Chapter 69 +15 BONUS Yasmin looked surprised. “What are you doing? Don’t you have a serious case of germaphobia? I made these rice balls myself. My hands were all over them.” Saying this, she intentionally opened her hands to gross him out. Unexpectedly, Blake only paused for a short while and then ate the rice […]
Chapter 68 Eunice went downstairs after counting the fabrics. The staff were enjoying the cake, saying it was a gift from Ivan and praising his handsome looks. Eunice asked, “Mr. Burke?” She ran upstairs and asked Yasmin, “Mr. Burke from NAS Group?” Yasmin acknowledged with a hum. Eunice asked, “Did he come to see you? And he brought a cake?” Yasmin sipped the coffee and said casually, “No, he came to order a custom attire and brought along a box of cake for me.” Eunice asked, “Why?” Yasmin smiled. “No particular reason. Maybe he’s just a nice person.” Eunice sat down and took a bite of the cake. Then, she asked again, “What about the two scumbags? Did they leave?” Yasmin said, “Mm–hmm. I closed a 680,000–dollar deal with Giselle O’Shea.” Eunice snorted, “I didn’t expect mistresses these days to be so shameless, parading around in front of the legal wife.” Yasmin held two receipts between her fingertips. “I don’t care about them as long as I’m making money. I closed two deals today and earned over 300,000 dollars.” Eunice’s eyes lit up. “That’s impressive, Yaz.” After getting off at night, Yasmin took a cab home. Her Porsche was still under repair, leaving her with no car. It was already past 9:00 pm when she reached Oak Garden. Mary and the others had gotten off. Yasmin entered the kitchen and only found a pot of rice and mutton soup. She was starving tonight. However, she was not in the mood to cook. Therefore, she separated the mutton and broccoli from the soup and mashed them into the rice. Then, she added salt, shredded seaweed, vinegar, and egg yolk sauce. After mixing them, she shaped the mixture into rice balls. She made a fragrant and delicious 1/3 +16 BONUS meal in just a few minutes. After making the rice balls, she also filled a bowl with the mutton soup. She took a sip, and the soup was so flavorful that she narrowed her eyes in delight. “So delicious!” Then, she took a big bite of the rice ball, savoring the fresh meat and the crunchy seaweed. It was scrumptious! “Is it that delicious?” Blake appeared out of nowhere and stood at the doorway. He was still wearing today’s dark–patterned black shirt, looking handsome and cold. Yasmin had bought the shirt. She glanced at him and continued to enjoy the riceballs. “When did you get back?” “Just now.” Blake walked in. Gradually, she seemed to lose her anger toward him, becoming more polite and reserved. Blake frowned. Watching her eating contentedly, he asked, “Is there more?” Yasmin glanced at her plate, which still had around ten rice balls. She shook her head. “Nope. Blake paused and furrowed his brows. “You still have a plate full, don’t you?” She chewed one rice ball slowly. “I remember you don’t eat vegetables. The ones I made all have vegetables. You won’t like it.” Now, it was impossible for her to revert to the old behavior of hurriedly preparing a meal whenever he wanted to eat. In the past, she would get up and cook for him whenever Blake mentioned a craving, even if it was 4:00 am. She learned various cuisines from Mary for him. But at the end of the day, she was just at scheming woman in his eyes. Since he always had preconceptions about her, she decided to be indifferent to him. Blake asked, “Don’t you have any without vegetables?” Yasmin shook her head. “No.” Blake knitted his brows in frustration. He realized she had become indifferent to him and was not bothered about interacting with him. Feeling a bit upset, he glared at her. However, she did not notice his gaze and was engrossed. in her meal. As he continued watching, his irritation grew. He decided to sit down. Then, he pulled her 2/3 plate toward him, picked up a rice ball, and ate it before her.
