《Hidden Flash Marriage: Love Me Back, Mr CEO》 The breakup Mia¡¯s head spun and time seemed to have stood still for a moment. Her whole body shook violently and her teeth ttered uncontrobly. She balled her hands into fists, digging her fingernails into the t of her palms. With a cracked voice, she asked a question, ¡°what did you just say?¡± Her eyes brimmed with tears and she hoped the words that woulde out of his mouth this time wouldn¡¯t break her heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mia. I can¡¯t do this again.¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t love you anymore. I¡¯m in love with someone else now.¡± His voice was low and calm but they rang in her head loudly. The tears she was fighting really hard to keep in check broke loose and streamed down her face. Mia sobbed uncontrobly while Max watched her in utter silence. All of a sudden, the weather changed and it started to drizzle. Even nature felt pity for her. Max and her had known each other for more than half their lives. They practically grew up together. Even as kids, they had liked each other, and at the age of fourteen, Max had asked her to be his girlfriend. She epted. Mia¡¯s heart wrenched and she felt life being squeezed out of her. Her life revolved around him; how would she live without him? She had noticed the change in his attitude, way long before now. He hardly had time for her. He was always busy. If she didn¡¯t call, he wouldn¡¯t bother looking for her. Even whenever they were together, he was always so eager to leave. She had noticed everything and tried her best to keep him. To keep their rtionship. She saw thising but she hadn¡¯t expected it toe so soon. She had tried her utmost best to prevent it but here they were. She cried profusely some more. Had it been she knew this was what he wanted to say, she wouldn¡¯t have stepped out of the dorm to see him. It was alreadyte at night and she was about to go to bed when she received a message on her phone telling her toe outside. It was from him. She had been shocked and excited ¡®cos it was the first time in a while that he had initiated a call. Hopping from her bunk bed, she looked at herself in the mirror and straighted her modnight ck hair with her fingers. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Her bunk mate sh bestfriend had asked her keenly. Martha was one to always want to know everything about her bestfriend, so Mia replied her wothout holding anything back. ¡°Max¡¯s here-I¡¯ll be right back.¡± She grinned, showing a neatbrow of white set of teeth. She wore a pair of flip flops and rushed out without waiting to hear Martha¡¯s response. But when she stepped out into the cold to meet her boyfriend, the expression on his face drained hers of any color. He looked restless and impatient, and the moment he spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s break up.¡± Mia¡¯s heart broke. *** Mia cried continuously, for a while, until her head started to ache her terribly. Sniffing, she looked up into his eyes. The eyes that once held love and endearment for her were now empty. He looked at her emotionlessly and her heart clutched tightly around her chest. This wasn¡¯t her Max. Sniffling, she asked in a hoarse voice. ¡°Who?¡± A sweet, melodious voice suddenly came from behind Mia. ¡°Max? Is that you?¡± Max looked past Mia and his eyes lit up. Mia saw that the same eyes that had looked at her with emptiness in them were now reced with ones full of admiration. He used to look at her with those eyes¡­ Instinctively, she turned around in the direction the voice came from and saw a silhouette approaching them. It was dark and the light was dim. She squinted her eyes, trying to figure out who it was. But as the person drew nearer, she began to pick the person¡¯s form. ¡°Martha?¡± Mia¡¯s voice trembled when the person¡¯s face became clear as she stood beside her. Thank God. She heaved a heavy sigh and fresh tears began to pour from her eyes. ¡°Martha, Max is breaking up with me¡± ¡°Please, plead with him on my behalf. He¡¯s my life, I can¡¯t live without him. I really can¡¯t.¡± She cried helplessly, her whole body quivering. ¡°Please¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Mia.¡± Martha¡¯s face was filled witg concern and she closed up the space between them. She drew Mia¡¯s head to her shoulder and began to pat her head. ¡°Poor thing.¡± She heaved a sigh as the girl cried uncontrobly in her bossom, ruining her dress. ¡°Max, why would you do such a thing?¡± Martha asked calmly, staring directly into Max¡¯s eyes. Mia sniffled, rxing her body a bit. Now that her best friend was here, she¡¯d help her talk to Max and settle everything. She sighed, sobbing softly. Thank Goodness she had Martha. Max panicked immediately he heard Martha¡¯s statement. Wasn¡¯t this what¡­ ¡°I told you to let me know when you¡¯re about to tell her. How can you break her poor heart like this?¡± Martha scolded calmly.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Martha took in the words and she pulled her head from Martha¡¯s bossom. ¡°You knew?¡± Her voice was uneven when she spoke. ¡°Martha, you knew he was going to break up with me?¡± Max heaved a sigh, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I texted you as soon as I got here.¡± He replied Martha. Martha gave him a sweet smile before turning to face Mia. ¡°Mia, I¡¯m sorry-but yes, I knew-I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She looked somber. Martha shook her head in denial. This wasn¡¯t true. Her best friend had no idea about this. She tried to calm herself but the truth was ring at her. ¡°You knew, Martha? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± She sobbed. If the breakup news had broken her heart, the words she heard next shattered herpletely. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because I¡¯m the one Max is in love with.¡± ¡°We tried to kill our love for each other but it just won¡¯t die. That¡¯s why we decided to tell you.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t want to keep you in the dark any longer.¡± Martha began to sob. Mia stood in a daze for a couple of seconds. She didn¡¯t quite get thenguage her best friend was speaking. She felt a wave of nausea rush through her. ¡°Wh-wha-what di-you j-just ssay?¡± She stuttered. Martha¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mia. I¡¯m really sorry. We just couldn¡¯t help it since it was a natural feeling. One can¡¯t cheat nature.¡± She wailed. Mia had stopped crying at this moment. She stood still, her eyes, an emotionless pit. Slowly, she raised her hand and pointed her finger at Martha, then at Max. She chuckled like a mad woman and turned around. She began to walk back into the dorm on staggering feet. ¡°Mia!¡± Max called out her name and tried to go after her. Although he had fallen out of love for her, he didn¡¯t like to see her this way. But right at this moment, Martha began to wail even loudly. Max stopped in his tracks and rushed to her side. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Max frowned, concern written all over his face. ¡°Mia hates me now.¡± She spoke in between her sobs. ¡°Don¡¯t think that way, Martha. She¡¯ll understand. It couldn¡¯t be helped-It can¡¯t be helped.¡± Heforted her warmly. Martha clung to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and cried. Max bit on his lower lip. He hated to see her cry. ¡°Wipe your tears. I¡¯ll take you to Domino¡¯s.¡± She sniffled and her tears stopped immediately. She loved Domino¡¯s so much. ¡°Look at how much effect your words have over me. So, you think me to be a glutton¡­¡± she pouted her pink cherry lips. Maxughed, ¡°no.¡± And she hit his chest yfully. ¡°But what about Mia?¡­¡± She was hesitant. Max pursed his lips, ¡°she¡¯ll be fine. She¡¯ll understand.¡± Who鈥檚 her hubby? She sniffled and her tears stopped immediately. She loved Domino¡¯s so much. ¡°Look at how much effect your words have over me. So, you think me to be a glutton¡­¡± she pouted her pink cherry lips. Maxughed, ¡°no.¡± And she hit his chest yfully. ¡°But what about Mia?¡­¡± She was hesitant. Max pursed his lips, ¡°she¡¯ll be fine. She¡¯ll understand.¡± *** Mia dragged her legs down the hallway. Her whole life felt miserable. Her whole life felt like a lie. The whole thing even felt like a dream to her. A long sad dream, and she wished she¡¯d wake up quickly from it. It was way too scary. How could her boyfriend and her best friend betray her? It wasn¡¯t possible. She only read it in novels and saw it in movies. Never in her neen years of life had she expected such thing would happen to her. Nah, it was over for her. Totally over for her. Her legs suddenly gave way and before she knew it, she copsed on the ground. *** When Mia opened her eyes again, she was in a ward, in a hospital. It was already the following morning. She¡¯d been rushed to the hospital immediately a janitor found her lying unconscious on the ground. She had really thought he was the one. Max. They even shared the same initial ¡®M¡¯. Initially, she had thought Max came this night to give her the ne she saw in his jacket pocket, that had the MM on it¡¯s pendant. Chuckles. Martha. The ne was peobably meant for Martha.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . She had suspected Martha. But not once did she think it was with Max. The way her bestfriend became extra protective of her phone when they were together, the way her countenance changes when she sees Max-she didn¡¯t notice any of it. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared at the ceiling. Her parents must have been notified; they would arrive at the hospital anytime soon. She decided to go to the bathroom to wash her face. There was no one by her side, and she was in the emergency unit with some other patients. The doctors and nurses were busy so she had to fend for herself. After washing her face in the restroom she¡¯d found-all thanks to a nice patient in a wheelchair-she decided to step outside for a while, to breathe in fresh air. Immediately she stepped out, she heard noisesing from the parking lot. Pushing her grief to the back of her mind, she perked up her ears. ¡°You are a bastard!¡± Mia was shocked at the curse word. How could someone say such a word so loudly and boldly? Curiousity got the better part of her and she moved her feet towards the lot. She needed to see who that vile person was. ¡°You have refused to give me grandchildren and that is why I have be a regr customer in the hospital!¡± ¡°You are going to be the end of me, you ungrateful bastard! Provide me a wife, Shawn.¡± Mia hid behind a car, her mouth opened ajar as she watched a grandpash out at a young man. She rested her gaze on the man and got mesmerized immediately. He looked like a god. A beautiful piece of art. Like he was sculptured from¡­ Chiseled jaws, cute pink lips. He illuminated even in the darkness, and he had an aura that- ¡°I¡¯ll disown you! I swear!¡± The grandpa yelling yanked her out of her nasty thoughts and she blinked her eyes rapidly. A thought yed into her head and she knew she had to use this one chance. Wisely. She had already lost everything, she had nothing else to lose. She¡¯d make Max and Martha pay. She¡¯d take her revenge on them, using this ¡®demi-god¡¯ man. Inhaling a handful of air, Mia stepped out into the open, from behind the car she was using to shield her body. Walking over to the old man and the demi god, she called sweetly, ¡°Hubby.¡± Summoning all the courage she had left in her, she stepped closer to the demi god, winking her eyes, severally, at him. What is wrong with this girl? Did something get into her eyes? Shawn frowned. Why was sheing closer to him? He wasn¡¯t in the mood for silly bitches tonight. He was in deep shit, and whoever the girl was-no matter what they¡¯d shared in the past-didn¡¯t she see his grandfather in front of him? Plus, he wasn¡¯t one to rte with thedies that were after his affluence. So, he didn¡¯t know who this one was. Was she blind? Or did she justckmon sense? ¡°Hubby.¡± Mia called again sweetly as she came over and stood calmly beside him. Who is her hubby? Shawn¡¯s eyes twitched and he almostughed out loud at her foolishness. This tiny girl is indeed blind. Then again, at her age, she was already married? Child abuse. Trash. He immediately found her disgusting. She looked so small and short that he couldfortably see the middle of her head. The sudden urge to give her a hard knock overwhelmed him. ¡°Oh, grandpa is here.¡± Mia grinned widely. She bobbed her head politely at the old man staring at her like she was a two-headed cow. ¡°Hubby, I¡¯ve always wanted to meet grandpa but you continuously postponed my meeting with him.¡± She pouted and hit Shawn¡¯s arm lightly. Shawn threw her a sideways nce, lowering his head to look down at her. She was way too small-and short. Is she courting death? No one had ever hit him. No one. ¡°How did you get here?¡± He asked irritably. Thinking he was going with her flow, Mia pouted her mouth sulkily. Lowering her head like a spoilt brat, ¡°I trailed your car down here. Since you wouldn¡¯t let me meet grandpa, I decided to take the bull by the horn.¡± She said. Take what bull by what horn? Shawn¡¯s face was drained of all colors. This girl is mentally ill. ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s so lovely to meet you. I¡¯m Mia, Shawn¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± She bowed meekly at the old man who seemed to have entered cloud nine. Thank goodness, she happened to have heard the grandpa call the demi god¡¯s name earlier on. ¡°I hope you ept me, grandpa.¡± She added poutily, clinging onto Shawn¡¯s arm. ¡°Is it because¡­ did you think I won¡¯t ept her? Is it because of her age? Is that why you¡¯ve hid her from me all these while?¡± ¡°And you let me yell my lungs out all the time? Did you really want me to die before my time?¡± Grandpa almost had a panic attack. ¡°Why did you keep this priceless jewel away from me all these while?¡± He looked sweetly at Mia. ¡°You really think I won¡¯t approve of her?¡± The grandpa¡¯s next words gave both Mia and Shawn the shock of their lives. ¡°Come now, we¡¯re heading to the marriage license bureau¡¯s office.¡± Marriage! A lifetime commitment! The grandpa¡¯s next words gave both Mia and Shawn the shock of their lives. ¡°Come now, we¡¯re heading to the marriage license bureau¡¯s office.¡± Wait, what? Shawn was dumbfounded. Will his grandpa slow down and let him talk? How could he possibly get married to a stranger? Marriage! A lifetimemitment! ¡°Grandpa, I-¡± The old man waved his hand in the air in dismissal. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything. Let¡¯s go.¡± Within a twinkle of an eye, a Limousine appeared in front of them. Mia¡¯s mouth was still wide open in shock. She hadn¡¯t nned for this to happen. She only wanted to act like she was in a rtionship with the hot man in order to make her boyfriend and bestfriend jealous. How did ite to this-when did ite to this? What will she tell her parents? How will she tell them that she¡¯s married-to someone waaaay older than her? She was still in college. Her mum would mock her. The whole school would mock her too. She¡¯s finished. The two young people were still deep in their thoughts when the grandpa shoved the both of them into the luxurious car. Before they knew it, they were already on their way to sign their marriage certificates. Within a twinkle of an eye, they arrived at the bureau¡¯s office. Under grandpa¡¯s scrutiny, they both signed the marriage certificates and got it stamped. And just like that, the two became married couple. When they stepped outside again, grandpa was beaming with smile. ¡°You have made me the happiest on earth.¡± He patted Shawn on the shoulder before stepping into the shoulder. Shawn watched his grandfather and felt warmth in his heart. It was indeed true. He hadn¡¯t seen his grandfather this happy in a very long time. So, he kept quiet. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing in?¡± Grandpa beckoned on the young couple, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Grandpa, head home first. You know as a newly wedded couple, we need to spend some time together.¡± Shawn faked a smile at Mia before turning back to face his grandpa, ¡°I already contacted Lucas, he¡¯ll be here anytime soon.¡± Grandpa Mandez nodded his head severally, in approval. ¡°Very good. You two, enjoy.¡± He then shed his teeth at Mia and ordered the chauffeur to move. Immediately the limousine was out of sight, Shawn turned and shot the little girl next to him a murdering gaze. Who the fuck was she anyway? One, a gold digger. Two, a fucking gold digger. And three, definitely a gold digger. The girl had nned everything out, so perfectly, in advance. And in the end, she got exactly what she wanted. Bravado. he had to give it to her. But not for long though. She¡¯d be losing it all this very moment, right after she she¡¯d gotten what she wanted. ¡°I¡¯ll have my personal assistant send you the divorce papers.¡± The CEO, who was not a man of many words, blurted out calmly. Right at this point in time, a ck Maybach slowly pulled up in front of them. A fine young man got down from the passenger¡¯s side and held open the backseat¡¯s door. Without sparing the girl as little as a second nce, the CEO stepped into the luxurious car. A few secondster, it soon disappeared out of sight. Mia was left dumbstruck. What the hell just happened? She quickly nced around her to be sure she hadn¡¯t been hallucinating all along. She pinched her cheek really hard. Wait, what? She wasn¡¯t hallucinating?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. What sort of man left a girl standing, all by herself, in the middle of nowhere then? The little girl found herself opening her mouth ajar. If he wouldn¡¯t be considerate of her for anything else, at least, the fact that she¡¯d helped him gain face in front of his old man should be enough for him to be grateful towards her right? Scumbag. She blinked her eyes rapidly in frustration. She was stranded and had not even a dime on her. She had absolutely no idea about how to get back to the hospital¨Cshe didn¡¯t even know where she was right now. Tears suddenly began to well up in her eyes. Why was she ill-fated with absolutely everything? She had only just lost her boyfriend¡­ and she¡¯d lost her husband too within the space of a few hours apart. Although, the marraige she had with the man sham, how could she have immediately gotten divorced right after signing the marriage certificates? Why was life just so unfair to her? She should just end her life. After several minutes of standing helplessly by the roadside, feeling self pity with a mixture of disgust, Mia finally gged down a taxi. She gave the driver her parents¡¯ home address. She didn¡¯t want to return to the hospital, and she didn¡¯t want to go back to the dormitory either. Therefore, her father¡¯s house was somewhat the only ce for her to hide her shameful face right now. But then, they might already be on their way to the hospital¨Cher father and his wife¡­ Anyways, she¡¯d call them with thendline when she¡¯s arrived at home. *** On the contrary, when Mia arrived at her father¡¯s mansion, she met her parents at home. In fact, the both of them were in the living room, sitting in a rxed manner, watching aedy show on TV. They wereughing hysterically. The two older people were so engrossed with the TV that they didn¡¯t notice when Mia walked in. Or maybe they did notice but only chose to ignore her presence. The girl stood in the same position for several seconds but¡­ Didn¡¯t they hear about what had happened to her? Weren¡¯t they contacted by the school authorities? She was dumbfounded. So as to get answers to the question going through her mind, ¡°dad, mum, I¡¯m here.¡± she spoke. Several secondster, still no response. Instead, the couple bursted into another round ofughter. She opened her mouth to speak again, ¡°dad¨C¡± but she was interrupted by an agitated voice. ¡°Are you blind¨Ccan¡¯t you see we¡¯re busy?!¡± Her father growled in annoyace. ¡°Should we go pluck fruits from the tree because you¡¯re back then?¡± He asked irritably. The man despised disturbance. For the umpteenth time in about twelve hours, Mia was left dumbstruck. So the man knew when she came in, yet, he chose topletely ignore her and act like she was a ghost that could¡¯nt be seen. Was this man even her father? Definitely not the one that raised her, was he? ¡°Darling, take it easy. Don¡¯t be harsh on little Mia.¡± Barbara, Mia¡¯s stepmother, softly cautioned her husband. She turned and lifted her face in Mia¡¯s direction. That seductive face¡­ The witch had definitely lured her father into her bed with that face. Mia balled her hands into fists. ¡°Mia, wee home.¡± Barbara smiled sweetly at her. The girl almost spat out blood. The damn witch was at it again¡­ pretending to be caring and loving towards her in the presence of her father. It was what she¡¯d done for years. And she was still doing it. Barbara¡¯s facial expression suddenly changed to that of concern. ¡°Mia, why are you home? Isn¡¯t your sister still in school?¡± Although her words sounded like she was being concerned about her stepdaughter, Mia knew they held an hidden meaning. The witch simply meant: ¡®why aren¡¯t you being serious with your studies like your sister?¡¯ Old age mush be getting to me Barbara¡¯s facial expression suddenly changed to that of concern. ¡°Mia, why are you home? Isn¡¯t your sister still in school?¡± Although her words sounded like she was being concerned about her stepdaughter, Mia knew they held an hidden meaning. The witch simply meant: ¡®why aren¡¯t you being serious with your studies like your sister?¡¯ The woman was purposely brewing up trouble for her in front of her father. Again. This wasn¡¯t surprising. Mia was used to it. Barbara always does this. ¡°Yes, why are you here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in school?¡± Mia¡¯s father bellowed. But Mia still couldn¡¯t get over the shock she received every time her father took his wife¡¯s side, falling into the witch¡¯s trap over and over again. Why? He¡¯d never taken her, his daughter¡¯s side. Not once. ¡°Have you gone deaf?¡± Mia¡¯s silence was begining to irk the man. ¡°Dad,¡± She looked directly into his eyes, hoping to find even the littlest bit of affection in their depths. ¡°Were you not informed that I fell ill?¡± Her father¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Ill?¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He looked over at his wife. ¡°Yeah, the school called and said that she slipped and passed out. But she was immediately rushed to the hospital.¡± Barbara let out a small smile. Then the expression her face changed to a shocked one. ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you¨CI thought I did!¡± She sped her hands over her mouth at once. Mia almost puked. Liar! Her father was unaware of her situation, obviously. But she knew Barbara didn¡¯t forget to tell him about it. The woman must have intentionally kept the information a secret from her father. But she must say, the witch sure knew how to act really well. Well, it was what had kept her in her father¡¯s house for so long. Acting. ¡°Old age must be getting to me.¡± Mia¡¯s stepmother chuckled. ¡°Baby, I¡¯m sorry. Thankfully, here she is, looking as healthy as ever.¡± And once again, the witch had managed to flip the table on Mia, making the girl get on her father¡¯s bad side. Although, her words made her seem like she was grateful and happy that Mia was hale and hearty, she¡¯d instead meant that since Mia came all the way home then there was absolutely nothing wrong with her, and that she¡¯d probably faked the whole scenario. Mr. Thompson¡¯s head shot up at his daughter. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been discharged from the hospital, why didn¡¯t you return to school? Why did youe home instead?¡± Mia¡¯s heart shattered at the sight of her father¡¯s cold gaze. Was this man really her father at all? ¡°Do you think I pay your school fees just for the fun of it?¡± Are you trying to let my money go to waste?!¡± He yelled angrily. No. This was definitely not her father she grew up to know as a child. The man had changed,pletely. Ever since the death of her mother, Mia¡¯d naver found favor in the sight of her father. But when her mother was alive, things used to be so sweet¡­ but¡­ And to think that her father had been cheating on her mother way before the woman died¡­ because how then would one exin Vivian being a few months older than her? ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to put an abrupt stop to your education, return to school this minute!¡± Mr. Thompson threatened irritably. MIa inhaled sharply as tears began to strean down her face. The man had changedpletely. Slowly, she tore her blurry gaze away from her father and nted her eyes on the woman seated next to him on the couch. Barbara had a victorious smirk on her face as she eyed wretched Mia. Good for the girl! What was she thinking,ing home to meet her and her husband? Did she actually think they¡¯d be thrown into a frenzy just because she simply passed out? Must be a joker. She¡¯d have to remind the girl that everything that once belonged to her were now her¡¯s and her daughter¡¯s. And nothing would change that. Feeling dejected, Mia began to take slow steps out of the house. More tears streamed down her face as she stepped outside. Sniffling as she wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, she caught sight of the cab that brought her here. She instantly recollected that she¡¯d not yet paid the driver. Earlier on, when they arrived, she¡¯d told the man to wait¨Cwith the intention of lending money from whoever she met at home¡­ ¡°Young girl! Why are you wasting my time?! Do you know how long I¡¯ve been here¨Cyou kept me waiting for so long when I¡¯m supposed to be working!¡± The agitated cab driver barked at her as soon as he saw her. Mia sniffled again and quickly walked down the steps to meet him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± She bowed her head repeatedly. The cab driver humphed, ¡°anyways, just give me my money and let me be on my way.¡± Mia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. How was she to tell him that she wasn¡¯t with his money? If she goes back inside now, her father might really stop funding her education. What was she to do now? She fidgeted and her lips started to quiver. ¡°Answer me, girl! You¡¯re wasting my time!¡± The man thundered angrily. He was beginning to lose his patience due to the girl¡¯s attitude. Mia¡¯s lips quivered the more. She wished for the ground to open and swallow her up. Exactly at this moment, her father, as well as her stepmother, came out of the house. The couple had resumed watching their favoriteedy show when, all of a sudden, they heard amotion outside. They decided toe see what was going on. s! It was the rebellious daughter. Again. Mr. Thomson heaved a frustrated sigh. What was the girl still doing in hispound? ¡°What is the matter?¡± His deep voice resonated through the whole mansion. The cab driver ran his eyes over the man who¡¯d just spoken. Seeing how dressed he was, he decided the man was definitely rich. PLus, the way he spoke just now made it seem like he was the owner of this huge house. He cleared his throat, ¡°this young girl has refused to pay me after rendering her my service.¡± pointing at Mia who simply lowered her head in shame. Mr. Thompsonnded his gaze on his daughter at once. ¡°Is that true?¡± Slowly, Mia raised her head and her gaze met her father¡¯s. ¡°With raged breathing, she nodded her head. ¡°Yes.¡± HER father¡¯s eyes snapped shut in annoyance. Why did this stupid child always choose to embarras him? A couple of secondster, the man opened his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t I give you enough money for upkeep?¡± Mia¡¯s head fell once again and she bit on her lip till it almost bled out. She was to me. Only if she hadn¡¯t passed outst night¡­ ¡°Darling, don¡¯t be mad at her.¡± Barbara tried to calm her husband down. Then she said, ¡°although you give Mia and Vivian the same amount of money for their upkeeps, Mia might have other things she uses her upkeep money for¨Cit might not be enough for her.¡± Which simply means that Mia spends moneyvishly on irrelevant things. This made Mr. Thomson¡¯s blood boil the more. He instantly turned and faced the cab driver. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t provide your money, take her to the police station. Better still, do as you please with her.¡± Let the girl go Then, Barbara said, ¡°although you give Mia and Vivian the same amount of money for their upkeeps, Mia might have other things she uses her upkeep money for¨Cit might not be enough for her.¡± Which simply means that Mia spends moneyvishly on irrelevant things. This made Mr. Thomson¡¯s blood boil the more. He instantly turned and faced the cab driver. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t provide your money, take her to the police station. Better still, do as you please with her.¡± He turned around immediately afterwards and marched into the house in annoyance. Mia¡¯s heart shatteredpletely as she watched her father¡¯s retreating figure while Barbara¡¯s eyes zed with conquer and she snickered victoriously. Mia tore her gaze away from the door and nted her eyes on the woman who called herself her mother. Her stepmother clicked her tongue, ¡°you are a disgrace to this family.¡± She then also turned around and headed inside the house. The tears that¡¯d been threatening to be let out finally flowed freely from the depths of Mia¡¯s eyes. Why was the world being so wicked towards her? ¡°Ahem.¡± The driver cleared his throat with a smug grin on his face. ¡°You heard the man. He told me to do with you however I want.¡± He dered triumphantly. He was extremely happy when he heard the girl¡¯s father tell him to do whatever he wanted with the girl. He knew exactly what he would do with her¨Cwhat he¡¯d do to her. No, he wouldn¡¯t take her to the police station. He didn¡¯t need the police to intervene in this minor issue of his¡­ The man licked his lips ferociously as he eye the girl with eyes filled with lust. ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time, get in the car.¡± He growled. The little girl shivered in fear. The nasty expression on the perverted man¡¯s face was enough to make her take two steps backwards. The man grinned evilly, shing her rotten yellow teeth at her. ¡°You can¡¯t escape from me¨Cyou belong to me now.¡± He began to take quick steps towards her. The momet he grabbed her hand, he dragged her to the car. As he wrestled with the girl, he began to fantasize on the crazy things he¡¯d do to her. By the time he was done with her, she¡¯d be too week to even lift her legs for a week! He giggled evilly. Mia¡¯s tears incresed. She tried fighting the man off but her strength was nothingpared to his. The two were still wrestling against each other when a loud voice came from behind them: ¡°Let the girl go.¡± The both of them stopped in their tracks and turned in the direction of the voice. A woman who seemed to be in herte fifties was standing firmly a few meters from them. She had an angry expression on her face. The cabman eyed her, ¡°who are you, woman?¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking this girl away to the police station, why are you stopping me?¡± He inquired angrily. Madam Grace swept a cold gaze over the pervert. ¡°Are you really going to take her to the police station?¡± The man swallowed uneasily, looking away in shame. Madam Grace shook her head in displeasure. She took out a few cash from her purse and stretched out her hand. ¡°Here you go; your money.¡± The cab driver looked from the woman¡¯s face to the money she was hlding in annoyance. Grumpily, he let go of the girl¡¯s hand and snatched the money from her hand. He gave Madam Grace a disgustful look before stepping into the car. He shut the door and zoomed off, leaving a gustful of dust in the air. The stupid nosy woman disrupted his ns¨Che prays she meets her death as soon as possible. After the cab driver left, Madam Grace smiled a small smile at the girl standing in front of her. ¡°My darling.¡± She called sweetly with opened arms. Without hesitating, Mia ran to her and copsed in her embrace, wailing like never before. Madam Grace clicked her tongue sadly and heaved a sigh, ¡°it¡¯s okay, my darling.¡± She patted the poor girl on the back in aforting manner. Thank goodness she witnessed the whole scenario through her window, or she feared that nasty piece of shit would have done really terrible things to her girl. Mia poured her eyes out. Even the tears she¡¯d been suppressing since the previous night came floodng down her face. She was grateful Madam Grace came to her rescue, if not, what would have became of her if that man¡¯d actually suceeded in taking her away? After silently watching the girl cry for a while, Madam Grace gently pulled Mia to a side, under the tree. She¡¯d have taken her to her room but she feared her boss would be very furious if he finds Mia in his house. When she saw that Mia¡¯d finally calmed down, Madam grace reached out to stroke her face. ¡°How are you doing?¨C¡± ¡°You look really lean, don¡¯t you eat regrly?¡± Her heart broke for Mia. Ever since the child¡¯s mother passed away and Mr. Thomson¡¯s mistress moved in, poor Mia¡¯s always been suffering. It hasn¡¯t been easy for her at all. ¡°I heard you passed out, what were you thinking so much that led to that? Is there something bothering you?¡± ¡°Your mother won¡¯t be happy seeing you in this manner, Mia.¡± Mia sniffled and lowered her head sadly. Her mother. Madam Grace heaved a sigh. Seems like the girl isn¡¯t ready to share her thoughts with her. She brought out a nylon bag from her gown¡¯s pocket, ¡°it contains herbs.¡± ¡°Soak them in hot water and drink before you go to bed. They¡¯re highly medicinal.¡± She opened Mia¡¯s palm and put the bag in her hand with a smile full of love and care stered on her face. Sniffling for the umpteenth time, Mia looked at the nylon then looked up at Madam Grace. What would she have done without this woman in her life? ¡°Thank you, Madam Grace.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, it¡¯s nothing.¡± The older woman took out a few cash from her purse and gave it to Mia. ¡°This should be enough to get you back to school¡­¡± ¡°You need to hurry now and leave before your father finds out you¡¯re still here.¡± Mia sobbed softly. ¡°Thank you, Madam Grace.¡± ¡°Quick. Go now¨Cbe on your way.¡± The woman waved as Mia began to shuffle out of thepound. Sigh. How can she not be good towards that child when her mother was so good to her whilst she was alive? Mia¡¯s mother¡¯d found and brought her into her home when she had no food to eat¡­ She was omeless¨Cstarving¨Cliving in the slum¡­ She had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Mia¡¯s mother took her in.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . If she doesn¡¯t treat that woman¡¯s daughter well, wouldn¡¯t that be regarded as being ungrateful? Wouldn¡¯t the dead be mad at her? The boyfriend snatcher Mia¡¯s mother¡¯d found and brought her into her home when she had no food to eat¡­ She was omeless¨Cstarving¨Cliving in the slum¡­ She had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Mia¡¯s mother took her in. If she doesn¡¯t treat that woman¡¯s daughter well, wouldn¡¯t that be regarded as being ungrateful? Wouldn¡¯t the dead be mad at her? *** After ensuring that Mia waspletely out of sight, Madam Grace shook her head and returned to the mansion. *** Mia hailed a taxi by the roadside and returned to the school¡¯s dormitory. She¡¯d missed the day¡¯s sses, and she had notees to copy¡­ She actually wished to not return back to the dorm¡­ back to her room¨Cthe room she shared with Martha, her supposed best friend¨Cbut what other choice did she have? Like Madam Grace had rightly said, her mother wouldn¡¯t be happy seeing her this way. She had forget all about the past, focus on the present, and move on. Right? Immediately the taxi pulled up in front of the huge iron gates of the dormitory, Mia paid the driver and began to take slow, short strides inside. But¡­ ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± A voice called gently from behind her. She stopped in her tracks and turned around instantly. Her eyesnded on a medium tall handsome looking man. Strangely, he looked farmiliarly unfamiliar¡­ if that makes any sense at all. She was forced to give him a questioning gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re Miss. Mia Thompson¡­ Right?¡± The man smiled politely. Mia nodded her head momentarily. Who is this man? He also nodded his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m Lucas, Mr. Shawn¡¯s personal assistant.¡± Shawn? Mia¡¯s brows furrowed immediately. Who is Shawn? ¡°I was ordered to hand over the divorce papers, to you.¡± ¡°?????¡± The girl was utterly confused.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . In the man¡¯s outstretched hand was a brown envelop. Divorce papers? Her brows knitted the more. Then all of a sudden, it ured to her. Oh, divorce papers. Shawn¡­ She recollected the sh marriage she had in the morning. How could she have forgotten that she got married and immediately got divorced afterwards, this morning. Pathetic. Letting out a small smile, she collected the brown file from the handsome man. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow to collect it after you¡¯ve signed it.¡± Lucas bobbed his head. Tomorrow? She didn¡¯t need tomorrow. He didn¡¯t have to wait till tomorrow, she¡¯d sign the paper right at this moment¨Call she needed was a pen. ¡°Do you have a pen with¨C¡± But the man had already vanished into thin air. Mia was left speechless once again. The man¡¯s boss had left her speechless this morning¡­ Phew. ¡°Wait, how¡­?¡± Her voice trailed off. Shrugging her shoulders, she headed inside the dorm. She took the stairs to her room, and when she arrived in front of the door, she stopped. She stood still for several seconds, inhaling deeply. She wasn¡¯t ready to face Martha just yet. Well, Martha should be in school by now¨Cso she¡¯ll have enough time to gather herself before the girl returns. Exhaling through her mouth, she turned the doorknob and pushed open the door. But immediately after shutting the door behind her, she froze. Martha was in the room¨Cshe didn¡¯t go to school today. What shocked Mia even more was the fact that the girl looked extremely terrible right now. Her eyes were swollen, face, puffy; she looked like someone who hadn¡¯t slept in weeks. Has she been crying? A wave of concern washed through Mia and she quickly went to sit beside her best friend on the bed. She flung the file in her hand away, not caring where itnded. Her best friend was her major concern right now. All other thoughts she had running through her mind were immediately pushed aside. ¡°What is wrong? What happened to you, Martha?¡± Martha looked up at Mia with a heart shattering face and broke into fresh tears. Mia¡¯s heart wrenched as she watched her best friend helplessly. ¡°Talk to me, Martha.¡± She pleaded, already at the verge of tears herself. Martha continued to cry for a while, and when she stopped, she stared directly into Mia¡¯s eyes with a look of guilt stered on her face. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mia¡­¡± She choked on her tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to ruin your rtionship with Max, it was unintentional¨CI swear. I hate myself right now.¡± Martha cried greatly. Mia watched her best friend with tear-brimmed eyes. She seems so genuine, it must have been harder on her¡­ the whole situation¡­ ¡°When I heard that you passed out after you leftst night, I almost went berserk.¡± The poor girl sobbed. ¡°Very early this morning, I rushed to the hospital but I didn¡¯t find you there¨CI¡¯m so sorry, Mia. I feel like killing myself right now¨Cin fact, let me justmit suicide.¡± She rushed to feet at once with a suicidal expression written all over her face. Mia¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she was extremely shocked. Suicide?! She quickly pulled Martha back down on the bed with an ashen expression on her face. Shook her head vigorously, ¡°no, you can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Let me just die, Mia. I don¡¯t deserve to be in this world any longer. Don¡¯t stop me, let me go!¡± Martha cried desperately, her heart shattering into pieces. Mia¡¯s heart brokepletely and she also started to cry. ¡°If you leave, what will happen to me? You¡¯re the only friend I have¨Cplease don¡¯t die.¡± The two best friends cried really loudly, their voices could be heard miles away. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± It was really not Martha¡¯s fault for falling in love with her best friend¡¯s boyfriend. Shit happens. Plus, emotions can¡¯t be controlled like cars. Even cars fail to be controlled, at times¡­ There was no one Mia could me¡­ It was nobody¡¯s fault. They all just fell victims of love. Mia sniffled and spoke after a while. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Martha. It¡¯s okay. Just don¡¯t die, please.¡± Martha fell silent and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. ¡°You forgive me, really?¡± Mia nodded her head rigorously. ¡°A, thank youuu Mia! Thank you so much! You¡¯re the best friend ever!¡± Martha sobbed softly, tears streaming down her face. The two friends embraced each other in a warm, happy hug. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Mia assured as they were still wrapped in each other¡¯s arms. Martha sneered evilly behind her best friend¡¯s head. She rolled her eyes in contempt. She¡¯d forced out a great amount of tears from her eyes just so she could persuade and deceive this gullible girl. And now, her head was aching her from having cried too much. She couldn¡¯t just snatch Max from the girl and dump her, just like that¡­ no. The kids at school would paint her to be a bad person. The entire universe would curse at her for stealing her best friend¡¯s boyfriend. She¡¯d be tagged ¡°boyfriend snatcher¡±. Her public persona would be ruined, her whole life would be over. She didn¡¯t want that to ever happen. Never ever. Meeting adjourned Martha couldn¡¯t just snatch Max from the girl and dump her, just like that¡­ no. The kids at school would paint her to be a bad person. The entire universe would curse at her for stealing her best friend¡¯s boyfriend. She¡¯d be tagged ¡°boyfriend snatcher¡±. Her public persona would be ruined, her whole life would be over. She didn¡¯t want that to ever happen. Never ever. ¡°Thank you, Mia.¡± Smiling sweetly, Martha slowly broke away from the hug. Her face fell all of a sudden and she began to sob wearily. Mia noticed the change in her best friend¡¯s countenance and she immediately asked, ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Mia, will younforgive Max too? Please? It was really not his fault too. It just happened that way, I swear.¡± Mia¡¯s face fell. her boyfriend, Max¡­ The only guy she¡¯s ever had romantic feelings for. The only guy she¡¯s ever truly loved in her entire life¡­ How could she possibly stay mad at him for what happened? He was simply also a victim¨Che wasn¡¯t at fault either. Like Martha just said, things just turned out to be that way. ¡°I forgive Max as well. What happened was none of you guys¡¯ fault.¡± She breathed out softly. Martha shed her a grateful smile, but then again, she frowned a secondter. ¡°Mia, people will start mocking me. They¡¯ll start saying that I snatched Max from you. Let me justmit suicide now.¡± She cried terribly. ¡°Oh, no! But I know what happened. You did no such thing!¡± Mia was worried for her friend. ¡°I know right?¡­ But people don¡¯t know¡­¡± The poor girl continued to cry. Mia was not only worried, but she was also confused. She didn¡¯t want to lose her best friend. But Martha is right¡­ People would throw shades at her and judge her unfairly without knowing what really happened. Martha noticed the conflicting look on Mia¡¯s face and so, she purposely dropped the girl a hint. ¡°Had it been that Max and I were together before the both of you started dating, the case will be different right now, but¡­¡± Her voice trailed off. She hoped he girl wouldn¡¯t be dumb enough to not fall for her words¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± An idea suddenly popped up in Mia¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll just tell them that you and Max used to be together, but I disrupted your rtionship and stole Max from you. And that you have both fallen in love with each other again, and you¡¯re back together.¡± Thankfully, the girl picked on. Martha shrieked in shock. ¡°Oh no! That¡¯s too much, can we really do that?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s fine, really.¡± Mia smiled calmly. She¡¯d go to any length for her best friend. Martha is the only closest person she has. Besides, since she and Max are now truly in love with each other, she¡¯ll definitely help them be together without them getting criticisms from people. Martha pouted her lips as more tears flowed from her eyes. She then pulled Mia in for another hug. ¡°Thank youuuu!¡± She grinned secretly behind the girl. She knew Mia was way too soft hearted and caring, she¡¯d do anything for the people she loved. She smirked and heaved a sigh of relief. Now that she has everything settled, she can go to bed peacefully in the night, knowing that max belongs to her now. All smiles. *** ¡°If you¡¯re unable to secure the contract with MX Companies, don¡¯t bother stepping foot into this corporation tomorrow.¡± The CEO¡¯s shrill voice resounded through therge conference room. Mr. George immediately broke into cold sweats, trembling on a spot, as he stood in front of the CEO. He was not the only one trembling right now. The rest of Beats Corporations¡¯ higher ups that were in the meeting room were also shivering in their seats. The man¡¯s words simply meant that if Mr. George is unable to get the contract secured, then he¡¯ll be fired. They all swallowed uneasily. ¡°Meeting adjourned.¡± Without sparing any of the officials as little as a nce, the CEO rose to his feet. He calmly buttoned his tuxedo, dipped hus hands in his pockets, and took long strides out of the conference room. Everyone present stood up at once and lowered their heads politely until he waspletely out of sight. Phew! They shrank back into their seats, thereafter. They all almost died just now.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. They¡¯d been in the meeting room for the past five hours. In fact, the meeting was sudden and unexpected; their meeting was not scheduled to hold this month at all but they all suddenly received text messages from Lucas, the CEO¡¯s personal assistant, stating that there would be an impromptu meeting¡­ The higher ups had all abandoned the things they were busy with and rushed thepany at once. Surely, the CEO was in a very terrible mood today. He didn¡¯t end the meeting until just now¨Cfive whole hourster. They all heaved sighs of relief after they saw ther CEO get in the elevator. If only they couldy their hands on the person that ruined his mood¡­ they¡¯d strangle him with their bare hands. All of them scampered out of the conference room one after the other. They couldn¡¯t wait to get home; they were madly hungry¨Cand thirsty too. ¡°My car key.¡± The CEO had now arrived near his car, in his private underground car park, and was now requesting for the car key from his personal assistant. It seems like he doesn¡¯t want to be driven home. He wants to be on his own. Lucas quickly dipped his hand in his trouser¡¯s pocket and brought out the car key. He stretched out his two hands and his boss picked the key. Silently, the CEO unlocked the ck Maybach and stepped in the driver¡¯s side. He reached forward to ignite the car engine but all of a sudden, he stopped as something shed through his eyes. He wound down the ss window, ¡°Have you given that person the papers?¡± Lucas immediately knew who his boss was referring to. He nodded his head quickly. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The corner of Shawn¡¯s mouth twitched but he said nothing more. He wound the ss window back up and ignited the car engine. ¡°Good night, Boss.¡± Lucas swept a bow, his head almost reaching the ground. The car¡¯s exhaust filling up Lucas¡¯ nostrils, after the CEO¡¯d zoomed off, was what replied the young man. He coughed loudly, waving off the exhaust as he headed back into the corporation. He still had a few things to do before he would call it a day. Grandpa Mandez The car¡¯s exhaust filling up Lucas¡¯ nostrils, after the CEO¡¯d zoomed off, was what replied the young man. He coughed loudly, waving off the exhaust as he headed back into the corporation. He still had a few things to do before he would call it a day. He chuckled as thughts of his icy cold boss overwhelmed his mind. He was a hundred percent sure that thedy his boss had sent him to go deliver the divorce papers to, had something to do with the man being in a bad mood throughout today. Lucas wondered how the two even got married in the first ce¡­ It mush have been thatdy¡¯s fault. He knew his boss had no romantic rtionship going on with anydy¡­ In fact, the man despised women¡­ He¡¯s even tagged ¡®gay lord¡¯. So, howe? He was extremely surprised when his boss had called him in the morning toe pick him up in front of the Bureau¡¯s office. But then, thinking about thatdy¡¯s physical appearance¡­ Earlier on, when he went to hand over the divorce papers¡­ she didn¡¯t look like someone who¡¯d jump at a man at all¨Ctalk more, for money. Well, a book should never be judged by its cover. Lucas shrugged his shoulders and pushed his thoughts aside. *** It didn¡¯t take too long before the CEO arrived at his home. As soon as he stepped down from the car, he was given a heads up that his grandfather was inside, waiting for him. Shawn frowned, his brows furrowing deeply. Why was the old champ here? Wasn¡¯t he too old to be moving from his house to another person¡¯s house? He immediately felt a headacheing. Considering that the both of them lived in the same residential area¨CMagnificent Residence¨CShawn was already used to his grandfathering over to his ce at every slight chance he gets, but the young CEO didn¡¯t quite like that. He seriously wished, right now, that he was living somewhere else entirely. Far away from Magnificent. Magnificent actually belonged to Beats Corporations. It¡¯s the best residential area in the city, and only the most influential ss of people lives here. The owners, Shawn and his grandfather, also lives here. Their apartments are even right next to each other, and Shawn regrets it now. He didn¡¯t want any drama to ur tonight, he¡¯d had enough today already. All he wanted to do right now, was to go upstairs, take a cold shower, work until midnight, and then sleep. No stress, at all. But since his grandfather was here, all of those things would be impossible to do. Shawn let out a short sigh from fatigue. He threw the car key to the guard nearest to him and took long strides into the morous mansion. Immediately he stepped into the living room, his grandfather began to bombard him with series of questions. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back. How are you? How was work today?¡± As he spoke, the old man kept straining his neck, looking past his grandson as if searching for someone. The main reason why he was here tonight was because of that person. ¡°She¡¯s not here. The person you¡¯re looking for.¡± Shawn blurted out matter-of-factly. He knew the exact reason why his grandfather hade and waited until he got back from work, thiste in the night. The expression on the old man¡¯s face fell drastically. He frowned. ¡°Why? I know you both haven¡¯t done your wedding yet¨Cbut we¡¯ll fix a date soon and get everything settled.¡± Shawn huffed deeply. ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± The old man quickly cut in, ¡°no. Let¡¯s just fix the wedding to hold tomorrow. I know you don¡¯t like noise¡­ and crowd¡­ we¡¯ll make it a ¡®close friends and family only¡¯ wedding party. How about that?¡± His grandpa was ecstatic. Shawn was beginning to get angry at the old man¡­ He was fed up with his pettiness already. The old man had only seen the girl once¡­ he even believed her when she told him she was his lover¡­ In fact, he¡¯d immediately dragged them to the office of the bureau to get their marriage registered¡­ He couldn¡¯t do this anymore. He wouldn¡¯t do this anymore. ¡°I¡¯m calling a few people right away.¡± Grandpa took his phone beside him, on the chair. ¡°Grandpa, we divorced already.¡± Shawn dropped the bombshell. Uprooting the weed from its roots is the best solution for it not to grow again. He decided to deal with the issue once and for all. Besides, the sooner the better. There was nothing to lose; his grandfather would end up finding out about the divorceter, so¡­ Immerdiately after he spoke, everywhere grewpletely silent. If a pin dropped, it¡¯d definitely be heard.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The old man¡¯s face fell once again. ¡°What did you just say?¡± His phone almost slipped out of his hand. The temperature in the living room ws beginning to get unbearably hot. Shawn loosened the tie around his neck irritably. ¡°I said that we¡¯re divorced already. I¡¯ve sent her the divorce papers and she¡¯d have signed them already by now.¡± Grandpa Mandez¡¯s face grew even more ashen. Slowly, he forced himself up on his feet. He stared directly at his grandson for several seconds. ¡°You preposterous child!¡± He spat out venom, angrily. Shawn saw thating, so he simply maintained his calm demeanor. He didn¡¯t know why the old man was hell bent on him getting married¨Cbecause he was an only child? ¡°You¨C!¡± Shawn¡¯s grandfather wanted to continue rebuking him, but his words got stuck in his throat. The phone in his hand slippped and shattered on the floor. The old man suddenly gripped his chest tightly, and he was soon gasping for breath. Shawn didn¡¯t notice any of this at first but when the old man suddenly copsed on the chair, he was immediately frightened. He rushed to his grandfather¡¯s side and yelled in a loud shrill voice, ¡°someone, get the doctor!¡± *** Thirty minutester. Shawn was now seated in the doctor¡¯s office, waiting impatiently for his report. Thankfully, his grandfather had a professional house doctor who was immediately sent for after the old man passed out. He gave Grandpa Mandez a first aid treatment, and thereafter, Shawn drove his old man straight to the hospital. He couldn¡¯t afford top risk his health¨Che couldn¡¯t afford to risk the old man¡¯s life. That old man was all he had, so he rushed him to the hospital to conduct a full check up. He realluy couldn¡¯t afford to lose that man¡­ When he saw him pass out earlier on, he was extremely terrified¨Che almost passed out himself. Ever since that ident¡­ Grandfather鈥檚 dying wish Shawn couldn¡¯t afford top risk his health¨Che couldn¡¯t afford to risk the old man¡¯s life. That old man was all he had, so he rushed him to the hospital to conduct a full check up. He realluy couldn¡¯t afford to lose that man¡­ When he saw him pass out earlier on, he was extremely terrified¨Che almost passed out himself. Ever since that ident¡­ ¡°Grandpa had a panic attack.¡± The doctor broke the silence and his voice brought Shawn out of his reverie. Panic attack? The young man couldn¡¯t help but scoff. His grandfather had a panic attack because that issue? Because he told him he divorced that girl? Just how immensely was the old champ obsessed with him getting married that he¡¯d actually suffered from a panic attack? Doctor Alfred eyed the dangerous man seated in front of him mindfully before speaking. ¡°Mr. Shawn, there¡¯s something I think you deserve to know¡­¡± His voice trailed off. Shawn stared directly at the man¡¯s face as a go ahead. ¡°I¡¯ll like for you to digest what I¡¯m about to say well.¡± The doctor chose his words carefully. He couldn¡¯t afford to say anything that would offend this formidable man in front of him, or he might spend the rest of his life in jail. He swallowed hesitantly before opening his mouth, ¡°Grandfather is critically ill.¡± He paused to observe the facial expression of the CEO, then he continued. ¡°He has a chronic heart desease that can¡¯t be cured. He¡¯s had it for some years now. Grandfather Mandez is terminally ill.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡± He then took out a file from the first drawer attached to his office desk. He ced the file in front of the CEO. Shawn eyed the file conspicuously for a while before picking it up. The file had his grandfather¡¯s name on it. Slowly, he opened it and began to flip through the pages. A secondster, his face turned pitch ck. The more he read through the pages of the file, the cker his face became. After reading it over and over again, he closed the file with shaky hands and put it back on the desk without speaking a word. After several minutes had gone by, he finally spoke in a low, husky voice. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°Grandpa Mandez didn¡¯t want you to know about it. He made me swear to not tell you¡­ and we kept it from you for several years. But now, I just¡­¡± The doctor¡¯s voice trailed off. He was short of words. But Shawn understood perfectly. That was something his grandfather could indeed do. Would indeed do. He licked his dry lip feverishly. ¡°How much longer does he have¡­?¡± His voice came out as a whisper. Doctor Alfred let out a sad sigh. ¡°Three months? A couple of years? A week?¨CI can¡¯t really say, sir.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll advise that you do things that¡¯ll make him happy. It will go a really long way.¡± He added softly. Shawn nodded his head numbly afer a short while and sucked his teeth in. He was trying all his best to not breakdown right now¡­ After a while, he silently stood up on his feet and headed for the door. ¡°Please sir,¡± The doctor¡¯s voice came from behind him and he stopped in his track, ¡°make him happy.¡± Shawn¡¯s eyshes wavered. He resumed walking, opened the door, and closed it behind him. He darted down the hallway, to the ward his grandfather was in, and stopped right in front of the door. Through the ss in the door, he gazed at the old man lying on the hospital bed, with hooded eyes. Oh, his old champ. And to think that was alwaysining and acting cold towards him every time the old man came looking for him¡­ His grandfather almost seemed lifeless in his sleep¡­ as Shawn watched him. The man felt a sharp pain in his heart and he quickly looked away from the old man. He chose not to enter the private ward. Instead, he rode the elevator down to the ground floor and went straight to the car. Right at this time, a girl also exited the hospital and headed back to the dormitory. That night, the CEO of Beats Corporations cried like never before. He kept on hitting his fist furiously against the steering wheel until his knuckles turnedpletely white. Why him? Why now? His grandfather was all he had left in this unjust world. How would he manage to survive after he¡¯s passed away? Why were unfortunate events always happening to him? What was his offense? Tears fell freely from his eyes. The world was a wicked ce; taking away from him everything he held dearly. He¡¯d been just a little boy when his parents died in a car ident. He grew up with no parental love¡­ his grandfather was the only one who was there to guide him¡­ And now, he¡¯d be losing that one person too. Shawn just found it hard to fathom¡­ this life¡­ *** Few Hours Later: Grandpa Mandez¡¯s eyes slowly fluttered open amd the first thing his eyes saw was the silouette of someone sitting on the chair beside the hospital bed. It didn¡¯t take long for him to realize that the person was his grandson. The young man¡¯s face was sullen¨Cone look at it, and he knew the boy was now aware of his ailment.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. That damn doctor. The old man clicked his tongue. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± Shawn¡¯s voice was hoarse. The boy had been crying¡­ This was exactly what he was trying to avoid by keeping his ailment a secret. Grandpa Mandez knew his grandson would be terribly heartbroken when he finds out¡­ Slowly, he nodded his head in response to the boy¡¯s question. ¡°Take me home now.¡± He muttered weakly. The doctor already informed Shawn that Grandpa Mandez was free to leave the hospital as soon as he woke up, and that the old man just needed to use his medicines regrly and stay away from situations that¡¯d trigger his anger. The drive back to Magnificent was silent. Shawn had his mind totally upied with various thoughts. The doctor¡¯s words kept ringing in his head: ¡°Do things that¡¯ll make him happy¡­¡± Something shed through the CEO¡¯s eyes and he then suddenly started to add the pieces together. Now, he understood the reason the old champ was hell bent on him getting married¡­ and why he copsed as he soon as he heard about his divorce. Grandpa simply wanted to see him get married to someone who¡¯d act in his stead when he¡¯s no more. Only then can his soul rest peacefully when he dies¡­ After dropping off Grandpa Mandez at his house and giving the old man¡¯s steward series of orders, Shawn drove into his mansion and headed straight to his room for a cold bath. The news was still too much andplicated for him to process just yet. After the cold shower, he stepped out in his bathrobe and sat at the edge of his king-sized bed for a thorough thinking. The only thing that could make his grandfather pleased, right now, was if he got married. But that was the one thing the CEO wasn¡¯t ready to do. In fact, marriage wasn¡¯t among his ns at all. However, now, for his dying grandfather, he¡¯d have to do it. Get married. Shameless Mia The only thing that could make his grandfather pleased, right now, was if he got married. But that was the one thing the CEO wasn¡¯t ready to do. In fact, marriage wasn¡¯t among his ns at all. However, now, for his dying grandfather, he¡¯d have to do it. Get married. The search for a wife officially began. Shawn began to make a mental list of all the girls he could choose a bride from. There was none. Absolutely none. He found that all of them were either after his fame, money, or the position of the madam of Beats Corporations. Rubbish. The CEO scoffed exasperatedly. Whether he likes it or not, he has to choose one out of all of those despicable people¡­ He had no choice. And this angered him greatly. Who would he choose to marry?¡­ Right at this moment, something shed through his eyes. In reality, he was, in fact, already married. That girl¡­ That tiny little girl¡­ The girl from this morning¡­ The CEO pursed his lips. Could she have signed the divorce papers already? But wait. Is he making the right decision by choosing her? Her attitude this morning was¡­ She was just too forward¡­ Look at the way she had jumped at him¡­ Well, she¡¯d made her intention of being a gold digger known from the very beginning. Should he be somewhat relieved about that? Looking on the bright side, Grandpa already knew her¡­ he was even the one that had them get married in the first ce¡­ The old man would be super doper happy when he finds out he and the girl are still together. But what if she¡¯s signed the papers already? Even if she has, he¡¯ll simply tear everything up¨Cand they¡¯re back to being married. They can even always sign another marriage certificate. He¡¯s the famous CEO of Beats Corporation. He just hopes the girl won¡¯t turn out to be a pain in his ass. After pondering over his decision for what seemed to be about two hours, the CEO picked up his phone beside him¨Con the bed, and dialed his personal assistant¡¯s number. Lucas wasn¡¯t the least surprised to see that it was his boss calling him thiste in the middle of the night. He was used to it. As usual, the big boss was calling for a work-rted issue. Without wasting time, he swiped the answer icon and pressed his phone on hus ear. ¡°Boss.¡± ¡°Send me every detail about that girl.¡± Shawn hung up the call without giving his personal assistant any chance to reply. On hearing ¡®beep beep¡¯, Lucas immediately knew that his boss had hung up. But he still replied, ¡°yes, boss.¡± He then removed the phone from his ear and began to work on the assignment given to him. He knew who his boss was referring to¡­ Although, he wanted, badly, to know what it was that the big boss wanted withdy¡¯s background check but he was in no ce to poke his nose into the affairs of the CEO. So, he simply did as he was told. No questions asked. It didn¡¯t take Lucas up to five minutes before he was done. Shawn¡¯s phone dinged an he knew at once that his personal assistant had sent the file. Whether or not the girl was going to remain his wife, it would soon be determined. ***This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Very early the following day, Mia and Martha¨Cthe two jolly good friends¨Cdressed up and headed to school. AS soon as they arrived in the school, gasps, whispers, and murmurs broke out all around them. It turned out that news of how Mia was the real third wheel in Max and Martha¡¯s rtionship had spread around the entire school. Students gathered and formed circles in every corner of the school, gossiping about thetest circting gist. Immediately they set their eyes on the two major female characters of the gist, as they stepped into school, they all started eyeing Mia with eyes full of disgust and resentment. ¡°Look at her, shameless girl!¡± ¡°She even has the gut toe to school¡­!¡± ¡°She¡¯s even walking side by side Martha, HUmph!¡± Everyone criticized the girl ringly. Martha quickly stood up for her friend. ¡°What is the problem with you guys? What are you talking about?¡± She didn¡¯t like that the kids were hauling abuses at her best friend. Her action made the students shake their head in pity. ¡°Martha, stop covering up for this wench!¡± ¡°Yes, we know about everything now.¡± Martha was confused, ¡°huh? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°We know that you and Max used to be together before Mia came in between you two and snatched Max from you!¡± The girl gasped at once. She was extremely shocked. How did they find out? Her best friend would be ndered now¡­ ¡°How did you find out?¡± She asked in a tone of urgency. Her question confirmed that the allegations against Mia were indeed true and this made the students re at her in a more resentful manner. Boyfriend snatcher! ¡°Humph! A recording of her confession was sent to the school¡¯s tform.¡± Martha hastily rummaged through her school bag for her phone. She clicked on the students¡¯ group and saw that a recording had indeed been dropped. She downloaded it and yed it¨Cit was loud enough for everyone around to hear. ¡°You and Max used to be together but I disrupted your rtionship and stole Max from you. And that you have both fallen in love with each other again, and you¡¯re back together.¡± The voice note had been perfectly edited, and the way Mia sounded in it made it seem like she even was mocking Martha. What followed after the words was the sound of a little girl crying and everyone immediately recognized it as Martha¡¯s voice. LIstening to that voice note again made all the students go bonkers. They were filled with more rage and they pointed using fingers at Mia, yelling foul words at her. This scene broke Martha¡¯s heart and tears began to stream down her face. ¡°You guys should stop. It¡¯s not Mia¡¯s fault¡­ you don¡¯t understand.¡± She cried heartbreakingly. This further made the students feel extremely sorry for her. The girl was still protecting her friend despite the bitch ruining her rtionship. Such a rare gem. All this while, Mia simply stood on the same spot and kept mute. She seemed fazed and extremely shocked. Yes, the voice from the recording belongs to her¡­ but the recording itself was edited¡­ that¡¯s not the full version. Howe? And it was only her and Martha that were in the room yesterday. In fact, they were the only ones in the dormitory at that time¡­ so, howe?¡±Why are you still defending her after everything she¡¯s done to you?¡± ¡°Exactly. If I were you, I¡¯ll stop being friends with her.¡± ¡°I mean, look at the person you¡¯re defending. She isn¡¯t even saying anything.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t feel remorseful. ¡°At all. Humph.¡± They all expected Mia to have started crying buckets of tears by now, instead, it was the other way round. Her face waspletely dry. Break up with her already They all expected Mia to have started crying buckets of tears by now, instead, it was the other way round. In actual fact, Mia was exhausted. She¡¯d cried herself to sleep after returning from the hospitalst night. There were no more tears in her eyes. She¡¯d poured everything out yesterday. She feels so empty right now. The students clicked their tongues disdainfully at her. At exactly this time, the bell rang, marking the beginning of sses for the day. On after the other, they all rushed to their various sses, leaving behind crying Martha and dry-faced Mia. ¡°Mm-ia, who could have done th-this?¡± Martha¡¯s lips quivered and her body trembled as she wailed uncontrobly. Mia¡¯s heart broke at the sight of this and she quickly wrapped her arms around her best friend. ¡°It¡¯s okay, stop crying.¡± ¡°No. This is so unfair to you. I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I¡¯m so sorry. How I wish I knew the person that did this¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Stop crying¨Cit¡¯s not your fault.¡± Mia patted her gently. She smiled a small smile, ¡°look on the bright side. Now, you and Max can be together without facing any criticism.¡± ¡°But what about you?¡± Martha sobbed softly. ¡°NO, don¡¯t worry about me. Let¡¯s go now, we¡¯re alreadyte for ss.¡± Mia urged. ¡°Okay.¡± Martha sniffled sadly, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. She and Mia were in separate calsses, so they both waved at each other and went in different directions. Immediately Mia turned her back, Martha sneered scornfully. Stupid, gullible girl. She clicked her tongue disapprovingly. The person behind the voice recording was none other than herself. Yesterday, while Mia was talking, she¡¯d secretly recorded the girl¡¯s voice and sent it to someone to help her edit it. She¡¯d then uploaded it very early this morning on their school¡¯s tform, with her side ount that she usually used to malicious activities. Martha giggled evily and skipped happily to ss. Now, things were working perfectly ording to n. She wasn¡¯t ready to announce just yet that she and Max were back to being together again. She wants Mia to wallow in more pain for a while before she discloses it. Aish! Her head hurts. She¡¯d cried too much for that damn girl¡­ so that the kids can find her pitiful. Martha clicked her tongue yet again. *** Throughout school that day, everywhere Mia went, she received murdering res and using gazes around her. Well, she was used to being misunderstood¡­ She was always being in the wrong¡­ She¡¯d probably continue to always be. During lunch break, Max and Martha sat together in the cafeteria, discussing about the issue. Martha narrated yesterday and this morning¡¯s events to him, leaving the part where she was the one that posted the edited clip in the group.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. So, right now, she was refusing to eat as she didn¡¯t like that everyone was bullying her best friend, while Max was trying to console her. ¡°Maybe it was even Mia that posted the recording herself¨Cjust to help us, you know¡­¡± The buy suggested. Matha¡¯s mouth formed an ¡®OH¡¯ as if she saw sense in what Max just said. ¡°How could I not have thought about that?¡± She face-palmed herself. ¡°See?¡± He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°She might have truly done that to help us.¡± Martha¡¯s mouth pouted. ¡°Now, eat your food and stop worrying. I¡¯ll take you to the mallter.¡± Max urged softly. ¡°For real?¡± Her eyes lit up instantly. Right about this moment, Mia walked into the cafeteria. She spotted Max and Martha together and looked away quickly with a throbbing heart. The students began to whisper amongst themselves but she ignored their piercing gazes and began to head dart towards a corner in the far end of the cafeteria. She wanted to avoid the students¡¯ eyes, but most especially, she was trying to avoid Martha and Max. But it was already toote. Martha caught sight of her and yelled her name. ¡°Mia,e over! Come sit with us!¡± She waved her handf in a beckoning manner, grinning from ear to ear. Mia stopped right in her track at this. She wanted decline her best friend¡¯s offer but the girl was already walking in her direction. So, she simply zipped it. Smiling sweetly, Martha linked hands with her and started leading her to the table she and Max were sitting at. This caused an uproar among the students. They didn¡¯t find anything strange when they saw that Max and Martha were sitting together¨Ceveryone knew Max, Mia and Martha were close friends¡­ with Mia and Max being in a rtionship. But after finding out the real truth, they all actually liked that Max and Martha were sitting together alone. In fact, they wished the two would get back together. And then Mia had to show her ugly face and spoil everything again¨Clike she¡¯d done before. The students in the cafeteria gave Mia more scornful gazes as she followed Martha back to the table. Shameless! Max should do quick and break up with her. ¡°Why is she going to their table?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to see Max and Mia get back to being together.¡± ¡°Pained piece of shit.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just jealous.¡± ¡°Max should break up with her already!¡± The kidspletely ignored the fact that it was Martha who had pulled Mia over to their table, and criticized Mia without pity. Martha heard all of the nastyments from the them and smiled secretly. Things were indeed going ording to n. She decided the switch things up a bit. After sessfully dragging Mia into a seat beside Max, she suddenly picked up her purse from the table and stood up. ¡°Hum¡­ I hu-hum¨CI need to use the bathroom, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Dejectedly, she she dragged her feet out of the cafeteria, leaving her food untouched, and Max and Mia alone together. This further made the kids infuriated. They understood Martha¡¯s hidden intention. The poor girl wasn¡¯t really going to the bathroom to do anything¡­ She was simply excusing herself in order for Max and Mia to spend an alone time together. ¡°She¡¯s too nice¡­¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anyone who¡¯s supposed to be feeling like the third wheel, it should be that wench, Mia!¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± The kids were really furious this time. After Martha left the table, Max and Mia remained silent, not speaking a word to each other. The atmosphere around them was tense and awkward. Mia immediately regretted not following Martha to the bathroom. Although the harsh words she was hearing around her were heart-piercing, those words weren¡¯t as devastating as sitting beside the one person who she loved so dearly, and the both of them acting like total strangers. The beating of her life After Martha left the table, Max and Mia remained silent, not speaking a word to each other. The atmosphere around them was tense and awkward. Mia immediately regretted not following Martha to the bathroom. Although the harsh words she was hearing around her were heart-piercing, those words weren¡¯t as devastating as sitting beside the one person who she loved so dearly, and the both of them acting like total strangers. Max regretted not forcing Martha to stay back with them¡­ It was really so awkward being left alone with his ex. Aish. Several moments passed before he summoned up the courage to speak. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked in his cool voice, throwing a sideways nce at Mia. The girl replied by nodding her head. Then she let out a small smile. They both fell silent again. Max bit hesitantly on his lip as he eyed her, ¡°are you angry?¡± Mia pursed her lips. Again, she nodded her head in response. Truth be told, she realized that she was no longer angry. Instead, she felt sad and empty. Max knew the girl just lied. I mean, who wouldn¡¯t be full of anger and hatred after the her boyfriend suddenly broke up with her and got together with her best friend instead. Lie. The girl was only pretending to be non-chnt about the situation. ¡°You can¡¯t me Martha, or me, about it¡­ We didn¡¯t n for things to happen that way¨Cit just happened. You need to let go of any anger you¡¯re feeling and move on, okay?¡± Mia¡¯s heart wrung and her eyes stung as those words pierced through her soul. She looked up from her trembling hands and turned in her chair to face Max¨Cthe boy she¡¯d been in love with her whole life. Was this still the same person? Saying those words effortlessly¡­ like they were nothing? Such painful words¡­ Did he even ever love her at all? Had it all been some sort of¡­ Mia felt her heart crushed. All this while, Martha was watching the two of them through a small window in annoyance. her whole body fumed with anger. What were they discussing? Was that girl trying to snatch her man? How dare her be sofortable, talking to her man like that? She balled up her hands angrily. She¡¯d teach her a lesson she¡¯d never forget; one that would put that girl in her ce forever. It hadn¡¯t been easy securing Max and having him all to herself, and now, that bitch wanted to snatch him away from her? No way. Martha wasn¡¯t the only one feeling jealous right now, right in the far end of the cafeteria, a boy threw frequent nces at the cute the girl sitting beside her boyfriened. He felt sad, but there was absolutely nothing he could do than keep mute and watch the girl¨Clike he¡¯d always done. The bell soon rang and everyone in the cafeteria returned back to their sses. The rest of the day went uneventfully. Several hourster, school came to an end for the day. Students trooped out of school in different directions¡­ ¡°Go ahead without me, Mia. I¡¯m sorry, I have ns with Max¨CI¡¯ll see youter.¡± When Mia had gone in search of Martha, so they could go back to the dorm together, the girl told her just that. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Martha panicked, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Mia noticed her panic stricken face and quickly shook her head severally. ¡°No. Not at all.¡± She waved her hands in the air. Martha and Max were together now, so they should be free to do whatever it is that they¡¯d like to do. They were now a couple. Mia forced out a small smile and waved at Martha. She then began to leave the school premises. What a life. Who would have thought that things would tuyrn out to be the way it was now? Lost deep in thought as she walked down the alley that led to the dorm, she didn¡¯t notice when a group of girls surrounded her. Judging from the school uniform threy were wearing, they were from Mia¡¯s school. When Mia finally collected herself, she looked around, taking in her surroundings. When she saw the girls, she swallowed uneasily and her heartbeat quickened at once. Of course, she knew them. This group of girls were known for their viciousness. They derived sheer joy in bullying¨Cthey wouldn¡¯t stop until their victim becamepletely lifeless. Seeing how they encircled her, Mia knew they were here for her. ¡°P-pl-please¡­¡± Tears streamed down her face as she pleaded with them. Her plea fell on deaf ears. With swift movements, the gang of bullies attacked her. They beat her to pulp. By the time they were done, Mia was lying, lifeless, on the ground. After beating the girl to her satisfaction, ¡°this will continue to ur until you leave Max alone and let him return to Martha.¡± Vivian, the gang leader, issued Mia a warning. *As if Max was a thing of possession¡­ She gave the girl a final kick in the stomach before bouncing away with the rest of her girls. Mia howled loudly, writhing in pain. All the onlookers¨Cstudents from Mia¡¯s school¨Cmerely sneered and snickered at her. Actually, to the best of their knowledge, the girl deserved more than the beating she¡¯d just received. Some of them had even brought out their phones and recorded the beating from beginning to end. It would make a hot gist in school tomorrow. The crowd slowly dispersed little by little. Show was over. Mia remained unmoving on the ground. Her whole body felt like it was set on fire, but she had no strength to even wriggle in pain. The only thing moving on her body was tears slipping from her eyes. She¡¯d been terribly battered. Her school uniform waspletely ruined¡­ She tried to manage and get up on her feet but it seemed impossible to do as she couldn¡¯t even move her hand. So, she justid there on the ground, motionless. She might end up sleeping in the alleyway till the next day as no one was willing to help. What a life. Wasn¡¯t she living the best life on earth?¡­ As if the heavens were on her side, ¡°Mia?¡± she heard a very farmir voice call her name. But she couldn¡¯t even move any part of her body, talk more her head, so as to see who it was that¡¯d called her. After moving closer to the person lying on the ground and confirming that it was indeed her elder sister, Vivian rushed to the girl¡¯s side with immediate effect. She hastily knelt on the ground. ¡°What happened?¨Cwho did this to you?!¡± She was very angry. Although, she and Mia were half-sisters, she held Mia dearly to her heart. She did not joke with her at all.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Mia was too weak to say a word, so Vivian gently helped her up from the ground. She picked also picked her sister¡¯s bag from the ground and then put Mia¡¯s arm around her neck. With difficulty, she began to help the girl to the dormitory. The divorce papers After moving closer to the person lying on the ground and confirming that it was indeed her elder sister, Vivian rushed to the girl¡¯s side with immediate effect. She hastily knelt on the ground. ¡°What happened?¨Cwho did this to you?!¡± She was very angry. Although, she and Mia were half-sisters, she held Mia dearly to her heart. She did not joke with her at all. Mia was too weak to say a word, so Vivian gently helped her up from the ground. She picked also picked her sister¡¯s bag from the ground and then put Mia¡¯s arm around her neck. With difficulty, she began to help the girl to the dormitory. *** Martha¡¯s phone dinged all of a sudden and she immediately knew that it was what she¡¯d been waiting for that¡¯de in. In fact, her phone was already in her hand in anticipation. She secretly yed the video. After watching it, she grinned and quickly put her phone away in her bag before Max noticed anything. The two lovebirds were currently in the shopping mall¨Cof course, for Martha. Just like Max had promised during lunch time, he brought her to the mall immediately it was closing hour. Martha grinned from ear to ear as they both went from one section to another. This was exactly what she¡¯d wanted¡­ the reason why she¡¯d snatched her best friend¡¯s man from her. This lifestyle¡­ This feeling¨Cthe feeling of being spoilt, being spent onvishly. Her grin was soon reced with a frown. ¡°I still feel bad for Mia.¡± She dragged her feet grudgingly behind her boyfriend. ¡°Martha, you need to stop beating yourself about this¡­ It¡¯s her issue. You said it yourself, she was the one that voluteered to take the fall¨Cit was her decision, baby.¡± Maxforted her in a gentle voice. His girlfriend smirked behind him. Yeah, it was the girl¡¯s decision to take the fall¡­ and she¡¯d face the consequences as well. ¡°So,¡± Max turned around with a smile stered on his face and a dazzling silver ne in his hand, ¡°do you like this one?¡±¡±A, I love it!¡± She squeaked excitedly. *** As soon as the two sisters arrived in the dorm, they both struggled to get to Mia¡¯s room. Vivian quickly ced water on the fire and helped Mia undress. After the water boiled, she then dabbed on the girl¡¯s body with a hot towel. Mia cried shamelessly. At some point, she even became too weak to cry¨Cshe whimpered like a seriously injured puppy. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Vivian smiled bitterly at her sister. She had also heard about the whole drama¡­ But she knew it was all a lie. As a smart girl, she quickly picked up on what must have happened. Because she¡¯d known Max and Mia as a real couple, from day one, she didn¡¯t get fooled like the rest of the kids at school. In fact, she¡¯d been suspecting something going on between Max and Martha for a while now¡­ the two had been acting funnily for sometime, but she couldn¡¯t afford to be the one to break her sister¡¯s heart by letting the girl know of her suspicions. So, she¡¯d kept her suspicion to herself, waiting for events to unfold. After she was done applying the hotpress on her sister¡¯s body, Vivian fed Mia with pain relief pills. She then watched as she fell into a deep slumber. Poor girl. Heaving a sigh, Vivian stood up and helped Mia prepare some food that she¡¯d eat once she woke up. After she was done she packed the food in a warmer, quietly picked up her school bag, and left. But as she was about to take her leave, her eyes fell on a brown file, lying behind the desk near the door. Her brows knitted and curiosity got the better part of her. She crouched down to the floor, and just as she stretched her hand to reach for it, her phone viberated in her bag. With her attention diverted from the file, she rose up, straightening her back, and walked out of the room as she answered the call. *** By the time Mia woke up, it was alreadyte into the evening. And she was madly hungry. She knew Vivian must have left already. A food warmer, standing on her bedside desk, caught her attention and she immediately knew her sister prepared food for her before she left.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Oh. What would she have done without Vivian in her life? Althoug, Barbara, her stepmother, despised her, the case wasn¡¯t the same with her stepsister. Vivian loved, cherished, and cared for Mia, genuinely. Wincing slightly, Mia managed to get up from the bed. Her body still ached terribly but it wasn¡¯t as much as before. Sitting upright, she carried the food warmer and began to eat from it. Martha still hadn¡¯t returned¡­ they must be having so much fun. Mia smiled a small smile. She suddenly lost her appetite, but she couldn¡¯t possibly waste the food her sister had prepared for her¡­ so, she forced herself and continued eating. After she was done eating, she felt the need to go outside to get fresh air. The room felt stuffy. Bresides, if she continued to stay in here, any time from now, she might pass out from overthinking and being depressed. But then, as soon as she set foot out of the room, unfriendly gazes were what she¡¯d be met with. Giving in to her fate, Mia heaved a sigh. She forced herself up from the bed and limped to the window. Resting against the window frame, she looked out through the window, allowing the cool gentle breeze feather her smooth fine face. She smiled sweetly; nature was such a nerve-calming beauty. She closed her eyes, inhaling the lovely air. A secondter, her eyes flew open. What was that that she just saw? She needed to be sure it wasn¡¯t a hallucination, so she looked further down, past the huge main gates of the dorm. Again, she saw that person¡­ an unfamiliar, yet familiar, looking man. Mia¡¯s face scrunched up as she racked through her brain, in search of where she¡¯d seen him before. Several secondster, her eyes twinkled. He was the handsome man from yesterday¡­ the secretary, or whatever he¡¯d called himself, of that demonic god. Howe such beautiful looking man was working for that¡­? Why was he here though? Then sudden realization hit her. THE DIVORCE PAPERS. He was here for the divorce papers! Shit! Where did she drop that file?¡­. She¡¯d totally forgotten about it¡­ she was yet to sign it. She looked away from the window at once, her eyes roaming around the room in search of the file. It was nowhere in sight¨Cwhere could she have put it? Where did she drop it yesterday? Limping around, she searched high and low for the file but it was all to no avail. She couldn¡¯t find it. Heaving a frustrate-ful sigh, Mia trodded back to the window and saw that the man was still standing outside the entrance. She couldn¡¯t possibly let him continue standing there like that¨Cknowing fully well that he was here to see her¡­ What would she do now? She heaved a sigh and quickly put on a pair of flip-flop slippers. Thereafter, she headed out of the room, mming the door shut behind her. The divorce papers II Heaving a frustrated-full sigh, Mia trod back to the window and saw that the man was still standing outside the entrance. She couldn¡¯t possibly let him continue standing there like that-knowing fully well that he was here to see her¡­ What would she do now? She heaved a sigh and quickly put on a pair of flip-flop slippers. Thereafter, she headed out of the room, mming the door shut behind her. She ignored the piercing gazes of the girls around her and limped all the way to the front gate to meet her visitor. As soon as Lucas saw thedy step out through the gate, he breathed out a sigh of relief. He¡¯d been standing here for a while now¡­ all of those underaged girls, throwing flirtatious nces at him¨Cyuck. Hmm. Not for once did it ur to the ever intelligent personal assistant of the CEO of Beats Corporations that he could have asked any of those ¡®underage¡¯ girls to get Mia for him. Tsk tsk. So much for having a high IQ. Thank goodness thedy was here now. Lucas nodded his head. ¡°Good evening, ma¡¯am.¡± He smiled politely. ¡°Good evening.¡± Mia replied, forcing out a smile. Her breathing hitched in her throat. Her heart was thumping hard in her chest. She was so upied by numerous thoughts that she didn¡¯t notice the jealous gazes passers-by were giving her. ¡°Howe that girl is chatting with such a handsome man?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Mia?¡± ¡°He¡¯s so cute.¡± ¡°Is she cheating on Max?¡­¡± ¡°Maybe the man was sent by her father¡­¡± Lucas noticed the piercing gazes and offered, ¡°can we go somewhere more private, to talk?¡± He found those girls offensively annoying. He led Mia down the road to a neatly parked car that was under a tree. As they came and stood beside the car, Lucas couldn¡¯t help but take a look at the girl all over again. Her appearance¡­ One, she¡¯d limped on one foot to the car¡­ two, she looked badly beaten¨Cwith her swollen face¡­ Sheesh! ¡°Hum- I¡¯m so sorry¡­ about the divorce papers¡­¡± Mia stuttered, ¡°I think I¡¯ve misced it.¡± She quickly went straight to the point. There was no use beating around the bush. Plus, the man seemed nice. Thank goodness he was the one that came, and not tha demi-god, or she didn¡¯t know what would befall her. ¡°Can you please give me a couple of days to find it?¨Cno, just a day is okay. Just a day. I promise, I¡¯ll sign the papers and bring the file to you as soon as I find it. I promise. Immediately.¡± She pleaded with teary eyes. Huh¡­ Wait. Lucas¡¯ face beamed all of a sudden. ¡°You haven¡¯t signed it yet?¡± Mia shook her head sorrowfully, then she looked up at him, ¡°just give me a day and I¡¯ll bring it to you.¡± Lucas opened his mouth to speak but before he could get a word out of it, the car¡¯s rear door ss¨Cbeside them¨Csuddenly wound down and stopped halfway. ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± An icy cold voice resounded. Mia flinched away, almost copsing into Lucas¡¯ embrace. She had no idea there was someone in the car. When she calmed down, she looked through the car window, in the backseat, and saw the demi-god. She recognized him instantly. How couldn¡¯t she? That formidable face of his definitely left longsting impressions in people¡¯s minds¡­ she couldn¡¯t have forgotten his face¨Cthe unparalleled looking man wasn¡¯t one to be easily forgotten. Chills ran up Mia¡¯s spine as she gawked at him. Despite the unbearable cold aura emitting from him, he looked helplessly bewitching. ¡°Close your mouth.¡± The CEO¡¯s eyshes fluttered at the tiny little girl ogling at him. Mia blinked senses back into her head and shut her mouth at once. Even without him speaking, his appearance alone demanded respect andpliance, talk more of him actually speaking. Lucas simply stood on a side, watching as events unfolded. Since his boss had taken up the mantle, he had no business conversing with thedy anymore. ¡°Where¡¯s the file?¡± Shawn¡¯s cold gaze swept over the girl. He noticed her blistered lip¡­ his mouth pursed. Well, that had absolutely nothing to do with him; it was none of his business; so, he looked away from her face and stared directly into her eyes, in an intimidating manner, instead. ¡°I-hu-hum¡­ th-thte th-I¨C¡± Mia was terrified. And his eyes¡­ they were not helping matters either. They were sopelling¡­ Grey¡­ she waspletely mesmerized by the depths of them that couldn¡¯t help but stutter. So grey. ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± Shawn asked irritably. The girl¡¯s denseness was starting to piss him off. His deep resounding voice made Mia regain her senses abruptly.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°¡±Errrr- the file-I¡¯m deeply sorry¨CI misced it.¡± She chewed on the inner walls of her cheeks, nervously. Shawn clicked his tongue silently. Liar¡­ The girl was not only a gold digger, but she was also a tant liar. Well, he wasn¡¯t surprised at this¡­ someone who¡¯s a thief is automatically a liar, so what was he expecting? The girl didn¡¯t lose the divorce papers. She¡¯d hid them somewhere, or perhaps, she¡¯d burnt the whole file, just so she could remain married to him. All she wanted was his money. Like, it hadn¡¯t even been up to twenty-four hours yet, and she¡¯d misced the file¨Cthat was a big fat lie. Even if she truly had misced it, then she wasn¡¯t only a pathetic thief, but also a negligent piece of sh*t. Because, how?¡­ But Shawn knew that wasn¡¯t the case anyway. Since she¡¯d decided to act shamelessly, he would not go easy on her then. ¡°Then you have to face the consequences of your action.¡± Without giving Mia the chance to process his words, Shawn blurted out: ¡°Lucas, get her in the car.¡± HE wound the rear door ss, back up, giving Mia no chance to say anything. ¡°Madam, please.¡± Gentlemanly, the CEO¡¯s personal assistant led the limping girl to the other side of the car and opened the door for her. Well, since thedy was still married to his boss, he had to treat her with utmost care and respect. Mia was tongue-tied and, at the same time, confused. What exactly was going on, she didn¡¯t know. But one thing she knew was to not mess around¨Cgo against¨Cthe formidable man¡¯s words. Meekly, she stepped in the backseat, beside Shawn, leaving a very wide space between the both of them. But why here? Why was she to sit beside him? Why not in the passenger¡¯s side?¡­ After sitting, she sped her hands together and put them between her thighs, her heart racing. Lucas shut the door and got in the driver¡¯s seat. While he was the personal assistant of the CEO, most times, he sometimes acted as the boss¡¯ driver too. He ignited the engine and began to drive onto the tarred road, in a direction that waspletely strange and unfamiliar to Mia. BUt unlike her, Lucas knew where they were headed¨Cthe big boss¡¯ house. Mia鈥檚 not interested He ignited the engine and began to drive onto the tarred road, in a direction that waspletely strange and unfamiliar to Mia. BUt unlike her, Lucas knew where they were headed¨Cthe big boss¡¯ house. Throughout the drive, Mia simply sat still, unmoving. Her mind was upied with a lot of terrifying thoughts¡­ what would be of her now? Where were they taking her to? Had shee to the end of her journey in life?¡­ She had her thighs tightly pressed together and she broke out into cold sweats. ¡°Do you want to suffocate to death?¡± It wasn¡¯t until the icy cold man asked this question that Mia realized she¡¯d been holding her breath the whole time. She hastily released her ragged breath. Shawn clicked his tongue irritably. If the girl wanted to die, she should go ahead! But not in his car. He clicked his tongue yet again. Soon, they arrived at Magnificent and Lucas drove straight into the big boss¡¯pound. As soon as Mia stepped foot out of the car, her mouth opened ajar. In fact, her jaw almost touched the ground. This was a huuuge mansion¨Cway bigger than that of her father. The building was magnificently tall¡­ and beautiful too. There was no doubt that this mansion was made with absolute care and concentration. Some pces didn¡¯t even look as grand and beautiful as this¨Cwith that lovely waterfall right in the center, outside¡­ Well structured¡­ Mia was short of words. Lucas had already handed the car key over to his boss, and Shawn had sent the man home, yet, when he turned around, he met the girl gawking at his building. How many minutes had been again?¡­ ¡°Keep craning your neck that way and you¡¯ll snap it.¡± Shawn¡¯s words made Mia realize she¡¯d stretched out her neck way too long as she observed the magnificent building. She immediately retracted her neck back to normal. When she saw Shawn taking long strides into the house, she quickly trailed after him. The man¡¯s legs were unbelievably long and fast that she could only drag her limping leg behind him. When they entered the mansion through the front door, Mia¡¯s mouth flung open again. It was freaking gorgeous here. The interiors were super posh and ssy¨Ceverything, one of its kind. She couldn¡¯t even start mentioning; from the designer chairs, to the well-polished floors, the paintings hung on the walls ¡­ wallpapers¡­ the beautiful crystal chandeliers hanging down from the ceiling¡­ the flower vases¡­ the TV set¡­. uniformed maids¡­ Mia was still trying to process all of these things when, ¡°Sit.¡± Shawn¡¯s order instantly pulled her out of her reverie. She quickly did as she¡¯d been told and pressed her hands firmly together. No offense, but her father¡¯s house was like that of a rat,pared to this gigantic mansion. From the looks of things, the way the maids sank in curtsy when they sighted him, the icy cold CEO must own this ce. Wow, he must be freaking rich. He must be a billionaire, Mia thought inwardly. ¡°I¡¯m worth way more than that.¡± Shawn corrected. She gasped and quickly sped her hand over her mouth. Shit! She¡¯d said that out¨Caloud. Shawn clicked his tongue agitatedly. Damn, tha girl¡­ She¡¯d been making him talk way more than usual since he met her. Sheesh. ¡°Let¡¯s get some things straight.¡± he paused, ¡± my house, my rules.¡± ¡°You stay the fuck away from my sight and only appear when necessary. Also, you¡¯re to do everything I tell you to.¡± ¡°Understood?¡± His voice was deep, and his face stern. Mia gulped. But she was totally confused. What was he talking about? ¡°Huh?¡± Shawn pressed his mouth into a thin line. He was starting to lose his patience with this girl. Not only was she a thief and a liar, she was also a nitwit. Extremely dumb. ¡°We¡¯re married. You live here now.¡± He dropped the bombshell. ¡°What?!¡± Mia eximed, her eyes popping out of their sockets. Marrie-Shit! Realization gave her a huge blow on the face. They were indeed married. Byw, at that. Stamped. ¡°Ermmm¡­ erm, I promise you sir, I¡¯ll look for that file¨CI swear¨Cand I¡¯ll bring it to you immediately-¡± Shawn cut her off irritably, ¡°that¡¯s not necessary.¡± She stared at him in bewilderment. Wait, things were starting to get confusing andplicated. Wasn¡¯t this man the same person who¡¯d abandoned her in front of the bureau¡¯s office¡­? and had also sent her the divorce papers¡­?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. What was with the sudden change of mind? As if reading her mind, ¡°I do not wish to do this¨Csomething came up.¡± Shawn spoke. The girl had better not be thinking he was interested in her. If not for the sake of his grandfather, they wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation right now. This was¡­ ¡°I-I¡¯m not interested.¡± Mia blurted out all of a sudden. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± The temperature in the living room suddenly went freezing cold, making Mia snuggle up as she gazed at the icy cold man. The expression on his face wasn¡¯t any funny as his face had turned pitch ck. Mia shivered. She gulped. ¡°I-hum-erm- I mean¨C I¡¯m hum, I¡¯m not interested in not being interested in you.¡± She took back her words immediately. The tiger looked like he¡¯d pounce on her the moment she said something he wouldn¡¯t like to hear. She had no choice than to dance to his tune¨C she wasn¡¯t ready to say goodbye to the world just yet. But then, the words she¡¯d just rambled out of her mouth¡­ did they make any sense? She exhaled softly as she watched the demi-god¡¯s face turn from pitch ck to its usual cold, expressionless self. Wait though. How did her life suddenlye to this? Her life didn¡¯t used to be problem free, but¡­ one minute, her boyfriend was breaking up with her, the other minute, she¡¯d married a dangerous man. How did it be this bad? What was she thinking?! How could she have signed that marriage certificate?! That was stupid and reckless of her¨Cwhat was she thinking? Oh, what a stupid girl she was. Come to think of it¡­ now that she was married, what about her family¡­? And school¡­ As if reading her mind once again, ¡°you can go about your daily life¨Cas long as you do nothing that¡¯ll affect me. I¡¯ll assign a driver to you, to take you to and from school. Or anywhere you wish to go.¡± As long as she didn¡¯t do anything that¡¯d affect him¡­ what could she possibly do in this life that¡¯d affect this formidable man? Mia wondered. Moving in with the CEO As if reading her mind once again, ¡°you can go about your daily life¨Cas long as you do nothing that¡¯ll affect me. I¡¯ll assign a driver to you, to take you to and from school. Or anywhere you wish to go.¡± As long as she didn¡¯t do anything that¡¯d affect him¡­ what could she possibly do in this life that¡¯d affect this formidable man? Mia wondered. ¡®¡­¡¯ Hold up. Her brows knitted together as she was lost deep in thought. She didn¡¯t need a driver¨Cshe didn¡¯t want one. No, no, no. What would the kids at school start to say¡­? She already didn¡¯t have a good image in school¡­ She¡¯d have to reject him. Mia looked up at the man who sat elegantly before him. He definitely wasn¡¯t one to take no for an answer. She gulped. What was she to do now? ¡°Just give me money instead.¡± Before she could think twice, she blurted out. But that was better, wasn¡¯t it? By asking for money¡­ she didn¡¯t turn him down. But how she¡¯d said it¡­ did that not make her seem like¡­ ¡°I mean¡­ for transport. Don¡¯t bother yourself assigning a driver to me. I¡¯m not worth it.¡± Sheughed nervously, rephrasing her sentence in a more logical manner. That sounded better. Shawn¡¯s eyes narrowed on her. He didn¡¯t say a word. The girl had already begun to show her true colors. Look at her straight up asking for money¡­ What was wrong with getting her a personal driver?¨Cabsolutely nothing. She simply wanted to squander his money¨Cthat was what she was after, afterall. And to think that, in order to not make him suspicious of her, she¡¯d said: ¡®I¡¯m not worth it.¡¯ at the end of her request. Hell yeah, she wasn¡¯t worth it. She was not even worth sitting in his house right now. Should he just kick her out? He pondered in silence. Then his mind trailed off to his grandfather¡­ The CEO clicked his tongue irritably, his jaw tightening. He took out his wallet from his pocket and brought out a tinum card which he handed over to Mia. The girl¡¯s mouth flung open ajar the moment she sighted the midnight ck card. As she stretched out her hands to collect it, they trembled. NO, she couldn¡¯t use just a hand to receive such priceless¨C I mean, she only saw that card on the inte¡­ Not in her wildest imagination had she ever thought of actually seeing it in real life¡­ talk more of touching it. She was wowed to the core. ¡°Erm¡­ I-What¡­?¡± She stuttered. ¡°It¡¯s yours now.¡± Those three simple words almost made her lose her senses. What?! She was going to possess a tinum card?!!! Even her father didn¡¯t have one. He only had a gold debit card¡­ The girl admired the card in her hands with widened eyes. Shawn watched the girl with full skepticism, under his long thick eyshes. Covetousness. It was written all over her face¡­ He might have to kill herter. ¡°But, can¡¯t I continue staying in the dorm?¡± Mia asked poutily. ¡°No.¡± In order to make the old champ happy, he¡¯d have to live under the same roof with her. This way, Grandpa Mandez wouldn¡¯t suspect anything amiss, and he¡¯d be deeply convinced that his grandson was happily married. Shawn stood up on his feet at once. ¡°The maids will show you to your room. The basic things you¡¯ll be needing have already been provided.¡±He pursed his thin lips, ¡°if you want anything, ask. Don¡¯t steal from me.¡± He warned sternly. He then loosened the tie around his neck. ¡°The maids can also help you out with anything.¡± Having said his piece, he began to head towards the ssy spiral stairway. But he suddenly stopped midway. He turned, ¡°You can move your important belongings to your room¨Conly important things.¡± He wouldn¡¯t like it if the girl turned his house into a dumping refuse, filling it up with filthy things.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He turned back around and ascended the staircases without saying any more words. Mia¡¯s eyes were nted on his broad back until he¡¯dpletely vanished from sight. But what was that about stealing from him? She wasn¡¯t a thief though. Phew. Now that he was no longer in the living room, she heaved a sigh of relief. Now, she could take her time to let her eyes roam around all of this beauty. A sight to behold. But¡­ ¡°Come with me, madam.