Chapter 21 Exclusive Release Chapter 21 "Wynne,..."
“I…” Yuan Ning opened her mouth, like a thief caught red-handed.
“Now,” he stepped forward again, straightening his collar with one hand, “what method do you choose?”
The heat emanating from his body and that invisible pressure enveloped her tightly from the front.
The pain in my ankle intensified, and my heart pounded wildly in my chest.
"Boss, it's incredibly unfair that you're using that face to seduce me." Her voice trailed off, as if she knew she was being unreasonable.
Yuan Ning tried to shift the blame onto him, but flies don't land on eggs without cracks, and it takes two to tango between a man and a woman.
Elias frowned slightly, and Yuan Ning almost thought he was starting to dislike her.
Then, a sharp pain shot up Yuan Ning's ankle. She cried out in pain, her mind went blank for a moment, and almost instinctively, she reached out and wrapped her arms around his exquisitely sculpted waist, while also bracing herself for him to push her away.
She knew she was being presumptuous, but she was simply unable to handle his questioning today. Apart from resorting to unreasonable whining, she didn't know what else to do.
Elias did not back down; he caught her, knowing she was injured.
Yuan Ning lifted her head in his arms, her porcelain-white face flushed with pain and embarrassment, her dark eyes glistening with tears.
"It wasn't intentional this time." Her voice was muffled, but her arm tightened around her. "Boss, thank you for catching me."
"Can you still stand properly?" he asked, his tone devoid of emotion.
Yuan Ning gently shook her head in his arms, burying her face back against his chest: "No."
Elias paused for a moment, then, seemingly out of some gentlemanly manners, said, "I'll have Charles drive you home first."
He supported the back of her head completely with his palm; his palm was large and had a strong supporting force.
But Yuan Ning shook her head in his palm: "No, I still have work to finish."
During the brief few seconds that Elias remained silent, Yuan Ning could feel the rise and fall of his chest.
“What other work is there? I’ll pay you three thousand dollars a week. I think you should listen to whoever pays you more, Wynne. You should listen to me.”
Yuan Ning turned her head and carefully moved it out, pointing in the direction of Alexander Qingchuan. He was no longer talking to Marjorie, but was surrounded by other fashion media.
"I want to get to know him, Elias, do you have a way?"
She didn't call him "boss," which clearly indicated that she intended to use their personal relationship to make this request.
Yes, she had once forcibly kissed him, a gesture of their acquaintance. Her infatuation and obsession with him couldn't be limited to just his looks; he held countless resources and connections she desired.
Elias glanced back at the designer who was surrounded by the media.
"he?"
"Mmm." Yuan Ning looked at Elias with longing, hoping to make him agree, otherwise the girl might think he couldn't do it.
“The reason.” His voice regained its usual distant calm, but he gave a helpless explanation, “Wynne, I can’t help you for no reason.”
Yuan Ning thought that if she could gain Alexander's appreciation, her status in the fashion industry would definitely improve significantly, and she would be able to obtain more work resources in the future.
But these reasons were not favorable to her employer, Elias.
She looked up, her arms still wrapped around his waist, but she tried to remain professional: "Getting to know him and understanding his design philosophy will allow me to better serve you, my boss."
Elias remained expressionless; these words were unlikely to move him. Yuan Ning paused, then continued, “The Kiyokawa family owns ancient textile workshops and art collections in Japan, and has marriage alliances with several long-established luxury families in France, controlling some private funds that are not publicly funded. Alexander himself and his circle are holders and traders of top-tier art, antique jewelry, rare leathers, and other hard assets. Boss, whatever information or resources I obtain from him in the future, I will share them with you.”
Yuan Ning had already shared everything she knew. She couldn't understand deeper things, like capital and finance, and she didn't know if any of her words would resonate with Elias. But she boldly guessed that she wasn't entirely useless to him.
