"Okay, you go back and be a good boy. You are not allowed to look for other women." Celeste Harrington said half-jokingly with a hint of coquettishness in her tone.

"I won't, I only love you, alright?" I tried to lighten her mood with a relaxed tone, though I felt warmth in my heart.

"I will conduct random checks every day. You must be careful. You must answer my calls every day and reply to my text messages within one minute."she rambled on, as if afraid I would mess around while I was away.

At that moment, the driver arrived and politely reminded,"Ryan, we're ready to go now."

"Alright, I'm coming," I told Celeste Harrington."I'll call you when I get back."

After hanging up, I followed the driver to the car, feeling a mix of emotions. As the car slowly moved, my thoughts returned to the moment I first met Sophie Summers. Back then, she was so gentle and kind. But why had everything changed?

The car stopped in front of the hotel. I grabbed my luggage and walked heavily towards the airport. Along the way, I kept recalling the moments with Sophie Summers, filled with confusion and doubt. Could it really be that I didn't understand her feelings?

When I arrived at the airport, I sat in the waiting lounge, still unable to calm myself. The noise and rush of the airport didn't help me relax; in fact, it only made my thoughts more chaotic. I kept flipping my boarding pass, as if that would ease my anxiety. Suddenly, my phone rang—it was Celeste Harrington calling.

"Ryan, are you at the airport?" Her voice was full of concern, as if she could sense my nervousness.

"Yeah, just arrived," I tried to keep my voice light, though inside, I was in turmoil.

"You sound really tired, don't be too nervous. Everything will go smoothly," her voice was soft, like a gentle stream, and it immediately calmed my nerves.

"Thank you. I'll take care of myself," I took a deep breath, trying to relax.

"Good. Remember to text me when you arrive, I'll be waiting for you," her voice was full of determination and care, giving me a sense of warmth.

"Okay, I will," I responded with a smile, feeling a surge of warmth in my heart.

By the time I got off the plane, it was already past one in the morning. The cold wind outside the airport was biting. There were no public transport options or subways, so I had to take a taxi. The night scenery flew by outside the window, and the city lights looked especially lonely in the dark. When I reached the rented apartment, it was close to 2 AM. I wearily opened the door, and the room was pitch black.

Just as I was about to collapse into bed, my phone rang again, and the screen showed Celeste Harrington's name.

"Ryan, have you arrived?" Her voice still held that familiar warmth.

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"It's so late, are you still awake?" I was a bit surprised, touched that she was still up.

"I miss you!" Her voice had a teasing tone, as if she were right next to me.

"It's only been a few hours," I couldn't help but laugh, and the weight in my heart lightened a bit.

"Yeah, Ryan, I want to come to Eldoria too," her voice carried a hint of longing.

"Aren't you coming in a few days?" I was a bit confused, not understanding what she meant.

"Silly, I mean I want to come to Eldoria to be with you," her voice carried a playful reprimand, as if I were being really dense.

"A few days, and we'll be together, right?" I was still a little puzzled, but I began to look forward to her coming.

"Idiot, you're pretending not to understand, right?" Her voice was tinged with helplessness and affection.

"Hehe, I want that too, but your parents won't approve, right?" I smiled, but there was a bit of worry in my heart.

"Ugh, they probably won't approve," her voice held a note of disappointment, as if she already knew the answer.

"Alright, you should go to bed. You have work tomorrow, and it's already two in the morning," I tried to comfort her, hoping she would get some rest.

"Ah, it's nearly two o'clock already. I must sleep now. Tomorrow, I'll undoubtedly have dark circles under my eyes. Goodnight, Ryan, come kiss me," she purred, her voice laced with a hint of playful pleading, as though a kiss were essential for her to fall asleep.

I softly responded, as though she were truly beside me.

After hanging up, I splashed my face with cold water. The icy sensation on my skin instantly sharpened my senses. In the mirror, my hair was a tangled mess, my gaze unfocused, a reflection of sheer exhaustion. Once it gets colder, I'll need to replace the water heater—this cold-water wash is nothing short of self-inflicted torment.

Once I lay in bed, it took a long time to fall asleep. Half-dazed, the phone rang. Without looking, I answered,"Hello, who's this?"

"who? I told you to get back to work. Where are you? Still at home, asleep?" Sophie Summers' voice crackled through the line, urgent and tinged with irritation.

"I didn't get home until after 2 AM. Even if you want to exploit me, at least let me sleep," I glanced at the time—just 8 AM—and a wave of helplessness washed over me.

"I don't care. If you're not at the office by 9, I'll have HR mark you absent," Sophie's tone was firm, without room for negotiation.

"Sophie, you don't have to be so merciless," I attempted to plea for some compassion, but it was clearly in vain.

"There are only 47 minutes left until 9. You better handle it!" She hung up. I had assumed that since I was in Eldoria and she was in Virelia, she couldn't control me, but here she was, reaching out across the distance. It was maddening, and once again, I couldn't return to sleep. I muttered to myself, got up, dressed hastily, and prepared to leave.

One of the tires on my car seemed a bit deflated. I inspected it—of course, there was a nail in it. Just perfect. I had no choice but to drive to the office for now and plan to stop mid-way to fix it. The car made a constant clicking noise, as if reminding me that today was bound to be fraught with challenges.

Arriving at the office, I rushed to clock in. The time read 8:56 AM. Let's see how you'll dock my pay, I thought smugly as I made my way to the smoking area. I lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and tried to calm myself.

Then the phone rang again,"Where are you?" Sophie's voice came through once more.

"I'm at the office," I answered, my heart fluttering with unease.

"I asked where you are," she replied, clearly skeptical.

"In the office," I said, bracing myself for her response.

"Stop lying. You're really in the office?" she demanded, disbelief in her voice.

"I'm truly in the office," I tried to persist.

"Then call me from the landline, ten seconds, now," she instructed before hanging up.

I felt a pang of frustration. Ten seconds? I couldn't even get to the office that quickly. I called her again,"I'm not in the office. I'm smoking."

"Wait until I get back and deal with you. I told you not to smoke, but you're hell-bent on it. From now on..." Her voice grew fainter, and my mood darkened further.