Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 1541-1550

Connor gave his wife’s idea a thought and reckoned that it was reasonable. He then nodded. “You’re right. I can be in charge of her romantic future.”

“That’s right! So, we should look for a boy from a good family to woo Ellen as soon as possible. Since Ellen hasn’t been exposed to the world much, she might just agree to get married right away.” Olivia was immersed in her imagination.

After pondering for a bit, he stated, “I’ve got a friend. His son is twenty-six this year, and he seems to be looking for a wife. Perhaps I could introduce Ellen to him.”

“You should do that, then! We’ll match them up by then and have her married to him!” Olivia was relieved by the future she fantasized about.

Meanwhile, in another room, Selena no longer had the energy to do anything. Whenever the thought of Ellen and Jared’s relationship arose in her mind, she would behave as though she lost her source of happiness, feeling that no matter how marvelous of a life she led or how excellent her job was, she could never be as happy as Ellen, who got to enjoy Jared’s care.

The next morning, Ellen came to the company early. Being the diligent person she was, she wiped the surface of the desks around her even though the janitor had done that before her, perfecting the cleanliness by tidying up the desks and leaving behind a satisfying sight.

At half past nine, she took the opportunity to visit the Human Resource Department and looked for the lady manager who arranged her accommodation. The manager was surprised to see her knocking on her doors and entering her office.

“How may I help you?”

“Excuse me, Miss Curry. Has there been some kind of mistake in the living quarter the company arranged for me?” Ellen sternly inquired.

“What’s wrong? Could you not find it yesterday?”

“It’s not that. I’ve found it, but the room is too big and lavish… Why am I, a mere receptionist, assigned to such an extravagant unit?” Ellen genuinely hoped that the company was mistaken.

Hearing that, Joanna, the manager, immediately laughed aloud. It was her first time seeing someone complaining about the spaciousness of the living quarter assigned to them. “Ellen, I absolutely assure you that there is no mistake. That was indeed the living quarter we have arranged for you, so spare the doubt and settle in at ease!”

“But the unit is too big for me… Are there not smaller ones?”

“Well, that is the benefit our company offers. There are no smaller units. Just remain there. You just have to continue working hard to repay the company.”

At once, Ellen was dazed for a few seconds, after which she nodded. “Understood. Thank you, Miss Curry!”

Joanna watched as Ellen left before heaving a sigh. “Oh, she just doesn’t realize how fortunate she is!”

With that, Ellen returned to the reception, and it didn’t take long until she saw Selena and a few of her coworkers walking in a group. When Selena saw Ellen, cunning flashed across her eyes, after which she hastily grabbed the cup of coffee in her hand and walked toward Ellen. With utmost enthusiasm, she greeted, “Morning, Ellie. Here, I got you some coffee.”

“Thank you, Lena, but I had my cup earlier!” Ellen tactfully refused her offer.

“Aww, what’s wrong? Why are you being so courteous to me? Are you still mad at me?” Selena questioned.

Ellen shook her head. “No, I’m not.”

“Ellie, where are you currently staying?”

“I… rented an apartment by myself…” Ellen answered.

“Really? Then perhaps I should go hang out at your place sometimes.” Selena attempted to build a sisterly relationship with Ellen so that she could make things work between her and Jared.

“Sure.” Ellen couldn’t reject her right away, though she didn’t want anyone to visit her new place either.

As the next day would be the weekend, the reception crew was rather joyous since Presgrave Group’s best benefit to its employees was the two-day break during the weekend. As Ellen had been needing some rest recently, she wanted to take the time to relax.

“Ellen! What’s going on between you and President Presgrave?” Olive suddenly asked out of boredom.

In response, Ellen honestly replied, “President Presgrave and I know each other. As simple as that.”

Given that Ellen was an honest, innocent woman, Olive believed what she was told.

After getting off work, Ellen bought some takeout for dinner on her way home. Later, she sat by the French windows. Captivated by the distant sunset, she couldn’t help but snap a few photos of it. Then, for some reason, she felt the urge to share the photos with Jared and unconsciously sent him a text, stating, ‘The sunset glow is beautiful today. You should take a look at it if you have the time now.’

Currently, in the meeting room, the man received the message, the corners of his mouth curling upward as he read it. However, he couldn’t see the sunset in the meeting room, and it made him curious

whether the evening sunset today was really that beautiful. After taking a glance at the time, he dismissed the meeting and left the room. As he stood in the hallway, he admired the evening sunset, which was even more magnificent and spectacular with the bird’s eye view. He then took a photo of it before replying to Ellen.

‘I saw it. It’s beautiful.’

After sending the message, Ellen was filled with sudden regret. He was busy, so how could she send him trivial text messages? Wouldn’t that take up his time?