Elias remained silent for a few seconds, a brief silence that felt like centuries to Yuan Ning. In her understanding, she had indeed said everything she could. Her self-assessment was probably still insignificant in the eyes of someone like Elias, as if she were telling some childish joke.
"I can introduce you to someone."
Yuan Ning suddenly raised her head and looked at him with starry eyes.
The arms around his waist seemed like a reluctant dependence, but in reality, they were extremely stubborn, as if clearly declaring her possession of him.
He coldly scrutinized her seemingly completely dependent yet subtly sharp attitude, like a feather gently brushing against a corner of his heart.
He was used to control and order, and also to elegant indifference, while she was like a thorn trying to break free from the soil, deadly yet full of vitality, and incredibly charming.
A beautiful girl who works so hard and refuses to give up is someone a qualified investor should help out.
He subtly shifted to the side, choosing to half-support, half-carry her. His gaze passed over her head, looking in the direction of Alexander Qingchuan. His voice was elegant and magnetic, sounding like celestial music to Yuan Ning's ears. He was an angel.
"He's also on the golf club's invitation list at nine o'clock on Saturday morning. I can take you in. As for how to pique his interest in you, that's up to you."
Yuan Ning's eyes widened with excitement: "Boss, you mean I can go to Winged Foot Golf Club too!"
Elias frowned and removed her hand: "Yes, it's nothing serious, you don't need to get so worked up."
Out of some interest in pretty girls, Elias was somewhat eager to see how she would climb the ladder step by step, and how far she would ultimately go.
Yuan Ning got what she wanted and stopped deliberately provoking and offending him. She straightened up and distanced herself from him, saying, "Thank you. You don't know, Emily and the others would fight tooth and nail to get into a place like this."
Elias felt a lightness on his body, took two steps back, and looked at her coldly.
"Socializing in such places is much more efficient than socializing in such noisy, chaotic settings where interns from any media outlet can show up. Because when you're there, what you say will naturally attract the attention of those people, even if you're just a twenty-year-old student."
Yuan Ning nodded vigorously: "I know, that's why I'm extremely grateful to you."
For various reasons, he decided to forgive her this time and keep quiet about the matter.
Yuan Ning, having benefited from the situation, is now extremely adept at currying favor.
"Boss, instead of suing me... why don't you... punish me yourself?"
Elias was taken aback at first, then stared at her intently, a dangerous glint in his eyes. He gave a cold smile and said, "Wynne, you're smart, but you should use your intelligence for good."
Theodora came looking for someone, and Elias told Yuan Ning to go find Charles, who would drive her home.
Despite her ailing leg, Yuan Ning figured she didn't need to spend the day showing up at such a high-society event on Saturday, so she asked Marjorie for leave. Marjorie was very concerned about her work injury: "If you need to claim compensation from the company, submit the application to the administration department next week."
This was a pleasant surprise; it was just a sprained ankle that would heal in a couple of days. But Marjorie said that according to company policy, she was entitled to a $1,000 compensation.
As Yuan Ning stepped out wrapped in her coat, the cold wind sent a shiver down her spine, but Charles's black Bentley quickly pulled up in front of her.
Charles opened the car door for her himself: "Miss Wynne, please get in."
Yuan Ning lifted her skirt as she got into the car. She noticed a camera pointed at her from outside the door, so she naturally struck a pose as she got in, even though she had no idea which tabloid she would appear in tomorrow.
As soon as she got in the car, the constant 22 degrees Celsius enveloped her, making her feel very warm, while Elias's scent surrounded her nose.
“Mr. Charles,” she said softly from the back seat.
"What is it, Miss Wynne?"
"How long have you been working for Elias?"
“My family has worked for Van der Berg for generations, Miss. I have worked for Master Elias since he was born.”
Yuan Ning was somewhat surprised, not expecting that those legendary butlers who had worked loyally for a certain family for generations actually existed. However, she had only just begun to understand this class, and she couldn't wait to learn more.
"Then may I ask, has Elias's personality always been like this since he was a child? Sometimes he suddenly becomes very irritable."
