"There is no answer for the time being. But one thing I can tell for certain is that no matter which group
it is, the AN Group will not admit defeat like a coward. We will use our strength and ability and make
sure they will be held accountable."
Kevin's authoritative voice rang in the hall.
After everyone listened to this, their minds instantly went to the M Group. They were a strong
competitor of the AN Group in the country, and the M Group came the second.
"Mr. Kevin, do you think it could be the M group?" someone questioned.
Hearing this query, Kevin sneered in his heart. 'Kim is quite good at scheming. He deliberately did this
to confuse me. But does he think I am someone that can be messed with?' Kevin thought and shook
his head.
Before Kevin could respond to them, a female voice interrupted them.
"You cannot make such accusation. You should think twice before you say something." This lady
speaker was none other than Rose. Everybody turned to look at her. She appeared with Mark by her
side.
She held Mark's hand as they walked inside. There was something about the way they stood that made
their intimacy evident.
Everyone present knew about Kevin's past relationship with her. Hence seeing her with another man
made the atmosphere a bit embarrassing.
They also knew that Kevin had a bad temper. Expectantly, they waited for him to lose his calm. To their
utter surprise, he seemed quite composed. In fact, he gazed at the couple with a happy expression.
After Rose explained everything to him, Mark no longer hated Kevin. Instead, he cherished Rose even
more.
"Although M Group is not as famous as AN Group, it is a century old company and has been here for a
long time. From the beginning, we have given utmost priority to quality. We would never attempt any
dirty tricks. I can guarantee you that our group has nothing to do with it so leave it out," Mark said those
words with a great momentum and Rose couldn't help but look into his brave eyes with affection.
Then, she added, "My sister, Anne, is currently dating Mr. Kevin. If there is any rumor, we will definitely
hold rumormonger accountable."
As she uttered those words, everyone remained silent. Nobody could now say that there was a conflict
between the M Group and the AN Group.
"That's all for today's interview." After saying that, Kevin left, followed by Rose and Mark.
"Kevin, we have helped you, but why haven't you thanked us?" said Rose, catching up with him. She
was quite disappointed with his behavior.
Rose still hated Kevin with a passion. But she knew she had no choice. Kevin and Anne were in a
relationship. She considered Anne as her family so there was no way she could keep a distance from
him. Every time she saw him, she made an attempt to be nice.
"Why should I thank you?" Kevin stopped and asked.
"We helped you out, otherwise you would have been in trouble," Rose replied in a matter-of-factly way.
"I'm sorry, but I don't believe I was in trouble. And suppose I was, do you think I will need help to solve
it?" Kevin replied back haughtily.
Rose was writhing with fury. They had helped him, but Kevin hadn't had the decency to treat them well.
"If you are capable of solving every issue, then why aren't you and Anne married? You should do it as
soon as possible." Rose's voice was a little harsh, evidently trying to provoke Kevin.
As expected, this time, her words hit him where it hurt. Hearing what she had said, Kevin frowned and
left without saying a word.
It seemed that she had succeeded in making him angry.
Once he was gone, Rose stuck out her tongue and said, "He is angry! What a mean man!"
Rose had not liked Kevin, and her attempts to like him had failed. Anyway, she was shocked that her
words had angered him. She didn't know he was so easily annoyed.
However, Mark disagreed with her. "I don't think he is mean," he said, a pensive look appearing in his
eyes.
Hearing this, Rose was surprised. "If he's not mean, then how do you explain his rude departure?"
"Everyone has a sore spot. Kevin cares about Anne's safety a great deal. That's why he is angry with
you."
"I see. If you were in his place, would you be angry too?" Rose asked with a smile. She was testing his
love.
Mark smiled and said, "Will you agree if I propose to you now?"
"Of course I will," Rose said, trying to sound casual but one could tell she meant it.
"In that case, I won't be angry like Kevin. Because our situations are different," Mark said.
At this time, Rose summoned the courage and asked, "When will you marry me?"
Hearing this, Mark smiled again. "Why are you in such a hurry?"
There was a hint of banter in his voice which made Rose a little upset. She frowned and said, "Just
forget it then."
Her voice reeked of disappointment. Before she could turn away and leave, Mark pulled her into a tight
embrace. "If you want me to marry you, I can do it now. If I am delaying it, it is only because I am afraid
that your parents will worry about you."
"What will they worry about?" Rose raised her eyes and asked, not able to understand what he was
trying to say.
"You've only been in love with me for a few months. We cannot marry hastily. They will think I am
tricking you into it," Mark said with a look of honesty.