Either way, it was too late to think about deleting her message now. Ellen was just berating herself for not doing something as thoughtless as this anymore when she heard a message notification and saw his reply. Instantly, her earlier frustration disappeared, and the corners of her mouth curled up in a smile.

So, he was looking at it too! He even sent a picture.

‘Are you still at work?’ Ellen asked, noticing keenly that the place he was standing at was a hallway in the company.

‘Yeah. I left work after my meeting ended earlier. Have you eaten?’

Ellen looked at the bread she was eating in amusement before replying, ‘Yes.’

What an honest girl, he thought. If it were anyone else, they’d be able to tell that he was going to treat her to a meal, while she told him that she’d already eaten instead, making him somewhat embarrassed to invite her out.

‘All right. I’ll treat you to a meal next time.’

Upon seeing his text, Ellen lost interest in the bread in her hands. She couldn’t help but let out a forced laugh. Was he planning to treat her to a meal earlier?

‘No, no, I only ate some bread, so I’m still hungry. Why don’t we eat together?’ Ellen replied, attempting to salvage the dinner he mentioned.

Jared was just about to enter the elevator when he heard the notification. His lips curled up into a smile, making Dean, who was trailing along next to him, curious about whom he was texting.

‘Okay, I’ll pick you up,’ he replied.

Ellen asked, ‘Do you know which neighborhood I’m staying in?’

‘Of course, I do. I won’t take long, so come to the entrance in ten minutes.’

Ellen sent a smiling emoji in reply. ‘Okay.’

After their texts ended, Ellen couldn’t help but blush and cover her face happily. She couldn’t believe she had taken the initiative to ask him out for dinner so boldly. If he’d refused, she did not know how she would face him again. Upon looking down, she realized that she was still wearing her uniform. As she was going to have dinner with him, she decided to put on something casual.

Therefore, Ellen went digging through her clothes. Soon, she found a white dress that she was most satisfied with and put it on. Although its design was nothing out of the ordinary, fortunately for her, she had a pretty face and a decent figure, so it didn’t look too bad on her. With that, she took her bag and went out quickly.

Ten minutes later, a gray sports car slowly came from the driveway, and she reached out to wave at it before heading over. The door of the car opened and revealed Jared in a black suit, who was exuding the charm and elegance befitting of a business elite.

“You look really good in a suit.” Ellen praised him. In fact, she wanted to tell him that he was the best- looking man she had seen so far.

“Is that so?” Jared was in a good mood as well. He was tired of hearing compliments from others, but he felt exceptionally happy when this girl praised him.

He took her to the restaurant they had been to in the past. As it was her second visit, she didn’t feel constrained. Besides, it had a homey and warm atmosphere, and it was quiet and private.

“Are your relatives still harassing you with phone calls?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Not anymore. Speaking of it, it’s all thanks to you. I wouldn’t have known what to do otherwise.” She looked at him thankfully. As soon as he made a move, even people like Garrett obeyed him wholly.

“If you find yourself in a tight situation in the future, you can just tell me and I’ll solve it for you,” Jared assured readily.

Ellen smiled. Of course, she hoped that she wouldn’t have to bother him in the future.

“By the way, did you know how big the apartment unit that the company assigned to me was? It’s at least two thousand square feet!” She nearly forgot to tell him about this.

Jared froze for a beat before he played dumb and replied, “Is that so? The company randomly assigns the units sometimes. You should take it.”

“But I’m just a receptionist. How can I stay in such a nice place?”

“Just enjoy your stay!” Jared assured her, worried that she might notice something.

With a sigh, Ellen continued, “I even asked Miss Curry if she gave me the wrong unit, but she said she didn’t make a mistake.”

Immediately, Jared coughed and said, “The HR team is usually in charge of these things. Since there weren’t any mistakes, you should just make the most out of it and stop overthinking things.”

Suddenly, she turned her gaze to him and blinked as she asked, “President Presgrave, don’t tell me it was of your doing?”

Jared was drinking from his glass and nearly choked on a mouthful of water. After hurriedly controlling his expression, he denied, “I don’t have time for this sort of thing! I’m swamped with work after all!”

Although Ellen was a little skeptical, she couldn’t press him any further, so she propped up her chin and said, “In that case, I’ll work hard in the future and live up to the excellent benefits the company has given me.”

At this, Jared finally let out a sigh. It seemed that she had her bright moments at times as well.

After they finished dinner, it was already half past eight by the time Jared dropped her off at her house. After getting out of the car, she reminded him, “Be careful while you’re on the road.”

He looked at her and said, “I’ll leave once you’re inside.”

Her heart turning warm, she turned around and went in, looking back with each step she took. Meanwhile, Jared was surprised by his concern for her, which seemed to have emerged involuntarily.

