Chapter 324: Chapter 1801-1810

“I had to attend an important meeting in the morning, so I didn’t get the chance to see you off at the pier. You didn’t answer my phone calls either, so I thought you must be mad at me. So, I came here especially to apologize to you,” Ethan replied earnestly.

“What? You called me? Why didn’t I know about it?” With that, Josephine hastily took out her phone to confirm. Just as Ethan said, there were two missed calls from him. She was troubled. She must have accidentally missed the calls.

“I wasn’t mad at you, I just happened to not notice your calls coming in. You don’t have to apologize to me.” Josephine felt a little sorry as well.

If she had answered his calls, he wouldn’t have come all the way here.

Ethan was still relieved. At least she missed the calls because she didn’t notice, not because she was mad at him.

Josephine’s face turned red for some reason. She was usually bold and outspoken, but now she had experienced what it was like to be embarrassed. She didn’t even dare to look at Ethan’s face.

This man went to such great lengths just to meet her. Putting everything else aside, this man knew how to woo a woman.

She was actually touched.

“Come here, Brennen.” Behind them, Luke called an assistant who had come to fetch them. He pointed at Josephine’s luggage, then said, “Help Miss Jacobson load her luggage into the car.”

Brennen Porter was Luke’s best assistant, so of course he knew how much effort Luke put in to pursue Josephine. Hence, he hastily ran over to do his boss’ bidding.

Also, he was also quite a perceptive man. When he saw the tall and handsome figure next to Josephine, he guessed that Luke had met with a strong rival.

“Miss Jacobson, I’ll help you with your luggage.” With that, Brennen moved to take Josephine’s suitcase. However, a large hand pressed on the suitcase, stopping him. He was even given a sharp look. “Don’t touch it.”

Obviously, only a certain somebody was allowed to carry this suitcase, and everyone else wasn’t permitted to touch it.

Josephine was feeling awkward now. On the cruise ship, she and Heidi had agreed to take Luke’s car home, so if she refused now, it wouldn’t look too good.

“Quarles, can’t you see that Josephine and Mrs. Jacobson are getting in my car?” Luke stepped forward and spoke up. Ethan made him feel very threatened.

At the side, Heidi was both surprised and shocked. Since when had her daughter gained so many admirers? Two men were fighting for the spot to send Josephine home; Heidi had nothing to worry about when it came to finding suitors for her daughter.

Josephine bit her lip and said, “Mr. Quarles, thank you for offering us a ride, but I’ve already promised to take Luke’s car home. Please go back.”

Josephine couldn’t back out on her promise to Luke. Also, she was caught off guard by Ethan’s sudden appearance. She was shaken, and she needed time to calm down.

Ethan was sullen. He came all the way to fetch her, but she refused his offer to send her home. Still, he respected her decision.

“All right. I’ll be in town for a while, so let’s have a meal together sometime,” the man said in a low voice.

When Josephine heard that, she recalled something her parents always said. She was their only daughter, so they didn’t want her to marry off to someone far away. They weren’t counting on her to take care of them, but they worried that she would have to take a long trip home if she was in trouble.

“Okay.” Josephine nodded. This man doesn’t live here permanently. I see…

Ethan still carried her luggage to Luke’s car. When Luke walked over to them, he thought his car was cool enough, but he didn’t expect to see the black car parked beside it. He couldn’t help but take another glance at it. He was quite knowledgeable about cars, and he knew that the car was unbelievably expensive. Also, this was definitely a private custom-made model.

He didn’t know which millionaire it belonged to. According to what he knew of Averna, no one was driving a car like that.

Just then, Ethan thought of something, then said to Josephine, who was about to get into the car, “Hold on. I have a gift for you.”

Josephine was stunned. He even prepared a gift?

Luke was wondering who owned the car when he saw Ethan walking to the back seat of the car and opening the door. Ethan retrieved an exquisitely wrapped golden box from it, and Luke’s eyes widened to twice their usual size.

F*ck, it’s his, thought Luke.

As Josephine gazed at the gift Ethan was extending toward her, she didn’t dare take it. She guessed that there would be jewelry of some sort inside, and those things were usually very expensive, so the gift would be on another level compared to normal gifts.

“Please, take it,” Ethan said to her.

Josephine hesitated for a moment, then pushed his gift away. “It’s okay. Thank you, anyway. See you next time.”

Josephine chose not to accept it. She feared that if she did, she wouldn’t be able to give him something of equal value in return.

Josephine got into the car and closed the door. Luke told his assistant Brennen to quickly start driving and leave the place. He didn’t want Ethan to take even one more look at Josephine.

Ethan stood where he was, watching the car drive away. A hunter’s look flitted across his eyes.

He was definitely going to pursue this woman.