Chapter 67 In the studio, Yasmin gave the cake to the staff before taking Ivan to the men’s display area. There were also various finished products, and Yasmin had designed all of them. Ivan looked at them one by one as his gaze filled with admiration. “Did you design all of them?” Yasmin nodded with a smile. “Mm–hmm. Mr. Burke, are you looking for attire for Giselle O’Shea’s birthday party?” “How did you know that?” Ivan was surprised. Yasmin said smilingly, “She mentioned it this afternoon, saying her birthday party will be at the end of this month.” Ivan nodded. “Are you upset that she came to you for a customized dress?” Yasmin continued smiling. “Not at all. She brought business to me. Why would I be upset? Mr. Burke, what do you think about this attire?” She pointed to a dark gray formal wear set in the display case. “How’s that?” Ivan looked at her. She said, “My hand is injured now. I can’t design, but these finished pieces can be slightly modified.” Ivan asked, “Why did you choose dark gray for me?” Yasmin said, “I think you’re a composed and reserved person. The gray color suits you. Besides, I’m sure Blake Ford will wear black at the party. If you also wear black, it might not be eye–catching.” “Are you saying that I’m not as good–looking as him?” Ivan stared at her with a faint smile. Yasmin shook her head. “Mr. Burke, that’s not what I meant. Both of you have different temperaments. I believe that gray color suits you better.” Ivan nodded. “You seem to know him very well.” Yasmin smiled. “Well, we’ve been married for two years. I roughly know about his preferences.” She actually remembered everything because she was the one who chose Blake’s clothes. +15 BONUS Ivan asked, “Do you two really have no feelings for each other?” Yasmin glanced at him with a smile. “My mother–in–law arranged the blind date for me. What do you think?” Ivan paused for a moment. “She wants you to divorce Blake Ford?” Yasmin replied, “Mm–hmm, my background doesn’t match him. And you’ve seen Giselle O’Shea, haven’t you? The news reports are true.” Π Ivan fell silent for a few seconds. “Is Blake Ford really the father of Giselle O’Shea’s unborn child?” “Mm–hmm.” Yasmin had to admit it. Ivan was somewhat taken aback. He did not expect the relationships to be so complicated. His lips parted, but he did not know what to say. Yasmin said, “So now you know about it. If you mind my previous marriage with Blake Ford, we can end our relationship.” In fact, she also did not want to keep it from him as she would feel guilty. Knowing he was aware of her past, she felt a bit relieved. Ivan stared at her quietly for a moment before putting his hand on her head and patting it gently. “It must have been tough, right?” Yasmin was stunned and lifted her gaze to look at him. Ivan gazed at her tenderly. “In the past two years, your dad was in prison, and you had to fend for yourself in the Ford family. It must have been tough for you, right?” Yasmin said, “It’s fine. Grandpa had been very kind to me.” Her response implied that the others in the family did not treat her very well. Pity flashed in Ivan’s eyes. “I don’t mind.” “Huh?” asked Yasmin. Ivan said, “You asked me if I mind your past with Blake Ford. Now, I’ve answered you. I don’t mind.” Yasmin was dumbfounded, Eventually, Ivan bought the dark gray suit for 800,000 dollars. It earned nearly 200,000 dollars in profit for the studio. $15 SAFA Yasmin watched him leave as she remained calm. Ivan was very kind. His persona was so perfect that it was too good to be true. Hence, Yasmin felt she needed to keep her guard up around him for the time being
Chapter 65 “Mr. Burke, why are you here?” Yasmin asked, surprise evident on her face. “I just wanted to take a look at your studio and also check on your hand.” As Ivan spoke, his gaze fell on Yasmin’s left hand. “Does it still hurt today?” “Not anymore,” replied Yasmin. Even though she knocked her hand earlier, the pain had subsided. Ivan took out an ointment and continued, “I brought an imported cream for you. It’s effective for reducing swelling and bruises. Try it.” “Thank you.” Yasmin accepted the ointment. Roxy was baffled as she watched their interaction. She liked Ivan, but he had always been indifferent to her. Why was he so gentle to Yasmin? Moreover, Ivan was doing it in front of Blake. Wasn’t he afraid that Blake would tell him off? “Giselle, what’s going on?” Roxy asked with confusion. Not only did Yasmin appear composed, but Blake and Giselle seemed unfazed, too. The situation seemed unreal to Roxy. Giselle responded gently, “Don’t you know about this? Ivan and Yasmin went on a blind date yesterday. They’re happy with each other.” Blake looked at her upon hearing that. Giselle explained, “Mrs. Ford Senior told me about it. She said Ivan is happy with Yasmin.” “What’s going on?” Roxy was perplexed. “Why did they go on a blind date? Isn’t Yasmin married?” Giselle replied softly, “Blake and Yasmin are in a marriage of convenience. They have no feelings for each other and have long agreed they’d pursue their own happiness. Haven’t you. heard about it?” Roxy was stunned after learning about that. She could not believe it. How did things turn out in such a way? She looked at Blake, but he remained silent with a sullen expression. 