and pretended to take clothes out of the luggage.

Jerome passed by her and went into the bathroom.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him take out a set of pajamas with pants from the luggage.

Soon, Jerome came out, having washed his hair. Water droplets naturally dripped onto his white bathrobe, making him look sexy.

Angelia didn’t dare look at him. This man had a deadly allure, and if her will wasn’t strong enough, she would fall for him.

She quickly took the clothes and went into the bathroom.

His personal clothing had already been washed and hung on the rack.

Did he still not want her to touch them?

Angelia couldn’t describe the strange feeling in her heart, a sourness as if she was being despised, but she also breathed a sigh of relief, feeling conflicted.

When she came out, Jerome was thoughtfully playing with the hair dryer. Seeing her, he said in a deep voice, “Come here.”

Angelia didn’t understand and walked over to him.

He turned on the hair dryer and started blowing her hair.A warm breeze blew through her hair, and the sound of the roaring engine filled her ears.

It was the first time a man had helped her blow dry her hair, and it felt too intimate.

“I can do it myself,” Angelia said as she went to get the hair dryer.

Jerome raised his hand and didn’t let her take it, saying in a domineering tone, “Let me do it quickly. It’s already late, and you need to dry your hair and go to sleep.”

Angelia lowered her eyes and said, “Okay.”

Jerome asked her to turn around, and as she did, he ran his fingers through her hair, gently rubbing it.

Angelia felt a tingling sensation, which was a bit itchy but also quite comfortable, making her feel drowsy.

He seemed to be patient, and he blew her hair for more than ten minutes before stopping and turning off the hair dryer.

Angelia turned to look at him, and in the dark, his eyes looked particularly dark and bright, like shining stars in the night sky.

Jerome was so handsome that it took her breath away.

“Good night, Angelia,” he said.

Angelia looked at him, but she didn’t hear what he said clearly and asked, “Hmm?”

Jerome smiled and said, “Silly girl, good night.”

“Oh, okay,” Angelia said, feeling embarrassed.

She immediately turned around, climbed into bed, covered herself with a blanket, and turned her back to him.

After a while, she was awakened by a strange gasping sound and looked towards the source of the noise.

A face covered in silver light and blood was staring at them through the window.

Angelia was so scared that she couldn’t even speak, and her whole body trembled.

The silver-faced figure flashed past the window, and she stumbled off the bed, pushing Jerome, “Jerome, there’s a ghost, I saw it, it’s real, Jerome.”

Jerome was pushed awake, and he was usually very grumpy when he woke up, but who would dare to push him like this?