Bride To Be Not Me (Janice and Simon)

Her quiet resilience was what drew him in the most.

After spending so much time together, her every smile and frown-even the way she blushed-would often surface in his mind.

As for love, Edward had never given it much thought. He only knew that if he were to share his future with someone, he wanted that person to be Janice.

The company was on holiday on New Year's Day, but Janice was still busy. She had started experimenting with crochet portraits, staying at her workstation for hours at a time. The entire time, her phone was propped up in front of her, showing a live feed of another person's study.

Early that morning, Edward had video-called her. He did not explain why. He simply left the call running as if it were the most natural thing to do.

She had no choice but to go along with it. What she did not notice was that in the study on the other side of the screen, Edward would pause his work from time to time. He would take a break, light a cigarette, and quietly watch her through the

screen.

Even through the phone, she could not ignore the weight of his gaze. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

He stubbed out his cigarette, took a sip of water, and answered calmly, "I miss you."

The needle, which had not pricked her in a long time, suddenly sank into her fingertip again. A sharp breath escaped her lips. She was at a loss. "You..."

Did he have to be so blunt?

"I want to see you. But we're too far apart. Video calls are the only option." His words were not flirtatious-they sounded like a simple statement of fact.

To her surprise, he not only expressed his feelings but also asked her, "Do you miss me? Even a little?"

As the chairman of Prosper Stitch Group, countless socialites had tried to capture his attention, yet he ignored them all and insisted on getting entangled with her.

Without letting him see the tiny drop of blood on her finger, she smiled. "Of course, I miss my great Mr. Moore."

Edward studied her intently for a moment but did not press further. Instead, he said, "In Nordmere, people generally avoid crocheting or sewing in the days leading up to and after New Year's. It's a local custom."

Janice blinked. "Is that so? I've never heard of it."

Greenfield City did have this custom.

But in the Fitzgerald family, where they worked her to the bone like a slave, they had never let her rest. They feared that if she slowed down, they would make less money.

Just before the call ended, Edward said, "I'm flying back to Greenfield City on the sixth."

Janice caught on immediately. "I'll pick you up."

Edward leaned in closer to the camera. "I want you to take me out for a meal too." She pressed her lips together and smiled. "Alright."

"Can I choose the food?"

"Yes."

He listed two dishes, and without realizing it, her tone softened as she replied, "Okay."

"You're not allowed to be late. My flight lands around 10:00 am."

Her voice carried a hint of indulgence. "Okay."

She had no idea why Edward was suddenly acting coy, but just in case, she did

not argue. She simply agreed to everything he said.

...

Meanwhile, in the study of Fitzgerald Residence in Lakeshore City, Edward was being cornered by his parents.

He looked at them and asked, "Do you believe me now?"

Robert and Barbara had always been skeptical. That was why they had

deliberately kept him from giving Janice any hints just now.

Even Edward himself had been a little on edge, afraid she might say something out of place. Fortunately, she had sensed that something was off and had played along perfectly.

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"You're returning on the sixth?" Barbara asked.

"Yes."

Barbara said, "Take something with you. I have something for Janice. Give it to her on my behalf."noveldrama

"You're not coming back yet?"

"I'll return a little later, after the 15th."

Time flew by. By the time Janice had completed the rough outline of her crochet portrait, it was the fifth.

Simon's call came through again.

"Janice, your money is taking

forever It's a good thing my bank

account is already unfrozen. If had needed to wait for you, I would've been long gone!"

There it was again—the arrogance of a man who was asking for help but still

acting as if he was superior. It was disgusting.

Janice said unhurriedly, "Since your account has been unfrozen, why don't you just use your own money?"

Simon instinctively blurted out, "How could I? That's my money."

The moment he said it, he realized something was off. He quickly tried to cover it up. "I mean, since I borrowed from you, it should be settled properly. I don't have much money left, and I still need to reserve some for purchasing stock.