Josephine sat in the car, listening to the conversation between Heidi and Luke as she filled her mind with thoughts of Ethan. She wasn’t a fool; she could sense that Ethan was trying to pursue her.

But why was the man pursuing her? Did he think she was different and wanted to play with her? Or did he actually want to marry her after he won her heart?

If it were the former, Josephine would say no without hesitation, because she didn’t want to be any man’s toy. If it were the latter, she didn’t know this man that well, and she realized she never knew much about him save for his name.

After Luke’s car drove into the city, it headed east. Then, it finally pulled up in front of a row of old bungalows. Josephine and Heidi got out of the car, and Luke enthusiastically carried their luggage inside as well. Heidi asked Luke to stay for some tea and rest a while.

Luke couldn’t have asked for a better offer. However, Josephine was quite tired, so she went upstairs to rest. After clearing her luggage, Josephine lay on the bed. She didn’t want to do anything. She just wanted to lie in bed.

Just then, there was a notification on her phone. She usually didn’t care about messages, but this time, she actively grabbed her phone and looked at it. Her heart skipped a beat again.

It was a message from Ethan.

‘Have you arrived? Tell me when you’re home.’ He actually spoke as if he were her boyfriend.

Josephine’s face warmed up.

‘I just got home. Thank you for your concern,’ Josephine replied.

‘Are you free tonight? Maybe we can go out for dinner,’ he then asked.

Josephine instantly closed her eyes and buried her face in the blanket as she thought about it. He was asking her out so actively. If she agreed, would he think that she was an easy woman?

However, she simply wanted to go. Josephine felt like she was a walking contradiction. When she remembered the kiss on the boat, Josephine felt an electric current running through her body, numbing her.

She had never touched a man in her 25 years of existence, and it was quite sad to think about. If she had gotten into a serious relationship before, she would have had more experience in romance, and she wouldn’t be like a maiden who had to consider so much and be so fearful simply because a man asked her out for dinner.

‘To go or not to go?’ That was a question worth pondering.

‘It’s just a meal, so it won’t hurt to get to know each other, right?’ said one part of her. Another part of her retorted, saying, ‘You’ll have to treat him to another meal next time. Also, Mom said that if the place is not reachable by bus, it’s considered a far place to get married off to.’

She wasn’t even sure if Ethan was a local. If so, was it even necessary to continue interacting with him?

Just then, she received another message on her phone.

‘What’s the matter? Is it a bad time?’ the man asked.

‘Yes, I don’t think I can make it. Sorry!’ Josephine replied, declining. It was exactly because she was a calm and logical person that she would be single in her 25 years of existence. She analyzed every man who approached her like a calculator. If the person wasn’t someone worth dating, she wouldn’t even give the person a chance.

Unfortunately, Ethan was sorted into this category.

Josephine scratched her messy hair, then let out a sigh. Forget it. I’m not worthy of a super rich and handsome man like Ethan, anyway.

Josephine decided that she would stop asking for trouble. She would focus on her goals at work and see if she could become a news anchor before she turned 27. She couldn’t be a reporter forever!

Josephine continued in the direction she had planned for her life. Anything getting in the way of her progress could be abandoned. She wanted to focus on money and her career.

“Joey, come down! Luke is leaving.” Heidi knocked on the door, calling out.

Josephine opened the door. Luke had helped them out a lot, so she should see him off at least. When Josephine arrived at the hall, she saw him standing there. “Luke, thank you so much for your help throughout the trip. I’ll treat you to a meal next time.”

“Next time? Why not tonight? I’ll book a restaurant.” He didn’t want to miss the opportunity.

When Heidi heard that, she chimed, “Yes, let’s do it tonight! Joey, you’re always so busy with work, so who knows when you’ll have the time.”

Heidi was quite satisfied with Luke. After all, she knew his background well, and his grandfather was good friends with Josephine’s grandfather too. Heidi would be satisfied if her daughter could get married to Luke.

Josephine thought it made sense. She would have to start working soon, and she might get so busy that she wouldn’t even have time to eat.

“All right, tonight, then. My treat,” said Josephine.

“Okay, I’ll be here by 5.00PM,” Luke replied.

Josephine smiled. “Sure.”

After seeing Luke off, Josephine was about to leave when Heidi called out to her from the couch. “Joey, come take a seat. I have something to say to you.”

Josephine had no choice but to sit next to her mother. She then grabbed an orange to peel and eat.

“Tell me, what’s your relationship with Mr. Quarles? Why did he come over to pick you up too?”

“I don’t know either.”

“Where is he from? What’s his address? He looks like he’s of mixed heritage, so is he a foreigner?”

Heidi had quite a keen eye.

“Probably. He’s probably not from around here. Oh, he probably isn’t local too,” suggested Josephine.