1/3 +15 BONUS Left with no choice, Roxy could only ask Yasmin. “Yasmin, is it true that you and Blake are in a marriage of convenience? You don’t have feelings for each other as well?” Giselle answered on behalf of Yasmin, “It’s true. Yasmin told me herself a few days ago.” On the other hand, Blake narrowed his eyes, staring at Yasmin. His expression was shrouded in mystery. His intent gaze weighed heavily on Yasmin. Nevertheless, she still nodded. “Yes, it’s true.” In an instant, Blake’s expression grew colder. Giselle chimed in, “You heard that, didn’t you? There are no romantic feelings between Blake and Yasmin. They have always been living separate lives.” Roxy seemed affected by the news. She shook her head, ran over to Ivan, and inquired, Ivan, did you really go on a blind date with Yasmin yesterday?” “Yes.” Roxy asked again, “Was it voluntary?” “Of course it is,” said Ivan. He glanced at Yasmin before answering seriously, “Yasmin is great, and I admire her. A wave of jealousy surged within Roxy, compelling her to attack Yasmin. However, Ivan was quick to react. He immediately shielded Yasmin in his arms and pushed Roxy away. His stern gaze bore into Roxy as he questioned, “Roxy Ford, what are you trying to do?” Following that, Roxy fell to the ground. “Roxy, are you okay?” Giselle exclaimed. Roxy shouted, “I don’t believe it!” She could not accept the truth. Tears immediately streamed down her face. So, she covered her face and rushed out. “Roxy!” Giselle called out. She then asked the assistant to follow Roxy. With that, the drama came to an end. 2/3 +15 BONUS
Since she could not find any flaws in the gown, Roxy complimented, “Giselle, you look good in everything!” “You’re exaggerating! But Yasmin is really good at designing. This finished piece looks amazing when worn,” Giselle responded with a smile. “But I feel there’s too much fabric around the waist. I want it tighter. Also, the hem of the skirt is too long, and I’m worried I’ll step on it and trip. I want to shorten it.” As she spoke, she looked at Yasmin, asking, “Yasmin, you won’t mind my requests, right?” “Of course not.” Since Giselle was pregnant, it was normal that she would be worried about falling. So, Yasmin asked her assistant to bring a measuring tape over. Just as her assistant was about to measure the gown, Giselle commented, “Yasmin, I’m afraid your assistant might not measure accurately. Why don’t you do it yourself?” “Okay.” Yasmin nodded. Although ugh somewhat uneasy, she felt better after considering the gown’s price. A high–end luxury dress like that would cost several hundred thousand dollars. Since Yasmin could earn around one to two hundred thousand dollars, she viewed it as a reasonable fee for the trouble. Yasmin squatted down, her swollen hand lifting the tape to measure the skirt for Giselle. ” Ms. Giselle, how much shorter do you want it?” “Just a bit below the knee,” answered Giselle. She felt satisfied as she watched Yasmin squat before her like a servant, measuring the gown. However, Roxy had different plans. When she saw Yasmin’s injured hand, she reckoned the latter could never draw again if an accident happened. A sly smile played on Roxy’s lips. In the next second, she pretended to trip, aiming to hit Yasmin’s eyes. Nevertheless, Yasmin sensed a shadow above her head. A shiver ran down her spine, and she immediately rolled to the side. She managed to avoid Roxy and was not hurt. +15 BONUS But things did not fare well for Roxy. She fell near the hem of Giselle’s skirt, colliding with the latter. Giselle yelped in pain, her hands instinctively clutched her stomach. Her gaze bore a murderous intent as she glanced at Roxy. Nevertheless, the fierceness in her eyes vanished within a second. Giselle resumed her gentle demeanor, asking, “Roxy, what are you doing?” Roxy’s head throbbed with pain. She touched her head and apologized, “I’m sorry, Giselle. The floor at Yasmin’s studio is too slippery. Since I’m in heels, I accidentally slipped.” She immediately shifted the blame onto Yasmin. Blake was on the phone. Once he heard the commotion, he walked over with a frown. “What happened?” “The floor is slippery, so Roxy