The following day was a rest day, but Ellen had been accustomed to getting up early. Right after she woke up, she sat in front of the French window while looking at the morning scenery as well as the crowd in the nearby square, feeling inexplicably lonely. She knew that after her grandmother’s death, she was really all alone now. Her uncle, Connor, the only one who was related to her by blood right now, was someone she couldn’t rely on. Besides, her aunt, Olivia, prevented her from depending on him as well, so she was on her own for the rest of her life.

When she thought about her future marriage and having children, she suddenly felt fearful and terrified that she would meet the wrong person and be unable to find someone to rely on if she was hurt in any way. Hence, she made up her mind to spend the rest of her life alone. In any case, she had enough money in her account to live comfortably, and as long as she worked earnestly every day and received a stable salary, she could live a moderately wealthy life alone.

While she was doing her laundry, she received a call from Connor.

“Ellie, I’ll take you out for lunch today,” Connor said on the other end of the phone.

“Uncle Connor, it’s fine, I…”

“Do you not have any respect for me anymore? It’s just a simple meal. We haven’t seen each other for some time, no?” he pressed, his tone holding a hint of elderly authority.

At that, Ellen had no choice but to agree. “Okay, Uncle Connor.”

“I’ll pick you up at noon.”

“It’s fine. Just tell me the address, and I’ll take a cab myself.”

“Fine by me. I’ll send the address to you later.” Upon saying that, Connor hung up.

Ellen let out a sigh. In fact, she preferred to be by herself as eating with her uncle’s family was constraining for her.

At half past ten, Connor sent the address and urged her to be there on time. She agreed, and at eleven o’clock, she went out and took a taxi, heading straight for the restaurant.

Due to the traffic, she arrived a little late and was led into a private room by the waiter soon after. There, she saw three other people that looked like a family at the table in addition to Connor and Olivia.

“Ellie, you’re here. Quick, come and have a seat.” Connor greeted her enthusiastically, pulling out a chair for her.

Ellen was a little bewildered by the sight. Wasn’t she supposed to eat with Connor and his family? Why were there strangers here?

She smiled politely and greeted, “Good to see you, Uncle Connor and Aunt Olivia.”

“Ellie, here, let me introduce you to them.” Connor said to her, “This is my old friend, Murray Fuller, and beside him is his wife, Christina. And this man here is their son, Harvey Fuller.”

Ellen gave the couple a courteous smile before glancing at the young man. “Nice to meet you.”

“Wow, she’s gorgeous!” Christina praised, grinning from ear to ear.

“Of course, she is. All of the girls in our family are pretty,” Olivia immediately replied.

Harvey immediately got up to pour tea for Ellen, and she hurriedly thanked him. Ever since Ellen entered the room, Harvey’s eyes had been glued to her face. He thought his date today would be just an ordinary girl, but he didn’t expect the heavens to give him such a huge surprise.

Ellen was one of the innocent yet pure girls whom he rarely saw. In particular, the sweet way she smiled put him in a better mood at first glance. Moreover, he had been informed about Ellen while he was on his way to the restaurant. She was a relocatee from Lockwood Village, and she even had a small fortune. Who wouldn’t like a beautiful and wealthy woman?

Just then, the dishes were served, and the two families ate while chatting. Ellen only had a few bites when she heard Connor’s voice. “Ellie is beautiful and kind-hearted, but she seems lonely from living alone for a while now.”

Hearing that, Ellen hurriedly explained, “Uncle Connor, I’m doing good. I’m not lonely.”

“Ellie, Connor just wants you to have someone to take care of you and protect you, to give you a shoulder to lean on,” Olivia said.

Ellen’s heart skipped a beat as she had an epiphany. Did Connor invite her for a meal to set her up on a blind date? Was he trying to introduce her to a man?

At that moment, Christina began to praise her son. “Harv really is the ideal man! He has the personality and looks, and he’s capable too. He’s definitely the best candidate as a boyfriend and a husband.”

“Of course. He looks talented to me.” Although Olivia inwardly despised this family, she enthusiastically agreed with them on the surface.

Instantly, Harvey took the initiative and said to Ellen, “Miss Reiss, do you mind if we exchange contacts? I heard that you’re working in Presgrave Group, and it so happens that I work nearby. I’m sure we can meet up for a cup of coffee next time.”

She was about to refuse, but Olivia immediately picked up her phone and said, “Oh! I have Ellie’s phone number here. I’ll give it to you, so write it down!”

Ellie felt helpless but didn’t have the nerves to lose her temper. Hence, she watched as Olivia gave Harvey her phone number, who happily called her afterward. “This is my number.”

