During middle school, Elio spent countless hours poring over foreign language articles in his study. His world echoed with the presence of teachers, test papers, and homework. That year, Zach passed away, marking the most painful and helpless period of his life. One day, outside the study's balcony, Candice tugged at Elio's glass door with a kite in her hand. When he opened the door, Candice handed him the string. "Uncle Elio, my cousin said you seem pitiful and you're always studying. Take a break. Let's look at the sky, and fly a kite." It was then, during his middle school years, that he first flew a kite. For the first time, he lifted his head to see the color of the sky and watch the kite soar. He felt utterly inferior even to a mere kite. Afterward, Candice often snuck behind the balcony, secretly handing him items as entertainment like game consoles, chess sets, comics, dartboards, and even water guns. She laughed a lot as if her life had never known sorrow or worr
The golden sunlight streamed into the balcony garden, where flowers bloomed and greenery thrived. Candice awoke naturally, groggily reaching for her phone. One glance at the time made her bolt upright in bed. She hurriedly threw off the covers and rushed into the bathroom. After freshening up and getting dressed, she grabbed her bag and left her room. Passing through the living room, she saw Elio sitting at the dining table with two plates of breakfast and two glasses of milk in front of him. "Good morning," Candice said nervously as she approached. "I didn't hear the alarm. I'm sorry. Is there any work planned for today?" Elio, with his usual calm demeanor, gestured to the plate opposite him. "I made an extra portion. Join me for breakfast." He made this? Candice looked at the breakfast in surprise. There was a peeled and sliced egg, some blanched broccoli, a pancake, and some fruits. It looked both exquisite and healthy but was presented quite plainly, certainly not the wor
In the morning, they visited the event site. The team was busy setting up and decorating, and the basic framework of the venue was almost complete. After working there for a while, they had to head to the branch office for a meeting. The meeting started at 11:00 am and went on until 1:00 pm. Candice sat in the corner, her stomach growling and she yawned frequently. She rubbed her tired neck, swaying gently in her seat. When her gaze inadvertently met Elio's, she immediately straightened up, adopting a posture of utmost attention, even holding her breath. Anxious waves crashed over her. Candice worried that Elio might have noticed her small fidgeting actions and found it absurd. She mentally scolded herself for being so careless. As the meeting carried on, Sean appeared suddenly and whispered in Candice's ear. "Ms. Candice, please come with me." Swiftly gathering her notebook, Candice inquired cautiously, "Is something wrong?" With a gesture, Sean beckoned her to follow.
Candice couldn't shake the memory of the breakfast Elio had prepared personally, a gentle warmth still lingering within her. Mervyn scoffed, "Not only is he utterly useless, but he also wears that deadpan expression, like the world is against him or something. His face, all cold and sour!" Grumbling, Candice interjected, "Merv, can you stop criticizing him?" "Are you bothered?" Mervyn inquired. "No," Candice replied, her insincerity peeking through. With a faint smile, Mervyn stated, "I can tell you're bothered. Give me your address, I'll come pick you up. I'll treat you to some delicious food and bring you around." "But I'm not done with work yet.""What kind of nonsense job is this? Forget about it, I'll take care of you." Candice smiled wryly and responded, "I can handle myself, thanks for the offer." Before she could finish, the office door swung open, and Elio emerged, his expression sour. Feeling flustered, Candice assumed Elio was upset because she'd left th
Candice studied Elio with a furrowed brow, perplexed by the bitterness in his tone.Had she misinterpreted something?Visibly disheartened, Elio met her gaze for a tense moment before abruptly exiting the car."Sean, please take her," he instructed icily before slamming the door and striding away.Candice was utterly bewildered.Following Elio's directive, Sean swiftly started the engine and executed a sharp U-turn.As the car continued along the road, Sean spoke up, "Ms. Candice, do you have an address in mind? I'll take you wherever you need to go."Candice hesitated, puzzled by Sean's question.Wasn't he supposed to take her back to the hotel to rest?Just as Candice was about to respond, her phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, she saw it was Mervyn calling.Upon picking up Mervyn's call, Candice was met with his inquiry about her work progress and dinner plans, followed by a request to meet up.After a brief exchange with Mervyn, Candice turned to Sean and politely re
With roadside parking off-limits, Sean skillfully maneuvered the car into the nearest parking lot.Equipped with a black umbrella, he splashed through the pooled water to join Elio, shielding him from the unrelenting rain.At that moment, Sean found himself at a loss for words.After all, he had been the one to bring Candice to this location.Upon returning to the banquet, Sean discovered that Elio was already outside, making his way directly to this very spot.Having stood by Elio's side for many years, Sean was intimately familiar with almost every aspect of his life.What he witnessed in Elio was a man devoid of joy, weighed down by the expectations of his parents.Every facet of Elio's existence—his career, his future, even his marriage—had been meticulously orchestrated by them.Since birth, Elio had never experienced true autonomy. He was merely a puppet shaped by the Hoffis family to inherit their fortune.For someone like Elio, who had always been drawn to Candice's ca
As Candice's mind continued to wander, her emotions weighed heavily on her.She found herself in a perpetual battle to understand Elio's intentions, her mind engulfed by thoughts of him as she attempted to unravel his innermost feelings.Unable to hold back, Candice released a deep sigh.Mervyn chuckled softly, remarking, "Look at that—our carefree Candice, sighing just like the rest of us."Snapping back to reality, Candice couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, it's strange. I don't know when it happened, but it seems I've picked up some worries too," she confessed."It sounds like a sign of growing up," Mervyn observed.With a playful pout, Candice muttered, "If growing up means having worries, I'd rather not grow up at all.""Tell me, is something at work bothering you?" Mervyn asked, keeping his eyes on the road.Candice shook her head, her mind preoccupied.Mervyn's expression darkened slightly, his tone growing more serious. "Is it about relationships, then?"At Mervyn's prob
Elio's deep voice softly pronounced her name. "Candice."Perplexed, Candice responded, "Yes?""Candice," he called out once more."I'm here, right beside you. What's wrong?" Candice replied patiently."Candice, Candice..." Elio's voice grew heavier, infused with a sense of desolation. As he continued, his eyes reddened further, his gaze gradually drifting away.Observing Elio's condition, Candice felt utterly bewildered.She had been by his side the whole time, so why was he repeatedly calling her name without providing any further explanation?Was he intoxicated?With a bitter twist to his lips, Elio struggled to speak, his words slow and labored. "Ca… Can… dice."Concern etched on her face, Candice leaned closer. Meeting his gaze, she reassured him. "I'm here." Elio stole a glance at her, offering a faint smile before reclining further back on the sofa. With his eyes closed, he murmured, "You've intruded into my dreams once more.""What?" Candice couldn't quite grasp his