fell,” Giselle explained gently. Blake asked, “Did she hit your stomach?” “No, Roxy hit my foot. The baby’s fine,” Giselle answered while shaking her head. Then, Blake looked at Yasmin. “Are you okay?” “Yes,” Yasmin responded calmly. She had noticed how anxious he was about the child just moments ago. At that moment, a sense of desolation overwhelmed her. “Yasmin, the floor here is too slippery. You don’t even have a carpet. Now that I’ve fallen, how are you going to compensate?” Roxy chided while rising to her feet. Yasmin furrowed her brows. Just as she was about to respond, Blake coldly ordered, “Shut Roxy was momentarily stunned upon hearing that. “Blake, I’m the victim here.” He cast an icy glance at Roxy. “It’s your fault for not watching where you’re going.” As soon as those words came out, Roxy dared not argue anymore. +15 BONUS On the other hand, Yasmin was surprised that Blake retorted on her behalf. She looked up to peek at him. He wore a grim expression, showing his displeasure. “Hope we’re not interrupting anything.” Right then, Ivan’s voice came from outside the door. Everyone turned to look. With his secretary, Ivan strolled in with a cake in his hands.
Chapter 63 This section was dedicated to high–end luxury customization gowns. Giselle glanced at the dresses before asking, “Did you design all these evening gowns?” “Yes,” answered Yasmin. Giselle immediately complimented, “They’re lovely.” Roxy chimed in, “Giselle, I remember you can dance. Why don’t you choose a flowy gown? “That way, it’d be a beautiful scene when you dance with Blake at the birthday party.” “It does sound beautiful,” Giselle replied. Then, she pointed at a white evening gown and asked Blake, who was beside her, “Blake, what do you think about the white one?” “It’s fine,” Blake answered gently after glancing at the gown. “I’ll try that, then.” Giselle turned to Yasmin, smiling as she requested, “Yasmin, could you please get me that Yasmin stood there with her head down but beamed after hearing those words. “Of course.” She then asked her assistant to take the gown down for Giselle to try on. “Blake, let me try on this gown first. Wait for me here,” Giselle said gently. Right then, Blake was looking at his phone, seemingly focused on work. So, he nodded slightly in response. As Giselle approached Yasmin with a smile, the gown was already taken down. Yasmin placed it in the fitting room. Just as she was about to step out, Giselle called out, Yasmin, do you mind coming in to help me put it on?” “Sure,” Yasmin answered after a pause. With that, the two entered the fitting room. Giselle took off her clothes, revealing her well–shaped figure. Following that, she touched her belly, which was still flat, and asked intentionally, “Yasmin, do you think my stomach looks big now?” 1/3 +15 BONUS At that moment, Yasmin was dealing with the dress. She glanced at Giselle’s belly upon hearing that. It was still flat, and no one could tell that the latter was pregnant. “You don’t have a bump yet,” Yasmin replied softly. “Yeah, my birthday happens to be this month. If it were next month, I wouldn’t be able to fit into these corseted gowns,” Giselle commented, looking extremely happy. “By the way, Yasmin, that purse of yours, did Blake really throw it away?” In actuality, Giselle wanted that purse. Back then, she was overjoyed when she saw Blake had ordered it. She initially thought the purse was for her. Giselle never expected that it would end up in Yasmin’s hands. “Yes, he didn’t want it. I picked the purse up from the trash bin,” Yasmin explained, trying to avoid any misunderstandings. All she hoped for now was that Blake and Giselle would be well. That way, her father could be released. Giselle nodded in acknowledgment. A hint of a smile played on her lips but not mirrored in her gaze. “All done.” After Yasmin helped Giselle put on the gown, the latter looked down and bumped into. Yasmin’s hand. Yasmin’s injured hand then hit a stool that was nearby, causing her to grimace in pain. “Are you alright, Yasmin? Did I hit you by accident?” Giselle asked with guilt. Yasmin shook her head, but her lips were somewhat pale. “I’m fine.” “It’s just a bump. The pain will subside soon,” she said to herself. After that, Yasmin held the gown’s hem, accompanying Giselle as they walked out of the fitting room. Blake looked up and noticed Yasmin carrying the train of the dress like a servant. Meanwhile, Giselle looked like a beautiful princess. Standing under the lights, she grinned 213 and asked, “Blake, do you think this gown suits me?” Blake remained sitting on the couch as he calmly remarked, “It’s not bad.” “Really?” Giselle smiled gracefully. She then turned to look at herself in the mirror.