When Heidi heard that, she sighed and said, “He’s handsome, and very rich as well. However, we’re just commoners, and we just want to live our lives in peace. So, I think Luke is a decent choice. He suits you.”

“Mom, can I really not marry off to a place far from home?” Josephine asked her mother earnestly.

Heidi gave her a look and even asked her a rhetorical question in annoyance, “What do you think?”

“Fine, I get it.” Josephine knew that the answer would be no. Actually, she was reluctant to get married off to a faraway place too. After giving birth to her, her mother couldn’t bear another child due to health reasons. Josephine was the only hope of the Jacobson Family.

She couldn’t abandon her parents and grandparents and just marry off to a place far from home. That would be cruel of her.

Meanwhile, at a luxurious 5-star hotel, Ethan sat on the couch and held a wine glass in his hand. There was silent contemplation behind his eyes. He never thought that Josephine would decline his invitation.

He was quite perplexed because no woman had ever rejected him. Of course, he wouldn’t carelessly ask any woman out for a meal either. Even if he did, it was purely for business purposes. Josephine was the first woman he asked out for personal reasons.

Just then, his assistant, Louis, passed him a piece of paper. “Sir, this is Miss Jacobson’s address, which I’ve asked around for.”

Ethan reached out and took it, his lips curving into a smile. Fine, if she’s not showing up, I’ll go to her myself!

Ethan wasn’t good at waiting. He would always find a way to get what he wanted or to invite the person he wanted to ask out.

After a nap, Josephine woke up to find that it was 4.30PM. She washed her hair, then picked an outfit suitable for early spring. After putting on some light makeup, she waited for Luke to come and pick her up.

Josephine glanced at her phone again. Ethan didn’t send her any messages after that. She subconsciously sneered. She was right to have declined him.

This man didn’t seem like the patient type.

Josephine shook her head, chasing her thoughts away. Instead, she decided to think about where she could bring Luke for dinner tonight. Josephine suddenly had a craving for a barbecue. All the wedding banquet offered was fine dining; hence, upon returning, she craved something more familiar and closer to home.

Barbecue it is, then.

Josephine sent Luke a message, asking him if he was up for some barbecue. Luke immediately replied, ‘Sure, I’d like some barbecue too. I’ll be there in 5 minutes.’

Josephine booked a reservation at the barbecue shop she frequented.

Meanwhile, on the street outside Josephine’s house, a black SUV was parked by the road. A certain man, who wasn’t too familiar with this area, was looking at the GPS. This was part of the old town area, so the streets were more closely woven, making it difficult for one to find one’s way.

Hence, the man could only get out of his car and ask an older man for instructions. The older man pointed ahead. “There’s a park in front. Drive in and you’ll get there.”

“Thank you.” Ethan smiled, then got into the car and continued driving. At the junction, Luke’s car also happened to turn onto the road.

Josephine stood at the door, waiting with her purse in hand. Soon, she saw Luke’s car heading her way. However, she didn’t notice a black SUV behind Luke’s car.

After pulling up, Luke got out of the car to open the car door for Josephine. At the same time, Ethan was looking at the signs. Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to a figure at the door. In an instant, he stepped on the brakes, sparks flying out of the tires as the car stopped and jerked forward a little.

The car stopped right at the door of Luke’s car, and Luke had just opened the door for Josephine.

Startled, Josephine held onto the car window as she looked at the car beside them. Just then, the window of the SUV rolled down. A handsome face with sunglasses came into view.

It was none other than Ethan. Josephine was completely stunned. He took off his sunglasses, his deep amber eyes staring at them. He finally knew why he was rejected.

This woman is going on a date with Luke. Ethan was greatly offended by what he saw, and Josephine’s mind turned blank for a few seconds. She never thought that Ethan would show up at her doorstep, even witnessing her getting into Luke’s car.

How awkward.

“Quarles, what are you doing here? Joey promised to have dinner with me tonight. Go back to where you came from,” Luke said rudely.

Ethan narrowed his eyes at Luke, then looked at Josephine. “Do you mind the three of us having dinner together?”

“I do mind,” Luke retorted.

Josephine also thought this wasn’t a good idea. Luke didn’t like Ethan, and Ethan didn’t seem too fond of Luke either. If they had a meal together, what would she do if they started a fight?

“I’m treating Luke to a meal tonight, so I’ll treat you to another meal next time, Mr. Quarles,” Josephine said, smiling. Then, she got into Luke’s car.

Luke’s car immediately made a U-turn, but the SUV behind it made a U-turn as well.

As Luke drove, he stared at the SUV, following closely behind them. Fuming, he said, “Why does this guy keep following us?”

Josephine couldn’t help but take a look in the rearview mirror. Ethan’s car kept tailing them, and even when Luke rounded the corner, Ethan followed suit. What is he trying to do?

