Tall and slender, impeccably dressed in a suit, broad-shouldered and exuding a cold demeanor, the man walking out of the hotel had a face that made everything around him seem dull. He had achieved heights that most people couldn’t reach in a lifetime. He was Poe Vaughn, the king of the business world. Jace Kingsley’s fingers suddenly tightened, his eyes contracting just like his heart. The driver got out to open the door, and Poe Vaughn got in. Quickly, the car drove away from the hotel. Quentin Quinn sat in the front, watching the rearview mirror where the black Maybach remained parked on the curb. As the car merged with traffic, the Maybach gradually disappeared from the mirror, and Quentin withdrew his gaze, looking towards the back seat. Poe Vaughn picked up the latest financial newspaper, his expression unchanged, giving away nothing, but to Quentin, it was clear the person in the back seat today was different from yesterday. The intimidating aura was completely gone today. "President Vaughn, last night Young Master Kingsley of Miraport was inquiring about you," Quentin said, his gaze still on Poe Vaughn. Poe Vaughn flipped the newspaper, releasing a low ’Mm’ from his throat. No discernible emotion. No fluctuation at all. It’s hard to tell whether he cared or not. Quentin looked at this inscrutable person and continued, "He found out you returned to the hotel with your wife and has been waiting outside the hotel ever since." " ... " The atmosphere inside the car grew quiet. Poe Vaughn said nothing further, looking at the newspaper, his thick eyelashes slightly drooping, his eyes profoundly deep. Quentin’s eyes moved slightly, and he looked forward again. Young Master Kingsley is earnest about his wife, very earnest. Their President is earnest about her too. The Bentley vanished into the traffic, the sunlight unchanged, the traffic unchanged, but Jace Kingsley kept looking in the direction the car had disappeared. After a long while, he loosened his grip. Gradually, bit by bit. Whatever happens, no matter what, he will not give up. This outcome will not change because of anything. The phone in his palm suddenly vibrated, making Jace’s heart skip a beat. He immediately picked up the phone. The familiar name flashing on the screen, a name deeply etched into his bones, made Jace smile at that moment. His eyes bloomed with a smile, full of emotions. She finally called him back. At this moment, he didn’t care about anything else. Swiping the answer button, he picked up the phone, his eyes looking forward, full of brilliance. Ava Sterling didn’t have breakfast, staring at the messages and missed calls Jace had sent, losing her appetite completely. Listening to the dial tone, until the call was connected. His voice came through, still gentle, but mixing with other emotions; unease, anxiety, fear, panic. And the relief at the moment the call connected. In an instant, Ava’s heart clenched, feeling extremely uncomfortable. "Jace, I’m sorry, I didn’t check my phone last night due to something, I missed your call and worried you." Her voice, unlike its usual brightness, was slightly hoarse, apologetic, regretful. Listening to her raspy voice, as if weakened from exhaustion, Jace’s fingers tightened, and the smile on his face faded: "It’s fine, as long as you’re okay." Ava was left speechless. Nobody had ever been this worried about her, except for her grandmother. It really seemed like no one cared about her as much as Jace did. She didn’t know what to say, feeling as if she had much to say, yet couldn’t utter a word. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novel-fire.ɴet She was silent, making no sound. Jace’s fingertips moved slightly, speaking: "Last night... nothing happened, right?" Ava’s heart suddenly skipped, unsure if it was his utterance of "last night" or her own guilty conscience, making her fall silent. Her pause was noticeable, and Jace’s lips moved slightly, turning upward: "As long as nothing happened, that’s good." "Where are you now, should I pick you up?" "No need, I’ll come back myself. I’ll be back soon. Where... where are you now?" "Still at the hotel?" "By the way, what time does today’s shoot start? Tell me so that I can prepare in advance." Being unsure of the weather and not knowing if the shoot would go smoothly, they hadn’t made rigid plans for where to shoot today or tomorrow, instead deciding based on the situation. Just like yesterday, they went wherever looked good at the moment. Talking about work, Ava’s energy came back, instantly full of vitality. Listening to her voice restored, Jace’s face held a smile: "Ten o’clock, we’re going to Manhattan." Ava immediately checked the time, it was almost nine. She quickly said, "I’m coming over now, wait for me!" "No rush, take your time." "How can I not rush? You’ve invested billions; I can’t let you down!" "Let’s stop chatting, that’s it for now!" Ava immediately hung up and was ready to leave, but seeing the delicious food on the table, she quickly picked up a pair of chopsticks and a spoon, stuffing food into her mouth. Then, with her cheeks puffed up, she grabbed her bag and left the hotel. Jace put down the phone, the smile on his face fading until it was gone. He watched the hotel entrance, and soon, Ava hurriedly ran out. Her long hair casually tied up in a low bun, she wore a V-neck loose-knit long T-shirt, with straight-cut, full-length casual pants reaching her feet, both clothes and pants in light white, looking extremely good on her. She was in a rush, with her mouth still full, she ran out of the hotel, quickly flagged a taxi, and then departed. In just seconds, she disappeared from his sight. At that moment, the smile on his face vanished, the smile in his eyes vanishing without a trace. She was no longer wearing the dress from yesterday, and the clothes she wore weren’t from her suitcase. She wore what he prepared for her. Early on, he’d seen someone bring in a luxury shopping bag. The logo on that bag was the brand of the clothes she wore. It was also the brand she endorsed. Jace’s expression was calm, showing no warmth on his face, like still water of a lake. His fingertips moved slightly, rubbing against the phone. "Poe, Vaughn, Poe..." His lips parted, articulating each word clearly. And as those words were spoken, the tranquility in his eyes disappeared like a whirlpool...