Without beating around the bush, Christina said, “Miss Reiss, I heard that you’ve been relocated. You’re so lucky! That place used to be worth nothing, but I heard that many of the relocatees have become millionaires now!”

Ellen gave her an awkward yet courteous smile.

“Well, you’re not wrong about that. Ellie has always been lucky.” Olivia could tell that the Fullers were happy with Ellen, and she quickly added her two cents.

After three glasses of wine, Connor began to speak more bluntly, saying to Ellen, “Look, Ellie, I’m going to be honest with you. Murray has been my colleague for many years, and his son, Harvey, is a good boy, so I want to match you two together. Once you get married, both of our families will become in- laws and will be able to help each other out.”

Ellen’s mind went blank, and she hurriedly waved her hands in disagreement. “Uncle Connor, I’m not looking to get into a relationship any time soon, much less marriage.”

“Oh sweetie, girls have to get married eventually! How nice is it to have someone you can rely on and who would take care of you?” Olivia cajoled from the side.

Ellen’s face flushed red with anger. She deeply regretted showing up for this meal.

“Miss Reiss, as long as you marry our son, we promise to treat you like our own daughter,” Christina added, expressing her sincerity.

Murray nodded as well. “Although our family is not that well off, we’ll definitely treat you well.”

At a glance, Ellen could see that the Fullers were dressed averagely, and that Murray always had a sense of inferiority in front of Connor, as if he was not confident and was constantly trying to please him. While Ellen did not look down on them, there was nothing sincere about their faces. In fact, as they were saying nice things on the surface, their eyes were constantly sizing her up.

“Not bad, Ellie. Our families know each other well, and you shouldn’t be too picky at your age. As a girl, it’s about time for you to get married.” Connor was still a chauvinist in some ways, and he spoke without considering her feelings.

With Ellen’s meek appearance, no one could figure out her emotions and they assumed that she was an easygoing person and that she would even agree to marry someone on a whim. However, while she was indeed an easygoing person, when it came to marriage, she would definitely not be fooled simply.

“Uncle Connor, Aunt Olivia, I’m done with my meal. I have some other matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first.” Upon saying that, Ellen picked up her bag and fled the scene without another word.

If she stayed any longer, she might forget about maintaining Connor’s pride and throw a tantrum right then and there.

Connor and Olivia exchanged a glance, and the latter immediately chided, “How dare that girl embarrass us like this!”

Despite Ellen’s actions, Christina laughed benevolently. “Oh, it’s fine. Girls are always shy! I’ll just tell Harv to contact her more in the future.”

From the way Christina was constantly placing food on his plate and urging him to eat, it was clear from a glance that Harvey was a mommy’s boy. Knowing this, Olivia sneered inwardly. If Ellen married into this family, her days would definitely be difficult as Christina didn’t look like she was easy to deal with.

After leaving, Ellen walked some distance before she was suddenly unable to suppress her frustration and her tears flowed out. Why was Connor doing this? Couldn’t she just live a good life alone? Had they ever considered her feelings when they did this?

Once lunch ended, Connor and Olivia had other business and took their leave, while the Fullers still remained seated. Without any outsiders around, the family no longer had any regard for their conversation.

“Harvey, it’s up to you to win Ellen over. Once you do, make her pay half of the down payment, then you can pay your mortgage off together. Since she’s rich, you don’t have to worry about not being able to pay.”

“Mom, I’ll definitely make her your daughter-in-law,” Harvey promised.

Murray supported him as well. “We aren’t that well off, but things will get easier if we have a rich daughter-in-law.”

Harvey’s eyes glowed with determination. Not only was Ellen pretty, but she was also wealthy. He had to win her over even if it meant going through blood, sweat, and tears.

After getting into the car with Connor, Olivia fumed, “Ellen is so ungrateful! We’re just doing this for her own good, but all she does is give us that disdainful look.”

“We can’t blame her for that. It’s our fault for not telling her about the blind date,” Connor reasoned.

“Does Ellen think that she can marry a millionaire now that she’s gotten somewhat rich? Is she trying to find someone even wealthier?” Olivia said sarcastically.

“They’ve already met, so things are up to them now,” he said.

Hearing that, Olivia felt a surge of joy. Upon hearing that Ellen was a relocatee, the Fullers nearly had their eyes bulging out of their sockets. They’d definitely not let her go until they had their hands on her.

Ellen had just reached home when she received a text from Harvey. ‘Miss Reiss, are you free tonight? Let’s have dinner with just the two of us!’

Upon seeing the text, she felt nothing but irritation, not wanting to be disturbed at the moment.

However, as he was the son of Connor’s friend, she put up with it and rejected him courteously. ‘I’m sorry, but I already have plans tonight.’

Relentless, Harvey sent her yet another text. ‘Miss Reiss, I had a really good impression of you after today. I wonder what you think of me.’

