Daniel had been extremely busy lately. Not only was he frequently traveling for business, but he also had to return home at the end of the year to handle family affairs. He had delegated most of his mining corporation's work to other teams, leaving Anna alone in the laboratory to continue her gemstone identification tasks.
That evening, the company-assigned assistant prepared some pasta for Anna. After eating, she sat alone in the living room, flipping through her gemstone identification materials. Recently, she had been assigned a special project: identifying a batch of samples shipped back from the South African mines. Although she was just a junior gemologist, her keen eye often caught flaws and qualities in gems that others overlooked, which had gradually made her stand out in the team.
Feeling a bit bored late at night, Anna walked out onto the terrace and watered the plants both inside and on the balcony. She thought of the two illustrations and a botanical specimen that Daniel had recently given her—an American rose, said to be the final masterpiece of the renowned artist, Master D.
To her surprise, the next morning, the two illustrations had developed creases. Startled and a bit flustered, she quickly took photos and sent them to Daniel.
At that moment, Daniel was in Los Angeles, meeting with the company's vice president, Michael, discussing overseas investments and mining cooperation plans. His phone vibrated on the table; he glanced at the screen, his expression momentarily freezing before a wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"What's wrong?" Michael asked, handing him a cup of coffee, clearly curious about Daniel's reaction.
"It's nothing, just that rose you gave me the other day..." Daniel paused, lowering his gaze back to the documents, trying to hide his amusement. "It doesn't seem to be doing too well."
Michael raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I thought you weren't into those things?"
Daniel chuckled softly and looked up. "But those two paintings are indeed exquisite. The rose's colors are rich, and the quality is superb. I acquired them at an auction a few days ago; one of them recently fetched six figures."
He glanced at his phone again, recalling the photos Anna had sent. Though he found it amusing, he decided not to tell Michael the truth to avoid making a big deal out of it.
Meanwhile, Anna kept sending messages: "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean it... Was the painting expensive?"
Daniel casually replied, "It's fine, not expensive."
Receiving Daniel's response, Anna finally breathed a sigh of relief. She thought to herself that she would never casually touch the things he gave her again, to avoid causing unintended trouble.
She returned to the sofa, reviewing her recent work schedule. Currently, she was a junior gemologist, primarily responsible for basic appraisal work in the company's jewelry department. Recently, she had completed the appraisal of several batches of mineral samples shipped back from South Africa and Myanmar. Although these tasks seemed ordinary, with her experience of being exposed to high-end jewelry from a young age, Anna could always find hidden rare gems in ordinary minerals, which allowed her to gradually stand out within the company.
Next, she needed to handle some high-end jewelry appraisal projects commissioned by private clients, especially those involving unprocessed raw gemstones. Sarah had told her that these clients placed great importance on the initial appraisal results; any mistakes could bring huge losses to the company. Anna was not intimidated; instead, she felt excited at the opportunity to showcase her talents.
She hadn't given a public lecture in the jewelry industry for some time, and industry fans and students were constantly urging her to return. Anna wasn't unwilling; she just realized that holding these events in Daniel's home or the lab was not appropriate. Daniel greatly valued his privacy; he enjoyed a peaceful life, and any external disturbances made him uncomfortable.
She knew that even the cleaning staff and the chef only came when Daniel was not around. Everything at home was orderly, and she didn't want to disrupt this balance because of her career.
While scrolling through her phone, Anna came across some industry news. Jake had recently been making waves in the jewelry world; he had represented a top-tier sapphire jewelry piece that became a global sensation upon its release, attracting many high-end clients. With this successful venture, Jake's company suddenly catapulted into the industry's forefront, drawing collaboration interests from numerous major jewelers.
Seeing this news, Anna felt a bit unsettled and casually swiped away the screen. Although Jake had once been a good friend in the industry, they now had almost no interaction. His career was booming, while she was still striving to reach the top.