“What a strange person. He insisted that I look for his shirt, yet he left after I found it,” she complained inwardly. After that, she headed to the kitchen to have breakfast. Suddenly, Yasmin remembered the leftover cake from the day before. Hence, she thought of having it for breakfast. But to her disappointment, her strawberry cake was nowhere to be found in the fridge. That was impossible. Mary would never throw away their things. Baffled, Yasmin approached Mary, asking, “Mary, where’s the cake I kept in the fridge?” “Oh, that,” Mary responded with a cloth in her hand. “Mr. Ford said you shouldn’t eat it after being left overnight, so he threw it away. I think he tossed it in the living room’s trash bin.” Yasmin was rendered speechless upon hearing that. Why did he throw away her cake for no reason? She walked to the living room’s trash bin and found the Alchemy Couture bag in it. “What on earth?” Yasmin exclaimed. How could Blake discard a million–dollar bag just like that? Yasmin felt a pang of heartache as she carefully picked it up. Underneath the bag, her strawberry cake lay crushed and utterly ruined. “How childish of him!” Yasmin could not believe Blake, a 30–year–old man, would throw away her cake. His action was truly immature to the extreme! Looking at the white purse, she could not bear to throw it away. Since it was something she picked up, it belonged to her now. +15 BONUS With that, Yasmin took the purse, placed her belongings in it, and brought it to the studio. After she arrived at the studio, Eunice exclaimed, “Isn’t this a million–dollar limited edition. purse? Where did you get it? Is it a gift from Blake?” “No, it’s not. He didn’t want it and threw it in the trash bin. So, I picked it up, Yasmin answered with a grin. Who wouldn’t want such a beautiful purse? So, of course, Yasmin would use it. “Why did he throw it away?” Eunice asked. Yasmin could not understand Blake’s thoughts. “I don’t know. Maybe he didn’t like the sight of it.” “He doesn’t like the sight of a purse?” Eunice wore a confused expression. “It’s a beautiful purse. What did it do to offend him?” “He’s just a weirdo,” Yasmin remarked, her eyes filled with amusement. After laughing, she suddenly froze. That was because she saw several figures standing outside the office. Blake was dressed in a black shirt and black pants. Beside him stood Giselle and Roxy. Yasmin’s cheeks turned red instantly. Chapter 63 h his muments age, Yasmin had said later was a weirdo, infortunately, ULAN Yasmin’s comment Giselle, on the other hand, fixed her gaze on the purse on min’s desk it was was going through her mind, but her eyes revealed a hint of colors “Blake, you heard that, didn’t you? Yasmin has always thought you’re a weldo.” Rever commented. Yasmin was somewhat stunned after hearing that. She had said that as a joke In the next second, she looked at her assistant. The assistant who brought Blake, Giselle, and Roxy in said, “Ms. Starr, these two ladies tats they know you. So, they want to order a customized gown.” Erinnyes offered a gown customization service. However, as the brand was not famous enough, very few clients came to look for them. Yasmin stood up and explained, “Sorry, I was just joking with Eunice earlier.” After saying that, she glanced at Blake. Yet, it seemed like he was ignoring her. Blake Innket away, his gaze intense. Yasmin noticed his expression and figured he disliked her and couldn’t be bothered with her anymore. That was fine. This was something Yasmin wanted, anyway. “Yasmin, I heard your studio offers gown customization service. I’m hosting a birthday party at the end of the month, so I’d like to order a gown from you. Is two weeks enough time for you?” Giselle asked with a smile. Giselle wore a chiffon blouse paired with a tight skirt. Her long, curly hair complemented her look. She appeared graceful and stunning.