¡± An old woman approached her from the side. She should be around Madam Grace¡¯s age. Her uniform was different from the rest of the maids¡¯ uniforms¡­ Was she the head of the maids? Mia pondered. Her shoulders fell dejectedly when she realized she wouldn¡¯t be able to take in the living room, but she stood up anyway. She¡¯d do the sight-seeing tomorrow. Mia limped behind the old woman as she led her up the same spiral stairs she¡¯d seen the icy cold man go up. Two maids followed behind them. They walked down a magnanimous hallway and soon stopped in front of a beautiful looking door. You know what,¨C everything in here was beautiful! She couldn¡¯t wait to see the inside of the room. When the door opened and they stepped into the room, Mia was met with a gorgeous sight to behold. The room was too beautiful¡­ so perfect! Too perfect to be true. It was like she was in the dreand. ¡°Thi-this is the room I-I¡¯ll be staying in?¡± She asked with widened eyes. ¡°Yes, madam.¡± Madam Susan smiled politely. Unbelievable! Mia was in awe. ¡°Where¡¯s the medicine?¡± The old woman asked, and one of the maids that followed them quickly stepped forward and handed the balm in her hand over to Madam Susan. All this while, Mia continued to ogle at everything her eyes fell on. The gigantic bed, the dressing table and mirror¡­ the closet¡­ a walk-in closet¨C the bathroom door was also open, so she could see inside too¨Cbeautiful. Madam Susan had to clear her throat in order to gain the girl¡¯s attention. Then, she asked, ¡°should I apply it for you, madam?¡± ¡°Errr¡­ no, thank you.¡± Mia rejected the offer politely. Madam Susan nodded her head. ¡°Alright then. Here you go,¡± She handed the balm over to Mia. ¡°Good night, madam.¡± She bobbed politely and led the maids out of the room. Mia also bowed her head until the door had closed behind them. After making sure they¡¯d really left, Mia giggled and rushed to the bed at once. She scampered up on it and started jumping continuously, on one leg. She squealed like a happy rabbit. She couldn¡¯t wait to tell Martha about this beautiful ce! She immediately reached for her pocket, but she felt emptiness. She realized she hadn¡¯t brought her phone along with her since she¡¯d left the room in a hurry. Shit. Martha would be worried sick about her by now. Huff. Well, first thing tomorrow morning, she¡¯d rush to school and tell Martha and Vivian about this gracious¨C Hold up. Hell no! That was not going to be possible. It wasn¡¯t a good idea at all. Who would she say that the gracious mansion belonged to?¡­ Her husband? E. Mia cringed at the thought of this. HUSBAND¡­ That word, gross. Her lips pursed; wait a minute. Just like that, she was married? Realization suddenly dawned on her. Married to the CEO HUSBAND¡­ That word, gross. Her lips pursed; wait a minute. Just like that, she was married? Realization suddenly dawned on her. She now had a husband¡­ she was now someone¡¯s wife¡­ ¡®Someone, please wake me up.¡¯ Mia cried inwardly, shaking her head as she stopped hopping on the bed. Just like that? Marriage¡­? She was in deep shit. She was still in school¡­ If the kids at school ever found out, her name would be ndered. To make matters worse, she wasn¡¯t just married¨Cshe was married to a man waaay older than her. And he was filthy rich. She¡¯d be tagged a gold-digger for that. And her father? He¡¯d probably disown her the moment he¨C She¡¯d have to keep this marriage a secret. She had to keep it all to herself. She pushed the thoughts aside for a while. Right now, she needs to enjoy the moment. You know the saying; enjoy now, sufferter. Mia resumed hopping with one leg on the bed, giggling excitedly as she did.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Suddenly, a few secondster, the door to the room flung open and revealed an exasperated, bare-chested Shawn. At the sight of him, Mia shrieked and immediately lost bnce. She fell on the bed, her heart thumping hard in her chest. ¡°Stop doing that.¡± Shawn had a towel wrapped around his abdomen. He¡¯d just finished taking a shower when he heard the girl¡¯s squeals, and the bed¡¯s squeaks. Both were irritating noises to his ears. He¡¯d picked up on what she was doing when she heard those noises. What was she?¨CA five year old? He¡¯d immediately regretted letting her stay in the room next to his. But he had no choice¡­ He had to be cautious and rational¡­ His grandfather might suspect something amiss if he let her stay downstairs¡­ or in a room far from his. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Mia apologized but she had her eyes transfixed somewhere they shouldn¡¯t be. On the man¡¯s perfectly carved abs. Sheesh! Such perfectly structured¨Ceven his chest was just too fine and smooth. Shawn noticed the girl¡¯s shamelessness¡­ He clicked his tongue distastefully and scoffed. ¡°You like what you see?¡± Hell yeaaa¨Cshiit! Mia pped herself hard on the face. It seemed she¡¯d just said that out¨Cloud and clear. Did he hear her?¡­ She snuck a quick nce in Shawn¡¯s direction. What would he think of her now?¡­ A pervert? No, no, no. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She immediately apologized, cursing herself beneath her breath. Shawn merely shook his head at her in regret. It hadn¡¯t even been up to an hour yet and she was already misbehaving¡­ constituting nuisance in his house. This was the major reason why he never let people in his space. He wished he could turn back the hands of time¡­ He clicked his tongue in sheer agitation and turned to take his leave without saying anything. But¡­ ¡°Please, wait.¡± The girl¡¯s tiny voice made him pause in his tracks. He turned, angling up his brow at her in a manner that said ¡®what¡¯s the problem?¡¯ In a kneeling position, Mia fumbled with the hem of her skirt hesitantly. She summoned up the courage and spoke, ¡°can y-you pl-please keeeep the ¡®th-thing¡¯ betwee-een us a secret?¡± For the first time in a very long while, the CEO was dumbstruck. What did the girl just say?¡­ Did she just say to keep their marriage a secret? And what was that she¡¯d referred to their union as¨CTHING?? Shawn¡¯s face turned ck. ¡°Do you find me embarrassing?¡± His eyes zed red. He couldn¡¯t help but ask that question, because¡­ Huh?¡­ Mia was lost. ¡°Not at all¡­¡± She trailed off. She noticed that the room¡¯s temperature level had dropped drastically. Did she say something wrong?¡­ She¡¯d intentionally avoided using the word ¡®marriage¡¯ in order not to get him upset, so what was wrong now? In fact, considering the kind of person he was, she was sure he would like to keep things hidden from the public¨Che didn¡¯t like her at all. He wouldn¡¯t want to be associated with her. Shawn¡¯s burning gaze pierced directly through Mia¡¯s eyes for several moments before he turned and took angry long strides to his room. He furiously banged the door shut and went to stand by the window. He needed fresh air to cool his temper. Daammit! Who did that girl think she was? He was the one who was supposed to tell her to keep their marriage a secret¨Che¡¯d intended on doing so very early the following morning, before he left for work. But that girl¡­ And to think that she¡¯d referred to their marriage to each other as a ¡®thing¡¯. Preposterous! As the CEO¡¯s facial expression grew darker, the heavens almost crumbled down to earth. Was he unsightly? First, she¡¯d told him she wasn¡¯t interested. And now¡­ Dammit, no one in this world had ever rejected him in his entire life. He was the one who was always doing the rejecting. People wanted to associate themselves with him¡­ to be seen with him¨Cshit! Not the other way round. Shawn heaved an exasperated sigh. Then his eyes dimmed¨Cit was all strategy. The girl was strategizing, trying to y smart. He got it now. She was merely pretending not to be interested so that he wouldn¡¯t see through her evil intentions. Nice. But he was smarter than all of that. He saw through her already¨Cand he would make sure to teach her a lesson she¡¯d never forget in her miserable life. By the time he was done with her¡­ *** Mia limped down from the bed and closed the door that the demi-god had left opened ajar. She was still dumbfounded, but as much as she tried to process everything, she just didn¡¯t seem to understand what had just happened. Shrugging her shoulders, she headed to the bathroom for a hot shower. As soon as she was done, she re-entered the room and took the balm from the bed. She sat down before the dressing mirror and started applying it on her leg. After she was done, she shuffled through the closet, put on somefy clothes, and got in bed, feeling refreshed. Smiling sweetly, she slept off. *** The Following Day. Very early in the morning, the couple woke up, took their bath, dressed up, had breakfast in silence, and went their separate ways. Shawn left for thepany, while Mia went to school. By the time Mia arrived at school, she first went straight to the girls¡¯ dorm to wear her school uniform. Due to yesterday¡¯s attack, her uniform was ruined. Thankfully, she had two school uniforms, so she was saved. The moment she entered the room, Martha dashed to her side at once. When the time is right By the time Mia arrived at school, she first went straight to the girls¡¯ dorm to wear her school uniform. Due to yesterday¡¯s attack, her uniform was ruined. Thankfully, she had two school uniforms, so she was saved. The moment she entered the room, Martha dashed to her side at once. Concern was written all over her face as she spoke, ¡°Mia, where have you been? I¡¯ve been worried sick about you-are you alright? When I came back and didn¡¯t meet you, I was scared. I called you, but your phone rang in here.¡± Mia had finished dressing up and they¡¯d now stepped out of their room. She noticed that as students passed by her, they stopped andughed mockingly at her before going their way. She nudged it off. It was about yesterday¡¯s issue. She turned to look at Martha with a soft smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± She felt guilty for letting her best friend worry so much about her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Martha hesitated for a while before she said, ¡°a video was posted very early this morning¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry they did that to you, Mia. This is all my fault-¡± Tears formed in her eyes. Mia immediately picked up on what her best friend was talking about-it was definitely a clip of her being beaten to the state of unconsciousness yesterday. No wonder passers-by wereughing at her. She¡¯d initially thought it was because of yesterday¡¯s audio recording¡­ They must have all watched the video clip. Well, she wasn¡¯t bothered. She was already used to stuff like this. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. I¡¯m okay, Martha.¡± She assured her friend with a warm smile. The kids didn¡¯t matter to her at all. They could think all they want. But her best friend mattered a lot to her. Sincerely, she was indeed very fine. The painkillers Vivian fed her yesterday really worked. And the balm, effective. It worked like magic. This morning, when she stepped down from the bed, she didn¡¯t feel any pain at all. That balm-well, what did she expect? The demi-god was stinking rich, so everything in his possession was top notch. The bell suddenly rang, signaling that sses had begun. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter.¡± Mia waved at Martha. Her face beamed as she went her way. Martha was left standing alone, watching the girl hop away, with mixed feelings. Mia truly looked fine. She didn¡¯t seem at all like someone who had been mercilessly beaten the previous day. How was that possible? She unlocked her phone and yed the video clip for the umpteenth time. After being beaten blue ck, the girl wasn¡¯t supposed to attend school today at all. And even if she managed to, she was supposed toe here looking extremely terrible¡­ ck eyed, with puffy face¡­ fractured ribs or arms¡­ and perhaps, a broken knee. But there she was, skipping happily to ss. She didn¡¯t even have any scar-except for a small cut along her jawline. Martha furrowed her brows in deep hatred. She wasn¡¯t even able to get the chance to ask her where she passed the night¡­ Maybe her father¡¯s house-and that stupid Madam Grace must have been the one who tended to the girl¡¯s injuries. Neither Mia¡¯s stepmother, nor her father, would have done that. Stupid Madam Grace. Martha stomped her foot and marched to ss angrily. *** Immediately sses ended and school was over, Mia headed straight to her dorm room to pack her things-a few important things, of course. She picked up her phone to see if she had any missed calls, since she didn¡¯t check in the morning. She had only one, and it was from Martha-yesterday. Oh, she lived such a lonely life. Tsk tsk tsk. She was used to it anyway. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Martha stepped into the room, eyeing the bag in Mia¡¯s hand. ¡°Where are you going?¡± She was confused. Why was the girl packing her stuff-was she moving out? Did she catch on and find out that she¡¯d been faking her friendship with her all this while? Various thoughts flooded Martha¡¯s mind as she stared, wide-eyed, at Mia. She was so nervous that she didn¡¯t even notice Mia was only packing a few things. Mia heaved a soft sigh and turned to face her. She felt guilty as she was unable to tell her best friend what was going on-that she¡¯d gotten married to someone-someone way older than her-rich-influential-dangerous. But she couldn¡¯t. She let out another sigh. She¡¯d already told the demi-god to keep their union a secret. If she were to spill the beans and go back on her words, he would skin her alive. ¡°Martha, I¡¯m so sorry, but I can¡¯t tell you right now. Yes, I¡¯m leaving the dormitory, but I can¡¯t tell you where I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°When the time is right, I¡¯ll tell you everything. I promise.¡± Mia could only say these few words. Having said her piece, she quickly walked out of the room. Any longer in there, and she might actually spill everything out. Plus, she didn¡¯t want to annoy the demi-god by dilly dallying around, after school was over. For an unknown reason, she felt excited about the whole¡­ She felt the urge to be a diligent wife to her husband. Despite the whole thing being a sham marriage, it was still a marriage with autentice certificates. And apparently, marriage was a lifetimemitment. Even if theirs didn¡¯t end up being one, she vowed to be responsible andmitted until it was all over. Besides, her rtionship didn¡¯t end well¡­ Mia didn¡¯t want her marriage to be like that. As soon as Mia stepped outside the huge gates of the dorm, she gged down a taxi and headed straight to Magnificent with her ¡®important stuff¡¯.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Shawn had already given her a pass card in the morning, so getting in wasn¡¯t a problem. Sincemercial vehicles were not allowed to enter the residential area, when the cab arrived, she simply stepped down after paying the cab driver. She showed her pass card to the uniformed security men, and walked in by foot. Meanwhile, in a certain corporation, ¡°you¡¯re fired!¡± the CEO¡¯s shrill voice resounded through the entire conference room. Yesterday was bad enough¡­ but today, even worse. Immediately the CEO arrived at thepany, in the morning, the day got marked ¡®WORST¡¯ for all the employees working in Beats Corporations Headquarters. A terrible day at Beats Corporation Sincemercial vehicles were not allowed to enter the residential area, when the cab arrived, she simply stepped down after paying the cab driver. She showed her pass card to the uniformed security men, and walked in by foot. Meanwhile, in a certain corporation, ¡°you¡¯re fired!¡± the CEO¡¯s shrill voice resounded through the entire conference room. Yesterday was bad enough¡­ but today, even worse. Immediately the CEO arrived at thepany, in the morning, the day got marked ¡®WORST¡¯ for all the employees working in Beats Corporations Headquarters. Beads of sweat formed all over Lucas¡¯ body as he stood behind the CEO¡¯s swivel chair, in the meeting room. It was so obvious that the man was in apletely bad mood today. Mr Marshall marked a total of eight employees that his boss had fired today. The personal assistant of the CEO feared that he might be the ninth person anytime soon. CEO Shawn had kept all the officials in the conference room since 10:00 am. Lucas checked the time on the leather wristwatch strapped on his wrist-the time was now past six in the evening. Yesterday, they¡¯d all spent five hours here. But today, they spent a total of eight hours! Again, the CEO¡¯s personal assistant was a hundred percent sure that thatdy from the day before had something to do with his boss¡¯ foul mood today too. Just what had she done this time around¡­? Lucas¡¯ legs were already trembling from standing on a spot for so long. The officials had also been sitting for the past eight hours¡­ their butts must be so hot, and their legs cramped, by now. Inhaling deeply, Lucas decided to try his luck to get them all out of this deadly situation. He inhaled deeply again and did the cross sign, ¡°sir.¡± he called softly, swallowing the lump in his throat. ¡°What?!¡± Shawn snapped irritably at him without making any movement. His personal assistant broke out in cold sweats. ¡°Hum, sir, the time is 6pm.¡± Sweats trickled down his face as he spoke, choosing his words carefully. What he was doing would either get him and the rest of the officials fired, or help them out of the shackles of the CEO. It was risky but he took the chances, notwithstanding. His poor legs would give out anytime soon. The poor man held his breath, waiting for an outburst from his boss. Everywhere fell silent and only the sound of the ticking wall clock could be heard. Lucas wasn¡¯t the only one that had his breath held, the officials also held theirs. In fact, some of them had their eyes shut tightly. But the outburst they were all expecting didn¡¯te.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . The CEO simply flickered his eyelids at the wall clock. It was indeed six o¡¯clock in the evening. He had no idea that a great amount of time had passed¡­ ¡®Can you please keep the THING between us private?¡¯ That girl¡¯s words fromst night just wouldn¡¯t stop reying in his head. Her words angered him to the extent that he even took out that anger on his staff through the entire day at work. Thing? Really? The CEO balled his hand into a fist and pushed his thoughts aside. He then pressed his mouth, firmly, into a thin line, ¡°you¡¯re all dismissed.¡± Wait, what?¡­ Lucas, who was almost choking to death, released his breath at once. It worked! His n actually worked!!! His joy knew no bounds as tears escaped his eyes. The officials were also extremely happy and relieved. Their eyes snapped open immediately. They were all weak and tired, they couldn¡¯t wait to get to their various homes. Eight whole hours!!! It was no beans! They all had the CEO¡¯s personal assistant to thank¡­ If he hadn¡¯te to their rescue, they might have ended up spending twelve hours in the meeting. They all thanked Lucas with their grateful eyes. Ah, no. You¡¯re all wee. Lucas grinned from ear to ear. But the wall clock ticked and time began to pass by. The happy expressions on everyone¡¯s faces soon turned into confused ones. Five minutes passed and the CEO remained seated in his seat. He didn¡¯t even move one bit. And he didn¡¯t look like someone who was going to leave anytime soon. What was this?¡­ They all remained glued to their seats, sweats streaming down their faces. They couldn¡¯t leave if the CEO was still in the conference room. Or, had the big boss meant that they¡¯d been literally dismissed from their offices?! It wasn¡¯t something he couldn¡¯t do. He could dismiss every one of them and Beats Corporations would not be affected in any way-thepany would even be run more efficiently without them. The officials exchanged knowing looks and began to panic. It turned out that they were all thinking the same thing. They all quickly returned their gazes to the CEO, but he seemed to be rather lost deep in thought. Huh? What could he possibly be thinking about? This was their first time seeing the formidable man in this manner, so they were all extremely surprised, and worried at the same time. Even when Beats Corporations was in the most deadly crisis it had ever been, the CEO didn¡¯t look¡­ like this¡­ Notwithstanding, the officials remained silent in their seats. At the far end of the long conference table, CEO Shawn slowly lifted his slender fingers to his thin lips. Suddenly, ¡°Does she find me hideous?¡± he thought out aloud. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ern?¡± ¡°Sir?¡± ¡®Blink blink¡¯ The officials had not even an iota of idea of what the man was talking about. Shawn snapped out of it and shot all of them a despicable look. They all shut their mouths at once, immediately regretting opening them in the first ce. Instantaneously, the CEO shot up from his seat. He fixed the single button on his tuxedo and took long silent strides out of the meeting room. The officials stumbled on their feet. The corner of Shawn¡¯s mouth twitched. He just couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the girl¡¯s words fromst night. What if she was indeed ashamed of being with him, and that she wasn¡¯t pretending? Nah! That wasn¡¯t possible. *** After the CEO had left, the officials stumbled, one after the other, out of the conference room-on shaky legs. They outpaced one another as they all hurried out of the building. They were tired and frustrated. They needed to go to their various homes, take cold showers, and have their spouses give them full body massages. ¡®Cos¡­ damn! Bad, bad man! Today, like yesterday, the CEO wanted to drive home alone. Lucas stood on a side and watched in silence, as the big boss drove out of the underground parking lot. The man was driving him insane. No sooner thanter, he might end up being a patient in a psychiatric hospital. ¡®Cos¡­ The poor personal assistant let out a weary sigh and began to drag his wobbly legs back into thepany. He was extremely tired, but he had some unfinished business to deal with. *** No matter how Shawn tried to push that one thought aside, it just wouldn¡¯t go away. That girl¡¯s words¡­ they kept ringing in his head like a pendulum clock. As he drove into the mansion, he gradually stopped the car a few feet away from the main door. His eyes swept over the screen as he checked for the time-the girl should be asleep by now. The CEO wished for her not to be home yet so he couldsh out at her. Besides, she was the reason he was in a bitter mood-taking out all his anger on her would be justifiable. Shawn slid out of the driver¡¯s seat as a guard had already opened the car door for him. He then took long strides inside the big house. The maids sank in curtsy as soon as they sighted him. ¡®It¡¯s way too silent here.¡¯ Ignoring their greetings, Shawn¡¯s brows furrowed instead. ¡®Isn¡¯t she back yet?¡¯ He tookrge furious strides up the staircase. He¡¯d see for himself whether she was or wasn¡¯t yet back from school. If she wasn¡¯t, hell would be let loose. He¡¯d take out all of his anger on her. She had to take the responsibility for ruining his mood for over twenty four hours. As soon as Shawn reached the front of Mia¡¯s room, without knocking on the door, he turned the doorknob and swiftly walked into the girl¡¯s room. A few secondster, he ran into a small, soft, rosy thing. It felt warm and soothing. His eyes trailed down and met another pair-honey brown-of eyes. s! It wasn¡¯t a thing. It was a girl-the girl. He¡¯d ran into her, and her body was already lowering towards the floor. He¡¯d barged in so suddenly and ran directly into her. Mia had heard a low roaring sound of a car and was just on her way to wee the demigod. But who knew¡­? Just as she was about to get to the door, it flung open. She was so shocked, she immediately lost bnce as soon as Shawn¡¯s body came in contact with hers. Momentarily, Shawn reached out his hand and quickly wrapped it around her waist; he was fast enough, he caught her before her body could hit the cold floor. Shawn¡¯s body hunched over Mia, and they remained in this position for several seconds. The CEO took his time to take in the features of the girl¡¯s face as their faces were only a few inches apart. Her face looked like it was carved out of a beautiful porcin. She looked so innocent¡­ and sweet. Her breath feathered his face softly¡­ Her lips, plump. Her eyes, brown and intriguing. Her nose- Shawn snapped out of his reverie and quickly recovered himself. There was nothing sweet and innocent about this one. She was calctive and maniptive. Getting his emotions together, he released his grip on the girl at once and she immediately went crashing on the floor.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°Ahhh-ahhhh.¡± Mia writhed in pain as soon as her small ass hit the solid floor. Gritting his teeth, Shawn turned around in an instant. Ignoring her cries, he walked out of the room. Hot tears strolled down Mia¡¯s face as she rubbed her bum with her hand. ¡®Bad, bad man!¡¯ Several minutester, she struggled to her feet and helped herself to the bed. That demigod was no good at all. ¡®Bad.¡¯ She muttered incoherently, sniffling as she did. He was a bad man. Why did he catch her when he was simply going to release her a few secondster? To dly watch her fall? And to think that she fell even harder! ¡®Heartless!¡¯ As soon as Shawn stepped into his room, he shut the door with a loud bang. He began to strip off his clothes, and he headed to the bathroom afterwards. He needed to have a cold bath. As he stood under the shower, the CEO just couldn¡¯t stop wondering why that measly girl¡¯s words were having so much effect on him. Why? After he was done, he decided to get those thoughts out of his mind. The girl wasn¡¯t worthy of putting him in that kind of situation. Good riddance! *** The next day. Very early in the morning, the couple separately went down for breakfast. Mia was at the dining table before Shawn. After having breakfast in silence, they both went their separate ways as usual. Mia smiled and waved at Shawn who was sittingfortably in the backseat of a Ferrari. He didn¡¯t do as little as to spare her a nce, talk more of actually responding to her goodbye greeting. But Mia didn¡¯t mind at all. Surprisingly, ever since she started living with the cold demigod, she¡¯d begun to feelfortable with her life. In fact, happiness was starting to peek in. No worries¡­ not much drama¡­ She was living her life normally. But isn¡¯t it too early for her to jump into that conclusion? After the luxurious car waspletely out of sight, Mia happily skipped out of the mansion. As soon as she stepped outside Magnificent, she hailed a taxi. Last night, before going to bed, she applied the balm given to her by Madam Susan. So, today, she wasn¡¯t feeling any pain on her bum. She was in such a good mood. When Mia arrived at school, Marthat was already eagerly waiting for her in front of the school gates. This time around, she wasn¡¯t alone. She was with Max. Mia frowned instinctively. She paid the cab man and started to walk towards the two students. Shockingly, seeing Martha and Max together didn¡¯t cause any sadness in her at all. Rather, what she felt was anger. Ang- ¡°Mia!¡± Martha¡¯s melodious voice filled Mia¡¯s ears and she immediately pushed her thoughts aside. She grinned at the girl as she went and stood in front of the couple. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°So what if it¡¯s a bad morning instead?¡± Max cut in agitatedly. ¡°Martha said you haven¡¯t been sleeping in the dorm for the past two nights, why? Where have you been sleeping?¡± Mia was taken aback by the sudden outburst. Even Martha was extremely shocked. Turn the car around Shockingly, seeing Martha and Max together didn¡¯t cause any sadness in her at all. Rather, what she felt was anger. Ang- ¡°Mia!¡± Martha¡¯s melodious voice filled Mia¡¯s ears and she immediately pushed her thoughts aside. She grinned at the girl as she went and stood in front of the couple. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°So what if it¡¯s a bad morning instead?¡± Max cut in agitatedly. ¡°Martha said you haven¡¯t been sleeping in the dorm for the past two nights, why? Where have you been sleeping?¡± Mia was taken aback by the sudden outburst. Even Martha was extremely shocked. Despite all her efforts, was the boy still in love with this girl? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder. But¡­ Well, it wasn¡¯t so easy for one to forget about their first love. Although, yes, she told Max that Mia was no longer staying with her in their room so that he could get mad at her¡­ but not for him to get mad at the girl in this manner. This was more of a ¡®caring mad¡¯ than a ¡®MAD mad¡¯. This was a concern concealed in infuriation. He was supposed to get mad at Mia and think dirt of her¡­ what was this? Martha secretly balled up her hand into a fist. ¡°Huh¡­ Hum-I¡± Mia stuttered miserably. ¡°With whom are you staying?¡± Max¡¯s voice was filled with urgency. He wanted to know real fast. Mia was dumbfounded. How would she tell-wait, this boy was not even in a position to question her. He was in no position to ask about what was going on in her life. They weren¡¯t a couple anymore. Mia realized this all of a sudden. Just as she opened her mouth to retort, the school bell began to ring. ¡°We¡¯ll continue this discussionter.¡± While still staring at Mia, Max added, ¡°Martha, let¡¯s go.¡± Hesitatingly, the boy marched off and Martha quickly followed behind him. ¡®He¡¯s still into her.¡¯ She gritted her teeth. Despite everything she went through to get-she had more work to do. Martha pressed her lips into a thin line as she caught up with her boyfriend. Heaving a sigh, Mia ignored the using, piercing gazes around her and also began to head straight to her ss. Throughout school, she did all her best to avoid bumping into either Martha or Max. She couldn¡¯t possibly tell them what was going on. As soon as the bell rang for closing time, she immediately picked up her school bag and hurried out of school as fast as her legs could carry. Unknown to anyone, someone was watching her through one of the school windows. Martha scrunched up her face as she watched the girl rush out of the school premises. ¡®What¡¯s she hiding?¡¯ Her eyes narrowed, deep in thought. The main reason why she¡¯d told Max about the girl not sleeping in their room was so she could get Mia to spill all the information, but who would have thought that she¡­ Hmph! ¡°She must have found herself a secret job-is she working as a stripper now?¡± Martha muttered thoughtfully, tapping the corner of her mouth. ¡®Or does shee to school from home now?¡¯ She wondered. ¡®That¡¯s not possible.¡¯ Martha knew very well that Mia wasn¡¯t favored, at all, at home. If anything, the girl¡¯s stepsister was the one who got all the favors. And her stepsister was still living in the dorm-she even saw herst night. So, there was no way Martha could being to school from home. Not when her stepmom was still alive. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Then it suddenly clicked. What would make the girl speak, she knew. Martha smirked. She picked up her bag and headed straight to the principal¡¯s office. *** Although school, today, didn¡¯t go as smoothly as she¡¯d wanted it to, Mia was still okay with it. At least, nothing bad happened to her. Smiling, she stepped down from the cab and began to rummage through her school bag to get the money she¡¯d pay the taxi driver. She was already outside Magnificent¡¯s gates. But as she did this, her phone began to ring. She brought it out, and when she saw the caller ID, her heart skipped a beat. It was her dad. What could he possibly be calling for? Mia¡¯s lips quivered. She didn¡¯t have a good feeling about this. Everytime she received a call from the man, it never ended well. He only called when there was an issue-and she was always at the center of that issue. Notwithstanding, Mia felt today could be different. Maybe he simply wanted to check up on her. He was her father, afterall. Maybe he now regret treating her poorly. With trembling hands, she swiped the answer icon on the screen of her phone and pressed the phone on her ear. ¡°Hello.¡± Her voice was small and tiny. ¡°Come home immediately.¡± Her father¡¯s voice rang out through the phone. Tut Tut. He hung up without letting her reply. Mia¡¯s stomach churned and the rate at which her heart beat elerated, as she removed the phone from her ear. Slowly, she stepped back in the cab and said to the driver: ¡°please, turn the car around.¡± When she arrived at her father¡¯s house, she paid the driver before stepping out of the taxi. With a heavy heart, she heaved weary sighs repeatedly. She stood unmoving for a while, gazing at her father¡¯s mansion. ¡®What am I going in to face?¡¯ ¡®Why did he call me toe here so suddenly?¡¯ ¡®Did he find out that¡­?¡¯ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Several thoughts ran through Mia¡¯s mind. But did her father really already find out that she was married? Sigh. Heaving a sigh for the umpteenth time, the girl began to take slow timid steps closer to the house. When she reached the front door, she stood hesitantly, in front of it, for a couple of minutes; before she finally turned the doorknob with a little faith. ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± She announced in her small voice as soon as she stepped into the living room. What came immediately after those words left her mouth, was a hard p across her face. The strike hit Mia so hard that it made go blind for the next couple of seconds. It had met her unaware. Everything turned pitch ck in an instant. She had to blink repeatedly before she got her eyesight back. Tears stung in her eyes and started to stream down her face. ¡°Where have you been sleeping these past few days?!¡± Her father thundered angrily. Mia gets disowned The strike hit Mia so hard that it made go blind for the next couple of seconds. It had met her unaware. Everything turned pitch ck in an instant. She had to blink repeatedly before she got her eyesight back. Tears stung in her eyes and started to stream down her face. ¡°Where have you been sleeping these past few days?!¡± Her father thundered angrily. Arnold Thompson was greatly enraged. Several minutes ago, he was in the middle of an important meeting at thepany, when his phone suddenly began to vibrate in his pocket. It was a call from his wife, and the woman knew not to call him when he was at work, unless it was about something serious. He¡¯d picked the call, only for his wife to tell him that their daughter had not been staying in the school dormitory for the past two days. He¡¯d been so furious that he immediately adjourned the meeting and headed straight home. Mia was extremely shocked at the man¡¯s question. How did her dad find out so quickly? ¡°Oh, you¡¯re surprised right? You disgraceful child!¡± Arnold spat out furiously. All this girl did was bring shame to him and his name! Every damn time! Barbara, who¡¯d just recovered from the shock of her husband hitting the girl, hastily shuffled across the floor, to his side. Vivian was also at home at the moment, and she was also extremely shocked. She¡¯d never really seen their father this furious. She was in the dormitory when she received a sudden call from her dad toe home immediately for a family meeting. She¡¯d had no idea that the meeting was going to be about her sister. ¡°Dad, please take it easy.¡± She rumbled out of her mouth. Seeing her dad hit her sister had left her panic-stricken. ¡°Darling, you should calm down. Take it easy on her, she¡¯s just a child.¡± Barbara also consoled her husband calmy. But rather than actually calming down, Arnlod red up the more. ¡°She¡¯s a child? Yet she¡¯s behaving like a promiscuous woman!¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Mia felt her heart shatter into pieces. Why would a father speak this way of his child? More tears rolled out of her eyes. ¡°Who¡¯s your dad?!-Listen,¡± The man decided to go straight to the reason why he¡¯d called this meeting, ¡°from this moment onward, you¡¯re no longer my daughter! I only have one daughter-I disown you!¡± ¡°No daughter of mine would behave like a harlot!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ever want to see you anywhere near me, or my family!¡± Having said his piece, the man barged out of the living room in annoyance. Mia was stunned. The living room spun around her and her tears suddenly stopped for a moment, as she tried to process everything her father had just said. DISOWNED. HER?! Fresh tears flooded out of her eyes rapidly. She copsed to the floor and bawled her eyes out, sping her hands around her chest in pain. Barbara and her daughter stood to the side, dumbstruck. The both of them couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened. But one thing they knew that was for sure was that, whatever Arnold said, was final. Once he spoke a word, he meant it. After recovering herself, Vivian rushed to her sister¡¯s side tofort her. While Barbara merely stood on the same spot, staring at the two girls. Never in her life had she for once thought that her husband would disown his child. She hadn¡¯t expected it to happen at all. When the school¡¯s principal gave her a call, earlier on, informing her about how Mia hadn¡¯t been staying in their dormitory, she¡¯d instantly ced a call across to her husband; to also inform him of thetest update. She¡¯d been extremely happy that Mia was in trouble once again-but she didn¡¯t expect that she¡¯d be thrown out of the family. Just like that. Eazy peazy lemon squeezy. Barbara grinned victoriously as she watched Mia roll on the floor, crying like never before. ¡®Serve her right!¡¯ Barbara quickly went over and pulled her daughter away from the girl¡¯s side. ¡°Serves you right!¡± She spat out venom in Mia¡¯s face. Now that Arnold was no longer in the living room, there was no need to pretend to care about Mia any longer. Plus, she no longer belonged to their family. Good riddance! ¡°Mum!¡± Vivian cautioned her mother and shot the woman a furious look. Now was not a time for her mum to taunt and bully her sister. Vivian knew her mum despised Mia so much and wanted to get rid of the girl badly, but this was just too much.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Shut up!¡± Barbara gave her daughter a hard re. She then began to drag her upstairs, to her room. Such a pity. This child of hers was absolutely nothing like her-silly girl! ¡°Mum!!!¡± Vivian wriggled her wrist in her mother¡¯s grip but it was to no avail. Barbara¡¯s hold was strong and firm. After several attempts, Vivian gave up and sumbed. She had no choice but to follow her mother upstairs, willingly. Hmph. Mia continued to weep bitterly on the floor. Now, she was left alone, all by herself. But soon, warm hands pulled her into the owner¡¯s embrace. Madam Grace had overheard all that transpired between the father and daughter, from the kitchen. Life was being so unfair to this girl. Mia sniffled and forced out some words from her mouth, amidst tears: ¡°Madam Grace, please talk to my dad. He can¡¯t possibly be serious about those words, right? Right?¡± ¡°Please, talk to him. Please.¡± ¡°Beg him on my behalf. I can¡¯t¡­¡± her voice trailed off, breaking into fresh tears. She began to wail even louder. Madam Grace knew her boss too well. Seven years, she¡¯d spent seven years working for this household. She knew the man had meant every word that came out of his mouth earlier on. Besides, she was in no position to meddle in the family¡¯s affairs. Even if she spoke to him about the matter, it would only make matters worse. All that the old woman could do right now wasfort the poor girl in her arms. After pouring her eyes out to her contentment, Mia looked up at Madam Grace with swollen eyes. ¡°Madam Grace, do you also think I¡¯m promiscuous?¡± She sniffled. The old woman looked down at her with a calm smile. Although, when she¡¯d also heard that Mia hadn¡¯t been sleeping in their school¡¯s dormitory for two days, she¡¯d been taken aback. Nevertheless, she knew Mia wasn¡¯t someone like that¡­ Mia had her reasons, she was sure. Madam Grace trusted herpletely. ¡°No, my child. You¡¯re not like that. I trust you.¡± These words made Mia break into tears once again. Madam Grace trusted her blindly. If this woman, with whom she wasn¡¯t rted to, by blood, could trust her, why couldn¡¯t her father trust her? Mia gets disowned II ¡°No, my child. You¡¯re not like that. I trust you.¡± These words made Mia break into tears once again. Madam Grace trusted her blindly. If this woman, with whom she wasn¡¯t rted to, by blood, could trust her, why couldn¡¯t her father trust her? Why didn¡¯t he?-why wouldn¡¯t he? The poor girl sobbed silently. Madam Grace heard some movement upstairs and said to the girl: ¡°Wipe your tears and run along now. If Master Arnoldes back downstairs and still meets you here, things will only get worse.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll try my best to talk to him¡­ I¡¯ll see if he changes his mind.¡± But they both knew Arnold Thompson wouldn¡¯t budge a bit. Once again, Mia was being kicked out of her house. Just that this time, she was being kicked out for good. There was noing back. Well, Madam Grace was right; she had to leave. If her father were toe downstairs and still meet her in his house, things would be disastrous. He might have her locked up in jail-again. He did it before, he could do it again. The first time it happened, Mia was just fifteen years old. She and Vivian were still living in the house with their parents then. A huge sum of money had suddenly gone missing from their father¡¯s room¡­ When Arnold noticed this, he vowed to let the thief pay for stealing from him. After searching everywhere for the money, it waster found in Mia¡¯s room. Under her pillow. Without caring that the thief was his daughter, Arnold immediately requested for Mia to be arrested and locked up. Mia had spent two nights in jail as punishment. If not for Madam Grace who pleaded on her behalf, she would have spent more days in jail. Mia had suspected that the setup was her stepmother¡¯s handwork. To confirm her suspicion, when she got back from jail, Barbara confessed to her. The woman hadughed and mocked her, dering that everyday she spent in the house with her would be hell. And it was indeed hell for her until she began high school and had to move out with her sister. *** Mia wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and slowly stood up from the floor. She picked up her bag and began to drag her feet out of her father¡¯s house. Madam Grace opened her mouth to speak but she couldn¡¯t bring any words out. She was unable to find any word that wouldfort the girl. The aged woman simply watched in helpless silence, as Mia walked out of the living room. Mia¡¯s head hung low as she moped down the streets. Even when she reached the main road, she didn¡¯t hail a cab. Instead, she continued trekking. As she walked farther and farther away from her father¡¯s house, she started to cry bitterly. It wasn¡¯t until her legs becamepletely heavy to carry her anywhere again that she came to a halt. She crouched down to the ground and poured her eyes out until there were no more tears left to cry. After several minutes had passed, she slowly stood up on weak legs, and gged down a taxi that took her straight to Magnificent. As soon as the taxi arrived outside the residence¡¯s main entrance, Mia paid the driver and weakly stepped out of the cab. Sincemercial vehicles weren¡¯t allowed in the residence, she showed her pass to the security men and began to walk the mansion. When she arrived at home, she murmured a greeting to the maids and headed straight upstairs, to her room. There, she cried more tears. By the time she stopped crying, it was alreadyte in the evening and it was starting to get dark. From the bed, Mia looked out through the window and heaved a sigh. It had been a while now since she arrived and she was still unable to get the whole scenario out of her head. Hmph. Shrugging off the duvet, Mia headed downstairs at once. Enough was enough. She needed to get rid of sorrows. Without thinking twice, she darted towards the wine cer situated under the stairs, and swiftly opened the frameless ss door. She scrutinized the drinks and didn¡¯t find any familiar. Nevertheless, without wasting any time, she took out a transparent bottle that had a white capping.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. With the bottle of liquor in hand, Mia walked straight to the dining room and settled herself on one of the chairs. With a swift movement of her fingers, she flicked off the cap and chugged down a mouthful of the bottle¡¯s content. It was extremely bitter in her mouth but she didn¡¯t care. She beared with the taste and gulped it down. Immediately, her chest burned hot and Her eyes started to turn. Mia put down the bottle on the table and fixed the lid. The little she drank was already starting to make her grow bananas. Two hourster. The CEO¡¯s car drove straight into the mansion and stopped right in front of the front door that led inside. Today, the CEO didn¡¯t drive himself home, it was his personal chauffeur that drove. Imposingly, Shawn stepped out of the car as one of the guards held open the car door. All the guards that were present at the moment bobbed their heads in respect at the sight of the big boss. Immediately Shawn stepped in, a faint smell of alcohol filled his nostrils. His brows furrowed at this. Just as he walked further into the lounge and began to proceed upstairs, he caught sight of a silhouette in the dining area and he stopped right in his tracks. Instinctively, he sauntered across the lounge to the dining room, and he met that girl-the girl-sitting on a chair, and slumped over the dining table. His brows knitted the more. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± His eyes flickered all over the girl as he asked her irritably. Mia¡¯s head shot up at the sound of the man¡¯s annoying voice and her chin angled up so she could take a look at who was speaking. Her eyes were bloodshot red. It wasn¡¯t until now that Shawn took notice of the bottle of vodka standing on the table, before her. The girl had drunk a quarter of the bottle¡¯s content. ¡®What¡¯s the meaning of this rubbish?¡¯ The corners of his mouth twitched in irritation. ¡°Whooooo are-you?¡± The drunk girl narrowed her eyes at him. Shawn scoffed at this. Who was he? In his house??? He found it hard to believe his ears. Get this girl off me! ¡®What¡¯s the meaning of this rubbish?¡¯ The corners of his mouth twitched in irritation. ¡°Whooooo are-you?¡± The drunk girl narrowed her eyes at him. Shawn scoffed at this. Who was he? In his house??? He found it hard to believe his ears. He lowered his upper body and hunched over the girl in such a way that his head came to the same level as hers. He looked sternly into her eyes in an imposing manner. He didn¡¯t give a fuck why she was drinking thiste at night-it was not his business-but this was his house. Plus, who gave her the permission to touch his belongings? Why did she tamper with his cer? All of a sudden, ¡°ah!¡± Mia gasped. ¡°Max? Is that you? Max!¡± With a swift movement of her hands, she dug her fingers in Shawn¡¯s hair. ¡°You son of a ¨C¡± She fisted his hair in each hand and pulled at it ferociously. Then she began to disy. ¡°Damn Max! Bad guy!¡± ¡°After everything-after so many years, how dare you?!¡± ¡°You piece of sh-!¡± Mia yelled at the top of her lungs. She jumped to her feet at once and dragged Shawn by the hair, all over the ce. ¡°Aish!¡± The pull at his hair was so painful that Shawn couldn¡¯t help but yell furiously. His fine hair¡­ ¡°Someone,e get this girl off of me!¡± He writhed in pain. He could feel his scalp set on fire at the harshness pulling. But the maids didn¡¯t know what or how to do it. They anxiously gathered to a side and watched the show in sheer horror. No one had ever tampered with the big boss in such a manner. They were shocked, surprised and perplexed. The maids couldn¡¯t go close to the duo as they were confused about what to do and were thrown into a frenzy. After several minutes of dragging poor Shawn by the hair, around the dining room, Mia stopped all of a sudden. Squinting her eyes, she peered at the man with her big round eyes. Shit! She let out a loud gasp and hastily released her grip on his hair immediately. She sped her two hands over her mouth at once. ¡°Oh, my!¡± Her eyes blinked rapidly. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± Thinking that the girl had returned back to normal, Shawn let out a gusty sigh. The sudden night exercise had left himpletely drenched in sweat, and drained to the bones. His chest heaved consecutively as his hands ruffled through his hair. So many strands fell out to the floor and he immediately shot the girl a murdering re. If only looks could kill, Mia would be six feet under the ground right now. Heaving another sigh, the CEO staggered into a chair while Mia staggered backwards on wobbled legs. She fell into a chair, next to Shawn, and propped her face up on one hand, on the table. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, pardon me.¡± She lowered her head several times, in front of the man. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was you. I¡¯m really sorry-very sorry.¡± She pleaded repeatedly in a sullen manner. But, a couple of secondster, her face suddenly turned cold and she threw daggers at Shawn with her eyes, sneering evily. ¡°You evil man!¡± She spat out venom. ¡°You¡¯re waaaaaaaay worse-proud. Arrogant. Selfish maaaaan!¡± ¡°Second to the devil-nah, you¡¯re the devil himself!¡± ¡°Bad, bad man.¡± Immediately after saying these words, her head slumped onto the table with a loud bang. One second,All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Two seconds, Three seconds, Snores¡­ The sound of soft snores filled the air. Shawn¡¯s eyes blinked nkly for a couple of seconds. He couldn¡¯t fathom¡­ He stared at the girl like she was a two-headed pig. Him, arrogant? Selfish? And even worse?! From the things the girl had said in her drunk state, it seemed her boyfriend broke up with her after years of being together. How could shepare him to that person? How dare she? Come to think of it, with this stupid attitude the girl had, he couldn¡¯t me the guy for breaking up with her. ¡­ And she¡¯d said he was worse¡­ and proud-really? The CEO was a hundred percent sure that he was nothing like the girl had imed him to be. With a wave of his hand, Shawn dismissed the maids who were still standing, with shock written all over their faces. Never in their lives had they expected anyone to mess around with the big boss in the manner they had just witnessed. No one-born of a woman-had the audacity to do what thatdy had just done. Like¡­ Even Grandfather Mandez had never treated the big boss in such a manner before. Then¡­ Thedy was done for! Their master would definitely not take it lightly with her by the time she woke up the following morning. He¡¯d send her packing, immediately. The maids shuffled their feet across the floor as they hurried out of the dining area, each of them lost in her own thoughts. After they¡¯d left, Shawn¡¯s mouth pressed into a thin line as he gazed at the sleeping girl. In her case, she wasn¡¯t a sleeping beauty, but a sleeping demon. A little sleeping demon was what she was. She looked so calm and sweet in her sleep, her fair skin, glowing, yet¡­ Shawn scoffed. Him, arrogant? He would show her the real meaning of ¡®arrogant¡¯. Without further ado, the CEO rose from the chair and headed upstairs, to his room. The Following Morning: After feeling repetitive light taps on her back, Mia finally stirred awake grudgingly. Her eyes slowly fluttered open after having fallen into slumber for a long time. Her whole body ached terribly from the ufortable position she ¡®d slept in. As she raised her head from the table, a drool trickled down from the corner of her mouth to the table. The maid standing beside her grimaced at this. ¡®No manners.¡¯ ¡®Notdylike.¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s she even doing here?¡¯ Miranda shook her head, lost deep in thought. Mia¡¯s eyes squinted as she gazed around, trying to process where she was. The room spun rapidly around her, causing her to feel dizzy. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, Her head began to ache seriously. It took a while before she finally realized where exactly she was. She was in the dining room. She had slept off in the dining room. Sigh. She had better head up to her room to get a good sleep. Everything came flooding back-memories from yesterday. Dumb, dumb Mia! It took a while before she finally realized where exactly she was. She was in the dining room. She had slept off in the dining room. Sigh. She had better head up to her room to get a good sleep. Everything came flooding back-memories from yesterday. She looked up at the maid standing beside her and let out a small thankful smile. Then her eyes darted across therge room to the wall clock. All of a sudden, she let out a loud gasp. The time¡­ She had slept in the dining room the whole night?! Who would have thought?¡­ She thought she merely took a nap here. Shit! She jumped up from the chair like it was a hot pot of water. She nced quickly at the maid and bowed thankfully before dashing up the stairs to prepare for school. If not for the kind maid, she¡¯d have probably missed school today. After Mia was done dressing up, she headed back downstairs for breakfast. This time, she met Shawn already seated at the dining table. Her steps slowed down at the sight of him and she hesitated for a while before taking her seat opposite him. ¡°Good morning.¡± She bobbed and muttered softly. The stoic man simply ignored her as always. But this time, she felt that he was colder than usual. Or was she just overthinking things? Mia shrugged mentally. She eyed him from beneath her long eyshes and took a short look at his face. His hair¡­ he seemed to have lost a bit of hair. His hair seemed¡­ eishhh¡­ thin??? Or was it just her eyes? ¡°Ma¡¯am, here¡¯s a bowl of hangover soup for you.¡± Mia¡¯s trail of thoughts was cut short by the old housekeeper¡¯s voice. She immediately choked on her spittle, coughing incessantly. ¡°Hurgh hurgh, thank you.¡± She carried the bowl full of soup that Madam Susan had ced on the table and gulped from it. Thereafter, she returned the bowl and stole a quick nce at Shawn to see his reaction. Would the man be angry to know she drankst night? But the face of the man in question remained expressionless. He simply scrolled away on his phone,pletely ignorant to his surroundings. ¡®Damn. Mia, how could you have been so dumb?!¡¯ She scratched her head irritably.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡®Who asked me to drink?¡¯ ¡®Did he see me, passed out at the dining,st night, when he returned from work?¡¯ ¡®What will he think of me now???¡¯ ¡®Dumb. Dumb, dumb Mia!¡¯ She continued to rebuke herself inwardly. All of a sudden, Shawn sprang up on his feet. He strode out of the dining room, so graciously, without saying a single word. It wasn¡¯t until after she had heard the front door open, and then close a few seconds afterwards, that Mia released her breath. She breathed a sigh of relief as her tensed muscles rxed. Her eyes skimmed over the numerous sumptuous dishesid all over the table. The man didn¡¯t touch any food before he left just now. Before now, she had noticed he barely ate anything during breakfast. He wasn¡¯t always home for lunch either. And as for dinner, he only arrived at home, every night, after dinner hours. Every morning, he simply picked at his food. And that was it. But today, he didn¡¯t touch anything at all. Why? This world was such a weird ce to be. The poor had no money to cater to their needs. The rich on the other hand had, but¡­ Sigh. What a life. Didn¡¯t the man care for his health? He was growing thin day by day. Well¡­ Mia shrugged her shoulders, downed the rest of the soup and started to eat proper. After she was done waiting, she bade the maids goodbye and left the mansion. The maids simply stared in shock and surprise as they watched the girl exit the house. What they had expected and thought would happen didn¡¯t happen. Was their boss going to deal with her when he got back from work? Maybe he wasn¡¯t in the mood to do it this morning. They shrugged their shoulders and began to clear the table. As soon as Mia arrived at school, she headed strainght to her ss. As she walked down the school¡¯s corridor, a hand stretched out, out of nowhere, and pulled her into a corner without warning. At first, Mia was rmed and wanted to scream. Could Vivian and her crew be at it again? But when her eyesnded on the person standing in front of her, her brows furrowed. ¡°Are you avoiding me, Mia?¡± The boy asked with a deep frown. The girl was taken aback by the question. But¡­ Well, yesterday, yes. She had avoided him and ran out of school immediately it was closing hours because she didn¡¯t want to continue their discussion from yesterday morning. Mia heaved a weary sigh. She didn¡¯t want to lie to Max and Martha, but she couldn¡¯t tell them the truth either and that was why she was avoiding the both of them. ¡°I heard about what happened yesterday.¡± Max hesitated for a couple of seconds, ¡°did you really find yourself a sugar daddy?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Mia¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°No need to pretend.¡± His mouth twitched. He reached out and suddenly grabbed both of her hands, speaking in a hurried manner: ¡°You can still make amends. Leave that man. I¡¯ll go with you to apologize to your dad. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll forgive and take you back.¡± Mia was stunned at these words. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°Wha¡­ what is the meaning of this?¡± She stuttered. Sugar daddy??? Thed really thought-believed-she got herself a sugar daddy??? After all the years they had spent together, did he really not know what she could or could not do by now?? Mia¡¯s heart broke and tears started to form in her eyes. She gazed directly into Max¡¯s eyes for a few seconds and shrugged his hands off of hers. Without saying a word, she turned around and made to walk away. ¡°I know you¡¯re doing this because of me.¡± Max¡¯s voice from behind her made her stop abruptly in her tracks. ¡°You still have feelings for me, so you went and found yourself a sugar daddy-to make me jealous ande back to you.¡± ¡°Well, you need to stop now.¡± He walked up to Mia and stood right behind her back. ¡°Mia, you need to move on. I know it¡¯s hard, but you have to. Forget all about the past and move on.¡± He sighed, his voice, calm and gentle. A silent gasp escaped from Mia¡¯s mouth after hearing what the boy had to say. Was this really the guy she had been in love with all her life? Really? How absurd. And sad. Mrs Shawn Mandez Was this really the guy she had been in love with all her life? Really? How absurd. And sad. Mia neither turned around, nor did she say anything in response to Max. She simply walked away like she had intended to, leaving Max standing all by himself in an awkward posture. Max felt a dull pain surge in his heart as he watched the girl¡¯s retreating figure. Once upon a time, he loved her with all of his might. But as time went on, he realized he didn¡¯t love her as much¡­ and he loved Martha more than he loved Mia. He had to follow where his heart led him. But what was this pain he was currently feeling? Well, it had to be that he was simply being concerned about Mia, as a friend. Yeah. That was it, friendship feelings. *** Mia walked into her ssroom with a heavy load on her chest. Max was the least person she ever expected to hear those hurtful words from. And he even made her recall yesterday¡¯s sad event. Sigh. Well, even her own father didn¡¯t believe her¡­ Despondently, she removed her bag from her back and took her seat. As she was lost, deep in thought, she didn¡¯t notice the boy beside her watching her with keen eyes. Alex pouted his mouth. These past few days, this girl who had always been jolly had changedpletely, into a sad girl. Summoning up courage, ¡°Hello, Mia.¡± He beamed a bright set of teeth at her, his cheeks dimpling. Mia turned to look beside her and that was when she noticed her seat partner. ¡°Huh, Alex. Good morning.¡± She forced out a small smile. ¡°Hum¡­ Are you okay?¡± He had also listened to the voice note that was sent to the group chat. He noticed how the students had been treating her these past couple of days. But personally, Max didn¡¯t believe the recording. What if it was fake? Absolutely everyone in school knew Max and Mia were a couple, so where did that news suddenly pop out from? Must be hard for her. Alex also watched the clip from the alley¡­ He had been so pained and angry when he watched as she got beaten up. He was in pain because he could feel her pain. Angry, because there was nothing he could do to help her. Instead, yesterday, he had brought some medicine to school to give to her. But when he saw her looking perfectly fine, he had hid the medicine away in his bag and kept quiet. Mia shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m okay. What about you?¡± She felt somewhat guilty towards her seat partner. He was always asking after her health¡­ and looking out for her too. But she never reciprocated by doing the same for him too. Alex nodded his head, ¡°I¡¯m good too.¡± He stared directly into Mia¡¯s honey-brown eyes and said, ¡°if you¡¯re going through anything-anything at all-that you¡¯d like to share, I¡¯m here.¡± The corners of Mia¡¯s mouth curled up into a cute thankful smile. She nodded her head. The girl had absolutely no idea that the boy¡¯s words held a hidden meaning to it. Alex smiled back at her and they both got ready for the day. *** During break time, Vivian went in search for her sister and they both sat down together in the cafeteria for lunch. ¡°Mia, are you okay?¡± Vivian eyed her sister through the corner of her eye as they ate. The girl¡¯s cheek was still a bit swollen from yesterday¡¯s p. Mia chuckled softly. Why was everyone asking her this question? She nodded her head in response, anyway: ¡°yeah.¡± Her sister heaved a weary sigh and said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I¡¯ve spoken to mum-she¡¯ll speak to dad¡­¡± But the two sisters knew Barbara wouldn¡¯t talk to Arnold about the issue, since it had to do with her stepdaughter. If anything at all, she¡¯d even add more fuel to the already ming fire. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fine, really.¡± Mia was used to this kind of life anyway. ¡°If you need anything, I¡¯m here for you, okay?¡± Vivian ced her hand on her chest as she spoke solemnly. Her face was filled with pure concern. ¡°Okay.¡± Mia smiled, even though she knew she wouldn¡¯t bother her sister for anything. As they resumed eating, Vivian eyed her sister skeptically. Had the girl truly found herself a rich older guy? But Mia wasn¡¯t someone like that. Then, howe she moved out of the dormitory? Where could she possibly be staying??? Or did she find herself a sleep-in job? Vivian pondered for a while¡­ Their school fees would soon be due and it wasn¡¯t a small amount of money. How would Mia be able to pay without their father¡¯s support? Even if the girl had found herself ten part time jobs, she still wouldn¡¯t be able to pay her tuition herself. Would she drop out of school? Vivian heaved a weary sigh as she pushed her thoughts away. She needed to find a way to appease their father and get the man to reconsider Mia. Right at this moment, her phone that was lying on the table dinged. She quickly dropped the fork in her hand and picked the phone up from the table. Her face lit up all of a sudden when she saw a notification. The love of her life had posted a new update on his social media ount. All her life, Vivian had been studying and working hard. Just for one thing. Just so she could meet up and be on the same level as the man of her dreams by the time she graduated from high school. The man of her dreams. Yesterday, when she and her mother went upstairs, they had a discussion about him. FLASHBACK: ¡°You need to stop feeling pity for that stupid girl!¡± Barbara hissed as she dragged her daughter into her room. She sat on the bed and pulled Vivian down to sit beside her. ¡°But she¡¯s my sister.¡± Vivian protested grumpily. ¡°Shut up. You only need to focus on one thing-only one thing-and that¡¯s securing the position of the madam of Beats Corporations.¡± It wasn¡¯t until this moment that Vivian¡¯s countenance changed. She beamed with smiles, grinning from ear to ear.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Although her mother was only concerned about her bing the firstdy of Beats, of course, for the affluence and riches that came with it; she, Vivian, was more concerned about something else. All her life, right from childhood days, she had been in love with the formidable Shawn Mandez. Ever since he saved her life several years ago, she had always daydreamed about spending the rest of her life with him. Every blessed day. She was deeply in love with that man despite knowing that she was far below his standard. But she was hopeful. One day, her dreams woulde through. One day, she¡¯d be Mrs Shawn Mandez. Stay away from Max! She was deeply in love with that man despite knowing that she was far below his standard. But she was hopeful. One day, her dreams woulde through. One day, she¡¯d be Mrs Shawn Mandez. She prays he doesn¡¯t fall in love with someone else and gets married to the person before she meets up with him. Her dreams would be crushed. Although Shawn was several years older than her, Vivian didn¡¯t care at all. It was even better that way. Older men were more caring and loving than agemates. ¡°I know mummy. I¡¯m trying my best.¡± Vivian blushed deeply as she responded to Barbara. ¡°Very good, my baby. Keep working harder. Before you know it, you¡¯ll graduate from school and be a sessful actress in Beats Entertainments. Like you¡¯ve always wanted.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°That way, it would be easier for you¡­¡± the older woman was grinning from ear to ear as she spoke. Barbara wanted nothing but the best for her daughter. And she was going to see to it that Vivian got nothing but the best. Back to the present day: ¡°Awwn.¡± Vivian squeaked happily as she clicked on the notification she had just received. Her dearly beloved had just posted an update and she so eagerly wanted to see what it was. The man rarely posted anything-just once in a couple of months¡­ And each post he made were business rted updates-branch openings,pany coborations and the likes. Despite them being boring, Vivian was always excited to see those updates. They were her only means of connection to him. She had even set her phone in such a way that whenever he made a post online, she would immediately get notified. That way, she was always one of the firsts to see. The smile on Vivian¡¯s face vanished and her forehead creased when she saw Shawn Mandez¡¯stest update. It was a picture of a bottle of liquor and the trash emoji was used as the caption beneath the picture. Huh¡­? ¡®Does he not like alcohol?¡¯ She was utterly confused and surprised at the same time. This was the first time Shawn Mandez would post somethingpletely unrted to work. She quickly clicked on thements section and skimmed through thements. Although it was yet up to a minute that Shawn made the post, hundreds ofizens had already dropped theirments under his post: ¡°City¡¯s sweetheart doesn¡¯t like liquor?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Yes, yes baby! I don¡¯t like this brand either!¡± ¡°Since my darling doesn¡¯t like this drink, I¡¯ll stop taking it.¡± ¡°Goshhhh! So long!!!!¡± ¡°Babyyy¡± ¡°I love you!!!¡± ¡°Love emoji¡± ¡°Marry me (crying emoji)¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like this brand either Urgent trip to the hospital On arriving at the girl¡¯s school, after waiting for a few minutes, the big boss and his assistant saw the girl walking down the road. And just as she was about to reach the car, they saw her get double-crossed, and thereafter, beaten to stupor. Considering that those girls wore the same uniform as Mia, they deduced that they attended the same school as the girl. Back to the present. ¡°Boss?¡± There was urgency in Lucas¡¯ voice as he nced at his boss through the rearview mirror, waiting impatiently for the man to give an order. Shawn¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t leave the girl even for a second. She was crying and writhing in pain-no one cared about her. Passersby simply walked past her, paying dear ears to her cries. Some people even took pictures and recorded videos of her. After a few seconds, he spoke, ¡°go.¡± Immediately, Lucas unbuckled the seatbelt strapped around him and dashed out of the car. Without wasting time, he rushed to Mia¡¯s side at once and carried her from the ground. She was swung over his shoulder and he quickly picked up her school bag too. Swiftly, Lucas opened the backseat¡¯s door with one hand and carefully ced the girl beside his stiff boss. He stepped into the driver¡¯s seat and sped off immediately. He knew where exactly to go. Shawn nced over at the girl beside him, his face expressionless. It was hard to decipher what he had going on in his mind. Coincidentally, Mia was also staring directly at him with her tear-brimmed brown eyes. They both gazed into each other¡¯s eyes silently. The roaring sound of the car speeding and Mia¡¯s asional sniffles were the only sounds that could be heard in the car. Mia sobbed softly, her whole body aching in pain. As if it would help ease her pain, without thinking, she snuggled closer to Shawn, wrapping her tiny hands around his waist. She buried her face in his warm broad chest and began to wail loudly. At first, the stoic man was taken aback by the sudden movement, so he froze. A part of him wanted to push the girl away as he wasn¡¯t used to this form of emotional intimacy, but a tiny part of him felt obliged to let her be. And he did let her be. He neither did anything nor said any word. He simply sat motionless in the same position, his breath in his throat, as the girl wailed in his embrace. He could feel his shirt soaked in hot tears but he still didn¡¯t do anything. Slowly, the girl¡¯s cry began to die down. Soon enough, it stopped. A short whileter, Lucas drove into the underground parking lot of HK Hospital. Blinking twice, Shawn looked down at the girl in his arms and saw that she was asleep. She had cried herself to sleep. Without hesitating, he picked her up. Lucas had already stepped down from the car and held open the door for him, so the CEO simply took long strides towards the door that led into the hospital. While on their way to the hospital, Lucas had already contacted Dr. Alfred and informed him that they were bringing a patient. So, the doctor was already on standby with three other top professional doctors. As soon as the doctors saw CEO Shawn walking down the hallway with someone in his arms, they bowed quickly and opened the door to the special ward for him to enter. Although they were all shocked to see that the formidable man was carrying a girl, they kept their emotions in check. Shawn ced the girl on the hospital bed and the doctors immediately got to work after that. He sat on a side while his assistant stood behind him, both watching with keen interest as the doctors ran a series of tests on the girl, in silence. Having undergone those tests, the girl waster put on drip. About an hourter: ¡°Sir, be rest assured, she¡¯s okay. Besides having a fractured arm, she¡¯s perfectly well.¡± Doctor Arnold assured the neutral looking man in front of him. Shawn eyed the girl¡¯s arm that was wrapped in bandage and nodded his head once. Lucas on the other hand heaved a sigh of relief. He was d the madam was alright, if not¡­ ¡°I¡¯m taking her home.¡± Shawn nted his gaze on the doctor, waiting for a response from him. For a reason only known to him, he didn¡¯t want to stay in the hospital any longer, and he also didn¡¯t want to leave the girl behind. For a reason unknown to him, he wanted to keep her within eyesight. Doctor Arnold blinked his eyes. Was that even a question? Didn¡¯t seem like it at all. ¡°Huh, yes-of course. She¡¯s free to be discharged. She¡¯s okay.¡± He rushed out of his mouth at once. Well, the girl was indeed perfectly fine, she simply needed to rest. Without saying anything, Shawn stood up from the chair and walked over to the hospital bed. He picked the girl up, in his arms, and walked briskly out of the ward. Lucas quickly trailed after his boss, after acknowledging the doctors for their hard-work. The doctors bobbed their heads out of respect and stepped out to ogle at CEO Shawn¡¯s retreating figure. Doctor Arnold¡¯s brows furrowed. He was still in shock. Earlier on, Assistant Lucas had called to inform him that they were on their way to the hospital with a patient, but not in his wildest imagination did he think the patient would turn out to be a little school girl. In fact, he had thought they¡¯d show up with Grandpa Mandez. This was the first time that that aloof man would personally apany someone who wasn¡¯t his grandfather, to the hospital. And it turned out to be just a little girl. What could the rtionship between the two possibly be? The doctor was bewildered¨Cas well as the others too. They had all lined up all for a girl? Wow. For CEO Shawn to have personally brought her there himself, she must be someone of great importance to him.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. By the time Lucas drove into his boss¡¯ mansion, it was already a bit dark. One of the guards held open the car door and Shawn stepped down, sleekly, with the girl in his arms. She was still asleep as she had been sedated in the hospital. ¡°Boss,¡± Lucas also stepped down from the car and stood beside it. ¡°Those girls¡­¡± It was a good thing that the madam didn¡¯t suffer much from all of that beating, but those students just couldn¡¯t be left alone without being dealt with. Or they¡¯d do it again. It must have also been their doing, the other day he and the CEO went to get her¡­ she was limping when she stepped out of the dormitory, and her face was bruised. It was them that time too. If care wasn¡¯t taken, they¡¯d continue to harass thedy. Deal with the bullies It must have also been their doing the other day he and the CEO went to get her¡­ she was limping when she stepped out of the dormitory, and her face was bruised. It was them that time too. If care wasn¡¯t taken, they¡¯d continue to harass thedy. Shawn¡¯s steps halted as he approached the front door. Without turning around, ¡°take care of them.¡± he responded. Swiftly, he walked into the house. A wave of contentment rushed through Lucas as he heard that response. Since the big boss had given him the go ahead to take care of the issue, he¡¯d do just that. As it was already getting reallyte, he handed the car key over to the bodyguard that was nearest to him, and took his leave. And like that, he called it a day. Besides, he had to go deal with the issue at hand as soon as possible. Inside, the maid watched in sheer horror as their master ascended the stairs, carrying thedy in his arms. Firstly, this was an unexpected turn of event. When they realized that the girl hadn¡¯t returned back from school, even after a very long while, they¡¯d thought the boss had called it quits with her. Who would have thought that¡­ s! Here she was, in his arms! Secondly, what on earth happened? How did it ur that they came home together? The maids stood, dumbstruck, at the foot of the stairs, different thoughts running through their minds. It wasn¡¯t until the housekeeper cleared her throat that they all shuffled their feet across the floor, back to their various posts. After settling the girl in bed, Shawn didn¡¯t leave her room immediately. Instead, he sat at the edge of the bed and silently observed her. She looked so gentle and harmless in her sleep. Frail and fragile¡­ And cute too. Really. cute. And he was married to her¡­ Really. Several minutes passed by and the aloof man remained seated on the bed. He was overwhelmed by the sudden urge to touch her face and although he tried to fight it, at the end, he reached out his hand and stroked her colorless cheek. And her ear¡­ And then her eyes, her nose¡­ and finally, her thin lips. Although they had no color to them, her lips looked so tempting. So ki- Before he could fantasize any further, Shawn¡¯s phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He retracted his hand immediately and the girl on the bed stirred slightly, as if to protest. Shawn took a look at his pocket. He knew he had to leave the room in order not to disturb the girl¡¯s sleep, but for the first time in several years, the CEO felt hesitant. He found that he didn¡¯t want to leave her side. It was like a maic force was pulling him to stay with her. He was simply being concerned because she was injured. Begrudgingly, he forced himself up from the bed and took long strides out of the room, silently. He entered his room and closed the door behind him. He then swiped the answer icon, put the phone on speaker and dropped it on the bed. ¡°Speak.¡± He began to loosen his tie. ¡°Boss, I found out the reason why madam is being bullied.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Shawn urged his assistant to give his report as he began unbuttoning his shirt. The shirt was tear-stained, wrinkled, and dirty. ¡°Apparently, it¡¯s because of madam¡¯s erm¡­ hurgh hurgh.¡± Lucas began to cough. The CEO¡¯s brows furrowed in irritation. ¡®Can¡¯t the dim-wit just go straight to the point? What¡¯s with the cough?¡¯ ¡°Ahem, it was because of her b-bo-boyfriend-I mean ex-boyfriend.¡± The CEO¡¯s P. A corrected himself immediately.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The frown on Shawn¡¯s face deepened with immediate effect and his mind trailed off tost night¡¯s event. So, she had thrown a tantrum all because of a boy. Was she still in love with that person? Several thoughts flooded through his head. As the phone fell silent, Lucas could roughly guess the look on his boss¡¯ face right now. In order to appease the man, he decided to divulge the whole information he had gathered. ¡°Basically, madam got dumped by her boyfriend. He left her for her best friend¡­¡± After a couple of minutes, he was done with the exnation. ¡°That¡¯s to say she took the fall for them?¡± Shawn asked calmly. ¡°Exactly, Sir.¡± Shawn lowered his body to the bed. What a dumb girl. Why would anyone do that? Wasn¡¯t she concerned about her mental health? Sigh. Anyways, that was her concern, not his. She chose that decision. Those bunch of imbeciles though¡­ ¡°Deal with those girls first.¡± Lucas knew which girls his boss was talking about. ¡°Alright, boss.¡± Shawn hung up immediately afterwards. He remained seated on the bed, his fingers intertwined. Initially, he¡¯d vowed not to ever interfere in any of the girl¡¯s businesses-he didn¡¯t even care-he still didn¡¯t care though. But since they were a husband and wife, he felt the need to intervene ande to his wife¡¯s rescue. If people saw that she was injured, wouldn¡¯t they think he was bullying his wife? *CEO Shawn, what people? No one even knows you¡¯re married. Giggles.* The CEO picked up his phone beside him and clicked on the file Lucas had sent him a few days ago. That night, after receiving the file, he ended up not going through it. He didn¡¯t open it at all. Should he, tonight? *** The following day. Hunger. That was what woke Mia up very early in the morning. Her eyes squinted open and they darted around in confusion. Where was she and how did she end up here? Last thing she remembered, she was being beaten up silly! It took a while before she could make sense of her surroundings. She was in her room, at the mansion. How did she end up here though? Just as she was rummaging through her brain for an answer, Shawn¡¯s face shed through her eyes. Huh? How did the demigod get in the picture? But she was too hungry to even bother about that. Her stomach growled and she flipped the covers aside. ¡°Ouch!¡± She hissed as sharp pain pierced through her left arm. She looked down and saw that it was wrapped in a bandage. Howe? She also noticed that she had changed out of her school uniform. Who did that too? She scratched her head as she scampered down from the bed. Pushing her thoughts aside, she headed to the bathroom to pee. Afterwards, she brushed her teeth, washed her face, and then went downstairs. Thankfully, no other part of her body hurt except her bandaged arm. When Mia got downstairs, she met the maids setting the dining table. Her stomach growled at the sight of the variety of dishes on the table. She greeted the maids and they responded by sinking in curtsy. ¡°Morning, madam. I was just about to go get you for breakfast.¡± Madam Susan smiled warmly. The old housekeeper was standing on the side, overseeing the maids. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Mia smiled in return, taking her seat. Suddenly, her brows furrowed as something shed through her face. She turned to face the elderly woman. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you but do you perhaps have an idea of how I got home yesterday? I can¡¯t seem to remember¡­¡± The wife has a lover ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Mia smiled in return, taking her seat. Suddenly, her brows furrowed as something shed through her face. She turned to face the elderly woman. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you but do you perhaps have an idea of how I got home yesterday? I can¡¯t seem to remember¡­¡± The ears of the maids perked up at this. They were eager to know what happened, but it seemed like the little madam had suffered memory loss. ¡°Young sir brought you back home.¡± Madam Susan replied. Huh? The girl¡¯s eyebrows cocked upwards. Subconsciously, she nced at her wrapped arm. Did that mean that the demi-god had something to do with it? A thin smile appeared on her face. Well, if that was the case, she was grateful. ¡°Oh.¡± She sincerely couldn¡¯t wait for him toe downstairs so that she¡¯d thank him. The maids took their leave and the little madam began to eat, waiting impatiently for Shawn toe downstairs to have breakfast. But several minutes passed and the man never showed up. Even after she was done eating, he didn¡¯t appear¨Cand hell, she took her time to eat to her full as it was the weekend and she didn¡¯t have to go to school. Huh? Why wasn¡¯t heing? Her eyes darted across the room to the stairsnding. What could he possibly still be doing in his room? Was he busy? She had to take matters into her own hands. She had no choice but to go find the kind elderly woman. She found the housekeeper in the kitchen, barking orders at the maids. Mia waited until she was done giving out instructions before she spoke: ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bothering you again but I just want to ask¡­ Isn¡¯t heing down to have breakfast?¡± Did the man decide to skip breakfast because it was the weekend? ¡°You mean the young sir?¡± Madam Susan¡¯s lips pursed while Mia nodded her head vigorously. ¡°He left for work already.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mia couldn¡¯t help but shriek. She found it hard to believe her ears. Work? On weekends? He worked on weekends too? Unbelievable. But¡­ Why was he still working so hard when he already had so much? Like¡­ Mia waspletely stunned. Working on weekends-how did he get enough rest then? That wasn¡¯t even possible. How could he get any rest at all when he worked his butt off, tirelessly, all day long? That wasn¡¯t right-this wasn¡¯t right. He barely even ate anything at all everyday. How was the man even still alive? No wonder he looked skinnier day by day, and his hair was pulling out. It was due tock of food! Mia could bet it.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Surrendering to fate, the poor girl heaved her sigh and was on her way out of the kitchen when she suddenly caught sight of something. Different dishes were spread across the long kitchen cab. The sight of all of those foods made her freeze in her tracks. Instinctively, she turned around to face Madam Susan; ¡± What will happen to all of the food?¡± The man wasn¡¯t around to eat them¡­ so she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the end of those mouth-watering dishes would be. The housekeeper nced over at the dishes, ¡°Oh, they¡¯ll be trashed out madam.¡± ¡°What?!!¡± Mia was rmed yet again. ¡°Tra-tra-trashed what? Trashed out?!¡± Outrageous! All of this food??? This much?! Mia¡¯s eyes were popping out of their sockets. Did that mean that aallll of the leftover dishes that remained everyday, after breakfast and dinner, were usually being disposed of? That was a waste! Total wastage. She mustn¡¯t allow it to continue to happen. No. There were a lot of people in the streets who had absolutely nothing to eat-everyday. They strived¡­ Then someone here trashed food out every single day. ¡°Um¡­ Ma?¡± Mia called out silently. ¡°I¡¯m Susan, madam.¡± ¡°Madam Susan,¡± Mia blurted out. She couldn¡¯t just outrightly call the elderly woman by her name. That would be impolite. Since she addressed their housekeeper back at home as madam, then she¡¯d do the same to the housekeeper here. ¡°Hum, will it be possible for the dishes to be packed up in like hum¡­ a lunchbox¡­? She quickly added, ¡°please?¡± The elderly woman blinked rapidly. Was the girl going to carry the packed foods and go boast to her friends that she had secured a very wealthy man as husband? Or was she going to go give her lover-girls her age had ¡®boyfriends¡¯. She eyed the girl skeptically. Although Madam Susan had no idea how the young master came about marrying the young girl, she was a hundred percent sure that their marriage was not one founded by love. Shawn was in love with absolutely no one but himself-asides his grandfather, that is. The man didn¡¯t like anyone at all. Even the socialitedies, he treated them like rotten eggs-talk more of a high school girl. The girl was definitely taking the young master¡¯s food to give her lover. Madam Susan shook her head mentally. And to think she was starting to lower her guard around the girl. She felt Mia was a good girl-she had even been polite enough to address her as ¡®madam¡¯. Who would have thought the girl was going to prove otherwise a few secondster? Sigh. ¡°No problem, madam.¡± The old housekeeper replied, notwithstanding. ¡°You heard the madam, pack the foods.¡± She threw sideways nces at the maids. The maids immediately go to work. Mia beamed a thankful smile at the housekeeper. The elderly woman was so kind and indulging. She didn¡¯t even ask her what she wanted to do with the foods. Turning around, the girl headed up the stairs, entered her room, and went straight to the bathroom to take her bath. She stripped and stepped into the half-filled bathtub, careful not to get her bandaged arm in the water. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t her right arm that was injured or she wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything at all. After taking a quick wash, Mia dressed up in a short, pink floral dress and put on a pair of slip-ons. She then slipped out of her room and trod downstairs, into the kitchen. The maids had already finished packing the dishes into three different containers. Mia thanked them profusely and then picked up two lunchboxes, using her right hand. She¡¯de back for thest one after she¡¯d dropped those ones in the car. ¡°What are you all doing, standing there?-assist the madam!¡± Madam Susan instructed at her inferiors at once. One of the maids, although grudgingly, quickly collected the boxes from Mia while another carried thest one from the cab¡¯s top. The maids also had the same thought that their superior had. They believed the girl was taking their boss¡¯ food to her boyfriend. How rude of her! But all they could do wasport themselves and keep their contempt for Mia in check. She was still their boss¡¯ woman. A visit to Beats Corporation The maids also had the same thought that their superior had. They believed the girl was taking their boss¡¯ food to her boyfriend. How rude of her! But all they could do wasport themselves and keep their contempt for Mia in check. She was still their boss¡¯ woman. As the two maids that assisted Mia with the containers followed closely behind her, they wondered how she¡¯d carry them by herself after she¡¯d left Magnificent. She didn¡¯t possibly expect them to follow her to wherever it was that she was going, did she? Or did she have someone waiting outside the residential area already? Shrugs. Even Madam Susan couldn¡¯t help but have that same thought running through her mind as she silently followed behind the trio. But just then, Mia stopped in her tracks and turned around. As soon as her eyesnded on Madam Susan, she smiled. ¡°Will it be possible for me to make use of one of the cars?¡± She asked keenly. The old woman¡¯s eyes twitched while the maids¡¯ mouths dropped open. As if taking their boss¡¯s food wasn¡¯t enough, she was even going to take the food to meet her boyfriend in their boss¡¯ car?!!! Preposterous! Their gazesnded on Madam Susan¡¯s face and they began to use their eyes to plead to her. ¡®Just say no, Madam Susan¡­¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s a bad idea!!!¡¯ But the elderly woman shattered their hearts with the response that came out of her mouth. ¡°Yes, madam.¡± ¡®Nooo.¡¯ The maids cried inwardly. ¡°You can make use of any car. Also, any of the men around can drive you.¡± Madam Susan added calmly. The maids almost went bonkers. Now, she¡¯d also be making use of one of their boss¡¯ men!!! Aish! ¡°Aw, thank you. Really, thank you Madam Susan.¡± Having said these, Mia resumed walking. The maids also followed her, trying their best to conceal the scorn on their faces. Madam Susan simply returned to the kitchen. ¡°Madam Susan, why?¡± ra, one of the maids whined immediately the older woman stepped into the kitchen. The housekeeper was taken aback, ¡°why what?¡± She blinked. ¡°You gave her the go ahead to take the food.¡± ¡°And you also let her take master¡¯s car too.¡± ¡°Who knows where she¡¯s headed?¡± ¡°Now, she¡¯s not only packed master¡¯s food to go give some stranger, but she¡¯s also taken his car.¡± ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t return and flees with the car instead?¡± Madam Susan chuckled as the maids chimed in one after the other. Why were they overthinking things? Wasn¡¯t one of young master¡¯s men going to drive the girl?-Funny girls. ¡°Get back to work.¡± Sternly, she dismissed theirints. The maids were unable to protest any longer. They did as they¡¯d been told. Madam Susan let out a throaty cough and took slow steady steps out of the kitchen. It wasn¡¯t like she was okay with approving the girl¡¯s request. It was just that¡­ Sigh. Mia was the young master¡¯s wife anyway-they had to treat her like that. They had to make her feelfortable. Eish. *** As Jasper drove out of Magnificent Residence, he looked in the rearview mirror, at thedy who was seated in the backseat. He eyes darted over to the containers beside her on the seat and then darted back thedy¡¯s face. ¡°You haven¡¯t told me where it is that we¡¯re headed to, madam.¡± Apart from being one of his chauffeurs, Jasper was also one of Shawn¡¯s most trusted men. Not only could he drive, he had greatbating skills. When the need arose, he served as a bodyguard for the CEO. Mia raised her hand to her mouth, thoughtfully. Even she did not know where they were headed. ¡°Hum, do you perhaps know where Mr. Shawn works at---¨Cand how to get there?¡± She inquired from the driver. Jasper¡¯s brows arched up. Was that even a question? Of course, he did. How would it be that he didn¡¯t know Beats Corporations¡¯ headquarters? In fact, who in this world didn¡¯t know there and all the routes that led to it? Lol. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes were almost popping out of their socket. ¡°Yes, madam.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s where we¡¯re headed. Thank goodness.¡± Mia didn¡¯t know anything about Jasper¨Cshe didn¡¯t even know anything about his boss- so, she wasn¡¯t sure the man would know where they were going to. But since he knew the ce, she became rxed. What was she even thinking? What if it¡¯d turned out to be that he didn¡¯t know the ce?¡­ Stupid Mia. Always doing things on impulse. Mia cursed herself mentally. Jasper smiled. The madam was going over to the big boss¡¯ office. The smile vanished from his face all of a sudden. Why was she going there? What business did she have there? Certainly, she wasn¡¯t going there to cause trouble for the big boss, was she? He eyed the madam through the rearview mirror, and that was when his eyesnded on the lunchboxes again.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Oh. Could it be that the madam was going over to feed the boss? How cute. The corners of Jasper¡¯s mouth curled up. His face turned grim the next second. ¡®Would the big boss like this kind of gesture?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but wonder. He frowned at the thought of things going awry. As he drove with one hand, he picked his phone with the other hand and secretly sent a message to the CEO¡¯s personal assistant, giving him a headsup that he was bringing the madam to the corporation. ¡ª Lucas had just stepped out of the CEO¡¯s office after giving a report on theirtest carpany branch, when he remembered that his phone dinged in his pocket while he was giving the report. Closing the door behind himm he took out his phone and swiped down the notification icon. He saw that he had received a message from Jasper a while ago. What could it be about? The CEO¡¯s PA wondered as he clicked open the message. Immediately, his brows furrowed. The man had only sent a very short sentence but the weight that sentence had, made Lucas¡¯ lips twitch. The message read: I¡¯M BRINGING THE MADAM OVER. ¡®What madam?¡¯ His brows furrowed, then a secondter, a wave of realzation hit him and his eyes widened immediately. ¡®Madam! The madam!¡¯ ¡®Over where?-Wait, here?! Over here?!¡¯ The PA was rmed. What was sheing over for? Why was sheing over? Would the big boss like this? Various thoughts wandered through Lucas¡¯ head. Hurriedly, he sent a message in response to Jasper and shuffled across to the floor to the elevator. It had been a while since Jasper¡¯s message came in, the madam should be arriving at the corporation any time soon. Secretly taking a photo of him It had been a while since Jasper¡¯s message came in, the madam should be arriving at the corporation any time soon. About thirty minutes after driving out of the mansion, Jasper drove into the underground parking lot of Beats Corporation just as Lucas had instructed him. He was well known by the security to be one of the CEO¡¯s men, so he was allowed in without any trouble. The underground parking lot was meant only for the CEO, and since the marriage between the madam and the big boss was being kept a secret, Lucas felt it was best to leave it that way. He was already waiting for them there when Jasper drove in and parked the car neatly, next to the ck Maybach the CEO rode in in the morning. Swiftly, he opened the door to the backseat for their madam. One look at her wrapped arm and memories from the previous day came flooding through Lucas¡¯ head. ¡®Don¡¯t worry madam, I¡¯m already getting justice for you.¡¯ ¡°Thank you.¡± Mia who had absolutely no idea what was going on in the handsome PA¡¯s head smiled sweetly as she thanked him for his kind gesture. Her face turned sour a secondter, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for not imforming you beforehand that we wereing.¡± She¡¯d acted irrationally and she hated herself for it. What the hell was she thinking, really? What if the demi-god¡­? Her mind trailed off. ¡°No, it¡¯s no problem madam.¡± The madam shouldn¡¯t have to seek permission beforeing to see her husband. But, this was a different case entirely¡­ Lucas forced out a smile, secretly breaking into cold sweats. When he read Jasper¡¯s message, earlier, he¡¯d failed to inform his boss about the update. ¡®May today not be the day I lose lose my job and my precious life.¡¯ He cried inwardly. After the madam stepped down from the car, he saw that she was trying to carry some containers on the seat. A confused expression spread all over his face. ¡®What¡¯s going on here?¡¯ ¡®This much food¡­ Is there a naming ceremony being held in the corporation today?¡¯ How could he not have been informed about it if that was the case? Coming back to his senses, he immediately collected the lunchboxes from Mia as she was struggling with them. ¡°This way, madam.¡± He then led the way to the private door that led into the corporation. Of course, the CEO was the only one who made use of the door, unless he had very important guests and their presence or exit needed to be secretive. Jasper stayed behind in the car. He had no business going inside. Lucas was there with the madam. Plus, he was afraid. Afriad that the big boss wouldn¡¯t like the situation of his wifeing to the office. And since he was the one who drove the madam all the way to the corporation, all of the me would most likely fall on him. So, staying behind and avoiding the big boss was the best option for him. Lucas and the madam rode the CEO¡¯s personal elevator up to thest floor which was the CEO¡¯s main office. Each of them was upied with their own thoughts. When the elvator dinged and the doors slid open, Mia¡¯s heart began to thump hard against her chest. It wasn¡¯t until now that she thoroughly realized that she didn¡¯t think things through beforeing to this ce. In fact, she wasn¡¯t supposed to be here at all. For the umpteenth time, she wondered what the hell she was thinking bying over. This was a workce¡­ How would he take her being here? Shit. The man¡¯s business was none of her business. His life, his rules. His life, his choice-his life, his decision. Whether he ate or not was absolutely none of her concern. They¡¯d agreed on that when they got married. What came over her? But it was already toote to turn back because here she was, already standing in front of the door that supposedly led into his office. Mia wished for the ground to open up and swallow her whole¡­ She wished for the hands of time to turn back¡­ She looked around, not too many people were here¡­ Should she forget about her pride and run back to the car? Knock Knock Knock. Lucas rapped lightly on the door, throwing Mia¡¯s ns to flee in the trash. Before she knew it, ¡°Come in.¡± A rich thick voice replied from inside the office. Mia almost wet her pant at the sound of the voice. It was his voice. Although they hadn¡¯t spent a lot of time together, she wouldn¡¯t mistake that voice for another in the world. Taking a deep breath, Lucas secretly did the cross sign and then turned the doorknob. Silently, he led the madam inside. When Mia stepped into her husband¡¯s office, the scent of him filled her nostrils. His office was just like him-rich, fine, exquisite, and cold. As she walked in further, her eyesnded on the man seated behind the modern luxurious desk. He had his face buried in the sheets lying before him, a serious expression written on his face. Despite having his brows furrowed, he looked so fine and elegant in that blue tuxedo. A nce at his chest area made her know that he was wearing a white shirt underneath the tuxedo, and he also had a ck tie on. He looked perfect. Like a god. Blending with the office like he was meant to be there. Mia fought to the urge to take a secret picture of him but¡­ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . CLICK. She¡¯d already brought out her ohone and taken one. Only after the CEO heard the shutter sound did he lift his head from the documents. When his gazended on Mia, his face remained stoic and expressionless as usual. His furrowed brows were now straightened out. The CEO¡¯s eye trailed from the girl¡¯s face, down to her hand. Mia quickly hid the phone behind her. She watched inplete silence as the man¡¯s eyes flickered away from her like he¡¯d not just seen her for the first time in his office, and his gazended on his personal assistant. Without hesitating, Lucas shuffled across the floor and carefully ced the lunchboxes on his boss¡¯ desk. He then took two steps backwards. His boss shot him a questioning gaze. ¡®Meaning?¡¯ Lucas swallowed the lump that had unknowingly formed in throat and spoke up rapidly. ¡°Madam brought the lunchboxes¡­¡± His voice trailed off. He had absolutely no idea of what to say next. So, he turned around at once and took his leave immediately, fleeing from the scene. But just as he was about to reach the door, ¡°Stay.¡± The Big Boss¡¯ voice made him freeze on the spot. Refrain from doing it in the future! But just as he was about to reach the door, ¡°Stay.¡± The Big Boss¡¯ voice made him freeze on the spot. Grimacing, Lucas bit on his lower lip. Sighhhh! Today might really be the day that he¡¯d die. Quite unfortunate of him. Slowly, he began to turn back around, taking only three steps away from the door. That way, should things go south, it would be very easy for him to slip out of the office. Several seconds passed by and the CEO still hadn¡¯t uttered a word. Though, his gaze was fixated on the containers on his desk. Lucas gulped inaudibly while Mia stood unmoving, on the same spot, fiddling with her hands. After what seemed like a long period of time, the CEO raised his eyshes in Mia¡¯s direction. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± The girl¡¯s heart skipped a bit after hearing the man¡¯s question. She was short of words. Even she did not know the meaning of-like, what the hell was she even doing here in the first ce? ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± Shawn asked irritably. Once he asked a question, he required and demanded an answer-not silence. ¡°I-erm¡­ Hum¡­ Fo-for you¡­¡± Mia shifted her weight from one leg to the other, mumbling gibberish. ¡°Lunch. For you.¡± She finally managed to blurt out these three words, wiping away the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. Yes, the temperature in the room was terribly cold¡­ So where the hell was the sweating from? The CEO¡¯s eyshes fluttered once before he continued to stare at her like she did not just speak. ¡®Maybe he didn¡¯t hear what I just said.¡¯ Mia opened her mouth but the CEO looked away before she could bring any word out of it. So, she shut her trap back. Shawn¡¯s gaze was nted on the lunchboxes and seconds went by in dreadful silence. A whileter, he looked back at her, ¡°Did you forget your ce?¡± His voice was sharp and icy cold but the expression on his face was even more brutal. Lucas¡¯ breath got caught in his throat at once. He¡¯d seen thising. Shawn clicked his tongue, ¡°refrain from doing such things in the future.¡± Then he added, ¡°now, scram.¡± His hurtful words pierced through Mia¡¯s flesh and struck her heart. Tears formed in her eyes but she pressed her lips tightly to keep them from flowing. Shoulders quivering, she turned around. The CEO¡¯s personal assistant released the breath he didn¡¯t know he had been holding at once and quickly reached out to open the door for the madam. His face to the ground, he stood still as thedy dragged her feet out of the office dejectedly. He felt pity for her. If only she knew what she was getting herself into when she signed those certificates¡­ he was sure she¡¯d have run for her dear life. He closed the door. ¨C Chloe, the CEO¡¯s secretary, and the other employees who worked on the top floor eyed the little girl that had just stepped out of their boss¡¯ office through the corners of their eyes. Who was she? They¡¯d seen her step into the office with Mr. Lucas-with lunchboxes. Although she wasn¡¯t the one carrying them, they knew she was the one that brought them. She simply couldn¡¯t carry them due to her arm¡­ Was she a delivery girl? If that was the case, why did it have to be that it was Mr. Lucas that personally apanied her up to this ce? They¡¯d seen him rush to the elevator earlier on, thinking he had something very important to attend to-only for him toe back up with containers in his hands and a girl behind him. But then¡­ If the girl was really a delivery girl, their boss had never for once ordered takeouts. Ever since they all resumed working in the corporation, they¡¯d never seen him do such.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Not even from the corporation¡¯s hotels or restaurants. In fact, they had never seen him eat at all. It was as if the man never ate. A couple of secondster, Lucas walked out of the CEO¡¯s main office and began to trail after the girl. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The employees were even more surprised. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ They were also confused. When the girl stepped out, she wasn¡¯t carrying any lunchbox. And just now, when Mr. Lucas also came out of the office, he wasn¡¯t carrying anything either- they¡¯d both stepped outside empty handed! That was to say, their boss had actually ordered the food. The employees had various thoughts going through their minds. Maybe it wasn¡¯t food that was in the containers¡­ Maybe it was important documents. Maybe the girl was an intermediary. She even rode in the CEO¡¯s elevator. They had a lot of maybes going through their minds as that was all they could do-assume. They could only let their imaginations run wild as gossiping was strictly prohibited in the corporation. Anyone caught in the act had as well dug his or her own grave. ¨C As soon as the elevator¡¯s doors slid close, the tears Mia was struggling to keep in check finally broke free and streamed down her face. She med and hated herself foring here. What was she thinking-that they were a real couple close enough to look after each other¡¯s health? How pathetic! Lucas simply stood behind her in silence as they rode the elevator back to the ground floor. Without muttering a word, he reached in his breast pocket for a handkerchief and handed it to her from behind. It was the only thing he could do to kind offort her. ¡°Tha-an-k y-youu.