A few days later, Anna received an important assignment: handling a batch of unprocessed ruby rough stones from Myanmar. This was her first time participating in such a high-end project. Although she had excelled in basic mineral identification, she still felt immense pressure when facing high-end gems.
These rubies were headed directly to the auction house. Clients expected her initial appraisal to confirm whether these rough stones had the potential to be processed into high-value jewelry. Any errors could bring significant economic losses to the company and damage her professional reputation.
Upon arriving at the lab, Anna was stunned by an entire row of rough stones. The gems didn't look special—rough in appearance and dull in luster—but she knew they might conceal top-grade stones. She took a deep breath and began to carefully examine each one.
The work continued for several days, and Anna and her team were incredibly busy. Using her keen eye and years of jewelry experience, she discovered an exceptionally pure ruby rough stone. It looked unremarkable, but after in-depth testing, it was found to be almost flawless internally. Its perfect luster and color potential made its market value far exceed the other stones.
Her colleagues looked at her with newfound respect. Even Leon, the project manager known for his strictness, came over to praise her discovery. "This stone will bring enormous profits to the company. Excellent work, Anna."
Anna smiled and nodded, but she did not relax because of the success. She knew her abilities could support all of this, but she also understood that Daniel's support had played a crucial role in her career.
Amid her busy work, Anna occasionally felt a hint of loneliness. Although her performance was increasingly outstanding, her interactions with colleagues were still limited to work collaborations. Daniel's image frequently floated in her mind, but he had been busy with company affairs recently and had little time to meet her.
Just as she was about to pack up and leave, her phone suddenly rang. It was a message from Daniel: "Dinner together tonight?"
She paused, her heart eager to see him, but hesitated for a moment. She was unsure if she had any engagements tonight, as the company's executives were busy hosting important clients from Ridgeway Mining.
Anna hesitated before replying, "I'm not sure if I have plans tonight; the company mentioned that some clients might be coming."
Seconds later, Daniel's response arrived right on cue: "Who could be more important than me?"
She couldn't help but laugh at his message. She knew he was teasing, but there was a hint of impatience beneath his words. Quickly, she clarified, "It's not that. I usually don't have these kinds of engagements, but today some executives might be coming for an inspection."
Daniel seemed unfazed. His long fingers lightly tapped the edge of his phone, a subtle smile playing on his lips. "I'll have someone pick you up at six. Don't let anyone else steal our time."
She finally agreed. After hanging up, a slight nervousness settled in her heart. She realized that each meeting with Daniel made their relationship more intricate, and she was finding it increasingly difficult to control her growing dependence on him.
As the workday was winding down, Daniel received a call from an investor he'd collaborated with for years. The man had just returned from Europe and mentioned an intriguing project. Daniel hadn't planned to meet up, but the details piqued his interest. He decided to change his plans, initially instructing his assistant, Ives, to pick up Anna and bring her to the restaurant.
However, just before departing, he changed his mind. "On second thought, I'll pick her up myself."
Meanwhile, Anna had freshened up and donned her favorite white wool coat. While women in the jewelry industry often dressed elegantly and formally, she preferred her own casual and comfortable style. Standing in the plaza outside the company building, she rubbed her hands together against the cold breeze, waiting for Daniel to arrive.
People hurried past, their figures fleeting in the evening rush, while she stood there, appearing slightly solitary yet serene. Bundled up yet exuding a delicate grace, she glanced around periodically, watching for that familiar car.
Daniel's vehicle approached slowly. Through the window, he saw her scanning the street, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. She was always like this, evoking both tenderness and a hint of exasperation.
Leaning back in the car's leather seat, he sighed and said softly to the driver, "Pull up a bit closer; otherwise, she'll be waiting all night before she notices us."
As the car drew near, Anna finally spotted the sleek black sedan. A smile spread across her face as she quickly walked toward the door. She wasn't entirely sure why she was so attuned to Daniel's every move; perhaps, without realizing it, she'd already fallen deeply, unable to pull herself back.