Chapter 1

Lynn Newman opened her eyes, surrounded by waves of sharp pain.

“Are you awake?”

A cold voice echoed in my ears.

Lynn Newman lifted her eyelids, only to meet those cold, peach-colored eyes.

Stunned.

“Julie Berkeley?” Lynn Newman exclaimed in surprise. The man before her wore a white shirt and black casual pants, looking neat and tidy, refined yet handsome. In her memory, he always appeared this calm and composed.

Even if two people had just engaged in intimate activity not long ago.

Thinking about the madness that followed last night’s hangover, Lynn Newman rubbed her swollen forehead, feeling a headache coming on. She admitted that she really liked Julie Berkeley, but never imagined that one day she’d actually take the initiative to…

In a moment of distraction, a bath towel suddenly appeared before her eyes. Lynn Newman’s face turned red with embarrassment. She looked up in confusion, only to hear Julie Berkeley say, “I’m sorry I ruined your dress. Someone went to buy you a new one this morning. It should be your size. The clothes are in the bathroom. You can get ready before coming down for breakfast. We can discuss the rest later.”

Perhaps it was his gentle tone that made her act. Lynn Newman nodded absentmindedly. By the time she came back to her senses, the bedroom door had already been closed again.

Letting out a deep sigh of relief, Lynn Newman glanced around the bedroom. The minimalist, Japanese-style decor reflected Julie Berkeley’s very personality.

With a gentle and delicate appearance, he became the boss of a listed company at a young age. He’s the ideal husband in the hearts of countless girls.

She shook her head, pushing all those wild thoughts aside. She pulled back the covers and, upon seeing the purple and blue marks on her smooth, delicate skin, couldn’t help but exclaim, “Damn it.”

The clothes chosen by Julie Berkeley were perfect: a loose white shirt from Reiss, paired with asymmetrical, loose casual pants from Maxmara. Lynn Newman, who is 168 cm tall, wore the outfit in a way that gave off a laid-back vibe.

A stylish woman on the go—that’s exactly how the media describe that beautifully poised woman in the mirror.

Lynn Newman is a popular actress. In her seven years in the industry, every one of her works has been of high quality.

And Julie Berkeley happened to be the big boss of the company she signed with.

Thinking of this, Lynn Newman couldn’t help but cover her face in embarrassment. She knew she had a poor tolerance for alcohol, but she never expected it to be so bad that she’d end up sleeping with her own boss.

With a nervous heart, she went downstairs. The delicate scent of scrambled eggs and toasted bread filled her nostrils. Lynn Newman’s stomach growled loudly, just as the man busy in the kitchen heard it.

He turned sideways and said with a raised eyebrow, “Please sit down first. It won’t take long.”

Lynn Newman sat down at the dining table, her face flushed with embarrassment. Watching the usually sharp-minded president skillfully wielding the spatula, she felt a sense of peace and tranquility. She quickly shook her head, trying to suppress the tender thoughts rising in her heart.

The breakfast was simple yet nutritious: a piece of buttered bread with a golden crust, a poached egg, and a cup of hot milk.

Both of them had excellent manners. They ate breakfast in silence, without feeling any awkwardness or discomfort around each other.

After breakfast, Lynn Newman took the initiative to clear the table.

Seeing this, Julie Berkeley didn’t object either. He went straight into the study and brought back a folder. When Lynn Newman finished packing up, she found Berkeley sitting on the sofa in the living room, reading a financial newspaper with a relaxed demeanor.

She thought for a moment, then stepped forward.

“President.”

Julie Berkeley gestured for her to sit down, then poured her a cup of black tea. Her thoughtful and gentle actions made Lynn Newman’s heart, which had just started to calm down, start pounding again.

Seeming to sense her unease, Julie Berkeley gently broke the awkward silence. With a light-hearted tone, she joked with herself, “To be honest, this is my first time encountering such a situation. I spent the whole night wondering what to do. I want to make it up to you, but I feel like it might seem too insincere. I’m afraid you might think I’m some kind of troublemaker.”

Lynn Newman felt increasingly guilty, since she was the one who had gotten the upper hand in the situation.

To her surprise, Julie Berkeley said something that left her stunned: “I’ll take responsibility for you. This is the marriage agreement, detailing all my assets and my personal information. Next Monday morning, let’s go to the civil affairs office to get our marriage certificates.”

“Cough, cough, cough…” Lynn Newman choked on the tea and began to cough violently.

A large, warm hand gently stroked her back, while a pleasant male voice whispered in her ear, “If you’re worried that I won’t keep my word, I can ask a friend to help us get the marriage certificate issued on Saturday.”

His serious expression deeply touched Lynn Newman’s cold heart.

“I need to think about it first.”

To be honest, this was the most embarrassing escape of her entire life.

All the way, Lynn Newman’s head was in a complete mess.

What does Julie Berkeley mean?

Who is he? He’s the most prominent and handsome young man in Ancheng, a rising star in the financial industry according to business magazines. He comes from a prominent family, has excellent educational background, and possesses a refined and handsome appearance. He’s also known for his integrity and honesty. He never had any scandals before the age of thirty.

Now, this chosen one of heaven has proposed to me.

Damn it!

Before she could leave the residential complex, a black Hummer pulled up beside her. The window rolled down slowly. “Miss Newman, the gentleman asked me to take you back.”

“No need.” Still trying to process the shocking news she had just heard, Lynn Newman didn’t dare get into Julie Berkeley’s car. It wasn’t that she was being petty or judgmental, but she simply didn’t want to get too involved with Julie Berkeley at this moment.

The driver couldn’t help but marvel at his boss’s foresight. He said, “The sir said that with your appearance right now, you’d definitely cause quite a stir on the streets. Besides, Jinjia Garden is quite far from the city center. It’ll be difficult to get a taxi here.”

After much deliberation, Lynn Newman resigned herself to getting into the car.

Clearly, she was overthinking things. The driver simply took her back to her apartment and left.

This further highlights Julie Berkeley’s thoughtfulness.

Dragging her tired body to the soft bed in the apartment, a cheerful ringtone from her phone suddenly filled the room. Lynn Newman picked up the phone and glanced at the name displayed on the screen. Her chest tightened slightly. With a mocking smile, she hung up the phone. The person on the other end kept calling repeatedly, driving Lynn Newman to fury. She finally turned off her phone completely.

The apartment was instantly filled with dead silence.

Lynn Newman raised her right arm and looked at the faint red scar on it. Her thoughts wandered into a sea of memories.

Ah, back then, I was such a naive and foolish person.