Ellen bit her cherry lips as she decided not to respond, thinking that her indifference would drive Harvey away.

In a flash, it was the weekend morning again. As Ellen was still sleeping, the unexpected ringtone of her phone shocked her into consciousness, after which she grabbed it and took a look at it. Seeing that it was Jared who called her, she couldn’t help but suspect whether she was still in her dreams. Quickly, she answered the call. “Good morning, President Presgrave.”

“Are you free today? The weather’s nice today. Wanna go hiking?”

“Now?” Ellen was still feeling a little dozy.

“Mm-hmm! I’m on the way to get you.”

Immediately, Ellen sprung up from her bed and widened her charming eyes. “You’re already on the way?”

“Relax. Take your time to pack.”

However, she wouldn’t dare to take her time and make her boss wait for her. Hastily, she replied, “Okay. I’ll head down in a bit.”

“See you soon, then.” Finished, Jared hung up the phone.

At once, Ellen tossed her phone aside and went straight to wash up before picking a set of sportswear from her wardrobe. Then, she sat before the mirror and pondered whether to put on some subtle makeup, but since she was to go hiking for the day, her sweat would only ruin the makeup and she would end up embarrassing herself.

In the end, she decided to simply put on some sunscreen. Despite having no makeup on, her skin looked as delicate and smooth as a baby’s. Moreover, it accentuated the tiny mole on her nose, adding

to her charm.

Ten minutes later, she headed downstairs in a little run. Luckily, Jared had yet to arrive, but she merely waited for five minutes before a black SUV dazzling under the sunlight approached her. The car window slid down, revealing a man in gray sportswear that was shrouded in unrelenting masculinity in the driver’s seat. Ellen was used to seeing him in his expensive suits, but now that she saw him in his casual attire, she couldn’t help but feel flustered.

After all, she was no longer a little girl but a twenty-two-year-old woman, so it was understandable if she were to take a few more glances at such an impeccably dashing man on the street, let alone after being asked out to a hike. Amidst the excitement in her heart, there were wavering emotions.

“Stop dreaming and get in, will you?” Jared laughed and asked.

Only then, Ellen realized that she was so dazed that she forgot to get into the car. Thereupon, she pulled open the car door and got into the car, only to find herself enthralled by the fine scenery one could only perceive in a huge SUV. And so, Jared started to drive away into a line of vehicles.

At that moment, Ellen curiously asked, “Where are we going to hike?”

“You’ll know once we’re there.”

If the one speaking was another man, her alertness would have gone off the charts. Nonetheless, because Jared was the very man who uttered those words, she felt only one thing whenever she followed him around—a sense of security. She had little to worry about whenever she was around him, except whether she would be a hassle to him.

As Jared drove up the viaduct, his car phone rang, to which he accepted the call with his Bluetooth earphones, and he was heard saying, “You don’t have to come.”

Upon the caller’s response, he tensely furrowed his brows. “Do you not hear what I said?”

With that, he hung up his phone. He then turned to the side and saw Ellen slightly startled, after which he comforted, “Don’t worry. My bodyguards wanted to follow us as per my father’s arrangement. They can be unwantedly persistent sometimes.”

“You should let them follow us. Just in case one of us gets injured,” Ellen placated.

Nevertheless, Jared didn’t want too many on his trip. Essentially, his destination was a mountain his father brought him to hike back when he was a child. Although it was somewhat distant, he wished to revisit it once more.

After half an hour of high-speed drive, they reached a county road near Averna, before proceeding for another twenty miles from the county road. Eventually, they arrived at a hiking paradise.

Followingly, Jared took out a map and said, “I brought some food over. We’ll be hiking for about two hours. You good with that?”

Determinedly, Ellen gazed at the mountain and nodded. “No problem. I can do it.”

And so, the two began their hike from the foot of the mountain. In the beginning, there were man-made stone steps, but as they ventured deeper, the steps faded away, replaced by the harsh path of the mountains.

Apart from them, there were also couples hiking, as well as families along with their children. The atmosphere was quite merry.

“There’s a temple on top of the mountain. Perhaps we can pay our respects when we reach there,” Jared stated.

Not long after they started to hike, they arrived at a slope, which not only challenged one’s legs but their arms as well since they would have to hike with the support of the branches by the sides. After climbing up the slope, Jared naturally offered his hand to Ellen.

Seeing him extending his hand over, Ellen was dazed for a moment before bashfully reaching for his hand. As her petite hand was grasped by the man’s massive palm, a force dragged her upward, allowing her to borrow the power to ascend the slope. However, as her shoes were not designed for hiking, she suddenly slipped.

