As Frederick approached, Fiona bounced over and eagerly handed him the "special" orange juice."Ann asked me to give this to you," she said.Frederick looked at the murky concoction with confusion. "Why is this orange juice black?"Fiona put on a show of being offended. "Because it's fancy imported black orange juice, silly! Don't you trust Anya's gift? Or are you scared she'd try to poison you?"Frederick simply replied with his straightforward and honest nature, "Oh, it's from my sweetheart? Then I'll drink it." He gulped down a large mouthful before Anya could even stop him.Anya could only shake her head in exasperation. Fiona was too mischievous, and Frederick too trusting.He deserved to be tricked!Fiona leaned back and expected a look of disgust on Frederick's face.However, Frederick wiped his mouth and said, "Wow, this is actually good! Must be some high-quality black orange juice!"Anya and Fiona's jaws dropped. It was a concoction of orange juice, soy sauce, and
Fueled by anger, Fiona stormed upstairs, her cheeks puffed like a disgruntled chipmunk. Anya quickly followed as she knew Fiona all too well. Fiona was not one to take things lying down. Frederick didn't manage to make her cry this time, and Anya considered it a stroke of luck.As she marched upstairs, Anya shot a withering glance at Frederick, silently pinning the blame on him.Frederick could only rub his nose helplessly. It wasn't his fault Fiona started the prank war after all.In her room on the second floor, Fiona unleashed a torrent of fury and pummeled her teddy bear."What a jerk! How dare you mess with me! Just wait, I'll pay you back for this! I'll punch you to death!" Fiona's threats dissolved into a flurry of childish violence against the defenseless toy.Anya watched with a sigh as Fiona vented her frustration. "Fiona, no amount of punching the bear will faze Frederick one bit."The truth of Anya's words hit Fiona. Deflated, she tossed the bear aside and jumped of
The last line of the agreement read. "No thinking about me or my cousin without permission."Frederick's bewilderment morphed into full-blown shock with each new restriction. How could they possibly regulate his thoughts? Even a dictator would find Fiona's demands excessive."This is ridiculous!" he finally sputtered. However, Fiona puffed out her chest with self-righteousness radiating from her. "Anya and I are innocent women, Frederick. Protecting ourselves from a... a man like you seems perfectly reasonable. Isn't that right, Ann?"She then turned to Anya.Anya was caught off guard and found Fiona's words oddly persuasive. They weren't romantically involved, and boundaries were important.What if Frederick did have ulterior motives? Additionally, it was her duty to ensure her safety as Fiona's cousin.The stricter the rules, the less likely anything inappropriate would happen."You're right, Fiona. This agreement is a good idea. We need to be careful. What if he sees you
The next morning, as usual, Frederick woke up early.He found Anya and Fiona still nestled in their beds. When he reached the kitchen, he saw the ingredients scattered across the counters and decided to make a simple breakfast for them.The aroma of cooking wafted through the house, reaching Anya and Fiona as they descended the stairs. Their eyes, drawn by the delicious aroma, landed on Frederick in the kitchen, sporting an apron and moving with practiced ease.Anya's already frosty demeanor seemed to dip a few degrees further. "A grown man, fussing over a stove? Utterly useless!"Fiona silently nodded in agreement. Her dislike for Frederick intensified after yesterday's incident, especially after Anya's comment about having to marry someone who saw her body. The thought of being tied to such an ordinary man left a bitter taste in her mouth.Frederick beamed as he placed steaming hot pancakes and scrambled eggs"Breakfast is ready, sweetheart! Don't let it get cold. There wasn't
Suddenly, an idea struck Frederick."Sweetheart, your company is mine too. Isn't that being successful enough?"Anya's brows furrowed as she coldly retorted, "Cut the crap. If you're a real man, get a job! Your idleness at home disgusts me."She stood up angrily and was ready to leave.Frederick pondered for a moment. If Anya didn't believe the company was his, perhaps he should find a job first. Having Uncle Sylvester prove it might only worsen things.Anya's voice dripped with disdain, "You know, my father sent me your details long ago. You have no education, no skills, and a divorce to your name. Even college graduates are scrambling for jobs these days. For a drifter like you, it's simply out of the question."Her words stung, even if they weren't entirely baseless. The global economic slump had made finding work a brutal endeavor across all sectors. Manual labor was no exception, especially for someone of Frederick's slight build and lack of experience or qualifications.
After finishing the dishes, Frederick resolved to find a job to please Anya.He analyzed his situation. His life had been dedicated to cultivating and learning various skills, leaving him with no practical work experience. It was Blazeheart who had always managed the company's affairs.Since returning to Jenaire City, he had remained by Priscilla's side—not working at all. The prospect of finding a job now felt daunting.Turning on his phone, Frederick began searching for job openings in Jenaire City. Suddenly, a top-listed advertisement caught his eye."Timbergale Corporation, hiring urgently…"He didn't bother reading the details, assuming that any company paying for a top-listed ad must be wealthy, well-established, and genuinely in need of employees. Such a company seemed like a good place to gain experience before returning to his own company to support his sweetheart.For now, he wanted to keep the ownership of her company a secret, fearing she might quit in anger if she
The cleaning lady clutched her aching back as she settled into a chair. "Don't worry about me. Go on to your interview, or you'll miss your chance."Olivia Benson, who had shown kindness to the cleaning lady, felt a wave of despair wash over her as she stood at the back of the now-orderly line.Her selfless act had cost her a prime spot in the queue, diminishing her chances of securing the coveted job. She had waited patiently since morning, even skipping lunch.The thought of returning home empty-handed filled her with dread, knowing it would deeply disappoint her mother. Despite the setback, Olivia remained resolute, determined to seize any opportunity that might arise.Witnessing this scene, Frederick's anger surged.He marched toward the unruly crowd, his voice booming with authority as he shouted, "Out of my way! You think such behavior is acceptable for those seeking employment at the company?"The raucous crowd fell silent, quickly forming an orderly line. They mistook Fre
Just then, a confident interviewee approached, his thick glasses framing a face well-acquainted with the sales industry.He held his resume with a testament to years of experience.However, Frederick didn't bother to look at the resume. A single glance at the thick lenses was enough for him to dismiss the candidate."With glasses that thick, you must be at least 800 degrees nearsighted. Get out, we don't need you here."The confident interviewee felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. His years of work experience had been ignored, and he was judged solely by his glasses.Indignation rose within him as he retorted, "What gives you the right to discriminate against the nearsighted? Where in Salmasian's policy does it say we can't apply?"In an age where smartphones were ubiquitous, it was rare for adults not to be nearsighted. Many in the crowd wore glasses and were also taken aback by Frederick's words.Hearing the bespectacled man's protest, they rallied be