“Maybe he’s going the same way as us,” Josephine said to Luke.

The barbecue shop was nearby, so with Josephine’s guidance, Luke arrived at the entrance right away.

Luke had just parked the car when the black SUV menacingly pulled up in the empty parking space next to them.

Josephine saw that as well, and she was stunned for a few seconds. Does he want to have dinner here as well?

Seeing the tall figure getting out of the driver’s seat, Josephine couldn’t help but go up to him and ask, “Mr. Quarles, are you having dinner here as well?”

“Yes. I don’t really know where to have dinner. Am I bothering you?” Ethan raised an eyebrow as he asked.

“Um, of course not.” Josephine smiled awkwardly.

Meanwhile, fearing that Ethan would snatch Josephine away, Luke reached out and grabbed Josephine’s hand. “Joey, let’s go in!”

Josephine was pulled away by Luke’s force, but she turned and glanced at Ethan behind her. She actually hoped that Ethan would go to another restaurant. With his identity, the barbecue might not be his jam.

Can he stand the heat? The food here is known for its spices!

Unexpectedly, there were quite a lot of customers at the barbecue shop. Luke and Josephine went over to the table they had reserved, and Josephine couldn’t help looking at Ethan. The waiter led Ethan to a table right next to theirs, and his seat was across Josephine’s.

Josephine awkwardly cleared her throat, but soon, she heard the whispering of the young female servers around her. They were praising how handsome the man who entered the barbeque restaurant was.

Sure enough, Ethan had charmed all the young waitresses in the restaurant as soon as he walked in.

Meanwhile, Ethan didn’t seem uncomfortable at the attention that he was getting at all. He was then served by a relatively innocent-looking waitress. He asked her questions whenever he didn’t understand something, and his amber-like eyes made her blush and stutter the entire time.

This scene, however, was seen by Josephine, who suddenly felt uncomfortable when she saw Ethan smiling charmingly at the waitress. Josephine didn’t feel like ordering anything, so she left it to Luke to do it for her. Luke ordered all the dishes on the menu as if he was afraid that there wouldn’t be enough for Josephine to eat. In reality, he had planned to take her to an upscale steakhouse, but since she wanted barbeque, he complied.

Finally, Ethan finished ordering his food, and as soon as the waitress left, his gaze shifted toward Josephine. He gave her a charming wink and a mischievous smile. At that moment, Josephine suddenly realized how charming his smile was. As she held her teacup, she smiled back politely and decided not to look at him anymore. After all, she was here with Luke, so why was she staring at him the whole time? It didn’t seem fair to Luke.

“Joey, my grandfather is turning 60 this week, and he’s definitely invited your grandfather. Come and join us for a meal and celebration.”

“Uh, let’s see. I have a lot of work to do, and I’m resuming work tomorrow.” Josephine politely declined, not exactly interested in attending gatherings with the older generation.

“I hope you can come.” Luke looked at her with pleading eyes.

“We shall see. I need to go to the bathroom,” Josephine said as she got up from her seat. She felt too uncomfortable with Ethan being there, as if his presence had affected the vibe so much that it made her feel hot and suffocating, but it was clearly spring.

As soon as Josephine entered the toilet cubicle, two female waitresses walked in and started talking about Ethan.

“Wow! He must be mixed-race! He has facial features that don’t look local.”

“He’s such a perfect-looking mixed-raced man! He’s like a real-life domineering CEO!”

“Exactly, being near him makes me feel nervous!”

“I wonder why he came to our restaurant alone to eat barbeque.”

“Hey, I noticed something. He seems to be constantly looking at that girl at the next table. Could it be that he came here for her?”

“Oh my god! That girl is so lucky to be pursued by such a handsome man. She is blessed!”

Josephine, who was inside the cubicle, couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Being pursued wasn’t necessarily a blessing; it was also a form of pressure. She couldn’t be sure if Ethan went there to eat because of her. What if he just wanted food? She believed that she shouldn’t flatter herself. Otherwise, the backlash could be painful.

After she got out of the cubicle, she washed her hands and returned to her seat. She then saw Ethan sitting under the light and wearing a black shirt that perfectly matched the surroundings. He seemed to be glowing, and even his hair strands were so good-looking.

On the other hand, Luke, who was sitting beside her, was irritated as Ethan clearly ruined his date with Josephine. Moreover, his existence overshadowed Luke’s advantages, leaving him with no chance.

This is truly outrageous.

After Josephine sat down, Luke instantly suggested, “Hey, let’s change seats and move to a private room.”

“Why?” Josephine asked.

“Because there’s someone I don’t want to see, and he’s affecting my appetite,” he replied.

