Chapter 16 Chapter 16 After getting separated from her family at the age of five , Shermaine ended up in a place called Maple Leaf Ville . It wasn't a big place - barely more than s dozen households . The villagers treated her , an orphan who had wandered in from nowhere , with nothing but kindness . They helped her get documented , made sure she had food , clothing , a roof over her head , and even supported her through school in the nearby town . They had done so much for her , and she was someone who never forgot a debt . The high - tech farm project was the first gift Shermaine had in mind for them after returning to the country . It was her way of giving back , after seeing how hard life had become for them - how they were barely getting by anymore . However , the total cost of building the farm hovered around 100 million dollars . It wasn't exactly astronomical . But the thing was , Shermaine had no concept of money . Back when she was studying abroad , she never thought about how much she could earn through her abilities . As long as she had enough to cover her daily expenses , that was good enough for her , which meant she basically had no savings to her name . 2.3 million dollars - while nowhere near enough for the full project - was more than enough to build a few small villas for the villagers and give their living conditions a solid upgrade . Shermaine opened the laptop on the desk and transferred the full 2.3 million to the Maple Leaf Ville mayor , Jay Gill . She left herself a backup fund of three thousand dollars - just enough for emergencies . Once that was done , Shermaine caught a lingering scent of blood on her and grabbed a bottle and a glass before heading to the bathroom . Lying in the tub , she poured herself a drink . One sip in , the liquor burned its way down her throat , the hit sharp and intense . ' Damn , that's good stuff , she thought . She didn't drink much . Once the water turned cold , Shermaine got up , dried off with a towel , and slipped into a silk nightgown . Her hair was still wrapped in a white towel as she looked around the bathroom for a hairdryer . After searching for a while and finding nothing , she stepped out , planning to ask Mariam . But when she called for her , there was no response from downstairs . Shermaine figured she might as well give up . Just then , the door across the hall opened . A light , clean scent drifted out - Joshua had just showered too . Shermaine froze for a beat . " Didn't you say you weren't staying here ? " Joshua said , " My grandfather checked in on me . got late , so I didn't leave . " " Okay . " " If it bothers you , I can go now . " " No need . I just need to borrow something . " Right now , Joshua was wearing a dark blue silk pajama set , the collar left partly unbuttoned , revealing a glimpse of his chest and a black tattoo beneath . His hair was damp , beads of water dripping down and tracing the sharp lines of his neck , sliding past his Adam's apple . His sensual lips were pressed into a thin line , and his eyes were calm , deep , unreadable . " Go ahead , " Joshua said . Shermaine narrowed her eyes slightly , gave him a once - over , then quickly shifted her gaze . " There's no hairdryer in my room . " 1/2 Chapter 16 " Hold on . " Joshua turned around and came back a moment later with a hairdryer in hand . " Just leave it in your room when you're đồng ) " You don't need it ? " " No. " Since that was the case , Shermaine happily accepted it . When she took the dryer , her hand brushed against his . His hand was cool , but her fingertips felt strangely hot . She asked , " Did your grandfather say anything ? " Joshua kept it brief . " Nothing . It's taken care of . " Shermaine was someone who cared a lot about boundaries . " I'll be more mindful of the time next time . " " Alright . " Joshua nodded . Right then , Shermaine remembered the Rémy Martin Louis XIII Joshua had recommended . " The liquor's really good . I love it ," she remarked . Joshua gave a faint smile , but said nothing . Back in her room , she let out a small sigh , thinking , ' He's so cold and distant . ' She finished drying her hair , quickly put the hairdryer away , then opened her laptop and typed in a URL with one hand . The site was called the International Tech Forum . It covered everything from information tech and biotech to energy and laser technologies . It was a platform where people posted problems they needed help solving in those areas and they'd post tasks there . Users who felt qualified could pick up tasks based on the level of difficulty and earn some extra cash . Back when Shermaine didn't have money for living expenses , she used to take on low - difficulty jobs from the site . They were easy , didn't take much time , and came with a decent payout . The login page popped up . Shermaine typed in her username - Boa Hanks - then her password , and hit enter . The account had been active for two years . Her task history was filled entirely with D - level jobs , the lowest in terms of difficulty . But right now , she was scrolling through the SSS - level listings . Comment Send gift No Ads Chapter 17 Chapter 17