Chapter 1 First Meeting

“Congratulations, Annie. You’ve successfully completed your internship and are now officially a member of Jennings Group. Head to HR tomorrow to go through the procedures for the transition to a permanent position!” Annie Lane received the text from Amy, her immediate superior, just as she was about to get off work. The news made her leap with joy. Jennings Group was one of the top three companies in City A. The employee benefits they offered were unmatched in the city and countless people were banging their brains out trying to find a way in. The difficulty of transferring from an internship to a permanent position was arguably even higher than a postgraduate degree. In the past two months, Annie had worked her butt off like she was constantly on thin ice, and now she finally received the offer of a permanent position! She wanted to share the joyous news with her boyfriend, Mason Quinn, at once. However, his phone was turned off. “Today is the Qixi Festival,” she said to herself. “I wonder what sort of surprise he has planned for me?” Smiling brightly, Annie was more excited than ever, dreaming of the beautiful future that was sure to be hers. Feeling incredibly cheerful, she went straight to Seafood City and spent half a month’s salary to buy a large pile of expensive seafood that she brought to Mason’s house. She wanted to personally prepare a romantic candlelit dinner. However, even when the table was laden with delectable dishes, Mason’s phone was still unreachable. Annie was beginning to get a little worried. Mason had promised to spend this special day with her ages ago, but he could not be contacted now. Could something have happened? Just then, there was a knock on the door. Was it Mason? Annie threw the door open eagerly, expecting Mason to greet her with fresh flowers in hand. Instead, someone brusquely threw a photograph onto her face. The sight that greeted her was a contemptuous sneer. “Mason says he doesn’t want to see you anymore,” said a man. “You'd better leave now.” The man was Mason’s good friend. Annie knew him too. Annie blankly watched him leave, then squatted down and picked up the photograph. It was a picture of her and Ethan Larson, a close male friend, kissing! Annie felt like she had been struck by a bolt of lightning! She and Ethan kissing?! They were simply good friends, nothing more. The two of them had never crossed any boundaries. On top of that, Ethan was clearly into men, no? Then what was the deal with this picture? Annie swore that even if she was spliced by lightning, she absolutely did not have any sort of relationship with Ethan! Convinced of her innocence, Annie picked up her bag and dashed out of the neighborhood. She was going to find Mason and clear things up asap! Annie had been dating Mason for two years and her love for him was true. They were heading steadily toward marriage. She refused to let their relationship crumble over this misunderstanding. Unable to get in touch with Mason, Annie could only head to his office to try her luck. In her state of anxiety, she found it difficult to hail a cab. After more than ten occupied cabs passed her by, the distressed Annie hopped on an express bus. When the bus arrived at the city center, the eyes on Annie’s agitated face lit up. She had just spotted Mason. However, the man whom she had pictured was in a heartbroken mess… was currently strolling with an enchanting lady dressed in trendy, revealing clothes, intimately holding hands as they entered City A’s most luxurious hotel. They smiled and whispered into each other’s ears like a couple passionately in love. Annie felt her extremities turn cold. Once again, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning! Nobody knew Mason as well as she did. There was no way she had mistaken someone else for him! “Sir, stop the bus! I want to get down!” “We haven’t reached the stop. I'm sorry, we can’t stop!” After being shut down by the bus driver, Annie squeezed out of the bus window without hesitation, not knowing where her bravery and recklessness came from. As she jumped out of the bus, she acknowledged that the worst that could happen to her was just being killed in a crash. As long as she did not die on the spot, nothing would stop her from demanding the truth from Mason! Annie stared intently at that pair of rotten swine, not noticing the speeding Maybach that was preparing to overtake the bus, which she just happened to jump right in front of. Screech… the sharp, piercing sound of breaks being slammed resounded throughout the huge alley. Even though the Maybach managed to break in time and avoid hitting Annie, it seemed to everyone that Annie, who fell out of the bus as she jumped, had been hit by the car. The car door opened, and a man in a crisp suit tailored to adhere to his body stepped down. His angular face was as coldly handsome as a sharp knife, and his hard jaw was slightly raised. His slender black eyes were overcast and his face was completely expressionless. His whole body exuded an iciness that prevented anyone from getting close. The man’s long body hung over Annie, who was on the floor. He lightly pursed his thin lips in displeasure as he looked haughtily at the woman sprawled on the ground. She would throw her life away for money? In this man’s eyes, Annie was nothing but a scammer. “Say it. How much money do you want?” Annie rubbed her butt that felt like it had been shattered to pieces, fighting the pain as she crawled up to her feet. Her mind was still full of Mason acting lovey-dovey with that woman, and she did not hear what the man said at all. “Move it!” Annie shoved past the man blocking her way, staggering as she rushed toward the hotel. The man who had been preparing to whip out his checkbook was stunned. He watched Annie’s back hobble away. What did she just say? ‘Move it?’ He, Myles Jennings, had lived for 27 years, and this was the first time anyone had dared to speak to him this way—and that look of utmost abhorrence on that woman’s face! Myles narrowed his eyes slightly. His imposing aura usually kept the infatuated ladies staring longingly at him from a distance. Never was there a woman who dared to treat him with such disrespect, shoving him aside as if he were trash! How interesting! The man’s thin lips curved in a light smile. The imperturbable man had his interest piqued. He stepped up, following Annie into the hotel. The Maybach, with its engine still on, was left on the bustling street like a piece of discarded junk, soon causing a long pile-up. The man did not even look back.