Third Person's POV
"Damn it!" Leo cursed under his breath as he stormed back home, slamming the door shut behind him.
He couldn't believe his first marriage proposal had been rejected. It was a real blow to his ego.
But on second thought, Sunny wasn't the kind of person who acted on impulse like him. She was calm and thoughtful.
Maybe that was exactly what he needed.
If he was impulsive and she was level-headed, wouldn't they be the perfect match? Didn't a lasting marriage need a combination of such contrasting personalities?
Thinking this way, Leo's lips curled up slightly. Maybe things weren't that bad after all.
Sunny clutched her handbag tightly, her head feeling heavy and dizzy. The events of the past few days kept swirling in her mind, driving her crazy.
If it weren't for the Olivia thing, she would have said yes without a second thought.
Marrying Leo had been her teenage dream. Now that it was within reach, she just didn't have the courage to accept it. What a cruel twist of fate!
She hailed a taxi and returned to her messy little apartment.
She kicked aside an empty water bottle on the floor and sat down on the sofa. After thinking all night, she still couldn't come to a decision and ended up with a splitting headache.
Then she realized she didn't even have a phone. Both of her phones were with Leo.
So, she went downstairs and bought a cheap one. She found Melissa's number and called her.
"Hello, who is this?" Melissa's professional voice came through.
"Melissa, it's me, Sunny!"
"Oh, Sunny! I was just about to call you today. I thought I'd drop by and catch up," Melissa said, sounding delighted.
But Sunny wasn't in the mood to chat. "I saw that message yesterday. To be honest, I don't think it's good for my image. Could you please stop writing stuff like that?"
Sunny spoke in a polite tone, considering their old friendship. If it had been anyone else, she might have lost her temper.
"What? I was just trying to boost your popularity, Sunny. You shouldn't be upset about that. More exposure is always a good thing, right?" Melissa was surprised. She had expected Sunny to be grateful, not annoyed. She felt like her good intentions were being taken for granted.
"I told you last time I needed to think about it. Now I'm giving you my final answer. I probably won't sign with your company, so please stop those kinds of reports," Sunny said more sternly.
"Why are you being like this, Sunny?" Melissa was upset when she heard Sunny's refusal to sign.
"Thanks for your concern," Sunny said, hanging up without further explanation.
Melissa couldn't help but grumble, "Who does she think she is? Some no-name actress acting all high and mighty!"
After Richard and his son left, the royal wolf pack's residence returned to its usual quiet.
The two little ones had very precise biological clocks. By nine, they were usually yawning and ready for bed.
Knowing that Blake was in a bad mood after seeing Richard and his son, Catherine took the initiative to put the kids to bed.
She sat between the two small beds with a fairy tale book in hand. Under the soft light, she told stories in a rhythmic and soothing voice, immersing the kids in the plots.
Noah listened quietly, thinking deeply.
Hedwig, on the other hand, was like a chatty little bird. She had to ask about everything she didn't understand.
By the third story, Catherine noticed that her son had already fallen asleep. Her daughter's head was nodding, but she was still trying hard to stay awake.
As soon as Catherine paused, Hedwig immediately perked up and said, "Mommy, keep going. I'm still listening."
Catherine found it both amusing and helpless. The little girl had such strong willpower.
If only she could apply that to studying, Catherine wouldn't have to worry so much.
Unfortunately, Hedwig's focus on learning was far less than Noah's.
There would definitely be plenty to worry about in the future.
After finishing the story, Hedwig finally succumbed to sleep. Catherine tucked the kids in, turned off the light, and left the room.
Back in the bedroom, Catherine found Blake was nowhere to be seen. She checked the study, but it was dark.
Finally, she went to the balcony and saw the door was slightly ajar, with a cold draft blowing in.
She shivered and wrapped her thin robe tighter around herself.
She peeked out and saw a tall figure standing by the railing.
Blake was still in his suit, without a warm coat. A few snowflakes were falling on his broad shoulders.
There was a flicker of red light—he was smoking alone.
Catherine frowned slightly. Standing out in the cold like this could easily give him a cold.
She stepped out into the cold wind and said softly, "You can smoke inside. Don't stand here and catch a chill. Come in."