Outside the glass doors of the executive floor, a young woman named Noemie McDuff was desperately pleading with the front-desk receptionist. She was striking and tall, with soft chin-length dark hair framing a delicate face, and big, pretty brown eyes that were currently shimmering with helpless tears.​"Please, I am begging you! Just give me five minutes with Miss. Holloway." Noemie pleaded, her voice trembling as she clutched a thick leather folder tightly against her chest. "My family's company is on the brink of ruin… we need all the help we can get. Please, I just need to present our project proposal once…if she's not interested, I promise I'll never show you my face standing."​The receptionist stared at her haughtily, "Miss, please control yourself!" The receptionist barked loudly, completely unbothered by her tears. "Miss. Holloway is a person of considerable status and influence in this entire nation! She is definitely not someone that just anyone off the street can rando

The message flashing on Nancy’s screen was directly from Harry, commanding her in clear, unyielding words to fully cooperate with Noemie McDuff and provide Milford Tech with as much corporate help and resources as humanly possible.​Ten minutes earlier, while Nancy and Noemie had started talking in the main office, Harry had been sitting on the leather couch inside the adjoining private lounge. His eyes had been fixed on a high-definition video monitor mounted on the wall. Nancy had personally installed these hidden, high-tech security cameras inside her main office for convenience, allowing her to easily monitor her staff and visitors even while she was taking a brief rest in the lounge.​The moment Noemie had stepped through the office door and her face appeared in full clarity on the screen, Harry’s entire body had frozen. Staring at those big, brown eyes and those distinctly high cheekbones, Harry’s mind instantly broke free from the present and fell deeply into a vivid memory fro

Noemie’s beautiful eyes suddenly brightened with drops of moisture that she tried to blink away. She stared at the handsome man standing right in front of her, like she was hypnotized. Even though he had grown taller, broader, and wore slightly faded formal clothes, his warm, chocolate brown eyes, his sharply defined jaw, and the faint smile belonged to him… unmistakably him. He looked just like he had when they were children, having each other's backs. ​All her caution, professional restraint, and deep fear of offending a powerful boss instantly shed away. Overjoyed beyond belief, Noemie let out a gasp of disbelief, not and to hold herself back any longer.She rushed forward, threw her arms around his neck and reached up on her tiptoes, placing her chin over his shoulder as she hugged him with all the strength in her body.​"Harry! It's really you! I can't believe it's actually you!" She chirped happily, clinging to him as if he might vanish into thin air.​Harry was also overwhel

Noemie giggled subtly to herself, as a playful, mischievous idea suddenly popped into her head.​She deliberately softened her footsteps, stepping lightly across the shiny marble floor. She stealthily circled behind his sofa, raised her hands, and gently covered his eyes from behind. Leaning down close to his ear, she lowered her voice into a silly, raspy tone, trying her best to sound like a scary stranger.​"Guess who I am!" She joked playfully, a wide grin spreading across her face.​Harry didn't even flinch. His eyes remained calm behind her warm palms, and he let out a low sigh before replying coldly, his voice dripping with indifference. "Stop fooling around, Noemie. I knew it was you the moment you stepped off the carpet."​Noemie laughed, but as Harry straightened his back, dragging her hands and making her lean over the back of the couch, she suddenly realized just how unbelievably close they were. The warmth of his presence was steady against her, and a clean, refreshing a

"You don't need to explain anything, Harry!" Noemie declared loudly, stepping directly in front of him to block Derek and Julia’s toxic, hateful glare.​She turned her head slightly to look into Harry’s worried eyes, her own eyes reflecting her confidence. "You don't have to defend yourself to these awful people, Harry. I believe you! I know with my whole heart that you are not that kind of person. We grew up together, for God's sake! I know your character better than anyone—you have always been good, kind, and honorable, and someone who truly respects women, not just for the sake of showing off. I don't believe a single word of the disgusting lies coming out of their mouths!"​Harry’s heart trembled in his chest… he was so used to being constantly doubted, accused, and trampled on, that he almost couldn't belive that someone had finally stood up and believed in him without a single second of hesitation.​Julia looked down on Noemie with bitter contempt. Who was this new girl, who tho