“Ah!” She let out a shriek. Fortunately, Jared had yet to unhand her, and the moment he sensed that she was going to fall, he exerted an even greater force to lift her up. Fearing that she would fall down, Ellen subconsciously wrapped her arm around the man’s waist as her face snuggled against his chest.

Thereupon, the two firmly embraced each other on the sixty-degree slope. As Ellen was shocked, she hugged Jared especially tightly, while he comfortingly patted the woman in his arms as he encouraged, “It’s okay. I’m holding you.”

After she regained her stance, her face grew extremely red. After all, it was her first time holding a man this tightly, let alone the fact that the man was her very boss, but by no means did she do it on purpose.

Upon Jared’s forceful pull, Ellen safely made it up the slope. With that, they continued to traverse through the captivating, primitive scenery and fresh air. As a chilly breeze blew over, they were highly invigorated, since such a sensation couldn’t be felt in the city. Ellen felt exceptionally relaxed, as the atmosphere helped her forget all her troubles. Besides, hiking with her handsome boss was nothing but thrilling.

At the side, there were a few smooth boulders. Jared sat on one of them and pulled out two water bottles from his backpack and delicately twisted open the cap before handing one of them to Ellen.

Feeling spoiled, Ellen extended her arm to receive the bottle and said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Jared, too, was happy. It only took him a call for her to willingly join him on the hike.

After taking a couple of sips of the water, Ellen put down the bottle and took out her phone to snap pictures of the surrounding scenery. At the same time, Jared’s phone beeped as a notification popped up. He then put down his bottle to check out the message.

After taking a few more photos of the scenery, Ellen suddenly felt thirsty again. She then grabbed an opened bottle and started drinking.

Followingly, Jared put his phone back into his backpack. When he reached for his bottle the next moment, he realized that the bottle he drank from disappeared as there was only a bottle that was sipped a few times left. Then, he was stunned to find Ellen drinking from the bottle he drank from. Taking a huge gulp, he pretended as though nothing happened and grabbed Ellen’s bottle before naturally chugging down the water.

Ellen was completely clueless about the awkward matter. Otherwise, if she knew that she was drinking from Jared’s bottle, she would have died of embarrassment.

Accordingly, Jared took out some bread and snacks. Among the snacks, a box of chocolate, which he brought over specifically for Ellen, stirred up her desperation. “Here. Women’s favorite.”

“Did you bring this just for me?” she asked out of surprise.

“Mm-hmm.” Jared nodded.

Enlivened, Ellen grabbed one of the chocolate pieces and handed it to him. “Do you want one? It tastes really good.”

In response, Jared accepted it and munched it. Although it wasn’t his favorite dessert, he still complimented it. “Indeed.”

At that moment, two women behind them reached where they were. When their gazes fell upon Jared, their hearts palpitated. They saw this perfect specimen of a man back when they were at the foot of the mountain, but never expected to bump into him again here. Coincidentally, there was a boulder beside them, which they then walked over to and sat on.

The two women were constantly peeking at Jared, silently sighing. How did this girl find such a boyfriend? What a prince, he is!

“Hello, you guys!” The prettier woman amiably approached and greeted them.

In response, Ellen smilingly replied, “Hello, there.”

The prettier woman tentatively inquired, “Are you guys a couple?”

“No. We’re just friends.” Ellen hastily shook her head. She wouldn’t dare to pretend to be Jared’s girlfriend as she thought it’d be disrespectful to him.

“So, you guys are…” Surprised, the woman quickly asked.

“He’s my boss,” Ellen answered.

The two women felt their hearts beat faster. So, this hottie isn’t the girl’s boyfriend! Oh my! I wanna get to know him! If only I could get his number…

“Hey, mister. We’re kinda scared of hiking alone. Can we join you instead?” the prettier woman boldly asked, intent on getting to know Jared.

Nonetheless, Jared hadn’t the slightest desire to know the women. He blandly answered, “There’s a lot of people here. There won’t be a problem.”

“Come on, mister! Allow us to join you, pretty please? We can be friends as well!” The prettier woman was obviously a woman of mischief given the affectionate expression on her face.

Catching the sign, Ellen thought, President Presgrave sure is a popular one. Any woman would die to be with him!

“Sorry. I just wanna spend time with my girlfriend.” Finished, Jared held Ellen’s hand and walked away.

Ellen was stupefied by what just happened. W-What? Did he just say I am his girlfriend?

Instantly, the two women behind them were devastated, never expecting such a stunning man to be so heartless.

And so, Ellen was dragged away by Jared for a distance as her heartbeat was all over the place.

“President Presgrave, why did you say I am your girlfriend?” Ellen asked out of confusion.

Visibly annoyed, Jared answered, “Had I not done that, those girls would have clung to me the entire day.”

