[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-2603220ECDF1-638":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},638,80,"Chapter 80: The Tomato Stain","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A pearl is still a pearl.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Whether displayed on a pedestal or sealed inside an oyster, its essence remains unchanged. The value assigned to it is merely a human construct, not a reflection of its nature.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette Ellis understood this logic, yet it took Roman Griffin’s blunt explanation for her to truly grasp it. She shouldn’t be asking if she should accept an opportunity; she should be asking if she actually wanted it.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She gave Arthur Campbell her answer shortly after.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I’ll give it a try.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Her response was humble, but Arthur practically wanted to shove her into the anchor’s chair that very second. \"Try? What do you mean, 'try'? As long as you’re on air, that’s all that matters. And that girl—\" Arthur gestured vaguely, \"—Emma Fox. She’s yours now. She’ll be shadowing you on this new project.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When the news broke, Emma Fox was all for it.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She clung to Violette’s arm, beaming. \"Boss, I was so afraid that when I officially started, they’d dump me in some dark corner to fend for myself. Or worse, assign me to a male department head. You know how it is—I’m a total cynic when it comes to men in the real world.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">That girl’s mouth hadn't changed one bit.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette raised a hand to silence her. \"Less talking.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Understood!\" Emma straightened her posture, giving a mock salute. \"More doing!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The preparation phase for the new program was brutal.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette wasn’t just the lead anchor; she was the showrunner. From flowcharts to selecting interviewees, and from managing camera crews to post-production, nothing moved forward without her sign-off. As her assistant, Emma didn't have a spare second to breathe, either.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">They knew the broadcast industry was glamorous, but they hadn't realized it was this draining.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Every time Emma got home in the dead of night, she had to endure the piercing glares of her parents.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Is the station actually insane? Do they not consider you people?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You can’t say that,\" Emma would defend, citing her direct supervisor. \"Ms. Ellis gets home even later than I do, and she’s already back at it by the time I arrive in the morning. If Ms. Ellis isn't complaining, then—\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Fine, fine. Ms. Ellis this, Ms. Ellis that. You talk more about her than you do about us.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Emma thought to herself, *And why wouldn't I?* In the grind of being a corporate cog, the only joy left was observing her mentor. To be precise, observing her mentor and her high-powered, CEO husband.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">To that end, Emma had started a blog.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*Chronicles of a Cynic: The Boss Stays Warm.*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The blog had grown from a handful of hits to a few thousand followers. Emma’s writing was witty, full of inside jokes, and surprisingly, people started clamoring for updates if she went silent for a few days.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Emma retorted, \"This isn't a serial novel, you know!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A follower shot back, \"Save it. You’re clearly just building engagement before dropping the goods. Real men like that don't exist, so you better keep updating.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Emma: ...\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The blog continued to exist on an irregular schedule. It wasn't that Emma didn't want to write; it was that her \"Mr. Griffin\" was a busy man. He wasn't some idle socialite; whether there was content depended entirely on his appearances.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">For instance, Violette had told her a few days ago that Roman was away on business.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He was in Bangkok. Deepwater, which lacked a true winter, was beginning to warm up, and the sun was already strong enough that a coat felt unnecessary. Bangkok was even hotter. During a video call that evening, Violette was caught off guard when she saw Roman shirtless.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Is it really that hot in Bangkok?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I'm at the hotel.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">On screen, his bare, sculpted torso vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He pulled his robe tight, and by the time he stepped back into the frame, he had cinched the belt with a crisp, decisive knot.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman lowered his gaze. \"Just finished a shower.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*What a pity.*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He was so bundled up now; there was nothing left to see.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette played it cool. \"You could have finished dressing before answering.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Mm,\" Roman nodded. \"I’ll remember that for next time.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">There was really no need to respond to everything she said so literally.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">At some point, video calling whenever they were apart had become their unspoken ritual. Today, Violette had been the one to initiate the call.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"How was your day? Busy?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Not bad,\" Roman replied. \"And you?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Swamped. I just got in.\" Violette sighed. \"It’s a good thing Sunny is staying with my parents. Otherwise, coming home to an empty house every night would make me feel like a latchkey kid.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Their conversations were always like this—a bit about work, a bit about the cat.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette was about to hang up when Roman suddenly called her name.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She was in the middle of applying moisturizer to her legs and barely lifted her eyes, responding lazily, \"Yeah?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"When I get back, do you want to go surfing?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Huh?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She was noticeably startled, her voice rising an octave.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You mentioned being under a lot of pressure lately,\" Roman said. \"A little relaxation is good for the body and mind.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"But... I don't know how to surf,\" Violette said, feeling lost.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman replied as he always did, with calm assurance: \"Leave it to me.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">...\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Deepwater bordered the inner sea, and they managed to find a rare window of time off the day after Roman returned.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">True to his word, he had his speedboat moved to the coast first thing in the morning.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette was still eating breakfast when she heard him finishing a call, a slice of tomato from her sandwich dangling from her lips. \"So early?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"The weather is perfect. I had them prepare a barbecue on the deck.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"We’re doing that too?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Adelaide and the others heard we were heading out and insisted on tagging along,\" Roman said, sounding resigned. \"I told them they could host their own barbecue on the yacht, but we’re taking the boat out alone.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">There was something undeniably intimate about the way he said \"we’re taking the boat out alone\" in that composed, serious voice. Violette’s throat constricted as she stared at his thin, pale lips.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She suddenly wanted to kiss him.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She stood up abruptly, and Roman instinctively turned his head.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Before he could even register what was happening, she pressed her lips against his for a fleeting second. By the time he refocused, she had already pulled back, leaning against the edge of the table, watching him with an amused glint in her eyes.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The touch had been so brief it might have been a hallucination.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He narrowed his eyes. \"Don't want to go surfing anymore?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I do,\" Violette said. She slowly reached out, brushing a smudge of tomato she’d left on the corner of his mouth, feigning ignorance. \"But I don't see what that has to do with surfing. It’s not like...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Her gaze drifted downward.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"...you’d get a reaction out of a simple kiss, right?\"\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272920000]