¡± Mia¡¯s shoulders shuddered uncontrobly as she cried, forcing out the words between sobs. A few momentster, the elevator stopped and dinged. The doors opened. As soon as they were back in the parking lot, Mia dried her tears and got in the Bentley. Jasper noticed the Madam¡¯s mood and immediately realized that things didn¡¯t go well up there. He mutely revved the car engine and began to drive out of the parking lot. Lucas remained standing, watching until the car waspletely out of sight. Thereafter, he heaved a gusty sigh and headed back inside. It was his turn to getshed out at. His might be more brutal than the Madam¡¯s. He rode an elevator back to the CEO¡¯s office. Taking in a deep breath, he knocked, gently, on the door. He had no idea what would be of his fate right now. Would he get fired? Would he not? Would he be thrown into prison? Or would he not be thrown into prison? Shit! Anyways, he had to first of all get those containers out of the big boss¡¯ face or they would trigger his anger the more. He pushed open the door and walked in without making even the slightest sound. She鈥檚 his legal wife Anyways, he had to first of all get those containers out of the big boss¡¯ face or they would trigger his anger the more. He pushed open the door and walked in without making even the slightest sound. He took brisk steps to the desk and reached his hands forward to carry the boxes. But¡­ ¡°Leave them here.¡± The Big Boss¡¯ voice made his hands freeze midair. Lucas¡¯ eyes blinked dumbly. Were his ears in need of cleaning? But he had them cleaned yesterday. He nced at his boss whose eyes didn¡¯t leave the document he was assessing. Lucas¡¯ head tilted to the side. He had to have his ears checked. He stretched out his hands further but before they couldnd on the lunchboxes, Shawn¡¯s head shot up and he gave him a cold hard re. The PA retracted his hands immediately. A flood of confusion washed over him as he took two steps backwards and stood there in silence. The CEO¡¯s brows creased irritably when he saw this. What was the guy still waiting for? Lucas caught on and quickly found something to say. ¡°Sir, you¡¯ll be attending a meeting in five minutes¡¯ time.¡± Well, that was true. The CEO would indeed be having a project update meeting with the top officials of the corporation. The CEO nodded his head at this and lowered his head, concentrating on the document in front of him. But the meeting wasn¡¯t the reason why Lucas¡¯ feet remained glued to the floor. A few secondster, Shawn noticed that the man had still refused to get out of his sight. He raised his head and swept a cold look over Lucas. The PA began to cough incessantly. Did his boss really want him to leave without taking the food away? Did he really mean it when he asked him to leave the lunchboxes as they were? The man was really hard to decipher. He was unpredictable¨Clike weather. Lucas nned on sharing the food amongst the employees but seeing that¡­ He opened his mouth to speak: ¡°But¡­ Boss, are you really sure¡­¡± His voice trailed off. He had to confirm. Maybe he didn¡¯t hear correctly just now. Shawn shot his gullible assistant a freezing re and the man swallowed uneasily. So as not to get himself into anymore trouble, he bobbed his head, ¡°Then.¡± Quickly, he disappeared from the office. The CEO returned to work after his personal assistant left. But a whileter, he subconsciously took a peek at the lunchboxes beneath his long eyshes. That damned girl! So stupid-Coming all the way over¡­ Who did she think she was-his wife? Shawn blinked. Well, basically, she was. But then, although their marriage was real on papers, it was still very much fake. It was contractual. So, she had no business poking her silly nose into his affairs. Humph! His teeth gritted irritably and he got back to what he was doing. But once in a while, as he worked, his eyes would dart towards the containers. He was unable to focus with them there¡­ And to think he¡¯d told off his assistant for wanting to tale them away¡­ Exasperatedly, he dropped the pen in his hand. Biting on his lower lip, he cleared the documents in front of him and reached forward for the lunchboxes. He opened one and nced in it. The corner of his mouth twitched. Well¡­ Since the food was here already, it wouldn¡¯t do any harm to eat it. Besides, he couldn¡¯t possibly let it go to wastage. Wastage was a very terrible thing. Also, he was terribly hungry. He didn¡¯t eat before leaving the house in the morning. ¡®¡­¡¯ The CEO heaved a sigh and then picked up the telephone receiver, punching on some digits on the telephone. A secondter, ¡°The meeting, cancel it.¡± His lips pursed before he added, ¡°Also, I do not want to be disturbed.¡± After speaking, he reced the receiver immediately, giving no room for the person on the other side of the phone to reply. Lucas blinked his eyes reapidly, staring at the phone in his hand like it was a two-headed cow. He was just on his way to the conference room, to inform the officials that the CEO would be with them shortly. Who would have thought that this would happen? His brows furrowed deeply, confusion written all over his face. He¡¯d left the Big Boss¡¯ office a while ago¡­ and when he informed him about the meeting, the man had said absolutely nothing in contrast. So, why was he telling him to cancel it now? Didn¡¯t he just leave his office? Couldn¡¯t he have told him then? Lucas couldn¡¯t believe his formidable boss. Why was he suddenly cancelling-was it because he was currently busy with the file from the corporation¡¯s motorcyclepany? Or was the reason something else??? Letting out a sigh, Lucas returned his phone in his pocket and pushed open the double doors that led into the conference room. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this meeting has been cancelled.¡± He announced. *** As soon as the car pulled up in front of the doorway, Mia stepped down from it. She thanked the driver for his help and headed inside. Jasper watched thedy¡¯s retreating form in silence and clicked his tongue. The Bigg Boss must have been really harsh on her earlier. Poor Madam. His lips pressed together to form a thin line and he dorve the car away to the garage. The maids at the mansion had been impatiently waiting for the girl to arrive from where she went to. Immediately they realized that she was back, they assembled around in the lounge. When they saw Mia walked in, they noticed the gloomy look on her face and also saw that her hand was empty. There was no one carrying the lunchboxes behind her too¡­ Did she dash out the Young Master¡¯s lunchboxes together with the food?! How outrageous! The girl in question didn¡¯t notice anything amiss with the way the maids were looking at her. She didn¡¯t even see them there. She simply made her way up the stairs in silence.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ra immediately rushed into the kitchen. ¡°Madam Susan, she came back empty handed!¡± The older woman who stood by the sink, draining ck beans merely threw the maid a quick nce. Afterwards, she returned to what she was busy doing. ¡°Madam Susan, aren¡¯t you going to do anything?¡± ra¡¯s face was filled with impatience and urgency. The girl had no right to do what she did. A few seconds passed before the old housekeeper finally spoke. ¡°Since you¡¯re all so less busy and have nothing to do, why not each pick a broom and sweep the environment? It¡¯s dirty and the Master wouldn¡¯t take it lightly when he gets back in the night.¡± ra blinked in bewilderment. ¡°We already swept, everywhere is clean now.¡± ¡°Do it again. Not clean enough.¡± Role-play before the main deal A few seconds passed before the old housekeeper finally spoke. ¡°Since you¡¯re all so less busy and have nothing to do, why not each pick a broom and sweep the environment? It¡¯s dirty and the Master wouldn¡¯t take it lightly when he gets back in the night.¡± ra blinked in bewilderment. ¡°We already swept, everywhere is clean now.¡± ¡°Do it again. Not clean enough.¡± ¡°Madam Susan¡­¡± Thedy whined. The woman shot her a cold re and she lowered her head instantly. ra immediately swallowed whatever it was that she had to say. ¡°Yes, Madam Susan.¡± Dejectedly, she shuffled her feet out of the kitchen to go inform her colleagues of the work they had to do. How stupid of her. She immediately regretted her actions. Indeed, what was she expecting the housekeeper to do? She was just a housekeeper and the girl was the Madam of the house. ra was speechless. She should have just kept her moyth shut. Now, she had not only put herself in trouble, she even implicated the rest. Eish. Stupid.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¨C The moment Mia walked into her room, she shut the door behind her and didn¡¯t step out afterward. She remained inside untilte at night. Afterying motionless for several hours, hating herself for doing what she did, she finally pushed her weight off the bed and went to stand by the window. Her gaze looked down and a gasp escaped from her mouth. Below the window was a beautiful garden. The sight of it was a bliss to behold. It looked so enticing and soothing to the eyes and mind. Thousands of different sensations ran through Mia as she gazed upon the beauty. It was flourishing enough to make herpletely forget about her sorrows. Although the sun hadpletely vanished from sight, the flowers still blossomed, shining brightly and refreshingly under the dim light. A gentle breeze blew, making them sway enticingly. This was the first time she was seeing the view so Mia waspletely mesmerized by it. Suddenly, she caught sight of a figure exiting the garden. She squinted her eyes and realized that the person was Madam Grace, the housekeeper. The elderly woman was carrying a watering can, prunning shears and a towel in her hands-it seemed like she just finished tending to the garden. ¡®I¡¯d so love to go down there sometime.¡¯ A smile tugged at the corner of Mia¡¯s mouth. Shortly afterwards, a soft knock on the door interrupted Mia¡¯s trail of thoughts. Begrudgingly, she tore her gaze away from the sight beneath her window and turned to face the direction of the door. The knock came again. ¡°Come in.¡± She beckoned. The door opened and revealed three maids. They stepped into the room and sank in curtsy. Behind them was Madam Grace. Mia¡¯s brows furrowed in puzzlement. Was anything the matter? ¡°So sorry to disturb you, Madam, but we havee to get you ready for tonight.¡± ¡®Huh? Tonight?¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s happening tonight?¡¯ Mia didn¡¯t get a chance to voice out her questions as she was already being stripped by the maids. Before she knew it, they were dragging her to the bathroom and she was already in the bathtub. Thankfully enough, they were extremely careful with her arm. Mia¡¯s mind began to run wild with crazy thoughts: ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ ¡®Are they bathing me because I injured my arm?¡¯ She gasped inaudibly as her mind trailed off. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± All of a sudden, her eyes widened in horror. ¡®Tonight¡­¡¯ Her heart began to pound hard in her chest. Was it really what she was thinking? ¡®Is what I¡¯m thinking going to happen???¡¯ She was rmed. ¡®It had better not be! Had better not be!¡¯ Would the demi-god really do that to her¡­? Engrossed with her thoughts running wild, she didn¡¯t know when she was yanked out of the tub. The maids dried her hair and body. They led her back to the room and let her sit before the vanity. They then began with a nice skincare routine. Madam Grace had already picked out a dress from the walk-in closet when Mai was being bathed for. The dress was currentlyid out on the bed. The maids took their time to make their Madam look very pretty. A whileter, they were done with her makeup and hair. It was time for Mia to put on her dress. It was a long peach dress withce sleeves and a train. The dressplimented Mia¡¯s milky white skin such that she looked like a fine porcin. Madam Susan nodded her head calmly after a pair of while sandals had been strapped on the Madam¡¯s feet. All done. The housekeeper¡¯s eyes darted across the room to the wall clock. ¡®Master should be back by now.¡¯ ¡°Madam, we¡¯ll leave you now.¡± She bobbed politely and led the maids out of the room. Mia¡¯s eyes blinked consecutively. She was dumbstruck! Why was it that everyone associated with that man always left her rendered speechless? She tried to stop them from leaving but it was as if the words got stuck in her throat. They shouldn¡¯t leave her alone¡­ Tears almost rolled down her face. Her whole body shuddered at the thought of what was about to happen. Did he n on punishing her because she intruded his privacy earlier in the day? But she¡¯d already vowed to never do that again. Mia let her body lower to the bed as she fiddled with her dress. She looked down at the dress and frowned. Did the demi-god like engaging in role-y before¡­? Or did he just like his women rdressed up before the¡­? Mia grimaced. She was just twenty¡­ She couldn¡¯t possibly let this happen. She mustn¡¯t let it happen. She had to act fast. The poor girl began to rack up her brain for something. ¨C Shawn let out a weary sigh as he buttoned his T-shirt. He was standing in front of the mirror. He was extremely tired and badly needed a rest. As soon as he arrived home a while ago, he¡¯d headed straight into the bathroom for a hot shower. He didn¡¯t even take a nap. He needed to get prepared as he had to do it tonight. There was no time to postpone it. A soft knock on the door was heard and Shawn replied with a low ¡°Yes?¡± Madam Susan stepped into the room silently and bobbed. She walked up to him, stopping a few meters away. ¡°Madam is ready.¡± ¡°Hmn.¡± The man replied nasally. Then he added, ¡°Thank you, Madam Susan.¡± Shawn took a look at himself in the mirror onest time. Despite the dark circles that were visible under his eyes, he looked impable, his pale face exuding charm and confidence as usual. In my room or yours? Shawn took a look at himself in the mirror onest time. Despite the dark circles that were visible under his eyes, he looked impable, his pale face exuding charm and confidence as usual. ¡°How do I look?¡± He turned to face Madam Susan. Although he lost his father way back when he was young, he only lost his mother two years ago to a motor ident. Ever since then, Madam Susan had been a mother figure to Shawn-no-she was a grandma figure to him. His grandmother passed away even before he was born. Madam Susan had been by his side from the moment before he took his first step. ¡°Perfect, as always.¡± The elderly woman grinned. Shawn nodded his head. ¡°Since you¡¯re ready, it¡¯s time for you to go get the Madam.¡± Shawn froze momentarily, his brows furrowing. Why did it have to be him? Moments from this afternoon came flooding his head and his mouth twitched a little. Did he perhaps go harsh on her?¡­ ¡°Okay.¡± ¨C Few minutester, the CEO stepped gantly out of his room. He tookrge strides and soon came face-to-face with the door that led into the girl¡¯s room. He frowned. Hesitating for a second, he swung the door open and walked in. Mia shrieked at once, jumping up in fear. ¡®Has hee to¡­?¡± She swallowed a big lump uneasily. Her heart beat erratically in her chest. ¡®Are we going to¡­¡¯ ¡®Is he¡­¡¯ ¡®Are we doing it in my room?¡¯ She was frightened at the thoughts ying in her head. ¡°Please¡­¡¯ She sobbed, rubbing her hands in a pleading manner. A tear dropped from her eye as she tried to get words out of her mouth. It was as if they were stuck in her throat. ¡°I¡¯m not ready yet.¡± Another tear dropped from her other eye. Shawn swept a cold look over her and scrunched up his face. ¡®What¡¯s this dumb girl saying?¡¯ Mia¡¯s whole body trembled in fear at his facial expression. Was he going to use force on her since she wasn¡¯t ready yet? She began to cry hot tears. Shawn was taken aback. ¡®What¡¯s going on.¡¯ ¡®Why¡¯s she crying?¡¯ ¡®Is she suffering from a mental illness?¡¯ ¡®Why is it that she¡¯s always quick to cry?¡¯ The CEO seemed frustrated. At first, he was mesmerised by the way she looked tonight, but the girl didn¡¯t even give him the chance to let her take his breath away as she was already crying like an infant. Pressing his mouth into a thin line, he said, ¡°Come with me.¡± The demi-god¡¯s frosting voice flung senses back into Mia. She paused. Huh? Were they not going to do it in her room? Was he taking her to his room? ¡°Do you need hearing aids?¡± When Shawn saw that the girl remained unmoving, he couldn¡¯t help but growl at her. Mia¡¯s shoulders drooped at once. Surrendering to her fate, she shuffled quickly across the room to meet him. ¡®Nitwit.¡¯ Shawn frowned. He turned around and headed for the staircases while Mia trailed closely after him. After descending the stairs, he led her out through the front door. Mia¡¯s brows drew in confusion. Where were they going?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Did she get it all wrong before? It wasn¡¯t until now that Mia took notice of how Shawn was dressed. He was wearing a t-shirt and matching pants. Well, if they were actually going to do what she thought they were, would he be dressed in this manner? Plus, they were already outside the house¡­ The girl was totally confused. Just then, her thoughts were interrupted by the man¡¯s cold voice. ¡°Be polite and keep your mouth shut. Speak only when you need to.¡± ¡°Also, if Grandpa asks you about the divorce papers, tell him you didn¡¯t sign it.¡± Shawn warned sternly without turning back. A few secondster, Mia picked up on where they were headed-to meet the Grandpa from the other day. Considering that they were going to meet him on foot, he must be close. Probably, he also lived in the residential area. ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass me.¡± Shawn gave a final warning. Not once did he turn to look at her as he spoke. If the girl blew their cover in front of the old man, he¡¯d be damned. All he wanted to do was make the old man happy. He wouldn¡¯t like it if the girl went and messed things up. About two hours ago, when he was on his way back from work, his grandfather had called to tell him that he¡¯d be going over to his grandson¡¯s ce for dinner-like he always did. The CEO¡¯d kicked against it and offered to go over to the old man¡¯s instead. The man was old and sick, he shouldn¡¯t be moving around too much. Plus, he¡¯d intended on surprising the old man with the girl but since they were unable to take couple photos yesterday, due to the girl¡¯s injury, they didn¡¯t have any portraits hanging in their home. The old champ would definitely suspect they were faking their marriage. So instead of Grandpa Mandezing over to the house, he and his wife were going over to his. Mia nodded her head meekly like the man in front of her had eyes behind his head. She remained silent, secretly heaving a sigh of relief. What she thought was going to happen wasn¡¯t what was happening. She peeked at Shawn and let out a small smile. Soon, they arrived at the front door of Grandpa Mandez¡¯s mansion. Like he¡¯d been expecting for the young master¡¯s arrival, Anderson, the Grandpa Mandez¡¯s steward, opened the door immediately. With a warm smile on his face, he bobbed his head politely and began to lead the young man inside. ¡°Someone else ising.¡± Shawn muttered as he followed the steward, feeling slightly irritated The girl was just too slow. Slower than a turtle. She couldn¡¯t keep up, so he left her behind to walk at her own pace. ¡®After a hundred years, she¡¯ll get here.¡¯ The CEO ground his teeth. Grandpa Mandez was already seated at the dining table, patiently waiting for his grandson. When he sighted the young man, he grinned widely. To be sincere, he didn¡¯t expect the boy would show up at all. Most of the time, whenever he asked for them to have dinner together, Shawn would always reject the offer, using work as an excuse. At some point, the old man regretted handing over the position of the CEO of the corporation to his grandson. He was always working and hardly had any time for himself. Since the boy took up the role of the CEO, at a very young age, his social life hadpletely depreciated. In fact, that was the reason why Grandpa Mandez wanted the boy to find a wife as soon as possible, before he-Grandpa Mandez-became no more and was no longer there for him. And to think that when he was finally able to get Shawn to sign the marriage certificates, he divorced his wife immediately after. So sad. Dinner at Grandpa鈥檚 And to think that when he was finally able to get Shawn to sign the marriage certificates, he divorced his wife immediately after. So sad. ¨C Several seconds had passed and Shawn was about to take his seat when the duo heard irregr approaching footstepsing from the living room. Shawn aleady knew who wasing. He simply took his seat. He couldn¡¯t be bothered by that clumsy girl. ¡°You came with someone?¡± It was alreadyte and the maids had returned to their quarters. Anderson was the only one who usually remained with the old man but even he was at the dining table with them. Anderson was currently dishing out the food. So the old man could only assume that his grandson came with someone. ¡°Hmn.¡± Shawn replied nasally, resting his elbow on the dining chair¡¯s armrest. ¡°Who is it?¡± Grandpa Mandez was curious. Did his grandson bring his personal assistant with him? He frowned slightly. A secondter, someone came in through the door. It wasn¡¯t a man but a littledy. A girl. A dazzling young girl with porcin skin. It didn¡¯t take Grandpa Mandez a second before he recognized her. His mouth flung open ajar in bewilderment and his eyes shone brightly. ¡°Grandpa.¡± Mia tried to steady her breath and called out sweetly. She¡¯d literally jogged all the way here. The man¡¯s legs were too long, and his strides, too fast. She couldn¡¯t meet up with him and he left her behind. Bad man. She sank in curtsy like a respectful child. The old man was short of words. He didn¡¯t expect the other person to be thisdy at all. Despite having her arm wrapped in bandages, she still looked wlessly beautiful. It took several seconds before he found his voice, ¡°My dear.¡± Then it urred to him that she was still standing. ¡°Come, sit.¡± He gestured to the chair nearest to him on the right side of the table. Anderson proceeded to drag out the chair while Mia took her seat, a smile stered on her smooth face. Grandpa Mandez couldn¡¯t help but feel amazed. He found it hard to take his eyes off her as he was still in disbelief. The boy told him they had divorced already¡­ He nced at Shawn who was seated nonchntly before nting his gaze on Mia again. ¡°This boy told me you left him.¡± He said. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Mia¡¯s voice trailed off as she didn¡¯t know what to say. Shawn ground his teeth in irritation. Why would the old man say that? That was an insult to his integrity.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He was the one who dumped the girl, not the other way round. Mia chuckled nervously. Then Grandpa Mandez¡¯s eyes trailed down to his granddaughter-inw¡¯s arm. He frowned. ¡°What happened to you?¡± The question was directed at Mia but the elderly man already had his gaze fixated on his grandson. Shawn had his eyes lowered on the table but he felt the old man¡¯s piercing gaze. He clicked his tongue, ¡°It had nothing to do with me.¡± Grandpa Mandez squinted his eyes on him. ¡°Hum, I slipped and injured my arm. It¡¯s nothing much¡­¡± Mia came to her husband¡¯s rescue. The old man then tore his gaze away from Shawn and nted it lovingly on Mia. ¡°Is that so? You need to be more careful then.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± ¡°Sir?-Call me Grandpa.¡± Mia blushed. ¡°Yes, Grandpa.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shawn was speechless. Grandpa Mandez gazed intently at the timid Mia for a while before he spoke again. ¡°So, did you forgive him ande back?¡± His eyes were glittering as he awaited the girl¡¯s response. Mia snuck a nce at Shawn and lowered her head again. ¡°Erm¡­ Ye-yes, Grandpa. That¡¯s exactly what happened.¡± She stuttered, letting out a nervous chuckle. The old man nodded in satisfaction, grinning from ear to ear. Right now, he was the happiest man in the world. This was all he ever wanted-seeing his grandson happily married. *But was CEO Shawn happily married though? Giggles.* Grandpa Mandez urged everyone to dig in and they all began to eat. He happily engaged Mia in some conversations, from time to time, as they ate. He studied her¡­ She seemed naive and innocent. She also seemed to be a lively girl. That was good for his grandson. Now that they were back together, he¡¯d ensure his possible best to make sure that they never grew apart again. ¨C Late into the night, after dinner, the couple bade Grandpa Mandez goodnight and returned to their home while the old man also retired for the night. Throughout dinner, Shawn never uttered a word to Mia. He only spoke asionally when his grandfather directed a few questions at him. And as he and Mia headed back to the mansion, he didn¡¯t speak a word to her. Immediately they arrived home, he headed straight to his room and mmed the door shut without sparing his wife any nce. Mia was dumbfounded. The man was literally ignoring her existence. She stood still for a while and silently gazed at Shawn¡¯ shut bedroom door. After a while, she breathed out deeply and walked into her room, also shutting the door behind her. Immediately Mia stepped into the room, she stripped and went straight to the bathroom for a hot bath. *** The rest of the weekend was uneventful. Time flew by fast and Monday soon came. As expected, throughout the previous day, Mia didn¡¯t catch sight of the icy cold man at all. She assumed he left very early in the morning for work. And by the time he got back, she¡¯d already slept. She didn¡¯t know why but she seemed to get this eager feeling of seeing him every time. So, very early this morning, she slipped out of bed and quickly prepared for school. After she was done, she carried her school bag and headed downstairs for breakfast-with the hope of seeing the aloof man before he went to work. Just as she¡¯d expected, Shawn was already seated at the dining table. The domineering man was currently sipping coffee from a mug in one hand. In his other hand was a Samsung Tablet which he had his face buried in. The fishes in Mia¡¯s belly swam around with joy. The girl seemed to be getting used to her daily life and routine with the man. Surprisingly, she seemed to be enjoying every bit of it. ¡°Good morning.¡± She bobbed, smiling sweetly. ¡°Hmn.¡± Shawn replied nasally, not sparing her any nce. Well, Mia was already used to receiving cold shoulders from him. At least, he actually responded today. She shrugged her shoulders and went ahead to sit directly opposite him. That way, she¡¯d be able to sneak a few nces at him whilst she ate. Coming out clean Well, Mia was already used to receiving cold shoulders from him. At least, he actually responded today. She shrugged her shoulders and went ahead to sit directly opposite him. That way, she¡¯d be able to sneak a few nces at him whilst she ate. And that was exactly what she did. As Mia ate, she asionally stole nces at the aloof man who was immersed in what he was doing on the Tab in his hand. The man also asionally took a few sip from the mug in his other hand. Shawn was fully aware of the girl¡¯s peering gazes but he chose to ignore her. For what it was worth, he didn¡¯t mind at all. After he was done with the document he was reading on the Tab, he made to stand up. But when his eyes subconsciouslynded on the teful of food before him, he remained seated. His lips pursed as he eyed the dishes beneath his eyshes. After a few seconds, he ced the mug on the table, picked up a spoon, and began to eat. After munching on about three spoons of the meal, the aloof CEO stood up immediately afterwards. Without looking back, he tookrge strides out of the house. Mia was astonished. She was totally surprised. Since she met the icy cold man, this was the first time he¡¯d ever eaten that much. Most times, he wouldn¡¯t touch his food at all. Other times, he would only pick on his meals. But today, he actually¡­ Wow. Goosebumps. Mia finished her food and also headed out of their home after bidding everyone goodbye. She trekked to the bus stop, got on the bus, and school, she went. When she arrived, Martha was already waiting for her outside the school gate. This time around, she was not alone. Max was with her. ¡°Mia.¡± Martha waved giddily at her best friend as the girl approached them. Max¡¯s eyes twinkled as soon as he sighted Mia. Then his gazended on her wrapped arm and he frowned unknowingly. ¡®She must have gotten the injuryst week Friday.¡¯ He thought to himself. ¨C As usual, pictures and videos of Mia being beaten up was posted anonymously in the school¡¯s social group. ¨C ¡°Mia, are you alright?¡± Oh my! I feel so bad, does it hurt?¡± Concern was written all over Martha¡¯s face as she gazed at her friend¡¯s bandaged arm. Tears formed in her eyes. Mia¡¯s brows furrowed. She was lost. Then her eyes trailed Martha¡¯s line of sight and realization hit her. She had totally forgotten about what happened on three days ago. Someone must have uploaded videos of her again as Martha wasn¡¯t there when she was being battered. Although Mia was also in the school group, she rarely opened it as she didn¡¯t concern herself with whatever discussions they had going on there. Mia huffed and smiled assuringly, ¡°I¡¯m fine, sincerely. Don¡¯t worry yourself.¡± ¡°Besides, I got treated. It was nothing much.¡± She was hospitalized? Max¡¯s face fell. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Martha sobbed softly, tears streaming down her face. When Max heard her sniffling, his gaze shifted away from Mia and he focused his attention on his girlfriend. His heart broke when he saw her tears so he pulled her close in aforting manner. Mia¡¯s eyesnded on Max¡¯s hand that was on Martha¡¯s shoulder for brief moment, then she looked away quickly. ¡°Stop ming yourself, Martha. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± The boy consoled his girlfriend in a coaxing manner. All of a sudden, Martha moved away from Max¡¯s embrace and closed up the tiny space between her and Mia. She took Mia¡¯s hands in hers and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, all of this will soon be over.¡± ¡°Max and I have decided toe out clean and tell everyone that we¡¯re back to being together.¡± *You call thating out clean. Giggles* ¡°You won¡¯t have to endure any of this anymore, I promise you.¡± Actually, it was just Max who came up with that idea. After he watched the clips of Mia being beaten up, on Saturday morning, he telephoned Martha and asked for them to link up. He then discussed the issue with her. As soon as her saw Martha step into the coffee shop, he started talking excessively about it: ¡°Martha, you watched those videos too right?-We need toe out clean. Mia can¡¯t keep getting in trouble because of us. She did nothing to deserve all of this.¡± Max felt extremely bad. One, they let her down. Two, she was taking the fall for them. That was brutal and inhumane. Martha was caught off guard and taken aback. She didn¡¯t expect that Max called her to meet up just because of Mia. She had thought he was going to take her out for shopping, or show her something expensive he bought for her, whilst they were sipping coffee. But that was not the case. Actually, she had suspected that his sudden request to meet up might have something to do with that girl¡­ But really?-Very early in the morning? He couldn¡¯t even wait till afternoon, or even evening time? Martha released her clenched fists under the table and gathered her emotions, pushing them down to the bottom pit. ¡°Yes, Max. I¡¯ve been thinking the same too. I was actually also going to say it.¡± ¡°We need to let everyone at school know we¡¯re together so that Mia will stop being bullied.¡± Her voice was soft and tears had already formed in her eyes. When Max saw her tear-stained face, he returned back to his senses and quietly pulled her close to him. He¡¯d been so clouded with putting an end to Mia being bullied at school that hepletely forgot about his girlfriend¡¯s emotion. ¡°I feel so bad, Max.¡± Martha sobbed silently. ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault, baby.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,ter tonight, I¡¯ll take you out on a date to Domino¡¯s.¡± He cajoled her like a baby. Martha¡¯s face lit up and she smiled. That was more like it. She wrapped her arms around him. It was no use bothering herself over that girl. One thing was clear-Max had his eyes only for her. He was only being concerned about Mia because he was feeling guilty and indebted towards her. Plus, once they made the announcement about their union, and everyone in school became aware, that will get Mia to get rid of any thought that she was harboring about getting back together with Max. Likewise Max. ¨CConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Mia smiled and nodded her head. That was okay. At least, that would make her free from the bullies. Also, the students would stop pointing using fingers at her wherever she went. The three jolly friends began to head inside the school premises. As soon as they stepped in through the gate, the principal¡¯s voice rang out from the loudspeakers of the school¡¯s public address system: ¡°All students should move to the hall immediately.¡± Expulsion The three jolly friends began to head inside the school premises. As soon as they stepped in through the gate, the principal¡¯s voice rang out from the loudspeakers of the school¡¯s public address system: ¡°All students should move to the hall immediately.¡± ¡°I repeat, all students should move to the hall immediately.¡± Max, Mia, and Martha nced at one another in confusion. What was the cause of the sudden order? That was an impromptu announcement¨CMrs. Babington must have a very important message for the students. __ The school hall was soon flooded with students and teachers¨Call were keen to know the reason for the sudden gathering. The crowd was noisy and rowdy. Students were discussing amongst themselves what the reason could be. ¡°Is our school engaging in anotherpetition?¡± ¡°Could it be a footballpetition?¡± ¡°Is she resigning?¡± It wasn¡¯t until the principal ascended the podium that everyone fellpletely silent. The students eagerly wanted to hear what the woman had to say. A few secondster, Mrs. Babington cleared her throat before proceeding to speak into the microphone. ¡°Good morning, everyone.¡± ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Babington.¡± The students chorused. The middle-aged woman pursed her mouth for a few seconds and said, ¡°To be candid, there¡¯s nothing good about this morning.¡± This statement caused an uproar among the students. They were more eager to know what was going on. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it a good morning?¡± ¡°What exactly is the problem¨Cis the school getting locked up?¡± ¡°Why would Mrs. Babington say such a thing?¡± ¡°Is our school in trouble?¡± ¡°Oh my! She should spill already!¡± Mrs. Babington kept mute for a while before raising her hand. The students took the cue and the hall fell intoplete silence once again. ¡°It hase to the notice of the school management that some students are engaging in unscrupulous activities. Behaving as though they were scoundrels and rebels¡­ Causing harm to their fellow students by bullying them¨Cit ends today.¡± The hall was dead silent. If a pin dropped, it would be heard five miles away from the school premises. Each one of the students was trying to process what the principal was saying. Bullies¡­ It began to ur to them, the students she was talking about. They were now beginning to understand the reason they were suddenly summoned into the school hall. Mrs. Babington turned her face to her right side, and about eight students emerged from below the podium and came to form a straight line on the podium, near Mrs. Babington. And that confirmed the students¡¯ suspicions. Right on the stage was Vicky Lewis and her cohort. Audible whispers broke out from every corner of the hall. ¡°Everyone, take a good look at these students. They are rebels. They have gone against the conduct of this prestigious school and they¡¯ll be duly punished for it.¡± Mrs. Babington proceeded to call the names of the bullies one after the other. Afterwards, she said: ¡°You are all hereby expelled. From this moment henceforth, you¡¯re no longer students of this prestigious citadel of learning.¡± All the students below bursted into uproar. Expelled?! Initially, Vicky had a nonchnt expression on her face but as soon as the principal said that, her countenance changed and her heart skipped a beat. Was the woman joking? It really had to be a joke. The students couldn¡¯t believe their ears either. They wondered what was going on. Despite the fact that the reason for those kids being expelled was justifiable, they just couldn¡¯t believe it. Vicky and her cohort were known to pick on weak kids, disturbing and bullying them¡­ And the most recent one they were involved in was bullying Mia Thompson-it was very brutal. Some of them saw the girl when she arrived at school this morning, she had her arm in a cast. Even right now, the students standing near Mia and her friends were gazing at her arm. Poor thing. They felt a bit of pity for her. And to think that the bullies dealt with her mercilessly, twice! What if she had died?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. But then¡­ Was the school management really going to expel those kids? Even if the rest were indeed going to get expelled-they weren¡¯t a problem-was Vicky Lewis also going to be expelled? The kids found it hard to believe. Vicky was the leader of the group. It wasn¡¯t like Mia was Vicky¡¯s first victim. Several other students had fallen victim to her bully. In fact, one time, she beat up a girl so badly that she ended up in aa. When asked the reason for maltreating the girl, Vicky¡¯s response was that she didn¡¯t greet her when she passed by her. The issue happened about six months ago. And despite it being a very crucial issue, the school management did absolutely nothing about it. Vicky¡¯s parents merely offered topensate the other girl¡¯s parents with money in order to buy their silence, while the school simply reassured the girl¡¯s parents over and over again that such a thing wouldn¡¯t happen again. But it happened again. Immediately after the girl woke up froma and resumed school, Vicky beat her silly. The girl¡¯s parents were forced to withdraw her from the school. They reported to the police station but nothing was done regarding the issue. Vicky¡¯s parents were influential and they funded the school immensely. Her father, Minister Lewis, was a minister, while her mother, Madam Lewis, was a famous businesswoman who dealt in Jade business. In fact, she¡¯d been the leader of the Parents¡¯ Association of the school for over three years. So, the kids were a hundred percent sure that the school wouldn¡¯t expel Vicky even if they did the rest of her crew. Mrs. Babington turned back to face the crowd. ¡°This should serve as a warning to the rest of you. If anyone is caught tarnishing the image of the school, engaging in rugal behavior, I¡¯ll not hesitate to make that person face the same fate as these students.¡± ¡°Good day.¡± With that, she turned to face Vicky and her cohort, e with me.¡± Expulsion II ¡°Good day.¡± With that, she turned to face Vicky and her cohort, e with me.¡± After the principal left with the expelled students, the hall erupted into chaos. The students still found it really hard to believe their eyes and ears. The ones closest to where Mia was threw nces at her, whispering among themselves. Everyone knew that the matter today was about her being bullied. But then,st they checked, Mia was a nobody. Although her father was well to do, the man was more or less nothingpared to Vicky¡¯s parents. He didn¡¯t have the resources it took to actually go against them. So, what was behind Mia? Better still, who was behind her? Could it be Max? Or did she find herself an influential sugar daddy? The bell soon rang, signaling the beginning of sses for the day. Slowly, the students began to disperse, one after the other, from the hall, into their various sses. ¨CThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. In the principal¡¯s office: As soon as Mrs. Babington stepped in, she was met by a crowded sight. The school management had already put calls across to the respective parents of the expelled kids, a day before, telling them to visit the school the following day for an important information about their kids. So right now, the guardians were all gathered in Mrs. Babington¡¯s office-Vicky¡¯s parents included. She handed over the expulsion letters to them. After sitting in her chair, the principal didn¡¯t waste time and immediately exined the update to each and everyone of them. Some of them were shocked to the bones, someshed out at their kids¡­ In fact, some of them hit their kids, some pleaded for their kids to be given one more chance. But their pleas fell on deaf ears. At the end of the day, there was nothing Mrs. Babington could do for any one of them and she told them so. Resigning to their fates, each parents began to leave, one by one, with their child. A whileter, only a couple remained seated before the principal. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis. Vicky¡¯s parents. Vicky also stayed behind. But she stood. Unlike the other people, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis¡¯ maintained a calm expression on their faces. Their countenance didn¡¯t flinch a bit and they remained indifferent to the whole situation like it was nothing to be bothered with at all. After ensuring that he and his wife were only parents left, Minister Lewis cleared his throat and spoke. ¡°Mrs. Babington, thank you very much. We¡¯ll now be on our way-thank you for always taking care of Vicky on our behalf. We¡¯re grateful.¡± He shed his yellow teeth at the principal and urged his wife to let them take their leave. They were extremely busy people. As the husband and wife began to rise to their feet, ¡°Minister Lee, as you¡¯re leaving, please take your daughter along with you.¡± Mrs. Babington muttered. ¡°She has been expelled, just like the rest.¡± She added, taking her phone out of the drawer and putting it on the desk. After hearing these words, Minister and Madam Lewis froze momentarily in motion. They eyed the principal suspiciously. All of a sudden, Minister Lewis bursted into a fit ofughter, easing the tense atmosphere. His wife joined in too. ¡°Not to worry, Mrs. Babington. I¡¯ll wire some money into the school¡¯s ount.¡± The man stressed on ¡®school¡¯s¡¯ as he spoke. ¡°You know, for the growth and betterment of the school.¡± He winked. He stood up fully, straightening his back. Then he began to pack his phones that were on the principal¡¯s desk. ¡°That will not be necessary, Sir.¡± Yet again, Mrs. Babington¡¯s words made his actions halt. Madam Lewis was starting to get pissed off by the principal¡¯s provoking attitude. What was wrong with her this time? ¡°What do you mean by it won¡¯t be necessary?¡± She asked, trying to conceal her anger. Afterall, the woman was the school principal-she shouldn¡¯t be offended. Mrs. Babington heaved a sigh and pressed her lips tightly together. ¡°Madam,¡± She turned to face Madam Lewis. ¡°Minister,¡± she then turned to face Minister Lewis too. She paused, ¡°Vicky has been rusticated from this school. Seriously. There¡¯s nothing you do that can ever change that fact.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also nothing I can do as it¡¯s no longer within my power. It¡¯s from the higher-ups. I have absolutely no say.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time your daughter will be bullying one of our students. It can¡¯t continue to go on-the school has had enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this time around, you¡¯ll have to take your leave with her.¡± Minister Lewis and his wife were dumbstruck. Vicky was too. Seemed like the situation was more serious than they thought it was. No wonder the principal was being adamant. Plus, this was indeed the first she¡¯d be making mention of expulsion to them. Slowly, the couple took their seats again. Madam Lee eyed Mrs. Babington from the corner of his eyes, and after a while of being inplete silence, he spoke: ¡°Mrs, Babington, we understand. It is you who have been helping us all this while-and we appreciate your all effort.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always looking out for our Vicky¡­ Let this tine not be any different. We¡¯re ready to do anything. Whatever it is, just let us know.¡± ¡°Just, please, let Vicky return to her ss first. Huh?-sses have started already, she¡¯s missing out.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was calm as she pleaded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Minister Lee nodded, agreeing with his wife. His wife already said everything that needed to be said. The couple felt that the reason for the principal being hardheaded was because she wanted more money or something huge that wasn¡¯t money. Little did they know that they would not be able to have their way this time around. The tides have turned. Mrs. Babington was irked. These people were giving her a hell of a problem. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but there¡¯s actually nothing within my power that I can do-respectfully. Like I said before, it¡¯s an order from above. It¡¯s not in my capacity to do anything, or I¡¯ll lose my job. I¡¯m truly sorry, but my hands are tied.¡± She tried her best to be as polite as possible. But her adamant attitude only further irritated the couple and they could no longer take the disrespect. Minister Lewis¡¯ response was a sudden outburst: ¡°Woman! What the hell is wrong with you?! Just do as you¡¯ve been told, or else!¡± He hit the desk furiously. Mrs. Babington simply maintained her original calm countenance. After a few seconds, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir, but I can¡¯t do as I¡¯ve just been told. Now, you need to leave my office-right away-you and your family.¡± ¡°What?!?!¡± Both husband and wife were enraged. They couldn¡¯t believe their ears. Teaching them a lesson After a few seconds, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir, but I can¡¯t do as I¡¯ve just been told. Now, you need to leave my office-right away-you and your family.¡± ¡°What?!?!¡± Both husband and wife were enraged. They couldn¡¯t believe their ears. In annoyance, they rose to their feet at once. ¡°You¡­ I¡¯ll make sure I ruin you. I¡¯ll sue you and sue this school. I won¡¯t stop until I see you hit the rock bottom!¡± ¡°Also, all the money my wife and I have spent on this damn school, I want everything returned-every dime! You ingrate!¡± ¡°I promise you, by the time I¡¯m done with you, you¡¯lle crawling back on your knees-by then, it¡¯ll be toote.¡± With all of that said, Minister Lewis stormed out of the office. Madam Lewis and her daughter remained behind. With fire zing in them, Madam Lewis ran her eyes over the woman at the side of the desk. ¡°Like my husband said, every penny we spent here must be refunded. Be ready for what¡¯sing as you¡¯ll be hearing from us soonest.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Vicky.¡± Then the mother and daughter also barhed out of the principal¡¯s office. After the family of three had left, Mrs. Babington didn¡¯t waste time at all and hastily picked up her phone from the desk. She pressed it hard on her ear and spoke into the mouthpiece with utmost respect and formality. ¡°They¡¯ve left, Sir.¡± She was using both hands to hold the phone in ce, breaking out in cold sweats. Unknown to Minister Lewis and his family, Mrs. Babington wasn¡¯t the only one that was listening to them while they were ranting. Mrs. Babington had secretly ced a call through to someone, before her conversations with them started, earlier on. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll take it from here. Also, Mrs. Babington, issues like this¡­¡± Although the man¡¯s voice trailed off, Mrs Babington knew what he was talking about. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again, I promise. I swear, something like that will never happen again in this school.¡± She quickly replied. ¡°Good.¡± Beep. After the call ended, the principal¡¯s body went limp and she slouched into her chair, heaving a series of sighs. Just how the personal assistant of the CEO of Beats Corporations got to know about the issue, she had no idea. Well, there was nothing people like them had interest in that they wouldn¡¯t find out. Wait, did that mean that the CEO himself was also aware? Mrs. Babington scrunched up her face bitterly. Although Minister Lewis wasn¡¯t one to be joked with,pared to these other people, he was nothing. It was better to offend the rotten man than to get on the bad side of Assistant Lucas. Sigh. Thank goodness he¡¯d contacted her directly and not the higher ups, or she¡¯d have been done here. His warning¡­ she¡¯d take it seriously or else, any more mistakes, and she¡¯d be really done. ¨C As soon as Lucas hung up the call, he turned to face the Big Boss. All those while, the phone had been on speaker and Shawn also heard the entire conversations that transpired on the other side of the phone. The aloof man seated behind his desk signed the paperwork that was lying before him and slowly lifted his gaze from it. He pressed his lips together and Lucas bobbed his head immediately. He removed the file in front of the CEO and briskly walked out of the office. He was to get to work immediately. ¨C The following day: After they dropped their daughter home the previous day, Minister Lewis and his wife assured the girl that she¡¯d be going back to school the following day, which was today. They were totally convinced that the threat on Mrs. Babington would make her sumb to their wants. The woman definitely wouldn¡¯t dare face their wrath. That, they were sure of. So, they knew that before nightfall, she¡¯d ce a call through to them, apologize for being rude towards them, and also inform them that Vicky could return to school the following day. After being reassured by her parents, Vicky simply kicked off her shoes, took off her school uniform, and went ahead to y video games all day long. She was sure things would turn out the way her parents expected. Minister Lewis and his wife on the other hand, headed out of the house and went their different ways. They were both rxed and sure that everything would go ording to their ns. Shockingly, throughout that day, they neither received a call from the lousy principal, nor did they receive any message from her. After they couple returned homete at night, they confirmed with each other that she didn¡¯t reach out to either of them.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. They were furious. What was the woman trying to do? Did that mean that she was serious about everything she¡¯d bbered about in the morning? If that was the case, that school wouldn¡¯t live to see daylight tomorrow. Minister Lee vowed to ensure that the school crumbled. If his daughter would no longer attend there, there was no use of it still being in existence. Immediately, the man ced some calls and pulled some strings to get the ball rolling. Afterwards, the family of three went to bed happily. They were sure that they¡¯d wake up to pleasant news the following morning, which was today. *But would that be the case?* As soon as five struck in the morning, Minister Lee and his wife were woken up by numerous iing calls on their phones, all of which carried unpleasant news. And those calls were what signalled the start of the worst day of their lives. Madam Lee was the first to receive bad news. ¡°What did you say?¡± Her eyes flung open at once and she immediately sat upright on the bed. Initially, she didn¡¯t want to pick the call but it was from her manager¡­ They were expecting some expensive goods and he was probably calling to tell her that the goods had arrived. But when she picked the call and heard the words that came out of his mouth, her whole world crumbled. Her goods, worth billions, had been lost at sea. ¡°All the ships capsized and caught fire?¡± She asked nkly. Her manager replied affirmatively. How was that possible? That could not be possible. Madam Lewis was beginning to run mad. But little did she know that that wasn¡¯t all. Doom! Madam Lewis was beginning to run mad. But little did she know that that wasn¡¯t all. All of her warehouses had also caught fire. Not only were the goods in them burnt to the ground, even the buildings copsed. After hearing yet another heart wrenching news from the manager, Madam Lewis suddenly screamed out loud. Her scream pulled her husband out of the dreand abruptly. The man was having a very sweet dream. In his dream, his daughter¡¯s former school got shut down and Mrs. Babington was thrown into prison, screaming and pleading with him to have mercy. But he was simplyughing at her nonchntly. Just when he was about to speak to her, he heard an ear piercing scream beside him. It was his wife¡¯s voice. He instantly woke up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He quickly inquired worriedly. His wife was looking miserable and her face waspletely white like she¡¯d just seen a ghost. Did she have a bad dream while he was having a nice one? But Madam Lewis began to weep and he was thrown into confusion. She couldn¡¯t possibly be crying over a dream¡­ ¡°What¡¯s the matter, why are you crying?¡± ¡°M-my-my goods-¡± The woman¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°My warehouses¡­¡± ¡°All gone. Gone.¡± Her entire body quivered as she wept. Gone? ¡°What do you mean gone? Gone where?¡± Minister Lewis who was half sleepy asked with a puzzled expression on his face. Madam Lewis sniffled, ¡°My goods-the ships capsized and caught fire. My warehouses too-every single one of them has caught fire and all the good in them perished.¡± Tears streamed down her face uncontrobly. Minister Lewis had a hard time processing all that his wife had just said. ¡°What?!¡± He couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Howe? All at once??? He blinked nkly in disbelief and stared at his wife. ¡°How did you find out?¡± ¡°My manager called just now.¡± Shit. The man was shocked. He¡¯d given his wife billions of money to start her jade business. It had been over five years now, and her business had not just been doing well but it had been flourishing. How could everything just vanish like that? He¡¯d invested a lot of money in that business. He just couldn¡¯t seem to fathom that a whole lot of money was gone. Just like that. He gaped at his wife. The woman was crying profusely. His heart broke. He slowly reached forward and pulled her into his embrace. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s going to be fine. Stop crying.¡± He patted her shoulder gently. Although a huge amount of money was just lost, he couldn¡¯t possibly watch his wife suffer. The world would mock her. He would never let his wife be subjected to mockery in the society. Never. ¡°Stop crying, things like that happen. The way out is to find a solution, not to cry.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find something to do about it. Let¡¯s go back to sleep first.¡± After about half an hour of being consoled, Madam Lee finally stopped crying and agreed to go back to sleep. Hugging her from behind, Minister Lewis went back to sleep with his wife. But a few secondster, ¡®grrrr grrrr¡¯. The ringing sound of a phone woke them up, disrupting their peaceful sleep again. This time, it wasn¡¯t Madam Lewis¡¯ phone that was ringing. It was her husband¡¯s. The man groaned and reached out his hand towards the bedside drawer. Without looking, he hung up the call and put his phone on silent. But soon afterwards, his other phones also began to ring. Exasperatedly, he resigned to his fate and kicked off the nkets. He heaved a sigh and picked up one of the phones from the drawer top. He swiped the answer icon and a loud voice came on. ¡°Have you seen the news?!¡± It was a friend of his-a minister like himself-that was on the phone. Minister Lewis was utterly infuriated. The news? By this time? ¡°You called to ask me just that?¡± Who the hell did that? What sort of measly prank was that? Calling him in the middle of the night to ask if he¡¯d watched the news. ¡°Man, switch on your TV. It¡¯s not a joke! I¡¯m serious!!¡± The tone with which the man on the other side of the phone spoke was serious and urgent. Minister Lewis¡¯ brows furrowed at this. What could the problem be this time around? Was the country in chaos? He couldn¡¯t help but wonder as he wandered around in search of the remote control. When he found it, he turned on the LED TV that was in their room. The TV was already tuned in to the news channel so as soon as it turned on, his face was what came up. The man frowned. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He increased the volume, just a bit-so that he wouldn¡¯t wake his wife up. The Newscaster: ¡°Our correspondent also gathered that the minister was not only involved in bribery and corruption and squandering of government owned resources, he was also involved in drug trafficking, putting the lives of millions of citizens in danger.¡± ¡°Despitemitting all of these crimes, he didn¡¯t stop there. Minister Lewis went ahead tomit another abominable crime to his family. It was gathered that the highly respected Minister Lewis, who millions of people looked up to, is alsomitting an extramarital affair.¡± ¡°The identity of his lover was disclosed. It turned out to be Miss. Alicia Dawson, an average model in the industry. It doesn¡¯t stop there. The two have a child together who is already three years old.¡± ¡°We sincerely hope that the government will see to this issue and bring justice to ce for the crimesmitted by the minister.¡± ¡°Moving on¡­¡± ¡°Did you see that? Did you hear everything that stupid woman just said? How could you have been so careless? How did you let this happen?!!!¡± The man on the other side of the phone was yelling profusely. Minister Lewis had not yet hung up the call. The phone was still pressed hard against his ear. He sat there at the edge of the bed,pels dumbfounded. He felt the earth spin around him and his eyes wavered dizzily. The news about him just now hit him like a bomb. He had no idea what just happened, or how it happened. How did all of this news get out? Doom II The news about him just now hit him like a bomb. He had no idea what just happened, or how it happened. ¡®How did all of this news get out?¡¯ Just how? Was it Alicia??? How could she be so stupid to the extent of ruining, not only his career, but his whole life? Simply because he didn¡¯t fulfil his promise of letting her strut down the runway with top models at Shanghai Fashion Week. But it wasn¡¯t his fault. He just was unable to secure a spot for her. Shanghai Fashion Week was a national asion. Only A-listers and B-lister models were able to perform. Alicia wasn¡¯t even a D-lister. Different emotions kept flooding through Minister Lewis¡¯ mind. He ignored the man that was still ranting on the phone and slowly turned to take a look at his sleeping wife. He prayed silently for the woman to be fast asleep. But as fate would have it, the woman was wide awake. In fact, she was already in a sitting position, her legs were crossed, her arms folded, and her back was resting against the headboard. The minister met his wife¡¯s piercing gaze and he swallowed the big lump that had formed in his throat uneasily.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The couple stared directly into each other¡¯s eyes for a while, like they were in a staringpetition. Minister Lee was the first to break eye contact. He was ashamed. Just how much did she hear? Everything? Then his wife finally opened her mouth and spoke. ¡°Tell me it isn¡¯t true.¡± The man broke into cold sweats at once. ¡®Which one?¡¯ He tried his all to maintain an unfazed expression on his face. ¡°Huh?¡± He nced at his wife¡¯s face. Seeing as Madam Lewis didn¡¯t respond, he said, ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Er, I didn¡¯t squander any money.¡± Madam Lewis shot him a hard re. That wasn¡¯t it. ¡°Ah-ahh, I¡¯m not involved in dru-drug trafficking-I didn¡¯t-¡± The woman¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot red and her gaze held murderous intent with it. Minister quickly removed the phone that was still pressed on his ear and hung up the call. He dropped his phone on the bed and pressed his sweaty palms together. So his wife heard everything the reporter said. He had no choice than toe out clean. ¡°Tha-that girl-it¡¯s a lie. I have absolutely nothing to do with her. It¡¯s a false allegation, my wife.¡± He demonstrated with his hands as he spoke from the bottom of his heart. Madam Lewis¡¯ murderous countenance didn¡¯t change a bit. ¡°Come on, believe me. I¡¯m your husband. Will you choose the words of a reporter over mine?¡± ¡°You know those people are always running their mouths, lying to the audience, for money.¡± He scampered over to his wife¡¯s side. ¡°I swear on my life, it¡¯s not true. I don¡¯t have any children outside. I don¡¯t even know the girl they¡¯re talking about.¡± He quickly reassured the woman. After a while, without saying anything, Madam Lewis simply moved her body andid back on the bed. Then she flipped on her side. What he said had better be the truth, or else¡­ Madam Lewis didn¡¯t give a middle finger about her husband embezzling government funds or involving in drug trafficking. She knew they were too rich for all the money they had to be from legal sources. She knew her husband was involved in those atrocities for the benefit of their family. But cheating on her to the extent of having a male child outside their home! It had better be a lie. For now, she wasn¡¯t concerned about her husband losing his job and whatnots. Right now, all she had on her mind was that model. Again, it had better be a lie. ¨C Neither Minister Lewis nor his wife went back to sleep. They simplyid on the bed, unmoving. Their minds were both upied with different thoughts running through them. They remained wide awake till daybreak. As soon as six struck in the morning, Minister Lee silently turned to look at his wife. The woman had her back to him so he couldn¡¯t see her face. But her breathing was deep, slow and steady which signaled that she was still asleep. Careful not to make a sound, he silently sneaked out of bed and headed to the closet. Without taking a bath, he got dressed, and then sneaked out of their home. No one was up yet as it was still very early. He got in one of the cars and quietly drove out. He had to go see that stupid bitch. He was extremely furious right now and he needed to vent out his anger and the one person that caused the whole mess he was in. After driving on the tarred half-empty roads for a while, Minister Lewis pulled up in front of an apartment. He took a quick look around through the windscreen to be sure no one was watching him. It wouldn¡¯t take long before reporters started trailing him and his family, and also Alicia-or anyone associ with all of them. He stepped out of the car and quickly walked up to the porch. He punched in the passcode, took a nce around, and then barged into the apartment in annoyance. ¡°Alicia!¡± He yelled at the top of his voice. He hadn¡¯t taken up to ten steps when he found thedy he was looking for. She was in the living room, sittingfortably on the couch. But she wasn¡¯t alone. Her manager was there too. The expression on their faces made it seem like they were in the middle of a heated argument. Upon hearing someone yell name, Alicia looked up towards the doorway. When her eyesnded on her sugar daddy, her gaze froze. Her heart skipped a bit as the man began to approach her hurriedly. Minister Lewis closed up the space between them and smacked her hard across the face. ra, Alicia¡¯s manager shrieked at this and she left her mouth open ajar in sheer horror. She was well aware of the rtionship between the two so she simply sat still and gulped hard. ¡°After everything I¡¯ve done for you, this is how you repay me, bitch!¡± ¡°Huh?! You stupid bitch!!! Just because of some stupid runway show, you ruined my life!¡± Minister Lewis shook Alicia aggressively, spitting out venom from his mouth. He never expected this from her. This was betrayal of the highest order. Doom III He never expected this from her. This was betrayal of the highest order. How could she? Alicia¡¯s body writhed in pain from all the rigorous shaking but she ignored it. That wasn¡¯t her major concern right now. Little aches here and there were nothingpared to the issue on ground. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t do it.¡± Her voice broke and hot tears streamed down her face. ¡°I swear on my son¡¯s life, it wasn¡¯t me. I don¡¯t know how it happened. I only just saw the news a while ago. I swear.¡± She muttered amidst tears. ¡°Liar!¡± Minister Lewis was not having it. ¡°I swear, I didn¡¯t do it. What benefit will I derive from all of it? My life is also at stake-no agency will want to work with me again-I¡¯m also affected here, I did not do it. Believe me.¡± Alicia cried harder. The man¡¯s eyes blinked. That was true. Besides,e to think of it, Alicia couldn¡¯t have pulled any of those strings. The reports about him came with concrete proof. Where could his babymama have gotten all those evidence from? And how? It was impossible. ¡°How could it be me? Just how?-You¡¯re my baby¡¯s daddy!¡± That was right. Minister Lewis came to a sudden realization. So, who did it? That person or those people, must be after his life because¡­ But he didn¡¯t remember offending anyone¡­ Or did he offend anyone? Slowly, he released his grip on Alicia and thedy slumped on the couch, crying hard. raforted her by patting her gently on the back. Initially, Alicia had no idea that the inte had turned upside down with the news of her and her married lover. It wasn¡¯t until ra rushed down to her ce very early in the morning and yed the news tape for her that she realized she was in hot soup. That was to say Alicia waspletely innocent. It had to be them. Minister Lewis was now a hundred percent sure that it was his enemy¡¯s handiwork. After a few seconds passed, he crouched down beside Alicia and took her hands in his. ¡°Alicia, since things have turned out this way, it will be best if you and Dawson leave the country.¡± He patted her hands gently, staring directly into her eyes. Alicia opened her mouth to protest but no word came out of it. Although she didn¡¯t want to leave the city, deep down, she knew that was the only choice she had. That was also what her manager was suggesting before her sugar daddy barged in on them. She had to leave. Here was no longer safe for her and her precious child. It wouldn¡¯t take long before people started pointing using fingers at her. Her freedom would bepletely restricted. She¡¯d be aughing stock-in fact, she was already one. A home wrecker, a slut, wrench, a whore-they would be her new names if she didn¡¯t flee. She really had to leave. For the sake of her son. Alicia would never let her son grow up in toxicity. The hardship her son would face if they stayed back in the city, would be more than hers. He¡¯d be neglected and separ from his peers¡­ He¡¯d be referred to as a home wrecker¡¯s son, a bastard, and a child born out of wedlock. And herself, she¡¯d be used of sleeping her way to the current state that she was in right now. Even though she wasn¡¯t an A-list or B-list model,izens would call her names all the same. Alicia resigned to her fate. Just as she was about to open her mouth and ask where she and her son were to go, a voice came from the doorway. ¡°So, it¡¯s true.¡± The three people currently seated on the couch turned their heads in that direction. Minister Lewis¡¯ mouth dropped open immediately. Alicia fell into daze¡­ There was a middle-aged woman standing at the door. How the woman was able to enter, no one knew. And the exact moment she entered the apartment, no one had any idea. But the woman¡­ Alicia found her strangely familiar. She was about to open her mouth and ask the woman who she was but then, she noticed there was tension between the woman and her baby¡¯s daddy. The two were gazing directly into each other¡¯s eyes. Alicia looked away from her sugar daddy to the woman, then back at her sugar daddy. It then dawned on her. That woman was Minister Lewis¡¯ wife. She was in deep shit. She swallowed back her question and beads of sweat began to form all over her body. After a while of silence, ¡°So-it¡¯s in-deed true¡­¡± Madam Lewis¡¯ voice broke as she spoke. She had her eyes fixated on her husband whose bum remained glued to the chair. Although earlier on, deep down, she knew what the newscaster said was true. About her husband having a child with someone outside their home. Even though she knew that it was the truth, she still hoped and prayed for it not to be. And to think the man she called her husband had looked her in the face and lied¡­ He tantly denied the allegation.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. How pathetic. ¨C After watching the news, Madam Lewis didn¡¯t go back to sleep. She stayed awake, in silence, till dawn. And then she suddenly felt her husband quietly slip out of the bed, and out of their room. Even that alone was enough to confirm that it was true. The allegation. Nevertheless, she still convinced herself that that wasn¡¯t the case. With her heart pounding hard against her chest, she also got out of bed and rummaged through the closet for a cloth to wear. She found a Burberry Greige cotton and wool double breasted trench coat and quickly wore it on her pajamas. She headed out of the house and trailed her husband¡¯s car in hers. Then after a while, he parked the car in front of an apartment and walked into the apartment. Minister Lewis had been so furious that he forgot to shut the door when he stepped into Alicia¡¯s apartment. With the door open and their voices loud, Madam Lewis was able to hear their conversations from outside. And then she heard her husband tell his side chick to leave the country. She had heard enough, so she walked in on them. ¨C ¡°I-l- I can exin.¡± Minister Lewis stuttered. Madam Lewis felt her heart grow heavier and her head began to pound hard. Wasn¡¯t it bad enough that he was cheating on her with some cheap girl? But that was still fair. She could handle that. Afterall, all men cheat. They¡¯d been married for several years and their marriage had lost its sweetness. It was expected of her husband to be messing around. But to think that that stupid thing between his legs went ahead and malfunctioned, and bore a male child-a male child that it was unable to give her¡­ Then Madam Lewis¡¯ eyes darted over to Alicia. With that girl? That, she couldn¡¯t take. Without warning, she rushed at the girl and pounced on her. CEO helps troubled wife *** About an hourter, Beats Corporation¡¯s headquarters. The CEO was currently seated calmly behind his desk while his assistant simply stood by the side. Both of them had their eyes fixated on therge screen that was in the office. It was a few minutes past midmorning and the news was on. The news channel was recording live. On therge indoor LED screen was Minister Lewis being arrested and hauled away by the police while also being surrounded by reporters who were hungry for details. Turned out to be that even till the very end, the man was promiscuous. The police didn¡¯t find him in his home. He was found at his sidechick¡¯s ce. The crazy part was that it was his wife who called the police and told them his current address. Right on the screen, Madam Lewis was there too. As well as Alicia Dawson. Thetter looked badly beaten, her face was bruised and swollen. Anyone could roughly guess what happened to her. Hm. Lucas picked the remote from the desk and switched off the TV, cutting off the reporter¡¯s piped voice. There was no need to watch any further, his boss had seen what needed to be seen. ¡°You handled it well.¡± The CEO stated, his face expressionless. He nodded his head once and Lucas took the cue. The CEO¡¯s PA bobbed and took his leave. His job was done. After Lucas left, Shawn stood up from his swivel chair and went to stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. He pocketed his hands and looked out through the window in a domineering manner. His frame was straight and stoic. The CEO didn¡¯t know what had been happening to him these past few days. He was married to the girl, only on paper. He had no responsibility whatsoever towards her. Why then was he helping her? This had to be the first and thest time he¡¯d render any form of assistance to her. That marriage was contractual-in a sense-and it was one of convenience. It wasn¡¯t based on love. Although they were actually married in reality, as they both signed their marriage certificates, they were still strangers merely living together under the same roof. They weren¡¯t even cohabiting. Plus, while he didn¡¯t say it, on the night that the girl moved into his house, Shawn made up his mind to not involve himself in her business, and vice versa. That was the deal. She was to stay clear of his business, and he was to stay clear of hers too. Just how did ite to her assisting her? This was a mistake. And it shouldn¡¯t happen again. If he was to continue helping her, the girl would be ustomed to it, and when the time came for them to divorce, it would be hard to get rid of her. Shawn¡¯s eyes twitched. It had to stop. *** Three dayster. School was finally over and it was now time to go home. But Mia remained rooted to her seat. She was least eager to leave the school premises and return to Magnificent Residences. Why wouldn¡¯t she feel that way? There was nothing at home afterall. Home was boring. Well, it was usually boring to begin with but nowadays, staying at home was even more boring than it used to be. These past few days, she never once set eyes on the demi-god. It was as if he never slept at home at all. He waspletely nowhere in sight. In fact, if not for the fact that every time she asked after him during breakfast, the maids would reply with: ¡°Master left not quite long ago.¡±-she¡¯d have thought he never came around the house at all. Everyday, he¡¯de back extremelyte at night-when she was already fast asleep-and he¡¯d leave for work very early in the morning-before she was up. Mia sucked her teeth in. Was he avoiding her? Well, that was the way it seemed-like he was avoiding her like gue. But why was he avoiding her like that? Was he still angry? Because she went to his office without permission? Judging from the way he reacted that day, he didn¡¯t like that she came to his ce of work. But she thought they had already gone past that. Hadn¡¯t they? They even went to Grandpa Mandez¡¯s ce for dinner, that same day, together. Sigh. Mia vowed over and over again never to make such a mistake again. The man had cleared warned her to stay the fuck out of his sight, which meant that she was not to poke her nose into his affairs-and that included not going over to his office. Never again! Mia heaved a sigh for the umpteenth time, within the space of three minutes. Reluctantly, she got up from her chair and slung her bag over her shoulder and headed out of the ssroom. The past few days had been quite peaceful for her in school. Nobody whispered any longer when she was in sight-although the students sometimes still secretly threw using gazes at her, it wasn¡¯t usually obvious. Initially, the entire school thought that Vicky being kicked out was just a false disy. But three days had passed-today was the fourth-and the girl still hadn¡¯t returned back to school. Plus, the news about her family was circting online, causing the inte to be in turmoil. That alone was enough to make them know that the girl was nevering back. With her father¡¯s image tarnished, the school would definitely not take her back. With that realization in mind, the kids sat tight and were of good behaviors. No one wanted to end up like Vicky and her cohort. With the bullies gone and the students of good behavior, Mia had no reason to fret in school even when she was all alone. As Mia stepped into the school hallway, she sighted Martha and Max approaching her. ¡°Mia!¡± Her best friend waved at her as she and her boyfriend drew nearer. Max simply nodded his head at her, and she nodded back. That was the way the both of them were now. That was how they greeted each other now. Since that day in the hallway, things had turned awkward between the both of them. Plus, Max and Martha never bugged her about where she was living again. They were all simply letting the sleeping dog lie-at least, for now. But unknown to Mia, both Max and Martha were still, each, secretly keen on knowing where she was residing. They just didn¡¯t know how to bring up the issue again so it wouldn¡¯t be like they were prying on the girl¡¯s private life. ¡®Very soon, I¡¯ll find out your secret. Very soon.¡¯ Marthat thought to herself. But she maintained a smile on her face. The familiar necklace ¡®Very soon, I¡¯ll find out your secret. Very soon.¡¯ Martha thought to herself. But she maintained a smile on her face, staring sweetly at Mia. She was annoyed that she had no idea what was going on in the girl¡¯s life anymore. Before, she used to know absolutely everything when it came to Mia. For instance, what she was nning, what she was going through at the moment, her family, every detail of her rtionship with Max- That was how she was able toe between her and Max. Even when Martha was uninterested in listening to anything, Mia would still discuss everything with her. But now, things had changed. What changed though? The girl had started keeping secrets from her. Since the moment Mia moved out of their room, she no longer let Martha in on anything again. She stopped talking to her about literally everything. To make matters worse, Vicky and her cohort were expelled. And to think that the kids at school had also quietened down these past few days. No one bugged Mia any longer. Why? All because of the kids that were expelled¡­ Now, Mia was acting and moving around as she liked. Just like everyone else, Martha was caught off guard by those kids¡¯ expulsion. She never saw iting at all. Most especially Vicky¡¯s. The girl got away with anything and everything. What happened this time around? What changed? Who would have thought that her family would eventer end up in a very big mess? With Vicky gone, the kids retreated from Mia¡¯s case. They no longer pointed using fingers at her, or talk bad about her boldly. They were scared for their lives. Cowards! What Martha wanted to know the most right now was where Mia was staying and with whom she was staying. And she¡¯d find out just that. Very soon. ¨C Grinning, Martha linked arms with Mia and they all began to head out of the school premises together. As they chatted on and on, Martha¡¯s steps suddenly halted as if she just remembered something. She then reached in her school uniform and brought out a silver ne that was concealed under her school shirt and draped around her neck. ¡°Mia, look what Max got me. You really need to thank him for me, he¡¯s been nothing but good to me. He spoils me silly!¡± ¡°He¡¯s just too much-too caring! He showers me with gifts all the time.¡± Mia took a nce at the ne. It looked somewhat familiar. Then she recollected it was the same one she¡¯d once seen before in Max¡¯s possession. The ne had the same initials ¡®MM¡¯. It was the ne she¡¯d thought he was going to give on the night he broke up with her. So, it was meant for Martha¡­ Mia felt awkward right now. But she put on a smile anyway and turned to face Max. ¡°Thank you.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . There was nothing to be sad about. It was nothing to mull over-there was absolutely nothing wrong with a guy giving his girlfriend gifts. There was nothing wrong with Martha sharing exciting news with her. They were best friends, it was supposed to be like that. Mia convinced herself inwardly as she tried to get her mind off the ne. Max nodded at her and the trio resumed walking again. Secretly, he snuck a nce at Mia; the girl didn¡¯t seem bothered at all about what she just heard. Her expression was simply calm. For some reasons unknown to him, Max was slightly disappointed by this. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to feel jealous and perhaps tear up? It was as if she never once loved him-or had she gotten over him? Just like that? No. That was ridiculous-Mia loved him more than to ever move on from him within the space of a few weeks. It would probably take the girl her entire life to get over him. Maybe she was just being so good at concealing her true feelings, Max convinced himself. To be sincere, that ne¡­ Max shook his head. Martha also snuck a nce at Mia as they approached the school¡¯s main gates. Seeing how quiet the girl was, she smirked secretly. ¡®That¡¯s right. Jealousy is what you should be feeling right now. Max is now mine and mine alone. Every thought you¡¯re harbouring of himing back to you, discard it.¡¯ As soon as the three friends stepped outside the school, Mia unlinked her arm from Martha and turned to face the couple. Smiling, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way now. Bye.¡± She waved and began heading in the opposite direction. Martha waved back while Max simply nodded his head. They also turned around in the other direction and headed towards the car that came to pick Max up. ¡°Do you think what I said triggered Mia just now?¡± Martha took a peek at Max. ¡°Aishh! I¡¯m so stupid! I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡± She dug her fists in her palm and ruffled her hair exasperatedly. Max looked at her calmly and smiled. She was just too cute. Although he knew deep down that Martha wasn¡¯t supposed to make mention of things like that to Mia since she was his ex. But then, Mia was also Martha¡¯s best friend. It was only right to share good news with one¡¯s best friend. In fact, he¡¯d secretly wanted Martha to speak about the gift to Mia¡­ In his presence. That way, he¡¯d be able to see if the girl would be jealous. All in all, what Martha did wasn¡¯t bad at all. She was too excited about the ne and she instantly shared the news with Mia. There was nothing wrong with that. Max removed Martha¡¯s hands from her hair and then began to straighten out her hair that she had messed up. ¡°You¡¯re not stupid. And there¡¯s nothing for Mia to be triggered about. We¡¯re no longer together, anyway.¡± Martha nodded her head and smiled shyly at her boyfriend. The couple then resumed walking, hands entwined. Just then, something shed through Max¡¯s eyes as he recollected something. ¡°Martha, when are we going to tell everyone that we¡¯re now back together?¡± He asked. Martha¡¯s body went rigid for a second. She was so stunned by what he said but she quickly collected herself and responded. ¡°Soon. Soon.¡± Max nodded his head. When they arrived by the car, Max gave Martha a kiss on the cheek before getting in. ¡°See youter.¡± Martha blushed deeply and waved until the car was out of sight. As soon as the car was no longer in sight, she scowled. She hadpletely forgotten about announcing their rtionship to the kids at school. Whatever. Helping Mr. Charming ¨C Mia was on her way to the alley and she hadn¡¯t gone far away from the school when someone approached her all of a sudden and said: ¡°Hello.¡± With a sudden upward nce, Mia was entranced by the beauty of a pair of piercing blue eyes. Right before her was a man standing tall with broad shoulders and a chiseled jawline, the kind that made you take notice. His tousled ck hair was styled in a messy quiff and his deep blue eyes held a mischievous glint in them. He was dressed in a well-fitted T-shirt and ck jeans that fit him like a glove, which only added to the air of confidence and yfulness he was exuding. For a moment, Mia feltpletely lost. She was mesmerized. How could a man look so charming and morous? But the man¡¯s soothing voice soon pulled her out of her reverie. ¡°Did you hear what I just said, Miss?¡± Mia blinked frantically as she gazed at him. She was a bit taller than her so she had to angle up her head to see his face. He had a carefree smile tugged at the corner of his mouth which gave him a charming yful look. He definitely saw the way she was ogling at him that was why he currently had that smirk on his face. Mia¡¯s cheeks flushed in embarrassment and she missed his throaty chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t get that just now.¡± She mumbled shyly. ¡°I asked if you perhaps know Veronica Clifford-she¡¯s my niece and I¡¯m here to pick her up.¡± He paused, ¡°It¡¯s just that she hasn¡¯te out yet¡­ do you know her?¡± Oh. Mia¡¯s brows furrowed. The name did ring a bell. Veronica Clifford¡­ It sounded very familiar. Then her head snapped, ¡®Right.¡¯ Veronica was one of her ssmates. ¡°She¡¯s in my ss.¡± She responded. He heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank Goodness.¡± Mia watched as the man let out a killer smile. He looked so seductive like that¡­ ¡°But she hasn¡¯te out yet. Pardon me for disturbing you, but can you help me look for her-she should still be in the school.¡± Before she could even think straight, Mia replied with a yes. It was after she spoke that reality dawned on her. Mia and the girl had never spoken to each other before. Not even once. Actually, Mia didn¡¯t like talking to anyone, except Martha and Max of course-and Alex too, asionally. But Veronica?¡­ If she found her, how would shemunicate with her? She turned to look at the school gate and then turned back to face the stranger. ¡°Gracias.¡± He was beaming with a smile, making it hard for Mia to go back on her word. She couldn¡¯t help but drool inwardly at the sight of that beautiful smile. Phew! If it wasn¡¯t that they were by the roadside, she¡¯d have pulled down her pants for him. Mia shoved her fantasies aside and then nodded at him. She turned around and began to head back into the school premises. ¨C Immediately the girl disappeared from sight, a man d inplete ck approached the man Mia had just conversed with. Then he said, ¡°Sir, I could have gone in search of the Young Miss myself.¡± The charming man chuckled. ¡°And what?-Scared the living daylight out of the kids, with that dreadful face of yours?¡± Damien¡¯s eyes were still looking in the direction the girl went. Joe¡¯s face turned glum when he heard his boss¡¯ words. It was indeed true that his face was hard and stoic. He never smiled orughed. Even right now, as students passed by the men, they couldn¡¯t help but shiver in fear at the sight of Joe¡¯s face. He was speechless. Going into the school premises would have indeed been disastrous. He pressed his lips firmly together and quit talking. Damien snorted as he nced at his right-hand man. He feigned a grimace. ¡°I¡¯m shivering, you¡¯re too scary. You should get back in the car-Aish, you¡¯re way too frightening.¡± Joe¡¯s brows furrowed. Without further ado, he retreated. But as soon as he stepped into the driver¡¯s seat, he thought to himself. ¡°At least, it¡¯s just my face that¡¯s scary-yours is not, but your heart is. Your heart is even scarier.¡± He shut the car door. ¨C Mia first went to her ssroom to check if she¡¯d find the man¡¯s niece there. When she left the ss earlier on, she wasn¡¯t in the right frame of mind. So she didn¡¯t pay attention to those who were still in ss at that time. She couldn¡¯t tell if Veronica was among them. But when she got there, Veronica was nowhere in sight. She then began to search every nook and cranny for the girl; the school library, the school hall, the hallways-but she still couldn¡¯t find Veronica anywhere. After a lot of time had passed, she finally found her in the school¡¯s courtyard. As soon as Mia¡¯s eyesnded on Veronica, her heart skipped a bit and she froze. She and Veronica had never spoken a word to each other before. Veronica was the school¡¯s queen bee while she was just-just Mia. Veronica looked so heavenly beautiful. She was really pretty. The two girls had nothing inmon. Veronica garnered attention wherever she went. *Well, Mia did too. Just that she garnered negative attention instead of postive ones. Giggles* In addition, Veronica was filthy rich. Although Mia¡¯s school was super expensive, not all the students that attended there were from a wealthy family. Therefore, there were sses among the students. Every student belonged to one of these sses: the FRC (filthy rich ss), the WC (wealthy ss), the RC (rich ss), the ARC (average rich ss), and the levelers. The levelers consisted of students who had nothing. They were only able to attend the school because they were ced on schrship. Lucky them. Obviously, Veronica belonged to the FRC. Therefore, she only rolled with kids in her social ss. Mia on the other hand belonged to the RC. ¨C Mia¡¯s heart beat erratically as she continued to stare at Veronica. The girl was chatting away with her cohort. Summoning up the courage, she began to approach the kids. With every step she took, her heart pounded hard against her chest.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She was extremely nervous. Although she belonged to the RC, she didn¡¯t fit in there. She didn¡¯t fit anywhere. She was an outcast who had just two friends. Veronica seemed to be saying something to her friends when she suddenly caught sight of Mia approaching them. Momentarily, she stopped talking. Suddenly a stammerer Veronica was saying something to her friends when she suddenly caught sight of Mia. Momentarily, she stopped talking. The girl seemed to being in their direction and this made her frown. When Mia came and stood in front of them, she fiddled with her hands. Veronica swept a cold gaze over her. Her friends also had disgust written on their faces as they stared at Mia. They were overwhelmed with the urge to pounce on her but they knew better. Not after what happened recently. What did she want anyway? Why was she there? ¡°What do you want?¡± One of them finally voiced out. Her voice was filled with irritation. Perhaps she lost her way or something, ¡¯cause she didn¡¯t belong there. Taking in a very deep breath, Moa faced Veronica directly and opened her mouth to speak. ¡°Hum, Veronica, someone¡¯s waiting for you outside. He says he¡¯s your uncle and he¡¯s here to pick you.¡± Veronica¡¯s brows creased. Was that so? Her parents were currently out of the country with her younger brother. They were away on a vacation and they had informed her beforehand that she¡¯d have to stay with her uncle until they returned a weekter. So, what Mia just said might be the truth. Although she knew that the person that was there to pick her wasn¡¯t her uncle. Her uncle was a very busy man, so he must have sent someone toe get her in his stead. Well, that was thoughtful of him. Mia knew she was supposed to leave immediately after delivering her message, but her legs just wouldn¡¯t budge. She stood rooted to the ground, on the same spot, as if waiting for something. Without giving Mia any response, Veronica stood up and picked her bag from the chair. She bade her friends goodbye. ¡°Bye!!!!¡± They replied to her in unison. They were also waiting for their respective guardians toe get them. Veronica had no idea that her uncle was going to send someone early toe get her, or she would have waited outside the school gate. She had thought that since the man was always busy, he might not remember to send someone to pick her up on time. And that by the time he did, it¡¯d be dark already. It was only after Veronica started to walk away that Mia¡¯s feet also began to move. She trailed silently after the girl while Veronicapletely ignored her existence. Immediately Veronica stepped outside the school gate, she scanned the whole area until her eyesnded on a figure standing in a corner not too far away from where she was. The person looked sooo much like him¡­ Her head tilted to the side and she began to walk down to meet the man. Could her uncle havee over himself? As she approached him she began to get more convinced that the person was indeed her uncle. Her face lit up instantly and she quickly shuffled over to Damien¡¯s side.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Uncle Damien!¡± She squealed as soon as she reached where he was standing. The man enveloped her in a warm hug. It was really him. Who would have thought that he¡¯de all the way to pick her up by himself. Although it wasn¡¯t foreign to everyone in the family that Damien loved and spoiled both his niece and nephew silly. He was overprotective of them and showered them with lots of unconditional love. There was someone else he loved in that manner¡­ Despite knowing that she was of great importance to her uncle, Veronica still found it hard to believe that he came to her school himself-in person. She was really touched as the man was no ordinary person. Damien Davis was the CEO of their family¡¯spanies and due to that, he had a very tight schedule every day. Damien grinned as his niece squeezed him tight in the hug. ¡°Hey, Vee.¡± ¡°You came!!!¡± He chuckled, ¡°Of course I did, Pretty. I¡¯m here to take my adorable niece home¡±. Veronica reluctantly broke away from the hug and he pinched her cheek, wriggling it yfully. Then the corner of his eyes caught sight of something and he looked behind Veronica to see the girl from earlier on standing a few feet away from them. ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± He shed a heartwarming smile at Mia and the girl almost went blind from how white his neat rows of teeth were. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find you anywhere so I had to beg someone to help get you. Thankfully, you¡¯re ssmates.¡± Damien¡¯s eyes angled down on Veronica. She turned around to see Mia standing behind her. She frowned and kept mute. ¡°Ah, no¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± Mia let out a shy smile. Veronica clicked her tongue irritably and just went straight to sit in her uncle¡¯s Bentley Continental GT, leaving her uncle and the lousy girl. Of all people, why was it Mia that Damien asked to help look for Veronica. After Vee left, Damien stood staring at Mia in silence for a while. ¡°Are you going this way??-You should hitch a ride with us.¡± He asked, pointing at the road ahead of them. ¡°Er, no. I¡¯m going that way.¡± Mia pointed in the direction she was facing. She bit on her lip, hating that she suddenly became a stammerer in the presence of the hot looking man. Damien saw this and smirked. ¡°Okay.¡± Veronica could no longer take it. She wound down the ss window and suddenly called out to her uncle. ¡°Uncle Damien, I¡¯m hungry! Let¡¯s go.¡± She seriously hated that Mia was having a conversation with her uncle. That uncultured girl. Since Damien had his back to the car while Mia was facing it, Veronica could only see Mia¡¯s facial expression and not her uncle¡¯s. She didn¡¯t like the look on Mia¡¯s face as she conversed with Damien. The girl was gawking at her uncle in a shameless manner. After snatching Max away from Martha, her best friend, did she want to take over her uncle too? ¡®Over my hot rich dead body.¡¯ Veronica vowed. ¡°Thank you for your help, goodbye.¡± With that said, Damien turned around. His precious niece was hungry so they had to leave immediately. He stepped in the backseat of the Bently, beside his niece, and the luxurious car zoomed off. Mia simply stood rooted to the ground until the car was out of sight. Phew! She let out a groan. There were men, and there were hot men! Grinning from ear to ear, she began to head home. Missing his wife *** By the time Mia arrived at the vi, it was already in the evening. Thankfully, the demi-god usually didn¡¯t get home until midnight or she didn¡¯t know what would have be of her this evening. She had spent a lot of time gallivanting around in search of Veronica and by the time she got to the bus stop, her bus had already moved. She had to wait for over thirty minutes before the next one came. Her dad had cut her off and had to be careful with her spendings so she couldn¡¯t take a taxi. After getting on the bus, heavy traffic then showed Mia hell. Tomorrow was another day to make payment for¡­ Mia heaved a sigh and she dragged her heavy feet into the house. From the front doorway, she yelled out a greeting to everyone to signal that she was back from school. It was what she did everyday, whenever she returned: ¡°Good evening, everybody. I¡¯m back.¡± The maids in sight sank low in cursy when the saw her. They didn¡¯t bother to approach her to collect her school bag as they knew she wouldn¡¯t hand it over to them. She always rejected them with a kind smile on her face whenever they tried to take her bag. Mia was on her way to ascend the stairs she caught sight of a figure sitting in the lounge, from the corner of her eyes. It was her husband. He was back. She froze. ¡°Where are youing from?¡± The man¡¯s maic voice resonated through the entire area. Mia was beyond shocked. Her face was white as if she had just seen a ghost. Never in her wildest dreams did she think he¡¯d get home this early-before her. No one even gave her a headsup when she came in. Aish! This was bad. Really bad. ¡°Why are you home thiste?¡± Shawn had his eyes on the tablet in his hand as he asked the girl another question. He didn¡¯t even raise his head to look at her at all. Mia tried to get words toe out of her mouth but they seemed to be stuck in her throat. She wanted to pee on her body. She was really frightened at the sight of the demi-god being at home by that time. These past few days, it was as if he was avoiding her like a person avoiding a gue-she didn¡¯t for once set her eyes on him-but seeing him seating majestically like that, as if he couldn¡¯t be bothered by anything in the world, Mia was convinced that she had been wrong all along. Several seconds passed and Shawn still didn¡¯t hear the girl respond to any of his questions. He ground his teeth irritably and immediately raised his head. She was standing across the room. He shot her a hard re that said he wouldn¡¯t repeat himself again. If he asked a question, an answer was expected automatically. Seeing his deadly face, ¡°Hum-er-traffic-there was traffic on the way.¡± Mia became a stutterer. Well, that was partly true. There was indeed traffic on the way. Shawn¡¯s gaze on her remained unwavering and he didn¡¯t speak for a long time. After a while, he said, ¡°okay.¡± Then he added, ¡°you may leave.¡± Mia bobbed her head dumbly and quickly disappeared from his sight before he changed his mind about letting her go. Immediately she entered her room and shut the door, she copsed to the floor and heaved a gusty sigh of relief. She had to ensure it never happened again-hering homete. What if the demi-god threw her belongings out because of that?-she¡¯d have to sleep in the streets as she had absolutely nowhere to go. ¨C Liar. Shawn frowned as soon as the girl went upstairs. She was lying. Only the heavens knew where she went after school. Although the CEO decided to stay clear of the girl¡¯s path-which he had been doing for the past three days-he just couldn¡¯t help it any longer. asionally, he often got the urge to talk to her or even see her, as he had not seen her in days. For instance, today, while he was still busy at work, he got the sudden urge to see her face and hear her voice. It was unexinable and he didn¡¯t understand either. Maybe he was just feeling bad for speaking to her in an ill manner the other day she came by the office. He also didn¡¯t like that he had been sneaking in and out of the house like a thief. Just because he was trying to avoid her. It didn¡¯t make sense at all. If anyone should be doing the sneaking, it ought to be the girl, not him. The house was his and not hers. Regardless, Shawn abandoned the loads of work on his desk and headed home early. He arrived home thirty minutes before the usual time Mia usually returned from school. He purposely sat in the lounge so that he wouldn¡¯t miss her when she came in. But who would have thought that thirty minutes would actually turn into hours of waiting. Was this how she camete from school everyday? Because he was never around? Shawn raised his hand and signaled for a maid toe. ¡°Does shee homete like this everyday?¡± He enquired. ¡°No, Young Master. Madam alwayses back early. Today is the first time she came backte.¡± The corners of Shawn¡¯s mouth twitched. He waved his hand and the maid retreated. Why then did shee homete today? Where did she go? The CEO wondered. ¨C The Next Day: By the time Mia woke up, the sun had already risen and was shining brightly in the clear sky. Since it was the weeked, she didn¡¯t have to wake up early as she would not be going to school. The pretty girl brushed her teeth, took her bath, and dressed up before going downstairs. Before taking her bath, she had noticed that she was no longer feeling any pain in her arm, so she took off the bandages. It had already been over a week since her arm got wrapped in bandages, so it was expected for the pain to have disappeared by now. After she was done dressing up, she applied the special balm on her now-free arm and then went downstairs for breakfast. The demi-god would have already left for work by now. Shw skipped happily down the staircases. When she arrived downstairs, she greeted everyone giddily. The maids were now getting used to her living in the mansion and they had started to see her in a new light. So, they responded to her cheerfully.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The girl wasn¡¯t bad at all. She was nice, respectful, jovial and fun. Although, they were still a bit skeptical-she might just be pretending. So they were simply going along with the flow. When Mia stepped into the dining area, the sweet smile on her face vanished instantly. What was he doing here? Seated on his usual seat was her domineering husband, staring directly at her with fire zing in his eyes. She didn¡¯t expect to see him there at all. She thought he¡¯d have left for work already. Or was he not working today? But the man was already neatly d in a ck tuxedo. Mia¡¯s eyshes wavered and she murmured a ¡®good morning¡¯. She bobbed and took her seat opposite him. But before her bum could touch the dining chair, her husband stood up and left. Mia has body odor Before Mia¡¯s bum coulde in contact with the dining chair, Shawn stood up and tookrge strides out of the huge dining area. For the umpteenth time since the first day the two met, Mia was stunned. The food had not even been dished out yet. Like, since he was already there, couldn¡¯t he have waited and ate a little? To think he left immediately she appeared-did she have a contagious disease? He left because of her?All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Plus, he seemed angry¡­ Did she do or say something wrong?-But she didn¡¯t do anything. Did the man find her unpleasant to his eyes? Or did she have body odour? Was her breath bad? Mia raised her arms and sniffed her armpits. She didn¡¯t perceive any foul odour. She wasn¡¯t smelling¡­ Unconvinced, she beckoned at the maid standing in a corner at the far end of the dining table. ¡°Please,e sniff me.¡± As the saying goes, you can¡¯t smell your own stink. Sometimes, people need to rely on others to let them know if they have body odor, as they may not be aware of it themselves because they¡¯ve be ustomed to it. ra was taken aback. ¡°Sorry?¡± Perhaps she heard the girl wrongly. Her eyes blinked rapidly. Sniff her? Was she a dog or what? Mia chuckled awkwardly. ¡°I know it¡¯s silly of me to ask you to do that, but can you please help me?¡± ra: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The other maids who were working around the dining area couldn¡¯t help but pause and stand still for a moment after they heard the Madam¡¯s request. They gaped at Mia and ra with their mouths wide open. Their madam was just too weird. Was she even from this? Sheesh. Who knew, one day it might be any of them in ra¡¯s shoes and the Madam wouldn¡¯t ask them to sniff her armpits, but her bum instead? Gross. ra pressed her lips together to form a thin line. Well, the girl was the Madam of the house and she had to do what she instructed. Slowly, she hunched low and did as ahe had been asked. ¡°So, do I have body odor?- you don¡¯t need to lie to me to make me feel good.¡± Mia asked innocently with keen eyes. Why was it that the man always disappeared as soon as she was within his eyesight? She wanted to know. ra gaped speechlessly at the girl, eyes unblinking. After a few seconds, she responded to her question. ¡°No, Madam.¡± Oh. Mia lowered her gaze. ¡°Thank you.¡± She smiled appreciatively. ra nodded politely and retreated to her position. Unbelievable! She rolled her eyes. Mia¡¯s mouth pursed thoughtfully. Since she didn¡¯t have body odor, what then was the reason for the demi-god treating her in that manner? What could the problem possibly be? Why did he find her hideous and horrendous? Sigh. ¨C As soon as Shawn stepped out of the mansion, he shook his head in disapproval and his jaw tightened. Just how did he get himself stuck with that uncultured ill-mannered girl?! When Mia stepped into the dining room earlier, the first thing the CEO noticed was the girl¡¯s arm. It was exposed. She had removed the bandage. Why? Even if her arm was no longer hurting, couldn¡¯t she have been rational and patient enough to leave it for the doctor to actually determine whether it was okay to unwrap the bandage? And to think he had made up his mind to take her to the hospital this morning to have her arm looked at. Just, wow. Shawn let out a sigh of exasperation and tookrge strides to the G Wagon that was already neatly parked a few feet away from the front doorway. ¡°I¡¯m driving.¡± He blurted out and the chauffeur immediately handed the car key over to him. The CEO climbed in the driver¡¯s seat and drove out of the vi. It was no news that he usually drove himself to work most times on the weekends. So the guards and chauffeur weren¡¯t surprised at all when their boss said he¡¯d be driving himself to work. A whileter, the CEO drove smoothly into his underground parking lot at his workce. He parked the car and got down swiftly. His personal assistant was already waiting for him there so he handed the car key over to him and they walked into the building through the secret door. Together, they rode in Shawn¡¯s private elevator to the CEO¡¯s main office. Since it was the weekend, when they arrived, the whole floor was empty. Lucas held open the door for the CEO to step into his office and he also entered and closed the door behind him afterwards. Immediately, Shawn tookrge strides straight into his private lounge area while Lucas waited for him in the office. A few minutester, an entirely different person stepped out of the lounge area. If not that Lucas had seen his boss step into the lounge, he wouldn¡¯t have believed that this person was the same man. Despite it being over two years now, he still wasn¡¯t used to his boss looking like this at all. Every weekend, he was always surprised and in disbelief as soon as the man changed into those clothes. ¡°What are you looking at? Let¡¯s go.