Hearing that, she comforted him, “It’s okay. There’s just two of us so it’s inappropriate to change to a private room.”

“What’s inappropriate about it? I could easily buy this barbeque restaurant.” Luke took the chance to flaunt his wealth.

Hearing Luke’s remarks, Josephine reached out and grabbed her forehead as she was speechless after hearing his remarks. Luke was wealthy, but there was no need to flaunt it since it was just a meal.

“Luke, there’s no need to change seats. Let’s just eat here,” Josephine said, and the next moment, her glance accidentally landed on the man across from her. Although he was looking at his phone, he was smirking.

Noticing that made Josephine blush as it seemed like her thoughts had been seen through and that it was as if she refused to change seats because of him.

As soon as the dishes were served, for some reason, she stared at Ethan across from her and watched how he ate. Ethan ordered a single portion. Since he was born into a wealthy family, he possessed an inherent sense of nobility that made even eating barbeque seem elegant.

After a while, Josephine suddenly heard coughs from next to her. She glanced over and saw Ethan holding a glass of water while his fair face was flushed red. It was obvious that he choked on the spiciness.

“If you can’t eat spicy food, you shouldn’t have come here. You took it upon yourself.” Luke couldn’t help but sneer, showing off his quick wit.

With that, Josephine glanced at him before getting up and walking to Ethan’s side. “Mr. Quarles, are you okay?” she asked concernedly. Hearing that, Ethan raised his head, and his eyes were so red that they seemed like they had been stung, “I’m okay,” he replied.

“They are heavy on the spice over here. If you can’t handle spicy food, you can just have the non-spicy one,” Josephine suggested.

“Thank you for your concern, Miss Josephine.” Ethan smiled, looking very happy.

Suddenly, Luke started coughing as well. Hearing that, Josephine turned around and asked, “Luke, are you okay?”

“I choked. Joey, could you please pour me a glass of water?”

With that, Josephine quickly poured him a glass of water. Luke then added, “Joey, you’re so good to me.”

Josephine forced a smile upon hearing that and returned to her seat. She had originally planned to have a good meal, but after what just happened, she didn’t have much appetite.

Just then, the somewhat dispirited Luke called the waiter and asked for a bottle of beer. Josephine quickly said to him, “Luke, you shouldn’t drink since you’re driving tonight.”

“It’s okay. I can handle alcohol well. Drinking a glass won’t make me drunk, and it won’t show up on a test,” Luke said. He was feeling down and needed a drink to relax.

Meanwhile, Ethan obediently ate the non-spicy barbeque that he ordered. He didn’t seem hungry, and his gaze kept glancing toward Josephine, making her start eating more ladylike, unlike her hearty eating style. She was taking small bites and chewing softly. In fact, she didn’t want to act like this, but Ethan’s gaze exerted a kind of pressure, making her involuntarily want to be more refined in front of him.

Finally, Josephine finished eating. Luke ordered a lot, but she was full after just having a third of the food he ordered. Meanwhile, Luke had no appetite, so he drank a bottle of beer instead.

While Josephine went to the restroom, she paid the bill for both tables. When Luke wanted to get the bill, he complained, “Josephine, I know you said you are treating me, but I should be paying! How can I let you pay?”

“I told you I would treat you. Are you done? Let’s go,” Josephine said to him.

Noticing that, Ethan also got up and followed them out. When he got to the counter to pay, he realized that Josephine had paid his bill too. He was stunned for a few seconds and hurriedly walked out after Josephine and Luke when she saw them leave.

At the door, Luke took out his car key and said, “Josephine, do you want to go for a drive? It’s still early, and we can have something else to eat later.”

“No, I need to go home and get some work done.” Josephine made an excuse.

“It’s only 7.30PM. You’ll have enough time to work on it after I send you home. Let’s go and relax a bit,”

Luke insisted.

“Please send me home.” Josephine didn’t want to go out with him.

However, just as Josephine was about to get in the car, a man’s big hand grabbed her. She turned around in surprise, and Ethan pulled her to his side before saying, “He’s been drinking so you can’t ride in his car. It’s dangerous.”

Hearing that, Luke hastily explained, “Joey, I’m not drunk. I have a good tolerance for alcohol so you can rest assured.”

“I’m not reassured,” Ethan said in a deep voice. He then took Josephine’s hand. “I’ll take you home.”

“Uh! Well…” Josephine was momentarily stunned, but Ethan had already pulled her to the passenger seat of his car.

“Joey, I can take you home. I really can. Get in my car,” Luke said in a hurry.

“Luke, you should rest and sober up before driving again. Drinking and driving is no joke. I’ll let Mr.

Quarles took me home first,” Josephine suggested and then got into Ethan’s car. Luke was extremely remorseful and regretted drinking that bottle of beer.