“Irritable?” Charles seemed to have heard an unbelievable description. “Young Master Elias has always been elegant and gentle. Irritable is definitely not a word that applies to him.”
"I see..."
"You've arrived, Miss Wynne."
Yuan Ning came to her senses, and by the time Charles came over to open the car door for her, she had already regained her flawless smile: "Thank you, Charles, see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, Ms. Wynne. Take care."
Yuan Ning stepped out of the Bentley, lifting her skirt. Her ankle injury needed treatment, but it seemed to be just a twist; it was a little red and swollen, but not broken. She decided not to go to the hospital and would treat it at home herself, so that the $1,000 compensation from the company would all be hers.
Charles did not offer her any further care; it was already a commendable act of a capitalist for his master Elias to ask him to take her home.
Charles watched her gracefully enter through the revolving glass doors of the apartment building before driving away.
Yuan Ning gasped and practically hopped into the elevator on one foot, her ugly face reflected in the elevator mirror.
I was in a terrible state today.
A sprained ankle may not be a serious matter, but it was difficult for her to maintain her posture in such a situation while wearing high heels.
She can't emulate the beautiful actresses who deliberately fall to create buzz; if she makes a fool of herself, she'll only get fired by Marjorie.
Just as she was hiding to the side to rest, Elias appeared in front of her again and questioned her about her ridiculous behavior.
She cursed her bad luck inwardly; if she hadn't been in such a precarious situation, she wouldn't be in such a sorry state.
Back in her spacious, empty new apartment, she kicked off her high heels; her left ankle was visibly swollen and her skin was burning.
She dragged her injured leg, hopped into the kitchen area, and opened the refrigerator.
There were only a few bottles of mineral water, eggs, and a bunch of wilted vegetables inside.
"What a... perfect day." She gave a self-deprecating smile; she had been so busy with work these past few days that she had forgotten to take good care of herself.
Her empty wallet and the need to maintain a perfect facade were both putting her under immense pressure.
To this day, she has not yet emerged from her desperate situation.
She took a deep breath, a fierce glint in her eyes. She turned on the sink faucet, set it to the coldest setting, and then plunged her swollen ankles directly into the icy water.
"Hiss—that feels amazing!"
The rushing water sounded particularly jarring in the quiet apartment. Looking at the girl in the mirror opposite her, with slightly disheveled hair, a pale face, but a stubborn gaze, she suddenly felt that she deserved everything, and that she definitely deserved the best.
She rinsed her ankle with cold water for a full ten minutes until it went numb and the pain subsided slightly. She turned off the water, carefully dried it with a clean towel, and then took out a nearly empty tube of blood-activating and stasis-removing ointment from the first-aid kit and carefully applied it to the swollen area.
Smelling the herbal ointment, she couldn't help but fall into deep thought. Meng Qianyue had packed it in her luggage for her when she left home last year.
Perhaps that fatherly love was genuine, but it vanished quickly.
Regardless of the truth or falsehood of her fatherly love, it truly nurtured Xiao Yuanning as she grew up. She was fortunate that by the time she faced those falsehoods, she had grown up, she was strong, and she did not lack love.
She hopped on one foot and threw herself onto the mattress in the bedroom, placing a cushion under her ankle to elevate her injured area, and then pulled the down comforter over her body.
Outside the window, the ever-burning lights of Manhattan illuminated the unbridled ambition in her eyes.
On Friday evening, Yuan Ning arrived at her employer's residence on time.
No. 1 Willow Street is so low-key and steady, like an ancient fortress sunk to the bottom of a river. Only the glow of the wall lamps on both sides of the porch creates a small, warm territory in the cold early winter night.
Yuan Ning rang the doorbell, and Dorota opened the door for her, taking her cashmere coat, which was slightly damp with the cold air.
She wore a light blue round-neck cashmere dress underneath, the hem of which reached her knees, with no other decorations except for two small pearls on her earlobes.