¡± Shawnmanded icily. Locas quicklyposed himself and led the way out of the office. When they arrived in the parking lot again, he handed over another car key to his boss as they walked over to the other end. He then pressed an almost invincible button on the wall and the wall started to move aside. s! It was a hidden door in disguise. Behind the door revealed a really fine garage that had just a single car in it. The car¡¯s body was covered. Lucas walked briskly to the car and pulled off the cover, revealing a neat Toyota Prius taxicab. Shawn unlocked the car, stepped in the driver¡¯s seat and ignited the engine. Lucas gazed silently at the Big Boss as he sat behind the wheel. At first nce, the driver of the taxi appeared to be just another cabbie-wearing a yellow shirt and ck pants with a name tag on his chest. But upon closer inspection, one would definitely notice that he had amanding aura to him, despite his unassuming attire. A few secondster, Shawn zoomed out of Beats Corporation. Right now, he wasn¡¯t the CEO of the famous corporation-he was someone else entirely. An ordinary taxicab driver. Staring into space, Lucas heaved a weary sigh. For how long would the Big Boss continue to do this? He then walked silently out of the garage and pressed the button again. The secret wall door moved back to its normal position. The CEO¡¯s PA heaved another sigh and walked back into the corporation. The Platinum Debit Card *** After Mia was done eating, she went back upstairs to pick her bag. She tied her hair in a ponytail and then headed out of the house, after she¡¯d bade the workers goodbye. As she didn¡¯t have money, she trekked to the bus station. Thankfully, a public bus arrived as soon as she got there. She got on. A whileter, Mia arrived at her destination. She stood outside the huge hospital building for a while, thinking to herself: ¡®this is where all my savings ising to.¡¯ She heaved a sigh and walked into the hospital¡¯s ground floor which served as the emergency unit. The nurses at the front desk recognized her, and after exchanging greetings, they let her go in. Mia rode in the elevator alongside a few other people. She was heading to the fifth floor which was the intensive care unit (MICU 1). As soon as the elevator arrived, it dinged and its doors slid open. She walked out and took quiet steps down the silent corridor. She soon came face to face with the door that led into the third ward. Inhaling deeply, she turned the doorknob and entered. She walked quietly past a few patients lying lifeless on hospital beds on a venttor before finally stopping by the foot of the second to thest hospital bed on the right side. Stared silently at the patient for a while before finally taking her seat beside the hospital bed. Just like everyone else, the patient was also on a venttor and had a lot of ECD leads attached to their body. ¨C Mia didn¡¯t step out of the ward until after a few hours had passed. When she came out, she had a grave expression on her face. As she was on her way back to the elevator, a nurse called out from behind her. ¡°Hello.¡± Mia looked back and saw that she was the one being referred to. She halted her steps and watched as the nurse approached her. ¡°Good afternoon.¡± She greeted the nurse. The nurse smiled warmly at her. ¡°You¡¯re Patient 305¡¯s guardian, am I right?¡± Mia nodded her head affirmatively. The nurse sighed. ¡°The thing is you haven¡¯t paid up to half of the medical bills-and it keeps piling up.¡± She paused, ¡°I know that you make payment every time you visit the hospital, but the total of the money you¡¯ve paid so far is actually nothingpared, at all, to the entire bill.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but if you don¡¯t pay up to half of the medical expenses before next Tuesday, you¡¯ll have to take the patient away.¡± Mia was dumbfounded. Take the patient away? To where? She had no dime right now. Her father had cut her offpletely. And the money that was remaining in her ount was not enough at all. It was a measly amount of money. Where would she get¡­ ¡°Please, I¡¯ll pay up¡­¡± She pleaded. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯ve been saying-we have no choice. The hospital doesn¡¯t run itself.¡± That was true. Mia was rendered speechless. ¡°Then.¡± Mia was lost deep in thought when the nurse bobbed and left. She was left standing alone in the corridor. After some time, she dragged her feet to the elevator and rode in it to the ground floor. With a heavy heart, she walked straight to the payment counter and took out her card. The little she had, she¡¯d pay it. She¡¯d need to source around for money¡­ The financial service representative nodded at Mia. Every time the girl came around, she deposited measly amounts of money. All those while, she still hadn¡¯t paid up to half of the whole money. And with each passing day, the medical expenses kept increasing-and it¡¯d been roughly two years already. The money Mia usually received from her father as upkeep was absolutely nothingpared to the amount of money that needed to be paid here. She still had a very long way to go. Heaving a sigh, Mia handed her debit card to the billing representative. Thedy skimmed through the total amount of money that Mia still had to pay and her mouth flung open. Would the girl ever be able to pay up everything in twenty years time? ¡°How much am I withdrawing?¡± She inquired. Mia forced out a smile and told her the amount of money she was to withdraw-that was everything she had left in her ount. She still had some school fees to pay¡­ She had once considered going for a loan but her parents would be needed as signatory. And her dad would never assent to that-what would she even tell him that she needed the money for? He knew about the hospital and wasn¡¯t doing anything about it¡­ If he had an idea that Mia was involved, he would ughter her. Plus, now, the man had even cut her offpletely-she was left with nothing. Should she get a side job then? But which job¡¯s sry would be able to meet her needs? How many side jobs would she need to take on? Sigh. Thank goodness she¡¯d be through with high school very soon. Then she¡¯d have to cut out college from her ns and get a job first. Mia¡¯s face was sorrowful as the billing representative handed her card back to her, as well as the payment receipt. She nced at the receipt, there was still a long way to go. Plus, would that person ever¡­? Her thoughts trailed off. She heaved a wary sigh and opened her purse to put her card and receipt back inside. She was about to close the purse when she suddenly caught sight of something. A shiny ck card. In a corner. Her brows furrowed, ¡®what¡¯s that? How did it get there?¡¯ With a quick reflex of her fingers, she swiped out the card and gazed at it intently. Where did she get it? Then something shed through her eyes very quickly. She began to recollect that night. It was the tinum Debit Card that her husband gave to her when she moved in. Mia paused for a moment and then hastily handed the card over to the representative. At the sight of the ck card, thedy was first taken aback. She nced at Mia then back at the card. She knew exactly what it was and was surprised to find it in the girl¡¯s possession. Did she really own the card? Thedy was rendered speechless. So why had she not been using it? Twitching the corner of her mouth, she looked at Mia from behind the counter. ¡°Input your pin, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡®Pin¡­ The pin? Shit!¡¯ Mia face-palmed herself mentally. She didn¡¯t know the pin. Seeing the frustrated expression on the girl¡¯s face, the billing representative eyed Mia suspiciously. Did the card not belong to the girl? Did she steal it? ¡®Do I have to call the police?¡¯ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . But Mia quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket and went through her contact list; she didn¡¯t have her husband¡¯s phone number. Wasn¡¯t that just great?! She didn¡¯t even have his assistant¡¯s either. She wished for the ground to open and swallow her whole. Biting hard on her lower lip, she put her phone away and gave the representative an embarrassed look. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I don¡¯t know the pin.¡± Her eyshes batted sheepishly. The representative felt irritated but she didn¡¯t let it show on her face. ¡°Well, we need the pin to be able to withdraw money with the card.¡± She was hundred percent sure that the tinum card didn¡¯t belong to the girl. Or could she not know her own pin? She handed the card back to Mia, eying her skeptically. Mia was silent for a while before an idea popped up in her head. ¡°Hum-I¡¯lle back-I¡¯ll be right back.¡± With that, she rushed out of the hospital at once. Mia, the love of my life Mia rushed out of the hospital at once. She had to get to Shawn¡¯s ce of work fast- Then her steps halted all of a sudden. She didn¡¯t know the ce¡­ she had no idea of how to get there. That aside, she wasn¡¯t even weed there. She remembered how Shawn had reacted the other day that she went to give him food in the office-his words¡­ the look in his eyes that day¡­ Goosebumps formed all over Mia¡¯s body at once. What was she to do now? It then urred to her that she had to go home first. Madam Susan would most certainly have her master¡¯s number. Mia began to shuffle her feet down the pedestrian, different thoughts running through her mind. She was in dire need of money and her only hope right now was that card. She had only taken about eleven steps away from the hospital when an arm suddenly flung over her shoulders and she was instantly pulled into an embrace. ¡°Hey, baby.¡± Mia waspletely caught off guard. She was startled and almost lost bnce. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± The voice rang above her ear and she felt a person¡¯s breath feather it softly. She blinked her eyes rapidly to regain consciousness and immediately angled up her jaw to look at the person whose arm was wrapped around her. Lo and behold, it turned out to be the man from yesterday. Her ssmate¡¯s uncle. Mia was extremely shocked at the revtion. His stunningly gorgeous face was not one that could easily be forgotten. He was a breath taker. ¡°Why did you take so long-I¡¯ve been waiting for you all these while.¡± Damien¡¯s voice resonated in Mia¡¯s ears. But the girl didn¡¯t understand what was happening or what he was saying either. Was he speaking gibberish? She wasn¡¯t given the chance to process his words and he tightened his arm around her and pulled her closer to his body. The cologne he was wearing immediately overwhelmed Mia¡¯s ability to think, sweeping her small brain away. Damien grinned, looking down at Mia with his blue eyes: ¡°Baby, meet Maria, Maria, here¡¯s the love of my love.¡± He gestured with his hands. It wasn¡¯t until then that Mia tore her gaze away from him and nted her eyes on thedy standing in front of them. Her mouth flung open immediately. The woman looked stunningly beautiful from head to toe. She was elegantly dressed, exuding sophistication and style. She was d in a yellow crisp, button-up shirt made of fine silk, the fabric flowing smoothly over her frame. The shirt was a soft shade of ivory, enhancing herplexion and lending an air of understated elegance. Complementing the shirt was a caramel brown knee-length skirt crafted from a luxurious blend of wool and cashmere. The skirt gently hugged her curves while also allowing freedom of movement. Completing her outfit, she was confidently standing in a pair of sleek high heels that were expertly crafted from supple brown leather, providing bothfort and poise. Their slender design added height to her silhouette, elongating her legs and adding a touch of allure to her overall appearance. Also, in her hand was a brown bag-delicate gold jewelry adorning her wrists and neck. Her hair, immactely styled, cascades in loose waves, framing her face with effortless grace. A hint of a floral fragrance lingered around her in the air. Maria ran her eyes over the little girl standing next to Damien and then let them settle on Damien¡¯s arm around her. Tears began to well up in her eyes. Seeing how close the two were¡­ Were they really together? Damien was with a little school girl? Damien-Damien who was a single manwhore. All he did was womanize¡­ When did he get in a rtionship? What about Charlotte? Sniffling hard, she gazed into Damien¡¯s eyes, ¡°see you around, Damien.¡± After saying those words, she spun on her heels and ran off into a yellow Masserati. The car zoomed off immediately. After seeing that the car waspletely out of sight, Damien quickly retracted his arm from around Mia¡¯s shoulders. Then he took two steps backwards away from her. ¡°I am very sorry.¡± sping his hands together, he apologized calmly. ¡°I was put in a tight spot and had to make use of the only option I had-and it was you.¡± His crystal clear blue eyes gazed directly into Mia¡¯s brown ones. Even as he spoke, he had his signature smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth and it made the girl shiver. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, his eyes felt like they were piercing directly through her soul-she felt naked before them. Mia quickly pulled her head away and broke eye contact with him. She then tried to make sense of what had just happened. After a while, she got a grasp of everything and understood. The man simply used her to get rid of thedy. But why? Thatdy was gorgeous and down to earth. Well, that was none of her business. Mia cleared her throat anxiously. ¡°Hu-hum-it¡¯s fine.¡± Damien let out a charming smile, nodding his head once, and then he continued to stare at her in silence. ¡°Then¡­¡± It was time for Mia to run along but her legs remained unmoving and her gaze wandered around aimlessly. All of a sudden, she heard the man let out a deep throaty chuckle. Huh? What was funny? Did she do something funny? Mia¡¯s brows furrowed subconsciously. Ignoring the girl¡¯s questioning gaze, Damien reached in his pocket and brought out his phone. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve helped me out twice and I¡¯m gravely indebted to you now.¡± He paused, ¡°if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to have your phone number so I can repay you sometime.¡± He smiled a charming smile at her. Mia chuckled nervously, waving her hand in disapproval: ¡°Err¡­ Erm, no. That¡¯s not necess-¡± The man cut in, ¡°I insist. I do not like to owe debts.¡± He reached out, took Mia¡¯s hand and put the phone in her hand. ¡°Go on.¡± He nodded. When their hands came in contact, Mia felt a wave of electricity rush through her and she quickly retracted her hand. She gazed hesitantly at the phone for a while before finally deciding to put her phone number in there. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to drop her number, would it? But just as the girl was about to type her number, a cold chill suddenly ran up her spine and every strand of hair on her body stood up at once. She felt a cold gaze boring holes in her back and she instinctively turned around immediately.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The CEO鈥檚 wife is a spy Mia felt a cold gaze drilling holes into the bare of her back and she instinctively turned around immediately. But as soon as she looked around, she found nothing. She saw nobody staring at her. Pursing her lips slightly, she hastily imputed her digits in the man¡¯s phone and handed it back to him. Damien beamed with smiles. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Hum¡­Mi-Mia.¡± ¡°Mimia?¡± Mia couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft chuckle at this. ¡°It¡¯s Mia.¡± She blushed. ¡°Lovely name.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She blushed even deeper. ¡°Thank you, Mia.¡± Damien nodded his head calmly. Mia bobbed and quickly shuffled away on her feet. Damien simply stood silently as he watched her retreating figure. ¡°Mia¡­¡± He muttered. Smirking, he retreated back into the restaurant. ¨C Unknown to absolutely anyone, someone had been watching the two all those while. A cold icy man with an icy cold expression on his face sat silently behind the steering wheel of his taxicab, watching his so-called wife and his sworn enemy flirt with each other. From a corner by the other side of the road. The man¡¯s expression was dark and hostility raged uncontrobly in his heart. Grinding his teeth hard, Shawn ignited the engine and zoomed off. ¨C After Damien returned into the restaurant, he returned to his table and took his seat in a rxed manner. He brought out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one. Suddenly, from the side, someone approached him: ¡°Boss, it is time to leave.¡± The other man simply puffed out smoke from his mouth and said, ¡°Give me five minutes, Joe.¡± His right hand man bobbed and retreated. Damien¡¯s eyes darted slowly towards the restaurant¡¯s doorway and he spaced out. After a while, he let out a throaty deep chuckle. Despite his sister being away overseas, she still made sure she had him wrapped around her fingers. The woman was away on vacation but she still had time to set him on a blind date. Another blind date. Sigh. If it wasn¡¯t for that girl, Mia, Damien didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d have been able to get out of the situation. Was that true though? Well, it wasn¡¯t. It was more of an excuse-an excuse to be able to strike up a conversation with her. This wasn¡¯t the first time Ste would be setting Damien up on a blind date, and each time, he always found a way of fending off the boring girls. Damien chuckled and sucked in his teeth. Earlier on, while Maria was busy engaging him in boring conversations, he¡¯d suddenly caught sight of something from the corner of his eyes, through the restaurant¡¯s ss windows. He looked up and that was when he saw her-the girl from the previous day. She was walking rather too fast. Without thinking, Damien stood up from the chair and headed out of the restaurant. He was quick enough to collide with her right outside the restaurant¡¯s door. From the corner of his eyes, he saw that Marai had followed him outside. And then, the next thing that came out of his mouth was: ¡°Hey, baby.¡± Letting out another chuckle, Damien put out the cigarette and got up from the chair. Afterwards, he headed out of the restaurant with his assistant trailing closely behind him. *** As Shawn sped away to Beats Corporations¡¯ headquarters, the scenario he witnessed before kept ying in his head. Damien and the girl together¡­ What was between those two? ¨C Earlier on, after Shawn left the corporation, it didn¡¯t take long before he started having customers. It was his fifth passenger for the day that he¡¯d driven to the mall opposite HK Hospital when he caught sight of the girl. After arriving at the mall and his passenger paid him, Shawn was about to reignite the car engine when his eyesnded on a familiar figure. It turned out to be his wife. He froze momentarily when he saw that she was not alone. She was with a man, and the man had his arm wrapped around her neck. Instantly, the air around the CEO turned frizzy while his gaze turned dark. His blood began to boil at once. What the fuck? What was the girl doing out there- with a man? Then Shawn began to connect the dots. So that was it¡­ That was probably the person she was with the previous day that made her return home veryte. His grip on the steering wheel tightened subconsciously. Who could the man be? Her boyfriend? She had a boyfriend? Shawn¡¯s jaw tightened. But a few secondster, the CEO was taken aback when he saw the face of his wife¡¯s man. His eyes squinted as he tried to ce a name to the man¡¯s face. It was indeed who he thought it to be. Damien. Damien Davis of DA Companies. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Shawn¡¯s eyshes wavered. What was the girl doing with his sworn enemy? He blinked once as he continued to look on¡­ The two seemed intimate. The look in their eyes as they exchanged nces¡­ Certainly, the two were lovers. Shawn let out a scoff and he bit on his lower lip. All of a sudden, a thought yed in his head. ¡®Is she a spy?¡¯All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Did Damien send her to spy on him? Was that it? Memories of the first day he met the girl came flooding the CEO¡¯s head: The girl approached him and his grandfather first¡­ She knew the right timing-Grandpa Mandez wasining about him not having a bride, and she showed up. They got married that day¡­ And the divorce papers, she lied that she lost them. All of those were just so she could get close to him? So, Damien really sent her? Had she been feeding the guy with information about him? Now, Shawn was extremely furious. He should have gone through her documents. The background check documents he had Lucaspile. Grounding his teeth in sheer irritation, Shawn immediately put a call through to Lucas. ¡°I want every detail on that girl on my dest immediately.¡± His voice was deep and frightening. Without waiting for a response, Shawn hung up the call. Twice. He¡¯d tried to go through those documents twice but he¡¯d kept stopping himself for a reason unknown to him. Why? Was it because he didn¡¯t want to pry on her privacy? He didn¡¯t want to intrude. Or perhaps, it was because he didn¡¯t want to find out something as provoking and disappointing as what he¡¯d witnessed today¡­ And to think that at the end of the day, without even having to go through the documents, his suspicions were all right¡­ Again, at the end of the day, he¡¯d have to get rid of her. But first, he¡¯d need to go through the hardcopy of the documents, thoroughly. ¨C Immediately after Shawn drove into the corporation and parked his taxicab, he headed straight to his office. *** The little change Mia had left in her purse was what she used to get herself home. As soon as she arrived, she rushed into the house immediately. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± She yelled out as usual from the doorway. ¡®Although not for long, I¡¯d soon be leaving again.¡¯ She thought to herself. Without wasting time, she was already on her way to the kitchen to find Madam Susan. But as soon as she heard someone ask a question from the lounge area, she froze on the spot. ¡°Where are youing from?¡± That was the question asked. ¡®Howe?¡¯ Mia trembled. Although she didn¡¯t see the person who asked the question, she knew exactly to whom the voice belonged. She needed no one to tell her. She wouldn¡¯t mistake the aloof demi-god¡¯s voice for another in the whole world. The pin Slowly, Mia stepped into the lounge area and came face to face with Shawn. The man was currently seated in an armchair, his legs crossed and his face devoid of any emotions. Although his face seemed calm and expressionless as usual, Mia felt that there was something wrong-something off about him. She just couldn¡¯t wrap her hands around what exactly it was. What was the formidable man doing at home by that time of the day? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be at work? Why was he home? She could remember vividly that he left for work in the morning, so¡­ She never expected to meet him at home at all. ¡°Have you suddenly gone deaf?¡± Shawn inquired irritably. He despised it when he asked people questions and they didn¡¯t respond. Mia shuddered in fear and she immediately recollected the question the man had asked. Where was sheing from? But¡­ that was personal¡­ She couldn¡¯t possibly tell him the truth. She licked the corner of her dry lips and then slowly opened her mouth to talk. But before she could get any word out of her mouth, Shawn cut in. ¡°Forget it.¡± He waved his hand in dismissal and stood up on his feet. With that look in her eyes, the girl was definitely going to lie to him. She didn¡¯t want to tell him where it was that she wasing from. Why, though? He despised liars. But then, why did he stop her from lying? Well, it was better he stopped her from lying, or she¡¯d tell lies to him and he¡¯d end up despising her. The CEO wondered why he didn¡¯t want that to happen-despise her. Mia quickly shut her mouth and heaved a sigh of relief. It was a good thing that the demi-god stopped her or she would have ended up spilling out the truth to him. She didn¡¯t know why but she didn¡¯t want to lie to the aloof man. Was it because they were married? Afterall, husbands and wives did not feed each other with lies. Mia pushed her thoughts aside, shaking her head dismissively. Then she saw that the demi-god had already stood up from the chair. Where was he going? Was he going back to work? Just then, her brain cells awakened and she remembered the reason why she hade home. It was so she could collect Shawn¡¯s phone number from the old housekeeper. There was no time to waste. She was about to spin around on her heels when it suddenly urred to her that the man whose number she was here for was currently standing a few feet from her. Mia tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. The next second, she hastily closed up the space between her and Shawn and went to stand three paces away from him. Shawn simply watched the girl¡¯s actions inplete silence as he stood towering over her small figure. With his hands pocketed, he asked, ¡°what do you want?¡± It was so obvious that the girl wanted something from him. Mia bit hesitantly on her lower lip as she fidgeted with her fingers. Shawn¡¯s lips twitched in agitation at this but he didn¡¯t say anything. After some time, Mia summoned up the courage to speak. ¡°Er-hum-hum-I need¡­ You-the-¡± She bit hard on her lip as she stuttered. Shawn was bemused. Was he that scary? The girl was stuttering and trembling all over. She didn¡¯t seem like the same person that had yelled a while ago to announce her arrival. ¡°What is it that you have to say?¡± He tried to make his voice seem gentle and endearing but it only made Mia¡¯s legs weaken the more. The question he asked just now¡­ the way he asked¡­ made it seem like he was telling her to get this done over with. Like she was disrupting his¡­ She let out a frustrated sigh and shut her eyes tight. ¡°The card-pin-the pin-card-pin-¡± She stuttered, still. Although the girl¡¯s words came out as gibberish, Shawn tried to make sense of them. He remembered he gave her a debit card, and on the night, he didn¡¯t give her the pin. That meant that she hadn¡¯t touched the money in that ount yet. Now that she was asking for the pin, did that mean she needed money now? The CEO¡¯s eyes twinkled for a split second. But a secondter, a crease formed on his forehead. What did she need money for? Damien? Was she going to give his money to Damien? The CEO had mixed feelings about the situation and his brows furrowed deeply. Come to think of it, what could Damien need money from Mia? The man was also wealthy himself. Shawn¡¯s lips pursed. But he wasn¡¯t ready to take the chances by jumping into a certain conclusion. Until it had been verified, the kind of rtionship that existed between the girl and Damien, he couldn¡¯t be so sure that the girl wasn¡¯t going to go spend his money on Damien. ¨C A While Ago: Immediately after Shawn drove into the corporation, he headed straight to his office. His assistant bobbed politely when he saw him. The CEO simply ignored the man and went to take his seat behind his well polished desk. His eyesnded on the file on the desk, ¡°Is this everything?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Lucas was unsure of the reason why the Big Boss had suddenly requested for those soft copies after he¡¯d already sent the man the hard copies. For him to have requested for the documents¡­ Did that mean that the CEO hadn¡¯t gone through the ones he sent to his mail yet? But then, why the sudden request? What happened? He was still supposed to be out working but he suddenly rushed back to the office to go through the file?¡­This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Plus, the facial expression the man had on right now was super cold and deadly. Did the Madam do something wrong? As eager as he was to know what was going on, Lucas simply kept his thoughts to himself and stood silently on the side. CEO Shawn simply continued to eye the file before him in silence as if it were a two-headed goat. ¡°Leave.¡± He ordered after a while in a shrill voice. Lucas bobbed his head yet again and briskly walked out of the Big Boss¡¯s office. There was definitely something wrong. He was sure. After Lucas shut the door behind him, Shawn returned to eying the file. As soon as he opened it, he would either be greatly disappointed or be greatly disappointed. Either way, he¡¯d be disappointed. But one would be of positive disappointment and the other, negative. The CEO pressed his ligs together to form a thin line. After a short while, he stood up and headed straight to his lounge. He changed back into the outfit he¡¯d worn from home in the morning and then alighted from the private room. Swiftly, he picked up the file and took long strides out of the office. He was going home. But before Shawn left, he gave his personal assistant a very important task. ¡°Find out the rtionship between the girl and Damien Davis.¡± ¨C Back to the present time: ¡°0822.¡± Shawn pronounced the digits and Mia¡¯s eyes flung open immediately. ¡°The-the pin is 0822?¡± She asked with peering eyes. ¡°Un.¡± He replied nasally, nodding his head only once. Mia¡¯s face lit up instantly, her eyes glistening. ¡°Thank youuu! Thank you.¡± She was extremely grateful, she just didn¡¯t know how to express herself better. She was about to turn around and rush out of the house when something suddenly shed through her eyes. Her eyes blinked severally and her cheeks began to heat up. ¡®What now?¡¯ Shawn¡¯s brows arched up. It belongs to me! ¡®What now?¡¯ Mia shyly angled her head upward, peering at the imposing man towering over her. She saw that he was staring directly at her. His intense gaze made her feel exposed and vulnerable. Like she had felt earlier¡­ ¡°Erm, ca-can can I-?¡± She hesitated, pursing her lips. ¡®Can you what?¡¯ The CEO stood there in silence, waiting for her to finish her question. ¡°Can I hum-have your -erm-your phone numb¡­¡± Her voice trailed off and she began to cough incessantly. Awkwardness filled the air. Mia wasn¡¯t sure where she found the courage to ask for his number. But she believed it was only right for her to have her husband¡¯s contact information. She cleared her throat awkwardly as she awaited her death sentence. Phone number? The corner of Shawn¡¯s mouth twitched at the unexpected request. Truthfully, neither of them had exchanged numbers before-it was a valid point. ¡°70-85¡­¡± He began reciting the digits. He was giving the girl his personal contact number. Mia hastily reached for her phone in her bag and typed the numbers, making sure to get each one correctly. ¡°Thank you.¡± The girl was grinning from ear to ear. Surprisingly, the demi-god didn¡¯t ask for her head to be chopped off after being so audacious. She breathed a sigh of relief. Shawn nodded curtly and headed upstairs without saying anything else. Mia noticed that he had a green file in his hand and she clicked her tongue in disapproval. Did he bring office work home? Why didn¡¯t he just remain at the office since he wasn¡¯t yet done with work then? Perhaps he was exhausted¡­ Sigh. The man had better take proper care of his health, or else¡­ Anyways, it was a good thing he came home or she wouldn¡¯t have been able to kill two birds with just one stone. The girl shrugged her shoulders in a carefree manner and swiftly headed out of the house. As she sat on the bus, heading back to the hospital, she stared down at her phone, thoughtfully tapping on her lip. ¡®What should I save his name as?¡¯ Mia began to rack her brain hard for the perfect name for the demi-god. After pondering on the matter for a while, her eyes suddenly shone brightly and she quickly typed away on her phone. A few secondster, she saved the contact, grinning from ear to ear. When Mia arrived at her destination, she immediately rushed to the payment counter and handed the card over to the representative. She wanted to make the payment today as she wouldn¡¯t be able to go by the hospital until next weekend and the deadline would have already psed by then. The billing representative was astonished to see that the girl was indeed already right back. She¡¯d thought that Mia lied abouting back just to be able to get away without feeling embarrassed. But seeing as she had returned with the card¡­ ¡°How much am I to withdraw, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Everything we owe.¡± Mia blurted out without thinking. Well, she had no choice but to shamelessly spend andpletely rely on her husband¡¯s money. She had no source of ie and she¡¯d been disowned by her father¡­ What a life she was living. Anyway, since the card now belonged to her, she¡¯d use it as she deemed fit. Mia entered her card¡¯s PIN on the electronic point of sale. The attendant was surprised to see that it was correct. Perhaps, she had been wrong to suspect Mia of theft. But it wasn¡¯t entirely her fault; Mia¡¯s behavior had raised suspicions. Just before thedy could click ¡®OK¡¯, something caught her attention-the ount owner¡¯s name disyed on the unit¡¯s screen: Shawn Mandez. That name alone made her whole body quiver in fear. How was that possible? She looked from the screen to Mia. Where did the girl get the card from? How did it end up in her hand? She must have stolen it! She was right all along. The attendant¡¯s suspicions were confirmed. The billing representative eyed Mia meticulously and then discreetly ced a call through to someone. Mia did not suspect anything as she patiently stood there. But time began to pass by and she started to feel uneasy, biting on her lower lip uneasily. Why was it taking so long to make the payment? The representative shed a smile at her. ¡°Sorry,work glitch.¡± ¡®Oh.¡¯ Completely unaware of anything amiss, Mia smiled back. A whileter, two uniformed officers stepped into the hospital. They scanned the area and then headed straight to the payment counter. Mia watched the police officers in silence as they approached her. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Did someonemit an offence?¡¯ She wondered, tilting her head to the side. Thedy attending to her simply bobbed her head in acknowledgment to the policemen. Thereafter, she removed Mia¡¯s debit card from the POS terminal and handed it to one of the men. The policeman flipped the card over in his hand and his brows furrowed. It was indeed a tinum Debit Card. He turned to side and ran his eyes over Mia. . ¡°Is this her?¡± Mia waspletely lost in the dark. She just stood there in silence. ¡°Yes, Officer. She¡¯s the one.¡± The one what? What one? Which ¡®the one? Mia blinked nkly. Who were they talking about? Also, wasn¡¯t that the precious card her husband had given her in the policeman¡¯s hand? Why was it in his possession? ¡°Miss, you¡¯ll have toe with us.¡± The policeman blurted out, facing Mia directly. What? Go with them to where? ¡°Huh?¡± The girl waspletely at loss for words. ¡°Where¡­ to?¡­¡± Her voice trailed off. ¡°To our station.¡± ¡°But-why?¡± What offence did shemit? She didn¡¯tmit any. We have some questions to ask you about this.¡± He raised the card in his hand midair. ¡°But it¡¯s mine-it belongs to me.¡± Mia cried out in her small voice. ¡°Then you¡¯ll need to go with us to confirm. Sorry for the inconveniences.¡± ¡°This way.¡± With that, the two policemen led Mia out of the hospital. Piercing gazesnded on her and she bit her lip agitatedly. What were the officers doing? ¡®This is aplete misunderstanding.¡¯ The debit card belonged to her husband, it belonged to her-he already gave it to her. How did the police even know toe for her here? Aish! What Mia didn¡¯t know was that HK Hospital had a special requirement that allowed them the name of a customer to be disyed on their monitors whenever a customer¡¯s debit card was being used on any of the hospital¡¯s point of sale systems. So, when the billing representative saw the ount holder¡¯s name, earlier on, she had immediately put a call across to the police station. And just like that, Mia was driven away in the patrol car.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Unveiling misconceptions And just like that, Mia was driven away in the patrol car. ¨C Once Shawn entered his room, he settled onto his bed and started reviewing the file once more. Immediately after leaving Beats Corporation, he drove straight to his house. Upon arrival, he inquired, ¡°Is she here?¡± The nearest maid lowered her gaze and responded, ¡°No, Master. Madam left in the morning and hasn¡¯t returned yet.¡± Shawn¡¯s eyes narrowed. Could she still be with Damien? He strode purposefully to the lounge and seated himself in an armchair. Regardless of how many hours it took, she would eventuallye and meet him there, he resolved. ncing at the green file in his hand, it seemed strangelycking in content. He contemted it for a moment before finally opening it. After a couple of minutes, he realized he had been mistaken about the girl all along, right from the beginning. She harbored no ulterior motives when she first approached him-it was purely coincidental. She wasn¡¯t interested in his wealth, she wasn¡¯t driven by greed, and she certainly wasn¡¯t a gold digger. The man had been wrong about Mia; all the information in the file contradicted his presumptions. She was not who he had assumed her to be, and she wasn¡¯t even a spy. For the first time in several years, the CEO found himself in error. After thoroughly examining the file, he closed it and averted his gaze. Shortly thereafter, a resounding voice echoed throughout the entire house, ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± Unable to restrain himself, he coldly inquired, ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¨C Back To The Present Time: As Shawn perused the documents once more, an unexpected sense of relief washed over him. He couldn¡¯t quite exin it, but he was d that the girl didn¡¯t turn out to be what he had initially believed. On the whole, it was a positive oue. However, he reminded himself that she was merely a temporary presence in his life. Once her services were no longer required, he would dispose of her. But then, what was her connection to Damien?All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Just as he contemted this, Shawn¡¯s phone began to ring in his pocket. Retrieving it, he answered the call upon seeing the caller ID. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°Boss, they have no rtionship whatsoever. They only met for the first time yesterday. They¡¯replete strangers,¡± Lucas provided a detailed exnation. Strangers? It didn¡¯t seem that way, though. But if they had just met yesterday¡­ Once again, the CEO found himself mistaken. Nheless, what then were they doing together? The girl, though. How could she allow a stranger to hold her in such a manner? Someone she had met only a day before. Shawn was left speechless. He listened patiently as Lucas continued his report. When the assistant finished speaking, Shawn pressed his lips together, a hint of displeasure crossing his face. So, that was it. She had helped Damien find his niece. That exined why she returned homete the previous day. It wasn¡¯t that she left the house to meet him this morning; she had actually gone to the hospital¡­ Once again, Shawn was rendered speechless. However, this time, it wasn¡¯t because of the girl, but because of his own misjudgment. Without uttering a word, he ended the call, leaving Lucas speechless in turn. The assistant blinked at his phone before shaking his head disapprovingly. His boss was too much. After using him, Shawn simply discarded him. Life didn¡¯t work that way. Shortly after Shawn ended the call, his phone rang again. Knowing it was Lucas, he answered with irritation evident in his voice. ¡°What?¡± Why was the man bothering him? He was busy. ¡°Sir, I just received a call from the police. Someone attempted to use your debit card for payment.¡± The CEO¡¯s brow furrowed immediately. ¡°The person has been apprehended, and I¡¯m already on my way to the station.¡± Something clicked in Shawn¡¯s mind. He recalled having shared the card¡¯s PIN with the girl a while ago. Shit! It was her. The person Lucas referred to was his wife. ¡°Send me the address,¡± he demanded, standing up abruptly. ¡°I¡¯ve got it under control, Sir-¡± Shawn¡¯s voice cut in sharply, his tone shrill. ¡°Send me the goddamn address.¡± There was no room for discussion. ¡°Okay, Sir.¡± He hung up and picked up his tuxedo from the bed. Then, he strode purposefully out of the room and toward the front door. ¡°We¡¯re going somewhere,¡± he ordered, and dozens of men promptly headed to the garage. It had been a while since they had embarked on a mission with the Big Boss, so Shawn¡¯s men were filled with excitement. A short timeter, a convoy of cars sped out of Magnificent, with the vehicle carrying the CEO leading the way. ¨C Upon Lucas¡¯s arrival at the police station, it wasn¡¯t long before Shawn and his entourage arrived in their convoy. Despite bringing only a limited number of men, Lucas found himself speechless. He didn¡¯t need to see who was in the lead vehicle to know that his boss had arrived. Why was Shawn so invested in this matter? Could it be because money was at stake-his money? After all, the CEO was a shrewd businessman. However, upon reflection, Lucas realized that Shawn hadn¡¯t mentioned losing any of his cards, and he wasn¡¯t one to be careless. If it weren¡¯t for the police contacting him, Lucas would still be unaware of the lost debit card. Putting these thoughts aside, the CEO¡¯s personal assistant swiftly approached and positioned himself by Shawn¡¯s car side as one of their men opened the backseat door for the Big Boss. Shawn¡¯s slender yet sturdy legs emerged, followed by the rest of his body. Lucas nodded respectfully and took the lead, guiding him into the police station. A few bodyguards trailed behind, while the remaining members of their group stood guard outside. At the entrance, a pair of bewildered policemen who were awaiting the arrival of CEO Shawn¡¯s personal assistant blinked their eyes rapidly. When they spotted him as soon arrived, they began making their way towards him, only to be caught off guard when he abruptly changed course and hurried towards a different direction. Puzzled, they questioned whether he had not noticed the entrance. Where was he headed, they wondered. Before long, their attention was drawn to a strikingly tall and captivating man emerging from another vehicle. Assistant Lucas respectfully bowed to him. Shortly thereafter, a group of men started to approach them. Among them was the P. A, along with a man who seemed both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, positioned right in the center of the group. Despite his slender build, an air of authority surrounded him. It was evident from his cold, stoic, and distant expression that he was not someone to be trifled with. Who was the man? Only a select few recognized Shawn Mandez, individuals with whom he had coborated or formed partnerships-individuals within his businesswork. His image proved elusive, as it was rare toe across a photograph of Shawn Mandez. However, his name resonated far and wide, reaching both the young and the old, as well as men and women alike. So, it was only right that the humble chief of police and his team failed to recognize Shawn Mandez, the esteemed CEO of the Beats Corporations. Nevertheless, judging by appearances, they could reasonably deduce that the man emanating amanding presence was indeed him. Foolish Chief of Police In fact, with the ceremonious entrance and the apanying crowd, the police officers were absolutely certain that the aloof yet ethereal-looking man was none other than the renowned business mogul, Shawn Mandez. Overwhelmed, they promptly bowed their heads, their bodies trembling, and swiftly cleared a path for the CEO and his entourage. As Shawn stepped into the station, the entrance was swiftly sealed and locked, preventing anyone inside from leaving or outsiders from entering. The chief of police swallowed uneasily, feeling a surge of fear wash over him, as well as his subordinates. Inside the police station, everyone strained on their tiptoes, eager to catch a glimpse of the man escorted by a retinue of bodyguards. Could he be the nation¡¯s president? No matter how hard they tried, catching even a glimpse of his face seemed impossibly difficult. All that was visible was Shawn¡¯s neatly permed, shining ck hair. Onlookers couldn¡¯t help but express their frustration silently. Suddenly, Shawn halted in his steps, standing at the center of the spacious room. The guards immediately ceased walking, attentively awaiting his next move. His eyes scanned the area, searching for someone in particr.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡®Didn¡¯t Lucas say the girl was brought in here for questioning? Where is she?¡¯ Shawn¡¯s eyebrow arched as he exchanged a nce with Lucas, his personal assistant. Taking the cue, Lucas turned to face the Chief of Police, but before he could utter a word, he was interrupted. ¡°Ah, Assistant Lucas, what a great pleasure to have such important personalities among us,¡± the Chief remarked, stealing a quick nce at Shawn as he spoke. He was, of course, referring to the CEO, the most significant figure present. Lucas forced a smile. ¡°Where is the suspect?¡± ¡°Oh! You mean the thief we arrested?¡± the Chief responded. As soon as those words left the Chief¡¯s mouth, the room¡¯s temperature seemed to plummet. The Chief fell silent. Did he make a blunder? He cautiously stole a nce at the stoic man standing beside Lucas and felt a lump forming in his throat. The man¡¯s expression was anything but amusing; he appeared formidable, emitting an icy aura that could freeze the entire station. ¡®Did I say something wrong?¡¯ He nervously rubbed his sweaty palms together, unsure of his mistake. Lucas noticed the change in his boss¡¯s facial expression, and his brows furrowed. What was happening? In that moment, a revtion shed in Lucas¡¯s eyes, widening them instantly. Could it be¡­ was it the Madam who¡­? Shit! He clenched his teeth, desperately trying to make sense of the situation. Sensing the escting tension in the room, the Chief of Police attempted to lighten the atmosphere. He needed to say something favorable and win the CEO¡¯s favor. This was a rare opportunity, perhaps his chance to escape this miserable existence and secure a promotion. Getting on the good side of the CEO was of utmost importance. ¡°Out of the blue, my team and I received a call while on duty, informing us that someone was attempting to use CEO Shawn¡¯s tinum Debit Card. Dedicated to my work, I immediately dispatched two of my finest officers to the scene, and together we swiftly gathered evidence and apprehended the thief.¡± Thief? Apprehended? Upon hearing those words, Shawn¡¯s expression darkened. Lucas pursed his lips, realizing his suspicions were correct. The presumed suspect was indeed the Madam. It was over. ¡°Thief?¡± Shawn¡¯s voice cut through the silence, cold and imposing. Lucas bit his lower lip, rendered speechless. The Chief¡¯s fate was sealed-not that it adequately conveyed the severity of the situation. In a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, he quickly intercepted. ¡°So, where is the person now?¡± ¡°Oh, you mean the thief?¡± the Chief repeated, oblivious to the mounting frustration within Lucas. ¡®Aish!¡¯ Lucas almost spat out blood. ¡®Can you stop saying that word, you imbecile?¡¯ He cursed silently. ¡°I¡¯ve had her locked up. Don¡¯t you worry, Assistant Lucas, I¡¯ll make sure she rots in jail. Thieves do not deserve to roam around society with us,¡± the Chief added, attempting to sound reassuring. ¡®What?!¡¯ Lucas gave up. There was no way this man was going to survive. ¡®We¡¯ll see if it isn¡¯t you who spends the rest of his life in jail,¡¯ he thought, shaking his head inwardly. Shawn scoffed, licking the corner of his mouth in exasperation. Locked up? Rot in jail? That was thest straw! The CEO was on the verge of erupting into a fit of rage when Lucas quickly intervened, once againing to the Chief¡¯s rescue. ¡°What? Chief, how could you lock her up without proper legal justification? Suspects have certain legal rights, including the right to legal representation, the right to remain silent, and the right to due process. This is highly unprofessional.¡± Lucas was merely trying to help, but it seemed the Chief was too dim-witted toprehend. Instead, the Chief replied, ¡°We arrested her with proper legal justification. She was found in possession of a card that didn¡¯t belong to her-that¡¯s justification enough, Assistant Lucas. She¡¯s a thief! Don¡¯t worry, I know her type, and I won¡¯t let her go unpunished.¡± ¡®Ah, no. This man is beyond help.¡¯ Lucas gave up entirely. He realized he had done all he could and chose to remain silent. The room fell into a deathly silence, the tension thick in the air. After a brief moment, the CEO spoke icily, breaking the stillness. ¡°When you arrested her, you interrogated her, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir,¡± the Chief quickly responded, feeling a surge of tion as CEO Shawn addressed him directly. His n was working, and the CEO was starting to take a liking to him. The Chief hurriedly provided details, eager to please. ¡°Initially, she remained silent, refusing to cooperate despite repeated questioning about where she stole the card from, how she managed to steal it, and her alibi. However, after I exerted some pressure, she cracked. But¡­¡± His voice trailed off, his mind preupied with the potential consequences of what he was about to reveal. Would it anger CEO Shawn? Would he be seen as ipetent? Under Shawn¡¯s piercing gaze, the Chief waspelled to continue. ¡°Well, she started speaking gibberish, Sir. She imed that the card belonged to her husband and that he had given it to her.¡± Heughed nervously. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, Sir. She¡¯s obviously lying, pretending to be mentally ill. Everyone knows that President Shawn is not married yet.¡± He added, chuckling, ¡°No matter how hard I tried to make her tell the truth, she kept insisting her husband gave her the card. A liar. I¡¯m sure that after spending a week in the cell, she¡¯ll confess.¡± ¡°How can she possibly be married at such a young age?¡± The Chief burst into another round ofughter, and his team joined in. ¡®You¡¯re allpletely doomed. There¡¯s no way out for any of you,¡¯ Lucas nced at the grave expression on the CEO¡¯s face. ¡®You¡¯ve picked the wrong person to mess with,¡¯ hemented internally. And to think they wereughing¡­ Not only had they arrested the Madam of Beats Corporations, but they had also locked her up. A bunch of fools! Shawn¡¯s cold gaze swept over the Chief of Police, his mood worsening with each passing moment. Suddenly, his voice cut through theirughter, cold and unyielding. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with marrying early?¡± he asked, his words dripping with disdain. The unfortunate turn of events The entire team fell silent, their voices extinguished in an instant. The CEO was furious. He had indeed given her the card himself-he was indeed her husband. And those fools had imprisoned her. And they were nowughing? Unbelievable. ¡°Please, lead us to the cell,¡± Lucas interjected calmly, preventing the Chief from further provoking his boss. ¡°Ye-yes. This way, please,¡± the Chief stammered, beginning to lead the way to the suspect¡¯s cell. Shawn¡¯s guards remained behind as he and Lucas followed the police officers. In that moment, the Chief was convinced he had secured a promotion. He had apprehended the CEO¡¯s thief-could he be more fortunate? Once he handed over the card, CEO Shawn would shower him with praise¡­ Perhaps even give him his personal contact information, allowing him to ask for whatever he desired. He could even request a triple promotion. How marvelous! Upon reaching the cell, the officers halted. ¡°Give me the key!¡± the Chief demanded, snatching a set of keys from one of his men. The officer who surrendered the keys frowned, sadly lowering his head. He exchanged knowing nces with his partner before averting his gaze. Their boss was attempting to take all the credit. Truth be told, the Chief hadn¡¯t apanied them to the hospital. It was the two partners who responded to the call. In fact, the Chief waspletely unaware of the situation until they returned with the girl and briefed him, presenting the exclusive debit card as evidence. It was then that the Chief sourced for Assistant Lucas¡¯ phone number and contacted him. Now, he was doing his utmost to im the recognition that rightfully belonged to his subordinates, and they could only silently mourn this injustice. As the Chief of Police unlocked the cell, he forcefully pulled Mia out by her arm. Lucas anxiously bit his lip. The man was truly tempting fate. Shawn¡¯s frosty gaze immediately fixated on the Chief¡¯s hand gripping Mia¡¯s arm, his eyes narrowing. Who had given him permission toy his filthy hands on his woman? The CEO¡¯s eyes zed with fury. He yearned to shatter every bone in the man¡¯s body and feed them to his dogs. However, even the CEO¡¯s dogs at home would reject the bones, finding them too contaminated for their precious bellies. Shawn tore his gaze away, shifting it to Mia¡¯s face. Despite her fatigue, she appeared remarkablyposed. Exhausted, but unharmed. That was a relief. Just then, Shawn noticed her eyes as he locked gazes with her. They seemed to twinkle, as if she was pleased to see that he hade for her. No, Shawn averted his gaze immediately. But how brave or foolish was she, looking directly into his eyes like that? Where did she find the courage? Shawn was bemused. The next moment, he blurted out coldly, ¡°Get your hand off her.¡± The Chief quickly retracted his hand from Mia¡¯s arm. He cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no need to thank me. I¡¯m just doing my job. Don¡¯t worry, Sir, I¡¯ll ensure she¡¯s dealt with appropriately. Now that you¡¯ve seen her face, I¡¯ll return her to the cell,¡± he boasted. The Chief believed that the CEO¡¯s assistant had requested for them to be brought to the girl¡¯s cell so that the CEO could see the face of the thief. As he was about to push Mia back into the cell, CEO Shawn¡¯s voice froze him in motion. ¡°Stop.¡± He blinked nkly. ¡°Where¡¯s the card?¡± The CEO asked after a brief pause. ¡°Ah, yes, Sir.¡± The Chief quickly retrieved the shining ck card from his pocket. He held it out in both hands toward the CEO, but the aloof man merely stared down at him with an intimidating presence. ¡°Ah.¡± The Chief quickly regained hisposure and, without being told, turned to face Lucas. Lucas took the card from him and handed it to his boss, who then returned it to Mia. The police officers watched in stunned silence. Their mouths hung open, their eyes darting back and forth. What was happening? The Chief tilted his head, his mouth also nearly touching the ground. The CEO didn¡¯t take the card directly from him; instead, he took it from his assistant. Were his hands too filthy? The Chief discreetly blew air onto his hands and wiped them on his uniform. Then he saw CEO Shawn hand the card directly to the thief. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Confusion furrowed his brows. Was the CEO giving the thief his debit card? No, that couldn¡¯t be possible. ¡°Kind¡± wasn¡¯t a word used to describe CEO Shawn. He was known to be ruthless, merciless, and self-centered. The Chief was certain that the man had a terrible n in mind by giving the girl that card. But before he could contemte the CEO¡¯s intentions, his train of thought was interrupted. ¡°You should have believed her when she gave her statement,¡± CEO Shawn directed his words at him. Then he added, ¡°Hand over the keys to Lucas.¡± The Chief of Police obeyed without hesitation. Although he struggled to process the first sentence, he understood the second one. Before he could make sense of what was happening, the CEO¡¯s cold voice spoke up again. ¡°Now, get in the cell. All of you.¡± The police officers were confused, but they dared not defy the order. In ascending order, with the Chief leading, they filed into the cell in a row. Was the CEO conducting an experiment? The Chief blinked rapidly. After all his subordinates had entered the cell, he proceeded to close the door behind them.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡®Very good.¡¯ Shawn¡¯s expression remained stoic. He admired people who acted sensibly, people who didn¡¯t need to be told what to do. Without waiting for instructions, Lucas promptly locked the cell room. Without sparing a nce at the bewildered officers, CEO Shawn took his wife¡¯s hand and strode away. Lucas followed silently, offering a prayer for the imprisoned policemen. Shawn gestured to three of his men and said, ¡°Stay behind.¡± Then he added, ¡°Release them after five hours.¡± They nodded. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Lucas then tossed the bunch of keys to one of the three men. The Chief and his subordinates were rendered speechless. Who? Who were the people that CEO Shawn was referring to? It couldn¡¯t possibly be them, right? Right?!! Five hours?!!!! They would never survive that long! Lord, have mercy! Someone, please help!!! The entrance of the police station was immediately unlocked, and the CEO¡¯s men cleared a path for him and his wife as they made their way outside. Without ncing back, Lucas shook his head in pity for the imprisoned officers. ¡°You should have believed the Madam when she gave her statement. She truly is the Big Boss¡¯ wife. Tsk tsk tsk.¡± What an unfortunate turn of events for those officers. All the while, Mia remained silent, unable to believe that all of this was actually happening. It felt like a surreal dream. How did the demigod even know she had been arrested? As they walked towards the car, she nced around at the group of men apanying them. Were they all his? So many of them? It was quite impressive. Her eyes then shifted down to their joined hands, hisrge hand enveloping her small one. She stole a quick nce at his face. As always, his expression remained unreadable, making it difficult to gauge what was going on in his mind. ¡°Get in,¡± Shawn ordered, releasing her hand. They had reached the side of the car. Mia couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of disappointment as their physical contact came to an end. Nevertheless, she climbed into the backseat, and Shawn joined her. Jasper made his way towards one of the vans, while Lucas took the driver¡¯s seat. He started the engine, and they zoomed off. Misjudgment The drive back to Magnificent Residential Area was silent. The sun had already set. Mia¡¯s mind trailed back to what happened in the police station, and her heart warmed up instantly. No one had ever stood up for her like the man did back there in her entire life. And to think he had the policemen locked up¡­ For what-five hours?! Just for her¡­ Her cheeks heated up at once, turning red. But then, was it all for her? Or did he go over and do those things because of his debit card? Mia¡¯s face fell. ¡°You¡¯re not hurt anywhere, are you?¡± Shawn¡¯s cold voice jolted the girl out of her thoughts. She shook her head, ¡°N-no.¡± Just then, something shed through her eyes, and realization hit her. She hadn¡¯t paid the hospital bills yet. Her eyes widened in horror. ¡°Please, can you drive straight to HK Hospital?¡± she quickly asked Lucas, urgency written all over her face.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Lucas nced at his boss through the rearview mirror, and the man nodded his head in approval. He immediately switchednes, putting a call across to the vans trailing behind them, ordering the guys to return home first. Shortly after, they arrived at the hospital. Mia quickly scampered down from the luxurious car. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Without waiting for a response, she left. When she arrived at the payment counter, the billing representative was shocked to see that the girl had returned again. How was she able to make it out of the police station alive? Didn¡¯t they take her away a while ago? Was she not found guilty of theft? Various thoughts ran through thedy¡¯s mind. But shortly afterwards, her gaze shifted andnded on the man behind the girl. She froze. Although she usually only saw the man on TV, she knew clearly who he was. Assistant Lucas, the famous personal assistant of the CEO of Beats Corporations. What was he doing here? And why was he apanying the thief? The billing representative was suddenly rmed. Did that mean that thedy was rted to CEO Shawn? She was doomed. She immediately broke out in cold sweats. ¡°Please, take the card,¡± Lucas urged, smiling at the bbergasted woman. Mia was surprised to see that Lucas followed her. Her mouth opened in bewilderment. Was this the demigod¡¯s doing? Lucas beamed a smile at her. Shawn knew that Mia might encounter a problem again if she went alone, so he sent Lucas to apany her. ¡°Ye-yes, Sir.¡± Trembling, the billing representative collected the card from Mia, bowing. The authority of Assistant Lucas was indirectly the authority of CEO Shawn. His presence there signified the presence of the CEO. The billing representative eyed Mia from beneath her thick eyshes and thought, what rtionship did the girl have with Shawn to the extent of him giving her his debit card. She must be really important to him. Mia inputted the pin, and the transaction went through in no time. Before she left, she smiled a small smile at the representative. ¡°Goodbye, and thank you.¡± ¡°No, thank you, Ma¡¯am.¡± The woman quickly handed the debit card back to her and also gave her the receipt of her payment, bowing really low. ¡°Then.¡± Mia lowered her head politely and urged Lucas for them to be on their way. But before they left, Lucas nced at the name tag on the billing representative¡¯s chest. He smiled. If only she knew that she would soon be fired for merely doing her job. The duo returned back to the car, and Lucas drove smoothly onto the busy road. Again, the car remained quiet. ¡°Did you get it?¡± Shawn¡¯s cold voice broke the silence. ¡°Yes, Sir. Rose Evans.¡± His assistant responded. Immediately, the CEO picked up his phone and dialed Dr. Alfred¡¯s number directly. ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like you to fire one Rose Evans in your hospital. Yes, thank you.¡± He hung up. After the call, Dr. Alfred, who was currently checking in on a VVIP patient with his assisting doctors and medical students, furrowed his brows. He was surprised. CEO Shawn had never asked for that kind of favor from him before. Who was the person, and what wrong did she do to the CEO? Dr. Alfred turned to face his direct assistant, ¡°Find out about one Rose Evans who works in this hospital.¡± ¡°Right away, Sir.¡± Dr. Alfred was a medical director at HK Hospital and one of the highest-paid professionals in the medical industry. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t possibly know the names of all the employees, let alone a front desk cashier. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s indeed someone.¡± Dr. Alfred¡¯s assisting doctor had just gotten off the phone with the Human Resources Department. ¡°She works on the ground floor as a billing representative, and she¡¯s currently on duty. Do you need me to send for her, Sir?¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± Doctor Alfred shook his head negatively. He wondered what the person had done to deserve the wrath of CEO Shawn. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t his business. Shrugging his shoulders, he walked out of the private ward, with his subordinates trailing after him. As they were about to enter the next ward, ¡°give me a second.¡± Dr. Alfred said to his subordinates and headed straight to his office. He picked up the telephone receiver, ¡°connect me to the payment counter.¡± A few secondster, the call was diverted. ¡°This is Rose Evans, right?¡± He inquired. Pause. ¡°Good.¡± The next second, he added, ¡°you¡¯re fired. Report to the Human Resources Department immediately for your dismissal letter.¡± Without giving the person on the other side of the line a chance to speak, Dr. Alfred reced the telephone receiver. Since CEO Shawn contacted him personally for the task, he had to carry it out himself. Now that the job was done, it was time to get back to work. Dr. Alfred walked out of his office. Due to the heavy traffic on the road, CEO Shawn and his wife spent roughly one hour on the road before they finally arrived home. ¡°Go inside and have the maids tend to you. You must be tired,¡± Shawn said to Mia after they stepped down from the car. The girl nodded meekly and entered the house. Shawn stayed behind with Lucas, watching as the girl walked away. She looked so small. Lucas nced at his boss¡¯s face, ¡°Sir, do you need me to find out what Madam went to the hospital for?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t pry into her privacy.¡± The CEO¡¯s cold response caught Lucas off guard. He was taken aback and renderedpletely speechless. Pry into her privacy? Who had been ordering him to run a background check on the Madam? Was it not him? ¡®I was only trying to help.¡¯ Lucas thought the CEO would be interested in knowing what his wife had gone to the hospital to do¡­ He had no idea that the man would just¡­ ¡°It¡¯ste. Go home.¡± With that, Shawn walked away into the mansion. Lucas simply bowed and said, ¡°Goodnight, Sir.¡± He handed the car key over to the nearest guard and left the mansion. Shawn headed straight to his room after entering the house. He took a quick shower, and after he was done, he wore his robe and sat on his bed. He picked up his phone and took a look at the debit alert he had received when the girl used the card a while ago. Although the money withdrawn from the ount was a measly amountpared to the whole amount of money in it, Shawn found himself wondering what the girl had used the money for. Was she ill? Or did she have a sick family member in the hospital? Despite him telling Lucas off about invading the girl¡¯s privacy, he was eager to know what was going on. But the girl wouldn¡¯t appreciate her privacy being invaded. He had already intruded enough. No one liked their privacy being invaded, especially by strangers. And that¡¯s exactly what Shawn was to the girl-a stranger. Shawn¡¯s thoughts shifted to another matter. All this time, he had thought she was a gold digger,pletely misunderstanding her¡­ He had to make it up to her. She had already gone through a lot-losing her mother, losing her boyfriend to someone who was meant to be her best friend. And to make matters worse, her father had disowned her because of him. How much worse could it get? He had misjudged herpletely. Shawn now realized that he and the girl seemed to be alike. Sighing, he set his phone aside and wondered what the girl was doing right now. Ramen After Mia finished her warm bath, she longed to crawl into bed and rest her exhausted body. What an eventful day it had been. However, her rumbling stomach reminded her that she hadn¡¯t eaten since morning. Dragging her tired legs, she descended the stairs in her pajamas. It was alreadyte into the night, so the maids had retired to their quarters. Mia let out a frustrated sigh as she stood alone in the empty dining room, pondering her options. Should she go back to bed on an empty stomach? Definitely not. She knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy her sleep that way. Left with no choice, she made her way directly to the kitchen to prepare something to eat. As she busied herself, a sudden chill ran down her spine, signaling the presence of someone else. Without even turning around, she knew who it was-the demigod, Shawn. She could feel his aura.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Mia¡¯s heart began to race in her chest as she slowly turned to face him. Shawn stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame, his face devoid of emotion, making it difficult for Mia to discern his feelings. She scolded herself internally for acting without thinking. What was she doing? It was well past midnight, and she had no right to be in his kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m too gullible,¡± she muttered to herself, fear coursing through her veins. She didn¡¯t know what to say, feeling paralyzed by the tense atmosphere in the room. Just as she mustered up the courage to apologize and offer to switch off the cooker, Shawn beat her to it. His cold, alluring voice broke the silence. ¡°Prepare for two.¡± And with that, he turned and left. Mia was leftpletely flustered. It wasn¡¯t the response she expected at all. Had she misheard him? What she anticipated was his anger, considering the stress he had gone through to free her from prison. But now, it seemed as if he had changed. He felt like a different person. Or maybe she was mistaken? Shaking off her thoughts, Mia blinked and refocused on her task. After a while, the food was ready. Shawn sat elegantly at the dining table, observing silently as Mia set the table. Initially, she thought he had returned to his room after leaving the kitchen. Seeing him in the dining area, she breathed a sigh of relief. It would have been awkward for her to search for him in his room, a ce she had never ventured before and never wished to enter. Just passing in front of his door was enough to unnerve her. Once the table was set, Mia quietly took her seat. She was famished and eager to dig into her meal, but she refrained from doing so, waiting for the statue-like demigod to start eating first. However, Shawn was simply peering into his bowl with a grimace on his face. Confusion filled Mia as she wondered what was wrong. The girl had prepared instant noodles, something the man had never tasted before in his life. Where did she get them? ¡°Where did you get this from?¡± Shawn inquired, surprising Mia. ¡°In the kitchen,¡± she replied, perplexed by his reaction. Shawn was taken aback. He had no idea instant noodles even existed in his house. The maids had never served him such ¡°lousy¡± food before. Disgust shed across his face, but then he noticed that Mia hadn¡¯t begun eating. It was because of him. He sighed internally. He shouldn¡¯t have asked her to prepare his food. Now, he had to force himself to eat the ¡°poison.¡± Pressing his thin lips together, he picked up the chopsticks and reluctantly took a small bite, intending to eat just a little. Observing his hesitant actions, Mia heaved a sigh of relief and started eating as well, picking up her chopsticks. Shawn, intrigued, took another bite of the noodles. As he chewed, his brows furrowed in thought. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t bad at all. Having never experienced instant noodles before and being famished, Shawn began devouring them ferociously. Within thirty-five seconds, the CEO had emptied his te and was now eyeing Mia¡¯s portion. Mia¡¯s hand froze midair, chopsticks wrapped in noodles, and her mouth hung open, stunned by how quickly the man had finished the steaming hot food. ¡°Do you¡­ want mine? I can prepare another one,¡± she offered, gently pushing her food toward Shawn. He nced at her, then at the food, and sumbing to his cravings, he instantly dug in. Mia stood up, her heart nearly bursting with surprise, and headed straight to the kitchen. However, a few secondster, Shawn emerged from the dining room and stood in the doorway of the kitchen. ¡°Prepare more for me too,¡± hemanded. Mia was rendered speechless. She had only managed to take two bites of her food when Shawn finished his and she handed her portion over to him. And now he was asking for more. That night, Mia ended up preparing twelve packs of instant noodles. It seemed that Shawn had developed quite the appetite for them. For the umpteenth time, Shawn carried his bowl and drained the noodles. He ced the empty bowl back on the table and let out a satisfied belch. That was his ninth bowl of noodles that night, and although he still wasn¡¯tpletely satisfied, he decided to call it a night. Mia watched him with wide eyes, surprised to see the always reserved demigod acting so differently. As Shawn leaned back in his chair, Mia couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Have you never had ramen before?¡± Shawn remained silent for a moment before responding in a nasal tone, ¡°No.¡± Ah, it made sense now. To be honest, Shawn was more shocked at himself than Mia was. The fact that he actually enjoyed the cheap, lousy instant noodles was amusing. Who would have thought? Though his face remained as stern and inscrutable as ever, Mia sensed a slight rxation in his demeanor. Seizing the opportunity, she decided to express her gratitude. ¡°Thank you for today,¡± she whispered. Shawn remained silent, his expression still firm and indifferent. ¡°And, um, about the money¡­ I promise I¡¯ll repay you. I¡¯ll make sure of it,¡± she added, wanting to ensure he didn¡¯t misunderstand her intentions. She already had a strained rtionship with him, and she didn¡¯t want him to think she was only interested in squandering his money. Upon hearing her words, Shawn¡¯s countenance changed, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly. In the next second, he stood up abruptly. Mia was momentarily taken aback, wondering if she had said something wrong. She was worried that she had ruined the mood somehow. Without looking back, Shawn walked out of the dining room. However, just as he reached the doorway, he spoke again, his voice carrying an unexpected tone. ¡°The card is yours. Spend the money on it as you see fit.¡± Him After saying those words, the CEO walked out. Mia¡¯s face filled with confusion, but a faint smile graced her lips. Despite the demigod¡¯s cold and unfriendly demeanor, there was a hint of care hidden within him. *Did you really say ¡®caring,¡¯ Miss Mia? Or was that just a figment of your imagination?* In that moment, Mia made a silent vow to achieve greatness in her life. When the time came, she would find a way to repay the man for everything he had done for her. But for now, she would shamelessly spend his money as she saw fit-just as he had instructed. Mia cleared the dishes and washed them diligently. Once she finished in the kitchen, she turned off the lights and made her way upstairs to her bedroom, yawning with exhaustion. As soon as her body touched the bed, she slipped into a deep sleep. ¡ª Somewhere overseas¡­ Yvonne bid her friends farewell and reached her apartment, drenched in sweat from her gym session. She longed for a refreshing cold shower, feeling weak and exhausted. While rummaging through her bag for the house keys, her phone began to ring. A foreign number appeared on the screen, furrowing her brows, she answered the call. ¡°Miss Yvonne, it¡¯s been a while,¡± a voice greeted her. ¡°Who is this?¡± Yvonne didn¡¯t recognize the unfamiliar voice. ¡°That¡¯s not important right now, is it?¡± The person chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what your man has been up totely?¡± Yvonne¡¯s interest piqued at the mention of her man. Simultaneously, her phone chimed repeatedly, indicating the arrival of new messages. She brought the phone down from her ear and saw that the unknown number had sent her pictures. Curiosity gnawed at her as she clicked on the photos, skimming through them one by one. Yvonne¡¯s gaze froze, her heart skipping a beat, as she saw Shawn Mandez surrounded by his numerous bodyguards in the pictures. While that wasn¡¯t unusual, what caught her attention was the presence of a little girl beside him, their hands tightly sped in every photo. Since when did Shawn be so nurturing? Yvonne¡¯s mind raced with questions.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Are you shocked?¡± The unfamiliar voice broke the silence on the other end of the phone. Yvonne slowly pressed the phone back to her ear, the weight of the conversation settling in. ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. Out of sight, out of mind, you know,¡± the unknown caller added, pausing briefly. Out of sight, out of mind¡­ Had Shawn truly forgotten about her? Yvonne¡¯s heart had now began to beat erratically. Momentster, the line went dead, leaving Yvonne confused and speechless. She hurriedly looked through the photos again, finding a possessive look in Shawn¡¯s eyes, as if he would protect the girl at all costs. Zooming in and out, she tried to identify the girl but couldn¡¯t find any familiarity. What connection could Shawn have with such a young girl? After pondering for a while, she unlocked her apartment door and stepped inside. It was time to take matters into her own hands. Just as the unknown caller had suggested, she knew exactly what she needed to do. Whether or not there was something between Shawn and the girl, she would return to her home country and find out for herself. Shawn belonged to her. He was hers now and forever. Suddenly, Yvonne¡¯s phone began ringing again. She picked up the call. ¡°Yvonne, it¡¯s me! We¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Ste?¡± Yvonne recognized her sister¡¯s voice. ¡°Oh my gosh, send me the address immediately. I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Yvonne spoke excitedly into the phone. ¡ª About thirty minutester, she stepped out of her apartment, dressed up and ready. Hailing a taxi, she headed straight to the hotel address Ste had sent her moments ago. Upon arrival, she rode the elevator to the suite where Ste and her family were staying for their vacation. As the door opened, Chris, her nephew, raced over and leaped into her embrace. It had been a long time since they had seen each other, and it took a while before they finally broke apart from their hug. Yvonne was ted to see her nephew, noticing how he was growing into a handsome young boy. It wouldn¡¯t be long before girls started flocking around him at school-if they weren¡¯t already doing so. She grinned widely at her sister, hugging her tightly, and then proceeded to greet Ste¡¯s husband. However, her eyes began searching the room, looking for one person who was missing. ¡°Vee¡¯s not here? She didn¡¯te?¡± Yvonne inquired, puzzled. ¡°No, she has to go to school, so she stayed behind,¡± Ste exined. ¡°Oh.¡± Yvonne nodded, ncing thoughtfully at Chris. What was the boy doing here? As if reading her mind, Chris quickly scampered away. Yvonne snickered at his mischief. He was supposed to be in school, but he had followed his parents and be a third wheel. Tsk. She clicked her tongue yfully. The reunion was filled with joy as everyone chattered away over the meal, particrly Yvonne and Ste. They had a lot of catching up to do, their conversations flowing nonstop. A couple of hourster, Evans, Ste¡¯s husband, retired to the master bedroom due to jetg. Meanwhile, Chris headed to the lounge to y video games. The two sisters were left alone at the dining table, continuing their lively conversation. After hours of chatting, Yvonne finally asked about the person she despised at the moment-the man who had exiled her to a distantnd, far away from her better half. ¡°How is he?¡± Yvonne inquired, her tone filled with bitterness. Ste knew exactly whom her sister was referring to. She smiled and replied, ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± After a few seconds, she added, ¡°And he has a name.¡± Yvonne rolled her eyes dramatically. Memories from the morning flooded her mind, and she fell into deep thought. She nced sideways at her sister, who sat opposite her. ¡°Sis, I¡¯ll be returning with you.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Ste¡¯s face turned ashen, her shock evident. ¡°You don¡¯t mean that, do you?¡± ¡°I do-¡± ¡°No, you do not,¡± Ste cut in sharply. ¡°I do!¡± Yvonne¡¯s face turned serious. She wasn¡¯t interested in arguing with her elder sister, especially after their long separation, but she was tired of everything. It was frustrating. ¡°I¡¯m going back, and no one is going to stop me!¡± Yvonne dered matter-of-factly. Ste couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°Are you insane? Have you forgotten what happened?¡± Her brows furrowed, and a frown formed on her face. ¡°Do you really want to go against HIM? Do you have any idea what you¡¯ll be up against by defying him?¡± ¡°So what? Do you enjoy having me here? In this foreignnd? Do you know how hard it has been for me to live alone, isted from my family, in this unfamiliar ce? Without any support? Do you realize how long it took for me to start fitting in and making a few friends in this foreign ce? Do you? You think this ce feels like home? Come on, you¡¯re not the one walking in my shoes.¡± Ste was rendered speechless by her sister¡¯s sudden outburst. She was taken aback. For a long while, they sat in silence, each lost in her own thoughts. Eventually, Ste eyed her sister skeptically. ¡°Is Shawn somehow connected to your decision to return home?¡± Marriage of convenience ¡°Is Shawn somehow connected to your decision to return home?¡± Yvonne averted her gaze immediately, maintaining a solemn silence. Ste¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, her voice filled with shock and frustration. ¡°Unbelievable! Are you crazy? Have youpletely lost it? Did you forget why we were forced to live here in the first ce? After all this time?¡± Her anger surged, making it impossible for her to contain her emotions any longer. ¡°You, girl, are trying to stir up trouble again, and I¡¯m not going to allow it! I will not be a part of this!¡± Ste dered, rising abruptly from her seat and walking away. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had convinced her husband to bring them here for their wedding anniversary vacation just so her sister could spend time with her, only for Yvonne to start spewing nonsense as soon as they met. If she had known this would be the result, she wouldn¡¯t havee here with her family. Yvonne remained seated at the dining table, staring into space with a silent sorrow. A tear slowly escaped from her eye as she wrestled with her emotions. After a while, she mustered the courage to join her sister in the lounge. Ste was absentmindedly staring at the game her son was ying on the TV. Yvonne sighed heavily and sat beside her, seeking sce in her sister¡¯s presence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bringing it up,¡± Yvonne apologized, her voice filled with genuine remorse. ¡°I won¡¯t be going back with you. I promise.¡± Ste immediately turned to face her sister, and Yvonne nodded, trying to assure her. Ste breathed a sigh of relief, understanding the pain her sister must be going through. Being alone in a foreignnd, surrounded by strangers, was a difficult burden to bear. But sometimes, enduring hardships was the only choice one had in order for peace to be maintained. ¡ª Magnificent Residential Area. Time flew by quickly, and a new school week began for Mia. Exhausted from the stress of school, she had slept throughout the previous day. When she finally woke up, it was alreadyte in the evening. After taking a refreshing bath, she went downstairs to have her meal. Then, she returned to her room and continued her sweet slumber, barely seeing her husband at all. When Mia woke up the next day, she felt thoroughly energized and refreshed. She went about her usual daily routine and headed downstairs for breakfast. It was there that she finallyid eyes on him, after several hours-her captivating husband-sitting at the dining table like a statue, emitting an intimidating aura. Since the chaotic dinner they had two nights ago, this was the first time Mia was seeing Shawn. And she couldn¡¯t help but admire him. He looked impably elegant, already dressed in a navy blue tuxedo for work. Mia took a moment to admire the demigod from the doorway as he focused on the tablet in his hand, exuding an air of nobility. She had never seen such refined and reserved beauty before. He seemed so far above everyone else, so regal. But amidst it all, Mia was ovee with the tempting urge to bridge the gap between them and consume him whole. ¡®Wait, what? Mia, control yourself,¡¯ she chastised herself inwardly. ¡°Are you done?¡± Suddenly, Shawn¡¯s icy gaze swept over her, his thick, long eyshes making her nervous. Mia bobbed her head nervously and quickly took her seat, biting her lip in embarrassment. After a while, she finished her meal, while Shawn merely picked at his food before setting his fork down. It was then that the cold man on the other side of the table spoke up abruptly, ¡°I¡¯ll being to pick you up after school today.¡± ¡®Really?!¡¯ Mia squealed with joy internally, her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself. We have somewhere we must go together,¡± Shawn¡¯s cold words flushed Mia with embarrassment, and she bit her lip once again. Observing the girl, the CEO shook his head disapprovingly. Without further ado, he rose to his feet. Then, something flickered in his eyes, and he turned to face Mia. ¡°Grandpa¡¯s birthday is this weekend. We¡¯ll visit him in the morning and attend a banquet at night, so-¡± Before Shawn could finish his sentence, Mia hastily interjected, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not allowed to attend the party, as we don¡¯t want the public to know we¡¯re married. Not to worry, I¡¯ll hide myself very well.¡± Shawn¡¯s gaze darkened instantly, his teeth gritted, and his jaw tightened. Without wasting any more time, he stormed out of the dining area. The audacity of the girl, her brazenness-it infuriated him. She didn¡¯t even let him finish speaking; she was rude. Did she really despise their marriage that much? Must she continuously remind him that their union was one of convenience? Damned girl! The CEO seethed with anger, and his mood soured for the rest of the day. ¡ªThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. After the demigod left, Mia¡¯s gaze lingered at the doorway. She was speechless. He left so abruptly, appearing angry. Had she done something wrong? Was it the way she spoke? Aish. She must have said something he didn¡¯t like. But what could it be? In fact, if anything, Mia should be the one who was angry and upset right now. The man made it clear that she could only apany him privately to wish his grandfather a happy birthday in the morning, bute nightfall, she was not allowed to show her face because he didn¡¯t want people to know he was married to someone like her-a fool. He was a bad, bad man. Pouting, Mia grabbed her bag and headed off to school. As she sat on the bus, she wondered where she would be going with the infuriating demigodter in the day. Despite her efforts, she couldn¡¯te up with any guesses. She would have to wait and find out. ¡ª sses began smoothly, and in the afternoon, Mrs. Babington went around the school advising the final-year students to start studying as the National College Entrance Exam (CSAT) was fast approaching. The students, Mia included, were relieved to know that their days in high school would soon be over. She secretly prayed to pass the exam so that she could pursue her dream job while in college. That way, she could start repaying her husband. However, being a TV host and a college student at the same time would be challenging. Mia was lost in thought when suddenly, a hard strikended across her face. It was so sudden and unexpected that she almost lost her bnce and fell off her seat. Blinking away the pain, her hand cradling her stinging cheek, she nced up at the person who had struck her, freezing instantly. The one who had hit her was her father-Arnold Thompson-the man who had disowned her without a second thought. Die, Mia Mia was stunned to see her father there-what was he doing there? Why had hee? Her heart beat erratically against her chest. Then it hit her-it was that time of year again. Arnold Thompson would usually visit his children¡¯s school in the middle of every year to pay their fees and check on their academic progress with the principal. Mia¡¯s father raised his hand and struck her across the face once more. The entire ss gasped at the shocking sight. ¡°Why is he hitting her?¡± ¡°What did she do this time?¡± If Mrs. Babington hadn¡¯t intervened quickly, Mia¡¯s father would have hit her again. ¡°Please, sir, let¡¯s not do this here,¡± she pleaded. Barbara, who had been watching with a smug expression from the ssroom door, hurriedly rushed to her husband¡¯s side and held his arm. ¡°Darling, it¡¯s true. Let¡¯s go to Mrs. Babington¡¯s office to resolve this. I know you disowned Mia for a reason, but this is too much. Let¡¯s just go,¡± she urged, tugging at his arm. After ring at Mia for a moment, the man relented and followed his wife out of the ssroom. ¡°Come with me,¡± Mrs. Babington said to Mia, who had tears streaming down her face. Mia¡¯s father¡¯s fingerprints were visible on both sides of her cheeks. She slowly stood up and followed the principal. Once they were gone, the ss erupted in chatter. ¡°Did her mom say ¡®disowned¡¯?¡± ¡°That girl has the worst luck.¡± ¡°She must have done something disgraceful to be disowned.¡± The students gossiped among themselves, while Veronica looked on with a disgusted expression. The girl was shameless, in her opinion. ¡ª As Mia and Mrs. Babington entered the principal¡¯s office, they found Mr. Arnold and his wife already seated there. Mia¡¯s father stood up and apologized to the principal, saying, ¡°Mrs. Babington, I¡¯m sorry to trouble you with my family issues. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle them myself.¡± He added, ¡°Also, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll send my daughter¡¯s fees to the school¡¯s ount. Just let me know the total amount.¡± Then, with a deadly re at Mia, he coldly said, ¡°This one is no child of mine, I¡¯m no longer responsible for her.¡± He added, ¡°Follow me.¡± After the family left her office, Mrs. Babington shook her head in disbelief. Different families, different problems. She wondered what the man meant by no longer being responsible for his own child. What had happened, and why had he disowned her? Suddenly, Mrs. Babington¡¯s eyes narrowed in thought. Could all of this have anything to do with Mr. Lucas from Beats Corporation? What was the rtionship between Mia and Assistant Lucas? She wondered. ¡ª Mia trailed behind her furious father and stepmother, her eyes blurred with tears. Her heart pounded in her chest, uncertain of what awaited her. Why was her father still tormenting her if he had already disowned her? The girl silently sobbed. As soon as they reached the school gate, Mr. Arnold ordered Mia to get into the car, and they drove away. A few momentster, they arrived outside the police station. Mia burst into tears at the sight. Again? The police station again? How long would he keep her locked up this time? This wasn¡¯t the first time Arnold was having his daughter locked up in the police station. Once, arge sum of money went missing from his room. After an extensive search, the money was found under Mia¡¯s pillow in her room. Without considering that the thief was his own daughter, Arnold immediately had Mia arrested and locked up. She had spent two nights in jail for a crime she didn¡¯tmit. In the end, Mia discovered that her stepmother had taken the money to teach her a lesson. ¡ªConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Without a word, Mia slowly stepped out of the car, and her father and stepmother followed suit. Angrily, her father grabbed her arm and dragged her into the police station. Mr. Arnold Thompson was not an ordinary person; he was the director of a majorpany. The police chief quickly greeted him with a low bow upon hearing of his arrival. Arnold wasted no time with pleasantries and ordered, ¡°Lock her up. Don¡¯t release her until you hear from me.¡± He added authoritatively, ¡°Do not give her food or water.¡± The police chief was taken aback by the request but nodded in response. ¡°Alright, sir.¡± Mia¡¯s father gave her a disgusted look before walking out of the station. Barbara snickered secretly as she followed him, putting on a facade of sorrow. ¡®Serves her right!¡¯ Barbara wished for Mia to disappearpletely so she could have everything to herself. Once inside the car, Barbara nced at her husband and said, ¡°Darling, isn¡¯t this too much? You¡¯re being too harsh on poor Mia-prison? That¡¯s just too much!¡± She pouted, feigning sadness. ¡°Since she has chosen to be irresponsible, she deserves ¡®too much,''¡± Arnold replied, his face clouded with anger as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Although he had disowned Mia, he had waited day and night for her to apologize for her behavior and promise to change. But she hadn¡¯t reached out to him for nearly a month. She never visited the house or called-nothing. It seemed she was fine with being cut off, showing no care or remorse. Arnold couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the rumors about his daughter were true. She no longer stayed in the dormitory he paid for. What was she up to? Where had she been sleeping? How could she, when he provided her with money? She could have just asked for more if the money he was giving her wasn¡¯t enough! After waiting for so long without Miaing around, Arnold decided to take matters into his own hands. Before she brought further shame upon him, before news of her actions got out, he chose to have her locked up. Perhaps, just maybe, she woulde to her senses. Somewhere deep in his heart, he secretly hoped she would. After all, she was his daughter-his flesh and blood. He couldn¡¯t simply abandon her. And if she didn¡¯t change while locked up in prison, then he would leave her there forever. Barbara remained silent, turning her head to gaze out the window. That was exactly what she had hoped for. She silently wished for Mia¡¯s death while she was locked up in prison, so she could have everything to herself. Meanwhile, in the police station, Mia stood with tears streaming down her face, her head bowed and her hair concealing her features. Due to this, the Chief of Police couldn¡¯t see her face. He issued a curtmand, ¡°Take her into custody.¡± Without dy, two policemen stepped forward, firmly gripping Mia¡¯s arms, and proceeded to escort her away. Observing the girl¡¯s retreating figure, the chief sighed and made his way towards his office. However, a sudden realization halted his progress. ¡°Hold on!¡± He eximed, halting his subordinates in their tracks. CEO anxious about his wife *** The CEO of Beats Corporation was in a foul mood all day. Ever since he stepped into the corporation in the morning, his demeanor had been aggressive towards everyone. Shawn particrly despised the fact that his mood was affected by that girl. Once again, her words seemed to have a significant impact on him, and it frustrated him to no end. As he worked, Shawn kept ncing at the time on his luxurious wristwatch. Since she was the reason behind his edginess throughout the day, she would have to face the consequences. At precisely four o¡¯clock, the CEO stood up from behind his desk, grabbed his overcoat from the coat rack, and briskly walked out of the office. He had informed Lucas beforehand that they would be going to Mia¡¯s school, so his personal assistant was already waiting for him in the underground car park. Without wasting any time, Lucas drove straight to the school. When they arrived, Lucas understood that it would be better not to park the car too close to the entrance, considering the secrecy of the rtionship between the Madam and the Big Boss. Instead, he parked the car under a tree in a secluded corner and then stepped out to wait for the Madam outside the school entrance. sses had just ended for the day, and students were pouring out of the school premises in groups, engaged in fervent gossip. The news about Mia Thompson¡¯s drama had spread throughout the entire school, bing the topic of conversation for everyone: ¡°That girl needs help.¡± ¡°Is it true she¡¯s involved in prostitution?¡± ¡°Can you believe her father did that to her?¡± ¡°Damn! She has such a troubled life.¡± ¡°Mia is possessed, I¡¯m telling you.¡± Lucas, oblivious to the gossip, stood patiently in one spot, waiting for the Madam to appear. However, after five minutes, he saw no sign of her. But the Big Boss said she knew that they wereing. Did she forget about their meeting and leave already? Just as he was about to ask one of the students for assistance, he heard a familiar voice call his name. Lucas turned his gaze in the direction of the voice and saw Damien Davis approaching him. ¡°Good day, Sir Damien,¡± He greeted politely, bowing his head. Damien furrowed his brows and smirked. ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t the one and only Assistant Lucas¡­¡± ¡°What brings you here? I don¡¯t recall you having a teenage child¡­¡± Damien raised an eyebrow questioningly. Lucas maintained his polite smile. Damien continued to scrutinize him skeptically. ¡°Or do you actually have someone attending this school? Or perhaps, do you have an employee here?¡± Then his eyes narrowed. ¡°Is it Shawn? Did he send you here? Why?¡± Lucas was about to respond when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and answered the call. Within seconds, his eyes widened in surprise. A few momentster, he turned to Damien and said, ¡°Excuse me, Sir Damien.¡± With a slight bow, he walked away. The yful smirk on Damien¡¯s face vanished as he watched Lucas walk away. What was that man¡¯s assistant doing there? It seemed like he was waiting for someone, but who could it be? ¡°Who is the person?¡± Damien wondered to himself. ¡°Boss, I just received a call from the Chief of Police. The Madam is at the police station,¡± Lucas informed as soon as he got back into the car. Before he could say anything more, the CEO interrupted, ¡°Head to the police station.¡± Immediately they arrived, both Shawn and his assistant stepped out of the car, quickly making their way into the police station.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Lucas was deeply worried, and so was Shawn. They had no idea how Mia ended up there, but they feared she must have gotten into trouble. Upon entering the station, the Chief of Police greeted them and led the way to his office, trying to put as much distance between himself and CEO Shawn as possible. The CEO of Beats Corporation was just too intimidating to be around. Shawn nced at the Chief¡¯s retreating back, his eyes filled with anger. If the man had locked his wife up again¡­ he wouldn¡¯t live to see the next day. Suddenly, the Chief sneezed. Who was speaking ill of him? They entered the office, and what the Big Boss and his assistant saw stunned them. The girl they were worried about was sitting in a chair, holding a cup of milkshake in one hand and biscuits in the other. She looked rxed, as if she were in thefort of her own home, unharmed and unconcerned. Shawn blinked in astonishment, while Lucas couldn¡¯t help but cough incessantly. ¡°Please, sirs, have a seat,¡± the Chief gestured to the chairs. Mia turned around upon hearing the chief¡¯s words and saw two strikingly handsome men standing in the doorway. One of them was her husband-the most dazzling of them all. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here,¡± She said, her voice meek and soft. She quickly rose to her feet. Regaining hisposure, Shawn pressed his lips tightly. He had rushed all the way there for this¡­ for nothing. There was clearly nothing wrong with the girl, so why was she at the police station again? Did she have a penchant for visiting this ce? After all, she had been there just yesterday. He stole a quick nce at her face and then looked away. But a few secondster, he froze. He turned his head back, fixating his eyes on her face again. What the hell? What were those marks on both sides of her face? Shawn¡¯s face paled, and he swiftly approached Mia, closing the distance between them. He raised his hand and gently turned her face from side to side. His expression darkened instantly. There were visible handprints on her cheeks, which were now red. He also noticed her swollen eyes-she had been crying. The CEO turned sharply and shot a deadly re at the chief of police. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t do it, Sir,¡± the Chief quickly defended himself, shaking his head vigorously. Meanwhile, Mia continued munching on her biscuits, blinking in silence. What was going on? Without uttering a word, Shawn grabbed her wrist and led her away. Lucas, on the other hand, faced the Chief and nodded curtly. ¡°Thank you.¡± With that, he turned around and hurried to catch up with the CEO and the Madam. The Chief of Police was left standing speechless in his office. What had just happened? They left so abruptly? Couldn¡¯t they have shown some gratitude? He had even entertained the girl and bought her the biscuits and milkshake she wanted. Well, at least he hadn¡¯t been locked up for five hours today, that was enough gratitude. And to think he almost got himself into trouble again¡­ When Mia¡¯s father had brought her earlier and demanded that she be locked up, the Chief had ordered two of his men to do so. However, as they were leading the girl to a cell, he noticed that she looked familiar from behind-very familiar. He quickly ordered his men to stop and approached them. He stood in front of the girl, silently praying that she wouldn¡¯t turn out to be who he suspected her to be. He crouched low, tilting his head up slightly, and examined her face. He almost wet his pants when he realized that she was indeed the girl from the previous day. It was a close call. The Chief immediately ordered the girl to be let go, almost shitting his pants. Protecting Mia He then bowed several times, apologizing for the behavior of his men towards her moments ago. Then he led the way to his office. Thinking he had narrowly avoided trouble once again, the chief shook his head. Yesterday, he had been swarmed by mosquitoes, almost bitten to death while locked up in the cell with his subordinates. And when CEO Shawn¡¯s men finally released them, the chief could barely walk or speak. He was famished and weak, his body trembling from starvation. Only the heavens knew what would have happened to him today if he hadn¡¯t discovered in time that Mr. Arnold¡¯s daughter was the same girl from yesterday. It would have been brutal, perhaps he would have ended up with a life sentence. With a deep sigh of relief, the chief settled into his office chair. Come to think of it, what exactly was the rtionship between CEO Shawn and Director Arnold Thompson¡¯s daughter? When the girl was brought in the previous day, the Chief of Police initially felt a sense of familiarity but dismissed the thought. Now he understood why she looked familiar-it was because she had been there before. One time, Mr. Arnold had brought her in and requested that she be locked up. Sigh. None of it was his concern, anyway. The chief of police considered calling Mr. Arnold to inform him of thetest update. He picked up the telephone receiver. But then he pondered¡­ Was it his ce to do so? Whom should he offend? Mr. Arnold or the CEO of Beats Corporation? He decided to err on the side of caution and put the receiver back down. ¡ª In the car, on the way back to the Magnificent Residential Area. As soon as Mia got into the car, she quickly closed her eyes. The ride was silent, and the aloof CEO remained quiet. However, after a while, he could no longer hold back. ¡°Who did that to your face?¡± He asked. Mia feigned sleep, softly snoring to signal that she was asleep, but the CEO wasn¡¯t fooled. ¡°I know you¡¯re awake. Stop pretending. I won¡¯t repeat myself,¡± He warned sternly. Mia slowly opened one eye and peeked at him. Fine. You caught me. She opened her other eye and let out a barely audible sigh. She remained quiet for a moment before finally saying, ¡°It was my father.¡± Shawn squinted his eyes, though he avoided looking directly at her. His hands involuntarily clenched into fists. The same man who had disowned her? How preposterous. Lucas, who was behind the wheel, heard Mia¡¯s words and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Madam¡¯s father needed to be stopped, or he would continue to bully her. By the time they arrived home, it was already dark, and Mia had cried herself to sleep. Shawn elegantly carried her in his arms and gently ced her on the bed. As he stroked her hair, the sight of the marks on her face ignited a boiling rage within him. He would have to teach the man a lesson, though it would be mild for the sake of his wife. After leaving Mia¡¯s room, he called Lucas into his own room. ¡°What does her father do again?¡± the CEO inquired. ¡°He¡¯s the managing director of XY Company. Thepany belongs to the Thompsons,¡± Lucas responded. ¡°Good.¡± Shawn looked up at his personal assistant. ¡°I want XY Company to be featured in tomorrow morning¡¯s news.¡± Lucas nodded knowingly. XY Company would not only be featured, but it would also be the headline. He would make sure of it. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Sir.¡± Lucas bobbed his head again and left the room. Shawn remained seated on his bed, his face devoid of any emotion. Nobody would bully his woman. Nobody. Although he had initially decided to stay out of anything rted to the girl, he had changed his mind. Especially now that he knew people were after her life, and also because he realized she wasn¡¯t who he had thought she was. Besides, it was impossible for a man and woman to be husband and wife and not be involved in each other¡¯s lives. The girl was now Shawn¡¯s wife, whether he liked it or not, and that made her affairs his responsibility. Standing on his own two feet, Shawn headed downstairs and instructed Madam Susan on how to take care of Mia that night. The girl shouldn¡¯t simply go to bed like that. She needed to bathe, change out of her school uniform, and apply some ointment to her cheeks.