With that, Ethan also got into the car, and the black SUV drove away. Josephine saw Ethan press on the navigation system a few times with his fingers, and a clear route was mapped out. She thought this was where he was heading to.

“Mr. Quarles, please turn left up ahead.” She pointed to the road.

However, Ethan ignored her and continued driving straight ahead. Josephine’s hand was awkwardly suspended in mid-air, which she withdrew sheepishly shortly after.

“Mr. Quarles, you took the wrong way.”

“No, I don’t want to take you home yet.” Ethan looked at her.

“Where are you taking me if you’re not taking me home?” Josephine was stunned.

“For a drive, and then later, we get dinner together.” Ethan turned Luke’s arrangement into his own.

Josephine’s face turned red. She had just refused Luke, so how could she still agree to Ethan’s request? Wouldn’t it make her appear fickle?

“I have to go home to get some work done, so you should just give me a ride home,” Josephine said.

Hearing that, Ethan turned his head and glanced at her before chuckling, “Do you think I can’t tell that you made the excuse up to reject him?”

Realizing that Ethan had seen right through her and even called her out for it, she was so embarrassed that her face turned red. “Mr. Quarles, are you that confident that I’d go for a ride with you?” Josephine replied sarcastically.

“Don’t you want to?” Ethan chuckled.

“I don’t want to,” Josephine announced, wanting to see his reaction.

“Then I will be sad. You rejected my offer to give you a ride earlier on and even refused to have dinner with me. Now, you are again rejecting my offer to give you a ride. You sure are hurting my feelings.” He sighed dejectedly.

“How hard could it be for you to find someone to accompany you? I believe that with just a call from you, a dozen girls will willingly turn up.” Josephine looked out the window and realized that it felt nice to sit in his car.

“I don’t need a dozen girls. I only want to invite you,” Ethan answered solemnly while looking ahead.

Josephine choked upon hearing that and then laughed. “Mr. Quarles, your words might make me misunderstand.”

“What misunderstanding?”

“I might misunderstand that you are pursuing me.”

“Can’t you tell that I’m pursuing you?” Ethan stopped the car at a traffic light and spoke these words to her while staring at her.

Josephine was speechless when she heard that. “What do you like about me?” she asked curiously.

Ethan squinted his eyes and gave her question some thought, but he couldn’t think of a reason. “I don’t know. I just like the feeling of being with you.” He laughed.

“That’s probably just a momentary feeling.” Josephine analyzed his actions and gave him a conclusion.

“Doesn’t love generally start from the momentary feeling of newness?” Ethan overturned her theory.

“The sense of newness will eventually wear off. There’s an expiry date to it.”

“Then is there anything on earth that lasts forever? The feeling might wear off faster for some people but for certain people, it lasts longer.” Ethan refuted her theory.

Josephine was once again at a loss for words, but she had to admit that he had a point.

“Miss Josephine, are you that timid? You’re already thinking of backing out before we even start dating?” He suddenly challenged her.

Finally, Ethan’s car arrived at the final destination. It was a private restaurant where he originally wanted to invite her to dinner. Alas, she rejected his offer to have dinner together. By now, it was almost 9.00PM, and of course, Ethan hadn’t eaten enough because he wasn’t used to the food at the barbeque place.

Josephine, on the other hand, wasn’t full either from the dinner earlier on. Since Ethan brought her to the restaurant, she sat down and ordered. Fine dining was in a league of its own due to its beautiful plating and the expensive fresh ingredients used for the dish. Given her salary, Josephine couldn’t afford to eat this kind of food, so on that evening, she was lucky enough to enjoy a delicious dinner.

The restaurant was located at a high enough location that one could admire the beautiful scenery along the river. After Josephine had eaten enough, she stood there while admiring the scenery. After a while, she suddenly felt a hand grabbing her from behind her. The next moment, she noticed Ethan walking over, and his slender arm directly pulled her toward him while her body was against the railing.

Josephine got nervous. Why is he trying to be so intimate? We aren’t at this stage yet! She could smell the faint smell of sandalwood from his body, making her heart pound. She wasn’t sure if she was dizzy from overeating or if it was because of his presence. In any case, Josephine felt it was time to go back.

“Mr. Quarles, it’s late. I should go back.” As soon as Josephine finished speaking, she turned around and pushed his arm away before walking out of his encirclement. Noticing that Ethan smiled and picked up his car keys. “Okay, I’ll send you home.”

“It’s alright. I can easily take a cab from here, so I don’t want to trouble you.” Just as Josephine finished speaking, she picked up her bag and left the private room.

Suddenly, Ethan followed her into the elevator as he couldn’t let her take a cab home alone that late at night.

When Josephine saw him follow her into the lift, she thanked him. “Thank you for treating me to dinner tonight.”

