Jamie eximed, "They managed to scare us off. How embarrassing and humiliating!"


    "You''re kidding, right? It''d be even more embarrassing to stick around any longer," Lydia countered as


    she suppressed the pain in her wrist.


    Lydia then retrieved her phone, opened the browser, and found a picture of Jonah Taylor, the president


    of KS Group.


    Jamie peered over her shoulder. When she saw the picture, she gasped, "Isn''t this the guy we saw


    earlier? He''s the president of KS Group!"


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Lydia''s eyes darkened as she gazed at the picture, feeling beads of sweat forming.


    Initially, the man had seemed familiar, but she couldn''t ce him. Then, as she left through the exit, it


    clicked—he was one-half of the gay couple that had recently made headlines.


    "That can''t be right. The president of KS Group is gay. How could he also be the one iming to be


    Rose''s boyfriend? They just bear a striking resemnce."


    "You''re right. That bitch couldn''t be so lucky as to date a Taylor."


    Jamie, visibly shaken, attempted to reassure herself. She murmured, "But they look so alike. Anyone


    would have thought they were brothers."


    Rose returned to her office, clutching her chest while her other hand frantically searched her drawer for


    nitroglycerin pills. She found them, poured out a dose, and swallowed them hastily.


    Ss entered the office behind her, noticing her continued distress even after taking the pills. His heart


    went out to her, feeling a pang of sympathy.


    With her back to him, Rose''s once proud posture now slumped slightly. She slowly tightened her grip


    on her chest, the strain evident in her movements. "You... saw everything."


    Ss pursed his lips, his gaze turning somber.


    "That''s my family... I hail from a cheap and lowly background. What''s the point of a fancy designer title


    anyway? It can''t scrub away the stains of my past. You must be really let down, huh? Well, now that


    they''re gone, you don''t have to pretend for my sake anymore."


    Before Rose could finish speaking, she felt a warm, reassuring presence enveloping her from behind.


    Without knowing what came over him, Ss expressed his affection by pulling her into a firm embrace.


    Initially resistant, Rose soon found herself yielding to theforting embrace, her body craving the


    closeness.


    "Who said I was pretending?" Ss murmured, his warm breath brushing against her ear.


    His voice was hoarse as he added, "I''ve never been more sincere with you."


    A jolt ripped through Rose. It stole her breath, sending her head spinning. She felt like she was melting


    in his embrace. "No, this can''t be true. Weren''t you just watching me get humiliated earlier?"


    Ss'' eyes reddened as he spoke softly, coaxing her, "You''ve misunderstood me. Let me exin."


    "I don''t want to hear it."


    "It''s not that I didn''t want to help. I wanted to beat that bitch up when she started throwing insults at


    you."


    Ss rested his chin on her shoulder, and his heart was heavy with an indescribable pain. "But I also


    wanted to know you better. You''ve never opened up about your family or your past.


    "Every time I tried to get close, you pushed me away. I know it was underhanded of me, but it was the


    only way I could understand you. I wish to learn more about you."