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. After receiving the instructions from the young master, Madam Susan went upstairs with two maids. They gently woke Mia up and began taking care of her. As soon as they were done, exhausted, Mia soon fell back asleep. ¡ª The following day. As soon as Mia woke up, she refused to wallow in self-pity. She took a quick bath, got dressed for school, and headed downstairs for breakfast. When she entered the dining room, Shawn was already seated, as usual. She nodded at him quietly and took her seat. Although he didn¡¯t eat much as usual, unlike before, the CEO didn¡¯t leave the dining area until Mia finished eating. Since she didn¡¯t have her bag with her, Mia simply stood up after finishing her meal, straightened her uniform, and prepared to leave the mansion. But just as she stood up, the aloof man sitting across from her did the same. Mia nodded at him again, silently, and left the dining room. After saying goodbye to everyone, she left the house. Shawn¡¯s lips twitched as he watched the girl walk down the driveway. She was making it difficult for him. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he got into the car. ¡°Drive,¡± he ordered, and the car started moving. Mia was walking down the road when she heard a car honk behind her. As she wasn¡¯t on the main road, she continued walking without looking back. But the honk sounded again, as if the car was following her directly and driving slowly behind her. Furrowing her brows, Mia turned around. ¡°Get in,¡± her husband¡¯s cold voice made her almost shriek. The car window was rolled down, and the car was right beside her. Caught off guard, she blinked rapidly, unmoving. ¡®Get in where?¡¯ She thought. They weren¡¯t headed to the same destination. ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself,¡± Shawn¡¯s cold voice broke the silence. Without hesitating any further, Mia quickly went around the car and stepped in. The car zoomed off. After a while of silence, Shawn spoke in a low, cold voice. ¡°From today onwards, Jasper will be the one taking you to and from school. Every day.¡± Mia¡¯s eyes immediately widened at the bombshell he dropped. What? Every day? But that wasn¡¯t what they had agreed on. Why¡­? She opened her mouth to protest, but a cold re from Shawn made her close her mouth back. She looked in the rearview mirror and saw the driver smile at her. It was the same person who had driven her to the demigod¡¯s ce of work the other day. Sigh. The kids at school would talk. Plus, if her father found out, it would be disastrous. Nheless, Mia found her heart warming up at the domineering man¡¯s gesture. Was he trying to protect her this way? Her face heated up. The drive to Mia¡¯s school was silent. When they arrived, the girl thanked Shawn, and before she got out of the car, she looked around through the tinted ss window to ensure that no one was looking. Quickly, she opened the car door and rushed out, causing it to shut hastily with a loud bang. Shawn was left speechless. Why was the girl looking around like a thief, and why did she m his door like that? Clicking his tongue in annoyance, hemanded, ¡°Drive,¡± and Jasper zoomed off. Despite Mia¡¯s attempts to be careful, someone had seen her stepping out of the luxurious car. Contract marriage Vivian impatiently stood outside the school gates, waiting for her sister. As she scanned the street, her attention was caught by a ck Maybach pulling up across the road. Before she could look away, the car door flung open, and Mia dashed out of it. Vivian¡¯s mouth fell open in surprise. However, she quicklyposed herself and looked away, pretending to search for someone down the road. Mia was taken aback when she saw her sister. The first thought that crossed her mind was, ¡°Did she see me?¡± ¡°Vivian,¡± she called softly. Vivian turned at the sound of her name and finally noticed her sister. ¡°Huh? Mia! I was waiting for you. When did you get here?¡± Vivian seemed surprised. Relieved that Vivian hadn¡¯t seen her arrive in the Maybach, Mia sighed inwardly. She was convinced. ¡°You were waiting for me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Vivian¡¯s face turned to worry. Then she noticed Mia¡¯s puffy, swollen face. Vivian had heard about the altercation between Mia and their father in Mia¡¯s ss the previous day. She felt bad for Mia and even worse that she couldn¡¯t do anything to help her. But right now, that wasn¡¯t the main issue. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about yesterday. Are you okay now?¡± Concern was evident on Vivian¡¯s face. ¡°Yeah,¡± Mia smiled reassuringly. ¡°Thank goodness.¡± Vivian nodded and handed Mia her bag. ¡°Here.¡± She had collected the bag from Martha after school yesterday. In fact, it was from Martha that she had learned the details of what happened. The two sisters started walking towards the school entrance. ¡°Thank you, Vivian,¡± Mia said, grateful for her sister¡¯s support. Vivian was the best. She waspletely different from her mother, Barbara, in every way. Mia was thankful to have her. As they walked side by side, Vivian observed Mia silently. After a while, she suddenly stopped. ¡°Mia, did you see the news?¡± News? Mia also stopped walking, her curiosity piqued. She didn¡¯t have her phone with her, and yesterday had been hectic. So¡­ Vivian heaved a weary sigh. ¡°There¡¯s a problem. A serious one.¡± The worried expression on her face rmed Mia. She started feeling anxious herself. What could be wrong? ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Her heart raced with anticipation. ¡°Thepany has gone bankrupt. Our familypany. Mom called me this morning and told me. Dad has also fallen gravely ill-he¡¯s bedridden as we speak. He copsed as soon as he heard the news. What do we do now, Mia? It¡¯s really bad-bankruptcy.¡± Although the two sisters didn¡¯t know much about business, they understood the word ¡°bankrupt,¡± and they knew it was not a good word. It was bad. Really bad. Mia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Her dad was bedridden? Despite the strained rtionship between Mia and her father since the death of her mother, he was still her father. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest. What would be of them now? Of her¡­ Already having lost her mother, she couldn¡¯t bear losing her father as well. ¡°What happened?¡± Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Vivian replied, on the verge of tears herself. ¡°All I know is that we have to go home together after school to see them. Mom has been crying sincest night too. I could barely recognize her voice when she called this morning.¡± Mia nodded, lost in her thoughts. They would go hometer and face the situation. ¡ª ¡°Your job is to protect her. Never let her out of your sight.¡± They had arrived in the Beats Corporation¡¯s underground parking lot, and the CEO was rifying Jasper about his role with the girl. ¡°Yes, Big Boss,¡± Jasper nodded. Without further ado, Shawn stepped out of the car, and Jasper drove out of the corporation to begin his new job. The CEO strode purposefully into the building, his personal assistant following closely behind him. Suddenly, Shawn blurted out, ¡°Buy the school no matter the cost.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± Lucas was taken aback. Shawn ignored him and walked directly into the elevator.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Lucas blinked rapidly, understanding what his boss was referring to. ¡°Boss, the madam will be done in a couple of weeks. We don¡¯t have to buy the school,¡± he cautiously responded. Shawn pressed his lips together, considering Lucas¡¯ words. It was true that the girl would soon be done with her studies. Transferring her to another school wouldn¡¯t make sense either since she would soon be done. Besides, Jasper was already there to protect the girl. He remained silent, and Lucas secretly breathed a sigh of relief. In an attempt to lighten his boss¡¯s mood, Lucas shared some positive news. ¡°XY Company has been dealt with. They¡¯re currently suffering huge losses.¡± The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. Shawn strode out. ¡°Good.¡± No one dared to bully his wife. That would serve as a warning. ¡ª As soon as school was over, Mia and Vivian headed straight to the Thompsons¡¯ residence. Upon seeing her daughter walk into the house, Barbara cried out and hugged her tightly. ¡°Vivian, darling! We¡¯re finished!¡± She cried. Mia stood silently to the side, her only concern being the well-being of her father. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay,¡± Vivian tried to console her mother. ¡°No! You don¡¯t understand. It¡¯s not okay at all. We¡¯re going to lose everything! Everything!¡± Barbara wailed, pulling Vivian into a chair. ¡°Baby, we need to find a solution. We need to find a way out. I can¡¯t bear to suffer¡­¡± Barbara ignored Mia¡¯s presence, focusing all her attention on Vivian. ¡°Your father is lying upstairs, terribly ill. He¡¯s been unconscious since morning. What do we do now? I¡¯m finished-we¡¯re finished.¡± Vivian sighed wearily, feeling helpless as she looked up at her sister. What would they do now? ¡ª Since the kids had to attend school the next day, they decided to leave after seeing their father and spending a few hours in the Thompsons¡¯ residence. The sun was setting, and darkness was creeping in. But just as they were about to leave, a group of people walked into the house. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re wee,¡± Barbara curtsied quickly upon spotting them and grinned at Mia. The girls stood silently on the side, observing the unfolding events. Who were these people? In a blink of an eye, Barbara discreetly pulled her daughter upstairs to her room. ¡°Stay here, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Mum, what¡¯s going on?¡± Vivian asked, confused. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my dear. Everything I¡¯m doing is for our family,¡± Barbara assured her before leaving the room. Barbara made sure to lock the room from the outside, knowing Vivian¡¯s curious nature. She didn¡¯t want her daughter to ruin her ns by interfering. Straightening her dress, she headed downstairs. ¡°Oh, please, have a seat,¡± she offered politely to the guests, smiling widely. ¡°Servants, bring refreshments for our guests,¡± She called out. One of the visitors, a middle-aged man, spoke in an unfriendly manner. ¡°Woman, we are not interested. We¡¯re not here for that. Let¡¯s get straight to the point. Where¡¯s our bride?¡± Bride? Was someone in the family getting married? Mia blinked, trying to make sense of the situation. ¡°Ah, pardon me, Mr. Andrew. Don¡¯t worry, the bride is here,¡± Barbara quickly responded, rushing over to Mia¡¯s side and pulling her towards the visitors. ¡°Here she is, my precious daughter,¡± She proimed, grinning sweetly. Mr. Andrew¡¯s gaze immediately fell upon Mia, and he scrutinized her. After a few seconds, he nodded in approval. She wasn¡¯t bad at all. Young, beautiful, and likely to bear an heir and more children for his son. He turned to the rest of his family members, and they too had approving expressions on their faces. Good. All this while, Mia remainedpletely unaware of what was going on. She turned to her stepmother, confused. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask. Smiling apologetically at the guests, Barbara pulled Mia aside. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what¡¯s going on¡¯?¡± Barbara¡¯s fake gentle countenance vanished from her face. ¡°Just so you know, those are your inws! Our inws!¡± She snapped. ¡°Inws?¡± Mia was still confused. What did Barbara mean by inws? What in the world was going on? ¡°Yes, stupid! You¡¯re getting married-what am I even saying?¡± Barbara snickered. ¡°You¡¯re already married to the heir of the Andrews. I¡¯ve already signed the marriage contract.¡± Meeting is adjourned Mia couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°Listen, you¡¯re doing this for our family, for your father. The Andrews have agreed to form an alliance with us, but only if you marry their son. I had no choice. It¡¯s for the sake of this family. You understand, right?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mia struggled toprehend everything the woman was saying, her face turning pale. Barbara¡¯s anger red at Mia¡¯s reaction. ¡°What¡¯s with that look?!¡± she snapped. ¡°You shameless thing! You should be grateful they¡¯re interested in someone like you! They¡¯re rich and will take care of you! All you need to do is bear children for your husband. You should be grateful and show appreciation!¡± She sneered. In a rushed manner, Barbara added, ¡°There¡¯s just a small problem. Your husband is epileptic. But don¡¯t worry, it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s a sacrifice you have to make for our family. Now, behave.¡± Without allowing Mia to respond, Barbara forcefully dragged her back and pushed her towards the waiting guests. Grinning, she gestured with her hands, ¡°She¡¯s all yours now.¡± Mia was dumbfounded. She struggled to find her voice but felt as though it had vanished. She couldn¡¯t believe everything that was happening and the cruel words that had been spoken to her. ¡°Very well, Madam Thompson. We¡¯ll take our leave now with our bride,¡± Mr. Andrew said, offering a curt smile to Barbara ¡°Very well,¡± Barbara grinned. ¡°I¡¯m not going!¡± All of a sudden, Mia screamed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go!¡± ¡°What are you doing? Stop embarrassing this family!¡± Barbara snapped. ¡°You¡¯re getting married, you should be happy!¡± ¡°But I¡¯m already married.¡± Hot tears streamed down Mia¡¯s face. ¡°What?¡± Barbaraughed. ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± She said to her inws. ¡°I apologize; she¡¯s just overwhelmed by the sudden news.¡± Barbara then ordered two male servants to forcefully carry Mia into the guests¡¯ car. ¡°No! No! I don¡¯t want to!¡± Mia cried earnestly as the servants bundled her into the car. ¡°We¡¯ll proceed with helping your husband¡¯spany as discussed. Have a lovely day, Mrs. Thompson,¡± Mr. Andrew said, smiling curtly at Barbara, before leading his group out. As the car drove away, Barbara mouthed to Mia, ¡°Be good. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be well taken care of,¡± and waved. Barbara then returned upstairs and unlocked the door to her room. ¡°Mom! What was that for?! It¡¯s gettingte already!¡± Her daughter whined and immediately headed downstairs. But to her surprise, the living room was empty. ¡°Did Mia leave already? Where¡¯s Mia?¡± Barbara responded from behind her, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that girl anymore. She¡¯s married now. Her father-inw came for her a while ago.¡± Vivian had a hard time processing what her mother had just said. ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s married, Mom?¡± She squinted suspiciously and added, ¡°Mom, what did you do?¡± Knowing her mother¡¯s character, Vivian couldn¡¯t believe that Mia had gotten married without saying anything. ¡°What? Why are you looking at me like that?!¡± ¡°Listen, I did it for us,¡± Barbara snapped. ¡°What did you do? What exactly did you do?¡± Vivian felt a headacheing on. ¡°I married her off. I had no choice! Don¡¯t worry about her; she¡¯s in safe hands!¡± Barbara waved off her daughter¡¯s concern. ¡°Mom!¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Barbara was enraged. ¡°What would you have me do? Your father is seriously ill, thepany is now failing. Something had to be done. The Andrew family offered to help, and in return, they wanted that girl for their imbecile heir. I had to do something!¡± Vivian was rendered speechless. She couldn¡¯tprehend the full extent of her mother¡¯s actions. Imbecile? She married Mia off to an imbecile? That was just too much! ¡°But we could have found another way! Why Mia?¡± Vivian was on the verge of tears. Barbara¡¯s anger red even more. ¡°What other way is there?! You ungrateful girl.¡± Ungrateful? Vivian was confused. ¡°Do you know who they wanted? You! The eldest daughter of the Thompson family. You! Should I have offered you to them instead? Should I call them back toe and take you?¡± With that, she angrily went upstairs. Vivian was dumbstruck by everything she had heard. They wanted her? So, it was her they wanted, and Mia went in her ce. Slowly, she settled on one of the chairs, tears flowing freely from her eyes. Poor Mia, what would be of her now? *** Shawn had been in a foul mood throughout the day, and as usual, everyone in the corporation bore the brunt of it as if they were responsible for his mood. The CEO was in the conference room, unleashing his anger on the higher-ups when his phone started buzzing on the conference table. Initially, he ignored it, but the incessant buzzing irritated him. Annoyed, he nced at the screen and saw that it was Jasper calling. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he raised a finger, signaling for Lucas to pause reading the blueprint. Jasper knew better than to call the CEO unnecessarily. Usually, when he had a message to pass, he went through Lucas. So, for him to call directly, Shawn immediately knew it was an important matter. Could Jasper¡¯s call be rted to the girl? Shawn wondered. The room fell into an eerie silence as everyone watched the CEO pick up the call. ¡°Yes?¡± His maic voice echoed through therge room, sending shivers down everyone¡¯s spines. A few momentster, Shawn¡¯s face darkened, and he abruptly stood up, striding out of the meeting room. The stakeholders were left perplexed. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Why did he leave?¡± Even Lucas was unsure of what was happening. ¡°The meeting is adjourned,¡± he quickly announced to the stakeholders, packed his belongings, and hurried after his boss. He managed to catch up with Shawn in the elevator, just as the CEO was ending the call. ¡°Send me the address and stay there. Don¡¯t do anything until I arrive.¡± He then ended the call. Lucas, who waspletely unaware of the situation, silently followed his boss as they headed to the underground car park. The cold and dangerous aura emanating from the CEO confirmed that something terrible had urred. Lucas¡¯s phone chimed, and he checked the new message. It was an address from Jasper. He quickly noted the destination. Closing the back seat door for the CEO, Lucas rushed to the driver¡¯s side and zoomed off. ¡ªAll content is ? N0velDrama.Org. After the CEO hung up, Jasper parked the car in a hidden corner and remained seated behind the wheel. FLASHBACK: After leaving Beats Corporation and dropping off the CEO, Jasper made his way back to the school where Mia attended. He parked the car in a secluded area, intending to review Mia¡¯s personal file that Lucas had sent him a few minutes earlier. Sitting inside the car, he delved into the documents, trying to gather as much information as possible. As the school day came to an end, students began pouring out of the premises. Among them, Jasper caught sight of Mia in a rush, holding hands with another girl who he recognized as her sister, Vivian. It was evident that they were in a hurry to go somewhere important. Jasper squinted his eyes, observing their swift movements. Initially, he wondered if Mia had forgotten that he was now responsible for driving her home from school. He contemted stepping out of the car to remind her, but his attention was drawn to Mia and Vivian quickly entering a taxi. Jasper swiftly started the car and followed them. It soon became clear that Mia and Vivian were heading to their family¡¯s residence. Upon their arrival, Jasper parked the car in a discreet spot nearby and discreetly watched as the two sisters hurried into the main house. After a while, another car approached the Thompsons¡¯pound, and a group of people emerged from it, swiftly entering the house. Within a short span of time, Jasper witnessed Mia being forcibly dragged out by two men. Shocked by the unfolding events, he watched helplessly as they forcefully stuffed her into the car and locked her inside before returning to the house. Confusion gripped Jasper as he silently observed the group of people from earlier on entering the same vehicle that Mia was now confined in, speeding away from the residence. It was evident that Mia had been abducted, and he felt a surge of urgency to take action. Without wasting a moment, he ignited the car engine and began trailing them. After a tense while, Jasper swiftly dialed the CEO¡¯s number, knowing that he needed to update Shawn on the distressing situation at hand. Unwilling bride *** Jasper observed in silence as the Andrews¡¯ car pulled into their residence. How dare they snatch the boss¡¯ woman? They had no idea what they were getting themselves into. They would soon learn when the boss arrived. Even though he could easily storm in and deal with every single one of them, the boss had explicitly instructed him to hold back. So, for now, he would obey and refrain from taking action. The Andrew family disembarked from the car, and Mia was roughly pushed out as well. The girl had been crying the entire way to this ce, and her tears showed no signs of stopping. Cole Andrew, the family patriarch, turned to face her. Despite finding the girl¡¯s continuous sobbing irritating, he tried to maintain a calm and understanding demeanor. ¡°Hey, girl. Stop your tears. No one will harm you here,¡± he said, attempting to hide his irritation. Mia sniffled, her cries growing louder. ¡°I just want to go home,¡± she wailed. Cole¡¯s irritation intensified, and he exploded in anger. Gripping the girl¡¯s arm roughly, he yelled, ¡°Behave yourself! Shouldn¡¯t you be grateful to be marrying into this family?!¡± He thundered angrily, ¡°The fate of your family rests in my hands. If you misbehave, I won¡¯t hesitate to make your father¡¯spany vanish from the business world.¡± But his words only exacerbated the situation as Mia grew increasingly afraid of him, and tears continued to stream down her face as she wailed even louder. Angrily, Cole Andrew raised his hand and mercilessly pped her across the face, leaving her momentarily blinded. The unexpected strike sent Mia flying to the ground, as if struck by lightning, rendering her momentarily speechless. ¡°Lock her up!¡± Cole ordered, and two servants immediately came forward to carry the girl away to the attic. Ridiculous! If she hadn¡¯t been taught at her own home, he would teach her himself. The man cleared his throat and entered the house with the rest of the family. Upon entering, Susan, Mrs. Andrew, hastily rushed to her husband¡¯s side. ¡°Darling, wee,¡± she greeted. Then she nced behind him, as if searching for someone. However, her expression soon turned dismayed. ¡°Where is our bride?¡± she inquired. Cole smiled warmly at his wife. ¡°Don¡¯t concern yourself, dear. The bride is here, she¡¯s in the attic.¡± ¡°She¡¯s reluctant at the moment, but with time, she¡¯ll adjust to her new life.¡± Mrs. Andrew¡¯s face instantly brightened. Finally, they had found a bride for their son. Despite their wealth and influence in the country, the family faced a challenge in finding a wife for Matthew, their son. Due to Matthew¡¯s tonic-clonic seizures, every woman fled at the sight of him. Mathew was the only male heir the Andrew family had. Cole Andrew¡¯s younger brother had only daughters, leaving the family in a state of worry and despair. Their only recourse was to find a wife who could bear an heir for Matthew, bringing peace of mind to everyone. After years of searching and waiting, luck finally favored them. Fortune had decided to smile upon them when news, that the Thompson family¡¯spany had suddenly gone bankrupt, circted this morning. The madam of the Thompson family didn¡¯t waste time in calling Cole for help, throwing her and her family at the mercy of the Andrews, and Cole Andrew immediately seized the opportunity to arrange a marriage between his son and their first daughter. Upon receiving the joyous news from her husband, Mrs. Andrew turned around and ascended the stairs to share it with her son. Mrs. Andrew entered the room, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She nced at her son, Matthew, lying on the bed, a mix of curiosity and anxiety filling her gaze. Matthew looked up at her with weary yet hopeful brown eyes. Earlier in the day, before Mr. Andrew and the rest of the family departed, he had been informed that they were bringing his wife home. ¡°Matthew, my dear,¡± She began, her voiceced with triumph. ¡°I have incredible news to share with you.¡± Matthew¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The contagious enthusiasm on his mother¡¯s face gave him a rough idea of what she was about to say, but he couldn¡¯t wait to hear the words spoken aloud. Mrs. Andrew paced the room, her hands gesturing animatedly as she spoke. ¡°Matthew, your wife has finally arrived!¡± Matthew¡¯s eyes widened, and a glimmer of hope ignited within him. The thought of having a wife, a partner, filled him with both excitement and trepidation. The years had been challenging for him, battling epilepsy and feeling isted from the world. His mother¡¯s relentless efforts to find him apanion often left him disheartened, but her determination never wavered. Even his father shared the same resolve. And finally¡­ ¡°She¡¯s here in the house right now?¡± Matthew asked, his voice filled with a rush of emotions. Excitement, fear, and anticipation swirled within him. Mrs. Andrew nodded vigorously in response. ¡°But, Mother,¡± Matthew stammered, his voice wavering with uncertainty. ¡°What if she can¡¯t handle my seizures? What if I be a burden to her?¡± Mrs. Andrew rushed to his side, her hand reaching out to caress his cheek. ¡°Oh, my dear boy,¡± she said, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°She will learn. She has no choice. It¡¯s an honor for her to be married to you, you wonderful man.¡± She grinned. A sense of relief washed over Matthew.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Matthew,¡± Mrs. Andrew whispered, her voice brimming with conviction. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Once she sees the beautiful soul beneath the illness, she will fall deeply in love with you.¡± A wave of courage engulfed Matthew. Although the road ahead might be challenging, he was no longer alone. He finally had someone to call his own. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he gazed into his mother¡¯s eyes. Just as he was about to speak, a loud bang reverberated through the entire mansion, startling everyone. As Mrs. Andrew recovered from the sudden shock, her brows furrowed. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± she said, heading downstairs. ¨C A few seconds earlier, Shawn¡¯s voice rang out, cold and menacing. ¡°Run it over.¡± They had just arrived, and upon seeing the gate of the Andrews¡¯ estate, the CEO furiously ordered his assistant to crash through it, unconcerned about the damage it would cause to his luxurious vehicle. Lucas followed themand and rammed the gate with force, causing it to copse onto the ground with a resounding crash, shaking the earth beneath them. After parking the car, Lucas hurriedly stepped out to open the CEO¡¯s door, but Shawn had already flung the car door open and stepped down from the car. Where is my wife? By this time, the Andrew family had already emerged from inside the house to investigate themotion. When Cole and the rest of the familyid eyes on the torn-down gate, their mouths gaped open in bewilderment. What had happened? Did a bulldozer crash into it? How could their sturdy gate copse like this? They were stunned and desperate for answers. Even the servants were taken aback by the sight of the huge iron gate lying on the ground. They remained frozen at their stations, trying to recover from the shock. ¡°Who did this?¡± Cole Andrew seethed with rage. ¡°Who the hell-¡± He was about to unleash his anger when a calm yetmanding voice interrupted him. ¡°I did,¡± Shawn dered boldly, his figure towering above everyone present. At that moment, the Andrew family shifted their gaze from the damaged gate to the intruder. Cole instinctively took a step back, studying the man from head to toe. The stranger exuded an air of power, dressed impably elegant in a tuxedo¡­ He didn¡¯t seem like one to be trifled with. However, blinded by anger, Cole couldn¡¯t contain himself and bellowed, ¡°Who the hell are you?! Do you have any idea who I am?! How dare you mess with me?! Who sent you?!¡± The Andrew family¡¯s patriarch believed that one of his rivals must have sent the man to orchestrate this attack on his gate to spite him. Did they want to drag him down as they did that Minister? Shawn snickered, dismissing all the questions thrown at him. Instead, he posed a question of his own, his voice calm yet chilling, ¡°Where is she?¡± The Andrew family were puzzled by the man¡¯s query. Where was who? Who? Who was the intruder talking about? Or¡­ was he a mad man? Why spouting rubbish? Cole couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Was this man insane? First, he tore down his gate, and now, he was asking about someone¡­ who? ¡°I promise you, I¡¯ll make you regret setting foot in this-¡± Cole¡¯s words were cut off by Shawn¡¯s cold interruption, ¡°Where. Is. She?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°You-!¡± Cole was about to retaliate, but his words died on his lips when he saw a familiar figure emerge from behind the intruder. As his gaze followed Lucas, who stood beside Shawn, recognition struck Cole. It was Assistant Lucas, the direct assistant of the famous Shawn Mandez. But what was he doing here in his home? Did he have¡­? Just then, Cole tore his gaze away from Lucas¡¯ face and nted his eyes on Shawn. A secondter, his widened eyes mirrored his sheer horror. It couldn¡¯t be. Was the invader actually¡­? Shit. Cole Andrew broke out in cold sweats at once. He was done for. Noticing Cole¡¯s changing expression, Shawn sneered with knowing superiority. ¡°Where is my wife?¡± He demanded, his voice icy. Wife? The revtion that CEO Shawn was married startled Cole Andrew. He had never heard it before that Shawn Mandez was married. The middle-aged man immediately bowed low, his voice trembling as he stammered, ¡°Er-erm¡­ Your wife, Sir-your wife is not here, sir.¡± He struggled to find the right words. ¡°Hmm,¡± Shawn responded, his face expressionless, his gaze fixed on Cole. ¡°Howe? My wife was abducted by you a while ago,¡± he added, his tone loaded with menace. ¡°Does that mean I¡¯m lying?¡± More cold sweats broke out on Cole¡¯s forehead as he vigorously shook his head. ¡°No, sir. Not at all, sir. I apologize, sir. I didn¡¯t mean to imply otherwise,¡± he hurriedly defended himself. ¡°Hmm.¡± Cole felt Shawn¡¯s piercing gaze prate into his soul as he pondered his next move. Who had abducted this dangerous man¡¯s wife? It wasn¡¯t him, that much was clear. He could never have dared to do such a thing. When it wasn¡¯t as if he wanted to court death itself. Cole¡¯s voice cracked, betraying his fear. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I do not quite understand, sir.¡± Lucas decided to intervene. ¡°Where is the daughter of the Thompson family?¡± Cole frowned as he tried to make sense of the words. ¡®Daughter of the Thomp-¡± Once again, his eyes widened in sheer horror, his head hung low, and frozen in ce. The Thompsons¡¯ first daughter? Was she the person CEO Shawn was referring to? Was she his wife? Barbara Thompson never mentioned anything about her daughter being already married. ¡®I¡¯m in hot soup¡­¡¯ As different thoughts raced through his mind, Cole¡¯s panic intensified. Slowly, he straightened his posture. ¡°I will bring her to you, sir. I apologize for the misunderstanding,¡± he said, his voice hoarse. He hastily turned and headed into the house. Confusion filled the rest of the household. Witnessing their patriarch treating the unfamiliar man with utmost respect, they deduced that he must be a person of great influence. Quietly, they stood to the side, observing as the tense scene unfolded. Just as Cole was about to open the attic himself, his wife rushed over and blocked the door. ¡°Husband, what are you trying to do?¡± Panic etched across her face. Cole¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°No, woman, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Move aside this instant.¡± ¡°What? Wait, you¡¯re actually going to hand the girl over to that man?¡± She gasped, a mix of fear and disbelief in her voice. ¡°That man?¡± Cole couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°Did you just refer to HIM as ¡®that man¡¯?¡± ¡°Woman, don¡¯t put me in trouble! Move out of the way this instant!¡± ¡°No!¡± Tears welled up in Susan Andrew¡¯s eyes. ¡°I already informed our son that we have found him a bride. It will crush him if he discovers she¡¯s gone before he evenys eyes on her.¡± ¡°What will I tell him? Please¡­ Just this once, don¡¯t give her to them. I beg you,¡± She pleaded, her voice filled with desperation. Cole¡¯s face fell, his heart writhing in pain. It also broke his heart to see that his son would lose his bride before their union even began. But what choice did they have? Unless they wanted their entire family to be destroyed with a snap of CEO Shawn¡¯s fingers, the girl had to be handed over. After a moment of agonizing silence, Cole¡¯s voice turned hoarse. ¡°My hands are tied,¡± he uttered, his expression somber. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find another solution.¡± He paused, sadness weighing heavy in his words. ¡°For now, move aside.¡± Without waiting for her response, Cole reached out and pulled his wife away from the door. Ignoring her piercing wail, he unlocked the attic and opened it. Susan Andrew ran off, tears streaming down her face. She couldn¡¯t bear to let her son¡¯s happiness slip away. She didn¡¯t know what would happen if he found outter. What if his seizures worsened? Hurriedly, she entered her husband¡¯s room and rummaged through the chest of drawers beside the bed. She retrieved a file and rushed back outside. As she neared the imposing man, her steps slowed, keeping a cautious distance. She suppressed her nervousness, knowing she had to do this for her son. She would not allow anyone toe and take away Mathew¡¯s bride. No way on earth. Sued to bankruptcy Susan had to do what she had to for her son. There was no way on earth that anyone woulde and take Mathew¡¯s bride away. ¡°Here.¡± She raised the file in her hand mid-air. ¡°Here¡¯s the contract signed by both families of the Andrew and the Thompson. The marriage contract is already stamped! The first daughter of the Thompson family is now the wife of our son.¡± Susan Andrew summoned all the courage she had left and spoke. A few moments passed by, and no one said a word. If a pin dropped at that moment, the sound of it would be heard miles away. The statue-like figure simply continued staring at the woman before him as if she was an irrelevant nobody, uttering no word at all. Just when Susan Andrew thought he wasn¡¯t going to reply and wanted to open her mouth to speak again, Shawn¡¯s low but cold voice resounded in the air. ¡°Let me see.¡± As soon as he said this, Lucas walked three paces forward and collected the file from Susan. He returned to his boss¡¯s side and handed it over to him. ¡°Hmn.¡± Shawn made a nasal sound as he collected the file in his long, slender outstretched hand. Within a twinkle of an eye, he shredded the file into pieces without even taking a look at what¡¯s inside. Susan, who was just about to heave a sigh of relief, couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened. Her eyes widened in sheer horror. ¡°What¡­? How?¡­¡± She stammered miserably. That was the only copy they had. They hadn¡¯t made a photocopy yet, and the only other contract agreement was with the Thompson family. What if they had disposed of it because they didn¡¯t want their daughter getting married to Matthew? Wild thoughts ran through Susan¡¯s head as she stood in a daze. ¡°How could you?! How dare you?! Do you realize the consequences of what you have just done?!¡± She screamed out loud, almost losing her mind. But the man simply gazed down at her in a mocking manner, treating her like she was just an ant in his face. Just as she was about to continue in her fit of rage, ¡°Woman! What the heck is going on here?!¡± Cole Andrew alighted from inside. Right behind him was the girl meant for their son. Cole wished for the ground to open and swallow him whole. He was almost going mad hearing his wife raise her voice at Shawn Mandez. CEO Shawn Mandez! He quickly stepped forward and gripped his wife¡¯s arms, shaking them vigorously. ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re talking to in that manner?! Have you gone bonkers?! Do you want me to lose everything I worked my ass off to get?! You want tond me into trouble!!!¡± He yelled furiously at her. Cole Andrew¡¯s outburst took his wife by surprise. Why was her husband behaving in such manner? Was the man that powerful to make her husband lose everything? Her body went limp at the thought of it. ¡°Go inside right now!¡± Cole thundered angrily and released her at once. Susan shuddered in fear, avoiding her husband¡¯s raging gaze. So as not to provoke him any further, she quickly headed inside without looking back. But as she left, tears streamed down her face. After scolding his wife, Cole quickly turned to face Shawn. Smiling nervously, he dipped his head low, almost touching the ground, and apologized, ¡°CEO Shawn, I¡¯m extremely sorry for my wife¡¯s behavior just now. Please, pardon us.¡± The rest of the Andrew family who had been watching the events unfold had their jaws drop open when they heard their Patriarch refer to the intruder as CEO Shawn. Wait, what? CEO Shawn? That CEO Shawn? The man was CEO Shawn? They were all utterly astonished as they gaped at him. But the man in question wasn¡¯t paying attention to anyone. He had his eyes fixated on one person and only that person alone-his wife. Mia¡¯s mouth felt dry. Her lips were chapped and her eyes were red. One could tell with a nce that she had been crying for a long time. As she dragged her feet closer, she had her eyes fixed on the man whose eyes were boring holes into hers. Her entire body felt weak, and all she wanted to do right now was fall into that man¡¯s embrace. Sadly, that couldn¡¯t happen, of course. As the girl finally came and stood in front of him, Shawn¡¯s brows drew together and his jaw tightened. Slowly, his hand out and turned her face to the side. The sight of the fingerprint marks made his eyes darken at once. ¡°Who did this?¡± He forced out through gritted teeth. Cole Andrew raised his head and traced Shawn¡¯s line of sight to the girl¡¯s face. His heart immediately skipped a beat when his eyesnded on her cheek. He quickly recollected pping the girl a few moments ago. He was done for! ¡°Ah-erm-I-¡± He stuttered uncontrobly, wiping his wet hands on his clothes. Squeezing his eyes shut, he crumbled on his knees, pleading desperately. ¡°I deserve death, sir. Please, forgive me, sir.¡± Shawn gazed at him with a deadpan face. ¡°You deserve death, and you want to be forgiven?¡± Cole bit on his lip till he tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth. ¡°Forgive me, Sir. Please, sir. Please, sir!¡± He cried. Despite this, Shawn¡¯s countenance didn¡¯t shift a bit. Instead, hemanded, ¡°Starting now, any current coborations, be they significant or minor, with Andrew Enterprises, must be indefinitely suspended. Moving forward, there should be no further associations linking Beats Corporations with them.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Lucas replied. But Shawn didn¡¯t think that was enough punishment.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Contact the legal team. Andrew Enterprises must be sued until bankruptcy.¡± Cole Andrew felt his heart elope from his body as soon as he heard those words. He waspletely done for. His face whitened instantly, rendering him looking like a ghost. ¡°CEO Shawn, please, it hasn¡¯t gotten to this. Please, sir-¡± He hastily crawled over on his knees to hold onto Shawn¡¯s shin and plead, but before he could get the chance to do that, Lucas stepped in front of the CEO, shielding him. ¡°Mr. Andrew, you shall receive the summons tomorrow morning.¡± Lucas blurted. Having said his piece, Shawn ignored Cole¡¯s ear-piercing pleas and nted his gaze on Mia. Pressing his lips to form a thin line, without saying anything, he hunched down and carried her into his arms without any difficulty, in a bridal style. Without ncing back at anyone, he tookrge strides out of the Andrew family¡¯s residence. Stupid girl Ignoring the onlookers and Cole Andrew¡¯s deafening pleas, Lucas quickly followed the big boss and opened the car door. Shawn settled Mia in the backseat, and then he got in beside her. Lucas shut the car door and turned to face Jasper, who stood by the side, awaiting his next order. ¡°We¡¯re heading home,¡± he said. Jasper nodded and entered the car he drove to the Andrew family¡¯s residence. While Lucas heaved a sigh and stepped into the driver¡¯s seat. He ignited the car engine and sped off. The drive back to the mansion was, as usual, cold and silent. Mia¡¯s tears had driedpletely, but she still seemed weak and feeble, with her cheek still zing red. Shawn took a quick look at her and gritted his teeth, holding back the urge to scold her. He wondered why she hadn¡¯t called him. Why did she leave school in the first ce? Why did she keep getting herself in trouble? Did she want to be the death of him? He knew yelling wouldn¡¯t help the situation, considering her fragile state. So, he turned his face and looked out through the tinted ss window to calm his anger. Fiddling with her fingers, Mia sneaked a look at the impassive man sitting next to her, his back turned to her. ¡®He¡¯s furious.¡¯ She could tell. But she couldn¡¯t seem to decipher the reason. What exactly was he annoyed with her about? She badly wanted to know, as there were thousands of reasons for him to be mad at her. Her stupid self-always disturbed him with her irrelevant life, bringing chaos into his life¡­ Fighting back her tears, Mia tore her gaze away from Shawn¡¯s back and also turned to look out through the other ss window. The couple remained like that, their backs turned to each other, until they arrived home. ¡ª Lucas looked at the duo in the backseat through the rearview mirror and cleared his throat. It had been a while since they arrived, and neither the husband nor his wife had made any movement¡­ Two servants had already opened the backseat doors simultaneously. Were they going to start residing in the car? Are they nning on sleeping there? Lucas thought, feeling the tension. Just as he was about to clear his throat again, Shawn suddenly stepped out of the car and walked away without looking back. At first, Mia¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the sudden movement, fearing he was going tosh out at her. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t. Watching his retreating figure, she pressed her lips into a thin line. Just as she was about to heave a sigh, the retreating man suddenly stopped three paces from the front door. ¡®What now?¡¯ Mia¡¯s heart began to beat erratically. The next second, Shawn turned around and started approaching the vehicle. Mia knew she was done for as he had his cold eyes nted on her. Would he throw her out? She had nowhere to go¡­ She would have to fall on her knees and beg him¡­ Numerous thoughts raced through her head as the man became closer and closer with every step he took. A few secondster, Shawn stopped and stood in front of her. However, without saying a word, he hunched low. Before Mia could know what was going on, he was already walking away from the car, with her in his arms. ¡®Stupid girl,¡¯ Shawn cursed inwardly. Curled up in the man¡¯s arms, Mia was frightened. Her heart began to beat even faster. ¡®He didn¡¯t yell at me.¡¯ Blinking, she gazed up at him from beneath her eyshes as he tookrge strides into the lounge. Did he not hate her anymore? Why was he being nice to her these days? Slowly, she rxed her body into his embrace and let her head rest on his chest. ¡ª When Shawn stepped into the girl¡¯s room and was about toy her on the bed, he nced at her face and noticed that she was already fast asleep. He stood in motion and observed her face. She looked like a baby. A weak, lonely, and fragile baby. Gritting his teeth, he turned and walked out of her room with her still in his arms. He entered his room and gently ced her on his bed. ¡°Stupid girl,¡± he muttered. The corner of his mouth lifted as he helped her remove her bag from her back. Then he stared at her face for a few more minutes, engulfed in his thoughts, before walking away. The CEO stripped and headed straight into the bathroom for a cold bath. When he returned, Mia¡¯s phone was ringing. Frowning, he rummaged through her bag and casually picked up the phone. Max¡¯s name on the screen made his mood dampen, and the frown on his face deepened. They had already broken off their rtionship. Why was she still in contact with her ex-boyfriend? Why was he calling her? Shawn didn¡¯t like his things being coveted by others, especially when that ¡®thing¡¯ was his woman.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. He pressed the answer button and ced the phone to his ear. ¡°Mia, where are you?¡± A concerned voice came from the other end. ¡°Don¡¯t call this line again,¡± Shawn replied, then hung up the call, leaving Max speechless. ¡°Hello?-Hello?¡± Max said as the line went dead. He gaped wordlessly at the phone. Ever since Max heard about what transpired between Mia and her father two days ago, he had been thrown into constant worry. And a while ago, when he got home from school, he saw the news about Arnold¡¯spany going bankrupt on TV. He became more worried. No wonder, after school, no matter how he searched, he couldn¡¯t find Mia anywhere. She must have headed straight home immediately after school was over. Since the afternoon, he¡¯d been contemting on calling Mia, and after a few hours, he finally picked up his phone and dialed the girl¡¯s number. But then, never in his wildest dreams did Max expect that the call would actually be answered by a man-whose voice was so deep and imposing. Who could that man possibly be? The deep and imposing voice didn¡¯t belong to Mia¡¯s father. Max¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. Could the gossip at school about Mia being involved in shameful activities be true? He couldn¡¯t help but wonder. As anger coursed through his veins, he squeezed the phone tightly in his hand. Just because he broke up with her¡­ How pathetic. After hanging up, Shawn red irritably at the phone before strolling over to the bed. ¡°Stupid girl,¡± he cursed beneath his breath as he looked at the sleeping Mia. Huffing, he returned the phone to her bag and walked out of the room. The first kiss Huffing, he returned the phone to her bag. He then headed into the closet, dressed up for bed, and walked out of the room. When Shawn got downstairs, he called for Madam Susan. ¡°Take the girl away from my room and help her with the needful.¡± Madam Susan bobbed knowingly and then headed up the stairs with two maids. The moment the trio entered the Master¡¯s bedroom, they walked over to the bed and stared down at the sleeping beauty. Madam Susan couldn¡¯t help but wonder how the girl got there. Did the master carry her there? That was the first time a stranger was entering Shawn¡¯s room. And to think he carried her in himself¡­ and evenid the girl on his bed. Madam Susan blinked away her thoughts and hunched low.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Patting Mia¡¯s arm, she said, ¡°Madam, please wake up. Let¡¯s get you bathed.¡± Tired and sleepy as hell, Mia groaned in her sleep. The housekeeper nodded her head at the maids and they immediately helped Mia up, each holding one of her arms, and then led her out of the room. Drowsy, Mia muttered incoherent words as they entered her room. After the door had been shut behind them, the maids proceeded to stripping her naked and then led her into the bathroom for a warm bath. ¡ª ¡°So, that¡¯s how it happened.¡± Shawn¡¯s expressionless gaze was nted on Lucas who was standing before him while he was seated in an armchair. They were currently in the lounge and Lucas had just finished narrating the entire ordeal to his boss. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± He bobbed. Twitching his lips, Shawn looked away. So, the girl got into trouble because of him¡­ If he hadn¡¯t done what he did, her father wouldn¡¯t have fallen ill and she wouldn¡¯t have ended up being sold off to the Andrew family as an exchange for the restoration of the Thompson family¡¯s glory. The CEO fell silent for a while before he finally spoke again. ¡°Restore everything back into order.¡± Even though the man was not a good father to his daughter, he was still Mia¡¯s father. Shawn forgot to take into consideration that if anything bad happened to the man, Mia would be affected. Either directly or indirectly. Now, he could not help but restore XY Company to the way it was before. ¡°Okay, Boss.¡± After talking about work for a while, Shawn dismissed Lucas and sent him home. Left all alone, he looked in the direction of the staircase and saw Madam Susan and the maids returning downstairs. ¡°We¡¯re done with Madam.¡± The housekeeper reported. ¡°Hmm.¡± Shawn replied nasally and then waved his hand in a dismissive manner. ¡°Good night, Young Master.¡± Madam Susan and the maids chorused before exiting the main house. After they left, Shawn remained in his seat for a couple of minutes more before he stood up and headed upstairs. When he got to thending, he gazed at Mia¡¯s door for a while, as if pondering on whether to go into her room. But a secondter, he suddenly looked away and headed straight into his room. Immediately he entered, he shut the door behind him and tookrge strides to the small lounge that he had by the windowside. He settled on the couch and took out a pack of cigarettes from the drawer attached to the mini table in front of him. He then took out a skick, lit it, and began to puff, dragging the smoke with his lungs, slowly. Although this was not the moment that the CEO knew that he was doomed-he had known since the very first day he set eyes on her-but this very moment, he couldn¡¯t help but actually ascertain that fact. He wasn¡¯t just doomed, but thoroughly doomed. As Shawn sat there, puffing the smoke of his cigarette, while also staring out through the window, he wallowed in in self pity. Something he had never done in a very long time. About thirty minutes passed, yet he remained in the same position. Just as he was about to light his third stick, his ears picked up a voice. It was a scream¡­ A few seconds after that, he began to hear muffled sobs. He channeled more attention to his ears and confirmed that he was right. It was the girl. He dropped the stick in his hand on the table and hoisted up on his feet at once. He took hurried strides out of his room and barged into the girl¡¯s room without knocking. As soon as his eyes fell on her, his steps faltered. There she was in bed, crying profusely, huddled beneath the duvet. Her eyes were red and puffy and Shawn couldn¡¯t help but draw closer to her. He silently sat beside her, on the edge of the bed, and carefully guided her head to his chest. Mia began to cry even more at this. She buried her face deeply in his embrace, crying her heart away. Shawn simply let her soak his pajamas with her tears, gently patting her back. After a while, her sobs gradually reduced, but the both of them maintained their positions. ¡°Ah-I ha-ad a dream.¡± She sniffled. ¡°E-it was a nightmare.¡± Her voice was low and calm, and soothing to the ears. And it was the only sound that could be heard at that time of the midnight. ¡°I-¡± Her voice cracked and she began to sob again. ¡°I got locked up in a dark and sca-ry ce. It was cold and I was alone.¡± She cried. ¡°Pl-please don¡¯t leave me.¡± Shawn felt fresh tears stream down his chest. His teeth clenched and he continued to stroke the girl¡¯s back. For an eighteen-year old, she was experiencing way too much suffering. After crying some more, Mia gradually stopped crying. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep. After noticing that the girl had be silent, and that her breathing had be slow and steady, Shawn breathed a sigh of relief. Being careful enough to not wake her up, he guided her head from his bossom back to thefort of the soft pillow. He then stood up on his feet and proceeded to leave the room. But as he turned away, he felt a tug at the hem of his shirt. His eyes trailed down and he saw that Mia was holding onto him. ¡°Please, sleep here with me. Don¡¯t leave.¡± She whispered, her voice hoarse from all the crying. Gazing down at her in silence, Shawn seemed to be hesitant. But after a short while, he removed his flip flops and got in bed beside her. Without wasting time, Mia quickly snuggled into him and ced her head on his chest. Shawn simply remained frozen in motion as he observed her movements. Although Mia was extremely nervous at how close she was to him, she found out that she just couldn¡¯t control herself. She acted without thinking. She silently tilted her head backwards a bit and peered at the man¡¯s face from underneath her wet long eyshes. As soon as she did this, she was met by his deep, enchanting grey eyes. It was as if he was gazing directly through her soul, and she felt naked before him. Just as she was about to tear her gaze away from his eyes, she felt his fingertips angle up her chin at him. And the next second, his face inched closer to hers such that their warm breaths were feathering each other¡¯s face, lightly. Mia¡¯s heartbeat raced at this, and before she knew what was going on, her mouth was captured in his. Human tree The following morning. As Mia was extremely tired the previous day, she slept all through the night and didn¡¯t wake up until veryte into the morning. The faint ray of sunlight peering into the room made her squint her eyes in disapproval as she stirred awake. Stretching, she yawned. The first thing that crossed her mind as soon as she became wide awake was food. She was hungry. Extremely hungry. She hadn¡¯t eaten much throughout the previous day. She even skipped dinner. Heaving a deep sigh, she removed the duvet from her body and dropped her legs to the ground. As soon as her feet came in contact with the cold floor, lightning struck her and her eyes widened at once. Memories from the middle of the night came flooding through her head as she stared into space, wide-eyed. What was that? Was she dreaming? The scenario of her kissing Shawn kept reying in her mind. The more that happened, the wider her eyes got. She was in deep shit! Hastily, she turned and gazed at the other side of the bed. It was empty. ¡®Mia! You, dumb girl!!!¡¯ Her face twisted as she put her legs back on the bed. Sheid on her back, throwing the duvet over her head. ¡°Mia, why?! Why, why, why?!!!¡± Tears streamed down her face. She recollected snuggling closer to Shawnst night¡­ She had initiated that kiss! ¡°I¡¯m a fool!¡± She screamed at the top of her lungs. How would she be able to face CEO Shawn now? What would he think of her now? He already had a bad image of her in his mind. With what transpired between themst night, it would be even worse. ¡°Aishhhhh!!!!¡± Mia flung her legs in the air, stomping them on the bed out of helplessness. She waspletely done for that time around. She might as well start packing up her belongings and help herself out of the mansion before the aloof man did. As Mia was crying due to her predicament, a knock was heard on the door. She froze. Had hee to throw her out already? That early? Peering from underneath the duvet at the door, her heart thumped loudly. A few secondster, the door opened slowly. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s time to have your breakfast. Please get dressed ande downstairs.¡± A maid stepped into the room and bobbed. Oh, it was one of the maids. Mia¡¯s tensed body rxed a little bit. Just before she could open her mouth to speak, the maid bobbed politely, again, and walked out of the room. Aish! She was going to ask if Shawn was also downstairs. But then, it was already past mid-morning¡­ He would have gone to work already. ¡®Right?¡¯ Mia inquired within herself. What if he was still at home and had not yet left for work? She wondered. ¡°I¡¯m going maddd.¡± She groaned, biting hard on her lower lip. Should she just stab breakfast then, and stay in her room throughout the day? She was already toote for school, so there was no way she was going today anyway. But then¡­ Her stomach growled hungrily. Mia¡¯s face twisted bitterly the more as she broke down in fresh tears. Unless she wanted to die of hunger, she had better head downstairs to eat. There was no use staying in, anyway. Would she hide her shameful face in her room forever?-No. That wasn¡¯t possible. No matter how long it took, she¡¯d end up going face-to-face with the cold-hearted man. Sumbing to her fate, Mia yanked the duvet away and pushed her weight off the bed. Heaving a weary sigh, she headed straight to the bathroom to brush her teeth. As she did this before the bathroom mirror, something shed through her eyes and she froze momentarily. It was the memory of her kissing Shawn that appeared in her head. For a few seconds, Mia remained frozen on a spot, with her toothpaste hanging down from her mouth. ¡°Aish!¡± She groaned wearily all of a sudden, pping herself across the face. When she did this, she felt a stinging pain. ¡°Ouch.¡± She looked in the mirror and saw that her face was still slightly red. Then she recollected all of the events that ured yesterday. Her heart fell upon remembering those memories. Heaving a sigh for the umpteenth time, she resumed brushing her teeth. In due time, she took her bath, dressed up in casual home wear, and headed downstairs.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Immediately she stepped outside her room, she froze, her eyes gazing at Shawn¡¯s door. Was he in his room right now? Her lips twitched. Just as she was still wondering, deep in thoughts, Shawn¡¯s door suddenly flung open. It caught the girl totally off guard as she didn¡¯t expect the man would still be upstairs in his room. She panicked and immediately fell to the ground unconsciously. Shawn on the other hand simply gazed down at her with his deep grey eyes. He was handsomely d in a meticulously tailored navy blue tuxedo, every detail seeming calibrated to perfection-from the crisp lines of the jacket to the impable knot of his silk tie. Everything looked smooth, except his face, of course, which had lines on his forehead. Mia¡¯s heart pounded rapidly in her chest, as she remained frozen under his piercing cold gaze. ¡®What to do now?¡¯ She wished the ground would open and swallow her whole. ¡°I see you¡¯ve taken a liking to an alternative seating arrangement.¡± Shawn¡¯s frosty voice broke through the uneasy silence. Only after hearing those words did Mia realize that she was still sprawled on the floor. She quickly scampered up to her feet, embarrassment washing through her. His face tight as always, Shawn looked away from the clumsy girl and headed downstairs. Mia remained frozen on a spot as she watched his retreating figure in silence. Howe he hadn¡¯t left for work yet? He was always so punctual¡­ And to think he stepped out of his room at the same time as her¡­ Was it on purpose? Could it be that he hadn¡¯t left for work yet in order tosh out at her? Or was he going to do something way more than that? When Shawn noticed that the girl hadn¡¯t moved an inch, his steps faltered right in the middle of the stairway. ¡°Are you nning to be a human tree?¡± He frowned. Mia quickly rushed down the stairs. As she thought that Shawn¡¯s movement would resume immediately after he had spoken, she had closed up the space between them so fast that she ended up ramming hard into his stoic back. It was as if she had ran into a clutter of bricks. ¡®Aish,¡¯ She rubbed her forehead. Shawn¡¯s mouth twitched in disapproval. Couldn¡¯t the girl be a little less clumsy? Biting on her lip from embarrassment, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Mia apologized. The CEO simply ignored her again and resumed hisrge strides. Mia bit her lip again and quickly trailed after him, keeping a distance between them. Soon, they were both seated in the dining room. Upon sighting the feast before her, Mia dug in, immediately forgetting all of her predicament. She would face themter. If she didn¡¯t eat, how would she survive and be able to serve all the punishment that the aloof man was going to give her? With Mia¡¯s wild appetite, coupled with the fact that she had not had anything to eat since yesterday afternoon, she soon finished devouring all of the food in front of her. As she licked her te ferociously, her eyes subconsciously locked with Shawn¡¯s eyes and her heart skipped a beat instantly. Turned out that the whole time, he had been staring at her and had not yet touched his food at all. ¡°Food monger.¡± Shawn grumbled beneath his voice. ¡°Want more?¡± Mia bit on her lip hesitantly as she continued to gaze at him with herrge round glistening eyes. To be sincere, she was still a bit hungry. But she didn¡¯t know what fate awaited her if she affirmed that she still wanted some more food. Hmph. She should just eat more-right? Who knew what fate awaited her even if she didn¡¯t have some more? Pushing her shame aside, she nodded her head in response. ¡°Yes.¡± Her voice was low and crispy. Twitching the corners of his mouth, Shawn snapped his finger at the nearest maid and she immediately proceeded to dish out more food for the madam. After she was done eating to her heart¡¯s content, Mia smacked her lips with content. Seeing this, ¡®thought as much.¡¯ Shawn looked away from her. After some time, ¡°You should stay at home for the rest of the week and recover.¡± He suddenly said this. Mia who had been trying to prepare herself mentally, all along, for some harsh and hurtful words, couldn¡¯t help but blink nkly at the man sitting directly opposite her. ¡®Huh?¡¯ ¡®Wait, what?¡¯ She blinked some more. Seeing as she had not yet responded, ¡°Understood, Little One?¡± Shawn arched up his brow. ¡°Ahem, yea-yes,¡± The girl¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡®Good.¡¯ With that, Shawn straightened up on his feet and then tookrge strides out of the dining area. Mai remained still in her seat, lost in thoughts. Wait, that was it? Like, that was all he was going to say?¡­ To think that he did not touch the subject that she had been thinking he would-He didn¡¯t even make mention of the kiss-or was it that he didn¡¯t remember? For some reason, Mia¡¯s heart fell at the thought of that. Pushing the dining chair backwards with her weight, she stood up on her feet and then dragged her legs out of the dining area, begrudgingly. She then headed upstairs to her room. CEO Shawn鈥檚 Little One All the way through to Beats Corporations, the chauffeur who drove the CEO would asionally catch the CEO smiling to himself, through the rearview mirror. Initially, he had thought he was imagining things, but as it continued to happen, it became evident that he wasn¡¯t hallucinating. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what exactly was causing the big boss to act in such a manner. Did something happen? Shaking his head, George shifted his focus away from the CEO and concentrated on his driving. Upon their arrival at Beats Corporations, as the CEO stepped out of the car, he adjusted his tuxedo¡¯s button and walked past George, who was holding the car door open, with a lowered head. After taking just three leisurely steps, CEO Shawn halted abruptly and turned to face his chauffeur. ¡°Good work today.¡± With those words, the CEO entered the main building. George was extremely taken aback by the statement. As he watched the CEO¡¯s retreating figure, he blinked in confusion. Something seemed off about the man today. It was the first time the CEO had evermended him, and it was over nothing substantial! To be honest, George¡¯s driving that day hadn¡¯t been particrly good or bad-it was simply average. The usual routine. In fact, he nearly hit a pothole on the way here¡­ so receiving praise seemed unwarranted. What was happening? Had something extraordinary urred overnight? Over the many years he had worked for the CEO, he had never witnessed such behavior. Goosebumps covered George¡¯s body, and he shivered. ¡°I wish he¡¯d just return to his normal self. This new side of him is unsettling,¡± he muttered before closing the car door. ¡ª- A few hourster. Beats Corporations Conference Room I The high-ranking officials from all thepany branches that Beats Corporations had in the city were in the midst of their monthly meeting at the headquarters. Each one took turns providing the CEO with detailed exnations of their branch¡¯s progress, expenditures, and other essential information. However, the man at the head of the long conference table seemed detached from the proceedings around him. He asionally stroked his lips with his thumbs and let out small smiles to himself. Given the intensity with which the directors were focused on their reports, none of them noticed. Moreover, the CEO was seated at the far end of the table, and the lighting in that area was dim, making it hard to discern his expression. When the directors finished presenting their reports several hourster, they finally realized the CEO¡¯s prolonged silence. Normally, he paid keen attention, identifying errors, offering corrections, improvisations, and advice, while also reprimanding even the slightest mistakes. The meetings were brutal, and the directors dreaded them, but attendance was mandatory, lest they wished to face consequences. Each meeting concluded with a scolding from the CEO. Yet this time, they noticed that CEO Shawn hadn¡¯t said a word throughout. Why was he silent? This realization caused their hearts to race, and they broke into cold sweats. His scoldings, as harsh as they were, were preferable to this silence. Trouble usually followed his silence; it rarely heralded anything good. They were in trouble. Would there be a massyoff? Apprehension enveloped the directors. Lucas, who had been standing behind the CEO¡¯s chair, took three steps forward and positioned himself beside the chair. ¡°Sir,¡± he softly addressed. Lucas¡¯s voice snapped Shawn out of his thoughts. He nced ahead and noticed the directors¡¯ intense gazes fixed on him. ¡®Their presentations must be over,¡¯ he surmised. ¡°Very well,¡± CEO Shawn¡¯s voice was calm andpelling. ¡°Excellent work. You¡¯ve all earned a raise.¡± With those words, he stood up, adjusted his button, and strode out of the conference room. ¡°The meeting is adjourned.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Did you hear that?¡± ¡°A bonus?!¡± ¡°Is this real?!¡± ¡°Someone, I need a reality check!¡± ¡°Someone, please get me some cotton buds, something seems to be wrong with my ears!¡± The officials¡¯ eyes were almost bulging out of their sockets as they digested the CEO¡¯s statement. Could he be serious? His words couldn¡¯t be a jest, right?-No. He always meant every word that came out of his mouth. They were all astonished. Had they lucked out today? CEO Shawn had granted them all raises? An unprecedented urrence! Lucas was as stunned as the directors. In the history of Beats Corporations, this was the first time that such a thing was happening. He hurriedly gathered the CEO¡¯s belongings from the conference table and followed him. As they headed to the CEO¡¯s office, Lucas couldn¡¯t help but wonder why the directors were receiving raises. They did absolutely nothing special. It seemed like CEO Shawn appeared to be in a good mood. Lucas was relieved and grateful for this change; it had been a while since the CEO was in such spirits. Lucas pushed these thoughts aside and opened the CEO¡¯s office door. In a rxed manner, Shawn sauntered over to the coat rack and hung his tuxedo, revealing the ck shirt he was wearing underneath. He then proceeded to take his seat in his swivel office chair. Lucas organized the items in his hands on the desk and stood ready, awaiting the CEO¡¯s next directive. Seconds ticked by in silence and CEO Shawn remained quiet. Just as Lucas contemted leaving¡­ ¡°Fetch me a mirror.¡± The CEO blurted. A mirror? Lucas was puzzled. What was the purpose? A full-length wall-mounted mirror was present in the CEO¡¯s lounge area.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Despite his confusion, he promptly left the office to retrieve the requested item. ¡°Do you happen to have a mirror, Chloe?¡± Chloe, the CEO¡¯s secretary, was taken aback by the unusual request from her male coworker. Nheless, she found a hand mirror in her bag, one she always carried, and handed it to Lucas. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lucas left Chloe¡¯s desk and reentered the CEO¡¯s office. He handed the mirror to Shawn and resumed his position. CEO Shawn raised the mirror to his face, scrutinizing his lips. ¡°They appear rosy,¡± he murmured. What appeared rosy? Lucas¡¯s confusion deepened. A small smile tugged at the corners of Shawn¡¯s mouth as he kept his gaze fixed on his reflection. Suddenly, a dark cloud crossed his face as a thought intruded. The room¡¯s temperature felt as if it dropped several degrees, catching Lucas¡¯s attention. He couldn¡¯t help but nce at his boss. What had happened? The CEO¡¯s mood had suddenly shifted, but why? Shawn recalled his conversation with that young man on the phone the previous night-the boy that Little One used to be in a rtionship with. ¡°They must have kissed, right?¡± He blurted out suddenly. ¡°Kissed?¡± Lucas repeated, clearly puzzled. Who was the CEO referring to? He was utterly bewildered by the context of the conversation. ¡°Stupid girl,¡± CEO Shawn muttered to himself, a frown forming on his face. ¡°Get me some wipes!¡± He promptly handed the mirror back to Lucas. Ah, wipes¡­ Lucas nodded, taking the mirror, and quickly left the office to fetch the requested item. ¡°Chloe, do you happen to have some wipes as well?¡± Chloe became even more perplexed as she furrowed her brows. What was going on? Why was the man requesting yet another feminine object? Was there a woman in the CEO¡¯s office? But she didn¡¯t see any woman go in there. In fact, CEO Shawn didn¡¯t have any guests at all. What then could be going on? However, she absentmindedly nodded her head and handed her pack of face wipes to Lucas. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lucas left the hand mirror on her desk and hurried back into the CEO¡¯s office. Chloe watched as Lucas entered the office, her brows still furrowed. She wondered if the next thing he would ask for was lipstick. By the time Lucas returned, CEO Shawn¡¯s expression had softened once more. ¡°No need, return it.¡± Why wipe the kiss away? It was a memory to be cherished. Besides, such actions were normal for people in a rtionship. They were in a rtionship¡­ He¡¯d forgive her this time-the silly little one of his. Mia鈥檚 sick *** Miaid on her bed, staring at the ceiling in boredom when a sneeze unexpectedly erupted from her nose. ¡°Ntin!¡± Frowning, she pondered who might be talking badly about her. She shrugged her shoulders, slipping down from the bed. She then sauntered over to the window. Less than twenty-four hours had passed, yet she was already weary of staying home. Having to remain there for the entire week ahead felt like a burden. To make matters worse, she wouldn¡¯t be able to attend Grandpa Mandez¡¯s Saturday birthday party either. What a bummer. Boredom would definitely kill her before the week was over. Peering through the window, Mia noticed the sun starting to set. With a sigh, she gazed at the beautiful garden and spotted Madam Susan exiting with gardening tools in hand. What a gorgeous garden. She resolved to go down there sometime. The flowers¡¯ fragrant scents would offer some sce. A smile brightened Mia¡¯s face. ¡ª¨C Same Day. R High School. As sses ended, students trooped out of their ssrooms and began heading to their respective homes. Alex¡¯s gaze lingered on the empty seat beside him before he slung his bag over his shoulder and left the ssroom. This week had been challenging for his absent seatmate, and the fact that he couldn¡¯t do anything about it annoyed him. Dejected, he trudged out of the school premises, wondering what the issue could be that made her absent today. Veronica Clifford nced at the vacant girl¡¯s seat and quickly looked away. Only the heavens knew why that brat was missing school today. Probably up to some mischief. ¡®Good riddance!¡¯ She picked up her bag and headed outside. Seeing her uncle, her face lit up. Damien Davis grinned at his niece, affectionately tousling her hair. ¡°How was school today?¡± ¡°Ugh, the usual-stressful.¡± Veronica hopped into the car as Damien chuckled. Before getting into the car himself, Damien scanned the surroundings but failed to spot the person he was looking for. Maybe she had already gone home. A fleeting dejected look crossed his face, but he masked it quickly. He got into the car, and they drove away. ¡°Your mom and the rest of the family will arrive in two days.¡± Damien informed his niece during the ride home. ¡°Hmm.¡± Veronica responded nonchntly. Damien was intrigued. Sometimes, his teenage niece acted more mature than her years. It was as if she didn¡¯t miss her family at all. He chuckled. ¡ª Back at R High School, Vivian felt guilty about Mia¡¯s absence. She knew exactly why her sister was absent, yet she wasn¡¯t doing anything about it. She despised herself for allowing her sister to take her ce-the horrible ce she had upied. Vivian couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Mia was doing. Was she being treated well? She sincerely hoped the Andrew family wasn¡¯t mistreating her. Feeling self-loathing, Vivian reluctantly left the school grounds with a sigh. Suddenly, someone called her name from behind, causing her to halt. It was her sister¡¯s best friend. Vivian¡¯s heart raced. She knew Martha would inquire about Mia. What should she say? Anxiety clenched at her. ¡°Hey.¡± Martha smiled as she approached, apanied by Max. ¡°Hi.¡± Vivian responded in a low voice. ¡°Mia wasn¡¯t in school today¡­ Is everything alright?¡± Martha asked. Vivian¡¯s heart raced uncontrobly. ¡°Er-hu-hum¡­ Um, sh-she¡¯s sick.¡± Vivian stammered. ¡°Yeah, she fell ill.¡± ¡°Really? Oh.¡± Martha¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°How is she? Should wee over? No, we¡¯re definitelying over.¡± Her concern for her best friend was evident. Vivian panicked at Martha¡¯s suggestion. ¡°No! No, no, no!¡± She blurted out, surprising Martha and Max. Huh? Realizing she had overreacted, Vivian quickly forced a smile. ¡°I mean, no. It¡¯s not necessary. Our house is already crowded with Dad being sick¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be ideal to have more people over. She¡¯s recovering. She¡¯ll be back at school soon.¡± She chuckled nervously. Martha nodded understandingly. ¡°Oh,-¡± ¡°Hum, I¡¯ll head home now. Bye.¡± Without waiting any longer, Vivian hurried away from the couple. Martha squinted as she watched Vivian leave, sensing something amiss. Could the girl be lying? But what could be wrong then? ¡°Max, let¡¯s go,¡± She turned to face her boyfriend, and that was when she noticed that the boy seemed to be lost deep in thoughts. What was he thinking about? Martha wondered. He had to be thinking about that awful girl! She clenched her fists.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Max was convinced Vivian had lied. How else could he exin yesterday¡¯s call? Something wasn¡¯t right, but he couldn¡¯t seem to pinpoint it. Maybe Vivian was just covering for Mia¡¯s disgusting behavior. Why else would she run off like that? Max knew Vivian cared deeply for Mia and would protect her. Yesterday, a man had answered Mia¡¯s phone, telling Max never to call again. Probably one of her many clients! Seeing Mia absent today further confirmed Max¡¯s suspicion. She must have been exhausted from her work and overslept. Thinking of Mia¡¯s nauseating actions, Max¡¯s irritation red. How disdainful! Who knew, perhaps, when they were still together, she was like that behind his back? He was d he left her for Martha, a genuinely kind soul. Suddenly, Max turned to Martha and quickly checked their surroundings. Then he leaned in and kissed her. ¡°Thank you for finding me. Keep being you,¡± he murmured gratefully. Taking her hand, he led her out of the school. ¡°Where would you like to go tonight?¡± Martha was taken aback. Max had initiated the kiss, a first for him. She usually took the lead. ¡®What changed? Why did he kiss me?¡¯ She wondered. But she didn¡¯t have time to reflect on these questions for long as her initial confusion was soon reced by joy. ¡°Where else but Domino¡¯s?¡± she said with a smile, and they bothughed. Just to check if Max did not think about Mia just now¡­ In a low, sad tone, Martha said, ¡°I feel bad for Mia though. I think we should go visit her.¡± Max¡¯s face tensed at Mia¡¯s name. He never wanted to hear that name from Martha¡¯s lips again. His girlfriend shouldn¡¯t be uttering such a person¡¯s name from her pure mouth. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. Vivian said it¡¯s not serious, so it¡¯s not.¡± He dismissed. Martha¡¯s heart fluttered. The Max she knew would have insisted on visiting Mia the moment he heard Vivian say that girl was ill. Yet now he brushed it off like it was nothing. It seemed he no longer had any feelings for Mia. Martha felt ted. Her smile radiating happiness, she realized she had Max all to herself! ¡ª¨C Two dayster. DA Company. CEO¡¯s office. ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve received an invitation to a birthday party.¡± Joe had an elegant card in his hand as he stood at the other side of the CEO¡¯s desk. ¡°Throw it away,¡± Damien said, his face buried in the work before him. ¡°It¡¯s from Old Master Mandez.¡± Upon hearing that name, Damien looked up. He nced at his desk calendar and realized the old man¡¯s birthday was tomorrow. Sigh. That old champ. He nced at the invitation card. ¡°Alright.¡± Damien checked the time and saw that it was almost time for schools to close for the day; he knew he had to go pick up Vee. Ste and her family were arriving soon too. After picking up Vee from school, they¡¯d have to go to the airport immediately. Busy husband ¡ª¨C The Previous Day (About Thirteen Hours Ago) Abroad. During the time her sister and her family were in town, Yvonne made sure to visit them at their suite every day, enjoying theirpany as they explored together. But their trip soon came to an end, and it was time for them to leave. Yvonne drove the family of three to the airport in the afternoon, an hour before their flight was scheduled to take off. When they arrived, it was time to say their goodbyes. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you,¡± Ste¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as she hugged her little sister. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too.¡± Yvonne¡¯s voice quivered as she pulled away from the embrace. She then embraced her brother-inw and her nephew. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you guys,¡± she sobbed. Once they left, she would be alone again, back to her usual lonely routines in this foreignnd among unfamiliar faces. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯lle back very soon. Once Vee finishes high school, we¡¯ll alle here. I promise. She¡¯ll be done soon,¡± Ste assured. Hearing this, Yvonne teared up. ¡°Thank you, Sis.¡±Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Evans patted her shoulder gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Yvonne, we¡¯ll be back soon.¡± She nodded, wiping away her tears. After hugging her sister one more time, Yvonne stepped back, waving as the family made their way through the security checkpoint. She would miss them dearly; the past week had been the best she¡¯d had abroad in years. As she turned to leave, her phone chimed in her hand. The screen lit up, revealing images sent from an unknown number. She downloaded the images and opened the first one. In an instant, her eyes widened in shock. The image showed Shawn carrying a girl, his face filled with care and urgency. Yvonne¡¯s hands trembled as she zoomed in on the image. Although she couldn¡¯t see the girl¡¯s face clearly, she recognized her as the same girl from the previous images she had received. She scrolled through the remaining pictures and found Shawn carrying the girl in each one. Same attires, same location. Who was this girl? Who could she be, really? Yvonne¡¯s curiosity and anxiety resurfaced. Just then, her phone chimed with a message. It read, ¡°WILL YOU REALLY ALLOW ANOTHER PERSON TO TAKE YOUR PLACE? YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO.¡± A tear escaped from Yvonne¡¯s eye as she read the message. Indeed, she knew what she had to do, even though she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. Wiping her tear-stained face, she turned off her phone screen and put it away. Staying abroad was for the greater good of everyone, and she would persevere. ¡ª¨C Back to the Present Day, R High School As soon as Damien arrived at Veronica¡¯s school, he stepped out of the car as usual, and leaned against it, scanning the area for someone as students trooped out of the school, heading in different directions. Veronica¡¯s cheerful voice broke his concentration. ¡°Uncle Damien!¡± He turned his attention to his niece, a grin spreading across his face. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Veronica nodded enthusiastically, also grinning. ¡°Shall we then?¡± He opened the car door gentlemanly. His gesture made Veronicaugh heartily. ¡°We shall!¡± She hopped into the car. Damien¡¯s eyes darted around onest time before he followed suit, and they drove away from the school. During the ride to the airport, he couldn¡¯t help but think about that girl. It had been some time since hest saw her. Every time he came to pick up Veronica from school recently, he looked around for her but couldn¡¯t find any trace. Even though he had collected her phone number when they met the other day, he hesitated to reach out, uncertain about what to say. Night after night, he found himself scrolling through her contact information, pondering whether to make that call. Yet, each time, he ultimately refrained from dialing her number. Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, ¡°Vee, what about that ssmate of yours?¡± Veronica furrowed her brows. ¡°The one who helped you find me the other day?¡± Damien nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t really care. She hasn¡¯t beening to school for the past three days,¡± She shrugged nonchntly. Damien nodded again. That exined why he hadn¡¯t been seeing hertely. ¡°Is something wrong with her?¡± He inquired. Veronica snickered. ¡°As if. Uncle Damien, do you know that that girl is into immoral activities?¡± Damien¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Immoral activities¡­ Veronica proceeded to exin how Mia¡¯s father hade to their school and embarrassed her in front of everyone, how Mia had stolen her best friend¡¯s boyfriend, and how she no longer stayed in the school¡¯s dormitory or at home. ¡°She¡¯s a devilish person!¡± Veronica concluded. Damien fell into a thoughtful silence, carefully considering all the information. How was it possible that the girl didn¡¯t seem to fit the profile of someone capable of the crimes his niece had described? It left him pondering. Was she truly not the person he had believed her to be, or was there more to her character than the eye met? ¡ª Meanwhile, in Mia¡¯s room¡­ ¡°Ntin!¡± Mia couldn¡¯t help but scrunch up her face as she sneezed. Someone was likely gossiping about her again. Was her reputation really that tarnished? Huffing, she got down from the bed and went over to stand before the vanity. She looked puffy, having added some weight to her body. For the past few days, while not attending school, she¡¯d been spending her time at home, indulging in eating, sleeping, and watching movies. She hadn¡¯t been doing any work at all and had be extremelyzy. If she continued like this, she wouldn¡¯t know when she¡¯d be obese. Heaving a weary sigh, Mia returned to her bed and sat in the middle. First thing on Monday morning, she had better pick up her bag and head to school. In fact, she¡¯d be the first person in school on Monday. Just then, her mind wandered to Shawn Mendez. She had hardly seen him at home these past few days. He had been extremely busy at work, and with Grandpa Mendez¡¯s birthdaying up, he was rarely at home. Just as she was still lost deep in thoughts, her phone chimed. She picked it up and saw that Martha had left a message on the school¡¯s tform. Furrowing her brows, she clicked on it. ¡°GOOD DAY, EVERYONE. I¡¯M TYPING THIS MESSAGE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT MAX AND I ARE NOW BACK TOGETHER. PLEASE, Y¡¯ALL SHOULD FORGIVE AND FORGET ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST. LET¡¯S FOCUS ON THE PRESENT AND ENSURE TO BE GOOD TO ONE ANOTHER, WHILE ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE BRIGHT SIDE. THANK YOU.¡± Mia read the message over and over again, and a smile spread across her face. ¡°Thank you, Martha,¡± she muttered, her eyes glistening with tears. With this, the kids in school might be less harsh on her. Therefore, she was really thankful to her best friend for standing up for her. Sugar daddy The following day arrived, and as nned, Shawn and Mia set off early to visit Grandpa Mandez to wish him a happy birthday. They carried an assortment of gifts, including a carefully hand-knitted sweater that Mia had worked on duringte nights in the past few days. ¡°Grandfather, this is to keep you warm,¡± Mia said, presenting the sweater as a thoughtful gesture, considering she didn¡¯t have money to buy a gift like Shawn did. Grandpa Mandez was genuinely touched by her kindness and promised to wear the sweater always. After sharing breakfast and spending a couple of hours with the elderly man, Shawn and Mia bid their farewell. As they left, Grandpa Mandez fondly stroked the sweater on hisp,menting, ¡°Such a sweet girl, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir,¡± Anderson, who had been standing nearby, agreed with a smile. Mia strolled back towards the mansion, Shawn leading the way, and a gentle smile graced her lips as she watched his figure ahead of her. In the past few days, their paths hadn¡¯t crossed, making this brief encounter even more special. Because, as soon as they stepped back inside the house, they¡¯d resume their separate routines. Also, Mia couldn¡¯t shake the disappointment of missing the night¡¯s birthday party. A frustrated sigh escaped her lips, and she raised her gaze to find Shawn¡¯s eyes fixated on her. He¡¯de to a halt, and his intense gaze felt like it was probing the depths of her soul. ¡°How long will it take you to get home?¡± He asked, his lips pressed firmly together. Mia blinked rapidly and hastened to his side, feeling a hint of amusement in his sneer as they continued walking. ¡°I appreciate the sweater,¡± He said, his voice calm and measured. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Mia replied, waving her hand dismissively whileughter tinged with nervousness escaped her. Unbeknownst to her, jealousy simmered within Shawn. Would she knit him a sweater when his birthday rolled around? He couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°So, what do you have nned for the day since you won¡¯t be attending the banquet?¡± Shawn inquired. Mia bit her lower lip and cast a concealed re at his back. Did he really need to remind her about missing the birthday party? Aish. She already knew he didn¡¯t want her there, he didn¡¯t have to remind her. ¡°Um, just the usual. I¡¯ll study too. The National College Entrance Exam ising up,¡± she replied. Shawn nodded in encouragement. ¡°Best of luck, Little One.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Mia replied with a grateful smile. ¡ª¨C The Thompson Family¡¯s Residence. ¡°Wait, please, just tell me-you still haven¡¯t-¡± Barbara removed the phone from her ear for a moment and then pressed it back. ¡°Hello? Hello?! Mr. Andrew!¡± But the man had already hung up. ¡°Aish!¡± She flung the phone onto the bed, groaning in frustration. Barbara couldn¡¯t believe her n to get rid of the girl hadn¡¯t worked. That day, after the Andrew family left with Mia, she had been so happy. After scolding her daughter for not being on her side, she calmed down and ordered Madam Grace to pour her some wine, enjoying a melodious victory music. While she was relishing the moment, a call came from Cole Andrew. ¡°Ah, hello, my inw. Are you enjoying your new bride? You have to keep your promise and help our Thompson family¡¯spany out of bankruptcy.¡± But the man¡¯s voice on the other end made her jump out of her chair, spilling the wine on her dress. ¡°Woman! Don¡¯t you ever contact my family again! Because of you, I¡¯ve gotten into serious trouble! Why didn¡¯t you tell me?! I never want to have anything to do with you again!¡± The patriarch of the Andrew family yelled furiously, nearly deafening Barbara. Then the line went dead. Barbara was dumbfounded. She didn¡¯t understand what had just happened. What was the matter? She didn¡¯t expect the man to react this way. She had even anticipated him thanking her for her help. But that wasn¡¯t the case. And what was he talking about when he mentioned her not saying something? Barbara immediately tried calling him back, but it didn¡¯t go through. Just like that, her night was ruined. The following day came, his line still didn¡¯t connect. It took a while before she realized he had blocked her. What Barbara found shocking was that as soon as the day broke, news of XY Company returning to order filled the air. Was it Cole Andrew¡¯s doing? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder. But if he was the one who helped them, why did he speak to her that way the previous night? Barbara was thrown into confusion. Besides, shortly afterward, news of Andrew Enterprises crumbling also broke out, further deepening her confusion. Today, she decided to dial his office line. Just as she had predicted, it went through. ¡°Mr. Andrew, please, calm down. Don¡¯t hang up yet,¡± She quickly pleaded, knowing he might cut the call as soon as he heard her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on. Is my girl not performing well? Also, did you help us?¡± ¡°Me? Help you?! When my ownpany is in ruins?!¡± Cole Andrew thundered angrily, ¡°Just so you know, your daughter is no longer with us! She was taken away that day. Why didn¡¯t you say- In fact, don¡¯t ever contact me again! Don¡¯t put me in more trouble than I already am!¡± ¡°Wait, please, just tell me-you still haven¡¯t-¡± Barbara removed the phone from her ear for a moment and then pressed it back. ¡°Hello? Hello?! Mr. Andrew!¡± She was stunned. He hung up. How could this be? Howe the girl was no longer with the Andrew family? Barbara struggled to process the man¡¯s words, her mind in turmoil as she threw her phone on the bed. Right at this moment, Vivian entered her mother¡¯s room. Seeing her, Barbara hurriedly pulled her to the bed. ¡°Has your sister been attending school recently?¡± Her eyes were sharp. Vivian frowned. ¡°Mom, what are you trying to do? Weren¡¯t you the one who married her off?¡± She thought her mother was ying games again.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Barbara realized the girl hadn¡¯t been going to school. ¡°She¡¯s no longer with the Andrews.¡± ¡°What?¡± Vivian was shocked. ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s no longer with them?¡± She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her mother. ¡°What did you do this time? Aish.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to her, Vivian. I received a call that she¡¯s no longer with them¡­ That she was taken away.¡± The woman¡¯s face was scrunched up. Vivian was rendered speechless. Her mother¡¯s serious expression convinced her she was telling the truth. ¡°Are you sure she hasn¡¯t been attending school?¡± ¡°No,¡± she responded nkly. Vivian was at a loss for words. What did her mom mean by Mia was taken away from the Andrew family? How was that possible? ¡°What could have happened? Hm! I¡¯m sure that girl is being backed by a sugar daddy!¡± Barbara concluded. Vivian rolled her eyes at her mother. She knew her sister was not like that. Mia would never be involved in illicit activities. Just as she was about to defend her sister, something shed through her mind. She remembered seeing Mia stepping out of an exotic car at school several days ago. Could it be true? Could everyone be right about Mia? Vivian¡¯s brows furrowed. Barbara clicked her tongue. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about that girl for now. We need to get prepared for Old Master Mandez¡¯s birthday party.¡± Upon hearing those words, Vivian pushed the thoughts of her sister aside. ¡°My lovely daughter, by the time you¡¯re done dressing up, you¡¯ll be so gorgeous. Heads will turn as soon as you step into that venue,¡± Barbara said proudly, making Vivian blush. ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t forget our main agenda. Ignore the boys and focus on the prize,¡± She reminded, and Vivian nodded. ¡°Thank goodness your father was able to snag us an invite. We must use this chance wisely.¡± Upon receiving the news of XY Company¡¯s unexpected recovery a few days ago, Barbara rushed upstairs to her husband¡¯s room, her eyes brimming with tears of joy. She eagerly shared the news with him, urging him to recover swiftly. News that hispany had miraculously bounced back while hey in his sickbed seemed to work wonders on Arnold Thompson¡¯s health as he quickly recovered. Without dy, he resumed his work. Barbara made sure to refrain from telling her husband that she almost had Mia sold off, as she¡¯d be digging her grave by doing that. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy. I¡¯ll make you proud,¡± Vivian beamed. Knight in shining armor Soon, night fell, marking the start of the birthday party. The event drew a crowd of influential and prestigious personalities, given that the guest of honor was a highly respected figure in the society. Old Master Mandez, along with his father, founded Beats Corporations, and the man had led thepany for many years before passing the CEO role to his grandson, Seven Miller. His reputation drew people from far and wide to attend the celebration. Shawn¡¯s aunt and her family had also traveled early from overseas to join in, adding to the festivities. The ballroom buzzed with lively conversations and happiness as attendees presented their gifts to Old Master Mandez and shared heartfelt speeches about him. Shawn Mandez, however, sought solitude and settled on a couch in a dimly lit corner, secluded away from the bustling crowd, sipping wine as he observed the festivities. Despite his engagement with the celebration, his thoughts continuously drifted back to the girl left behind at home. Although he had instructed Madam Susan to care for the Little One¡¯s needs and ensure her well-being before departing, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of her absence weighing on his mind. He contemted whether to make a video call to include her in the celebration and alleviate her sense of istion. But then, was that okay? Pressing his lips together, he hoisted up from the couch, deciding to step outside for some fresh air as the noise inside was overwhelming. As he approached the exit, his path was blocked unexpectedly. Shawn¡¯s sharp gaze met the intruder¡¯s and his eyes narrowed upon recognizing the person. ¡°Who allowed you in?¡± He inquired, his tone cold. Damien Davis chuckled, his response equally frosty. ¡°And who are you to question me? I was invited,¡± he said, tauntingly waving his invitation card in Shawn¡¯s face. Shawn cursed under his breath. That old geezer. Grandfather Mandez knew his grandson wasn¡¯t going to add Damien to the list of invited guests, so he sent the boy an invite himself. How betraying. ring across the room at his grandfather, who was deep in conversation with friends and oblivious to Shawn¡¯s anger, Shawn turned back to Damien. ¡°Hm. Move aside,¡± He demanded. Damien sneered, ¡°And what if I don¡¯t?¡± Shawn¡¯s frown deepened. Just as he was about to respond, a woman entered the ballroom from behind Damien. He squinted at her as she approached. Though it had been years since hest saw her, he immediately recognized her. Howe she was here? And what was she doing here? Shawn tore his gaze from the woman and fixed it on Damien. ¡°Did you know?¡± He inquired. Damien appeared confused. He had no idea what the man was talking about, ¡°???¡± At this very moment, the woman went to stand beside Damien, her whole attention focused on the handsome man before her. When she entered the room, her gaze immediately found him, and she walked toward him without hesitation. It had been a really long while since shest set her eyes on him, and she had missed him dearly. Yvonne smiled through teary eyes as she greeted Shawn. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed.¡± Startled by a familiar voice, Damien turned and saw his younger sister standing beside him. He waspletely shocked. ¡°Yvonne, what are you doing here?¡± As Yvonne had all her attention on Shawn, she didn¡¯t notice that it was her brother that was standing beside her. But as soon as she heard his voice, she froze and her eyes widened at once. She stammered, ¡°Da-Damien¡­¡± The attendees were shocked to see the youngestdy of the Davis family at the birthday party. It had been so many years since anyone heard of her. Last they heard was that she relocated abroad, reasons unknown to anyone. She had been abroad for so long, and her return tonight was unexpected. Why was she back now? Perhaps, it was to attend Old Master Mandez¡¯s birthday party. But then, was she back finally? Or would she be returning abroad immediately after the party ended? Everyone wondered. After recovering from the initial shock, Damien grabbed his sister¡¯s hand and hurriedly led her out of the ballroom. Ste, witnessing the entire scene, was equally astonished. In fact, she was the most shocked person in the room. She hastily got up and followed her siblings. In her haste, she identally bumped into someone, Vivian, who was holding a ss of wine. The wine spilled on her dress due to the collision, and she began to lower to the floor. Upon witnessing this, Shawn quickly came to her rescue, catching her before she hit the ground. He removed his suit jacket and draped it over her, shielding her soaked cleavage area, which had now be transparent. Ste, who was in a hurry, didn¡¯t look back to see what had happened. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shawn inquired, inspecting the girl¡¯s body to make sure she wasn¡¯t hurt. Vivian seemed to be in a daze as she stared dreamily at the man before her. Just like years ago, he had saved her again-her knight in shining armor. Ever since she entered the ballroom with her parents, Vivian Thompson had been searching for one person: Shawn Mandez. When she found out he was in a secluded area, her spirits sank. However, she remained hopeful and never took her eyes off the spot where he sat alone. Luckily, a few hourster, she saw him rise and head toward the exit. Vivian hurriedly went over to stand near the exit and sipped on a ss of wine, nerves getting the best of her. But her hopes were dashed when Damien Davis blocked Shawn¡¯s path. Still, she didn¡¯t give up and continued to watch them. A couple of minutester, she noticed an elegantly dressed woman enter the ballroom and approach Shawn. It took a moment for Vivian to recognize her as Damien Davis¡¯s younger sister. She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. There had been rumors about Yvonne Davis and Shawn Mandez being in a rtionship once. Could it be true? None of them had confirmed or denied it then. Besides, she heard news of Yvonne¡¯s sudden relocation abroad¡­ Why was she back? Lost in her thoughts, Vivian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She became oblivious to her surroundings and didn¡¯t notice when Ste identally bumped into her. With a gasp, Vivian spilled wine on herself and prepared for a hard fall, but instead, shended in something warm, surrounded by the pleasant scent of a man¡¯s cologne. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself lost in the depth of a pair of grey eyes. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shawn¡¯s smooth voice brought her back to reality. ¡°Erm, ye-yes-sir,¡± She stuttered, unable to tear her gaze away from him. She couldn¡¯t believe he had just spoken to her.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. She watched keenly as he nodded his head and then walked past her. She blushed deeply and stared at his retreating figure until he disappeared from sight. ¡°Soon, you¡¯ll be mine, my knight in shining armor,¡± She thought to herself. Family Immediately Ste stepped outside Magnificent Events Center, she scanned the entire area but neither her brother nor her sister was in sight. Evans soon joined her outside, standing behind his wife. ¡°They left already,¡± he sensed. ¡°Go fetch the kids; I¡¯ll get the car ready.¡± Frowning and biting her lip, Ste rushed back into the party hall, gathered their belongings, and swiftly led the children outside. They¡¯d have to apologize to Old Master Mandezter, for leaving unannounced. The birthday party was alreadying to an end, anyways¡­ As soon as they settled into the car, Evans sped away. ¡ª¨C The ride home was silent. Neither the brother nor his sister spoke a word to each other as they were both engrossed in their thoughts. Damien was visibly seething with anger, while Yvonne remained silent, staring out of the window. The night was cold and the weather seemed unfriendly. But as soon as they arrived at the Davis Family¡¯s residence, all the anger Damien had pent up in him bursted. ¡°Why the hell did youe back?! What are you doing here?! With whose permission did you make this decision?!¡± He thundered angrily as soon as they entered the main mansion. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you inform me beforeing?!¡± Upon hearing his harsh words, Yvonne screamed angrily in response, ¡°If I had informed you, would you have let mee back?!¡± Damien was taken aback by thedy¡¯s sudden outburst. His brows furrowed, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did I lie?¡± Yvonne¡¯s words held a painful truth. Damien remained silent, his emotions raging within. ¡°Are you even my brother? You never called me throughout the time I was away, not even once! You¡¯re just seeing me for the first time in so many years, and you¡¯re speaking to me in this manner?! Did you even miss me at all?!¡± Yvonne¡¯s voice broke as she yelled, tears escaping her eyes. ¡°What if I had died over there? What did I do to deserve such brutal punishment?¡± She wept. Damien remained silent as he gazed at her, his hands balling up into fists at his sides. After a while, ¡°Get ready to leave on the first flight, first thing tomorrow morning.¡± He blurted, his voice lower. Immediately he finished saying those words, he made to leave the lounge area. Yvonne couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°What?¡± Her eyes wavered and she gazed at him speechlessly. ¡°What did you just say?¡± She muttered. ¡°You¡¯re leaving on the earliest flight tomorrow morning.¡± He rephrased his words, pausing in his tracks. Yvonne was silent for a few seconds before she erupted into a bitterughter, her eyes glistening with tears. ¡®What¡¯s funny?¡¯ Damien¡¯s brow arched up in bewilderment. After calming down a bit, ¡°Is it that you do not have any iota of care for me at all?¡± She inquired. The man pressed his lips together, his face devoid of any emotion as he looked away from his sister. Yvonne¡¯s voice became cold as she spoke,¡±Since this is how you want it, then, no problem.¡± The next second, she blurted out coldly, ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯m not going any. where. If you want to travel, go yourself and nevere back. Never again would I let you force me to do anything against my will.¡± ¡°If you really want to have mepletely vanished from your sight, then get Father and Mother¡¯s approvals. Until then, I will stay.¡± Having said her piece, Ynonne walked past Damien and headed straight to her room. As soon as she entered, she mmed the door behind her and copsed on her bed in tears. Why wouldn¡¯t he let her do what she wanted? Why was he treating her in this manner? She cried bitterly. Right at that moment, Ste rushed into the house and met Damien standing all alone, seeming dazed. Her gaze darted around quickly in confusion. ¡°Where is she?¡± She asked hurriedly. Damien simply turned to look at her for a couple of seconds and then walked away, leaving her bewildered. Ste hastened away to Yvonne¡¯s room and met her crying. Her heart broke and she slowly went over to her side and pulled her into her embrace. _________ After the party ended, Shawn helped his grandfather home.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Why didn¡¯t shee?¡± Old Master Mandez inquired in a low voice as he rested in the backseat. ¡°She¡¯s not feeling well.¡± Liar. Someone he saw in the morning¡­ Yet, Grandpa Mandez closed his eyes and remained silent. Upon their arrival at Magnificent, the old man was exhausted and went to bed immediately. After tucking him in, Shawn silently stepped out of the room. His mind wandered off to Little One at home and he couldn¡¯t help but feel some warmth in his heart. Atst, he could go see her. However, just as he stepped into his grandfather¡¯s living room, he met his aunt seated there. She seemed to be waiting for him. Upon noticing his presence, the middle-aged woman looked up and gestured for him to sit. ¡°Is he asleep?¡± She asked calmly. ¡°Mmn.¡± Shawn replied. She nodded. After a while of silence, she spoke, her voice low, ¡°I heard about what happened. Anderson told me.¡± Shawn looked up at Anderson who was currently standing behind his aunt. The man simply shrugged his shoulders at him helplessly. Shawn pressed his lips to form a thin line and then looked away. ¡°Even if he didn¡¯t inform me, it¡¯s so obvious¡­¡± Amanda stated. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; we won¡¯t be going back to the States. Losing my sister, your mother, was hell. We should ensure we don¡¯t lose Father too. I know how much we¡¯ve suffered-how much you¡¯ve suffered.¡± Her voice broke. Shawn balled up his fists and his jaw thickened as he listened to his aunt. A glint of agony shed in his eyes but it disappeared just as quickly as it hade. A couple of secondster, he released his clenched hands and his facial expression also returned to normal. ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± Without further ado, Shawn Mandez stood up. ¡°Anderson will assist with getting you settled in.¡± After saying these words, he bobbed and then left Grandpa Mandez¡¯s mansion silently. Heading home, Shawn couldn¡¯t shake the thoughts of his conversation with his aunt, his mind drifting to memories of his mother. He missed her deeply. How he wished, that day, she hadn¡¯t¡­ Blinking away the haunting thoughts, he refocused his attention. Before he knew it, he had arrived home. A faint smile crept onto his lips as he pushed open the front door. Her husband鈥檚 warmth A faint smile graced his lips as he pushed open the front door. When Shawn entered, the house was enveloped in silence, and the lounge bathed in dim light. ¡°She must have retired to bed,¡± he surmised, feeling a subtle pang of disappointment. He sighed, fatigue pressing upon him as he made to ascend the stairs. Yet, just as he approached the staircase, his steps faltered. He turned to the side and spotted a frail figure curled up on the couch. His eyes narrowed as he recognized the Little One. Why was she there? He moved closer to the couch, his tall frame looming over her as he observed her in silence. Right at that moment, Madam Susan entered the lounge and took in the scene. She instantly grasped what was going through the Young Master¡¯s mind. ¡°Madam insisted on waiting for you here and refused to retire upstairs to sleep¡­¡± Without her needing to say more, Shawn already understood. A warm feeling swelled within him. ¡°Thank you, Madam Susan. It¡¯ste; you should retire for the night,¡± he replied, his gaze never leaving the girl. Shawn knew that everyone else had already gone to bed, and Madam Susan had stayed up because of Little One. ¡°Good night, Young Master,¡± the woman curtsied and left. After hearing the door close behind Madam Susan, Shawn continued to gaze at Mia with tender eyes and a peculiar sensation coursing through his veins. After some time, he bent down and gently lifted her into his arms. He carried her upstairs and into her room, but just as he was about to ce her on the bed, he hesitated. The next moment, he bore her back out of the room. Shawn opened the door to his own room and quietly closed it behind him with his foot. Tenderly, he settled her on the bed and began to tuck her in. Just as he was about to go undress and take a shower, her eyes squinted open. Upon seeing him, she murmured softly, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Mmn,¡± he replied nasally. ¡°Go back to sleep,¡± he whispered as he stroked her hair, a faint smile ying on his lips. Mia¡¯s eyes soon closed again, and it didn¡¯t take long before she drifted back to sleep. Shawn quietly made his way into his walk-in closet and removed his clothes. Afterward, he headed straight to the bathroom for a warm shower. Once he finished, he cautiously proceeded to his study to work, ensuring not to disturb the slumbering Little One. ¡ª¨C The Thompson Family Residence Arnold Thompson, in a glorious mood after the revival of XY Company, enjoyed himself to the fullest at Old Master Mandez¡¯s birthday party. Though he didn¡¯t know how thepany had rebounded so quickly, he felt grateful for the miraculous turnaround. Upon returning home with his wife and daughter, Arnold engaged in light conversation with them in the living room before retiring to bed. Despite his excitement, exhaustion weighed heavily on him, and his body hadn¡¯t fully recovered. ¡°Good night, Honey. I¡¯ll join you soon,¡± Barbara said, smiling as she watched her husband ascend the stairs. She fell silent, listening attentively. When she heard his bedroom door open and then close, she drew nearer to her daughter. Babara had been observing her daughter closely ever since they left the party. Her beautiful daughter couldn¡¯t help but wear a constant smile, asionally blushing as she clutched a suit tightly to her chest. She was eager to find out what it wa-who it was-that was making her act in that manner, though she had a suspicion¡­ ¡°Spill the beans, darling,¡± She encouraged, her fingers caressing Vivian¡¯s cheek. Vivian¡¯s cheeks tinged with a soft pink at this and hershes fluttered shyly as she nced at her mother. Barbara was grinning eagerly from ear-to-ear. ¡°Talk to Mom.¡± Vivian hesitated for a moment before holding up the suit to her mother¡¯s face. ¡°H-he gave this to me.¡± Barbara¡¯s eyes widened, and she peered knowingly into her daughter¡¯s eyes. Vivian nodded, her face flushed with embarrassment. Barbara covered her mouth, suppressing her excitement. ¡°How did that happen?¡± ¡°I identally spilled some wine on myself, and he¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s voice trailed off as she lowered her gaze, smiling sweetly, but Barbara understood where she was going. Oh, this smart daughter of hers! And there she was thinking that Vivian wouldn¡¯t be able to get anything done. Never in her wildest imagination did she think that she would make that huge amount of progress. Not only did she catch Shawn Mandez¡¯s eye, she even got His suit! That was indeed really huge. The woman beamed with pride. Barbara couldn¡¯t help but be proud of her smart daughter. ¡°That¡¯s great news. You know how to proceed, right?¡± Vivian met her mother¡¯s gaze and nodded, stroking the suit in her hand with utmost care. Barbara felt relieved and confident in her daughter¡¯s abilities. Now, all she had to do was rx and watch the girl do wonders. It was only the first step that night and she had made such a huge sess. She was sure Vivian would do even better henceforth. So, she needn¡¯t worry herself. ¡°Good.¡± Just then, Vivian¡¯s mind trailed off somewhere and a shadow of unhappiness passed over her features. ¡°Mom, are you sure Mia is alright? We haven¡¯t heard anything from her for some time now, shouldn¡¯t we look for her? What if she¡¯s in trouble?¡± Upon hearing her words, her mother couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes in disapproval. ¡°What spell did that wench use on you to¡­¡± Her words trailed off. Shaking her head, she stood up on her feet. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed, good night.¡± Vivian sprung to her feet and hurriedly followed her mother, clutching the suit in her hand as if it were her lifeline, as she whined. From the kitchen doorway, Madam Grace silently stepped out, Madam Grace quietly stepped out of where she had been standing for the past couple of minutes, and watched the mother and daughter ascend the stairs, her face expressionless. ¡®What schemes is that woman plotting now?¡¯ She wondered. She had clearly eavesdropped on their conversation and was aware that Barbara was onto something terrible. To think she had now begun to involve her daughter in those dubious acts left Madam Grace sighing wearily. If only May were still here¡­ Her thoughts drifted to Mia, and her heart ached for the poor girl. On the day Barbara had sold Mia to the Andrew Family, Madam Grace had been sent on an errand by Barbara herself. Only after her return did she learn of the sinister plot that had transpired, thanks to her most trusted maid, Mellie. The news had devastated Madam Grace to the point of tears. How could Mia¡¯s fate have been sealed in such a cruel manner? A couple of dayster, Mellie informed her that Mia had miraculously escaped from the Andrew Family. Madam Grace was slightly relieved to hear that news. However, now, after hearing Vivian¡¯s words, it seemed Mia was missing again. Only the heavens knew where Mia was and how she was faring. Madam Grace could only pray for divine guidance and protection for the motherless child. ¡ª¨C When the CEO returned to the bedroom, it was already 2 AM the following day. He quietly slipped into bed beside his wife. In her slumber, Mia sensed an unfamiliar warmth beside her, which oddlyforted her. She furrowed her brow and scooted closer to this newfound warmth. Shawn tensed up as their bodies made contact, and Mia continued to shift, unintentionally brushing against his lower region. His body reacted, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Letting her sleep there had been a mistake; he shouldn¡¯t have allowed it. Regret washed over him. Mia didn¡¯t cease her movements until she had nestledfortably in the embrace of the warmth. Content, a gentle smile graced her lips. Noticing that she had stilled, Shawn slowly exhaled and rxed his muscles. He gazed down at her delicate form, a small smile forming at the corner of his lips. Tenderly, he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. He then nted a kiss on her hair. As he held his wife in the darkness, all his worries dissolved into nothingness. Slowly, he closed his eyes, surrendering to the serenity of the moment. Sleepwalker Stretching as she yawned, Mia grinned sheepishly, slowly opening her eyes to greet the new day. Her night had been so splendid that she even dreamt of sharing a bed with the demi-god. How absurd of her. She knew very well that such a fantasy would remain just that, for centuries toe. Pushing her daydreams aside, she gazed up at the ceiling for a moment, then all of a sudden, her eyes widened in sheer horror. Where was she? How had her white ceiling transformed into grey? Moreover, her room had a faux ster ceiling, not marble! Swiftly, she sprang up and sat upright, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings as she threw the duvet away. This wasn¡¯t her room! Her thoughts raced back to the previous day. She had been devastated as she watched Shawn, impably dressed, leave the mansion for Grandpa Mandez¡¯s birthday banquet. He had been gone for several hours, and all she could do was pass the time by checking the clock repeatedly and asionally venturing downstairs to see if he had returned. By the end of the day, she had chosen to stay in the lounge area instead of tormenting herself by climbing up and down the stairs. ¡°Madam, it¡¯ste. You should head upstairs¡­¡± Madam Susan had approached her at one point and suggested. Thest thing Mia remembered was telling Madam Susan not to worry about her and to retire for the night. So, how had she ended up in this exotic yet unfamiliar room? Whose room was this? It would be preferable if it belonged to anyone else, anyone except¡­ Mia¡¯s eyes widened as she nced around once more. The room appeared to be his! It was unmistakably his room. The unweing ck and grey colors¡­ She was in deep trouble! Throughout her eighteen years of life, Mia had developed many habits, but the worst of them all was sleepwalking. When she was younger and still lived in the Thompson family residence, every morning, Madam Grace would check on Mia in her room. If Madam Grace couldn¡¯t find her there, she knew Mia had likely sleepwalked during the night. Madam Grace would immediately start searching for her. Sometimes, she¡¯d find Mia in the guest room or under the staircase, but the kitchen was her favorite spot. Most often, Mia was discovered there, and Madam Grace would gently guide her back to her room. It was fortunate Mia had never sleepwalked out of the Thompson family residence; otherwise, she might have gone missing long ago. Even at the school dormitory, Mia would asionally sleepwalk over to Martha¡¯s bed and they¡¯d end up sharing a bed. Martha made it a habit to double-check that their door was locked and remove the keys each night before going to bed, just so her best friend wouldn¡¯t sleepwalk out of their room. But ever since she started living in Shawn Mandez¡¯s mansion, Mia noticed that her sleepwalking had ceased. For this, she felt immensely grateful to whatever powers had kept her secret hidden. Little did she know that today, it would be exposed. Right now, all Mia wished for was for the ground to open up and swallow her whole. Biting her lip, she looked down at herself and realized she was fully clothed. Her eyes darted around the room; the man was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he hadn¡¯t returnedst night. A pang of disappointment washed over her. But was that not a great thing?! She had to leave immediately before he returned and found her in HIS bedroom. Mia hastily struggled to get out of bed and rushed to the door. Just as she reached for the doorknob, it swung open. The man she was most desperately trying to avoid right now stood behind the door. She waspletely caught now! She was doomed! Her eyes widened in sheer horror, and she took a sharp breath. Her heart raced, thumping loudly against her chest. She stumbled backward, reaching out her hand, silently pleading for him to catch her. But Shawn simply stood still, watching as her body collided with the cold, hard floor. Pain coursed through Mia¡¯s body, and a tear escaped her eye. ¡°And where are you going?¡± Shawn¡¯s deep, hoarse voice echoed in her ears, signaling that she was in trouble. Her suffering was far from over, and she cried inwardly. She wished she had hit her head and passed out when she fell. If that had happened, she wouldn¡¯t have to engage in the heated conversation that awaited her. ¡°Eh-erm¡­ I¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as she began to stutter. Clicking his tongue impatiently, Shawn entered the room, passing by her. ¡®Always clumsy.¡¯ ¡°Your things have been moved here,¡± he paused, ¡°this is where you¡¯ll sleep from now on.¡± He turned to gauge her reaction and, as expected, Mia¡¯s jaw dropped in disbelief. She pushed herself up from the floor and stared at Shawn as if he were a two-headed cow. ¡°The bathroom is over there, and here¡¯s your vanity.¡± Shawn gestured to various areas as he spoke. Then, he walked to the far side of the room. ¡°This is the walk-in closet.¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ Mia blinked. ¡®But I don¡¯t see any¡­¡¯ Her thoughts trailed off as Shawn clicked a tiny button on the wall, and the area began to move, revealing a spacious walk-in closet. Her mouth hung open, and her jaw nearly touched the floor. It was incredibly luxurious. From where she stood, she could see her reflection in the enormous wall mirror inside the closet. ¡®Is that really a closet? It looks more like a secret shopping mall.¡¯ Mia swallowed hard. But then¡­ Shawn clicked the button again, and the wall returned to its original position, concealing the walk-in closet. ¡°Any problem?¡± He inquired, slipping his hands into his pockets. ¡°Y-Yes, sir.¡± Shawn frowned at the formality, but his expression quickly turned impassive. He gave her a look that said, ¡®go on.¡¯ Mia cleared her throat uneasily and carefully chose her words. ¡°Um, our previous arrangement¡­ it¡¯s changed? Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a rhetorical question, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mia swallowed her nerves. ¡°At least now you won¡¯t have to sneak into my room anymore,¡± he added swiftly, ¡°under the pretense of sleepwalking.¡± Mia was rendered speechless upon hearing those words. Unable to bear the humiliation any longer, she spun on her heels and dashed out of the room, mming the door shut behind her. Shawn blinked nkly. He had been teasing her, hadn¡¯t he? Had he gone too far? Nevertheless, he hadn¡¯t lied about it. Ever since Mia had started living in the mansion, she had a habit of sleepwalking into Shawn Mandez¡¯s room. It happened without fail, every single day. The first time it urred, on her very first night there, Shawn was seated on the couch near his window, in his room, contemting his decision to make her his wife. Suddenly, he heard his door creak open in the dead of night, followed by the soft click of it closing. His attention immediately snapped to the doorway, and what he saw left him nearly horrified. In the dim room, a figure stood near the door, appearing ghostly in the darkness. It felt like he had an unwee spirit in his midst, and he watched in silence as it slowly made its way to his bed and sprawled across it. Shawn was taken aback. His brows furrowed as he wondered when his house had be haunted. Moreover, why did the supposed ghost choose his room, his bed, of all ces? He rose from the chair and walked purposefully towards the bed. As he drew nearer, the figure became clearer, and he realized it wasn¡¯t a ghost at all. It was a girl. The girl. His was even more speechless upon seeing her. Of course, the CEO initially thought the girl was pulling a stunt on him, trying to sneak into his bed. Nheless, instead of throwing her out, an inexplicable forcepelled him to sit at the edge of the bed and watch her.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She appeared so lonely and vulnerable in her sleep. After a while, he attempted to reach out and wake her, but his hand hesitated and withdrew. He continued to observe her for some time before carefully lifting her into his arms and returning her to her room. From that night onward, Shawn made it a routine to carry Mia back to her room every night. He grew so ustomed to it that he would wait on the couch, expecting her. And like clockwork, at midnight, she would enter his room, mumble incoherent words, and then copse onto his bed. However, a couple of weeks ago, he made a change to this nightly ritual. Instead of immediately taking her back to her room when she sleepwalked in, he would watch her for a while, get into bed, and cover them both with his duvet. He would then fall asleep too, beside her. As dawn approached, he would awaken quietly and, without disturbing her, carry her back to her room. Little One was quite the sleepyhead. Shawn couldn¡¯t help but smile smugly as he recalled these moments. A couple of secondster, he o left his bedroom-their matrimonial bedroom. Husband tutor After finishing breakfast, Mia swiftly made her way upstairs. The morning encounter with the cold-hearted man had left her yearning for solitude, craving thefort of her bedsheets. She approached her room and reached for the doorknob, but as much as she turned it, it remained stubbornly locked. Confusion clouded her features until realization dawned. She had moved-no, she had been moved. Into the man¡¯s room! Mia stood frozen, the world spinning around her. What should she do now? No more privacy¡­ Sharing a bed with him seemed like a nightmare, and her imagination immediately began to run wild. ¡°Madam,¡± Madam Susan¡¯s voice brought her back to reality. She blinked away her sorrows and turned to face the older woman. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Please,¡± Madam Susan gestured towards Shawn¡¯s bedroom door, and Mia¡¯s heart sank as she met its gaze. Slowly, she reluctantly shuffled towards it, with Madam Susan and a couple of maids following closely behind. Once inside, Mia stood awkwardly, watching Madam Susan press the button for the walk-in closet. With a single nce from the olddy, the maids entered the closet. A short whileter, they emerged with a selection of dresses, shoes, purses, and jewelry in their hands. Mia¡¯s face mirrored her bewilderment. Was there a special asion? She knew they had chosen these items for her, but she had no idea why. As if to address her unspoken question, Madam Susan exined, ¡°Madam, they will now assist you in preparing for the photoshoot.¡± Photoshoot? Mia was utterly lost. Before she could grasp the olddy¡¯s meaning, the maids approached her, ready to lead her to the bathroom. But she stopped them, ¡°No, please. I¡¯ll handle it myself. I can manage everything on my own. The only thing I¡¯ll need assistance with is my makeup.¡± She disliked the constant help they offered; it made her ufortable. She was not a child and was determined to do things herself from that moment forward. The maids looked taken aback, ncing at Madam Susan for guidance. She nodded, and they took a few steps back, respecting the young madam¡¯s wishes. Understanding Mia¡¯s feelings, Madam Susan signaled for the maids to leave the room, leaving only one behind to tend to Mia¡¯s needs. With that, she took her leave as well. Before departing, she gave Miranda a pointed look, which was met with a respectful curtsy. Miranda knew there could be no mistakes, and she was well aware that she had to attend to Madam¡¯s needs with the utmost care. After the housekeeper left, Mia headed straight to the bathroom to take her bath. Once she was done, Miranda helped with her hair and makeup and assisted her in getting dressed. Ready, Mia followed Miranda downstairs, elegantly dressed, her curiosity about the asion growing. As she descended the stairs, she spotted Shawn seated casually in the lounge, engrossed in his phone. He was dressed in a sharp navy blue tuxedo, his impable charm on full disy. Mia had initially thought he was dressed for work when they had breakfast together, but that assumption was clearly incorrect. They were going somewhere together, seemingly for a photoshoot. Approaching Shawn¡¯s side with light steps, she noticed someone else in the lounge ¨C a young man in simple attire with a backpack on hisp. She offered a polite nod, and he replied with a friendly smile. She cleared her throat softly to draw Shawn¡¯s attention and signal her presence. Shawn looked up from his phone and fixed his gaze on her, momentarily taken aback by her breathtaking appearance. The CEO¡¯s heart swelled with pride; he had made the right choice in marrying her. He rose to his feet, and the visitor immediately did the same. ¡°We can proceed,¡± Shawn announced in his deep, authoritative voice. The visitor unzipped his backpack and swiftly set up his camera. Mia briefly pondered the situation and realized that the visitor was a photographer. She nodded inwardly, realizing her earlier assumption that she was going somewhere with Shawn had been incorrect. They were actually taking pictures at home. ¡°All set,¡± the photographer said with a polite smile. Despite being the city¡¯s most renowned photographer, he was on edge around Shawn Mendez, and who wouldn¡¯t be? Shawn was the most influential figure in the country.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Shawn led the way to a spot that Jones, the photographer, had selected for the photos. When he noticed Mia hesitating, he shot her a questioning look. Quickly, Mia joined him at the designated spot. Jones began taking pictures of the couple, utilizing various areas in their lounge and capturing shots from various angles. After a while, he finished up, packed his equipment, bid the couple farewell, and departed their home. As he left the mansion, he cast a thoughtful, narrowing nce back. He had never heard of Shawn Mendez being married, so how did the man suddenly have a wife? After the photographer left, Mia found herself staring dumbfoundedly at Shawn, who had returned to sit on the couch. Sensing her intense gaze, Shawn sighed and said, ¡°We just took couple photos. We¡¯ll have them framed and hung in our home,¡± without making eye contact. He continued, looking directly at Mia now, ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to get us to go to the studio for a while now, but every single time, a certain person got herself in trouble, disrupting my ns.¡± With those words, he stood up and headed upstairs, leaving Mia stunned. She couldn¡¯t believe how harsh he was being. While it was true he had once mentioned they would go somewhere after school, that day ended up¡­ Regardless, there was no need for him to throw her issues in her face. Perhaps, after being unusually kind to her over the past few days, he was ovepensating with cruelty today. Eish. Mia also went upstairs and entered the bedroom. She changed into somethingfortable, and Shawn had changed as well, now working on his tablet while seated on the bed. Yet, he kept a watchful eye on her, observing her every move from the corner of his eye. With the National College Entrance Exam approaching, Mia grabbed her textbooks and settled on the couch near the window, determined to start studying. Due to her recent school absences, she had a lot of catching up to do. She buried her face in her books. However, after about five minutes, she began to hiss and groan in frustration. Unable to bear her struggle any longer, Shawn snapped his tablet shut and got off the bed. He quickly closed the gap between them, peering down into her notebook from behind with hooded eyes. It was clear she was having difficulty with arithmetic. Without uttering a word, he moved around the chair and sat beside her. He took the pen from her hand and began to help her, saying, ¡°You made a mistake here¡­¡± And so, the CEO took it upon himself to tutor his wife every day. Goodnight, Little One Shawn and Mia spent the entire day in their bedroom, working on arithmetic problems. Mia couldn¡¯t deny that the man was impressive. Was there anything he wasn¡¯t good at in the world? He was just too perfect! The way he exinedplex problems in such a simple manner and guided her through solving them like a piece of cake made Mia wonder where he had been all her life. His patience and kindness made her forget all that had happened in the morning. She had been mistaken. There was no way the man sitting beside her, teaching her, could be cold-hearted. Her previous assumptions had misled her. The issue must have been with her, not him. She was the problem, not the charming man.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Shawn nodded and gently patted Little One¡¯s head, cing the book he held down. ¡°You did well.¡± Seated in close proximity, Mia could feel his minty breath gently brushing her face as he spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day here. We¡¯ll pick up tomorrow.¡± As he got up and started walking toward the bathroom, Mia snapped back to her senses. Her heart had raced when she felt his hand on her head just now. ¡®Did he just¡­?¡¯ Her eyes widened, and she was left momentarily dazed, her heart beating wildly in her chest. ¡°Thank you,¡± She murmured. As Shawn was heading into the bathroom, his keen ears caught those words. He smiled but chose to remain silent. After her husband finished his bath, Mia also headed to the bathroom. By the time she was dressed, it was time for dinner, so they went downstairs together. Following dinner, Mia headed upstairs to their bedroom, while Shawn went straight to his study. He had a pile of files demanding his attention. Realizing they would be sharing the same bed from now on, Mia felt a mix of emotions as she moved towards the bed. She hesitated at the foot, unable to summon the courage toy down. What if he intended to make her sleep on the floor? Her imagination ran wild with fears of drastic consequences. If he caught her on his bed, he might just slit her throat. A shiver ran down Mia¡¯s spine at the thought, prompting her to swiftly retreat and take a seat in the bedroom¡¯s lounge area near the window. Her mind was still buzzing from the tutoring session, so she didn¡¯t reach for her books to study. Instead, she dug into her bag and found her phone, noticing numerous missed calls. Most were from Vivian, a few from Madam Grace, and the rest from Martha. Frowning, she contemted returning the calls, especially Madam Grace¡¯s, knowing the elderly woman would be deeply worried about her by now. Mia chose not to return anyone¡¯s calls; it all felt pointless. She huffed and began to scroll through her call log. However, something caught her attention, causing her to stop. In her call log, she found a name she hadn¡¯t contacted in a while, and who hadn¡¯t reached out to her either. It seemed she had received a call from this person a couple of days ago¡­ ¡°Shhhh,¡± Mia inhaled thoughtfully. She couldn¡¯t remember answering a call from Max. How did that happen? She checked the date and time of the call-it was on the day Barbara had given her away to the Andrew family. Shaking her head, she decided not to dwell on it any further. Whatever. It didn¡¯t matter anyway. Mia exited her call log and started ying a game on her phone. Shortly afterwards, she drifted off to sleep. ¡ª ¡°I see. Mr. Greg, ensure you send the files to my email,¡± Shawn said. He was in a virtual meeting with the board of directors of Beats Corporations¡¯ New York branch, which hadsted for the past two hours. ¡°Gentlemen, have a great day.¡± With those words, the CEO ended the conference call. Shawn was exhausted but continued working on a new project Beats Corporations was developing. By the time he went to bed, it was well past midnight. He knew Little One would have already gone to sleep, so he quietly entered the room. The bedroom was dimly lit and the first thing he noticed was the empty bed. He frowned. His sharp eyes darted around the room and he found the girl he was looking for sleeping on the sofa in an ufortable position. ¡°Stupid girl,¡± Shawn shook his head disapprovingly before closing up the space to her side. He removed the phone in her hand, turned it off, and gently picked her into his arms and carried her to bed. Before getting into bed beside her, he made sure to lock the door. He couldn¡¯t predict where his wife might wander off to in the middle of the night; he didn¡¯t want everyone to wake up the next day and find her missing. Smiling to himself, Shawn settled into bed beside his wife. ¡°Why are you pretending to be asleep?¡± His rich, deep voice broke the peaceful silence. Mia¡¯s body tensed upon hearing his words, and she anxiously bit her lower lip. She had fallen asleep earlier but woke up when he entered the room, perhaps due to her anxiety about sleeping there with him. Slowly, Mia turned to face Shawn, peering into his eyes under the dim light while remaining frozen in ce. ¡°Were you working?¡± Her voice, soft and audible, cut through the silence. Shawn gazed down at her with hooded eyes and answered, ¡°Mmn.¡± ¡°I see,¡± she murmured. Despite her efforts to conceal it, Shawn sensed Little One¡¯s nervousness. How could he not, given her perpetual unease around him? Silly girl. Without warning, he reached out, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her close to him. Mia was taken aback and froze. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, and her cheeks turned red with embarrassment. Shawn couldn¡¯t hide the smug look on his face. Justst night, she had been pressing herself against him. Silly girl. If he were to tell her about that, she might just go jump into thegoon¡­ ¡°Sleep,¡± his voice was deep and husky. Upon hearing his soothingmand, Mia closed her eyes. Gradually, her rapid breathing calmed, and her body rxed in Shawn¡¯s embrace, indicating she had fallen asleep. Shawn leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. ¡°Goodnight, Little One.¡± ¡ª The following day. Since Mia had been upied with studying the previous day, she headed straight to the hospital after breakfast. On the other hand, Shawn left for his undercover job. However, before departing, he nced at the calendar. That day was approaching once again¡­ This caused his mood to dampen. Trouble in paradise The following day arrived, and since Mia had been engrossed in her studies the previous day, she hadn¡¯t been able to visit the hospital. After having breakfast, she swiftly made her way there. Meanwhile, Shawn left for his undercover job, but before he departed, he nced at the calendar. That day was here once again¡­ This caused his mood to dampen. After her visit to the hospital, Mia returned home and cheerfully announced, ¡°I¡¯m home, everyone!¡± She quickly changed into indoor flip-flops, raced upstairs to change her clothes, and in no time, she was out of the house again. For a while, she had been admiring the garden from her window, hoping to go down there someday. And now she had finally decided to explore it. Someday was that day. Brimming with excitement, she made her way to the back of the mansion, venturing there for the first time since she had moved in. As she entered the sprawling garden, her eyes widened with wonder at the vibrant disy of flowers and the lush greenery that surrounded her. For an extensive period, she wandered along the winding paths, the gentle fragrance of blossoms filling the air with a refreshing crispness. Her senses were invigorated by the experience; the garden appeared even more stunning up close than it did from her window. Mia spent the entire afternoon immersed in the garden, carefully examining each nt, tree, and flower, her fingers delicately tracing the intricate details of each petal as she passed by. As the sun began to set, she reluctantly started to leave the garden, already nning her return. In fact, the garden had be her serene sanctuary, a ce she would frequent whenever she needed to retreat from the world. As Mia reached the entrance, she turned around, beaming at the garden. ¡°Goodbye for now, beautiful garden,¡± she said with a contented smile. Turning back around, she suddenly froze, finding Shawn standing right in the doorway. His expression was inscrutable, and his gaze bore into hers, sending a shiver down her spine. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± His voice was low and intense as he spoke. ¡°Um, you¡¯re back-¡± ¡°Answer the question!¡± Shawn¡¯s voice boomed, catching Mia off guard. She stumbled backward, nearly losing her bnce. ¡°Who let you in here?!¡± His furious words echoed in Mia¡¯s ears, causing a sudden wave of pain to throb in her head. Trembling uncontrobly, she avoided his gaze. This was the first time she had seen him like this, and it was terrifying. Was she not allowed to be in there? Shawn grabbed her arm forcefully and pulled her out of the garden. ¡°This better be thest time you step foot in here. Do you understand?!¡± He warned, his grip tightening. Tears streamed down Mia¡¯s cheeks as she winced from the pain coursing through her arm, crying out in anguish. He released her abruptly and stormed away, the sound of a revving car quickly fading as it sped out of the mansion. Sobbing, Mia rushed back inside, swiftly closing the bedroom door with a resounding thud. She crawled into bed, weeping uncontrobly, ovee by a torrent of emotions. Why was the man¡¯s behavior towards her shifting abruptly from kindness to cruelty? Why was he ying with her emotions? Why? Why would he not stop doing that to her all the time? Mia was heartbroken.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Downstairs, the maids exchanged suspicious nces, wondering what had happened to their Madam. Earlier, she had seemed so joyful when she left. What could have gone wrong? Madam Susan nced up at the staircase for a brief moment, her expression troubled. It appeared that the Young Master still hadn¡¯t gotten out of it. ¡ª¨C ¡°Just remember, always report everything to me,¡± Shawn¡¯s aunt, Amanda, instructed Anderson over the phone, the corner of her eyes catching sight of a speeding car leaving Shawn¡¯s residence. Frowning, she focused on the figure in the driver¡¯s seat, her eyes narrowing. It was none other than her nephew. A few nights ago, Anderson had handed over the keys to the mansion right beside Shawn¡¯s, where Amanda and her family had promptly moved in. Amanda had been relying on Anderson to keep her updated on any news rted to Grandpa Mandez and Shawn. But since Anderson only worked for the Old Master, he didn¡¯t know much about what was happening in Shawn¡¯s life. But he sure informed Amanda that the Young Master had gotten married. In fact, he had informed her about it while she was still abroad, and that was one of the reasons why Amanda returned. ¡°Trouble in paradise already?¡± Amanda mused, a smirk ying on her lips as she watched the car vanish from sight. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Anderson, still on the other end of the line, sounded perplexed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Anderson. Just ensure you keep me informed and let me know if he won¡¯t be returning tomorrow,¡± she instructed before abruptly ending the call. Currently, Grandpa Mandez was overseas, receiving medical treatment in India. Amanda spected that he might not return the following day, but deep down she knew it was unlikely. Tomorrow held a significant date and it was certain the old man would make it back. How pathetic. Feeling exasperated, Amanda rolled her eyes and made her way back inside. ¡ª¨C Shawn pulled into the Beats Corporation premises, his temper ring as he stormed into the elevator, followed closely by Lucas. Without hesitation, he made a beeline for the conference room. Upon his arrival, the officials stood up abruptly. They were fully aware that it was the weekend and they ought to be resting at home, but then, the CEO¡¯s personal assistant had suddenly summoned them for an impromptu meeting, leaving them with no choice but to attend, lest they invite the CEO¡¯s wrath. Tension hung thick in the air, each person on edge, sensing that something was amiss with the CEO. The fact that he had called for a meeting on a weekend only served to confirm their apprehensions. Nothing good was going toe out of the meeting. As Shawn stepped into the conference room, a palpable chill radiated from him, intensifying the already anxious atmosphere. It was clear to everyone that trouble loomed. Seating himself at the head of the table, the CEO¡¯s frosty demeanor set the tone for the meeting, causing a further spike in the officials¡¯ unease as they settled back into their seats. The meetingmenced in silence. Sad birthday As the meeting drew to a close, five grueling hours had psed, and half the team had been dismissed. ¡°Meeting adjourned,¡± the CEO dered, prompted by an urgent call from his grandfather. Those remaining among the officials hastily gathered their belongings and scurried away on unsteady legs, well aware that if they lingered a moment longer, the CEO might very well have fired the rest of them. After the officials had left, Shawn rxed his hardened face a bit and picked the call. ¡°Grandpa,¡± ¡°Shawn, I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t be able to make it back tomorrow. The doctor says I need to spend a few more days here,¡± Bitternessced the old man¡¯s voice as he spoke. ¡°I promise, as soon as I¡¯m able to leave, I¡¯lle straight home.¡± His weakened voice wavered, apanied by a persistent cough. Shawn could hear the old champ¡¯s strained breathing on the other side of the phone and his heart twisted in his chest. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grandpa. Spend as much time as you need, I¡¯m fine. Take care of yourself.¡± A brief silence lingered before Grandpa Mandez¡¯s faint voice inquired, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Shawn swallowed the lump in his throat and responded, ¡°yes.¡± ¡°Alright. Goodnight then. And Shawn,¡± The old man paused and his voice softened, ¡°Happy Birthday in advance.¡± The line fell silent once more. ¡°Goodbye, Grandpa,¡± Shawn whispered, ending the call with a heavy heart. Following the call, he sat in silence for a long while. Lucas, his assistant, silently observed the CEO¡¯s subdued demeanor. Initially, he had no idea what the reason was that got the Big Boss in that attitude. He even almost thought the Madam must have done something again. But then, he slowly pieced together the reason for his boss¡¯s distress¡­ Tomorrow. Tomorrow¡­ Every man¡¯s birthday was typically a day of joy and celebration, but that sentiment didn¡¯t apply to his boss. Shawn Mandez¡¯s birthdays, for the past two years, had been overshadowed by grief and remorse. Silently, Shawn stood up from the swivel chair and strode towards the elevator. Reaching the underground parking lot, he slipped into his car and drove away from the corporation. Lucas watched wordlessly, his head bobbing slightly as the car disappeared from sight. These were the moments when he couldn¡¯t help but feel profound sympathy for his boss. ¡ª¨C When Mia woke up and uncovered herself, darkness had already engulfed the room. She blinked rapidly to adjust her vision to the dim light. She couldn¡¯t recall when her tears had led her to slumber. Staring at the vacant space beside her, a sinking feeling gripped her heart. Was he so upset that he wouldn¡¯te back home? Or had he returned and chosen to stay elsewhere in the house-away from her? In a burst of frustration, Mia exhaled sharply. What was she to do now? It was her fault for not seeking permission before entering the garden. It wasn¡¯t like she was the real Madam of the household. In a few months, it would all be over. The reality of her marriage struck her like a sharp axe to the chest. Resigned to fate, she reached for her phone on the bedside table and crafted an apology message for her pseudo husband. Sending it off, she ced the phone back. She couldn¡¯t help but still ponder his whereabouts at thiste hour. It was almost midnight. Was he downstairs, she wondered. She headed downstairs to check but the man was nowhere to be found, and even the maids had retired for the night. ¡®He¡¯s not back yet.¡¯ Disappointed, Mia turned back towards the stairs. But just as she turned around, the distinct clinking of a ss halted her steps. She froze in her tracks and turned to face the direction where she had heard the sound. Furrowing her brows, ¡°Madam Susan?¡± She called out. What she got in response was an eerie silence and this caused her heart to skip a beat. Could it be a break-in? No, she dismissed the thought, reminding herself of the stringent security in the Magnificent Residential Area. Who then could it be in the dining area? Making the sign of the cross, she mustered courage and ventured into the dining room. The scene that greeted her sent shock waves through her. There, at the dining table, sat a silhouette of a man, immersed in his drink. It was none other than Shawn Mandez. Mia was taken aback. When had he arrived? She rushed to his side, grimacing at the overpowering smell of liquor, but she didn¡¯t back away. ¡°Why are you drinking so much?¡± Her shock intensified upon realizing he had already finished three bottles. ¡°Eish. That¡¯s not good for you.¡± She swiftly confiscated the ss from his grasp. Though Shawn seemed to resist, he was too inebriated to put up any real fight. Exasperation washed over Mia as she realized she was the only one in the house. She struggled to support him, attempting to drape his arm over her shoulder, but he remained unyielding. ¡°Argh! This is driving me insane,¡± shemented, iling her fists in frustration. Knowing she couldn¡¯t manage his weight alone, she felt a wave of helplessness engulf her. Lost in her distress, she failed to notice that the intoxicated man had somehow managed to stand and make his way upstairs on his own. When Mia saw this, she was dumbfounded. Startled, she wondered how he had suddenly found the strength to do so. Shawn¡¯s movements were surprisinglyposed as he made his way upstairs, masking any signs of intoxication. Mia trailed closely behind, observing his steady strides that almost disguised his inebriation. If she hadn¡¯t seen him drinking, she might have mistaken him for being sober. It was bewildering. She swiftly followed him into the room, only to find him copsing onto the bed, already fast asleep. Mia was left speechless, taken aback by his sudden disy of vulnerability.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Well, she had to be grateful for his assistance in getting upstairs. That was the most arduous task. Mia managed a small smile as she helped him remove his shoes and suit. With a wet towel, she gently cleansed his face, hands, and feet. Once she finished, she tucked him in, her gaze softening as she looked upon him. In his slumber, Shawn¡¯s usual aloof demeanor had dissipated entirely. The furrows on his forehead had smoothed out, leaving behind an air of tranquility and destion. He seemed serene, yet undeniably alone. Mia¡¯s lips tightened with empathy as she gently caressed his face. After a short while, she made her way to the bathroom for a warm bath. Once refreshed, she slipped into bed beside Shawn. As she drifted off to sleep, Mia was roused by the sound of Shawn¡¯s murmurs. Drawing closer, she strained to make out his incoherent words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Little One,¡± he mumbled. Her heart swelled with tenderness, tears welling in her eyes. What was he seeking forgiveness for? ¡ª¨C The following morning, Mia awoke to find her husband burning with fever beside her. Good, good man The next day, Mia awoke to find her husband burning with fever beside her. It was the first day of the school that week, and she had been nning to attend, particrly as she had been absent more often than nottely. However, given Shawn¡¯s condition, how could she possibly leave him? She frantically rang the bedside bell, but when no one responded after a few minutes, she hurried out of the room and down the stairs. ¡°Madam Susan,¡± she called out, rushing into the kitchen. To her surprise, the kitchen was deserted. That¡¯s when Mia realized she hadn¡¯t encountered anyone on her way there.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The house was eerily quiet and empty. There were no maids inside, and no guards outside. Not a single soul was in sight. She wondered if the rapture had urred. If so, howe she and her husband didn¡¯t make it to heaven? Dismissing the thought, she quickly returned inside to try the maids¡¯ quarters via thendline. No matter how many times she dialed, the line remained dead. Was it their day off? The situation left Mia utterly perplexed. Recalling Shawn¡¯s condition, she reced the telephone receiver and raced back upstairs. By her return, his shivering had worsened, his teeth chattering uncontrobly. Overwhelmed, Mia burst into tears. She swiftly ced a damp towel on his forehead, continually refreshing it with hot water before recing it. As time passed, Shawn¡¯s fever spiked, and he started mumbling in his sleep, a solitary tear leaking from his eye. Seeing this, Mia¡¯s fear escted, and she found herself crying too. Alone with a sick man, she feltpletely helpless. However, after a few hours, his temperature began to drop slightly, and Mia let out a sigh of relief. She quickly took her phone to find someone to call. But just as she was about to do that, her phone rang. Without a second thought, she answered it and stepped out of the room to avoid disturbing Shawn. ¡°Hello,¡± ¡°Hello, Mia. I regret not contacting you sooner, I should have called yesterday,¡± came the gravelly voice of Old Master Mandez. ¡°Huh, Grandpa?¡± Mia responded in surprise.. ¡°Yes,¡± he coughed, his voice softer, ¡°Shawn¡­ Today is a particrly difficult day for him. I trust you¡¯re the only one there with him-please, take care of him. You¡¯re all he has left.¡± His words were tinged with sadness, leaving Mia puzzled. ¡®How did Grandpa know the house is empty?¡¯ She wondered. ¡®And what does he mean by today being a difficult day for Shawn? Besides, Shawn has Grandpa too¡­¡¯ ¡°Alright, Grandpa.¡± She replied softly. ¡°Thank you, Mia.¡± With that, Grandpa Mandez ended the call. Mia reflected on the old man¡¯s words, trying to decipher their meaning. Unable toe to any conclusion, she sighed and made her way to the kitchen to prepare chicken noodle soup for Shawn. Once ready, she carried the tray upstairs to the room where Shawny sleeping, his fever seeming to have spiked again. She tried to feed him the soup, blowing on each spoonful to cool it. However, the soup dribbled from his mouth, refusing to swallow. Feeling a sense of helplessness wash over her, she wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. He needed to consume the soup to reduce his fever. Racking her brain for a solution, a daring idea crossed her mind. Initially, she dismissed it, but desperation left her with no other choice. She took a small mouthful of the soup and gently lowered her face to Shawn¡¯s. Carefully parting his lips with her tongue, she transferred the soup from her mouth to his. Shawn¡¯s face contorted slightly at this unusual method. Just when she thought he would spit it out, she heard him swallow. Mia was both surprised and ted that her unconventional method had worked. And so, she continued to feed him the soup, using this ¡®mouth-to-mouth¡¯ method, until the bowl was empty. She then dabbed the handkerchief gently at the corners of his mouth, smiling warmly at him. ¡°Good, good man.¡± After clearing the tray, she returned to his side, watching over him. His fever spiked even more, and he started to mumble words that Mia couldn¡¯t decipher. Despite this, Mia stayed by his side the entire time, unaware that Shawn had been saying, ¡°Mom,¡± in his sleep. Evening fell before Shawn¡¯s fever finally broke and he drifted into a peaceful sleep. It was then that Mia allowed herself a moment of respite. She picked up her phone, intending to catch up on what she had missed at school. However, the first thing she saw was a banner featuring Shawn¡¯s picture with the caption, ¡°HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ICON! SHAWN MANDEZ.¡± Mia was stunned. She quickly browsed the inte and found it filled with birthday wishes for Shawn. His pictures dominated every corner of the web confirming the extent of his widespread fame. The whole world was talking about Shawn Mandez. So, it was his birthday¡­ She had beenpletely oblivious. She didn¡¯t even have a gift for him. Mia was dumbfounded. Her gaze shifted from her phone to Shawn, who was peacefully asleep. If the world only knew how the birthday boy was faring. Was this what Grandpa Mandez meant by a difficult day? Because it was Shawn¡¯s birthday? ¡°Why did he have to fall sick today, of all days,¡± she mumbled. Setting her phone aside, Mia focused her attention on Shawn, watching him sleep. He had to pull through, he just had to. ¡ª¨C When Shawn finally awoke, the room was shrouded in darkness. Blinking away the haze, he removed the cold towel from his forehead, frowning at it before discarding it. His gaze fell on the girl, peacefully asleep beside him on a stool, her head nestled in her arms. He silently gazed at her for a moment before carefully moving out of bed. Gently lifting Mia, he ced her on the bed, tidying up the remnants of her caretaking-disposing of the water bowl, towels, and handkerchief. Shawn then headed to the bathroom for a thorough bath before dressing in a loose t-shirt and pants. Returning to the bed, as he was about to pick up his phone from the bedside cab, a glint from a shiny object caught his attention. He picked it up and saw that it was a letter. A letter addressed to him. Furrowing his brows, he read the birthday letter that the Little One had crafted while he was asleep. His heart warmed, prompting him to steal a nce at the still-sleeping girl. Suddenly, he realized she was awake, her gaze fixed on him with an intense focus. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± they said simultaneously, sharing a chuckle before the roompsed into silence once more. Folding the letter and tucking it away, Shawn took a seat at the edge of the bed. After a prolonged pause, he whispered, his voice husky, ¡°My mom passed away two years ago today.¡± Mia¡¯s heart shattered at his revtion, and a sudden realization hit her: ¡®Wait, on his birthday?¡¯ Happy Birthday, Hubby His mother had passed away on his birthday, that was sad. Mia, unsure of how to console him, chose to remain silent, her heart filled with sympathy. ¡°Today marks three years since I lost her,¡± Shawn uttered, his gaze distant, his voice low. ¡°And I caused it. If only I hadn¡¯t insisted on¡­¡± His voice trailed off, bitterness and regret evident in every word. Unable to find the right words tofort him, ¡°Let¡¯s go visit her.¡± Mia offered. Shawn turned to her, wearing a puzzled expression. ¡°Right now?¡± She simply nodded. It was the anniversary of his mother¡¯s death, it was only right he paid his respects. It wasn¡¯t that Shawn didn¡¯t want to visit his mother; he had never gone on the actual anniversary due to an annual bout of fever. He would always go to her grave the following day. However, with someone to take care of him this time, he could make it today¡­ There was still time. ¡°Okay,¡± Mia then nodded before swiftly making her way into the walk-in closet to change. Soon, the couple left their home, driving straight to the cemetery. En route, they stopped at a florist¡¯s shop to pick up flowers for thete Jennifer Mandez. Upon arrival, the cemeteryy in hushed tranquility, and Shawn wordlessly took hold of Mia¡¯s hand, leading her to his mother¡¯s tombstone. Coming to a stop, he released her hand and stared down at the grave with a tumult of emotions, primarily pain and regret. He remained in that position for a long while. After a couple of minutes, without a word, he ced the flowers in his hand onto the grave and stepped aside, allowing Mia to do the same. Quietly, Miaid her flowers beside Shawn¡¯s, then bowed her head in homage to the deceased. Shawn observed her in silence. When she finished, he followed suit, performing the same gesture. The drive back to the mansion transpired in silence, both lost in their respective thoughts. After returning home, they made a beeline for their bedroom, changing into casual clothes before slipping under the covers, both gazing up at the ceiling. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shawn suddenly blurted, taking Mia by surprise. He cleared his throat awkwardly before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m also sorry for yelling at you yesterday. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± With a pause, he added, ¡°The garden was my Mom¡¯s, my Dad made it for her.¡± He exhaled softly. ¡°She cherished it. It was her sanctuary. She would always retreat there whenever she was home from¡­¡± He trailed off, sighing. ¡°It reminded her the most of Dad. The garden was where she felt closest to him.¡± Mia¡¯s mind wandered back to the cemetery, recalling the nearby tombstone engraved with ¡®Cole Shawn Mandez I.¡¯ As if sensing her thoughts, Shawn spoke, ¡°That was my Dad. He passed away when I was two, so I don¡¯t have any memories of him.¡± Her heart sank further at this revtion. She turned her head away from the ceiling and stared at Shawn beside her. ¡°Anyway, forgive me. I was just taken aback to find someone other than Madam Susan there, because since Mom¡¯s passing, she¡¯s the only person I¡¯ve allowed, besides myself, into the garden.¡± ¡°While I¡¯m away, Madam Susan takes care of the cleaning. Given my busy schedule, I don¡¯t always get the chance to tend to the garden regrly,¡± As Shawn spoke, Mia began to see things from a different perspective. Madam Susan¡¯s consistent presence in the garden suddenly made sense. It was Shawn¡¯ste mother¡¯s sanctuary after all. Realizing this, she expressed regret, ¡°I¡¯m sorry too. I should have consulted you before entering. I didn¡¯t consider that it was your space, and acted like I owned the ce¡­¡± Shawn turned towards her, offering a reassuring smile. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°And you do own this ce,¡± he added, his calm demeanor and grey eyes meeting her honey brown ones. Mia fell silent. And right at this moment of silence, Shawn¡¯s stomach grumbled loudly. Unable to contain her amusement, she burst intoughter. Shawn simply blinked nkly. Well, he hadn¡¯t eaten all day. Mia, too, was hungry. Going to bed on an empty stomach would be bad. After regaining herposure, she asked, ¡°What would you like to eat? I can prepare something.¡± ¡°Instant noodles,¡± he replied without a second thought. Leaving the bedroom, the couple bantered yfully as they descended the stairs. ¡°Do you know why the employees aren¡¯t here today?¡± Shawn inquired. ¡°Why is that?¡± Mia asked. ¡°I always give them the day off today, so I can have some time alone.¡± ¡°Oh, I understand,¡± She nodded. After finishing their meal, they made their way back upstairs to their room, sliding into bed. As Mia closed her eyes, she felt a hand draw her close. Startled, she froze and opened her eyes. She still wasn¡¯t used to their new sleeping arrangement. ¡°Sleep, Little one. You have school tomorrow,¡± Shawn murmured huskily, his eyes shut. Mia gazed at him for a moment before softly muttering, ¡°Happy Birthday, Hubby.¡± At the sound of this, Shawn opened his eyes, focusing on her face. Without hesitation, he leaned in and passionately kissed her. ¡ª¨C The next morning, as Mia descended the stairs for breakfast, she was delighted to find the mansion alive with activity. Everyone was back and it was a stark contrast to the quiet atmosphere of the previous day. Settling into her seat at the dining table, her grin stretched from ear to ear. Shortly after, Shawn entered the dining area, looking notably better than the day before, with a slightly softened aura. As he took his ce opposite her, Mia¡¯s smile grew sweeter, prompting a quick, warm smile from Shawn. After they finished breakfast, the couple left the house, each going their separate ways, with Mia being the first to depart. Before the CEO left, as he reached the entrance, he halted, turning to face Madam Susan. ¡°There are only a few packs of instant noodles left in the kitchen. Please buy some more,¡± he instructed before swiftly striding out of the mansion. Madam Susan stood speechless, uncertain if she had heard the Young Master correctly. When did he develop a fondness for instant noodles? And how was he aware¡­ Ah, that exined it. Last week, Madam Susan had noticed a significant decline in the noodle supply. It must have been the Young Master¡¯s doing. People do change, indeed. Nevertheless, the entire mansion was relieved to see the Young Master in good spirits that morning. They were delighted to witness him moving about as though nothing had urred. Everyone knew what day it was the previous day¡­ They couldn¡¯t be more happy to see he had bounced back. ¡ª When CEO Shawn arrived at Beats Corporations Headquarters¡­This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The most renowned man When the CEO arrived at Beats Corporation, his assistant was already waiting for him in the parking lot, as usual. Lucas had steeled himself for a challenging day ahead already. However, the moment his boss stepped out of the vehicle, he couldn¡¯t help but notice an unusual lightness in his demeanor. While his expression remained typically inscrutable, there was a noticeable vibrancy about him. As they strode towards the CEO¡¯s office, Shawn instructed calmly, ¡°Call back those individuals I let go two days ago. Additionally, ensure the entire team ispensated for any inconveniences caused by the impromptu meeting.¡± Lucas was dumbfounded. He questioned his own hearing for a moment, certain he hadn¡¯t correctly processed what his boss had just said. This was the first time something like this was happening. Never before had the CEO called back to work those he¡­ And to think he was going topensate the officials for attending the meeting on the weekend¡­ The CEO¡¯s assistant couldn¡¯t help but cast a curious nce at the Big Boss from behind. Was this the same person he had worked alongside for several years? Doubt gnawed at him. And yet, wasn¡¯t yesterday that day¡­ Typically, it took the CEO at least a month to recover after the anniversary of thete Madam¡¯s passing. During that period, he would exhibit heightened aggression towards everyone, terminate half of the Beats Corporation employees, seize every opportunity to drink, and show disinterest in everything. What had sparked the change this year? Lucas pondered. ¡ª¨C Meanwhile, Mia halted Jasper from dropping her off at the school entrance. ¡°No need to worry, I can manage the short distance to school from here. It¡¯s just a stone¡¯s throw away now,¡± she reassured him, shouldering her bag and preparing to exit the vehicle. She had Jasper stop the car a few meters away from her school. ¡°Please, don¡¯t mention this to your boss,¡± she pleaded with him. After ensuring no one was watching, she swiftly stepped out of the car and hurried off. ¡ª Later, during school hours, Vivian, upon seeing her sister, grappled with guilt, finding it difficult to meet Mia¡¯s gaze. She quickly recounted the events to her sister, expressing deep remorse. ¡°I truly despise myself right now. If only I had realized earlier that was what Mom had nned¡­ I let them take you instead of me. I¡¯ve been trying to reach you too¡­ Did they hurt you? I¡¯m so stupid-¡± Before she could continue ming herself, Mia swiftly interjected, smiling gently. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Vivian. It wasn¡¯t your fault. Please stop ming yourself, okay? I¡¯m okay.¡± She nodded reassuringly. Observing her sister¡¯s features, Vivian let out a sigh of relief. Mia was indeed looking okay. ¡°Is everything fine at home?¡± Mia inquired. Vivian knew she was asking about their father in particr. She understood Mia¡¯s strained rtionship with their mother and respected her sentiments. ¡°Yeah, everyone¡¯s doing well. Dad¡¯s doing great; he¡¯s back at work too.¡± Mia acknowledged her sister¡¯s response with a nod. Despite a passing thought about asking Mia how she managed to escape the Andrew family, Vivian quickly dismissed it. It didn¡¯t matter, did it? What truly mattered was that her sister was safe and sound. With a silent nod of affirmation, Vivian embraced Mia, whispering from the depths of her heart, ¡°I¡¯m so relieved to see you safe and sound.¡± ¡ª After school, Martha and Max caught up with Mia on their way out of the premises, although Max¡¯s demeanor was less than cheerful. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t shake off the impact of that recent phone call from his mind. Although several days had passed, he just couldn¡¯t help but be disgusted at Mia. ¡°It¡¯s so great to finally see you. You haven¡¯t been answering your calls,¡± Martha eximed, tears welling in her eyes as she embraced Mia. ¡°And you never return my calls!¡± She added with a slight pout as they parted from the hug. Meanwhile, Max remained at a distance, silently observing their interaction. When he witnessed Martha hugging Mia, his expression contorted with disapproval. His girlfriend shouldn¡¯t be getting too close to that girl and risking contamination. Stylishly, he pulled Martha away from Mia. Noticing this, Mia frowned. She recalled thest time they had met¡­ Max had disyed simr unfriendliness. What could be wrong? Without dwelling much on it, she pushed the thoughts aside and smiled at Martha. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± She apologized. ¡°Make sure you pick up your phone from now on, alright?¡± Martha pouted, and Mia nodded in agreement as they exited the school premises. As soon as they stepped outside the entrance, a charming voice called out, ¡°Madam,¡± from across the road. All three friends turned their heads to see who it was, and when Mia caught sight of the person, she wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. Standing across from them was none other than her husband¡¯s personal assistant, Lucas. A flush of embarrassment surged through her, and she bit down hard on her lower lip. With most of the students having already left school and the remaining few hustling home, only the three friends had really noticed Lucas. Even Vivian had hurried back to the female dormitory as it was closing time. Despite theck of attention from others, Mia couldn¡¯t shake off the inexplicable sense of shame. Noticing that the Madam wasn¡¯t responding, Lucas prepared to call out again, but before he could, Mia quickly crossed the road and joined him. With a smile, he held the door open for her, and she swiftly hopped into the car. Without waiting for him, she reached out and mmed the car door shut. ¡°Is it because your husband can afford thousands of these cars that you¡¯ve decided to render this one useless?¡± Shawn, seated calmly beside her with a magazine in his hands, muttered huskily. Fuming, Mia swiftly turned her head towards him, her frown deepening as anger surged through her, her chest heaving with frustration. How could he? Just how could he? Sensing her distress, Shawn calmly closed the magazine he was reading and ced it aside. ¡°Let it out,¡± he encouraged. ¡°Isn¡¯t Jasper the one who¡¯s supposed-¡± She began. ¡°Is that the thank you I get?¡± He interrupted, cutting off her line of reasoning. Mia huffed and shifted her gaze to the passing scenery outside, folding her arms across her chest.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯ll be done here soon anyway. Your CSAT is just around the corner. Let them think what they want,¡± he said, instructing Lucas to drive. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Or are you ashamed to be seen with me?¡± He mused, provoking a sharp re from Mia. He couldn¡¯t believe that he, the CEO of Beats Corporation, the most renowned man in the country, had personallye to pick up this young girl from school, and yet she wasn¡¯t overjoyed¡­ Remarkable. As the car sped off and disappeared from view, Max and Martha found themselves gaping, struggling to process what had just transpired. ¡®What just happened?¡¯ They blinked rapidly as they attempted to make sense of it all. ¡®Did that man just call Mia ¡®Madam¡¯?¡¯ Martha¡¯s eyes widened, her astonishment palpable. ¡®And he even opened the door for her to get in the car¡­¡¯ She swiftly masked her jealousy and gazed up at Max, only to find him lost in thought. ¡°Max, this can¡¯t be true. It doesn¡¯t confirm the rumors¡­¡± she said, tugging at his shirt and shaking her head. For a moment, Max remained silent. How could what they had just seen not be true? His mind drifted back to the phone call he had made to Mia the other day and the voice that had answered¡­ His heart twisted with anguish. He had to admit, he was deeply disappointed in her. She was actually involved in all those activities leveled against her¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he stated, brushing off Martha¡¯s question. Homeschool teacher As the evening wore on, Max found himself unable to shake the events of that afternoon from his mind. The sight of Mia entering that unfamiliar luxurious vehicle and the unsettling call from the other day¡­ Everything seemed to fit together, connecting the dots. However, it was difficult for him to ept the truth. How could she be involved in that? How could someone he had known for half his life possess such a side to her? Was it because of their breakup? Perhaps she had fallen into depression and resorted to¡­ actions, since their rtionship had ended. The thoughts continued to haunt him deep into the night. Feeling overwhelmed, he finally reached for his phone and dialed Mia¡¯s number, determined to hear the truth directly from her. Maybe then he coulde to terms with it. ____ After a tumultuous day, Mia eventually retired to bed,pletely drained from her schoolwork and her relentlessints about Shawn visiting her school. The exhaustion weighed heavily on her. Shawn, amused by her endless grievances, couldn¡¯t help but marvel at her attitude. If other women received the attention that the Little One did, they would be overjoyed to the extent that they¡¯d go crazy. But this particr wife of his. Though he had his own share of work at the office, he had chosen to surprise her. So, once it was almost closing time for schools that day, he had Lucas drive over to her school, sending Jasper home first. If only he had known¡­ ¡°Goodnight, Little One,¡± he whispered, nting a gentle kiss on her forehead before ensuring she was tucked in snugly. After this, he picked up his tablet phone and made his way to his study, but just before reaching the door, he heard a phone vibrating. Noticing the sound, he nced over at the sleeping girl and, seeing that she remained undisturbed, he chuckled softly, shaking his head in amusement. What a sleepy head. He decided to head to the small lounge area to silence her phone. Retrieving the device from her bag, he was about to power it down when the caller ID caught his eye, causing him to frown. Didn¡¯t the boy understand simple instructions? Shawn¡¯s gaze flickered between Mia and the buzzing phone in his grasp. In a swift motion, he stepped out of the bedroom and without hesitation, answered the call. ¡°What part of ¡®do not ever call this number again¡¯ do you not understand?¡± His voice resonated with an icy edge. On the other end, Max was taken aback, recognizing the familiar tone immediately. This voice had been etched in his memory since that day¡­ Why was the person answering Mia¡¯s phone this time too? Shawn reiterated firmly, ¡°Don¡¯t EVER call this number again,¡± the sharpmand ringing through the line, sending a chill down Max¡¯s spine. Just as Shawn was about to end the call, Max couldn¡¯t resist asking a question, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Mia?¡± For some inexplicable reason, he sensed that discovering the answer might shatter him. Despite his curiosity about Mia¡¯s involvement, a part of him dreaded the potential disappointment that awaited him. Nevertheless, the question slipped from his lips before he could restrain himself. Shawn¡¯s eyes narrowed as he reced the phone to his ear. ¡°I¡¯m her husband,¡± he stated before abruptly ending the call.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Max was stunned. The words he thought he heard didn¡¯t seem real. Did the man actually say that? His face drained of color. Mia was married? When did that happen? He wondered, baffled. It couldn¡¯t be true. It just couldn¡¯t. They had only recently parted ways. How could she have moved on so quickly and gotten married? To whom? Suddenly, Max beganughing uncontrobly. The man must have been joking. It had to be a joke. And to think he almost fell for it. How absurd. If Mia were truly married, why hadn¡¯t anyone heard anything about it? Plus, she wasn¡¯t wearing a wedding band at school, at least not earlier that day when he saw her. Amidst another burst ofughter, Max climbed into bed. Mia, married? Impossible. She loved only him, didn¡¯t she? For all he knew, Mia would never be able to get over him and move on to another person. Never! There was no way the man¡¯s words held any truth. She couldn¡¯t have moved on that fast. Perhaps he had only said it to protect her, to cover for her profession. However, why was that man the same person who had answered his call that day? Was he perhaps Mia¡¯s most frequent client? The mere thought of it twisted something in Max¡¯s heart for a brief moment. Upon ending the call, Shawn promptly switched off the girl¡¯s phone and, before doing so, blocked and deleted the boy¡¯s number from it. If he dared to contact her from another number, then he would be courting death. With an irritated sneer, Shawn strode into his study, immediately engrossing himself in work. ¡ª¨C The next morning¡­ ¡°Change out of your uniform. From now on, I¡¯ll be your teacher.¡± The couple had just finished breakfast when the CEO¡¯s words, low butmanding, filled the room. Mia was initially taken aback, her gaze sweeping the dining area where the maids were present in their uniforms. Since he didn¡¯t specify which uniform, it couldn¡¯t be her, she reasoned. As if reading her mind, Shawn lifted his head from the tablet, fixing his gaze directly on her. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, Little One.¡± She was rendered speechless, unable to form words for a few moments. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand,¡± she finally managed to stutter. ¡°It¡¯s precisely as I said. Remove your school uniform. From this day forward, you won¡¯t be attending school. I¡¯ll be your homeschool teacher,¡± he dered, his voice firm. Mia could only stare in disbelief. Was this some kind of joke? Or was she still caught in a dream? To check, she hastily pinched herself. The jolt of pain confirmed her fears. This was reality. Shawn maintained his impassive gaze, unfazed by her confusion. ¡°Why? Why are you saying this?¡± She asked, her voice tinged with bewilderment. Her peers were all attending school¡­ ¡°CSAT is just a couple of days away. Instead of my asional tutoring at night, I¡¯ll be your full-time teacher,¡± he stated firmly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°None of your teachers can match my expertise.¡± After a pause, the CEO added, ¡°besides, it¡¯s a waste of money. Despite attending school daily, you still seem ratherckluster.¡± Mia blinked, while the maids suppressed snickers as they witnessed the scene. A stern nce from Madam Susan quickly silenced their amusement. With a heavy heart, Mia rose from her seat and made her way upstairs. She had already dressed for school, but she knew better than to argue with Shawn. There was no point in negotiating with him; his decisions were final. A whileter, Shawn joined her in the bedroom, and their lessons for the daymenced. Yet, lingering in the back of her mind, Mia couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡®What about his work?¡¯ The loser And just like that, the CEO ceased his nighttime lessons with his wife and dedicated himself to teaching her full time. Their bedroom lounge served as the ssroom, and Shawn devoted all his attention to ensuring Miaprehended every subject he taught. Mia appeared to be making progress, though she encountered difficulties with Mathematics, prompting them to concentrate more on that subject. Although she initially didn¡¯t like the arrangement, over time, she realized it wasn¡¯t a bad idea after all; in fact, it was the best idea. At school, the teachers focused on all the students collectively, often neglecting the needs of average and struggling students. However, at home, Mia received undivided attention. And with Shawn being her teacher, she found learning easy. For that, she was extremely grateful to him. During one of their routine study sessions, Mia couldn¡¯t contain her concern any longer and asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t been going to work because of me, I feel bad. Is it really okay?¡± Her voice, soft as silk, filled the room. The man let out a small smile, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t trouble yourself about that.¡± The girl gazed at her husband with gratitude in her eyes. She was aware that he had much work to manage at the office, yet, every day, he stayed back to teach her. Tears of appreciation filled her eyes, her heart swelling with warmth. Unbeknownst to Mia, while she peacefully slept, her husband would retire to his study at night, burying himself in work until the early hours of dawn, every single day. ¡ª¨C Days swiftly passed by, and before one realized it, the awaited day had arrived the following week. Due to an unexpected business trip abroad, Shawn had to fly out the day before, leaving him unable to apany his wife to the test center. However, he made sure to instruct Madam Susan to wake Mia up personally before his departure. Knowing well how much of a sleepyhead the Little One was, the CEO knew that an rm alone wouldn¡¯t suffice. After hastily dressing up, Mia rushed out of the house and got in the car. She skipped breakfast, nning to fast intermittently throughout the day. As she left, the maids wished her well. Having seen the effort the Young Master had put into preparing the Madam, it was a must for her toe out in flying colors in her exam. The Young Master¡¯s effort mustn¡¯t go to waste. Jasper, upon arriving at the exam center, wished the Madam luck as she stepped out of the car amidst the noisy crowd. With hundreds of students taking the exam, the entrance was chaotic, and Mia had to struggle her way through. Soon, the national college entrance examinationmenced. During her first exam, Mia realized why the CSAT was considered the toughest exam. However, being tutored by her schrly husband, she hoped to manage it. With the fear of Shawn¡¯s potential disappointment in her if she failed, she remained steadfast throughout the grueling eight-hour ordeal, pouring herself into every question. ¡ª By the time Mia emerged from the center, the entrance was swarming with people. Parents, family, friends, and well-wishers of the students who had taken the CSAT at that center were scattered about, carrying flowers, cards, and chocte boxes, eagerly awaiting their loved ones to exit the exam hall. Just as she was making her way, she identally collided with someone. Looking up to apologize, the person turned out to be her father. Mia froze and her heart immediately began to beat erratically. The father and daughter locked eyes, their gaze unbroken for quite some time. Barbara, lost in anticipation of her daughter¡¯s return from the exam hall, noticed that her husband had stopped responding beside her. She tore her gaze from the exam center entrance and saw the situation. She wasn¡¯t surprised to see her stepdaughter. She knew Mia would also be there since she was taking the CSAT. She had even prepared a small bouquet for Mia, in case the girl came their way-and she did. ¡°Ah! Look who we have here!¡± Barbara eximed. Arnold diverted his gaze at once, clearing his throat. ¡°How was your exam? I¡¯m sure you aced it and made us proud.¡± Barbara piped. ¡°I prepared this for you.¡± She added and hurriedly pushed the bouquet into Mia¡¯s hands. Arnold frowned, questioning, ¡°Why give that to her? Shouldn¡¯t that be for my daughter?¡± Barbara chuckled uneasily, ncing at Mia.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t say that-Mia¡¯s also your daughter,¡± She chided in a hushed tone. He grunted, insisting, ¡°Nonsense. I only have one daughter.¡± Mia managed a quiet ¡°thank you¡± to Barbara. Although already ustomed to her father¡¯s chilly demeanor, she still felt the sting of his hurtful words. Was he aware of Barbara¡¯s attempt to sell her off and just wasn¡¯t concerned? Her heart sank deeper. ¡°These days, you haven¡¯t beening home often. It would be nice to have you around more. Don¡¯t worry about your father¡¯s remarks; he didn¡¯t mean any of the things he said to you that day,¡± Barbara said gently. ¡°Since you¡¯re done with high school, you should consider moving back in.¡± Mia sighed internally, feeling frustrated by her stepmother¡¯s feigned kindness in front of her father. Would the witch ever stop? Barbara knew Mia would decline her offer, which would further damage her image in her father¡¯s eyes, so she suggested it deliberately. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Mia replied, trying to keep her emotions in check. Even with that, Arnold was enraged and wanted to scold the girl. How pompous! As he opened his mouth to speak¡­ Right at this moment, Barbara noticed her daughter walking out of the exam center, scanning the area for her parents. She immediately called out, ¡°Oh, Vivian!¡± Her face glowed with pride. Upon hearing this, Arnold¡¯s attention shifted towards Vivian, and a warm smile spread across his face. Hepletely forgot about the girl beside him. Watching her father¡¯s affectionate expression, Mia couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sadness. Did he really not love her anymore? Before Vivian reached them, Mia turned away slowly, her heart heavy with disappointment. From the corner of her eye, Barbara saw the girl walking away dejectedly and smirked. ¡°That wench,¡± she thought, ¡°Useless bastard.¡± To think she had given her the flowers she intended on giving her daughter¡­ Since Arnold was present, she could only hand over the huge bouquet of flowers to Mia instead of the small one, out of eye service. It was a great thing Mia knew her ce and was walking away like the loser she was. The sooner the little wench realized she had no ce in the Thompson family, the better for her. Barbara turned her full attention to her daughter. The family of three chatted away happily as they made their way to their car, which soon disappeared from view. As Mia headed back to the car, she let out a tired sigh, and Jasper held the car door open for her. Noticing the disappointment etched on the Madam¡¯s face, Jasper furrowed his brow. Was the exam that bad? If only it were possible, he would have dly taken the test for her. Mia got in the car begrudgingly and heaved a sigh for the umpteenth time. With a concerned look, Jasper gently shut the car door and settled into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± A deep husky voice resonated beside Mia. Congrats, Wifey Mia jerked and nced to her side, startled. To her amazement, Shawn sat calmly beside her, engrossed in his work on the MacBook perched on hisp. ¡°Huh?¡± Her surprise was palpable. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be in New York? When did he return? With a decisive click, Shawn hit the send button, swiftly shutting theptop before stowing it away. He turned to face his wife. ¡°Why the long face? Did the exams not go well?¡± Mia pouted, looking up at him. Aish. Did he think she was aplete durd? Sneering, she turned away, her mind dwelling on the tense encounter with her dad earlier. Her expression fell once again. Noticing her somber expression, Shawn reached out, cupping her soft cheek gently. ¡°Talk to me. What¡¯s wrong?¡± His deep voice had a soothing quality that resonated in her ears. Mia found herself gazing into his grey eyes, drawn into their depths, her mind drifting away. All her worries seemed to melt as she let out a sigh, different from the ones that had burdened her before. It was a sigh of contentment and resignation. She was sumbing to the allure of the man before her. ¡°You¡¯re drooling,¡± Shawn interjected, a hint of amusement in his voice as he teased her about her slightly parted mouth. Mia snapped back to reality, quickly wiping the corners of her mouth. ¡°Where, where?¡± she asked hurriedly, momentarily flustered. Shawn chuckled, withdrawing his hand and calmly turning to gaze out the car window. As she realized she had fallen for his yful trick, Mia couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡®big bad bully.¡¯ ¡°Where are my flowers?¡± She suddenly inquired. ¡°What are those?¡± Shawn furrowed his brows, clearly puzzled. She scrunched up her face. What kind of husband was he? She nced around, noting the absence of flowers or any gifts. ¡®Bad man!¡¯ she grumbled inwardly.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. While she understood they were merely faking the whole marriage, couldn¡¯t he at least y his role? He hade empty-handed. Who behaves like that? ¡°What are those?¡± She mimicked under her breath. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Thin lines appeared on Shawn¡¯s forehead as he turned to look at her. ¡°Huh? Oh, nothing. Just mentioning that the weather is delightful today.¡± She piped. ¡°Good to hear,¡± he responded tersely. Mia looked away, gazing out the window, and rolled her eyes. Upon the car¡¯s arrival at home, Mia hopped out and strode inside, clutching her bouquet. She felt mentally drained and ravenous. As she entered the lounge, ¡°PA PA PA!!!¡± Confetti shot up in the air,nding all over her and the floor, freezing her in ce. The maids¡¯ jubnt cheers filled the room. ¡°Congrattions on your graduation, Madam!¡± they sang in unison. Mia¡¯s eyes widened, taking in the scene around her. The marble floor was nketed in rose petals, whilerge bouquets of roses adorned every avable surface. Silver and gold balloons swayed gently in the air, transforming the lounge with their festive presence. At the center of the room, above the table, enormous Orbz balloons spelled out ¡®CONGRATS GRAD WIFEY.¡¯ She was speechless, unable to fathom when they had orchestrated this surprise so discreetly. How had she been kept in the dark? At that moment, Shawn stepped forward, gesturing to the nearest maid who promptly took Mia¡¯s bouquet from her hands. ¡°Dispose of it,¡± the Young Master instructed with a firm tone. With a warm smile, he presented Mia with a muchrger bouquet of roses, dwarfing the one Barbara had given her. ¡°Congrattions, Little One,¡± he murmured in a low, husky voice. Tears welled up in Mia¡¯s eyes as she gazed down at the beautiful bouquet in her arms. Knowing that Mia had missed her school¡¯s graduation ceremony the previous week, Shawn had sought to find a way to make it up to her. He had decided to surprise her in this grand fashion, making an early return from his business trip to pick her up from her exam center. Jasper had rushed to the airport to retrieve the Big Boss and then swiftly driven back to the center, arriving just in time for the Madam¡¯s exams to conclude. Shawn had already ordered Madam Susan to organize the whole thing before he left for New York the previous day¡­ Mia couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude, realizing Shawn had prepared such a thoughtful surprise for her. And there she was, thinking he hadn¡¯t nned anything¡­ ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmured, her voice barely audible. Shawn nodded and affectionately patted her head. ¡°You did well.¡± She sniffled, taking in the fragrant scent of the roses. Her attention was suddenly drawn to the center table, where bottles of fruit wine, boxes of chocte, and other gifts were disyed. The temptation tugged at her hungry stomach, prompting her to shuffle over eagerly. Setting her sizable bouquet aside, she reached for a chocte from one of the boxes. Shawn¡¯s throat cleared loudly, causing her hand to freeze midway to her mouth. ¡°I heard you¡¯re fasting today,¡± he reminded her, a hint of amusement in his voice. ¡°What? Who, me? No, no,¡± she protested, swiftly popping the chocte into her mouth. If he were to ask her to relinquish the box of choctes, she feared she might starve before the next morning. Shawn chuckled softly. ¡°There¡¯s another surprise,¡± he announced, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Hearing this, Mia promptly set the box back on the table, fixing her gaze on him, her eyes twinkling with anticipation. To be honest, the entire situation filled her with excitement. She adored surprises. Closing the distance between them, Shawn gently took her tiny hand in hisrger one and guided her outside, with her bouquet in tow. As they stepped outside, Mia¡¯s mouth fell open in astonishment. Parked right at the entrance of the house was a luxurious, brand-new car. Shawn, standing beside her, opened his palm before her. In ity a gleaming car key. ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± he dered. Mia felt like she might lose her mind. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined owning such avish car, especially not at this early age of hers. Rooted to the spot, tears began to trickle down her cheeks. But there was more. Shawn observed Mia¡¯s emotional reaction, realizing how deeply she was moved by even the smallest of gestures. ¡°There¡¯s another surprise,¡± he murmured, a smile ying on his lips. The Divorce Agreement papers There was yet another surprise? Mia nced around anxiously. Just then, ahead in the walkway, Grandpa Mandez was cautiously making his way towards them, with Anderson and Amanda guiding him. Despite his age and illness, the old man appeared rather lively. ¡°Grandpa!¡± Mia eximed with excitement. She swiftly handed her bouquet to the nearest man, Shawn, and hurried over to his side. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Old Master Mandez beamed upon seeing his granddaughter-inw. Seeing the old man hale and hearty in this way sincerely felt like the greatest gift Mia could ask for. Last she heard, he was out of the country for a medical examination¡­ ¡°When did you return, Grandpa?¡± Mia inquired. ¡°Hmn, just now.¡± He presented her with a beautiful bouquet. ¡°Congrattions on your graduation.¡± Mia grew teary as she breathed in the fragrance, saying, ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± The old man had just returned and was supposed to be resting, but because of her, he had made his way there. Old Master Mandez¡¯s arrival came bearing numerous gifts, which had to be wheeled in on a cart. ¡°They are all for you. Don¡¯t let that grumpy husband of yours take anything from you, okay?¡± He teased. Mia chuckled through her tears, replying, ¡°Okay, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Ah, here¡¯s your Aunt.¡± Realization dawned upon Old Master Mandez, and he promptly introduced Amanda to Mia. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Mia instinctively turned to look at Shawn, who had silently made his way to stand behind her. The man simply nodded his head. She had no idea Shawn had an aunt; he had never mentioned her before. Nheless, she greeted the woman standing beside Grandpa Mandez with a respectful nod, saying, ¡°Hello, Auntie.¡± ¡°Hello, dear. I¡¯ve been dying to see who it is that ended up capturing my nephew¡¯s heart,¡± Amanda said, smiling warmly. Mia blushed at her words. ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet you. Please, take good care of my nephew. Also, congrattions,¡± Amanda added, observing the girl closely. ¡°Yes, Auntie. Thank you, Auntie,¡± Mia replied politely. As Old Master Mandez couldn¡¯t stand for long, they all headed into the mansion for a celebration. As they entered the lounge, the old man paused, as if something had caught his attention. ¡°Hmm, so lovely,¡± Grandpa Mandez remarked, gazing up at something. Mia followed his gaze and realized he was admiring the frames hung across the lounge walls. ¡°Huh?¡± She was taken aback. She hadn¡¯t noticed the framed pictures of her and Shawn earlier, as she had been preupied with the decorations and the whole excitement. Smiling, observed each frame, taking in how she and Shawn appeared like a real couple in them-truly lovely. She wondered when the photographer had brought them in. Her gaze swiftly shifted to Shawn, who only gave her a smug look. On the side, Amanda silently observed the chemistry between the young couple. After years of being single, he chose a high-school girl, someone thirteen years his junior. What was so special about the girl? To think he had rejected all the girls she had set him up with, only to end up with someone so young. Amanda couldn¡¯t help but feel deeply disappointed. When did his taste be so questionable?N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Yet, Amanda knew it was all a facade. Shawn wasn¡¯t truly in love with the girl; their marriage was a mere charade. She could sense it. Shawn couldn¡¯t possibly be in love with someone so young. She knew he was only pretending for the sake of his ailing grandfather. Sooner rather thanter, he would part ways with her. How unfortunate. Soon, everyone moved to the dining room, and the feast began. ¡ª¨C Martha had intended to move out of the female dormitory for some time now, but due to her intense focus on studying for the CSAT, she hadn¡¯t been able to do so, despite packing up little by little. Today, since she was done with her exams, she made the decision to finally move out. She went straight to school to finish packing, as she and Max had nned that he would pick her up once she was nearly finished. Throughout the evening, Martha meticulously packed up her belongings, including her clothes, bags, shoes, essories, and documents. As dusk fell, she realized the room was in disarray due to the items she no longer needed, scattered around the room. Wanting to leave the ce tidy, she decided to sweep the floor before Max arrived. Swiftly, she grabbed the broom and began sweeping, starting from the bunk area to the reading tables and then to the door. While moving the table near the door away from the wall, she noticed a document lying on the floor behind it. Martha¡¯s brows furrowed as she picked up the file. It didn¡¯t appear to belong to her; perhaps it was Mia¡¯s. It had to be. Shrugging, she set it on the table and returned to sweeping. However, she couldn¡¯t help but keep ncing at the file. Eventually, curiosity got the best of her. She dropped the broom, snatched the file, and opened it, revealing its contents. The first words her eyesnded on made her stomach churn. DIVORCE AGREEMENT. ¡®Divorce agreement?¡¯ She blinked, perplexed, as her eyes scanned the unexpected document. What was a divorce agreement file doing in her dorm room? Martha swiftly sifted through the pages, arriving at thest one. On it, an elegant signature adorned one side, while an empty space awaited another. Below, in bold print, was the name ¡®MIA THOMPSON MANDEZ¡¯. Martha¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Mia was married? Her gaze shifted to the signed space. Beneath the signaturey the name ¡®SHAWN MANDEZ,¡¯ equally boldly printed. Martha stood frozen, her mind racing. Was this a daydream? She rubbed her eyes repeatedly, but the names remained, strikingly present on the page. It had to be a dream. Mia was married-to Shawn Mandez? The most famous man in the country? That was impossible! It had to be someone else who was merely sharing the same name¡­ Just then, memories from when Mia moved out of the room came flooding back: ¡°Martha, I¡¯m so sorry, but I can¡¯t tell you right now. Yes, I¡¯m leaving the dormitory, but I can¡¯t tell you where I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°When the time is right, I¡¯ll tell you everything. I promise.¡± Those were exactly Mia¡¯s words when Martha asked her why she was packing out of their room. And then the dots began to connect one by one. Vivian, and every other single person who hurt Mia, was suddenly expelled from school¡­ And the news about Vivian¡¯s parents¡­ Then, there was that time Mia was picked up from school in a luxurious car. Her constant absence from school¡­ So she had secretly gotten married. No wonder! She felt like the man who had called Mia while they were together that day was somehow familiar. Now, Martha knew exactly who he was. He was the popr and intelligent P. A., Lucas. Once one saw Lucas, one had seen Shawn Mandez. Lucas was Shawn¡¯s eyes and ears¡­ and even his presence. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Realization dawned upon Martha. The information was too much for her to process while standing. She quickly settled into the armchair in the room, staring into space as everything made sense. That exined Mia¡¯s recent secrecy and all. The girl was married. To Shawn Mandez. Shawn Mandez? At thirty-one, he was still a bachelor, someone who, in his thirty-one years of life, had never shown interest in anyone, only to find out that he was married. To a high school student! And her friend, no less! Martha was almost losing it. Crazy. Who would have thought¡­?! She couldn¡¯t help but wonder how that was possible. Where and how did the two meet to even get married? But then, the divorce papers¡­ Shawn Mandez had filed for divorce from Mia¡­ He disliked her. Martha noted mentally. Yet, Mia had not yet signed the divorce agreement. Did this indicate a possible change of heart from Shawn about their divorce? Martha¡¯s mind was aze with swirling thoughts, but suddenly, a realization dawned on her. Hadn¡¯t Vivian, Mia¡¯s sister, always been the one keenly interested in Shawn Mandez? Was Vivian aware of this? A wry smile appeared on Martha¡¯s face as her brows furrowed in contemtion. She could bet Vivian was in the dark about Mia¡¯s marriage to Shawn Mandez. How interesting. Short-legged wifey She narrowed her eyes before swiftly grabbing her phone. Two calls had to be made. Selecting the first contact, she dialed the number. ¡°Hello, hey babe. You don¡¯t need toe pick me up; my aunt¡¯s already here. Just rest well, okay? We had a long day.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call you when I get home. Bye.¡± She hung up. Martha didn¡¯t want Max to know, not just yet. She aimed for him to discover it in the most unpleasant way possible, hoping it would extinguish any lingering feelings he was still having for Mia. She¡¯d figure out the details on how to go about itter. For now, there was another call to make. A smug smile yed on her lips as she scrolled through her contact list. ¡ª¨C After Vivian and her parents returned home, a joyous atmosphere enveloped them. ¡°Now that you¡¯vepleted high school, it¡¯s time for you to frequent thepany and pay attention to things. Your father is getting old,¡± urged Arnold Thompson. Vivian smiled cutely and replied, ¡°Okay, Dad.¡± Barbara, on the side, squeaked with joy inwardly. Everything she desired was slowly materializing. Once her daughter assumed control of XY Company and ascended to the role of the Madam in the Mandez family, they would both be so influential that¡­ they¡¯d be controlling everything. After a night filled with family celebrations, darkness descended. Arnold Thompson headed upstairs to retire for the night, leaving Vivian and her mother downstairs. ¡°Did you see that wench today?¡± Once her husband was out of earshot, Barbara grimaced. ¡°Mia? No, I didn¡¯t,¡± Vivian shook her head. She had actually hoped to see her sister, but throughout the exam, she never caught a glimpse of Mia. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is she okay?¡± ¡°That wench! I gave her the flowers meant for you,¡± Barbara hissed. Vivian shook her head at her mother and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s okay that you gave it to her.¡± Before Barbara could retort, she stood up, saying, ¡°I want to go take my bath and freshen up. There¡¯s a ce I need to be.¡± As she spoke, her cheeks turned rosy pink. Seeing her daughter blush, Barbara threw her hand over her mouth and arched one of her brows. Vivian nodded in response to the silent question, making the woman squeak happily, ¡°You don¡¯t say!¡± Her daughter only blushed that way when it came to one particr person. Vivian giggled and ascended the stairs to her room. A day before her school¡¯s graduation ceremony, she had already moved out of the school dormitory, bringing her belongings home with her mother¡¯s assistance. Dressed in a lovely evening floral dress, she applied light makeup, sprayed a nice cologne, and descended the stairs-gentle hands picking up the well dry-cleaned suit from the bed, protected by a thin, transparent nylon cover. A grin adorned her face. Barbara was still downstairs when Vivian arrived. ¡°I¡¯m off, Mom. What about that thing I asked you to get from Dad?¡± Impatiently waiting, Vivian watched as her mother rummaged through her bag and handed her a shiny ck card. ¡°Aw, thank you.¡± Vivian¡¯s lips curled up in a cute smile. As she turned to leave, her expression faltered. Noticing this, Barbara frowned with concern. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Hesitantly, Vivian spoke, ¡°Mom, what if he doesn¡¯t like me¡­ the age gap¡­¡± Her voice trailed off sadly. Her mother was silent for a moment before responding, ¡°And what if he does like you? He¡¯s been single for a long time without any woman by his side. There are plenty of women within his age gap around him, and he hasn¡¯t chosen any of them. Maybe what he wants is someone way younger than him, don¡¯t you think?¡± She added with a smile, ¡°Like you.¡± Vivian pondered her mother¡¯s words for a while, then nodded. Everything seemed to make sense. Perhaps that was it. Oh, her genius mother! Vivian quickly regained herposure, returning to her normal, cheerful self, a gentle smile spreading across her face. ¡°I won¡¯t bete. Bye.¡± She hurried away. Behind her, she heard her mother¡¯s yful voice, ¡°Take all the time you need, baby!¡± Vivian chuckled as she entered the car arranged for her outing, and it smoothly departed from her father¡¯spound. Seated in the car, the suit delicatelyid out on herp, her heart skipped a beat. Soon, she¡¯d be meeting him again. But then¡­ Should she have called him before nning to go over? What if her sudden appearance at his house puts him on edge? Fine lines formed on Vivian¡¯s forehead as she contemted this. Regardless, she was already on her way. There was no turning back now. Over time, the car approached Magnificent Residential Area. Upon reaching the entrance, she lowered the window halfway and presented the security with her pass card. Naturally, with that, she was granted entry. Retracting her hand, she wound up the ss window, slowly exhaling. Thanks to the heavens for her father. Since the man was well connected and also had friends who resided in Magnificent Residential Area, he possessed a passcard to the ce. So, Vivian had requested her mother to obtain it for her. While Vivian might not always appreciate her father¡¯s influence, she was grateful for it now. As the car ascended the road, Vivian¡¯s heart raced. This was the moment. Having conducted thorough research, she knew exactly where Shawn Mandez¡¯s mansion was located. She was familiar with his grandfather, whom she met at a birthday party a couple of weeks ago, residing in the mansion closest to his. Word had it that their mansions were heavily guarded¡­ with thousands of guards¡­ Contemting this, Vivian wondered if she would be allowed in at all, considering her unannounced visit. Sigh. Or should she just go back home? As this was the first time she would be entering Magnificent-the ce she had only ever heard about-her eyes couldn¡¯t resist wandering out of the car window and into the streets. The area surpassed her expectations, more breathtaking than the online depictions. Even though it had already gotten dark, the environment was looking beautiful, adorned with lights.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. While absorbing the surroundings, she suddenly glimpsed someone strikingly familiar through the ss window. Wasn¡¯t that¡­? Merciful heavens. The very person she was there for was currently strolling up the road. ¡°Please, park the car.¡± Her eyes didn¡¯t leave him even as she ordered this. The chauffeur promptly veered off the road and parked on the side, following instructions. Nervously excited, Vivian swiftly exited the car, holding the suit. Across the street, she gazed at the handsome man. He appeared heavenly, hands entwined behind his back as he took confident strides, having just emerged from a mansion. Vivian¡¯s eyes narrowed at the imposing structure-Old Master Mandez¡¯s mansion. She had seen pictures of it in magazines. Oh, what a dutiful grandson. Shawn had visited his grandfather in the night. How caring. Vivian blushed deeply at this thought. She took a slow breath, preparing to cross the road, but just as she was about to do so¡­ Suddenly, the man stopped and turned back, as if waiting for someone. Vivian followed his gaze and noticed he was looking at his grandfather¡¯s mansion. A few secondster, someone emerged from the entrance and began making her way up to meet the man. ¡°Wifey, why do you have such short legs?¡± ¡°Hubby, you¡¯re the one whose legs are so long.¡± Mia whined, pouting her rosy lips. Shattered bonds Earlier, after the Mandez family had enjoyed a full evening of wining and dining, they collectively decided to call it a night. As they stepped outside, Amanda bid her farewells and returned to her own family. Meanwhile, Shawn and Mia opted to apany Grandpa Mandez to his house. Once there, Shawn guided the elderly man to his room and assisted him into bed. ¡°Now that she¡¯s graduated high school, the two of you should start thinking about giving me great-grandchildren,¡± Grandpa Mandez mumbled with closed eyes. Shawn, the old man¡¯s grandson, remained silent. Once Shawn finished tucking his grandfather in, he returned to the living room to join his wife before they took their leave. In contrast to Shawn¡¯s brisk pace, Mia moved at a more leisurely speed. By the time she was finishing putting on her slippers, her husband had already vanished from sight. Without dy, Mia hurriedly rushed outside to catch up. ¡°Wifey, why are your legs so short?¡± Shawn teased, giving her a mocking sneer. Mia inwardly scoffed. What was he doing? Choosing to y along, she taunted him back, ¡°Hubby, it¡¯s you with those super-long legs. Aish.¡± Clicking her tongue, she caught up with him. Shawn chuckled softly and yfully ruffled her hair. ¡°Should we consider leg surgeries then? I wouldn¡¯t mind shortening mine and donating some length to you.¡± ¡°You-¡± Mia was left momentarily speechless. Such a tease! As she searched for the righteback, Shawn bent low, tilted his head, and nted a quick kiss on her lips. It happened so swiftly that, if not for the lingering minty breath in Mia¡¯s nostrils, she might have doubted it urred. Dazed, Mia found herself rendered even more speechless by his unexpected move. A smug smile yed on the corner of Shawn¡¯s mouth as he took her hand and led the way back home, strolling at a leisurely pace.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Unbeknownst to the couple, someone observed them in sheer horror from a distance across the road. Vivian froze in shock, an indescribable feeling swirling within her. ¡®Am I dreaming?¡¯ she wondered, her fingers tightly clenched around the tuxedo in her hand. As she watched, confusion clouded her mind. Shawn Mandez¡­ Mia¡­ Or was that not Mia, her blood sister? Initially surprised to see her sister approaching Shawn from Old Master Mandez¡¯s mansion, Vivian blinked in bewilderment. ¡°What is Mia doing there?¡± she wondered. As she began to process the unexpected scene, her shock deepened upon hearing the man refer to Mia as ¡®Wifey.¡¯ Vivian was shaken to the core when Mia, in turn, called Shawn her ¡®Hubby.¡¯ The street¡¯s silence and asional passing cars allowed her to hear their conversation clearly, so there were no minced words or anything¡­ ¡®Wifey¡­ Hubby¡­¡¯ Vivian¡¯s mind spun with those words. No. Maybe it was just a joke, she tried to convince herself. But then, right before her eyes, Shawn lowered his head and nted a kiss on Mia¡¯s lips. Her lips! Air seemed to be sucked out of Vivian, making it hard to breathe. She copsed against the car, hot tears streaming down her face at once. Her heart ached, and she struggled for breath. How could¡­ Why did¡­ Her eyes brimmed with more tears. Vivian didn¡¯t realize when her tears escaped her eyes, flowing down both sides of her face. Mia¡­ How could Mia betray her like this? She had never felt so shattered and heartbroken in her entire life. As the couple vanished from view, she remained in the same position for about thirty minutes, the whole scenario ying in her head over and over again. After a while, she wiped her blurry eyes with the back of her hand and dragged her weakened body back into the car. ¡°Home,¡± she whispered in a hoarse voice. The chauffeur, hearing her, immediately ignited the car engine, turning back towards the Thompson family¡¯s residence. Vivian softly sobbed throughout the journey. Never in her entire life did she expect her sister to betray her in such a grueling manner. Had she hallucinated everything she witnessed back in MRA? As the car pulled into her father¡¯s residence and stopped a few feet from the front doorway, she slowly got down and began making her way inside on wobbly legs. Just as she was about to step onto the porch, she heard someone call out, ¡°Vivian.