“You just treated me to a meal too, didn’t you?” he replied.

Hearing that, Josephine couldn’t help but laugh as just a cup of tea at the restaurant cost as much as what he ate in a barbeque restaurant!

When they arrived at the parking lot downstairs, Josephine was about to take a cab home, but Ethan had already domineeringly grabbed her hand and taken her to his car. She was stunned for a few seconds and had no choice but to let him take her home. On the way home, Ethan turned on the music, and the atmosphere in the car was very relaxed. Unexpectedly, he could take her home without her having to give him directions.

When they reached, Josephine got out of the car and waved at him. “Drive slowly. See you.”

“As you say, we will definitely see each other again.” Ethan looked deeply into her eyes and smiled.

Josephine’s face flushed slightly. Isn’t ‘see you’ just a common phrase? He was taking it too literally.

“Drive slowly.” Josephine had to repeat herself. As she watched him drive away, she heaved a sigh of relief and felt relaxed.

As soon as she entered her house with her bag in her hand, she saw her mother cleaning the hallway.

Noticing her, Heidi looked up at her and asked curiously, “Why are you back so late?”

Just as Josephine was about to brush it off, Heidi immediately smelled the odor on her and said, “You reek of barbeque. Change into some clean clothes and get them washed.”

Josephine’s face flushed slightly as she quickly sniffed her body and hair. Ah! She smelled of barbeque. Instantly, a question popped up in her mind. Did Ethan also smell it? Did he mind it? With that, Josephine went upstairs, took a shower, and prepared herself mentally to welcome the new day with a positive attitude, even though she didn’t want to go to work at all.

However, she couldn’t fall asleep in bed. She wasn’t reminiscing about her vacation, but rather, her mind was filled with the image of Ethan that she couldn’t shake off. When she closed her eyes, she would either imagine his kiss, his smile, or his figure.

As a result, she couldn’t fall asleep until two in the morning when she finally dozed off slowly. Just as she was about to get into a deep sleep, her alarm clock rang incessantly. Josephine drowsily reached out and turned it off. After that, she went back to sleep again.

At 9.30AM, Heidi thought Josephine had gone to work and decided to go over and clean her room. But when she pushed the door open, she saw her daughter sleeping soundly while hugging the blanket.

“Joey, Joey, why aren’t you at work? Are you taking a day off today?” Heidi asked as she patted her.

Josephine immediately sat up, which startled Heidi.

“Mom, what time is it?” Josephine asked with a panicked look in her eyes.

“It’s already 9.30PM!”

“Oh my god! I’m going to be late for my morning meeting.” Josephine exclaimed before jumping out of bed and rushing into the bathroom. Five minutes later, she came out of the bathroom to get dressed.

Heidi, on the other hand, was used to seeing her daughter’s frantic behavior. She knew that it was her daughter’s nature, so she thought it would be good enough if she could find a man to marry her, and that Josephine shouldn’t be too picky.

“Mom, I’m leaving!” Josephine shouted from the changing room before rushing down the stairs and heading to her car which was parked in the yard. She quickly got into her hatchback car and sped off.

Josephine did her best to hurry. Along the way, she received reminders from her colleague Wren, who also sent her a message asking, ‘We’re in the meeting room. Where are you?’

When Josephine arrived at the company building, she rushed into the meeting room with her bag as fast as she could but was still half an hour late.

Mr. Fox’s expression didn’t look good, and the other staff members cast glances at her. Noticing that, Josephine smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I got stuck in traffic on the way.”

“From what I know, there’s never been traffic on the roads you take to work. If you’re late, you’re late.

There’s no need for excuses. Take a seat!” Mr. Fox had a good understanding of Josephine’s work attitude.

During the meeting, they talked about the exclusive broadcasting rights given by the Presgrave Corporation, and Mr. Fox even praised Josephine a few times. She didn’t expect to be given an award or anything like that as she knew that her department was always stingy, and the management was even reluctant to pay overtime.

After the meeting, a group of young girls gathered around her, asking her to share what she saw at the wedding. The most important thing was whether she met any wealthy person. Josephine had indeed noticed quite a few super-rich people who had made headlines internationally.

“Joey, did you meet any handsome men?” Wren asked.

“Um, yes,” Josephine answered truthfully.

“How handsome? Can you show us a picture?”

With that, Josephine immediately selected a photo of Ethan from her phone and show it to them.

“Oh, my God!” A group of female colleagues instantly exclaimed.

“Josephine, what’s your relationship with this guy?”

“He’s just a handsome guy I met at the wedding. Nothing is going on between us,” Josephine replied somewhat nervously.