As such, Ellen understood the situation, and she couldn’t help but feel bashful and entertained at the same time. “President Presgrave, you must be troubled by how girls are always chasing after you every single day, don’t you?”

And she was certainly right. Ever since Jared grew into an adult, he was constantly surrounded by women. Sometimes, being thrown with too much passion might not be good at all.

Later, they encountered another steep slope in their way, and Ellen, unable to see the mountaintop, was taken aback.

“Wanna proceed?” Jared smilingly asked.

“Of course! We can’t just walk away now. Besides, I’d love to pay my respects at the temple.” Finished, Ellen prepared herself to continue hiking.

As such, Jared protectively followed her. She gave everything she could as she hiked, not wanting Jared to look down on her, and she kept on going patiently. Eventually, they arrived at a pagoda on the mountain.

Ellen’s forehead was full of sweat. Under her long ponytail, her snowy face glistened under the moisturizing sweat, as though she was dragged out from the waters.

“I’m finally here…” Ellen panted as she muttered.

Revealing a smile, Jared handed a piece of paper towel to her. “Here. Wipe your sweat off.”

Ellen exhaustedly wiped off her sweat as her appearance was an entire mess, while Jared’s inky hair was disarranged by the winds. Though, no matter what hairstyle he sported, he would always exude a unique aura.

With that, the two persisted for a little longer and arrived at their destination. Ellen, with her reddened face, tiredly sat down and drank some water to quench her thirst. The water bottle in her backpack was the same one as before. And when she was drinking, Jared would subconsciously glance at her. The woman didn’t seem to be aware that she was drinking from his bottle.

After resting for a while, the two offered their joss sticks at the altar, after which Jared put a stack of cash into the donation box while Ellen donated a hundred before they knelt on the platform and made their prayers.

Very soon, Jared opened his eyes, only to see the woman beside him still whispering her prayers with her eyes shut. Charmed by the sight, he took out his phone and snapped a photo of her. In the photo, the intertwining light and shadow accentuated the woman’s delicate figure and her fine, pure eyes. The

shot was beautiful as if it was blessed by sacred lights. After taking the photo, Jared withdrew his phone. He merely thought that the scene would make for a good shot and captured it without any other motives.

After resting for half an hour on the mountaintop, the two took another route down the mountain. Nonetheless, due to the huge number of slopes, the descent was much more strenuous than the ascent.

At the first slope, Ellen slipped and fell down, but luckily her backpack absorbed the impact, or her clothes would have been ripped apart.

“Hey, are you okay?” Concerned, Jared immediately went to her.

Her palm reddened. Although the fall hurt, she casually smiled it off. “It’s okay. I was just surprised.”

And so, Jared held her hand as they walked down the next slopes. In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the foot of the mountain, where Ellen gleefully heaved a sigh. However, at the last, little slope, after Jared walked over it, she let down her guard and relaxedly jumped over it, only to land on an unseen rock.

“Ah!” Letting out a yell, she threw herself upon Jared.

Hearing a shout, Jared swiftly turned around, only to have Ellen fall into his arms as he instinctively opened his arms to catch her. Ellen, who was being held up, bumped her face directly onto the man’s dashing face as her lips were uncontrollably shoved against his.

“Gasp!” At once, Ellen widened her eyes in shock. She quickly pulled herself out of his arms.

As for Jared, the refreshing sweetness lingering on his lips left him stunned.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t do that on purpose! I didn’t mean to violate you!” Ellen grew so awkward she was about to pass out. Oh gosh! How could I… How did this even happen?!

Jared silently swallowed a mouthful of air. Since she had already tasted his saliva from the water bottle, the peck meant nothing to him. “Never mind. Be careful next time.” He then turned around while suppressing his urge to laugh.

Covering her face in bashfulness, Ellen urged herself to be warier of the path so that she wouldn’t commit another unwanted mistake.

When they were returning to the parking lot, they found two other SUVs parked at each side of Jared’s car. Six bodyguards marched out of the vehicles and called out to him, “Young Master Jared!”

In Ellen’s eyes, it seemed as though a gang of lackeys was fetching their young master home. Each of the bodyguards appeared bold and muscular, including two who seemed to be from foreign countries. Yet, their gazes upon Jared were tender and glistening.

“Why are you guys here? Didn’t I ask you not to come?” Jared was somewhat speechless.

“Young Master Jared, you must be tired from the hike. Allow me to drive you home!” One of the bodyguards offered to help.

After thinking about it, Jared nodded. “Alright, then.”

And so, Jared and Ellen sat in the back seat. With the bodyguards present, Ellen grew quiet. She didn’t get enough sleep last night, yet she went hiking the moment she woke up. As she peered at the scenery through the windows for a while, her eyelids began to shut, and she eventually fell asleep with her backpack in her arms.