"No, that's not true. My father already likes you very much. My mother may have had issues with you in
the beginning. But now, she seems to like you a lot too. Anyway, my marriage is my business. Nobody
else has a say in it. If my parents won't agree, I will still be with you." Every word Rose said indicated
that she was willing to do anything to be with him.
Mark listened quietly. However, in the end, only a smile was left on his face.
Her words had deeply moved him. An innocent girl like Rose deserved all his love. He was determined
to make sure he gave her everything she wanted.
In the East Mountain Villa, the lights were on.
It was quite late. Wearing a light Khaki coat, Anne sat on the swing in the yard.
There was a gentle smile on her beautiful face. It was similar to the moonlight glinting in the sky.
Kevin came back early today. He walked towards her and she caught sight of his face. Even from a
distance, she could tell he was in a sour mood. His face was especially cold. She wished to know what
was bothering him.
"What's the matter?" she asked and moved a little, leaving space for him to sit.
Kevin sat down beside Anne and held her waist with one hand, afraid that she might not be able to sit
steadily. He sighed, as if he had something heavy on his mind.
"Anne, when will you agree to marry me?" Kevin's expression was a mix of both fear and expectation.
"Why do you suddenly ask this?" Anne couldn't help but lean towards Kevin. Even though Anne said
she didn't like Kevin, her feelings were quite obvious.
"I was teased for my cowardice." Kevin's face darkened and he spoke through gritted teeth.
"By who? What happened? Tell me clearly," Anne said, starting to feel very anxious.
"Today Rose said that I couldn't marry you because I wasn't capable enough." Kevin frowned. He was
quite hurt because he genuinely believed Rose's words were true.
"No, that's not true. And even if it was true, love has nothing to do with capability. Don't listen to her,"
said Anne sincerely.
Kevin looked at Anne and asked, "Then why don't you marry me now? Don't you have feelings for
me?"
Kevin's gaze bore through hers. His expression was that of an aggrieved man. In Anne's eyes, he now
looked like an adamant child who wouldn't take no for an answer.
Hearing Kevin's question, Anne got ready to deny it. However, she was too shy and blushed, unable to
confess her feelings.
"Yes, you are right. It's just that I don't like you," she lied, turning her face to the other side.
Although she said this, there was love in her tone.
However, Kevin was in a bad mood. Like a child, he simply chose to believe her words. And as a
consequence, he began to feel depressed.
Seeing that he was unhappy, Anne began to think of ways to comfort him. But before she could do or
say anything, the servant's voice interrupted them.
"Mr. Kevin, Miss Anne, it's time for dinner," she announced.
The servants usually referred to Anne as Miss Anne. Up until today, Kevin was fine with it. But now, it
added salt to his wounds. He was unhappy about the way they addressed her.
"Who asked you to call her Miss Anne?" There was a hint of displeasure in his voice. By now, he wasn't
just angry, he was also vulnerable.
"That's how we have always called her. Should we be calling her something else?" the servant asked in
confusion.
"Call her Mrs. Anne." Kevin's voice was firm. He didn't care whether Anne was fine with it or not. In his
heart, she was always his wife.
As the servant listened to him, her eyes widened. On the other hand, Anne face flushed red. Without
saying anything, she went straight to the dining room and sat down for dinner.
While she was there, she didn't dare to look at Kevin. Her head was lowered down. She was
determined to never look up.
Kevin couldn't stand to watch her ignore him. He passed her some food. To his disappointment, Anne
still didn't raise her head. The two finished the meal awkwardly without a single word passed between
them.
"I'm full. I'm going to bed," Anne announced. And then, without waiting for Kevin's response, she went
straight to her bedroom and shut the door.
As Kevin saw how things had turned, his mood became even more sour. "Why did you call her Mrs.
Anne? Now she won't even talk to me!"
The servant felt bad for Kevin. His had a melancholic look. She kindly reminded him, "Mr. Kevin, you
asked me to call her that."
Embarrassed, he said, "Oh yes, my bad. I'm going to bed."
After saying that, he went to the bedroom. He wanted to sort everything out.
In the bedroom, Anne hadn't slept. She leaned against the bed. These days, Kevin had really taken
good care of her.
Her face was ruddy and her big watery eyes no longer looked indifferent. She had become as gentle as
water.
She leaned against the bedside table and caressed her slender fingers against the quilt. When she saw
Kevin come in, she turned her head, pulled the quilt and feigned sleep.
Kevin had seen her move and knew she was only pretending. Having no choice, he took his place in
bed and remained next to her.
"Anne," he called gently.
However, there was no response. He called her name several times but in vain. And then, his
expression changed.
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