Chapter 61 +15 BONUS Yasmin turned back and saw Blake leaning against the door. He was even exuding an inexplicable charm. Life was indeed unfair. Not only did Blake have unrivaled authority, but he also possessed a perfect and seductive appearance. “Did you buy this?” asked Yasmin. Blake’s gaze met hers, and he smiled. “Yes, you can take it if you like it.” “Oh,” Yasmin responded. Then, she placed the purse back in its position. The pink diamond necklace he had given her previously was still in the closet. Yasmin would never take things that did not belong to her. When Blake saw Yasmin putting the purse back, his expression, which had softened, turned icy again. “You don’t want it?” he asked in a low voice. Yasmin replied, “No need. This purse is too expensive. I can’t afford to pay you back if I damage it. “I’ll just take a look at the design and create one myself. You should give it to Giselle. I’m sure she’ll like it.” After putting down the purse, Yasmin went to find Blake’s shirt. On the other hand, his expression turned colder. “She has something better. You don’t need to worry about her,” Blake added with a straight face. As soon as he finished speaking, he took the purse and walked out. Yasmin paused momentarily, thinking he might send the purse to Giselle. So, without saying another word, she continued to look for Blake’s shirt. Half an hour later, she finally found the shirt. However, when Yasmin walked out of the room, Blake was already gone. +15 BONUS She placed the shirt on the bed and headed downstairs to look for him. “Where is he?” Yasmin inquired. Mary answered, “Mr. Ford has already left.” Yasmin could not help but feel puzzled.
Chapter 60 That night, Yasmin slept like a baby. The next morning, after Yasmin got changed, her phone rang. Walking over to the bedside table, she saw Annalise’s name flash on her phone screen. The blind date was just yesterday, and Annalise was already calling today. It seemed like she was really eager. “Hello, Annalise,” Yasmin answered. “You met Ivan yesterday, right? How do you feel about him?” Annalise pressed. “Mr. Burke is great.” “Do you plan to continue getting to know him?” Annalise asked again. Yasmin was silent for a moment. “I can give it a try.” She thought Ivan was a great person, but he most likely didn’t know her real circumstances. Yasmin planned to tell him the next time she saw him and tell him that Blake was her husband. She didn’t like lying. “He’s really an outstanding person you can’t find anywhere. If he likes you, you have to seize the opportunity.” In truth, Yasmin had gotten lucky. Initially, Annalise wanted to introduce her to an executive, but the executive didn’t like Yasmin. On the contrary, Ivan did, and he had told Annalise himself that he wanted to get to know Yasmin. Annalise thought that Yasmin was a pretty lucky girl. However, it would be better to have such an exceptional man. It was just a matter of time before Yasmin left her son. Hearing Annalise’s words, Yasmin replied, “Yes, I will grab the chance.” To save her father, she could accept anything. After hanging up, Yasmin packed her things and got ready for work. +15 BONUS Mary suddenly ran over and said, “Mrs. Ford, Mr. Ford said he can’t find one of his shirts. He asked you to help him.” “Which shirt?” “Mr. Ford said it’s the one with two stripes on the sleeves.” Yasmin remembered it. That shirt was the one she had given to Blake as an anniversary gift. “I think it’s hanging in the first closet,” Yasmin informed Mary after a moment’s thought. “I can’t find it!” Mary said with a frown. “Mrs. Ford, can you go over and help find it? If Mr. Ford gets mad, the entire Oak Garden would suffer!” Since Mary had always been really nice to her, Yasmin couldn’t bear to see Mary suffer. Thus, she went to help. When she walked into the bedroom, she found Blake sitting on the bed gloomily. There were prominent dark circles beneath his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept well the night before. Yasmin didn’t say a word to him and went straight to the closet. When the lights flickered on, she saw an endless sea of clothing. Those on the left were Blake’s, while those on the right were hers. Back then, Yasmin loved helping Blake find his clothes in the morning. She used to think of it as a blessing. Now, seeing the mountains of clothing irritated her instead. Finding one shirt amongst the thousands of clothes here was like finding a needle in a haystack. How annoying! She walked over. She spotted a purse on the glass table from the corner of her eye. It was a limited–edition purse from Alchemy Couture! Yasmin was stunned. She’d seen a celebrity wear this purse on Twitter before. It cost several million dollars! “Where did this come from?” She didn’t remember having this bag. She couldn’t stop herself from picking it taking a closer look. up and The design was marvelous. She kept poring over it, unable to put it down. She didn’t even notice that Blake had walked