As the bodyguard made a turn, her head immediately swayed. Having noticed that she fell asleep, Jared reached out and placed her head onto his shoulder and allowed her to sleep by his side. Lying against solid support, Ellen’s body stopped swaying around as she resumed her sweet dreams on their way back to the city.

Meanwhile, at Connor’s place, after hearing about Olivia’s attempt to get Ellen a date, Selena asked about the date’s family background and joyously said, “Then you’ll have to be their wingman, Mom!”

“Of course. They are very content with Ellen.”

Selena then added, “I’m just worried that Ellen has higher standards and might end up disregarding them.”

“Who is she to choose? Your dad and I will convince her.” Olivia put up a mature look. With that, she looked at her daughter’s charming face. “My daughter, on the other hand, is different. She will never marry anyone short of rich and opulent, will she?”

At once, Jared’s figure emerged in Selena’s mind as she shyly stated, “Mom! I already have someone I like…”

Olivia instantly saw through her daughter. “And that must be Young Master Jared, am I right?”

“Though, I never had a chance to approach him…” Selena nodded, seemingly disappointed.

As such, Olivia thought that as long as she could drive Ellen away from Jared’s side, her daughter would stand a chance to introduce herself to him.

“Just wait a little longer. Once I get Ellen married, I’ll be tending to your marriage.”

Selena bit her lips and said, “Damn Ellen! How does she have so much luck, receiving Young Master Jared’s favor? What does she have that I don’t?”

Hearing that, Olivia subconsciously remembered the heart within Jared’s body, wondering, Are there really such supernatural incidents in the world? Is Ellen’s brother pairing them up in the heavens?

It wasn’t until Ellen was arriving at her home that she woke up from her sweet dream. And when she opened her eyes, she realized that she had been lying against Jared while she was sleeping during the entire journey. Instantaneously, her face reddened as she awkwardly thought, I didn’t drool, did I?

“We’re almost at your place,” Jared noted. He then grabbed a few unfinished boxes of chocolates and handed them to her. “For you.”

“I can’t have these.” Ellen couldn’t bring herself to accept the expensive-looking boxes of chocolates.

“I don’t like desserts, and I don’t wanna waste them.” Finished, Jared persistently put them into Ellen’s arms, to which she gratefully accepted them.

Later, the bodyguard stopped the vehicle by the apartment gates, after which Ellen alighted from the SUV. After rolling down the window, Jared waved her goodbye before leaving.

Sweet warmth arose within Ellen’s chest. Jared emanated the classiest, most perfect manners, and hanging out with him certainly felt comforting and cozy, as though it was the breeze of spring.

Meanwhile, in the SUV, Jared withdrew his smile and questioned the bodyguard in front of him. “Did you report this to my father?”

“No, but we hope that you won’t be as stubborn next time. At least allow us to protect you in your ventures.” The bodyguard let out a sigh. Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

Jared was aware that his parents were overprotective of him, and that was all because of the car accident ten years ago. He gently clutched his chest. The heart that was currently beating within him was actually of another person. Even now, he had never seen a photograph of the donor, and all he

knew was how grateful his parents were toward the family of the donor and how they treated them as though they were their own relatives, lending them their hands whenever they were troubled. However, his parents forbade him from interacting with the family. Therefore, to this date, he didn’t know what kind of people his parents were helping.

Nonetheless, since the adorable Ellen is from that family, they must be kind people as well! Jared was astounded by his feelings toward Ellen. It was as though he felt an overwhelming urge to get closer to her on their first encounter. It was as though her smile was contagious, and whenever he saw it, he, too, would feel joyous.

After Ellen arrived home, as she was about to lie down for a bit, her phone suddenly rang. Staring at the anonymous number, she then hesitantly accepted the call. “Hello. Who’s this?”

“Ellen, have you forgotten about me? It’s me, Harvey!” The caller sounded rather surprised, after which he proceeded to ask, “Did you not save my number?”

Indeed, Ellen didn’t save his number. In response, she subconsciously asked, “What’s the matter?”

“It’s the weekends, the time when we young ones should go out and have fun! Come, I’ll bring you somewhere fun,” Harvey invited.

“Sorry, I went hiking with a friend this morning and I’m exhausted. I don’t think I’ll join you tonight,” Ellen refused.

“That’s no problem. I’ll drive you. We’ll go have a delightful dinner.” Harvey was passionate, and insistent on taking her out.

“Sorry, but I really don’t wanna go out. Thanks.” With that, she immediately hung up. Although she didn’t want to upset Harvey, she didn’t want to have anything to do with him either.

“Aww, come on, Ellen! Your uncle and my father are the best of friends! We can be friends too!”