When she reached the door of Elias's study, he was facing away from the door, browsing through a document. He only turned around when he heard her footsteps.
Dorotha said softly, "Young Master Elias, Miss Wynne has arrived."
Elias put down what he was doing, looked up, and his gaze fell gently on Yuan Ning, but the undeniable sense of order surrounding him became even more pronounced.
"Good evening, boss." Yuan Ning smiled, her voice sweet.
He nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on her for a moment as a greeting: "You can start working now."
Yuan Ning walked up to him, opened her iBook, and the screen lit up, displaying the outfit she had prepared in advance.
“I have selected three casual outfit combinations and corresponding accessories based on your possible itinerary in Newport. Please take a look.”
Her work was impeccable. She presented the computer to her employer with both hands. Elias, who hadn't originally intended to pay much attention to his attire, couldn't help but be drawn to her computer screen.
Elias quickly glanced through her work, showing respect for it. His icy blue eyes betrayed no emotion as he simply nodded: "Okay, proceed with your plan."
Yuan Ning stood beside his velvet chair, holding her laptop, looking down at his expression. Seeing that he quickly looked away from her computer and returned to his work, she felt quite dissatisfied.
Didn't he notice the clever little detail in the leather shoes she designed for him?
"Boss, is all you ever say is 'Execute according to your plan'?"
Elias was somewhat taken aback. He looked up at her, his expression a mixture of disbelief and anger.
His dress consultant shouldn't have spoken to him like that.
“Wynne, I’ve been very forgiving of you.”
Yuan Ning held the laptop in one hand and braced herself against the armrest of his chair with the other, leaning closer to him and looking down at him with her beautiful almond-shaped eyes: "So that means you can accept whatever I do at work, no matter how well I do it."
“But you did a good job. As long as there are no major problems, I won’t have any complaints about you, Wynne.”
Yuan Ning began to enjoy hearing Elias call her "Wynne"; his voice was gentle, and his pronunciation was very elegant.
His pupils were fixed on her, as if to say, "Don't disappoint me."
“But,” she tilted her head slightly, her thick eyelashes fluttering, “shouldn’t a good employer give more specific feedback on an employee’s outstanding work performance?”
Elias looked at her face so close to his, and the sweet fragrance emanating from her became even clearer, clashing abruptly with the scent of cigars and old books in the study.
He noticed she was wearing lipstick today, making her lips look soft and moisturized. She was like a Persian cat, meticulously groomed, stubbornly wanting to show its most beautiful fur to its owner and demanding petting and praise.
Bold, vain, and damnably... cunning.
His gaze lingered on her for half a second before shifting away, locking back into her eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly: "Then I formally commend you, Wynne, you did very well."
He watched her approach, his gaze fixed on her, but he remained expressionless.
She suddenly raised her hand and hooked her index finger around the collar of his cashmere sweater: "Let me see, has that evidence disappeared?"
Elias frowned and brushed her hand away, but in that instant, Yuan Ning's fingers had already traced his Adam's apple.
“Wynne,” he called her name, his voice icy, “enough is enough.”
Wynne simply raised her dark eyes and stared at him innocently.
Her perfume is a blend of almond, vanilla, and caramel, a scent that combines like a sensual almond cake—warm, rich, and addictive. She knows how to choose perfumes to perfectly define her own gourmet sweetness.
“Elijas, you can’t keep scaring a little girl like you did last night.”
What she meant was that her behavior today was not her fault, but his; he had frightened her.
“It wasn’t without reason, Wynne. I bet I seriously considered whether or not to send you to jail.”
"And now?"
Elias leaned back in his chair, reverting to his aloof and all-powerful demeanor. From a distance, it looked as if Yuan Ning was sitting on his lap.
"I told you, I have forgiven you, poor girl."
"Then I forgive you, my boss."
Theodora knocked twice on the door, and Yuan Ning stood up, looking as if she had just finished discussing work with Elias, while Elias leaned back in the velvet chair and turned to look at his mother.