“Joey, can we do a news feature on this handsome guy? Our entertainment news department is lacking this kind of handsome man that is hard to come by. I believe that if he shows up, the traffic of our news channel will definitely surge through the roof.”

Josephine immediately took back her phone and refused, “No way! We cannot infringe on someone’s image rights. You can look, but you cannot share it with others.”

After dispersing the group of colleagues, Wren from the next table came over and asked, “Hey, have you heard? Miss Ain might be retiring.”

“Why?” Josephine asked surprisedly.

“I heard she got sick and needs to rest. Moreover, she has to go abroad for treatment, so her position will be vacant. Many people are eyeing it!” Wren finished speaking and signaled to her. “I think you have a chance at it.”

Of course, Josephine also wanted to get the position because her initial dream was to be a news anchor, who sit in front of the anchor desk and broadcast news. She wanted to become a well-known female news anchor.

However, the competition in this industry was too fierce. After working as a journalist for three years, there was finally a vacancy now. Who wouldn’t want to move up?

“I’d like that, but it also depends on the management’s arrangements,” Josephine said, trying not to reveal her thoughts because rumors were frightening, and she had experienced being backstabbed.

Thus, she decided to observe discreetly.

“Josephine, write these press releases and hand them to me before you leave work.” A female voice rang. Following that, a few documents were thrown on Josephine’s desk, which startled her. She looked up and saw an egoistic woman looking at her with her arms folded. It was Katrina, the director’s sister-in-law. She was one of the most arrogant people in the TV studio, and unfortunately, she disliked Josephine the most.

After Josephine accepted the task, she had no option but to start working. She skillfully read through the materials as she tapped on the laptop’s keyboard.

At this moment, the entire TV station was discussing who would take over Ain Lisette’s position as the female anchor. Of course, the station intended to promote several newcomers to train them. The first position Josephine interviewed for was the position of a female anchor, so she had never given up on this dream. She dreamt of becoming a well-known female anchor, and now, after three years of waiting, the position was finally available. Plenty of people were eyeing the position, and Katrina was one of them. Moreover, she was the director’s sister-in-law, so she was undoubtedly the person with the highest chance to move up. However, she wasn’t a graduate of mass communication, so this could potentially stand as her obstacle.

On the other hand, Josephine was the most outstanding in terms of appearance, professionalism, and broadcasting ability. Therefore, she and Katrina had become the most likely competitors for the position.

Josephine spent the whole morning writing manuscripts and went to the company canteen with Wren for lunch in the afternoon. The two sat in an unnoticeable corner. Suddenly, someone walked over with a tray. As Josephine looked up, she saw Katrina sitting across from her while giving shooting over a hostile glare.

“Josephine, don’t even think of trying to take Ain’s position. My brother-in-law has reserved that position for me,” she said directly.

That made Josephine laugh. She calmly retorted, “The company is not your home. I believe that the most suitable person should get the position.”

“You… I know you have some skills, but you’re not good enough for this position. Let me make it clear, this position will definitely be mine. Everyone else can forget about taking it, or I’ll ask my sister to sack them,” she warned. With that, Katrina picked her plate up and left.

Right after, Wren turned her head and watched her leave before turning to look at Josephine and said, “Look at how arrogant she is. She’s lucky that her sister gave birth to three chubby sons for the director. That gave her the confidence to act so arrogantly.”

Everyone working in the TV station knew that the director’s wife wore the pants in their relationship, which was why Katrina was bold enough to make such remarks. It might be true that the director had reserved the position for her.

“Joey, are you still planning to compete for the position?”

Josephine, who had been planning her career path, knew very well that if she didn’t make it this year, it would be even harder to do so in the future, so she would definitely fight for it.

“If I don’t fight for it this year, I won’t have a chance in the future. I won’t give up.” There was a glint in Josephine’s eyes.

Wren knew her limitations, and she didn’t qualify in terms of her appearance and credentials.

Just then, Josephine’s phone rang, and upon looking at it, she noticed that Ethan had sent her a message.

‘Are you at work?’

‘Yes.’ Josephine replied.

‘Is it convenient for you to come out and see me? I’m at your company’s entrance.’ He sent another message.

After reading his message, Josephine took a deep breath. He’s here? At the company’s entrance?

‘I’m at the company. Wait a minute, I’ll come down to see you.’ Josephine thought that it might be rude of her if she refused to see him when he had come all the way here to see her. Josephine had a few bites of food and then left.

At the front entrance of the Tribus TV in Averna, an eye-catching black Rolls-Royce was parked nearby which attracted the attention of passersby who were all thinking that some big shot was there to pick up a beautiful girl.

As soon as Josephine walked out of the door, she saw the car, but she wasn’t sure if it was Ethan’s.

She approached it and bent down to look through the window. The next moment, the car window was rolled down, revealing a handsome man.