¡± Instinctively turning around, she found Mia¡¯s best friend approaching. Vivian was puzzled. What was the girl doing therete at night? Painfully wondering, she thought, Martha was Mia¡¯s best friend¡­ She must be aware of Mia and Shawn¡­ This made her heart wrench in pain. ¡°Vivian?¡± Martha called again, waving her hand in front of the girl¡¯s face. She had been saying her name for a couple of seconds, but Vivian wasn¡¯t responding. She seemed kind of zoned out. Vivian blinked, bringing life back to her eyes as she gazed at Martha. ¡°Martha, hi,¡± she responded dryly. Noticing Vivian¡¯s dull expression, Martha couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Vivian¡¯s face looked puffy, as if she had been crying. ¡°Huh, I¡¯m fine. Just a bit tired.¡± Vivian¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Martha didn¡¯t fully believe her words, but since she imed to be fine, she decided not to press further. Besides, that wasn¡¯t the main reason for her visit. ¡°I¡¯ve been calling your number, but you weren¡¯t picking up, so I decided toe over.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Vivian rummaged through her purse and took out her phone, realizing she had indeed missed a couple of calls from Martha. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry; I had no idea my phone was ringing.¡± She had been so overwhelmed by her predicament that she hadn¡¯t noticed her phone ringing incessantly in the car. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± Martha¡¯s voice trailed off. After a moment, she stretched out her hand to Vivian, holding a file. Vivian furrowed her brows but epted it. ¡°It belongs to Mia¡­ I found it in our room¡­ She must be looking for it.¡± At the mention of Mia¡¯s name, tension gripped Vivian, and her hand clenched into a fist beside her. ¡°Thank you.¡± She nodded, preparing to go inside. ¡°Hum, Vivian,¡± Martha called out, causing her to stop and turn back. ¡°I think it¡¯s something you should see¡­¡± Vivian wore a bewildered expression. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Martha¡¯s voice broke, expressing pity. Vivian was further confused. Why was Martha behaving this way? What could be in the file? Her curiosity piqued, she slowly opened the file and examined its contents. Shattered bonds II As she flipped through the papers, her eyes scanned the contents, and a deep frown etched across her face. Martha reveled in satisfaction as she witnessed Vivian¡¯s expression sour, her heart filled with joy. After finishing the reading, Vivian blinked away tears and looked up at Martha. ¡°Um¡­ I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± she stuttered uncontrobly. Tears welled up in Martha¡¯s eyes. ¡°Initially, when I found the file, I hesitated to open it, but curiosity got the better of me. How could Mia do this to you?¡± She paused, studying Vivian. ¡°As soon as I found these documents, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to not let you know about it. I know Mia¡¯s my best friend but there¡¯s a limit¡­¡± Martha¡¯s voice trailed off from exhaustion . ¡°I¡¯m relieved to discover that the school gossip about her isn¡¯t true, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m at a loss for words. Who would have guessed she was secretly married to Shawn Mandez all this time? No wonder she kept it hidden, perhaps to spare you the heartbreak.¡± The more Martha spoke, Vivian¡¯sposure crumbled further. But now, she realized that Martha herself had been unaware of¡­ Gazing at Vivian with a sympathetic expression, Martha said, ¡°Vivian, don¡¯t take it too much to heart; I¡¯m sure Mia must have her reasons for this.¡± ¡°Maybe the agreement is even fake¡­¡± But deep down, they both knew that it wasn¡¯t. It certainly didn¡¯t appear that way, especially with Shawn Mandez¡¯s elegant signature gracing the final page of the documents. Vivian¡¯s voice was hoarse as she spoke for the first time in a while. ¡°Hum.¡± Clearing her throat uneasily, she added, ¡°Thank you, Martha,¡± and managed a forced smile. Martha eyed her suspiciously, that wasn¡¯t the reaction she was expecting at all. Had the girl already discovered the truth before now? The thought lingered in her mind. ¡°I mean, we all know it¡¯s you who likes Shawn Mandez¡­¡± Martha¡¯s voice trailed off, leaving a lingering question in the air. She sighed, ¡°Just calm down, okay? I¡¯ll arrange a meeting for the three of us to discuss this, or if you prefer, just the two of you. You need to hear her out; there must be a reason.¡± ¡°Er, no. No need for that. Don¡¯t bother yourself,¡± Vivian replied weakly. ¡°Also, could you do me a favor? Please don¡¯t mention any of this to Mia. I just need some time. We¡¯re sisters; we¡¯ll sort things out ourselves.¡± Forcing a smile, she added, ¡°You know, I want to take my time. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Oh, sure,¡± Martha nodded understandingly, ¡°You deserve all the time you need, you poor thing.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gettingte; I¡¯ll be on my way now.¡± With that, the two girls bid their goodbyes. As Martha approached the car, she pondered, ¡®She¡¯s definitely found out already. But how?¡¯ Had Mia already informed her sister about her marriage? No. If that were the case, Vivian wouldn¡¯t have asked her to keep silent about her discovery. The girl must have found out in some other way. Martha knew that Vivian asking her to keep their knowledge of Mia¡¯s marriage a secret was not because she wanted to resolve things with her sister herself. She understood that the girl would never, in fact, settle with Mia. Not in this world. Martha grinned to herself. ¡®And the love battle between the sisters has officially begun.¡¯ Vivian waited, watching until Martha¡¯s car hadpletely vanished from sight. Unable to contain her emotions any longer, she burst into fresh tears. Racing up the porch, she hurried into the house, the weight of the situation settling heavily upon her. ¡°Vivian, you¡¯re back so early.¡± Barbara, still in the living room, noticed her daughter¡¯s unexpected early return. Seeing the tears on Vivian¡¯s face, Barbara rose immediately and met her halfway. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did your meeting not go well? It¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll keep trying.¡± She gently guided Vivian to the couch, offeringfort as she ced the girl¡¯s head close to her bosom. ¡°Mo-Mommm,¡± Vivian¡¯s tears escted. ¡°Yes? Stop crying, baby. It¡¯s just a setback. Don¡¯t let a small setback hold you back. It¡¯s understandable that he rejected¡­¡± Barbara tried to console her daughter, but Vivian¡¯s tears persisted. Shaking her head, Vivian looked up at her mother with a tear-stained face. Her once-moderate makeup had washed away, leaving her looking like aplete mess. ¡°That¡¯s not it, Mom,¡± she forced out in a croaked voice, between sobs. ¡°Then what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mi-Mi-¡± ¡°You what?¡± Barbara was impatient. Vivian shook her head, ¡°Miaaaa¡­¡± and forced out. Barbara twitched her lips, rolling her eyes. ¡°What happened, has she died?¡± As Vivian opened her mouth to speak, she burst into fresh tears at the thought of what she was about to say. After catching her breath for a short while, ¡°Mia and Shawn are together,¡± she wailed like never before. Barbara was still confused about what the girl was saying, ¡°together where?¡± Vivian shook her head miserably for the umpteenth time, ¡°they. are. mar. ried.¡± She blinked tears away from her eyes as she gazed at her mother silently, waiting for her reaction. Barbara stared at her daughter in silence. After a short while, unable to hold back any longer, she burst intoughter. Her daughter¡¯s words seemed like a joke to her, and so sheughed again. So hrious. Vivian was taken aback. When Barbara finally caught her breath, she shook her head at Vivian. ¡°You y too much, Viv. Now, be serious. What is the real matter?¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯m serious. Mia is married to Shawn. I saw them with my own two eyes.¡± Her voice broke as she added, ¡°kissing.¡± Barbara fell silent again, chuckling after a while. Of course, she still couldn¡¯t believe it. It seemed unbelievable. Even the dumbest person wouldn¡¯t believe what her daughter was saying. ¡°It¡¯s not possible,¡± she said. But then, her daughter wasn¡¯t looking like someone who was joking. Besides, Vivian would never joke about Shawn¡¯s matter like that. Yet, Barbara remained unconvinced. Just then, Vivian handed her the file in her hand. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°See for yourself.¡± The girl sniffled. Barbara took out the file¡¯s content and began to nce through the pages. When she finished reading, her face turned to sheer horror and speechlessness. She looked from the papers at Vivian, who nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s real.¡± And with that, Vivian began to exin all that she witnessed when she went to MRA and how Martha had brought the file to her. ¡°That wench!¡± Barbara spat out venom as soon as her daughter was done narrating the whole thing. ¡°How did they meet? How¡¯s this even possible? I¡¯ve always warned you about that thing, but you wouldn¡¯t listen. Now, look what she¡¯s done to you!¡± She red up, her whole body visibly seething with anger. Vivian began to sob again, ¡°Mom, please help me. Please. I don¡¯t want to lose him-although it seems that I¡¯ve already lost him.¡± Seeing her daughter in this vulnerable state, Barbara¡¯s heart ached, and her voice softened. ¡°You haven¡¯t lost him. You never lost him. He¡¯s yours, and you¡¯ll get him back from that wretched whore. I promise you.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Not while she was still alive would that bastard whore steal her daughter¡¯s man. Never. ¡°But how, Mommy? How?¡± Vivian felt a sense of despair as all hope seemed lost. ¡°With this,¡± Barbara muttered, raising the divorce agreement papers in her hand. My man A few dayster. Magnificent Residential Area. On Saturday morning, the couple, having finished their breakfast, set off on their individual weekend routines, which had be a familiar part of their lives. Recent days had brought a sense of tranquility and peace between them. Mia, understanding her husband and his demeanor, found cohabiting with him to be surprisingly blissful. She now recognized that Shawn¡¯s usual cold exterior was merely a shield, concealing his vulnerability. They were alike-lonely, abandoned, and vulnerable. Arriving at the hospital, Mia eagerly made her way to the elevator, her spirits notably high. Exiting on her floor, she strolled down the hospital corridor with a calm demeanor. Pausing in front of a ward, she quietly turned the doorknob and entered. She approached patient 305¡¯s hospital bed with measured steps, settling into the chair beside it. Gently, she took hold of the person¡¯s hand, adorned with a pulse oximeter on the index finger. In a hushed tone, she spoke, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m here. I know you missed me, and I missed you too,¡± careful not to disturb others in the ward.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Mia¡¯s smile remained as she continued, ¡°I¡¯ll now share my stories with you, as usual.¡± Her storytelling had evolved from reading books to recounting real-life tales, particrly those of her rtionship with Shawn. ¡°Today, noints, so you can rx,¡± she chuckled softly. ¡°Things have been going well between us, and he¡¯s started treating me nicely. I find myself liking him more,¡± she whispered thest sentence. She continued, ¡°I know it¡¯s just a deal, and eventually, I¡¯ll have to part ways with him. But I can¡¯t help it; I¡¯ve grown ustomed to this life.¡± A sigh escaped her, apanied by a tear tracing down her cheek. Once done discussing her secret marriage, Mia enthusiastically delved into topics like her graduation, exams, and her current anxiety about the impending online results. She discussed various topics, and upon noticing thete hour, she bid her farewell. ¡°See you next week, Mom. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll being more often now that I¡¯vepleted high school.¡± Exiting the hospital, Mia¡¯s gaze instinctively scanned the payment counter. Noticing a different financial service representative, she spected that the usual attendant might be off today. Shrugging it off, she left the hospital premises and entered her car. ¡°Where to, Madam?¡± Jasper inquired from the driver¡¯s seat after closing her door. ¡°Home,¡± she replied, a smile gracing her face. ¡ª¨C A couple of weekster. Beats Corporations. ¡°¡­ also, the meeting with Tims Group is scheduled for next week,¡± Lucas briefed the CEO on the recent additions to his schedule. ¡°Hn,¡± CEO Shawn responded nasally, focused on typing behind his desk. After a brief pause, Shawn inquired leisurely, ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all for now, sir,¡± Lucas replied, though he still had something on his mind. Hesitatingly, he bit his lip, ¡°Sir, Miss Yvonne is here again.¡± Upon hearing this, Shawn¡¯s typing fingers paused briefly. After a few seconds, he resumed his work, dismissively stating, ¡°Just leave her be. When she gets tired of waiting, she¡¯ll leave.¡± Since her return from overseas, Yvonne made it a daily ritual to visit Beats Corporations for one reason-to catch a glimpse of her most beloved. However, her attempts to enter the building were consistently thwarted, and she knew exactly who was behind it-as expected of him. Undeterred by this setback, Yvonne refrained from pleading with security for ess as it was of no use. Every day, upon her arrival, she would step out of her car, perch on the bo, and proudly disy arge cardboard sign that read, ¡®I Miss You, My Man.¡¯ Every. Day. Lucas nodded and left the CEO¡¯s office, pondering why Miss Yvonne was so fixated on his boss. While he acknowledged CEO Shawn¡¯s appeal to millions of women, he couldn¡¯t fathom why Miss Yvonne persisted, especially considering her elder brother¡¯s¡­ Sigh. The CEO¡¯s P. A was aware of the Young Miss¡¯ longstanding feelings for the CEO but he believed she should put an end to it. ¡®She should wait until she learns that the big boss is now married.¡¯ After Lucas departed, Shawn leisurely rose from his seat and walked over to stand near the floor-to-ceiling window. ncing outside, he spotted Yvonne standing beside her car, holding up a cardboard sign in the sun, as she did every day. A subtle twitch of his lips revealed his exasperation before he averted his gaze. The CEO twitched his lips and averted his gaze. Soon, he¡¯d be leaving the office, and she would likely start chasing his convoy, pounding her palms on the car windows in an attempt to grab his attention-a futile effort she knew all too well. Returning to his work, Shawn focused on tasks at hand. ¡ª As the sun set and Shawn concluded his day, his car departed Beats Corporations, the security convoy following closely. Gazing out through the car window, he observed the absence of thedy. Perhaps she grew tired early today. The CEO¡¯s expression remained as impassive as always. She should ceaseing there to embarrass herself daily. The only reason the news outlets refrained from publishing about Yvonne Davis¡¯ daily flirtation outside Beats Corporations, was Shawn Mendez¡¯s involvement. Nothing about him went online without proper consent from his personal assistant; the consequences were ominous. Soon, the convoy made its way into MRA. As the car gradually stopped outside the front door, Shawn¡¯s slender legs emerged. Yet, as his entire frame straightened, he found himself frozen. Right in front of him stood the one person he had been actively avoiding-Yvonne. ¡°My man,¡± Yvonne¡¯s eyshes fluttered seductively as she moved closer, running her hands on his chest. ¡°Happy to see me?¡± Her face inched closer as she whispered. Shawn, still taken aback by her unexpected presence, realized her intentions toote. Thedy had pressed her soft, longing lips against his. His eyes widened, and he instinctively took a few steps backward, abruptly ending Yvonne¡¯s sweet fantasy. He never expected her to actually show up at his ce. How did she get in? Where did she acquire a passcard? It dawned on Shawn that the Davis family used to frequent Magnificent in the past. Yvonne¡¯s eyes shot open, and she frowned, ¡°Why did you pull away? Do you not miss me? How is it that no one missed me?¡± She pouted in dissatisfaction. Shawn¡¯s eyes had turned bloodshot red by now. ¡°Never try what you just did again,¡± he warned coldly. A chill ran up Yvonne¡¯s spine, but she dismissed her fear. After all, she¡¯d known the man in front of her all her life. She was confident Shawn wouldn¡¯t do anything to harm her; he was merely trying to intimidate her. ¡°Why? But you¡¯re my man.¡± Shawn remained silent and turned to look beside him. ¡°Assist Miss Yvonne home,¡± he ordered the nearest bodyguard. Yvonne frowned. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll leave on my own,¡± she added, grinning, ¡°but I¡¯ll be back.¡± Deep down, she knew returning wouldn¡¯t be possible. As soon as she left, Shawn would order MRA¡¯s security never to let her in from then on. With an elegant stride on her high heels, Yvonne walked to her car. Upon entering, she blew Shawn a kiss and zoomed off. Shawn sighed. She was getting out of hand. He¡¯d have to make a call to¡­ Swiftly, he pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and when the person answered, he stated firmly, ¡°Your sister, get her away from me.¡± Without waiting for a response, he hung up. ncing up at his bedroom window¡­ What if Little One had witnessed everything¡­ Shawn pondered. With a twitch of his lips, he headed inside the mansion promptly. Heartbroken Upon entering the house, the CEO promptly summoned Madam Susan. ¡°Is she in?¡± He inquired. The elderly woman knew who the young master was referring to, so she responded, ¡°No, Young Madam departed for Old Master¡¯s house a while ago.¡± Shawn nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Thank you, Madam Susan,¡± he expressed before ascending the stairs, exhaling a sigh of relief. ¡ª¨CN?velDrama.Org (C) content. Dejectedly, the little girl turned around, tears streaming down her face as she walked away from the man¡¯s mansion. What had she expected-that he¡¯d fall for her¡­ Having spent most of the past few days alone at home, Mia grew inevitably bored. Seeking somepany, she decided to make a visit to Old Master Mandez¡¯s mansion. Carrying a basket of fruits and a finely hand-knitted shawl she had just finished that morning for Grandpa Mandez, Mia headed out of the house. After a delightful time in thepany of the Old Champ, she bid her goodbye, feeling a bit lonely again as she exited the mansion. As she walked up the road, sighing, ¡®why does he always have to workte?¡¯ she wondered. Wasn¡¯t he the Big Boss? Did he have to be so diligent? Mia rolled her eyes mentally. Looking ahead at her house, she momentarily froze. ¡°Huh?¡± Startled to see her husband back, happiness engulfed Mia and a cute smile spread across her lips. She quickened her pace to meet him. However, her steps faltered a few secondster. Her husband was not alone; he was with someone of the opposite gender. Mia couldn¡¯t see the person¡¯s face clearly no matter how much she strained her neck. The distance was¡­ ¡®Another family member?¡¯ She thought, but the next moment rendered that idea useless. Before her eyes, her husband and the stranger locked lips. Mia¡¯s heart shattered instantly. Unable to witness the heart-wrenching disy any further, she spun on her heels. Dejectedly, the little girl turned around, tears streaming down her face as she walked away from the man¡¯s mansion. What had she expected-that he¡¯d fall for her? How could she have been so naive to think something serious could happen between them? Mia cried like never before, each tear propelling her faster away from the pain and hurt, escaping the misery. So foolish of her to have anticipated anything serious from the man. Eventually, she found herself outside Magnificent Residential Area, unconsciously entering a bar as darkness settled in. The ce buzzed with activity as she took a seat at the counter, only to realize she had left her purse at home when she reached into her pocket. The cruelty of the world hit her. She couldn¡¯t even drown her sorrows in a drink. Mia heaved a weary sigh. Unbeknownst to her, the moment she entered the bar, someone in the VIP area noticed her. *** Upon receiving Shawn¡¯s call warning him about his sister, Damien immediately dialed Yvonne¡¯s number, but she ignored the call. She was well aware of her brother¡¯s intent. After three rings, Yvonne switched her phone to airne mode. Facing a dilemma, Damien found himself at a loss for words and actions. Yvonne had transformed into a resilient woman, no longer susceptible to coercion as before. Stubbornly resisting the idea of returning to the States, Yvonne took pleasure in embarrassing the Davis family by frequently showing up at Shawn Mendez¡¯s workce. Damien pondered the unknown incident that prompted Shawn¡¯s call¡­ What had she done¡­? Troubled, he phoned home to check if his younger sister was there, but as anticipated, she hadn¡¯t returned since morning. Deciding to call it an early day at work, Damien aimlessly drove around the city until he found himself in front of a modest, aged bar. Despite itsck of mour, it held sentimental value from the days he and a certain someone frequented it in their youth. CONS. Needing to clear his mind, he huffed, exited the car, and entered the familiar establishment. Recognized by the owners due to his frequent visits, he was quickly led to his customary spot and served his usual orders. While sipping his drink, Damien suddenly noticed a familiar silhouette walk into the bar. It wasn¡¯t until she took a seat at the bar front that he saw her full face, and realization left him stunned-Mia. Wondering why she was there, ¡®isn¡¯t she a bit young for such a ce?¡¯ A rebellious spirit, he thought, a corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. Observing Mia from a distance, he saw her searching her pockets for money, only toe out empty-handed. Chuckling, Damien couldn¡¯t resist. He stood up and casually walked over to her. Reaching her side, he settled on the stool next to Mia, dropping his credit card on the bar top. ¡°Give thedy anything she wants,¡± he ordered the bartender, turning to Mia with a wide grin. ¡°Lucky you,¡± he said. Mia, surprised to see the dashing man, stammered, ¡°Huh? Howe?¡± biting her lower lip in embarrassment. Damien smirked, ¡°I¡¯ve been stalking you since the first time we met.¡± Mia was taken aback, blinking nkly at the man, her mind processing his words. Suspicion clouded her gaze. ¡°Yup,¡± Damien nodded, adding, ¡°if not, how will you exin our encounter the other day?¡± Mia narrowed her eyes, lost in deep thought as she added the pieces. Fear gripped her, ¡°Wh-why?¡± she stuttered. ¡°Hmmm, ¡¯cause I want to kidnap you and make you mine,¡± Damien teased, shrugging. Mia shrunk back, bing more and more ufortable. Unable to maintain the act, Damien burst into heartfeltughter, revealing that he was joking. How was she easily fooled? Mia, puzzled, stared nkly at the seemingly crazy man. After catching his breath, Damien assured her, ¡°It¡¯s all a joke. Then and now-purely coincidences.¡± Mia sighed in relief, realizing she had been fooled, and sped her hands to her face in embarrassment. Damien chuckled at her reaction. After oveing the cringe, Mia ordered a bottle of Soju, and Damien followed suit. Despite the abundance of alcohol in his VIP area, he found himself enjoying the girl¡¯spany. Taking a closer look at her, he couldn¡¯t help but notice her tear-stained face as she downed her shots. ¡°Who broke your heart?¡± He suddenly inquired, catching Mia off guard. ¡°Huh?¡± She blinked. ¡°You¡¯ve been crying¡­ Who is the man? Let me beat him to a pulp.¡± Mia managed a sad smile, thinking, ¡®That won¡¯t be possible. He¡¯s the one who beats people up, not the other way around. He¡¯s the Big Boss.¡¯ She sighed within herself, leaving Damien¡¯s question unanswered. As they conversed, unbeknownst to them, someone stared coldly from a corner in the bar. My wife In a dimly lit corner at the far end of the bar, a woman with long, curly eyshes sat, sipping on a ss of beer. Her gaze flicked as she scrutinized two individuals at the bar front. Upon her brother¡¯s entrance to CONS Bar, Yvonne initially thought he was there for her. However, her relief set in when he headed straight to the VIP area after entering. She sighed and settled back into her seat, continuing to sip her sorrows away. Having left Magnificent Residential Area, Yvonne had nowhere else to go. Without friends and a reluctance to return home yet, she sought sce at the bar. Her home country now felt foreign to her-she was a stranger in her own home. Funny. With Damien¡¯s continuous calls right after she left Shawn¡¯s residence, she deduced Shawn must have informed her brother about her visit. Aware of Damien¡¯s temper, despite his angelic appearance, she decided not to go home yet. Returning to the States immediately was a scenario she wished to avoid. And so, she headed to CONS. As Yvonneid eyes on CONS Bar after so many years, a rush of memories flooded back. In the past, CONS Bar had been Damien and Shawn¡¯s go-to spot for rxation, asionally bringing her along to unwind and have fun. They¡¯d shareughs, poke fun at each other-those were the good ol¡¯ days. While lost in nostalgia, Yvonne¡¯s attention was drawn to a girl entering the bar and taking a seat at the front. Her brows furrowed unconsciously; the girl seemed oddly familiar. After a futile attempt to recall where she knew her from, Yvonne gave up. Soon, she saw Damien leave the VIP area and settle beside the girl for a conversation. Yvonne couldn¡¯t decipher their words due to the distance, but their familiarity was evident. Her head tilted as she observed Damien¡¯s eyes and the way he looked at the girl. Snorting mockingly, she remarked, ¡°Pathetic. You can have a lover, but I cannot.¡± So her brother had a soft spot for younger girls¡­ A cunning idea crossed Yvonne¡¯s mind. Standing up, she finished her beer and confidently cat-walked to the bar front. ¡°Babe!¡± She shrieked furiously, approaching the duo from behind. ¡°So, you¡¯re cheating on me!¡± She used, sping her hand over her mouth and ring at Damien. Turning to look behind him, Damien, though irritated, remained silent upon seeing Yvonne. Mia, caught in the drama, blinked, finding thedy somewhat familiar. She pushed the thought aside, focusing on the unfolding scene. Thinking she might be Veronica¡¯s uncle¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Mia broke out in cold sweats. ¡°Erm, Ma¡¯am, I think you-you¡¯re mis-s-taken,¡± she stammered. Damien, finding joy in the girl¡¯s confusion, refrained from stopping his sister. Amusement spread across his face. ¡°What do you mean that¡¯s not it?! You¡¯re trying to snatch my man from me!!!¡± Yvonne fumed. Overwhelmed, Mia became more afraid, ncing around to see judgmental eyes fixed on her. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she faced the unexpected confrontation. Today was a really terrible day. Observing her distress, Damien decided he had to intervene before the girl fainted. ¡°Rx, meet Yvonne, my sister. Yvonne, meet Mia,¡± he quickly rified,ughing out loud. The room erupted intoughter and people went about their businesses, and only after Damien broke her cover did Yvonne abandon her facade. ¡°Damien! I was only starting to have fun!¡± She whined, pouting. Turning to Mia, Yvonne introduced herself, ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Yvonne. Damien¡¯s sister. That must have taken you aback just now,¡± she giggled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry-was just messing around with you.¡± Relieved after processing the siblings¡¯ words, Mia sighed. After recovering herself, she realized that once again, she had fallen for a prank.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Did pranking run in their family? She wondered. ¡°Oh-oh¡­ Hello,¡± Mia stammered, her face flushing with embarrassment. Before she could say more, a cold chill ran up her spine, and instinctively, she turned her head. At the entrance of the bar stood none other than Shawn Mandez. She froze. As Shawn approached, Mia¡¯s heart raced with each stride, questions swirling in her mind. Why was he there? How did he find her? Was he upset? Anxious thoughts consumed her, all focus on the captivating man. In the bar, patrons couldn¡¯t help but stare at Shawn Mandez, hismanding presence seizing the attention he rightly deserved. His tall stature and wlessly sculpted face captivated everyone in the room. Who could he be?¡­ Shawn assumed a poised position next to Mia, his gaze prating the depths of her soul. Ignoring the onlookers, he stooped low, effortlessly lifting her into his arms and carrying her over his shoulder. As he moved to depart, a desperate cry echoed, ¡°Shawn!¡± Yvonne¡¯s heart tightened, her fingers gripping his bicep from behind, pleading. Shawn¡¯s steps hesitated, but he remained silent and resolute, refusing to turn back or utter a word. In the blink of an eye, he withdrew his arm from thedy¡¯s grasp and swiftly exited the bar with purposeful strides. Yvonne Davis found herself speechless, watching helplessly as the man of her dreams departed. Her eyes focused intently on the girl draped over his arm, and in that moment, realization struck her-she was that girl, the one from the photos. Overwhelmed, Yvonne slumped onto a stool, drowning her thoughts in a bottle of beer. Perplexed by the unfolding events, Damien quickly rose from his seat and followed Shawn, abandoning his sister. Upon reaching outside, Shawn had already ced Mia in the car and was on the verge of entering himself. Interrupting the scene, Damien questioned, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± His voice halted Shawn in his tracks. Shawn Mandez turned to his friend-turned-enemy with a raised brow. ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing?¡± Damien scoffed, ¡°You just abducted a girl-¡± Shawn interrupted, ¡°Which girl? Abduct?¡± appearing genuinely puzzled. ¡°Oh, my wife!¡± He clicked his tongue. Damien was taken aback. ¡°Wi-wif-wife?¡± Shawn met his gaze with a taunting sneer, cautioning, ¡°Stay away from my wife.¡± Without further words, he entered the car and closed the door. The vehicle swiftly vanished from sight. Damien blinked rapidly, attempting to process all that had unfolded, especially Shawn Mandez¡¯s words. ¡®My Wife.¡¯ Those words echoed in his mind as he stood alone in the parking lot. Shawn was married-to Mia? The possibility seemed surreal. Could it be a lie? Yet, Shawn Mandez wasn¡¯t known for falsehoods¡­ After a while, Damienposed himself and reentered the bar. At the counter, he found Yvonne unconscious from excessive drinking, and he bit his lip in irritation. Lifting her from the stool, he exited CONS, the words ¡®My wife¡¯ still echoing in his mind. The threat The drive home felt ufortably silent as the couple stared out through the tinted windows, each lost in their own thoughts. Despite the simmering tension, neither spoke. Abruptly, a phone rang, shattering the quiet. Mia¡¯s hand delved into her pocket, and as her eyes met the caller ID, her heart skipped a beat. What awaited her this time? Shawn noticed his wife¡¯s body tense beside him, prompting him to cast a concerned nce her way. What was the issue this time? Perhaps her father? He observed as her trembling hand swiped the answer icon, bringing the phone to her ear. ¡°Hello,¡± her voice rasped in a whisper. As Mia absorbed the words from the other end, her eyes widened in astonishment. ¡°Wh-what did you just say?!¡± She eximed. Shawn¡¯s brows furrowed as he observed her unexpected delight. A few secondster, she burst into an ted chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there. I¡¯ll be there now!¡± The call ended abruptly. ¡°Can you please head to HK Hospital?¡± She rushed out immediately. The chauffeur sought approval from the CEO through the rearview mirror. A nod from Shawn, and the vehicle swiftly executed a U-turn.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Shawn observed the girl tapping her feet impatiently, her honey brown eyes twinkling like stars in the night sky. In no time, the car pulled up right in front of the hospital, and before one could blink, the girl had already hopped out of the car. Though still upset with the man, she muttered, ¡°You don¡¯t need to wait up,¡± before vanishing into the hospital. Shawn observed through the tinted ss window as Little One hurried away on unsteady legs, clearly a bit tipsy. Massaging his temple with his fingertips, he retrieved his phone from his chest pocket and dialed a number. ¡°Don¡¯t lose her.¡± After issuing themand, he ended the call. A final nce at the hospital entrance, then he instructed the chauffeur, ¡°Drive.¡± With Jasper watching over her, he could depart. Yet, who did Little One have in the hospital? As Shawn Mandez pondered this, his cellphone pinged, indicating a received message. Unlocking his phone, he noticed the message was from an unsaved number. Initially, he considered putting the phone back in his pocket, but a nagging feeling prompted him to check the message. So, he clicked on it. The message ominously read: ¡°She will die the same way your mother did.¡± Shawn¡¯s blood boiled, and his eyes shed bloodshot red instantly. What did this message mean? He knew precisely who the messenger was referring to-Mia. Despite the strong urge to turn the car around, he resisted. Instead, he dialed Jasper again, and the man answered promptly. ¡°Don¡¯t ever let her out of your sight. And don¡¯t you dare drink and drive.¡± The Big Boss¡¯ tone carried a serious warning, sending shivers down Jasper¡¯s spine on the other side of the phone. ¡°Yes, Boss,¡± he responded immediately. The call concluded. For the first time in months, fear gripped the CEO. Ten years ago, his mother had relocated to the States and only came home asionally during celebrations. She led a low-key life, to the extent that people didn¡¯t even know what she looked like. Three years ago, for his 26th birthday, Jennifer Mandez, Shawn¡¯s mother, had returned home from the States without his knowledge. She aimed to catch her son by surprise. Little did she know she was going to meet her end that day¡­ She died in a car ident caused by a drunk driver. Shawn¡¯s head throbbed as he revisited the heart-wrenching memory. Having lost enough people, the prospect of losing Mia seemed utterly disastrous. ¡ª Back at HK Hospital. Mia darted into the elevator, making a beeline for her designated floor. The doors slid open, and she hastened down the hallway. Upon reaching MICU 1, Ward 3, she took a deep breath and delicately turned the doorknob. Approaching the woman¡¯s bedspace, she observed a doctor and several nurses conducting check-ups on the patient. Tears glistened in Mia¡¯s eyes, and her heart thumped loudly. As she came to a halt beside the bed and saw that the woman had indeed awakened from aa, she gasped, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. Oh, it had been so long. ¡°Hi, Mom,¡± she whispered, gently taking the patient¡¯s hand in hers and stroking it. The woman on the hospital bed, however, simply gazed nkly at the girl who had just walked in. The doctor turned to face Mia, ¡°Congrattions,¡± smiling. The girl sniffled, ¡°Thank you, Doctor.¡± He nodded, ncing at the patient. After a few seconds, he asked, ¡°Do you recognize her, Ma¡¯am?¡± Gazing intently at Mia, the woman slowly shook her head. Mia blinked rapidly. Huh? The excitement on her face vanished instantly, reced by uneasiness. The doctor nodded and turned to Mia again, ¡°Please,e with me.¡± Reluctantly, she gently let go of the woman¡¯s hand and followed the doctor out of the ward, leaving the nurses behind to continue the check-up. Outside the ward¡­ ¡°Congrattions, once again,¡± the doctor smiled warmly. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± He cleared his throat and continued, ¡°You see, Miss, you¡¯re well aware that your mom has been in aa for a very long time. It¡¯s a wonder how she¡¯s survived this long and even woken up¡­¡± The girl nodded. Where was the doctor headed? Was something wrong somewhere? ¡°Well, just now, your mother didn¡¯t recognize you¡­¡± He paused, ¡°Before you arrived, I asked her a few questions¡­ She seems perfectly alright-except that,¡± he paused again, ¡°she doesn¡¯t know who she is.¡± The hallway fellpletely silent after the doctor finished hisst sentence. Mia tilted her head to the side, carefully assimting the man¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t understand what he was saying; it was as if the doctor was speaking gibberish. ¡°You see, we ran some tests on her, and it seems like your mom is suffering from retrograde amnesia due to the ident. I know this mighte as a shock to you, but she doesn¡¯t remember anything or anyone-not even her name-for now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how long it¡¯s going to take, but trust me, she¡¯ll regain her memory. It might take a couple of days, a few weeks, months, or even years, but she¡¯ll recover her memories. It¡¯s not something to fret about-it¡¯s nothing too serious, I assure you.¡± ¡°For now, let¡¯s just see how it goes. Congrattions.¡± And with that, the doctor nodded politely and headed down the hallway. Mia was dumbfounded. Left standing alone in the hallway, hot tears streamed down her face. ¡®She doesn¡¯t remember anything?¡¯ Not even her? She had only heard of and seen things like this in movies¡­ How¡­ After a while, she wiped her tears with the back of her hand and slowly dragged her feet back into the ward, sitting on the chair near the patient. The nurses had finished their tasks and soon took their leave. The ward became dead silent. Mia and the patient simply gazed at each other in silence, as if studying each other. Well, Mia knew she had to be grateful. Her mother wasn¡¯t dead. She was alive, and the doctor also confirmed she would recover her memory with time. She was grateful. In no time, the woman drifted off to sleep while Mia sat and kept watch over her through the night. During this time, she browsed ¡®retrograde amnesia¡¯ online, gathering as much knowledge as she needed about the illness. Truth or Dare Upon arriving at the Davis family residence, Damien carefully lifted his baby sister from the car, proceeding directly to her room. As he gently ced her on the bed and prepared to depart, her quiet sobs abruptly escted. Yvonne¡¯s eyes widened, transforming her soft sobs into heart-wrenching cries. She wept fervently, staring at Damien with newfound resentment. ¡°You¡¯re to me for this!¡± she eximed venomously amid tears. ¡°It¡¯s your fault! If only you hadn¡¯t sent me to that wretched ce¡­ If only you allowed me to be with the one my heart truly desires, I¡¯d be with him instead-¡± her voice broke, ¡°of that girl!¡± Tears continued to stream down her cheeks. Damien remained fixed in ce, silently observing as she wept. Suddenly, she erupted into bitterughter. After a pause, she dered, ¡°If you had just let me be, I¡¯d be with Shawn now, and that girl would be with you. But no, it backfired. And it¡¯s all on you!¡± She raged. Her words pierced Damien¡¯s soul, twisting his heart like a knife. ¡°You just let all my efforts go to waste! If I had known the result would be the same, I wouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± she whispered in a hoarse voice. Suddenly, the room fell into silence. After a while, Yvonne spoke in a low voice. ¡°That day, when you came back home from work in the afternoon, it was all nned. Everything you heard¡­ It wasn¡¯t true.¡± Sniffling, she paused. ¡°We were not in a rtionship.¡± She burst into fresh tears again, while Damien stood there, attempting to process the girl¡¯s words. What was she talking about? What did she mean by they weren¡¯t in a rtionship? All of a sudden, something shed through his eyes. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He inquired at once, only to be met with silence. The girl¡¯s tears had ceasedpletely, and he realized she had fallen into slumber. Damien was stunned. Furrowing his brows, he gazed at Yvonne for a while and then reluctantly tucked her in. He left her room, walking to his own with a heavy heart. Upon entering, he undressed and proceeded to the bathroom for a cold shower. After finishing, he lit a cigarette and moved to stand on the balcony. Puffing on his cigarette, his mind wandered down memoryne, back to when it all began. On that day, he had overheard Yvonne talking on the phone¡­ ____ It was a weekday, and Damien should have been at work, but in the morning, as soon as he arrived at work, he realized he¡¯d forgotten an important file at home, prompting a quick return. Upon reaching the house, he noticed Yvonne¡¯s room door slightly ajar. While passing by, what caught his attention were the words he heard: ¡°Shawn and I are together, but, of course, Damien doesn¡¯t know. He mustn¡¯t even find out¡­ We¡¯ve been seeing each other for a while now. Don¡¯t tell anyone, okay?¡± Damien Davis¡¯ steps faltered instantly, and he was utterly dumbfounded. What?! His supposed best friend was in an unholy rtionship with HIS SISTER?!!! Was that the extent of their friendship? Clouded by rage, he stormed out of the house immediately and drove straight to Beats Corporation. Upon arrival, he barged into Shawn¡¯s office and unleashed powerful blows on his handsomely carved face. ¡°Is this what our friendship is all about?!¡± Having beaten him thoroughly, Damien warned Shawn to stay away from his sister and everyone in the Davis household. And just like that, he shattered over twenty years of friendship, over what now appeared to be false. Upon returning home, he promptly arranged for his sister to fly to the States on the next avable flight. ¡ª How foolish he must have appeared, throwing those punches-all for nothing. Shawn hadn¡¯t even fought back; he probably considered him a fool. Damien¡¯s heart clenched in his chest as he ruminated on this painful past. Throughout the night, he lingered on the balcony, heavy with the weight of his thoughts, smoking incessantly. *** The next morning. Yvonne¡¯s head throbbed with pain as she opened her eyes. The morning sun pierced through the curtains¡¯ slit, making her squint. Taking in the surroundings, memories of the previous night at the bar flooded back. She managed a sad smile; Damien must have brought her home. Turning on her side, she was startled by the presence of someone in the room. Standing at the door, his silhouette framed against the door frame, was her elder brother, Damien. After locking eyes in silence for a few moments, Damien finally broke it. ¡°Why?¡± Yvonne¡¯s gaze remained steady on her brother; she understood precisely what he was inquiring about. There was no point in pretending¡­ Gulping, she sat up and lowered her head. ¡°Do you recall¡­ seven years ago, on my twentieth birthday?¡± she started, ¡°Do you remember the question I posed to you?¡± ____ Seven years ago, at the Davis Family¡¯s Residence. The night reverberated with joy as the Davis family¡¯s youngest daughter marked her twentieth birthday with a lively celebration. Downstairs, in the living room, adults engaged in lively conversations, while the younger ones gathered in the upstairs room, engrossed in games. At that moment, they were engrossed in a game of Truth or Dare. Despite Yvonne¡¯s persistent pleas for Shawn to join, he tly refused, choosing to sit on the side and observe the others ying. His reserved nature had been a constant since childhood. Now, it was the birthday celebrant¡¯s turn to spin the bottle. Yvonne was adamant about Shawn joining the game, driven by a hidden agenda. If, by chance, she had the opportunity to spin the bottle and itnded on him, she nned to ask if he would date her given the chance. However, since he declined to join, that opportunity was lost.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Yvonne spun the bottle within the circle the kids had formed, and it ended up pointing at her elder brother. In contrast to Shawn, Damien was yful and willingly participated in the game. ¡°Truth or dare?¡± ¡°Truth.¡± Knowing his sister was never up to anything good with her dares, Damien recalled a time when she dared him to take off his pants in front of everyone-with his crush present. Ever since then¡­ Yvonne intended to pose a yful question about Damien¡¯s girlfriend, but a different thought crossed her mind. She nced at Shawn and then fixed her gaze on Damien. ¡°If Shawn and I were to end up together, how would you feel?¡± The smile on Damien¡¯s face vanished instantly. He nced quickly at Shawn before responding, ¡°Over my dead body will that happen. My best friend can¡¯t be with my sister. Never. Unless he stops being my best friend.¡± Lovelorn ¡°Over my dead body will that happen. My best friend can¡¯t be with my sister. Never. Unless he stops being my best friend.¡± Yvonne appeared somewhat embarrassed and discreetly nced at Shawn, who seemed unfazed by his best friend¡¯s response. Everyoneughed it off, but Yvonne sensed her brother wasn¡¯t joking. Little did Damien know that his sister held onto his words ever since that moment. ____ Damien rubbed his forehead wearily upon this revtion, pushing himself off the door and standing upright. ¡°At first, I wasn¡¯t nning to do anything¡­ But then, four yearster, I asked again, jokingly, and you gave the same response. That¡¯s when I realized you were serious, and I knew I had to take action.¡± ¡°So, when I saw you drive in that afternoon, I picked up my phone and pretended to be on a call. And I said all that¡­¡± ¡°I thought that¡­ Since you can¡¯t let your best friend be in a romantic rtionship with your sister, if you guys stopped being friends, then I could be with the love of my life. If only I knew that only the first part of my n would work and not the second part¡­¡± Yvonne¡¯s voice trailed off as tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Shawn and I were never in a rtionship. I made advances at him, but he never took me seriously. I was just merely his younger sister.¡± She made air quotes as she said thest two words. Then she whispered, ¡°I¡¯m merely his younger sister. He¡¯s never seen me as a woman.¡± Yvonne burst into hot tears. Damien¡¯s heart twisted as he observed the distressed girl. To carry emotions for more than two decades, lovelorn and pained. He had thought sending her abroad would heal the affection she held for Shawn. Gradually, he moved closer and enveloped her in a consoling embrace, gently patting her back. ¡°Damien, you must assist me. I love him deeply-I genuinely can¡¯t imagine my life without him.¡± Yvonne, amid tears, stuttered. ¡°Please¡­¡± She continued sobbing, tears soaking his clothes. Unbeknownst to the siblings, an eavesdropper lingered. Behind the door, Ste wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and silently retreated. Entering her and her husband¡¯s bedroom, she grabbed her phone from the bed and dialed a foreign number. ¡°Hello,¡± she paused, ¡°It¡¯s time for you to return.¡± ¡ª¨C Magnificent. The CEO¡¯s eyes were pitch ck, and bags rested heavily beneath them. It was evident at a nce that he hadn¡¯t slept all night. However, he appeared impable this morning, as always, as he sat in the mini-lounge. A familiar sound caught his attention, and he immediately recognized that Little One had returned. Despite remaining in the same position, as time psed, the girl didn¡¯t ascend the stairs. Shawn Mandez¡¯s impatience grew with each passing minute. Wouldn¡¯t she ascend to him? Did she not miss him even a bit? Was she seeking his demise? Unable to endure it any longer, he leapt to his feet. Yet, just as he did, the doorknob turned. Swiftly, he sank back into the couch, feigningposure. The moment Mia silently closed the door behind her and turned around, she froze. She had already inquired with Miranda about Shawn¡¯s presence in the house, and was informed that he hadn¡¯t left. Therefore, she anticipated finding him inside. However, she wasn¡¯t prepared to encounter a ghost-though still as captivating as ever, she couldn¡¯t ignore the prominent bags under his eyes. Did he not sleep at all? Did he aim to be the cause of her demise, appearing like that? Mia found herself speechless. After a prolonged silence, her voice, low, broke through, ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°Un,¡± Shawn responded nasally. The roompsed into silence once more. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡®Cause you weren¡¯t by my side.¡± Well, that wasn¡¯t entirely untrue, considering the CEO was grappling with insomnia. However, ever since Little One began sleeping beside him, it was as if the ailment miraculously disappeared. Mia¡¯s cheeks blushed at the man¡¯s words. How could he flirt so effortlessly? Shawn observed the girl with amusement twinkling in his eyes. ¡°Come. Come sit on myp,¡± he gestured huskily. The girl promptly shuffled over to the man¡¯s side. Shawn¡¯s slender yet robust hands pulled her onto him in a straddling position, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. Mia¡¯s heart skipped a beat at this. But then, hesitantly, she raised her hands and draped them over his shoulders. ¡°Missed me?¡± He murmured in her bosom, gently nibbling on her flesh through her shirt. She felt her upper thighs heat up and contract due to the contact. ¡°Are you still upset with me?¡± Shawn inquired. He had reced his teeth with his fingers, delicately stroking her hardened ni**le. His question triggered the girl¡¯s recollection of what she had witnessed the previous day. Frowning, she pped the man¡¯s hand away and abruptly flung herself off him. Shawn was slightly startled by this sudden shift in behavior. He had no idea she had this side to her. Wow. He heaved a sigh, seriousness now etched on his face. ¡°You saw what happened¡­ didn¡¯t you?¡± The girl stayed silent, biting her lower lip upon hearing his question. Shawn pressed his lips firmly. Swiftly, he picked up a sh drive from the center table and tossed it to her. Mia stared at the drive in herp and then looked up at the man sitting beside her in bewilderment. What was she supposed to do with a sh drive? Was he trying to change the topic? Tears stung her eyes as she pondered all this. Just then, Shawn went over to the bed and retrieved hisptop. Returning to the couch, he took his seat directly beside the sulky girl. Mia instinctively shifted away from him, leaving a space between them. Seeing this, Shawn fought the urge to chuckle. Her childishness was even funnier when she was jealous. He pushed away his thoughts, took the sh drive from herp, and inserted it into theptop. Immediately after doing this, the scene of him and Yvonne started ying. He increased the volume to the highest so that Little One could hear everything clearly. ¡°Watch the footage.¡±Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. May In the distinctive residential zone of MRA, surveince extended beyond the streets; each residence boasted CCTV cameras outdoors and indoors. Consequently, the camera positioned at the Shawn¡¯s mansion¡¯s entrance documented the interaction between him and Yvonne the previous day, capturing not only the visuals but also their spoken words. Initially, as Mia tuned into the footage, her expression soured even more. However, as she continued to observe and listen to the recording, disbelief widened her eyes. Wide-eyed, she shifted her gaze to her husband, finding him nonchntly shrugging his shoulders.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. As events unfolded, she realized her initial judgment had been off. The stranger had nted a kiss on her husband, who seemed utterly oblivious. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Shawn mumbled, his grey eyes locking onto her honey brown ones. ¡°No, no.¡± Little One delicately stowed theptop away, guilt tainting her expression. ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s sorry-for jumping to conclusions¡­ I apologize.¡± Shawn¡¯s heart warmed as he smiled, appreciating the girl¡¯s sincerity. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Misunderstandings happen,¡± he reassured. Pausing, he added, ¡°Just remember, when something makes you ufortable, challenge me. I¡¯m your husband.¡± Mia blushed deeply at his words. ¡°My husband,¡± she muttered, cheeks as pink as mingos, fingers twisting shyly. ¡°Un.¡± Shawn chuckled at her childlike demeanor, consistently amused by her antics. Suddenly, Mia¡¯s brows arched as recognition dawned. The woman in the video seemed strangely familiar, like the one from the bar. ¡°She¡¯s Damien¡¯s sister,¡± Shawn confirmed, acknowledging her suspicion. Ah¡­ She nodded mentally, recalling how Damien¡¯s sister had clung to Shawn. ¡®She must like him.¡¯ Jealousy gripped Mia. Shawn observed his wife with amusement, the tip of his finger between his teeth. ¡°Jealous?¡± He inquired. With a nod, she affirmed her feelings, eyeing him. He chuckled, then frowned. ¡°You too, why are you always with Damien? I don¡¯t want to see you with him ever again. You make me jealous that way,¡± he pouted cutely. Butterflies fluttered in Mia¡¯s stomach as her gaze lingered on his rosy lips-tempting, as if pulling her in for a kiss. Just then, Shawn¡¯s words registered in her mind, and she scrunched up her face. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®always¡¯? You¡¯ve only seen us together once.¡± Shawn snorted, ¡°as if.¡± Mia eyed the man skeptically before heaving a sigh. ¡°I need to head back to the hospital. Only came home to take a bath¡­¡± Pushing her weight off the chair, she started making her way to the bathroom. Midway, she stopped and turned to look at her husband. After a while of silence, she spoke, ¡°I know you have questions¡­ but can you give me some time?¡± Shawn offered a charming smile and replied, ¡°Take all the time you need, Little One.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Mia whispered tearfully, then headed straight to the bathroom. A whileter, she finished dressing up. As she moved to leave the room, Shawn wrapped his arms around her from behind. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Always inform Jasper of your whereabouts, okay?¡± His voice carried concern as he spoke. Mia smiled cutely. Phew! She found even his words of caution so sensual, and the proximity between them, his breath feathering the crook of her neck, made her toes curl up involuntarily. ¡°Okay.¡± She quickly removed his hands from her and hurried out of the room before losing all sense of thinking. Shawn mused. However, his face soon returned to normal as concern washed over him. His inability to sleep had been solely due to a single reason-the threatening message. Immediately after receiving the message the previous night, he had asked Lucas to track its sender¡¯s IP address. However, as expected, it led to nothing-it was untraceable. Who sent the message and for what reason, the meaning behind it-all remained a mystery to him. Perhaps there was more to his mother¡¯s death than met the eye. The case would have to be revisited by the inspector general of police. __________ A couple of weekster. Mia¡¯s mom had now been discharged from the hospital, and was appearing much better by the day. The only lingering issue was her amnesia. While discharging her, the doctor had suggested that being surrounded by familiar people in a familiar environment, engaging in regr activities, might aid in a speedier recovery. ¡°She should also take her medicine regrly, never miss her check-ups, and ensure she continues exercising.¡± Were hisst words to Mia. ¡°Thank you, Doctor.¡± Feeling that taking the woman to her husband¡¯s house would be an inconvenience, Mia arranged a nice apartment for her mother,plete with a maid for assistance when she wasn¡¯t around. Well, she had her husband¡¯s wealth to thank for that. Plus¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve gained admission to the university,¡± Mia squeaked excitedly as she rushed into the apartment. ¡°Really?¡± Her mum¡¯s face brightened at once. She immediately set the flower vase aside and dropped the pair of pruning shears in her hand. Although things were quite awkward between the mother and daughter during the week the woman¡¯s eyes first opened, gradually, the uneasiness seemed to be dissipating the more they spent time with each other. Mia made sure to always keep May Thompson¡¯spany almost every second of every day. Sometimes, she even spent the night with her. And that way, their rtionship had been revitalising rather well. ¡°That is great news, Mia!¡± May was grinning from ear to ear as her daughter gently pulled her to a couch. ¡°There¡¯s more, Mom. Guess what?¡± ¡°Spill the beans!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve alsonded a part-time gig as a TV Host at a reputable firm¡­¡± ¡°Oh my! That¡¯s huge. Congrattions, my darling,¡± May Thompson eximed, super duper happy for her child. Just then, the smile on Mia¡¯s face faded. Noticing the shift in the girl¡¯s expression, May frowned, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Mia sighed, ¡°Mom, I won¡¯t being here as often as before due to¡­ you know¡­¡± Her mother simply chuckled. ¡°I understand. You have to bnce your studies and your job. It won¡¯t be easybining those two¡­ I clearly understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. It would make me sad to disrupt your studies and job. There¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. I have ire, remember? I¡¯m recovering very well too¡­ You have nothing to be concerned about.¡± ire was the maid Mia had provided. Only after seeing that her mother waspletely okay with the news did Mia heave a sigh of relief. ¡°You¡¯re my only family, and your sess holds immense importance for me-go be you!¡± Upon hearing her mother¡¯s words, guilt washed through Mia. ¡®The only family she has¡­¡¯ Unaware of her daughter¡¯s emotional shift, May snapped her fingers as if she had just recollected something, drawing Mia back from her thoughts. ¡°You haven¡¯t brought your husband to meet me,¡± May remarked. Her personal chair ¡°Your husband, you haven¡¯t introduced him to me,¡± May remarked. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Mia was stunned. ¡°Don¡¯t be shocked,¡± May continued,ughing. ¡°I was simply in aa, not dead. So yeah, I always heard everything you said. And the books you read to me¡­¡± She smiled warmly as she spoke. It took a while for Mia to collect herself from the shock. ¡®Oh.¡¯ Since her mother woke up, they had never discussed Shawn, which made Mia shocked when May mentioned him just now. ¡°I know it was a marriage of convenience between you two, but that doesn¡¯t give him the right to mistreat my daughter.¡± May¡¯s soft expression had transformed into a scowl. At first, Mia seemed lost. What was the woman talking about? Suddenly, realization dawned on her. She recalled thest time she visited her mom in the hospital, where, before her eyes opened, she had poured out her feelings,menting about how Shawn had betrayed her trust. With this realization, Mia was stunned, finding herself at a loss for words. How would she exin this? ¡°He needs toe here so I can talk some sense into him. Perhaps I should consider having him arrested.¡± ¡°Huh-oh-¡± Mia immediately choked on her spittle, coughing incessantly. After regaining herposure, she muttered, ¡°Erm, that will not be necessary, Mom. It was a misunderstanding-we have settled it.¡± She nodded her head in an assuring manner. May eyed her daughter skeptically, ¡°Are you simply saying all this just to protect him?¡± ¡°Huh? No, no. Not at all. Truthfully, the issue has been settled.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± she added, ¡°Regardless, he needs toe see me. Or am I wrong?¡± Mia swallowed uneasily. ¡°Nn-not at all.¡± ¡°Exactly. I¡¯m his mother-inw.¡± Her mother beamed with pride. Mia let out a small smile at this. Anxiety washed over her. How was she going to say this to Shawn? Pushing her thoughts aside, she said, ¡°Mom, there are some things I must tell you.¡± __________ As Jasper drove the Madam into the mansion, it was alreadyte in the night, having spent extra time at the apartment he usually drove her to every day. ¡°Goodnight, Jasper.¡± Mia shed her teeth as she stepped down from the luxurious vehicle. ¡°Night, Madam.¡± He bobbed as he watched her enter the house. Inside, the house was unusually quiet, and Mia could barely see. If not for the lights outside, she might have thought there was a power outage. ¡°Madam Susan?¡± She called out, taking precise steps forward, but silence greeted her. The workers must have retired to their quarters for the night, she deduced. Dipping her hand into her bag, she rummaged for her phone. However, a dim light caught her attention in the dining area. Furrowing her brows, she carefully made her way to the dining room. When she arrived, what she saw left her speechless. At the head of the table sat her husband, casually yet elegantly dressed in a ck t-shirt and navy blue pants, a pleasant cologne emanating from his body. Spread across the table were various delicacies ¨C main and side dishes, desserts, and more. In the center stood a gold metal candbrum with ss tubes, each holding a lit candle. ¡°Come over,¡± her husband¡¯s husky voice cut through the silence, prompting her to approach. Astonished, Mia shuffled across the room and took a seat on the man¡¯s left side. As she lowered into the chair, Shawn reached forward, grasping her hand. ¡°Come sit on myp,¡± he pulled her onto hisp. ¡°Always sit on myp from now on, Little One. That¡¯s a chair made especially for you,¡± he whispered, his minty breath sensually caressing Mia¡¯s face. She nodded meekly in response. ¡°Good girl,¡± Shawn patted her head endearingly. ¡°Congrattions on your admission to the university. And congrattions on securing your first gig,¡± he said, nting a kiss on her cheek. So, that was what the feast was for? Mia beamed with pride inwardly. ¡°Thank you, Hubby.¡± With those three words, especially thest one, something swelled within Shawn. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Mia blinked nkly, sensing something harden underneath her. What was that? Like a sh, realization dawned on her, and she quickly sprung to her feet. Before she could make a move, Shawn, with quick reflexes, pulled her back into him, his hand wrapped around her waist.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sit still. If you keep moving around like that, I¡¯ll take you right on this table,¡± he growled huskily. Mia was immediately rendered speechless. Heat crept up her thighs, and adrenaline rushed through her veins all at once. How could a man be so¡­ so¡­ so raw, so blunt? Shawn carefully served the dishes, and the couple soon began feasting on the meal. Despite the abundance of food, knowing his wife had a voracious appetite, he was confident nothing would go to waste. And he was right. Mia cleared everything on the table. By the time they finished, she was so full that moving her legs became difficult. Effortlessly, Shawn picked her up in a bridal style and headed straight into their room, her bag also slung around his neck. Upon entering, he carried her straight into the bathroom for a quick warm bath. Noticing her husband undressing her, Mia realized he intended to bathe her. To be honest, she knew she had no strength, but the thought of Shawn Mandez seeing her nakedness made nervousness grip her. ¡°Rx your nerves, I¡¯m your husband,¡± Shawn reassured, noticing her tense body as he removed thest of her clothes. Gently, he ced her in the bathtub and tended to her. Once done, he dried andbed her tangled hair, dressed her in a silky nightgown, and tucked her into bed. He then headed to the bathroom for a quick bath. After finishing, he wore a matching pajama like hers and got into bed next to her, nting a kiss on her temple. As he settled beside her, Mia¡¯s whisper cut through the silence, ¡°Thank you.¡± She knew she had her husband to thank for her sesses, both in school and at work. She was well aware that securing the intern job was his handiwork. Even though he didn¡¯t say anything-wasn¡¯t saying anything about it, he was one to move silently. He was even the one who had drafted up her application letter himself. BY Entertainments Why wouldn¡¯t she feel grateful? What more could she possibly desire? ¡°Un.¡± Shawn responded nasally. ¡°If I don¡¯t do it, who will? I¡¯m your husband,¡± he added. Mia smiled, her gaze fixed on the ceiling. He repeatedly imed to be her husband. Was he trulymitted to their union? Or was he simply fulfilling his duties¡­? The inevitability of an abrupt end of their union loomed in Mia¡¯s thoughts, casting a wave of sadness over her. To divert her mind from heartbreaking thoughts, she murmured, ¡°My Mom wants to meet you. You don¡¯t have to force yourself if you don¡¯t want to; I¡¯ll find something to say to her.¡± Shawn¡¯s eyebrow arched up. Recalling that Little One¡¯s profile mentioned her mother¡¯s passing, he hesitated. Biting her lip, Mia added, ¡°I know you¡¯ve been wondering why I frequently visited the hospital-it was because of her. She¡¯d been in aa due to an ident and only recently woke up.¡± She let out a deep sigh. Shawn nodded silently. Her mother must have awakened the night he fetched her from the bar. She needn¡¯t borate, as he could piece together the remaining missing fragments. ¡°I¡¯ll meet with her,¡± his unexpected response caught her off guard. Quickly, she turned on her side, gazing at him. His eyes locked onto hers, and he chuckled, ¡°Why are you so surprised? I need to meet my mother-inw.¡± Mia blushed deeply, tears welling in her eyes. ¡°Thank you,¡± she sniffled. Her husband gently stroked her face with his thumb, enveloping her in a warm embrace. ¡°Shhh, go to sleep.¡± ____ Days swiftly passed, and in the blink of an eye, Mia resumed her work at BY Entertainments. ¡°Wishing you the best!¡± The workers in her home chorused as they watched her step into the vehicle. She beamed a smile in response, waving as her husband closed the car door after settling beside her. As it was her first day at work, Shawn made her ride with him in order to apany her to her workce. It didn¡¯t take long before George arrived and parked the car in front of BY Network¡¯s imposing building. ¡°I miss you already,¡± Shawn murmured, pulling his wife into a hug. Mia¡¯s cheeks tinged with pink. After releasing her from the hug, Shawn¡¯s tone turned serious. ¡°Jasper will always be avable. If you require anything, contact him. If you have suspicions, reach out to me directly. Always be cautious. Trust no one here except him.¡± He paused before adding, ¡°Andstly, if you decide to change your mind, I¡¯ll take you back home right now, Little One. Your husband¡¯s wealth is sufficient for you to abstain from working for anyone in this world. If you opt to refrain from working indefinitely, there¡¯s plenty to sustain our generations toe.¡± Mia found herself speechless. She understood that the man wasn¡¯t boasting or deceiving; he was simply stating the reality. Yet¡­ ¡°It¡¯s okay, I want to work.¡± ¡°I was hoping you wouldn¡¯t say that,¡± Shawn frowned. ¡°I need to earn a living and make my husband proud.¡± She smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± Upon hearing this, Shawn¡¯s eyes twinkled with admiration as he looked at his wife. He reached out to pat her head. ¡°Okay.¡± Mia let out a soft chuckle¡­ It still fascinated her that the formidable Shawn Mandez had a yful side to him. It always would. Swiftly, she stepped out of the car and waved goodbye until it vanished from sight. Then, she turned and gazed up at the towering, massive building. Her heart skipped a beat. It was her first day at work, and it was only natural for her to feel nervous. But she had to do this. She had to excel. She had to earn money for her husband. Straightening her hunched back, she made her way into BY Network. d in a well-tailored, luxurious, mid-length ck skirt and a white shirt paired with ck mid-heels, her hair neatly tied up in a ponytail, Mia held a ck handbag in her hand. She headed straight to the keycard entry points. As she didn¡¯t possess her employee card yet, she couldn¡¯t gain ess, and the unyielding security guard wasn¡¯t offering assistance. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m new here,¡± Mia sighed wearily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ma¡¯am, but no heads-up came from the higher-ups. I¡¯m just doing my job. You¡¯ll have to vacate the premises. I apologize,¡± the security guard responded. With a frustrated sigh, Mia felt a sense of helplessness washing over her. ¡°Let her in,¡± a sudden deep voice spoke from behind, prompting her to turn and identify the speaker. The security guard bobbed immediately. Dressed in a wine-colored suit, a handsome young man swiftly passed by Mia, swiping his card on the reader. He stepped aside, allowing the girl to pass through the entry point first. Her gaze involuntarily lingered on the man as she made her way through. Observing him repeat the gesture, she swiftly regainedposure and nodded, ¡°thank you-¡± However, upon lifting her head, she was met with emptiness. The man had vanished from sight. ¡°Huh?¡± Mia was left dumbfounded. She hadn¡¯t even had the opportunity to properly see his face. Slowly, she dragged her feet across the floor and continued on her way. But then¡­N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°Mia!!!¡± A sweet voice called out from a distance. This made her stop abruptly, turning in the direction of the voice. Right ahead stood none other than her best friend, Martha George. Mia observed as Martha quickly closed the gap between them, swiping her card. ¡°Huh? You¡¯ve got a card¡­¡± Mia pointed out. Martha nced at her ID card and shrugged, pushing her curly hair back. ¡°Yeah¡­ You know Max is well connected here, so I was able to¡­¡± ncing at Mia¡¯s neck, she noticed the absence of an ID card. ¡°Huh, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Her voice trailed off. Concern evident, she muttered, ¡°you should have told me. I would have spoken to Max on your behalf, and he would have gotten yours too.¡± ¡°I feel like a bad friend.¡± Tears welled in her eyes instantly. ¡°Ah, no¡­ Not to worry. I should also get mine before the week runs out.¡± Mia offered a small smile. ¡°Ah, okay.¡± Martha immediately linked arms with her, smiling sweetly as they headed to their floor. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you.¡± A couple of years back¡­ Pursuit of money A couple of years ago¡­ ¡°Mia, what¡¯s your n after high school? Are you heading to college?¡± Seated on the swings, enjoying ice cream, the two lively friends discussed their future. ¡°Hmmm, I¡¯m thinking of going to college, and I¡¯ll be interning as a TV presenter.¡± ¡°Wow, that sounds great! Let¡¯s do it together,¡± Martha eximed, her face lighting up. ¡°Where should we pursue our internship?¡± ¡°Hmmmmm, BY Network.¡± Mia dered with determination. ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that owned by Max¡¯s family?¡± Martha inquired, her eyes widening. ¡°Technically, it is.¡± Max appeared from behind, embracing Mia. Mia blushed deeply and yfully fed Max ice cream. ¡°Ah, I envy you two¡­ So adorable,¡± Martha giggled. ____ Present day. ¡°You¡¯re wee, once again. I assure you, you¡¯ll enjoy your time here. If you excel, there¡¯s potential for a full-time position within thepany.¡± The manager of the human resources department smiled warmly, concluding his speech. ¡°Later, we¡¯ll host a wee dinner for you all. Take the opportunity to familiarize yourselves with your superiors and show respect. Best of luck.¡± With that, he headed back to his office. Apart from Mia and Martha, two additional interns joined-a boy and a girl-the girl, surprisingly, from their own school and Mia¡¯s former ssmate, Veronica Clifford. Upon entering their new office space, Mia was notably taken aback seeing Veronica, more surprised than Martha. Veronica, initially shocked by Mia¡¯s presence, quickly regainedposure and greeted Martha while avoiding eye contact with Mia. Before the HR manager departed for his office, he had guided each of them to their respective cubicles, allowing the four interns to promptly settle in. However, before they could find a moment to settle in¡­ ¡°Intern, fetch me my coffee.¡± ¡°Is there an intern avable? Take these files to the studio.¡± ¡°Grab those boxes and follow me.¡± ¡°Research this topic and report back in five minutes.¡± ¡°Submit this to the Chief Editor.¡± Enjoyment indeed! Despite feeling utterly confused and overwhelmed, Mia found this new experience surprisingly exhrating. She recognized the need to adapt to her transformed lifestyle. From the moment they arrived until closing hours, the interns didn¡¯t have a moment to spare. Exhausted and drained, they finally exited the building. ¡°Good night, everyone,¡± Josh, the sole male intern, waved before heading off. ¡°Bye, Martha. My ride¡¯s here,¡± Veronica bid farewell to Martha and walked past Mia as if she didn¡¯t even notice her. She opened the car door and took a seat beside her aunt. ¡°Hi, Aunt,¡± she greeted with a bright smile. ¡°Why is it you who came?¡± Veronica asked, fastening her seatbelt. But Yvonne seemed distracted. As the car smoothly left BY Entertainments, her gaze remained fixed on a particr person-the girl from the other night. She was the one. Her eyes wouldn¡¯t mistake her. ¡°Aunty Yvonne?¡± Veronica tapped her lightly. ¡°Oh, Vee,¡± Yvonne jolted, blinking life back into her eyes. ¡°How was your first day at work?¡± ¡°Hectic,¡± Veronica sighed as she sank into the seat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; you¡¯ll get used to it,¡± her aunt reassured, forcing out a small smile while her eyes remained fixed on the rearview mirror. ¡°Um, Vee¡­ That girl¡­ Is she your friend?¡± ¡°Who? Martha?¡± ¡°Is that her name? The one in white and ck¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Mia,¡± Veronica said dryly. ¡°She¡¯s not my friend. Never will she be my friend. The heavens forbid,¡± she spat. Yvonne stole a nce at her niece before focusing on the road. ¡°If I knew she was going to intern here, I wouldn¡¯t havee. Eish!¡± Veronica clicked her tongue irritably. ¡°Why? Is she that bad?¡± Yvonne¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Eiya! She¡¯s terrible. A boyfriend snatcher! She took her best friend¡¯s boyfriend! Thank goodness Martha got Max back. Do you know BY Entertainments belongs to Max¡¯s uncle? She was after his family wealth. Shameless!¡± Yvonne was astonished. ¡°Really? That¡¯s indeed terrible.¡± Her best friend¡¯s boyfriend¡­ Ah, was that it? Yvonne wondered. ¡®Is the girl ying a game, intentionally toying with Shawn and Damien?¡¯ Her eyes darkened. Her man and her brother.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. The two influential men in the country were head over heels for her, acting likembs at her feet. Was it all a game? A pursuit of money? Too bad. Now that her secret had been exposed, it was over for her. ¡®I¡¯ll deal with you,¡¯ Yvonne vowed within herself, her hand tightening around the steering wheel. Back at BY Entertainments. Right outside BY Network, two cheerful friends stood together. ¡°Do you know who¡¯sing to pick me?¡± Martha blushed deeply, ¡°Max.¡± ¡°He should be here any time soon. He worries too much about me-I told him not to worry, but¡­¡± Her voice trailed off. And right on time, a car pulled up in front of them. As expected, the person behind the wheel was none other than Max Anderson. He stepped out of the driver¡¯s side and opened the passenger¡¯s door for his girlfriend. ¡°Aww, my sweet.¡± Martha was all smiles as she stepped in. ¡°Max, could you please drop off Mia? She needs to ride with us.¡± Max took a quick nce at Mia and then looked away. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Huh, no. That won¡¯t be necessary. I don¡¯t want to inconvenience you¡­ I¡¯ll find my way.¡± Martha frowned. ¡°Why are you being shy? Get in; Max will take you.¡± Mia smiled, ¡°don¡¯t worry yourself. I have somewhere I must be-I¡¯ll take the bus.¡± Hearing this, Max muttered, ¡°okay.¡± Before returning to the driver¡¯s side, his gaze lingered on Mia¡¯s fingers-devoid of a ring, still. ¡°I¡¯m her husband.¡± Ever since he heard those words on the phone long ago, peace of mind eluded him. For reasons unknown, those words clung to his thoughts, creating a web of questions about Mia¡¯s mysterious marriage. When? How? To whom? Uncertainties flooded his mind. Perhaps, that person had yed a prank on him. Unconsciously, Max let out a sigh as he reentered the car. ¡°Bye, Bestie,¡± Martha waved to Mia as the car drove off. As they exited BY Entertainments, Martha¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the passenger side mirror. As anticipated, after their car had traveled a short distance, another car pulled up in front of Mia, and she got in. ¡®Lying wench!¡¯ Martha sneered. Charlotte George Martha sneered, ¡®Lying wench!¡¯ Being married to the wealthiest man in the country came with countless privileges, including free rides. Just how did someone as clueless as her manage to cross paths with Shawn Mandez? It was baffling.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Annoying piece of work. Was Vivian not nning to take any action against her? That fool. Since handing over the documents the other night, the girl hadn¡¯t made a move yet. ¡®What is she waiting for?¡¯ ¡°How was work today?¡± Max¡¯s voice cut through the silence, prompting Martha to swiftlypose herself. Wearing a cute smile, she replied, ¡°It wasn¡¯t so bad. I just feel sore all over and will need a certain someone to massage my body for me.¡± Upon hearing this, Max grinned. ¡°As yourdyship pleases.¡± The two burst intoughter together. Mia had slipped off her heels in the car by the time she and Jasper arrived home. As the car door was swung open by one of the guards, she was gently caught in slender yet sturdy arms. Before she couldprehend, she found herself being carried inside, then upstairs to the bedroom. Upon entering, Shawn carried her directly to the bathroom, gently cing her in the already-filled bathtub. The warm water provided soothing relief as Mia¡¯s naked body settled in. She sighed in relief, earning a smile from Shawn. After approximately ten minutes, to Mia¡¯s disappointment, Shawn lifted her from the tub, carefully drying her hair and body with clean towels. Next, he positioned her on the bed, lying on her stomach, and proceeded to apply muscle rub all over her body, skillfully massaging away the day¡¯s stress. He didn¡¯t need to inquire about her first day at work. He already knew. ¡°Hmm,¡± Mia sighed in approval as her husband worked wonders on her fatigued body. In no time, she drifted off to dreand. After a while, Shawn noticed this, and the corners of his mouth twitched. She hadn¡¯t even had dinner yet. Mia never joked with food-she must have been exceptionally tired. Frowning, he reached for his phone. __________ Two dayster. BY Network. On Mia¡¯s third day at BY Network, she discovered she was adapting quickly to her job-much to her surprise. Working there would have been daunting without a friend, but fortunately, her best friend, Martha, was there with her-supporting and assisting. ¡°Hey, Intern,e with me.¡± Mia swiftly gathered the scripts dumped on her cubicle desk by one of her superiors and hastened after her. Upon stepping out of the elevator, Mia¡¯s eyes roamed with admiration. It then dawned on her that they were on Charlotte¡¯s floor. This was the floor of the super-talented and famous Charlotte George! Rumors had it that she was the sole individual in BY Network with an entire floor exclusively for her use. Impressive! Inwardly squeaking with delight, Mia absorbed the grandeur of the moment. Mrs. Brown looked behind her at the intern and chuckled, aware of the thoughts racing through the girl¡¯s mind. ¡°Work hard, and you¡¯ll be just like her,¡± she muttered. ¡°Really?¡± Mia¡¯s eyes twinkled like stars as she shuffled closely behind her superior. ¡°Indeed.¡± Mrs. Brown¡¯s words lingered with Mia, instantly etched into her heart-hard work, greatness. Soon, they reached a door, and Mrs. Brown rapped lightly on it before turning the knob. ¡°Huh, Senior,¡± a sonorous voice filled the air as soon as they stepped in. Mia couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. In her wildest imagination, she never thought she woulde face to face with the famous Charlotte George. It felt like a daydream, and her eyes swelled with joyous tears. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to bring this yourself again. You could have sent someone-haven¡¯t the interns resumed work yet?¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice was filled with concern as she gazed at Mrs. Brown. She held immense love and respect for the woman. Before bing a professional and a famous TV presenter, she had entered BY Network as an intern. During a time when everyone scorned and looked down upon her, Mrs. Brown had been exceptionally kind and taken her under her wings. She was the first person who had noticed the fire in her-the potential. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Well, I won¡¯t have to continue doing that anymore as the interns have resumed work,¡± Mrs. Brown smiled and then turned to Mia, ¡°here¡¯s one of them, and she¡¯ll be the one bringing your scripts henceforth.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Charlotte¡¯s gaze shifted to the pretty girl. ¡°Hello,¡± she smiled warmly. Throughout, Mia remained dazed. She had been lost in marvelnd since they stepped into the office-she stood before a living legend, breathing the same air as her¡­ It was hard not to. It was just too good to be true. The award-winning Charlotte George who had clinched the Best TV Host Award consecutively, for three years now, was standing before her. Seeing Charlotte in person right now¡­ was a dreame true for her. Charlotte was not just a renowned figure; she was Mia¡¯s role model, her inspiration. Mia had first watched her on TV years ago-long before Charlotte reached the pinnacle of fame. She had fallen in love with the woman instantly and, since then, had decided to pursue a career as a TV presenter, and be just like Charlotte George. Examining her up close like this, Mia realized that the woman was even more stunning in real life than on television. The city¡¯s sweetheart. Unbelievable. She still couldn¡¯t grasp the fact that she was standing in the presence of her role model-live and direct. Wow. Her heart thumped hard in her chest, and her feet remained rooted to the same spot. ¡°Mia, pay your respects to your senior.¡± Senior. ¡°Hello, Senior, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you-I¡¯m Mia-Mia Thompson, and I adore you so mu-oops.¡± Mia pped herself on the face quickly. What was wrong with her? Losingposure in front of her queen¡­ Charlotte simplyughed heartily, shing her neatly arranged row of white teeth. Mia was mesmerized. The woman was so elegant! ¡°Hello, Mia. I look forward to working with you.¡± The stunning TV host extended her hand for a handshake. Working with her¡­ Mia swiftly brushed her hands on her dress to ensure they were clean, then took thedy¡¯s soft, manicured hand in hers. After a brief conversation, Mrs. Brown guided the intern out of Charlotte¡¯s office, and they returned to their floor. As they departed, a passerby caught sight of them. The individual halted, pivoted, and gazed at the duo. After a moment, she opened the door to Charlotte¡¯s office and walked in. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Charlotte nced up from the script she was perusing. Maria sucked in her teeth, immersed in contemtion. ¡°Aish. Where do I recognize her from? Where could it be?¡± ¡°Hm? Who?¡± Charlotte inquired, setting the script aside. ¡°That girl¡­ the one who just left your office. I know her from somewhere; I just can¡¯t seem to recall.¡± ¡°Oh, I doubt that. She recently started as an intern. Such a sweet girl,¡± Charlotte chuckled. Just then, realization hit Maria all of a sudden. ¡°Ah! Damien¡¯s girlfriend!¡± Upon hearing this, the expression on Charlotte¡¯s face shifted immediately. Pictures Upon hearing her friend¡¯s revtion, Charlotte¡¯s expression changed abruptly. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Her brows furrowed in confusion. Maria hesitated before speaking, ¡°the other day, I saw her with Damien¡­ I asked who she was to him, and he introduced her as his girlfriend. I was shocked. I had no idea he was into younger girls.¡± Certainly, she couldn¡¯t confess to her so-called friend that she had gone on a blind date with her ex-boyfriend. To be brutally honest, Maria was well aware that Damien Davis was going to be her blind date; she had insisted her dad set her up with him. She had always liked him. She had harbored feelings for him even when he was still in a rtionship with Charlotte. However, Maria had kept those emotions to herself. After three years since their breakup, she thought, why not try her luck? But before she could make a move, she faced a crushing failure¨CDamien introduced a young girl as his girlfriend. Suddenly, Charlotte burst intoughter, taking a moment to regainposure. When she finally did, she chuckled, ¡°Maria, you joke too much.¡± However, Maria maintained a serious gaze. ¡°It¡¯s not a joke. She¡¯s Damien¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Charlotte was stunned. The smile vanished from her face instantly. Damien¡¯s girlfriend¡­ ____ As closing hour approached, farewells were exchanged, and everyone dispersed. ¡°Mia, I¡¯ll catch up in a moment; I need to use the restroom,¡± Martha urged, ¡°Go on without me, okay?¡± Mia nodded and headed out. Stepping out of the building, Veronica¡¯s ride pulled up. She observed as the girl swiftly hopped into the vehicle. ¡°It¡¯s your turn today!¡± Veronica grinned upon seeing who was behind the wheel. ¡°Is everyone taking turns picking me up from work? Aunty Yvonne on Monday, Mom yesterday, and today it¡¯s you. Maybe Dad tomorrow,¡± she chuckled while fastening her seatbelt. Beside her, the man paid little attention to her rambling, his gaze fixated on one person alone-Mia. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, Vee.¡± Without hesitation, Damien stepped down from the vehicle and approached Mia. ¡°Hi,¡± He greeted with a small smile as he came to a halt before the girl. ¡°Ah, good evening,¡± Mia bobbed politely. ¡°How have you been?¡± He inquired. Before Mia could respond, something shed in Damien¡¯s eyes. In the blink of an eye, he closed the gap between them and engulfed the girl in a hug. Mia froze, attempting to push him away, but his arms around her tightened. ¡°Please, let¡¯s stay like this for a while,¡± he whispered. Unable to bear the heartbreaking scene any longer, a tear escaped Charlotte¡¯s eye as she turned and walked away on shaky legs from where she was standing in a corner. Maria had been right¡­ Damien was indeed in a rtionship with that girl. A whileter, Damien slowly disengaged from the hug. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± He apologized immediately. ¡°It¡¯s just, someone I used to know¡­¡± His voice trailed off. ¡°Uncle Damien, we need to go!¡± Veronica, watching the awkward scene unfold, wound down the car window and fumed at her uncle. What was he thinking, hugging that girl?! What came over him?! ¡°Ah, good night. We¡¯ll continue our conversation some other time,¡± he stuttered and went back to the car, immediately driving out of sight. But Veronica and Charlotte weren¡¯t the only ones who had observed the scene¡­ Someone else had too, capturing Damien and Mia¡¯s hug in photos on her phone. After finishing in the restroom, Martha hurried into the elevator and headed to the ground floor. Just as she was about to step out through the door, she was met with the most astonishing sight. Mia was embracing someone, prompting Martha to swiftly move to the side, concealing herself behind a wall. At a nce, she discerned it wasn¡¯t Shawn Mandez that Mia was hugging. So, who could it be? As she looked more closely, shock swept over her when she recognized the person-Damien Davis, the CEO of D. A Company and Veronica Clifford¡¯s wealthy uncle. Martha quickly pulled out her phone and discreetly captured pictures of them. Sheesh! Martha wondered from her hiding ce, just how despicable could Mia be? She had to hand it to the girl-Mia was truly adept at this game, entangling herself with two of the wealthiest men. Martha, initially thinking Mia was the most naive and gullible person, was now impressed. She had to give Mia her due credit. Scrolling through the pictures on her phone, she smiled to herself. ¡®When a certain someone sees this, how would he react? Gosh! You¡¯re too smart, Martha,¡¯ she praised herself inwardly. Wiping the smile off her face, she stepped out of her hiding ce and approached Mia. ¡°Mia, I¡¯m here. Did you wait too long?¡± ¡°Oh, not at all.¡± Mia regained herposure, offering a smile. What had just happened hadpletely caught her off guard¡­ ¡°Hmn.¡± Soon, Max arrived and drove off with Martha. Upon reaching home, Martha immediately began executing her n. Max had suggested sleeping over, as he had been doing for a while, but she insisted on him leaving.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t want you growing tired of me and finding me less appealing from being together too much-you¡¯re seeing me too often. Let¡¯s take it slowly, okay?¡± She quickly kissed him and shut the door on his face before he could react. Rummaging through her drawers, she turned everything in her apartment upside down. Soon, she found what she was looking for-an exquisite business card. After Martha found the divorce agreement documents some time ago, she began tirelessly searching for Shawn Mandez¡¯s phone number through every possible avenue. She knew she couldn¡¯t rely solely on Vivian; the foolish girl hadn¡¯t made any move so far. Eish. However, obtaining the man¡¯s number proved to be quite challenging. Just when she was on the verge of giving up hope, someone provided her with his personal assistant¡¯s card-CEO Shawn¡¯s closest employee. Martha had held onto it since then, anticipating that it woulde in handy soon. And tonight, it did. She swiftly entered and saved the phone number from the card into her secret phone. Licking the corner of her mouth, Martha uploaded the photos and P. A. Lucas¡¯ phone number to a designated contact, sending it with the caption, ¡°SEND THE IMAGES TO THE CONTACT ATTACHED.¡± Soon, a message popped up on her phone, ¡°DONE.¡± Martha closed her eyes, silently praying that the man would read the message. A few secondster, she lounged on the rug, wearing a smug smile. ¡°Ah, my dear friend is in for a long night,¡± she smirked. The CEO鈥檚 rage ___________ Beats Corporations HQ. ¡°Have George drive the car to the entrance. I¡¯m leaving now,¡± ordered CEO Shawn. He retrieved his overcoat from the rack, making a swift exit from his opulent office, trailed by his personal assistant carrying his briefcase. Lucas, caught off guard, nced at his wristwatch-it was just after eight. Still too early. Typically, the CEO worked until almost midnight before departing. But these days¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you?¡± Shawn¡¯s deep voice interrupted Lucas¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Sir?¡± He blinked, watching the Big Boss¡¯s back as they entered the elevator. ¡°Um. That¡¯s because you¡¯re not married yet. Your lonely, single self can¡¯t rte to being a diligent, loving, and caring husband like me,¡± boasted the CEO, hands pocketed. Lucas was stunned. ¡®Wow.¡¯ ¡°You can never rte,¡± he added, clicking his tongue. The elevator doors slid open upon reaching the ground floor, and the Big Boss and his subordinate headed straight to the entrance. Walking briskly, Lucas felt his phone vibrate in his hand. ncing at the screen, he discovered an anonymously sent message. Clicking on it, his eyes widened as he scrolled through its content. Wasn¡¯t that the¡­ His eyes narrowed at once. ¡°Are you fed up with your job?¡± Shawn reached the car and stared at his assistant, who had suddenly stopped midway. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir.¡± Lucas quickly resumed walking. As soon as he got to his boss¡¯s side, he muttered, ¡°You need to see this, Sir.¡± Shawn retrieved the phone from his outstretched hand. Immediately he set his eyes on the screen, his face darkened at once. Though the photos were dim, he could clearly make out the faces of the two people hugging in them. One was his wife, and the other¡­ a bastard he needed to deal with immediately. He handed Lucas¡¯s phone back, and before one could say ¡°jack,¡± he took swift,rge strides around the car, wrenching open the driver¡¯s side door. Wordlessly, he yanked his chauffeur out by the cor and got in. The next second, he hit the elerator and sped off. Before that moment, Lucas had instructed George to head home and quickly slid into the passenger¡¯s seat. He tightly gripped the grab handle, his life seemingly hanging in the bnce as the CEO exceeded speed limits, disregarding all regtory lights and guidelines. Shawn felt his blood boil, his sole focus now fixated on his mission. After covering some ground, he deftly maneuvered the car onto the Davis family¡¯s estate, screeching to a halt in front of their mansion. Without shutting off the engine, he exited the car and stormed directly into the mansion. Lucas hurriedly trailed behind, repeatedly calling, ¡°Boss, Boss¡­¡± However, Shawn remained impervious to his words, his strides unwavering. Inside the mansion, the Davis family was in the midst of a dinner at the dining table, with Ste and her family also in attendance. Despite the Clifford family having separate rooms in the Davis Family¡¯s mansion, their primary residence was also within the estate. They chose to be on their own. However, since Yvonne¡¯s return, they had chosen to stay in the mansion. Ste couldn¡¯t bear the thought of leaving her two younger siblings alone in the same house. Fearing the unknown consequences of their unsupervised time together, she implored her husband to allow them to temporarily reside in the mansion. ¡°This hits!¡± Veronica mumbled with a mouthful of food, releasing a contented sigh. ¡°Exactly what I need after a hectic day at work.¡± ¡°Considering quitting?¡± Evans, her father, teased. ¡°What?!¡± She eximed, eyes wide in disbelief. Laughter erupted from everyone. ¡°Give my niece a break, Evans,¡± Yvonneined. ¡°Just pulling her leg,¡± Evans chuckled in response. ¡°Vee won¡¯t relent until she gets what she wants, right, Vee?¡± Amidst this, a suddenmotion echoed from the front door, jolting the entire family. ¡°I¡¯ll go check.¡± Damien swiftly pushed his chair back, heels hitting the floor. As he approached the doorway, about to exit the dining room, an unexpected blow knocked him to the floor. The room, caughtpletely off guard, erupted in a collective shriek of horror. ¡°How dare youy your filthy hands on her?!¡± Shawn bellowed in rage, hauling Damien up by the cors. Another punch connected with his handsome face, causing him to crash to the floor once more. ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡± Ste shouted, fear gripping her at the sight before her. Rushing to her brother¡¯s side, she squatted low beside him, anxiously asking, ¡°are you alright?¡± A sneer tugged at the corner of Shawn¡¯s mouth as he looked down upon Damien. ¡°This is thest time I¡¯ll warn you. If I catch you near my wife again, it¡¯ll be your head off your neck.¡± ¡°Shawn!¡± Ste was stupefied and speechless. How could he¡­? Having said his piece, Shawn turned and strode out of the mansion. Without thinking, Yvonne quickly rushed after him. Damien remained on the floor, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, he burst intoughter. Taken aback, the Clifford family exchanged puzzled looks. By the time Yvonne caught up with Shawn, he had reached his car and was about to enter. ¡°She¡¯s only using you!¡± Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t you see?! You¡¯ve always been intelligent, so why can¡¯t you see that she¡¯s only after your wealth? She doesn¡¯t love you. Please, get it togeth-¡± ¡°It¡¯s my wealth, isn¡¯t it?¡± Shawn cut her off sharply. ¡°I don¡¯t mind at all.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Yvonne was shocked. Without another word, he stepped into the car. Lucas promptly closed the car door after his boss and headed to the driver¡¯s side. He pressed on the elerator, and the car zoomed off. Yvonne stood frozen in ce, her legs weakening as tears streamed down her face, watching the car retreat. He didn¡¯t mind¡­ Here she was, wealthy, and yet he didn¡¯t want her. What did he see in that girl-a gold digger? Shawn¡¯s chest heaved visibly as he leaned back against the headrest, closing his eyes in an attempt to calm his nerves. When the vehicle finally drove into the CEO¡¯s residence, Jasper was already waiting by the front door to give his daily report. However, before he could speak, the big boss beat him to it, ¡°How did you let that happen?¡± Shawn¡¯s temper had slightly subsided by then. Jasper¡¯s eyes subtly wavered upon hearing the inquiry. ¡®The Big Boss is already aware.¡¯ Swiftly, he bowed his head respectfully, ¡°I apologize, Sir. Rest assured, such a thing won¡¯t ur again.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Shawn¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Be warned.¡± He looked away and proceeded inside the house. ¡°Wee, Young Master,¡± the workers chorused upon their boss¡¯s arrival. Silence met their greeting, a familiar response to the employees. Without acknowledging anyone, Shawn ascended the stairs directly to his bedroom. Pausing at the door, he stared at it for a few moments before finally turning the doorknob. A significant blessing Shawn reached the door and paused, studying it briefly before twisting the doorknob. Upon entering, Mia suddenly appeared, catching him off guard. ¡°I apologize. I¡¯ve made a grave mistake. It was unintentional, unforeseen. I went against your words-I had no idea. Please forgive me.¡± He could roughly guess what¡­ ¡°What are you rambling about?¡± His eyebrow arched up. Mia hesitated, biting her lower lip. ¡°I-He¡­ Aish!¡± She stuttered, squeezing her eyes shut. Rushing out of her mouth, she exined, ¡°The person you warned me about came to pick up his niece at my workce today. He greeted me, and suddenly hugged me-it happened too fast. I didn¡¯t anticipate it, should have moved away immediately-I don¡¯t know what I was thinking-I¡¯m sorry!¡± Shawn observed her, mouth parted slightly open. ¡®What is she, a radio? Talking nonstop like that¡­¡¯ ¡°Being a TV presenter suits you indeed,¡± he clicked his tongue, moving past her. Huh? Mia quickly opened her eyes and turned to face him, surprised. Observing the man¡¯s facial expression, she noticed he didn¡¯t seem mad at all. ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t annoyed?¡± She drawled. ¡°I was. Not anymore,¡± he muttered as he sat on the edge of the bed, taking off his shoes. Her truthfulness dissipated all the anger lingering in him. He rose to his feet, closing the space between them. That was when he noticed- Quickly raising his hand to her face, he rubbed his thumb below her eyes. As expected, there was moisture. ¡°Have you been crying?¡± Reluctantly, she nodded. ¡°Ah, you silly girl,¡± he frowned. She had served herself punishment before he even got the chance to do it himself. ¡°I¡¯m not mad at you. I can never be mad at you-not for long, at least.¡± Gently, he brought her head to his chest and stroked her hair. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Mia shook her head. ¡°Let me take a quick shower. We¡¯ll go downstairs afterwards.¡± A few momentster, they headed to the dining room. ¡°Hello, everyone,¡± Shawn muttered as he and his wife stepped down from the stairs. The maids were taken aback. Just a moment ago, they had greeted¡­ Speechlessness. After dinner, the couple headed straight to bed. ¡°Sleep early; tomorrow¡¯s going to be another long day at work,¡± Shawn patted the girl on her head, cuddling her from behind like a big spoon. ¡°Hmm,¡± Mia mumbled. ¡°I saw Charlotte George today for the first time, so gorgeous.¡± She continued to mumble in her sleep, ¡°She¡¯s my role model. Someday soon, I want to be like her. I¡¯ll work hard for my husband and be famous-make him proud.¡± Behind her, Shawn stared into the darkness, listening attentively to the girl¡¯s incoherent words. Charlotte George¡­ He frowned at the name. ¡°Don¡¯t be like her. Be greater than her,¡± he muttered. But then, the girl had already drifted off to sleep. Kissing her hair, he quietly slipped out of bed and made his way to the study. ____ The following day, at dawn, the couple woke up, took turns in the bathroom, and went downstairs for breakfast. After finishing, they left the house, each getting into their own cars. The vehicles followed one another out of Magnificent Residential Area, and upon reaching the main junction, they parted ways, heading in opposite directions. Spotting B. Y Entertainments in the distance, Jasper swerved the car and parked in a discreet corner. Following Madam¡¯s request, he consistently stopped and parked the car a few meters away from her workce. She preferred not to attract attention to herself, keeping her secret marriage hidden. Naturally, they carried out this discreet arrangement without the Big Boss¡¯ knowledge. If he were to find out, they would be in serious trouble. ¡°Thank you, Jasper.¡± Mia bobbed her head and swiftly stepped down from the vehicle to avoid drawing attention. Briskly, she walked away and soon entered B. Y Network. With her employee card in hand, there was no issue entering the building. She rode the elevator, with a couple of others, straight to her office floor. Upon entering, she observed a crowd gathered around a particr cubicle, chatting andughing heartily. As she approached, she noticed it was Martha¡¯s cubicle they were all at. ¡°¡­ and you never said a word, so you¡¯re the one who¡¯s dating the CEO¡¯s nephew¡­¡± One of the employees piped. ¡°I envy you.¡± ¡°So happy for you.¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends now, okay?¡± ¡°I hope I¡¯m in your good book.¡± ¡°If you need help with anything, let me know¡­¡± Everyone sang praises of Martha and the girl simply remained in her seat, smiling sweetly. ¡°How did you guys get to find out-¡°She paused and added shyly, ¡°I never wanted anyone to know..¡± ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re too humble.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too nice.¡± The employees cooed around her, making her bite on her lip shyly. ¡°So, you mean to say that if I had not mistakenly seen your wallpaper this morning, you would have kept quiet about being our CEO¡¯s nephew¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Alexa pouted. ¡°That¡¯s not the kind of thing to keep to one¡¯s self.¡± A while ago, as Alexa, one of B. Y Network¡¯s editors, entered the office through the door, she identally bumped into someone, causing the person¡¯s phone to fall. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she quickly hunched and picked up the phone. But as she did this, she couldn¡¯t help but notice its wallpaper picture. The owner of the phone quickly snatched it from her hand, but it was toote-she had seen the picture. It was the CEO¡¯s nephew, Max Anderson, and Martha in the photo-their lips locked together intimately. You don¡¯t say! Alexa¡¯s eyes widened as realization struck her. ¡°Are you in a rtionship with our Big Boss¡¯ nephew???¡± She was shocked. In response to her question, neither approving nor denying it, Martha hastily ran off in embarrassment, further confirming the authenticity of the picture to Alexa. ¡®I¡¯m right.¡¯ And just like that, news of her being Max¡¯s girlfriend began spreading throughout the office like wildfire. Soon, the employees gathered around her cubicle, eager to feed their ears and butter up to her. Having someone close to CEO Nathan-in their office-was a significant blessing. Buttering up to the girl was necessary. ¡°That¡¯s not nice.¡± ¡°You should have informed us.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± The employees showed their disappointment.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Martha, smiling sheepishly, bobbed her head repeatedly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. It¡¯s just that¡­ I don¡¯t want people to know¡­ to be treated differently from the rest of the interns¡­¡± ¡°I hope you all can continue treating me like the rest of my colleagues,¡± she added, sweetly. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re just too nice.¡± ¡°Too humble.¡± ¡°Way too humble.¡± Mia, who had been observing the scene, politely greeted everyone as she headed to her cubicle. ¡°Hey, Mia, you¡¯re Martha¡¯s best friend. Why didn¡¯t you inform us of her rtionship with CEO Nathan¡¯s nephew?¡± One of the employees frowned at her. ¡°Yeah,¡± others chimed in. Martha swiftly stood up, adopting a defensive stance as she hurried to Mia¡¯s cubicle, shielding her from the group with her arms stretched to the sides. ¡°Guys, please. Leave her out of this,¡± she pleaded. The visitor Upon hearing the workers¡¯ words, Martha swiftly rose to her feet, assuming a defensive pose as she hurried over to Mia¡¯s cubicle, spreading her hands in a protective gesture. ¡°Guys, please. Leave her out of this.¡± Everyone was surprised. Why was she suddenly being so protective? ¡°Mia has been through a lot; please, just leave her out of this. Please.¡± The entire office scrutinized Mia. What was going on? Just then, Veronica, who had been silent all this time, red up. ¡°Why? Why are you protecting her?