"Mother, what's wrong?"
Theodora smiled at Elias: "It's getting late, Elias. As a gentleman, you should finish your work as soon as possible so that Miss Wynne can go home early."
"I understand, I will, Mother."
Theodora nodded to Yuan Ning, then turned and left.
Yuan Ning put away her computer. She had a scheduled appointment with Elias tomorrow, and she needed to go back as soon as possible to do more research on Alexander Qingchuan.
"Dorotha will pack my clothes for you. You can go back first."
Yuan Ning looked down at Elias and suddenly felt a little reluctant to part with him; there weren't many employers as good as him.
"Boss, I can finish my work before I leave."
“No need, here’s a hundred dollars, Wynne. Don’t take the subway home today.”
Elias opened the drawer, took out a brand-new banknote with his index and middle fingers, and placed it on the table, pushing it towards Yuan Ning.
Yuan Ning's gaze shifted from his employer's alluring jawline to the hundred-dollar bill. He had already withdrawn his hand, leaving only a lone banknote on the table.
“I thought your situation had changed long ago after you got the brooch, Wynne. Don’t let me see you taking public transportation to and from get off work again.”
Yuan Ning opened her mouth, then reached out and took the hundred dollars in her hand: "You're very generous, but I don't intend to cash in the brooch."
Elias raised an eyebrow, surprised: "Why? You're living the life of a vagrant now."
“I can make a lot of money again, but Elias, that brooch means a lot to me.”
Yuan Ning smiled sweetly, "That was your first kiss."
On Saturday morning, at 8:25 a.m., the black Bentley glided into the temporary parking area downstairs at Yuanning Apartment Building right on time.
The car window rolled down, and Elias van der Berg, sitting in the back seat, was wearing a light oatmeal-colored polo shirt and khaki casual pants that Yuan Ning had picked out for him the day before, with a wool knit sweater casually draped over his shoulders.
The revolving glass door turned, and Wynne stepped out. Elias's gaze fell silently on her.
She had clearly dressed up carefully, yet she had also subtly maintained a sense of proportion. The only eye-catching accessory she wore was a square wristwatch with a black leather strap, its sharp lines creating a subtle contrast with her gentle, oriental charm.
Elias rarely had the opportunity to appreciate Eastern women; Wynne was the first.
Charles opened the car door for her.
“Good morning, boss. Good morning, Mr. Charles.” Her voice was sweet, full of morning energy.
A crisp, refreshing scent with hints of green and citrus top notes wafted in, different from her sweet fragrance from the previous night, and exhibiting a different character.
It seems she put a lot of effort into meeting Alexander Kiyokawa.
So, was the sweet scent she exuded every time she saw him also a design?
Elias nodded almost imperceptibly after she was seated: "Good morning."
The vehicle started smoothly and merged into the still congested traffic in Manhattan over the weekend.
Elias felt inexplicably agitated. The unfamiliar scent emanating from her overpowered her usual fragrance, the scent he was used to.
She simply changed her perfume from Red Berry to Kenzo L'Eau par Kenzo, a men's fragrance with lemon, grapefruit, mint, and aquatic notes, like a cool breeze. She used this perfume to express herself, clearly not to see him.
So this was an invasion to him.
Wynne sat down, the car seat next to her sagged slightly. She wore a short top and a stretchy skirt suitable for golf courses, the pink fabric highlighting the beautiful muscles on her thighs, while her calves were covered with white stockings, revealing her rounded knees.
Elias looked away; Wynne was smiling at him.
"Boss, you really are wearing the leather shoes I picked out for you."
Elias lowered his head. They were a pair of well-worn leather shoes, which he had accepted at the request of his dress consultant for a certain style.
But the scent that wafted into his nose... a mildly diffused perfume is meant for himself or close friends, and is never meant to be loudly proclaimed to the whole room at once.
He rested his head on the headrest, slowly turned his head to look at her, his eyelids drooping lazily: "Wynne, come a little closer to me."
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