¡± She snapped, sneering. Facing everyone, she spat out venom, ¡°Mia didn¡¯t say anything because she¡¯s jealous of Martha!¡± ¡°What?!¡± The entire office was thrown into a frenzy. ¡°Jealous in what sense?¡± ¡°As how?¡± ¡°They¡¯re best friends, aren¡¯t they?¡± Scoffing, Veronica continued, ¡°Yes, jealous. She once tried to steal Martha¡¯s position by snatching Max from her. Thank goodness the heavens interven¨C¡± Before she could finish, Martha swiftly shuffled over, sping her hand over Veronica¡¯s mouth. But the words were already out, and everyone had heard her clearly. ¡°Veronica! You shouldn¡¯t have-how could you say that here?¡± Martha whined. She then turned to face the audience, ¡°Guys, it¡¯s not like that¡­ it¡¯s not¡­¡± Her words trailed off, her face revealing helplessness. Upon hearing her words, everyone in the office became even more convinced that Veronica was telling the truth. ¡°How could she?¡± ¡°Oh my! What a backstabber!¡± ¡°How can someone be so desperate?¡± ¡°Your best friend¡¯s man!¡± ¡°Someone like her, how is she working here?¡± They all criticized Mia, casting disapproving looks her way. ¡°Guys, please¡­ Mia isn¡¯t like that,¡± Martha pleaded, but her pleas only angered them further. ¡°You¡¯re still supporting her, how?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been blinded by unconditional love!¡± ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d stay away from such a person, ew!¡± ¡°So disgusting,¡± Veronica scorned. She wouldn¡¯t have said anything and would have just kept quiet about the matter. But thinking about how she¡¯d witnessed Mia throw herself into her uncle¡¯s arms the previous night, Veronica couldn¡¯t help but be enraged. How dare she?! If the wench was thinking about snatching her uncle too, she must be insane. That would never happen! In the midst of themotion, all of a sudden, someone¡¯s voice cut through, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Is this a marketce?¡± Upon seeing Mrs. Brown enter, the office wentpletely silent, and everyone quickly shuffled to their desks at once. ¡°If only you all put this much effort into your jobs¡­¡± The woman frowned. A couple of secondster, she turned to Mia, ¡°Intern,e with me.¡± With that, she exited the office. As Mia quickly followed her superior, she received disapproving gazes as she left the office. Martha silently watched the girl¡¯s retreating form, a hidden glint in her eyes. Walking down the corridor, Mrs. Brown eyed Mia skeptically from the corner of her eyes; the girl showed no signs of being fazed, yet a hint of sadness lingered on her face. Standing behind the door, she had absorbed every word exchanged among the employees from the very beginning, before eventually stepping into the office and putting an end to their discussion. Finally reaching BY Network¡¯s studio, Mia¡¯s eyes widened in amazement at the grand and beautiful sight before her. She had no idea this was where they wereing¡­ ¡°Close your mouth; this is the smallest studio here,¡± Mrs. Brownmented. What?! Mia couldn¡¯t believe her ears. This enormous studio wasn¡¯t even the main one? There was still others? ¡°Wow.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. BY Network is indeed huge. __ Mia soon realized that Mrs. Brown had called her to follow her, not to perform any duty, but to observe some renowned TV hosts gracefully performing their duties. By the time the studio went off air, it was already lunch break. ¡°Good job, everyone,¡± the producer praised as the team dispersed, each person heading their separate way. With Mrs. Brown having something to discuss with the producer, Mia found herself leaving the studio on her own. She headed straight to the cafeteria, seeking a hidden corner to enjoy her lunch. However, just before she could dig in, someone appeared before her. ¡°Excuse me, are you Mia Thompson?¡± thedy inquired politely. Confused, Mia nodded in response. ¡°Someone is at the entrance, waiting for you.¡± As soon as she finished saying this, thedy spun on her heels and left immediately. Someone was outside waiting for her. Mia was taken aback. Who could it be? Jasper? But he was always around¡­ Plus, he¡¯d have called¡­ Shawn, perhaps? She wondered. It could be him, maybeing to surprise her. Again. That man. She didn¡¯t want anyone knowing about them¡­ ¡°Aish!¡± Smiling cutely, she stood up and hastily exited the cafeteria. ¡°He never listens.¡± She was ted. She needed to clear her head after what happened in the morning. Although she¡¯d spent enough time in the studio, the matter was still lingering in her mind. Shawn was her escape. Her refuge. He¡¯d cheer her up with his presence. Just as Mia stepped out of the building, she surveyed the area, yet there was no trace of her husband in sight. ¡®Huh? Did he park somewhere hidden from sight because of me?¡¯ She pondered. As she removed her phone from her pocket to call him, someone approached her from the side. ¡°Hi.¡± Looking up, Mia froze upon seeing the person before her. ¡°Can we talk for a moment?¡± Yvonne let out a small smile as she spoke calmly. Mia immediately developed a bad feeling about the meeting. What was the woman there for? Why did she want to see her? Yet, as thedy led the way to a nearby cafe, she found herself following her. Upon entering the cafe, they found a table and settled down. Yvonne ordered whipped coffee for both of them, even after Mia said she was okay. When their order arrived, she sipped her coffee, while Mia simply remained still, looking down at her hands that were fidgeting around on herp. Heaving a sigh, Yvonne ced her ss on the table and looked straight at the girl, ¡°how much do you want?¡± 500 million Yvonne sighed, cing her ss on the table. She gazed straight at Mia, asking, ¡°how much do you want?¡± Mia¡¯s head snapped up in bewilderment. She was lost, struggling to grasp the woman¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb,¡± Yvonne scoffed. ¡°You might fool Shawn and Damien by feigning gullibility, but not me. Cut the act.¡± With each word, Mia¡¯s heart pounded. ¡°Feigni¡­¡± Her small voice trailed off. ¡°I don¡¯t quite un¡­¡± Yvonne couldn¡¯t believe the girl¡¯s adept pretense. The urge to strike her across the face overwhelmed her, but she suppressed it. ¡°How much to keep away from Shawn?¡± She inquired calmly. Mia blinked in disbelief, ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°50 million?¡± Yvonne cut in sharply. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°150 million?¡± Mia¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Noticing the girl¡¯sck of response, Yvonne interpreted it as dissatisfaction with the offered amount. She scoffed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll wire you a check of 500 million. You won¡¯t find a better offer anywhere. Just vanish from sight,¡± she added, ¡°it won¡¯t be challenging, as a passport for leaving the country will be arranged. Choose any destination you prefer-far away from here.¡± Throughout, Mia remained silent, a visage of horror etched on her face. Was she being perceived as a gold digger? Money thrown her way to part from Shawn¡­ ¡°I believe I¡¯m not the right person to discuss this with-¡± ¡°You have three days to decide,¡± Yvonne cut her off once again. ¡°Here¡¯s my business card. Reach out when you¡¯ve made up your mind.¡± She slid the card across the table to Mia. Without hesitation, she rose gracefully and left the cafe, exuding elegance. Mia stayed seated, chewing on her lower lip, her gaze fixed on the business card. Swiftly, she stood, snatched the card, and hurried outside. ¡°Excuse me,¡± she called, rushing up to meet Yvonne. As she reached thedy, Mia took a deep breath and began, ¡°As I mentioned earlier, I¡¯m not the right person for this conversation. Reach out to Shawn directly.¡± She paused briefly, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not with Shawn for money-I¡¯m no fortune hunter or bloodsucker. He¡¯s not someone anyone can easily dupe, so, yeah, contact him directly.¡± She ced the card in Yvonne¡¯s hand. ¡°Also, I¡¯d appreciate it if you don¡¯t approach me anymore. Thank you.¡± With that, she nodded and briskly walked away. Yvonne was left stunned as she watched the girl¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°How could she¡­ I mean, who does she think she is?¡± She was left utterly speechless. The girl¡¯s arrogance just now infuriated her. Was she the one she had just spoken to so condescendingly, asking her to contact Shawn directly? Preposterous! ¡°You¡¯ll pay dearly for this.¡± The girl was expected to have dly epted the offer instead of ying hard to get. For that, Yvonne vowed to crush her, persisting until Mia was six feet under. Good riddance! As Mia stormed off, her hands clenched into fists, battling back the tears threatening to escape her eyes. Yvonne¡¯s words echoed in her mind as she rode the elevator to her office floor. ¡°What does she take me for?¡± Upon stepping in, she went directly to her chair and sat down, staring nkly into space. Observing Mia¡¯s downcast expression, a smug smile briefly crossed Martha¡¯s face but vanished just as quickly. The girl must still be upset about the morning incident, Martha thought. Rising to her feet, she walked over to Mia¡¯s cubicle, hunched, and hugged her from behind. ¡°Mia, are you still upset about this morning? Please, pay no attention to their words. I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s all my fault,¡± she said, biting her lip and forcing tears to well up in her eyes. ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m not angry, sincerely,¡± Mia said, offering a smile. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Really. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°Okay, then,¡± Martha muttered, straightening her back. Considering the photos she had sent to P. A. Lucas the previous night, she eyed Mia skeptically. Swallowing, she asked, ¡°Last night, did you get home safely?¡± ¡°Huh-yeah, I did. You?¡± Mia responded. ¡°Oh, yeah too,¡± Martha chuckled. Eyeing Mia again, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°And there was no issue¡­? When you got home¡­¡± ¡°Hmmm, not at all,¡± Mia added. ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Not at all. See youter, then.¡± Grinning, Martha walked away. Her eyes narrowed as she settled back into her office chair. The way the girl spoke suggested there was no issuest night¡­ Did Lucas not see the images? Or did he see them and intentionally not show them to CEO Shawn? Martha felt confused. If thetter was true, then she needed to find a way to get CEO Shawn¡¯s contact directly. Contemting this, Martha turned and nced in Mia¡¯s direction.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Her eyes trailed over to the girl¡¯s phone, currently lying on her desk. The phone number would undoubtedly be in there. Martha needed to find a way to get Mia¡¯s phone into her hands-ASAP. And that wasn¡¯t a problem for her. At all. Swiftly, she approached Mia¡¯s desk again and hastily picked up the phone. ¡°Mia, lend me your phone. Mine¡¯s out of service, and I need to call someone. Thank you.¡± She hurried off before the girl could respond. After exiting the office, Martha went straight to the restroom and locked herself in one of the cubicles. She smoothly unlocked Mia¡¯s phone-she knew the girl¡¯s passcode-and began scrolling through the contact list. However, as much as she searched, she couldn¡¯t seem to find the man¡¯s number. ¡®Does she not have it?¡¯ Nah. That was impossible. Martha shook her head. The phone number was definitely in the phone. Considering how Mia had been secretive about her union¡­ She must have saved CEO Shawn¡¯s contact with another name. Something like a nickname¡­ For the umpteenth time, Martha began scrolling through the list again. This time, she was more patient, focusing intently on each name. Just then, one of them caught her attention. ¡°Arrogant¡­¡± Pushing away her thoughts, she swiftly clicked on the contact info, entered the phone number into her phone, and saved it. That had to be it. Grinning triumphantly, she exited the restroom and returned to the office. ¡®It¡¯s over for you, my dear friend.¡¯ Confusion Same day. Beats Corporations Headquarters. ¡°Did she really say that to her?¡± The CEO mused while on the phone. ¡°One should know their ce too.¡± What was Yvonne thinking, going to his wife¡¯s workce to bully her? Initially, as Jasper reported the meeting between Little One and Yvonne, his blood boiled. However, upon hearing Mia¡¯s response to Yvonne, he couldn¡¯t help but burst into deep, throatyughter. That was his girl. ¡°Anyway, good job.¡± With that, he ended the call. It might seem as though his wife had more fire in her than she appeared. She wasn¡¯t the pushover she seemed to be. Chuckling, Shawn returned to work. ____________ A couple of days passed, and soon it was the weekend. Shawn Mendez¡¯s residence buzzed with activity as he and his wife nned to visit his mother-inw that morning. After preparing several hamper baskets with ample provisions, the maids loaded them into the car trunks. ¡°Ready?¡± Shawn handed his cologne to Little One as they stood before the mirror, adjusting their outfits. Although Mia had numerous perfumes and colognes, she always used her husband¡¯s cologne. Always. There was a joy she derived from smelling exactly like him. And when they were apart, inhaling herself made her feel like he was with her¡­ ¡°Ready.¡± Mia sprayed the cologne, and the couple soon set out. ¡°Is everything loaded?¡± Shawn held the car door open as his wife stepped in. ¡°Yes, Young Master,¡± Madam Susan bobbed. ¡°Thank you.¡± Nodding, he also entered the vehicle. Amanda stood on her balcony, observing a convoy of vehicles departing from Shawn¡¯s residence in an orderly fashion. ¡®Where to?¡¯ She narrowed her eyes. Just then, her phone began to ring in her hand. ncing at the caller ID, she saw that it was her husband calling. Her mouth twitched at once. She knew exactly why he was calling. After spending a few days in the country, her husband and children had returned overseas. Amanda was supposed to have left with them, but¡­ Swiping the answer icon, she ced the phone to her ear. ¡°Hello, Honey.¡± There was a pause as she listened to her husband on the other side of the phone. ¡°Grandpa is still unwell. I can¡¯t leave him just yet. Trust me, as soon as he gets better, I¡¯ll be on the next flight home. I love you, okay? Say hello to the kids for me.¡± She swiftly hung up afterward. She had stayed back on the basis that she needed to be with Old Master Mandez, as Shawn was busy running the corporation, and there was no family to take care of the old man. However, was that truly the reason behind her staying back? ____________ As Mia and her husband sat in silence, their vehicle smoothly making its way to her mother¡¯s apartment, she couldn¡¯t help but nce at him asionally. When she did again for the umpteenth time, Shawn turned to face her. ¡°Why? What is it that you have to tell me?¡± he inquired calmly. Suppressing the lump in her throat, Mia blinked hesitantly before speaking. ¡°Actually, she¡¯s not my birth mother.¡± Shawn¡¯s brows furrowed instantly, the girl¡¯s words rendering him speechless. ¡°We have arrived, Sir,¡± the chauffeur announced from the driver¡¯s seat, interrupting the couple¡¯s conversation. Locking eyes with Mia, Shawn dered, ¡°We¡¯ll revisit this conversationter.¡± Swiftly, they disembarked from the vehicle and proceeded into the house. ¡°Unload the trunks,¡± Shawnmanded the guards. ¡°Mom,¡± Mia called out while settling with her husband on the couch. ire emerged from the kitchen, nodding politely. ¡°She¡¯ll be with you shortly. Can I get you anything to drink?¡± ¡°Water is fine, thank you,¡± Mia replied with a smile. The househelp nodded once more before returning to the kitchen to fetch water for the guests. Shortly afterward, May emerged from her room. Mia promptly rose and embraced her. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much-how have you been? Have you been eating well?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too. Are you here with your husband?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes twinkled as she spoke. ¡°Yes,¡± Mia nodded affirmatively. She turned and extended her hand toward Shawn. ¡°Mom, meet Shawn. Shawn, meet Mom.¡± Yet, the man who had been seated now stood, a look of sheer horror on his face, his gaze fixed on Mia¡¯s mom. ¡°Mom?¡± He muttered in disbelief. May averted her gaze from her daughter, and the moment her eyes met Shawn¡¯s face, a sharp pain sliced through her head. She winced and instinctively clutched her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mia eximed, rmed. Suddenly, the woman copsed. ¡°Mom!¡± Mia shrieked. ¡°Mom!¡± Shawn rushed to her side immediately, lifting her into his arms and swiftly heading outside. ¡°To the hospital!¡± He yelled as he ced the woman in the car and quickly got in beside her. Mia, still in a daze, quickly entered the car. As they departed from the apartment, their convoy of cars elerated, unlike their earlier arrival. * * * Mia had never witnessed Shawn so shaken since she began living with him. Upon arriving in the VVIP ward, a group of doctors and nurses swiftly attended to her mother, and Mia couldn¡¯t help but steal nces at Shawn. His face resembled that of a ghost, and upon closer inspection, his entire body trembled visibly. Indeed, she was shaken as well, though it appeared to her that Shawn was more profoundly affected by the woman¡¯s fainting episode. The echo of his earlier utterance, ¡®Mom,¡¯ reverberated in her mind as she pondered the situation. Was he genuinely that concerned about her mother?N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Breaking the silence, Dr. Arnold¡¯s voice reassured, ¡°She¡¯s stable now, so there¡¯s no more cause for rm,¡± prompting Mia to set aside her contemtions. ¡°Ah, thank goodness,¡± Mia eximed, feeling a wave of relief. Beside her, Shawn also released a deep sigh of relief. ¡°She had passed out due to shock,¡± Dr. Arnold added. ¡°Does the patient have any underlying ailment?¡± he inquired. ¡°Yes, she does. Amnesia,¡± Mia responded promptly. Shawn cast a quick nce at her. ¡°Ah, I see. Shock-induced¡­¡± Dr. Arnold¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°You see, the sight of something or someone from her forgotten past must have triggered her, leading to a sudden and overwhelming loss of consciousness. She¡¯s out of danger now.¡± He continued, ¡°when she wakes up, there¡¯s a possibility the shock might aid in the gradual recollection of memories. She may experience shes of recollection or a moreprehensive retrieval over time. You need not worry.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Mia nodded thoughtfully. With that, Dr. Arnold bowed to CEO Shawn, along with the other doctors and nurses, then led them out of the ward. However, he couldn¡¯t resist turning around for a nce at the woman on the hospital bed. A few secondster, he resumed walking and left. The ward fell silent once more, leaving only the couple remaining with the patient. Initially, neither of them spoke, but after a while, Shawn¡¯s deep voice broke the silence. ¡°How did you meet her?¡± He inquired, his tone low. Jennifer Mandez ¡°How did you meet her?¡± Shawn¡¯s deep voice resonated with curiosity. ¡°Huh?¡± Mia looked up, puzzled by the unexpected question. What was he talking about? ¡°You said she¡¯s not your birth mother, so how did you two cross paths?¡± He calmly inquired once more. Mia¡¯s eyes blinked repeatedly, and she took a deep breath as her mind strolled down memoryne. She began, ¡°My dad brought in a woman and a daughter a few months older than me right after my mom was buried. It was devastating. From the moment they stepped into our house, I knew no peace. Three years ago, one night, I left home with the determination never to return.¡± She paused and then continued, ¡°Tears streamed down my face as I ran along the roadside with no destination in mind. Just as I kept running, I came across a burning vehicle.¡± Shawn inhaled sharply, his heart pounding in his chest. ¡°An ident happened¡­ Shattered ss scattered on the ground¡­ Fear gripped me. Without a phone to call the police and the area eerily silent, I felt stranded. No passing vehicles in sight. Unsure of what to do, the only option seemed to be running to find a police station.¡± Mia sighed. ¡°As I ran forward, I encountered a woman. She was covered in blood, dragging her injured legs along the road. It was evident she was involved in the ident. I hurriedly reached her side and asked if she was okay¡­ All she kept repeating was ¡®My son, my son¡­¡¯, and then she passed out instantly.¡± ¡°I carried her on my back, racing to the hospital. I assumed the role of her guardian, filling in the details. In a moment of impulse, I filled in my mom¡¯s name as hers-May Thompson-and imed to be her daughter, Mia Thompson. She didn¡¯t open her eyes from the moment she passed out until a couple of weeks ago.¡± ¡°When she woke up, she had no recollection of who she was or anything else¡­ Her memory was gone. Recently, Iid out everything for her, urging her to go public¡­ but she refused. She didn¡¯t want to disrupt her family¡¯s peaceful life. Convinced they must have forgotten about her, she believed reuniting would only revive painful memories for them. She felt it was better to remain a nobody, epting the role of my mother since I had lost mine already.¡± ____ shback. A couple of weeks ago. ¡°Mom, there are some things I must tell you.¡± ¡°Hm? What is it?¡± May¡¯s brows furrowed. Biting her lip, Mia hesitated before finally opening her mouth to speak. ¡°Actually, we¡¯re not rted.¡± Her voice was barely audible, and her heart raced as she uttered those words. But the woman beside her stayed silent, so Mia continued, ¡°My real mom passed away a couple of years back. I found you in an ident and rushed you to the hospital¡­ I¡¯m so sorry for lying.¡± Hot tears streamed down her face. After a while, the woman spoke. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she added calmly. ¡°I know you¡¯re not my daughter.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mia was taken aback, her eyes widening in astonishment as May nodded positively. ¡°I knew the moment I set my eyes on you.¡± ¡°Wh-Wh-why didn¡¯t you say anything then? Oh my, how did you know that?¡± The woman shrugged, ¡°I just knew.¡± Mia stared at her for a moment before suggesting, ¡°Now that it¡¯s settled, we need to find your real family. We should announce online and post posters of you everywhere to-¡± ¡°No,¡± the woman cut in quickly. ¡°Huh?¡± Mia blinked. ¡°Why?¡± May chuckled, ¡°Why? Are you in a hurry to dispose of me? Am I inconveniencing you that much?¡± ¡°What? No!¡± Mia scowled. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. You aren¡¯t inconveniencing me at all. It¡¯s just¡­ I sense your family will be overjoyed to have you back-you will be too¡­ It¡¯s been three years¡­ They should know you¡¯re alive. Your so-¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want that. Let¡¯s avoid it. I don¡¯t want to disrupt their emotions¡­ They¡¯re better off believing I¡¯m gone. It¡¯s more peaceful that way. Let me just keep living as your mother, alright?-Unless you¡¯re tired, of course.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°No, no, no. Not at all-¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s keep living like this. I love it here.¡± Mia eyed her skeptically, ¡°Are you sure?¡± The woman nodded her head. ____ Back to the present situation. Mia heaved a weary sigh, ¡°but I suppose I¡¯ll have to search for her family discreetly. They¡¯re entitled to know she¡¯s alive somewhere.¡± The ward fell silent once more. However, alll of a sudden, Shawn muttered, ¡°they already know.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Mia nced at him, confusion evident on her face. His mouth twitched. ¡°I once mentioned losing my mom three years ago, didn¡¯t I?¡± She nodded affirmatively. ¡°That night, she was returning from the States-she practically lived there¡­ It was my birthday. She had already mentioned she would miss it, but I pleaded and pleaded for her toe. However, she was adamant. Unbeknownst to me, she had boarded a ne that day, determined to surprise me by making it down here.¡± His breathing ragged, he recounted, ¡°She was involved in a ghastly motor ident. Her driver had been drunk that night. And that night, I believed I had lost my mother, Jennifer Mandez.¡± ¡°Until I saw her again today.¡± As Shawn uttered these final words, he locked eyes with Mia, who had been attentively gazing at him throughout his narrative. Realization struck Mia, her eyes widening in bewilderment. A tear escaped from Shawn¡¯s eye as he smiled and nodded in response to her unspoken question. ¡°Your mom is my birth mother-the one I thought had died three years ago.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t say!¡± Mia was beyond speechless. He chuckled tearily, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Are you serious? Are you sure? Maybe they just look alike, or she¡¯s her twin-¡± Mia rushed the words out of her mouth. ¡°She¡¯s the one. The real, original Jennifer Mandez. I recognize my mother.¡± Chuckling, he added, ¡°I still find all of this surreal.¡± ¡°Ahhhh¡­ So, you¡¯re the one who triggered¡­¡± Mia noted thoughtfully. Again, Shawn nodded in agreement. ¡°It was me.¡± Mia was rendered speechless. So, for the past three years, she had been taking care of her husband¡¯s mother-her mother-inw¡­ Unbelievable! Jennifer Mandez II Mia realized that over thest three years, she had unknowingly been tending to her husband¡¯s mother-her mother-inw. The realization left her incredulous. Despite processing the information over and over again, it felt like an enduring, surreal dream. Suddenly, Shawn¡¯s arms enveloped her shoulders from behind, causing her to freeze. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered in his husky voice, his minty breath sending a shiver down her spine as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Each time Mia hurried to the hospital, even on every weekend, it was all for his mother. Shawn couldn¡¯t help but feel gratitude. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered once more. ___________ The couple stayed in the ward until the next morning. Mia dozed off after a few hours of tending to her mother-inw, while Shawn remained awake throughout the night until daybreak. Doctor Alfred and his colleagues came to check on the patient five times throughout the night before dawn, ensuring she was perfectly fine. Shawn Mandez¡¯s presence in the ward indicated a strong connection to the patient. They had to perform their duties diligently; otherwise, they would be jobless. With the sunrise painting the horizon, the patient on the hospital cot gradually stirred awake. Blinking repeatedly to adjust to the brightness, Jennifer¡¯s confused gaze wandered around, trying to discern her surroundings. Suddenly, her eyesnded on a man sitting at the edge of the hospital bed, his height looming over her. Inhaling sharply, her body tensed instantly. The mother and son duo locked eyes for several seconds before one of them finally averted their gaze. The mother. Clearing her throat, Jennifer nced at the man once more, ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± she asked in a weak, small voice. Shawn¡¯s heart twisted, but he murmured a response, ¡°I¡¯m your son.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t have a son! I don¡¯t have any son! I don¡¯t know who you are, so leave! I only have a daughter.¡± Shawn was caught off guard by the woman¡¯s outburst. ¡°I¡¯m truly your son,¡± his voice wavered. ¡°I only have a daughter! Leave!¡± Jennifer yelled with all her might, turning to face the other side. Shawn gazed at her for a moment, then pressed his lips into a thin line. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°What?¡± She snapped her head back to face him, helping herself sit upright. Releasing a heavy sigh, he shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m your son-inw, so I can¡¯t leave either way.¡± Upon hearing this, Jennifer¡¯s eyes welled up with hot tears. ¡°Why are you doing this? Please leave, please-e-e¡± she sobbed. Shawn, along with Mia, who had been observing from near the door, were both taken aback by this. Shawn resisted the tears welling up as he observed his mother. Did she truly want him gone so desperately? Couldn¡¯t she let him stay? It had been three long years since hest saw her¡­ Before reconsidering and deciding to stay, he forcefully shifted his gaze away and turned. Swiftly grabbing his overcoat, he left the private ward. However, as he approached the door, his strides faltered. Brows furrowed, he turned back to look at his mother. Taking measured steps back to her bedside, he gazed down at her tear-streaked face. ¡°Your memories are intact, aren¡¯t they?¡± He inquired softly. ¡°You didn¡¯t lose them, did you?¡± Jennifer¡¯s sobs intensified upon hearing his words, confirming Shawn¡¯s suspicions. His mother wasn¡¯t suffering from amnesia; her memories were intact. ¡°N-nn-no,¡± Jennifer stuttered amid sobs. Mia¡¯s jaw dropped in shock. ¡°Ho-howe? I thought¡­¡± Her voice trailed off, speechless. Shawn breathed a sigh of relief, gently settling on the edge of the hospital bed and cupping a side of his mother¡¯s face in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s been three long, dreadful years. I missed you every single day. I still can¡¯t forgive myself for forcing you toe here. Is that why you don¡¯t want to see me? Do you resent me for the ident?¡± His voice broke as tears welled in his eyes. Jennifer gazed at her son as tears streamed down her face. Seeing him up close after all these years¡­ ¡°How can I resent my own child?¡± She raised her hands to his face, stroking it tenderly. ¡°What mother resents her only child? The ident was not your fault. I didn¡¯t even inform you I wasing¡­¡± ¡°Then why? Why are you chasing me away? Why didn¡¯t youe home after you were discharged? Why were you pretending to be ill?¡± By now, the tears that he was trying to hold back started pouring. From where she stood, Mia observed the mother and son in silence, tears streaming down her own face too. Heaving a long, weary sigh, Jennifer murmured, ¡°It¡¯s to protect you, my Sunshine.¡± Her son¡¯s brows furrowed instantly. ¡°Protect me from what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m clueless also. I intended to uncover the truth before reaching out to you, avoiding any risk to your safety. Your father¡¯s demise has already left a void; I can¡¯t bear to lose you too, Sunshine. That night,¡± She hesitated, shutting her eyes against the painful memory, ¡°it was deliberate. Therge vehicle-deliberately¡­¡± She added, lowering her voice as it trailed off. Shawn¡¯sshes fluttered quickly as he pieced his mother¡¯s words together. His thoughts raced back to the anonymous message he had received weeks ago, ¡°She will die the same way your mother did.¡± ¡°The driver¡­ He wasn¡¯t responsible?¡± ¡°What driver?¡± Jennifer¡¯s tears slowly subsided. ¡°I witnessed it with my own eyes. Arge vehicle, perhaps a truck or trailer, crashed into us. Not once. Not twice. Thrice.¡± She sniffled. Shawn¡¯s mouth slightly parted. It was evident that it was intentional, and someone had concealed the truth. Grandpa Mandez had told his grandson that the driver was drunk at the time and¡­ ¡°I fear that if they discover I¡¯m alive, they¡¯lle after me again¡­ I don¡¯t want to involve you in this chaos,¡± Jennifer confessed, tears streaming down her face. Shortly after, her tears dried, and she gazed at her son intently, ¡°So, you¡¯ll leave now. We¡¯ll pretend we never met. Alright? Leave now, please, Sunshine.¡± Shawn vehemently shook his head. ¡°That won¡¯t happen, and you know it, Mom. I¡¯d be damned to be separated from you again.¡± He vowed it over his dead body. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you, Mom, right by my side.¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s myself I¡¯m worried about?¡± Jennifer chuckled dryly. ¡°I¡¯ll ensure the safety of you, Grandfather, and myself. I promise. And the one responsible for that-I¡¯ll catch him with my bare hands and feed his flesh to the dogs.¡± Jennifer locked eyes with his grey gaze. She had no alternative, knowing he would have his way. He always had his way. ¡°Oh, how I¡¯ve missed you!¡± She embraced him, tightly holding him as tears of joy streamed down. ¡°Me too.¡± Shawn hugged his mother, his throat hoarse. The reunion After Jennifer¡¯s discharge, she, along with her son and daughter-inw, drove home to Magnificent residential area. Upon arrival, the vehicle pulled up directly in front of the front door, making it easy for the three of them to enter the mansion swiftly. When they entered the lounge, Old Master Mandez, with an anxious, hunched back, couldn¡¯t hold back tears as his eyes met his daughter-inw. Early that morning, Shawn had called and informed him of thetest development, prompting him to rush straight to his grandson¡¯s house in anticipation. Jennifer burst into tears as she hurried forward and embraced the old man. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see you again. It¡¯s been so long; I thought you were dead¡­¡± Old Master Mandez¡¯s voice hitched, his hand gently patting her back. ¡°I¡¯m not dead, Father. This is me, hale and hearty.¡± She sniffled. The pair shed tears of joy, embracing for an extended moment before parting. Amanda, who had been standing on the side, broke into tears as soon as Jennifer turned to face her. ¡°My sister!!!¡± She wailed loudly, ¡°all these years¡­ in aa? It must have been excruciating. I¡¯m so sorry I wasn¡¯t there by your side. It¡¯s my fault.¡± As they embraced, Jennifer consoled her younger sister, ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault. Stop ming yourself. All that matters is I¡¯m here now, and we¡¯re all together, united as a family again.¡± However, Madam Susan cried the most when she embraced Jennifer,pared to everyone present. She had dedicated several years of service to the family, beginning as Shawn¡¯s nanny and eventually bing the housekeeper. Throughout the years, a profound bond had grown between her and Jennifer Mandez. They were more than just an employee and employer; they were sisters. When tragedy struck the household and they lost Madam to the hands of death, Madam Susan was truly heartbroken. She wept for days, ultimately falling ill from the sorrow. It took several months for her to recover from the pain, but the realization that she was now Shawn¡¯s mother figurepelled her to be strong-for him. Later, the entire family gathered in the dining room for a grand feast, celebrating the worthiness of Madam¡¯s return. In an instant, Shawn Mandez¡¯s once lifeless and dry house became lively, with everyone delighted and blissfully chatting with one another. As night fell, it was time for everyone to depart. ¡°Father, are you sure I shouldn¡¯te with you? I really don¡¯t mind,¡± Jennifer stood in the doorway, watching the aged man¡¯s butler assist him back to his residence. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Jen. Stay with Shawn.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Sis,¡± Amanda hugged Jennifer farewell. ¡°Thank you so much, Amanda. I learnt you stayed behind because of Father-thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. What are sisters for?¡± Grinning, Amanda left for her apartment.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. However, upon stepping inside, she mmed the door shut behind her. ¡°How dare she crawl her way back into this family?! She¡¯s supposed to be dead!¡± she growled, pushing everything off the center table, causing a crash to the ground. ¡°How? Just how?-How could those people not have finished their job? But there was a body¡­¡± Her mind swirled in confusion as her chest heaved heavily. ¡°You don¡¯t want to die?-then I¡¯ll help you,¡± she sneered, vowing resolutely before marching off into her bedroom. Back at Shawn¡¯s residence. Shawn took the time to personally tuck his mother into bed before heading to his own bedroom. Kissing her head, he bid her goodnight. ¡°See you in the morning.¡± Entering his bedroom, he gently settled into bed beside his wife, pulling her closer and wrapping his arms around her underbust area. nting a soft kiss on her hair, he embraced the tranquility of the night. ¡°Sleeping?¡± ¡°Un.¡± Mia responded nasally. He chuckled. ¡°Alright then, sleep tight, my Little One.¡± * * The rest of the weekend was spent blissfully, with the entire Mandez family in a joyful mood. However, the first workday of the new week arrived, and the young couple in the family had to head to their respective workces. After their departure, Jennifer strolled to the garden. Grinning in satisfaction, she nodded approvingly and couldn¡¯t help butmend the woman behind her. ¡°Madam Susan, I must say, you really did a great job here. It looks like I never even left.¡± She smiled sweetly, inhaling the fragrance of the flowers as her hands ran through them. The housekeeper beamed with a smile as she followed her madam in silence. All her efforts had not been in vain. However, a short whileter, their peaceful silence was interrupted by footsteps. Both of them turned towards the garden¡¯s entrance subconsciously. ¡°Oh, Amanda.¡± Jennifer smiled upon seeing her sister. ¡°I see your love for flowers hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡± Amanda grinned as she joined her. Hesitating, she eyed Jennifer, ¡°um, actually, I have something to discuss with you.¡± Jennifer¡¯s brows drew together, ¡°really? Go ahead.¡± Amanda nced at Madam Susan, ¡°excuse us. It¡¯s a family matter.¡± The housekeeper nodded politely and made her way out of the garden, giving the sisters some privacy. After ensuring that the woman was out of earshot, Amanda turned to face her sister. ¡°Sis, I don¡¯t want you to take what I¡¯m about to say the wrong way. It¡¯s just out of the love that I have for your family.¡± Jennifer nodded, paying keen attention to Amanda, who seemed to be hesitating. ¡°Talk to me. I¡¯m your sister. Just ¡¯cause I was gone for three years doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve changed. I¡¯m still the same person you know.¡± She chuckled. Clearing her throat, Amanda began, ¡°well, it¡¯s about that girl.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°That girl with Shawn, Mia or whatever her name is.¡± ¡°Oh, what about her?¡± Amanda pressed her lips, ¡°are you really going to let her be with Shawn? You¡¯ll be cing the entire Beats Corporations in the hands of that little girl¡­¡± ¡°Besides, she seems incapable and ill-mannered to me¡­ Don¡¯t get me wrong, I know she saved you and all, but that doesn¡¯t mean she should covet the position of Lady of Beats Corporations.¡± Mentorship Amanda maintained a serious gaze as she spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I know she saved you and all, but that doesn¡¯t mean she should covet the position of Lady of Beats Corporations.¡± ¡°Plus,¡± She paused, ¡°now that I think of it, the ident that year had been an attack-doesn¡¯t it seem suspicious? Shees to rescue you right after the ident¡­ She paid the hospital bills and looked after you all these while¡­ She met Shawn, and they¡¯re now together¡­ ¡°When I connect the dots, I can¡¯t help but be suspicious of her. There¡¯s more to her than meets the eye, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t even make any effort to contact us while you were still in aa¡­¡± Jennifer processed and digested all of Amanda¡¯s words, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. Now that her attention was called to them, the pieces seemed to fit perfectly. ¡°You might be right.¡± She nodded. The corners of Amanda¡¯s mouth curled, ¡°you see? Let¡¯s find Shawn another wife. Someone befitting. As far as I know, his marriage to that girl was forced-he doesn¡¯t have any feelings for her. ¡°He had to marry her for Old Master Mandez¡¯s sake. We can¡¯t let him be in an unhappy marriage-a marriage against his wish. Now that you¡¯re back, we need to uproot the weed before it gets more stubborn to do so.¡± Jennifer nodded skeptically at her sister¡¯s words. Upon scrutiny, the girl did appear suspicious. Yet, beyond that, another factor was at y-those two couldn¡¯t possibly be together regardless. * * D. A Company. Charlotte George briskly bypassed Damien Davis¡¯ secretary, ignoring his attempts to halt her progress. She forcefully swung open the double doors and entered the man¡¯s office. ¡°You can¡¯t enter, Miss Charlotte,¡± Joe hurriedly followed her. At that moment, Damien lifted his head from the papers on his desk, drawn by themotion. The instant his gaze met the intruder, he momentarily froze. Regainingposure, his eyes fixed on the woman, hemanded his P. A., ¡°Leave us.¡± Joe nodded and swiftly exited, closing the doors behind him. In the office, Damien and Charlotte maintained an unwavering gaze, locked in silentmunication. After a brief silence, Charlotte spoke, usingly stating, ¡°You¡¯ve been with various women over the past few years, and now you¡¯ve moved on to younger girls¡­ How shameless can you be?¡± She spat out the words. In response, Damien burst intoughter. ¡°Shame? You, of all people, lecturing me about shame, is truly fantastic.¡± Suddenly, the yful smile vanished from his face, reced by a scowl as his expression darkened. ¡°Allow me to jog your memory. Three years ago, it was you, the renowned Charlotte George, who engaged in questionable rtionships, betraying her boyfriend to climb the celebritydder by whoring around-¡± Before he couldplete his sentence, Charlotte closed the gap and delivered a forceful p across his face. Regaining hisposure, a chuckle escaped Damien¡¯s mouth. ¡°The truth is always bitter.¡± Without uttering another word, Charlotte spun on her heel and stormed out of his office, venting her anger as she left D. A Company. Driving straight to B. Y Entertainments, hot tears streamed down her face, blurring her eyes and making it nearly impossible to see the road clearly. Reflecting on her actions three years ago, regret consumed her, and she wept like an infant, tormented by the weight of her choices back then. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have done that¡­¡¯ And now¡­ Why had she gone to D. A Company? Just what had she been thinking- She couldn¡¯t believe that seeing Damien and that intern together the other night could make her act so irrationally. The scenario kept reying in her mind throughout the weekend, such that as she made her way to work this morning, she unexpectedly made a U-turn and drove straight to D. A Company. After three years of avoiding him, it seemed he still had control over her. More tears streamed down Charlotte¡¯s face. ___________ B. Y TV. As anticipated, following Veronica¡¯s revtion the previous week, everyone in the office avoided Mia, reluctant to engage with her unless absolutely necessary. Nevertheless, Mia remained unfazed. She had faced worse in high school, so she couldn¡¯t be less concerned. ¡°Interns, gather up,¡± Mrs. Brown¡¯s voice suddenlymanded, causing everyone to pause their tasks and direct their attention to her. The interns promptly arranged themselves in a neat row in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you all began your internship here at B. Y TV, and so far, you¡¯ve worked diligently. Now, you can proceed to the next phase, where each of you will be paired with professional TV hosts to act as your mentors. This will provide you with hands-on experiences and direct learning in the world of television production.¡± The interns were thrilled; this was what they had all been eagerly anticipating- the chance to work alongside professionals. Mrs. Brown extended her hand, holding four crumpled tiny papers. ¡°Choose one.¡± The interns followed her instructions, picking one paper each. ¡°Open the papers in your hands. The name you find is the person who will be your mentor.¡± The interns swiftly unfolded the papers, reading aloud the names they selected. As Mia unfolded hers, her heart beating erratically, she silently prayed to have her preferred mentor. Fortune favored her, and Charlotte George¡¯s name appeared on her paper. She couldn¡¯t be more ted.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°You¡¯re to report to your designated mentors¡¯ floors tomorrow morning.¡± With that, Mrs. Brown dismissed them with a wave and went her way. ¡°I¡¯m jealous of you, Mia. Congrattions,¡± Martha nudged her best friend as they walked back to their respective cubicles. Mia simply smiled. ¡°Christian Rond is also on the same level as Charlotte George.¡± Christian Rond was, indeed, the male counterpart to Charlotte George, the most famous male TV Host in the country at the moment. And that was Martha¡¯s chosen mentor. ¡°Hmm,¡± Martha shrugged. As she returned to her desk, Mia settled into her office chair and resumed working on the script. However, a short whileter, she suddenly raised her head from theputer and nced toward the half-ss wall partition, finding it empty with no one in sight. Despite the vacancy, she couldn¡¯t shake the strange feeling that someone had been watching her. Ever since she began working at B. Y TV, she had consistently felt this eerie sensation through the partition. Everyday. However, each time she turned to look, the corridor was always empty. Was she just overthinking things? Drawing in a deep breath, she returned to her task. After a quick restroom break, Veronica made her way to the office. Just as she rounded the corner, she caught sight of a man gazing through the half-ss wall partition that connected the corridor to her office. The man was d in an exotic ck suit, his hair meticulously styled, and his hands casually tucked into his pockets as he stood leisurely. Veronica didn¡¯t need a second nce to recognize him, even with his back turned. He was none other than Nathan Anderson, the executive director of B. Y Entertainments. She froze. Homewrecker Veronica¡¯s eyes widened in a mix of horror and amusement. Why was he there? His office wasn¡¯t even located in B. Y TV building¡­ She blinked rapidly. While pondering this, she observed him turning away from the partition and strolling down the corridor. Upon catching sight of her, Nathan¡¯s steps slowed, yet a few secondster, he averted his gaze and walked past her. Veronica released the breath she hadn¡¯t realized she had been holding. She turned and watched his retreating form¡­ So handsome¡­ Her lips curled up in a cute smile. Actually, the only reason she hade to B. Y TV was to be close to Nathan Anderson-N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Come to think of it, why was he on her office floor? Her brows furrowed, she walked over to where he had been standing earlier and peered through the ss. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here,¡± she muttered. However, as she turned away, her eyes swiftly darted to the cubicle directly across from where she stood, on the other side of the partition. Mia Thompson. She was definitely the one he¡¯d been watching¡­ Veronica¡¯s eyes wavered, and a surge of anger bubbled within her. That schemer! Would she ever stop?! Visibly seething, she turned and promptly marched into the office. _________ Throughout the day, Veronica kept shooting daggers at Mia with her eyes. However, the girl paid no heed, as Veronica wasn¡¯t the only one giving her hostile nces. The entire office was. Ignoring the collective disapproval, Mia focused solely on her work; that was her only recourse. Martha, who consistently shielded her from prying eyes at work, had departed earlier with Mrs. Brown to source news and wouldn¡¯t be returning to the office that day. So, Mia was on her own. As closing hours approached, everyone began dispersing one by one. Once the coast was clear and it was only her and Mia remaining in the office, Veronica rushed to Mia¡¯s side. ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself? Must you throw yourself at every man? Show some decency!¡± Sheshed out. Mia was taken aback by the sudden outburst, her brows knitting in confusion. After a long day at work, tiredness weighed on her, and all she wanted was to go home and find sce in her man¡¯s arms. Not this¡­ Ignoring Veronica, she calmly stood up and began packing her belongings. Veronica¡¯s anger red even more. ¡°Are you insane?!¡± She yelled furiously. ¡°How dare you ignore me?! Who do you think you are?¡± Heaving a weary sigh, Mia paused in her actions and turned to face Veronica. ¡°Who do you think you are too? Who are you to judge me like that? Why do you think you have the right?¡± Mia thought the girl was still not over the issue with Max and Martha. As it was the first time Mia had spoken back, Veronica was leftpletely taken aback and speechless. Stuttering, she managed, ¡°Y-you-did you just talk back to me?¡± then scoffed, ¡°unbelievable. Look at this audacious-¡± Mia scoffed silently and prepared to respond to Veronica, but just as she was about to, her phone began to ring. Rummaging through her bag, she retrieved it, and her face lit up upon seeing the caller ID. Initially considering walking away from Veronica before answering, however, she had a second thought. ¡°Hello, Honey,¡± she answered the phone right in front of the girl. She had her own man. Veronica should know that! Veronica was left in astonishment. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re outside my office¡­ I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Ending the call, Mia swiftly packed her remaining items before turning to leave. However, she paused, briefly ncing at Veronica before departing. Veronica was utterly dumbfounded. Where did the girl find such confidence? Amusing. ¡°Did she say ¡®Honey¡¯?¡± Her brows furrowed. ¡°Must be one of her victims. She¡¯ll never stop until she¡¯s taught a lesson!¡± Collecting her belongings, Veronica hurriedly exited the office. Perhaps publicly embarrassing Mia would put an end to her behavior, bringing an end to the shame she brought upon the entire female gender. As Mia stepped outside her office building, it wasn¡¯t difficult to spot her husband¡¯s vehicle parked a short distance away, away from the lights. Smiling cutely, she bounced giddily to the car. As she reached for the car door handle, she suddenly felt a force pulling her from behind. ¡°Can¡¯t you stay away from people¡¯s men?! Are you cursed?!¡± Veronica yelled, her chest heaving. ¡°Who is it this time? A boyfriend of one of our former ssmates? Or someone¡¯s from the office?¡± She cast a cold gaze at Mia. Mia was taken aback. Was Veronica not tired? When would she stop bullying her? She blinked speechlessly, trying to get words out of her mouth. However¡­ ¡°No. It¡¯s not any of those.¡± The person in the backseat had rolled down the car window, responding to Veronica¡¯s questions. ¡°Huh?¡± Veronica¡¯s eyes shifted, but it was dark inside the car, making it impossible to see the speaker¡¯s face. His voice was cool, enchanting, and somehow deep- Her eyes widened and she shot a disgusted look at Mia. ¡°So you actually do have sugar daddies.¡± How embarrassing. Regardless, ¡°Look here. If you know what¡¯s good for you, stay away from this girl. I know her very well, and she¡¯s never been up to any good. So, do yourself a favor and keep your distance.¡± Veronica warned the man in the vehicle. Eyeing Mia, ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a wife¡­ this girl will only ruin your household-get rid of her. For your own good.¡± she added. The area fell silent after she finished speaking. Mia was speechless. Her? A homewrecker??? However, a short whileter, the man in the vehicle spoke again in his husky voice, ¡°Such a shame. That¡¯s quite impossible.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Veronica blinked rapidly. Pressing his lips together, Shawn shrugged. ¡°You told me to get rid of her; that¡¯s impossible to do¡­¡± Veronica scoffed at his words, finding them shameless. Did the man not have any respect for his family? She opened her mouth to speak but Shawn¡¯s next words shocked her to the core. ¡°¡­ because she¡¯s my wife.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Her jaw dropped open at once, nearly touching the ground. ¡°W-who is your wife?¡± She swallowed uneasily. ¡°Mia. Mia Thompson is my wife.¡± Divorce Veronica¡¯s unease was palpable as she stammered, ¡°Wh-who is your wife?¡± ¡°Mia. Mia Thompson is my wife.¡± A heavy silence enveloped the area again, shattered only by Veronica¡¯s sudden eruption into hystericalughter. Once she regainedposure, she scoffed, ¡°Must be joking.¡± ¡°Vee, it¡¯s not a joke.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Taken aback, she questioned, ¡°You know my name?¡± Ever since the person in the vehicle started talking, she had been wondering if he was someone she knew as his voice sounded somewhat familiar. Now that he¡¯d called her name, the possibility dawned on her-he might actually be someone she knew. Shawn pushed open the car door, and his alluring, slender legs came into view as he gracefully stepped down from the vehicle. Soon, his full frame appeared before her. Straightening his back, standing erect, he greeted Veronica with a smile. ¡°Hello, Vee.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the person towering above her. ¡°Un-Uncle Shawn???¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Shawn pressed his lips together, ¡°What do you mean? You constantly bully my wife-I can¡¯t let that go on.¡± Veronica¡¯s eyes quickly darted from him to Mia. Stuttering, she asked, ¡°Are you really married to her?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Shawn shrugged leisurely. ¡°Impossible.¡± She still found it hard to believe. However, her mind drifted back to that night when Shawn had intruded on their dinner and beaten up her uncle. If Veronica recollected correctly, he¡¯d threatened Damien to stay away from his wife. Realization washed over her as a surge of information flooded her mind. Her uncle had hugged Mia before the intrusion, when he picked her up from work. Was that the reason why Shawn¡­ Was it because of Mia?! Mia was truly his wife?! ¡°You don¡¯t mean it!¡± Veronica gaped widely. Holding Mia close to him, Shawn affirmed, ¡°I sincerely mean it.¡± ¡°How-um-when-is-¡± She waspletely speechless. Just as she grappled with the whirlwind of thoughts, footsteps approached from the side. ¡°Shawn, I¡¯m a very busy man, you know?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Veronica¡¯s brows furrowed at the extremely familiar voice. She turned to look, and it was exactly who she thought it was. ¡°Huh?¡± Upon seeing his girlfriend, Nathan Anderson waspletely taken aback. ¡°Babe, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I should be asking you that question. What are you doing here?¡± Veronica sneered defiantly. ¡°My friend asked-¡± Before he could finish his sentence, she cut in sharply, ¡°Did you follow her here?¡± She red in Mia¡¯s direction. ¡°What? Hell, no! Babe, why would you think that?¡± Nathan was at a loss for words. ¡°Then why are you here? I saw you peeping at her through the ss window. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re considering cheating on me!¡± ¡°What?! Aish.¡± Sneering at Shawn, he muttered, ¡°That¡¯s because a certain someone wants me watching over his wife 24/7 like I¡¯m some sort of bodyguard.¡± Veronica blinked rapidly. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Mia and Shawn, standing on the side, watched as the couple bantered, speechlessly. Mia was more shocked by the revtion she was witnessing. Veronica Clofford was in a rtionship with Nathan Anderson! Clearing his throat, Shawn decided toe to his friend¡¯s rescue. ¡°Wifey, meet Nathan Anderson.¡± Mia was speechless. Just like that?! She was meeting the executive director of B. Y Entertainments! Just like that! Throughout her rtionship with Max, she never got the chance to meet the man. He was an extremely influential person who was not easily encountered. ¡°Hello, Mia. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. Also, I¡¯m your secret guardian angel.¡± Nathan stretched out his hand. Stunned, Mia took it in hers, and they shook hands. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too, sir.¡± Veronica was dazed. ¡°So, Uncle Shawn had you look after her at work¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Now it made sense to Mia. The eerie feeling she always got at work, like someone was constantly watching her¡­ ¡°Why then did you walk past me when¡­?¡± ¡°Babe, aren¡¯t you the one who wants us to keep our rtionship hidden?¡± Nathan¡¯s mouth twitched. Veronica found herself speechless once again. That was true. She and Nathan had been dating for a couple of months now. Initially, she had secretly harbored a crush on him, unaware that the feelings were mutual. When they started their rtionship, she had suggested keeping it a secret due to their age gap, wanting to avoid potential judgment from others. Little did she know, she wasn¡¯t the only one on the ship. The two couples relocated from the roadside to a bar to extend their discussions. Amidst drinks and food, the men engaged in conversation, while the girls sat silently, exchanging nces without uttering a word. Unable to endure the silence, Veronica directed a question at Mia. ¡°When did you marry my uncle?¡± Given the close ties between the Davis and Mandez families, she consistently regarded Shawn as her uncle. Despite the families¡¯ unexined estrangement a few years back, Veronica maintained her love and respect for Shawn, considering him her uncle. The feeling was mutual as Shawn also cared for her like his niece regardless. ¡°Months ago,¡± Shawn responded to the girl¡¯s question. Veronica bit her lip. ¡°Months ago¡­ Before or after Martha got Max back from you?¡± She locked eyes with Mia. Nathan¡¯s brows furrowed as he recollected his nephew¡¯s ex-girlfriend shared the same name as the woman before him. He scrutinized Mia, wondering if they were one and the same. ¡°Hm? Is that true, though?¡± Shawn asked Mia, ¡°Baby, when will you expose the betrayal by those two?¡± Mia offered a small smile and sighed. ¡°Let her speak! Are you her spokesperson?¡± Veronica shot Shawn a re, though his words lingered in her mind. ¡°Hmm, what do you mean by betrayal? Mia¡¯s the one who betrayed Martha by snatching Max from her.¡± ¡°Hmm? I don¡¯t know much, but Mia¡¯s the name of Max¡¯s ex-girlfriend. He kept urging me to meet her, but I never had the time until they broke up.¡± Nathan noted thoughtfully. Veronica felt a surge of confusion. ¡°Snatched?¡± Her head snapped toward Shawn, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as snatching. One leaves because one wants to.¡± She blinked rapidly at his words. ¡°Hmmm¡­ Are you implying that it was Martha and Max who betrayed you, and you were initially Max¡¯s girlfriend?¡± Locking eyes with Veronica, Mia nodded slowly. The truth was revealed, and there was no point in denying it. ¡°You don¡¯t mean it! Why didn¡¯t you mention it back then? We all assumed¡­¡± ¡°Would any of you even give her a chance to exin? You began tormenting and bullying her based on usations, without hearing her side of the story.¡± ¡°B-but there¡¯s a recording¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fake,¡± Shawn calmly sipped his wine. ¡°I¡¯m quite disappointed in you, Vee.¡± His tone carried weight as he fixed a serious gaze on the girl.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Veronica looked away from her Uncle Shawn and let out a weary sigh. There was no point in probing further. If he stated it was all lies, then it was. She trusted the CEO of Beats Corporations without a doubt. Suddenly, guilt washed over her as she nced at Mia. All that time¡­ tormenting the poor girl for a crime she didn¡¯tmit. A tear slipped from her eye, swiftly wiped away before anyone could notice. After a while, the couples concluded the day and headed in their separate directions. In the smoothly gliding car on the way to MRA, the married couple in the backseat embraced, the husband tenderly stroking his wife¡¯s hair. ¡°Thank you,¡± Mia whispered. With a kiss on her forehead, Shawn replied, ¡°I¡¯m your husband. It¡¯s my duty.¡± Upon returning home, they showered and descended for dinner. After a pleasant chat, they ascended to their room. However, upon reaching the door, Jennifer called out to Mia. ¡°Mia, can I see you for a second?¡± Shawn entered the bedroom while Mia followed her mother-inw into her own room. As they settled on the couch, Jennifer dropped the bombshell. ¡°Divorce my son.¡± Betrothed Entering the room, Jennifer calmly guided Mia to the couch. Once seated, she initiated the conversation. ¡°How was work today?¡± Mia responded with a cute smile, ¡°Well, it was stressful as usual, but¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°Hmm,¡± the older woman nodded in understanding. Twitching her lips, she said, ¡°I¡¯d like to express my gratitude for rescuing me that night, helping me to the hospital, and covering my medical expenses. Thank you so much.¡± Mia beamed with smiles, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing, Mom. All that matters is you¡¯re alright.¡± Eyeing the girl skeptically, Jennifer continued, ¡°The reason why I called you here is due to an important matter. There¡¯s something I need you to do for me.¡± Mia¡¯s expression turned serious upon hearing this. ¡°Anything. I¡¯ll do whatever you ask of me.¡± Inhaling deeply, Jennifer dropped the bombshell, ¡°Divorce my son.¡± Initially, Mia felt she hadn¡¯t heard her mother-inw correctly. Chuckling anxiously, she asked, ¡°Whaaat did you say?¡± ¡°Divorce Shawn. That¡¯s what I want you to do for me.¡± Mia was stunned, her heart skipping a beat. ¡°I-I-I shou¡­¡± She stuttered wlessly. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯ve done absolutely nothing wrong. It¡¯s just that both of you aren¡¯t meant for each other. He has a fianc¨¦e.¡± Fianc¨¦e¡­ Mia felt her heart twist in pain. Shawn had never mentioned that to her before. ¡°I know he won¡¯t do it, to spare your feelings¡­ that¡¯s why I want you to do it, okay? I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jennifer heaved a sigh. ¡°And yes, I¡¯ll warmlypensate you for everything you¡¯ve done for us.¡± She added calmly. ¡°You can go to bed now.¡± As soon as she stepped into the corridor, her wobbly legs gave way, and she crashed onto the floor, sobbing muffledly, her hands sped over her mouth. Why had things never gone her way? Just when she was beginning to live afortable life, everything crumbled again, back to where she started. Mia¡¯s breathing raged and hitched as she poured her heart out. When there were no more tears left to cry, she cleaned her face with her palms and slowly made her way into her husband¡¯s bedroom. Shawn sat in the lounge area when she stepped in. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Exhausted, she nodded without looking his way and headed straight to bed, throwing the covers over her entire body. Shawn gazed nkly at the girl. What was she-a corpse? Sleeping with the covers over her head. Unknown to him, his Little One cried underneath the covers, holding tightly to her chest as if a dagger pierced through her soul. He rose to a standing position and tookrge strides to the bed. Sitting on the edge, his eyes on the girl, he muttered, ¡°silly girl.¡± A few secondster, he added, ¡°are you going to divorce me?¡± Upon hearing his question, Mia¡¯s tears momentarily ceased, and she removed the covers from her face. Peering at him with glistening eyes, she huped uncontrobly. Unbeknownst to Mia, a while after her mother-inw called her and she followed into the room, her husband had left his bedroom to join them. However, upon reaching his mother¡¯s bedroom, he overheard their conversation. After eavesdropping for a while, he returned to his bedroom shortly before his wife finally entered. ¡°What¡­ what do we do now?¡± Mia sobbed softly, her gaze fixed on her husband. ¡°Stop the tears. I¡¯ll talk to Mom-there¡¯s no fianc¨¦e anywhere, okay?¡± He gently patted her head and tucked her into bed. After soothing her to sleep with gentle strokes, he quietly left the bedroom and headed straight to his mother¡¯s. Tapping lightly on the door, he entered. ¡°Mom,¡± he rasped. Jennifer was seated on the couch, lost in thought. She didn¡¯t seem to notice her son¡¯s arrival until he lightly tapped her. ¡°Oh, Sunshine.¡± She smiled as she gazed at him. Shawn pressed his lips together before speaking, ¡°Why did you say all of that to her?¡± Jennifer seemed momentarily dazed, but she soon collected herself. ¡°I see she told you. It was supposed to be between me and her. How could she do that?¡± ¡°No, she didn¡¯t. I heard you with my own two ears.¡± She was speechless. ¡°It¡¯s not good to eavesdrop on people, you know?¡± ¡°Why did you tell her I have a fianc¨¦e?¡± Sighing, Shawn¡¯s mother took his hands in hers, ¡°The two of you don¡¯t belong together.¡± ¡°Says who?¡± His brows knitted. She was taken aback, ¡°I mean, you can stop pretending now. I know you were forced into this position because of your grandfather. But you don¡¯t have to continue anymore; I¡¯m here now¡­¡± Shawn fell silent for a while and then asked, ¡°How did you know that?¡± She kept mute. However, he found it challenging to counter his mother¡¯s words as she was speaking the truth. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no but. Now that you¡¯re also aware, both of you shoulde to terms and n your divorce.¡± The man couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°You want me to divorce her? After everything-¡± ¡°We¡¯re going topensate her handsomely. I already informed her,¡± his mother quickly cut in. The room fell into a prolonged silence. However, after a while, Shawn broke it. ¡°I won¡¯t do it.¡± With that, he rose to a standing position and made his way out of his mother¡¯s bedroom. But then, upon reaching the door, Jennifer¡¯s words made his strides falter at once. ¡°You actually do have a fianc¨¦e.¡± He turned to look at the woman and chuckled. ¡°This is a joke, right?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Swallowing, she continued, ¡°you see, that day, three years ago, your birthday wasn¡¯t the only reason why I returned. There was something important that I needed to tell you.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. The more he listened to his mother, the more he sensed he wasn¡¯t going to like where she was headed. ¡°There¡¯s someone whom you¡¯ve both been betrothed ages before you were even born.¡± ¡°When your grandfather passed the baton of Beats Corporations to your father, he faced challenges that almost led the corporation to rock bottom. Seeking assistance, everyone turned their backs on him, except for one friend of his who offered help with a condition.¡± Jennifer inhaled deeply, ¡°The two friends signed a contract-a betrothal contract on behalf of their unborn children. If your father had a boy, his child would marry his friend¡¯s daughter. And if a girl, she¡¯d marry the man¡¯s son in the future-¡± Shawn was stunned. ¡°So, who is this supposed fianc¨¦e of mine?¡± ¡°Yvonne Davis.¡± Abuse of power In an unusual silence, Shawn found himself without words. ¡°Why hide it from me? Why reveal it now?¡± He questioned. Jennifer¡¯s expression dropped as she murmured sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sunshine.¡± ¡°But you have to do this. Marry Yvonne. It was your father¡¯s dying wish-amitment to the Davis family. We owe it to his memory.¡± Despite this, Shawn remained resolute, stating, ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m already married.¡± With that, he marched out of the room. Jennifer slumped into the chair, feeling helpless. Now torn between herte husband and her living son, she wondered what course of action to take.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Exiting his mother¡¯s bedroom, Shawn made a beeline for his study. Settling into his chair, he lit a cigarette, inhaling long puffs. The revtion of a contract existing since before his birth fueled his anger-how could he have been leftpletely unaware until now. What fueled his anger further was the realization that his father had scripted his future before his very birth. Was the weight of Beats Corporations not ample? Did they seek to deprive him of any semnce of joy? After losing his father at a young age, Old Master Mandez immersed Shawn in strict business training, and he soon passed him the CEO role as soon as he came of age. Bitterness clung to Shawn. However, one thing was certain. Even in the face of adversity, he would never abandon Mia, no matter the circumstances. Lost in deep thoughts, his phone chimed. Retrieving it from the desk, he read the ominous message from an anonymous sender: ¡°Enjoy while itsts. Coming for both of them soon.¡± Shawn¡¯s eyes narrowed instantly. He required no confirmation to recognize that the sender was the mastermind behind his mother¡¯s ident. The ominous mention of ¡®both of them¡¯ made it clear-the threat extended to both his mother and his wife. For the first time in a long while, anxiety gripped the CEO. Taking a deep breath, he extinguished his cigarette and headed directly to his room. Slipping into bed, he embraced his wife, nting a protective kiss on her hair. Nothing would ever separate them. Absolutely nothing. __________ Dayster, B. Y TV. ¡°Hello, Ma¡¯am.¡± Mia greeted with a smile, bobbing politely to the woman seated behind the desk. However, her courtesy was met withplete silence. Having recently resumed working on Charlotte George¡¯s floor, Mia¡¯s attempt to engage was always met with a sternmand. Without lifting her gaze from theputer, Charlotte pointed to a sizable stack of sheets on her desk. ¡°Go and arrange those scripts. There are fifty-two of them, all mixed up. Sort everything out. Today.¡± She ordered. Mia blinked at the daunting pile. ¡°Alright.¡± Despite the challenge, she gathered the scripts and exited the woman¡¯s main office, making her way to the small space assigned to her. Observing Mia¡¯s departure, Charlotte wore a sneer at the corner of her mouth. Truth be told, there was no practical need for those scripts; she simply aimed to keep Mia working tirelessly. Her heart couldn¡¯t bear witnessing the girl¡¯s happiness, especially after seeing her with Damien the other night. She would regret choosing her as her mentor. Mia toiled until nightfall, her new boss denying her any breathing space. From scripting to editing, following Charlotte incessantly, and catering to her every need, this routine defined Mia¡¯s daily life under the demanding woman. Despite the relentless workload, Mia perceived it as part of Charlotte¡¯s rigorous training for her benefit. As closing hours approached, Martha sought out her best friend. Upon witnessing the overwhelming workload, she was left speechless-Charlotte was once again subjecting Mia to overtime. Initially, Martha thought Mia working for Charlotte George would be a breeze, expecting that Charlotte wouldn¡¯t burden her too much, which made her envious. However, witnessing Mia working overtime daily brought joy to Martha¡¯s heart, Christian was easygoing in stark contrast. He barely made her do anything. ¡°Mia, let¡¯s go home¡­ you can continue tomorrow,¡± Martha expressed her concern for her friend. However, Mia, focused on arranging scripts, didn¡¯t divert her gaze. ¡°Martha, go ahead first, okay? I can¡¯t leave without finishing these¡­¡± She pouted, suggesting, ¡°Will you switch with me? Working with Christian isn¡¯t as demanding.¡± ¡°Huh? No. No, no. I¡¯m okay. Sincerely. I¡¯ll be done soon,¡± Mia chuckled. ¡®Soon, indeed, with all of these¡­¡¯ Martha eyed the towering pile of scripts. ¡°Well, if you say so. Don¡¯t overwork yourself, okay? I¡¯ll leave first then, bye.¡± She smiled, turning to depart. However, a flicker in Mia¡¯s eyes prompted her to call out, ¡°Um, Martha.¡± Martha turned. She hesitated before asking, ¡°When you were moving out of the room in the school dormitory, did you happen to see any¡­ file?¡± She fixed Martha with a searching gaze. Martha was momentarily taken aback. ¡°File? What file? I didn¡¯t see any file.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Mia¡¯s expression dropped. ¡°Hmm, can you describe what¡¯s in the file? Maybe I can¡­¡± Martha¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°Ah, no. It¡¯s nothing. Never mind.¡± She waved her hand and resumed her task. Observing Mia skeptically for a moment, Martha eventually turned and made her way out, grinning. Over the past few days, she had wondered if CEO Shawn didn¡¯t see the picture she had sent him¡­ and felt quite disappointed. However, Mia¡¯s inquiry about the divorce files suggested that the CEO had likely seen the pictures, leading him to deduce Mia¡¯s alleged infidelity. This might have prompted him to revisit the idea of divorce and inquire if Mia had signed the papers. Martha beamed with pride as she clicked on the elevator button, convinced that her efforts were yielding results. As the elevator doors opened, Veronica stepped out. Martha¡¯s smug smile vanished instantly. Caught off guard, she stuttered, ¡°Hu-hu-Vee, hi.¡± Veronica eyed her, managing a small smile, ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± This was Charlotte George¡¯s floor, and Veronica, not assigned to this floor, was naturally not expected to be there. ¡°I¡¯m here to see my friend,¡± Veronica responded. ¡°Ohhh, alright then.¡± Martha nodded. ¡°Goodnight.¡± She stepped into the elevator. ¡°Night.¡± Veronica turned and headed her way, rolling her eyes. Ever since she became aware that Martha had lied about her situation with Mia and Max, Veronica viewed her differently. ¡°Did that sly girl just leave here now?¡± Veronica¡¯s face scrunched up as she reached Mia¡¯s desk. Mia¡¯s eyes lit up upon seeing her, and she smiled, ¡°She¡¯s not sly, Vee. She¡¯s my best friend.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. ¡°Are you actually dumb? Or are you just pretending not to know?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± ¡°Eish, never mind.¡± Following that night¡¯s confrontation, Veronica had found a way to apologize to Mia for everything she did to her. Since then, the two had grown extremely close. Deep down, Mia found spending time with Veronica more enjoyable than with Martha. However, Martha remained her best friend, so¡­ Noticing the substantial workload Mia still had, Veronica couldn¡¯t help but scoff, ¡°When are you going to be done with all this work? How does she expect you to finish everything in a day?¡± Every day, since they were assigned to different mentors, once closing hours approached, Veronica would seek out Mia. However, Mia was always consistently working overtime. Every single day, Mia was the only intern subjected to this, and Veronica couldn¡¯t help but be annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not! That¡¯s the thing with you-even when you¡¯re ufortable with something, you neverin.¡± Mia let out a small smile, heaving a weary sigh. Actually, she found sce in having a plethora of work to do. It helped keep her mind off personal issues. Besides, if she worked overtime, she wouldn¡¯t have to go home¡­ ¡°All you say is ¡®alright.¡¯ She¡¯s abusing you. No wonder Uncle Damien broke up with her-I used to think she was a sweet person¡­ I¡¯ll call Uncle Shawn.¡± Veronica swiftly brought out her phone. ¡°What? No!¡± Mia hastily snatched the phone from her hand. ¡°Why? He needs to know that his wife¡¯s boss is giving her a hard time at work.¡± ¡°Lower your voice; someone will hear you.¡± However, it was already toote. ¡°What did you just say?¡± A voice sounded from the side. The girls turned in the direction of the voice, and upon seeing its speaker, they froze. Abducted ¡°What did you just say?¡± The girls turned in the direction of the voice, and upon seeing its speaker, they froze. Unknown to them, Charlotte George had been standing on the side for a while. Upon hearing Veronica¡¯sst sentences, she couldn¡¯t help but be dazed. She approached them on her heels, asking keenly, ¡°Vee, what did you just say? Who is married to who?¡± Veronica bit her lip and nced at Mia. What was she to do now? She had inadvertently exposed her friend¡¯s secret. Guilt washed over her.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. However, Mia offered her a gentle smile, acknowledging that every secret would eventuallye to light sooner rather thanter. She turned to face Charlotte, saying, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m married, Ma¡¯am. I¡¯m married to Shawn Mandez of Beats Corporations. I know I should have told you¡­ It¡¯s just my personal life¡­ I wanted to keep it a secret-¡± Before she could finish, Charlotte rushed forward and engulfed her in a tight warm hug. Mia froze, exchanging confused looks with Veronica. After a while, she was released from the hug. The woman took two steps back. ¡°So, you¡¯re not in a rtionship with Damien?¡± Mia was confused, ¡°Not at all.¡± She shook her head. Charlotte¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, ¡°I thought¡­ But I saw both of you hugging that night¡­¡± Mia¡¯s mind wandered down memoryne, and she smiled upon realization, ¡°Oh, that¡­ He suddenly hugged me-I don¡¯t know why; it just happened that way. There really is nothing between us.¡± Charlotte George gasped as tears of joy streamed down her face. Mia and Veronica simply continued staring at her in silence and confusion. It took a while before she finally collected herself. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m sincerely sorry. I¡¯ve been unpleasant to you since you came here¡­ I let my emotions get the better part of me, Mia. I¡¯m really not someone like this; I just¡­¡± She broke down in fresh tears, ¡°I love him.¡± Everything suddenly began to make sense to Mia and Veronica. Charlotte George was in love with Damien Davis. She must have assumed Mia was in a rtionship with Damien, leading to her mean behavior over the past few days. ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I hope you don¡¯t hate me now.¡± Charlotte sobbed softly. ¡°There¡¯s no problem at all; I don¡¯t hate you. I can¡¯t hate my role model.¡± Mia smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± She hugged the girl again and then embraced Veronica too. ncing over Mia¡¯s shoulder at her desk, guilt immediately washed through her. ¡°Leave the scripts and go home now. I¡¯m sorry for making you work excessively.¡± She sighed. Charlotte made sure to wait behind until Mia had packed her stuff, and the three of them entered the elevator together. By the time they arrived outside the building, Damien was already waiting for his niece in the car. Veronica waved goodbye and got in. As he drove off, Damien briefly locked eyes with Charlotte, breaking eye contact a few secondster and pressing more on the elerator. Now, Charlotte pieced everything together. He must have seen her that night and hastily hugged Mia in order to avoid her. She smiled. Veronica nced at her uncle beside her and couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he also still harbored feelings for his ex. It had been three years since they broke up, yet she had no idea what happened between them. __________ Back at B. Y TV¡¯s entrance, Charlotte apologized repeatedly to Mia, promising to make it up to her, before zooming off in her car. Although she offered to take Mia home, the girl refused, saying, ¡°I have someone who¡¯ll soon be here to pick me up, thank you.¡± Following Charlotte¡¯s departure, Mia observed as Jasper pulled up to her front. She opened the car door and got in. ¡°Good evening, Jasper.¡± Unbeknownst to her, it wasn¡¯t Jasper behind the wheel. As soon as she settled into the car¡¯s backseat, aced handkerchief was thrown over her nose. From the pressure, Mia soon lost consciousness. __________ ¡°What do you mean you lost her?¡± Shawn¡¯srge strides faltered. His wife hadn¡¯t been herself the past few days, due to his mother¡¯s request. Whenever he returned home from work, she was always fast asleep. Due to the both of them working overtime at their respective ces of work, he let her rest without disturbing her. As days went by, their interactions dwindled, and he soon realized she was avoiding him. On purpose. So tonight, he intentionally left work early to wait for her at home before her arrival¡­ However, just as he stepped foot into the lounge, Jasper¡¯s call came in. ¡°I lost her, Sir.¡± Automatically, Shawn turned around and swiftly headed out of the house. Jennifer, who was sitting in the lounge, stood up immediately and quickly followed behind her son. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Where are you going again?¡± As Shawn stepped into the vehicle, he turned and nced at his mother. ¡°Mia¡¯s been abducted.¡± Jennifer gasped, her legs weakening at once. Her legs remained rooted to the ground as she observed the car speeding away from the residence. A cascade of emotions surged through her, causing her heart to beat erratically. Despite her reservations about the girl for her son, concern for Mia lingered in her thoughts. Mia was like a daughter to her, providingpanionship, sharing stories, and easing her loneliness during the time she was in aa. How could she not hold a special ce for her in her heart? Silently praying, Jennifer slowly made her way back inside. The idea of anything unfortunate happening to Mia weighed heavily on her conscience. She wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive herself if anything bad were to happen to the girl. Could it be that the ident¡¯s instigator was behind Mia¡¯s disappearance? She wondered. * * The Thompson Family¡¯s Residence. ¡°Baby, it¡¯s sorted.¡± Barbara grinned triumphantly upon entering her daughter¡¯s room. Vivian, with furrowed brows, looked up from her phone, puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The only issue in your life, I¡¯ve taken care of it.¡± Initially confused by her mother¡¯s cryptic words, realization dawned on Vivian after a moment. ¡°What did you do?!¡± She leaped from her bed in rm. Barbara was surprised by her daughter¡¯s reaction; she had expected gratitude. ¡°Mom, tell me, what did you do to her? Where is she?¡± Vivian¡¯s voice carried a sense of urgency. ¡°I had her abducted,¡± Barbara admitted. Abducted II ¡°What do you mean?-I had her abducted!¡± Vivian¡¯s head spun and she felt an immediate wave of sickness hit her. ¡°Where is she now? Where did you take her?¡± She spoke urgently, throwing on a jacket and grabbing her phone from the bed. Barbara scoffed, ¡°You want to go and save her? After what she did to you? Impossible!¡± ¡°What? What exactly did she do to me? Who said Shawn Mendez was mine to begin with?! Just tell me where you took her.¡± Vivian pleaded helplessly. ¡°No!¡± Barbara was determined to keep the girl in her grasp. Opportunity came but once. ¡°We have her already. ..¡± ¡°No?¡± Unable to contain herself any longer, Vivian asked in a low voice, ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Her mother was stunned. ¡°I asked if you aren¡¯t ashamed of yourself! Do you ever think about me at all? About my feelings? Ever since we started living in this house, it¡¯s been torture for me! You¡¯re my mother, yet you aren¡¯t.¡± Vivian sobbed softly, ¡°Getting pregnant by your helper¡¯s husband-someone who treated you as her own sister-wasn¡¯t that enough? ¡°You brought us into this house immediately after she died¡­ and began to make her daughter¡¯s life a living hell, in her rightful house! Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself? And to think you want to go to the extent of kil¡­ I¡¯m ashamed of you.¡± She released all the emotions she¡¯d bottled up for ages. ¡°You keep using me as an excuse to perpetrate evil every single time! That¡¯s disgusting. Oh, you think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re doing this for yourself and not me? If your ns work out, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to benefit the most.¡± ¡°You want to be Shawn¡¯s mother-inw so bad. Pathetic. Every night, I cry myself to sleep because of how pathetic my birth mother is. I hate myself! I hate you even more! You should have gotten rid of me in your belly, but no. You selfish-¡± Upon hearing her daughter¡¯s heart-piercing words, Barbara¡¯s body weakened instantly, and her legs gave way, causing her to copse onto the floor with a hard thud. Yet, Vivian couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°If you don¡¯t send me the address of where you took her, consider yourself childless. I want nothing to do with you anymore.¡± With that, she stormed out of her bedroom, leaving her mother speechless. Hot tears streamed down Barbara¡¯s face. She never expected¡­ Who would have thought that her one and only daughter harbored so much hatred for her? The girl¡¯s words were true and bitter, painfully bitter. Ages back, May Thompson had indeed offered her assistance when she was still in the slums. When no one else came to her rescue and she was wallowing away in poverty, the woman did. May took pity on Barbara, helping her open a salon and introducing her to the world of elites-taking her to high-end parties, outings, shopping¡­ She allowed her freely into her house as she took her as a sister. However, Barbara¡¯s greed took over. She wanted more. Merely witnessing the rich life wasn¡¯t sufficient; she desired to live the rich life. May Thompson¡¯s life. With this mindset, she embarked on a mission: she slept with the woman¡¯s husband, giving birth to a girl just months before May weed her own daughter. Upon May¡¯s demise, Barbara assumed her life, her household, and her position everywhere. Unaware that her actions were deeply hurting the one person she loved the most-her daughter, a realization that dawned on her just today. With a heavy heart, Barbara picked up her phone, texted Vivian the address, and then, clutching her chest, she wept bitterly. ______ As Vivian sped away, tears shimmered in her eyes. Since the night Martha handed her the divorce file, bitterness consumed her, and Mia became the target of a thousand mental stabs. Vivid, torturous thoughts of revenge filled her mind daily, but the bond of sisterhood held her back. Despite the deep anger, Vivian couldn¡¯t bring herself to harm Mia. After all, she was her sister. The internal struggle left her crying herself to sleep each night, feeling utterly helpless. As time passed and Vivian showed no sign of taking action, her mother decided to intervene. Without Vivian¡¯s knowledge, Barbara orchestrated Mia¡¯s abduction. Vivian should have anticipated her mother¡¯s actions. Her phone chimed, and she saw Barbara had sent her the address. A small smile flickered across her lips. Perhaps her mother was still capable of redemption. Tears welled in her eyes as she pressed down on the elerator, her heart heavy with emotion. ¡°Whose handiwork is it?¡± CEO Shawn inquired the person on the other end the moment he answered the call. His lips pressed into a thin line as he listened,manding, ¡°Keep watch till I get there.¡± Ending the call, he tapped his legs impatiently as the vehicle glided down the road. Just how far would that woman go? It wouldn¡¯t take him much to ruin Barbara¡¯s life entirely. However, for Mia¡¯s sake¡­Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. It wasn¡¯t long before Shawn¡¯s convoy arrived at their destination-an abandoned warehouse off the town. Jasper, already at the venue per his boss¡¯s instructions to await further orders, could only wait impatiently in the car. Upon seeing the Big Boss, he hastily exited the vehicle and hurried to his side, immediately kneeling before him. ¡°I¡¯vemitted a great crime, Big Boss,¡± Jasper was well aware that he had transgressed against the Big Boss. Only time would tell whether forgiveness awaited him or if he would pay with his head. He had no clue how the whole thing happened. Earlier, he simply drove the car to a nearby filling station for a quick fuel stop. With Madam often leaving workte in recent days, he assumed it would be the same today, hence the trip to the filling station. Little did he anticipate that upon returning to B. Y Entertainments, the Big Boss¡¯s wife would be a few miles ahead, in motion-all thanks to the tracking device he had concealed in her phone¡­ It dawned on him-she had been abducted. He promptly started tailing the vehicle that had abducted her, simultaneously calling the Big Boss to ry the update. Despite how ufortable it was, he knew there was no alternative but to inform the man that his wife had been kidnapped. Shawn brushed past Jasper and observed as his men strategically positioned themselves in the vicinity. As per the tracking device, Mia was currently located in the abandoned warehouse right in front of them. Advancing with determination, the CEO led his men, prepared to storm the warehouse and rescue their Madam. Yet, on closer examination, he observed that the warehouse door was slightly ajar. Signaling his men, they forcefully entered the warehouse, armed for the task. Despite a thorough search, the area appeared empty-no one in sight. Shawn¡¯s head began to ache. ¡°Are you sure they brought her here?¡± ¡°Yes, Big Boss,¡± Jasper bowed. ¡°I witnessed them carrying her inside, but shortly afterward, they all departed, leaving without Madam.¡± The CEO¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡®What could that mean?¡¯ ¡°Keep searching,¡± he thunderously ordered, and his men swiftly resumed their efforts. Heart thumping loudly in his chest, he joined the search, impatiently checking every room in the warehouse, yelling at the top of his lungs, ¡°Mia!¡± Each door he opened revealed emptiness, fueling his growing anxiety. ¡°Mia!!!¡± His mind was besieged by unsettling thoughts. Could they have¡­ and then left?¡­ Just as he began to fear she wasn¡¯t there and he might have lost her, turning the doorknob of the next door, heid eyes on his wife. His heart skipped a beat. Restored bonds As Shawn turned the doorknob of the next door, relief washed over him as he spotted his wife, Mia. ¡°Mia!¡± His heart raced as he hurried into the room. There shey, lifeless on the ground, her hair disheveled and covering her face. ¡°Baby,¡± Shawn gently shook her, pulling her close and tucking her fallen strands behind her ear. Upon seeing her tear-stained face, his heart twisted. The girl¡¯s eyes were red, and her puffy cheeks revealed she had been crying for quite some time. Without hesitation, he embraced her tightly. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Little One. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Mia clung to her husband, gripping his back as her tears flowed. She wept until she could weep no more. After regainingposure, she whispered in a raspy breath, ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going toe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll alwayse for you, my baby,¡± Shawn reassured, kissing her hair. ¡°I¡¯m deeply sorry. This will never happen again. I promise.¡± With care, he lifted her into his arms. Exiting the warehouse, his men dly cleared the path, their hearts lifted at the sight of their madam.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Jasper sighed in relief, tears welling in his eyes. The thought of harm befalling the madam shook him to the core. If anything had happened to her¡­ As CEO Shawn stepped outside, cradling his wife toward the awaiting vehicles, he spotted a girl hurrying toward them from a distance. ¡°Mia!¡± Tears streamed down Vivian¡¯s face as she hurried out of the car to her sister¡¯s side, oblivious to everyone around. Her focus solely on Mia, she anxiously asked, ¡°Are you alright? Are you sick? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± The questions rushed out without a pause. Mia managed a weak smile and extended her hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Vivian.¡± Vivian gently squeezed her hand, relief evident in her smile. ¡°I¡¯m so-¡± Vivian started, but her words were cut off by a stern, authoritative voice. ¡°She can¡¯t talk for now,¡± Shawn interjected sharply. It was only then that Vivian realized she stood before Shawn Mandez, the CEO of Beats Corporations. Eyes widened, she quickly bowed, but the man brushed past her, continuing with his long strides. Vivian observed the formidable man¡¯s departing figure, her face devoid of expression. Shawn carefully ced Mia in the vehicle, getting in beside her. However, he stopped in his tracks and turned to his wife¡¯s half-sister. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he muttered, ¡°Ride with us.¡± Without waiting, he entered the car. Vivian was momentarily surprised but quickly moved over and joined the CEO¡¯s vehicle, while one of his men took charge of her own car. Just like that, the convoy made their way out of the area. The journey back to Magnificent was marked by an ufortable silence for Vivian. As the moments passed, the realization of sharing the space with Shawn Mandez intensified her difort. Yet, her concern for her sister took precedence, diverting her attention from the uneasy atmosphere. Mia must have been deeply affected¡­ Guilt weighed heavily on Vivian¡¯s mind. The vehicles smoothly pulled into the residence, the one the CEO and his wife were in,ing to a stop just a few feet from the main door that led into the house. Shawn carried Mia inside immediately after the car door was opened, and Vivian followed suit, finding it challenging to resist admiring the grandeur of the mansion. The opulence surpassed even her father¡¯s estate. Had Mia been living here all along? How great for her! Vivian couldn¡¯t help but marvel, her eyes dancing around. Upon entering the lounge, Jennifer, who had been pacing impatiently in the doorway, quickly nced at Mia in Shawn¡¯s arms. Their eyes met briefly before she looked away, making room for their passage. ¡°She¡¯s okay,¡± Shawn assured, moving past his mother and heading up the stairs. He knew the woman was worried about his wife. Vivian hesitated in the lounge-she couldn¡¯t possibly keep following-, but Shawn¡¯s directive had her promptly resume following behind. ¡°Come with me.¡± As the trio disappeared the corner of the staircase, Jennifer sighed in relief, sinking into a chair. Although grateful that the girl was safe, guilt prevented her from directly inquiring about her well-being. She swallowed uneasily, silently thanking the heavens for the girl¡¯s safety. In the bedroom, Shawn carried his wife to the bathroom for a thorough bath, while Vivian stood in ce, surveying the room with utmost keenness. Shortly after, the couple returned, and Shawn carefully guided Mia to the bed, ensuring she took her medicine. On the side, Vivian observed his every gentle move with her sister. ¡°Vivian,e sit,¡± Mia gestured to a spot on the bed, and hesitantly, Vivian joined her. On the other hand, Shawn went over to the room¡¯s mini lounge, retrieving hisptop from the table. Rather than retreating to his study, he chose to keep a close eye on his wife by staying here to work, not wanting her out of his sight for even a moment. ¡°How are you feeling now?¡± Vivian asked in a hushed tone, cing her hand on Mia¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Mia nodded in affirmation, but after a short while, tears welled up in Vivian¡¯s eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mia grew concerned upon noticing the girls¡¯s sour expression. ¡°I¡¯m so, so, so sorry, Mia.¡± Vivian¡¯s voice quivered. ¡°M-m-m-m-my mom¡­ d-d-did this to you-¡± She sobbed uncontrobly, struggling with her words. ¡°I had no idea; please forgive her, forgive me, forgive us. She did it because of me¡­ because I-¡± Tears streamed down both sides of her face. ¡°I know you hate us¡­ you deserve to. We intruded into your home and took over, and my mom has been nothing but mean to you ever since¡­ I¡¯m so sorry for everything, Mia. Please, forgive us.¡± Throughout, Mia observed her sister in silence, tears welling in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she forced out a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Vivian. I don¡¯t hate you-neither of you. You¡¯re family to me-you¡¯re my family. It¡¯s fine. Sincerely.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded. ¡°Thank youuu.¡± The sisters embraced tightly, shedding tears into each other¡¯s shoulders. On the other side of the bedroom, the CEO stayed focused on theptop, yet his ears picked up the sisters¡¯ conversation. And when they started crying in unison¡­ He clicked his tongue inaudibly, thinking, ¡°She isn¡¯t supposed to be crying. She should be resting¡­¡± He was at a loss for words concerning his wife right now. The marriage contract As it was alreadyte into the night, Shawn asked Madam Susan to prepare a room for his sister-inw. Mia, exhausted from the draining events and aided by her husband¡¯s medicine, didn¡¯t take long before she drifted into a deep sleep. The next morning, Vivian bid farewell to her sister before departing. However, prior to her departure, she retrieved a file from her vehicle and handed it to Mia in her bedroom. ¡°This belongs to you,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°Be good, okay? If you need anything at all, give me a call, and I¡¯ll be there in a second.¡± Mia returned her sister¡¯s smile, and both girls waved each other goodbye. As Vivian left the bedroom and made her way to the front door, she encountered CEO Shawn in the lounge, sipping on a cup of coffee. Bowing, she hesitated before sharing her thoughts. ¡°CEO Shawn, you might not know, but you once saved my life twice.¡± She offered a small smile. ¡°I believe fate brought us together, because now, here we are, inws.¡± She chuckled nervously. After a brief pause, she sighed, ¡°Please, take good care of my sister. She¡¯s faced challenges at home-mom, our dad¡­ Shower her with the love she¡¯s been deprived of; she deserves it All of it.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t divorce her.¡± Vivian bowed once more before making her way outside. About thirty secondster, the departure of her vehicle resonated through the air. Shawn remained in his previous position, his gaze vacantly fixed yet filled with contemtion. Soon, footsteps echoed from the stairway. His eyes shifted, realizing it was his wife, fully dressed and prepared for work. ¡°And where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± He inquired, arching his brows. ¡°Hmm¡­ to work, where else?¡± Mia chuckled nervously. Pressing his lips into a thin line, Shawn set the cup of coffee on the stool and stood up. With just two strides, he closed the distance between him and his wife, effortlessly lifting her onto his shoulder. ¡°Put me down, I need to go to work,¡± Mia whined.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I already called in sick on your behalf,¡± Shawn calmly muttered as he ascended the stairs. ¡°But I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°Un,¡± he responded throatily, entering the bedroom. Arguing with her with unnecessary. He tucked her into bed and then headed back downstairs to get her breakfast, which he began spoon-feeding her upon his return. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go to work too?¡± Mia studied his face as she epted each spoonful of porridge into her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s mypany. I can choose to take ten years off-there¡¯s no one to challenge me.¡± Mia gulped. ¡®Well¡­¡¯ After a while, Shawn remarked, ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do, Little One. However, I¡¯m still going to call you out on it.¡± Mia froze, anticipating what wasing next. ¡°Why did you enter that vehicle without proper confirmation that it was Jasper in it? What if something happened to you? The world is more chaotic than you think. Always be cautious¡± With a downcast expression, Mia fiddled with her hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The car looked the same as¡­¡± Realizing her excuse was weak, she admitted, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It won¡¯t happen again. Never!¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± Shawn¡¯s tense face rxed and he smiled, ruffling her hair. The couple spent the day at home, cherishing each other¡¯spany. As night fell and they snuggled up in bed, the wife peeked at her husband¡¯s face. ¡°Please let Jasper continue driving me,¡± she pleaded on her chauffeur¡¯s behalf. Shawn opened his eyes, staring into space. ¡°Okay,¡± he breathed. Mia¡¯s lips curled up in a cute smile. However, as she closed her eyes, her mind wandered to the file Vivian gave her before she left in the morning. _____ A few dayster, nightfall at the Davis Family Estate. The vehicle drove into the estate and came to a halt in front of the Davis Family residence. The Davis siblings were already outside, lined up in order of precedence. The car window wound down, revealing a middle-aged man and woman. Damien and his sisters bowed to them simultaneously, excitement written on their faces. ¡°Dad, Mom!¡± Yvonne whined. ¡°I thought you were never going toe back home.¡± A few years ago, well before Damien sent his sister into exile in the States, their parents had retired to the countryside-shortly after Jennifer Mandez¡¯s death, which shook everyone. Over the years, despite their eldest daughter¡¯s continuous pleas for them to return, Master Davis and his wife never came back home. No matter the situation. Not even when their son sent their youngest daughter to a foreignnd. However, here they were. Ste observed her parents from where she stood, wondering, ¡®Why are they back? What could be the reason?¡¯ ¡°Everyone, get in the car. There¡¯s somewhere we need to be,¡± Master Davis ordered. ¡°What? But you guys just got back. You must be tired and need rest¡­¡± Yvonne was taken aback. The family was supposed to go inside and start celebrating the return of the parents. It had been so long¡­ However, ¡°Get in, now.¡± The three siblings promptly obeyed their father¡¯s instruction. Without wasting any time, the vehicle made its way out of the estate. As the siblings wondered about what was happening and where they were headed, they looked out through the car window and saw that they were in a rather familiar area. Magnificent Residential¡­ Realization struck them as theyprehended that they were en route to the Mandez family¡¯s residence. Damien shot a quick look at his father, his brows knitted. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why are we here?¡± he inquired as their car entered Shawn Mandez¡¯s Residence. However, Master Davis disregarded his son¡¯s inquiry. As the car halted, the family descended from the vehicle, entering the mansion one after another. In the lounge, Jennifer who was engrossed in a documentary, was startled by thete-night intrusion. Upon closer scrutiny, she recognized the visitors, prompting her to swiftly rise from her seat. Anxiety surged through her as she met the gaze of Master Davis and his wife. She was acutely aware of the reason behind their visit. To finalize the marriage contract. The marriage contract II Ste and her younger siblings were bewildered to see Madam Mandez. She was meant to be deceased-three years prior, they attended her burial ceremony. How was it possible for her to stand before them now? Their astonishment outweighed any excitement, rendering them unable to leap towards her in joy at the unexpected reunion after several years. Was she a ghost? ¡°Master Davis, Madam Davis,¡± Jennifer greeted with a subtle smile, gesturing for the visitors to take their seats. Madam Davis closed the gap between them, taking Jennifer¡¯s hands in hers and patting themfortingly. ¡°It must have been challenging for you these past few years. Are you alright?¡± She and her husband had learnt that the woman didn¡¯t die in the ident and had been in aa all these while, only waking up recently¡­ Jennifer Mandez nodded, ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you, Natasha. Please, take your seat.¡± Madam Davis nodded and then took her seat beside her husband. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re doing well. However, we¡¯vee tonight to discuss an important matter that you¡¯re already aware of,¡± Master Davis addressed.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°I apologize for the intrusion, but this matter needs to be dealt with so that we can all move on and put it behind us.¡± He paused, looking at Jennifer. ¡°Is Shawn home?¡± Jennifer sighed, her gaze fixed on him with utmost attention. ¡°He¡¯s not back from work yet, but he should be here anytime soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here already.¡± A cold, domineering voice echoed from the doorway. As soon as Shawn stepped in and his figure came into view, a chill swept through the air. Right behind him was a little girl peeking at the visitors from behind his tall frame. Yvonne¡¯s gaze traced down to Shawn¡¯s fingers intertwined with Mia¡¯s, and she clenched her hands into fists instantly. Shawn turned to face his wife, a smile ying at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Go up first and take a shower. I¡¯ll join you shortly, okay?¡± Mia nodded meekly, making her way upstairs, avoiding everyone¡¯s gaze as she solely focused on the floor. Once Little One had disappeared up the stairs, Shawn¡¯s smile vanished instantly, reced with a cold glint in his eyes which he fixed on the unwanted guests. Curtly, he nodded. ¡°Uncle, Aunt,¡± and also took his seat. As everyone was present, Master Davis got straight to the point. ¡°This meeting tonight concerns Shawn and Yvonne.¡± The Davis siblings were taken aback. Shawn and Yvonne? They exchanged confused looks. Yvonne felt her palms go moist, her heart skipping a beat. She assumed her parents had discovered her one-sided feelings for Shawn, bringing their family here to apologize for the embarrassments she¡¯d been causing. However, that wasn¡¯t the case. Master Davis held up aminated paper and said, ¡°In honor of the promise made over twenty years ago, between myself and Lawrence, I¡¯d like to set a wedding date for your son, Shawn, and Yvonne, my daughter.¡± ¡°Dad, what are you talking about?¡± Yvonne was stunned. Her elder siblings were equally shocked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°What is he talking about?¡± Master Davis continued, addressing Yvonne, ¡°Lawrence and I signed a marriage contract between you and Shawn. Initially, I intended to let everything unfold naturally as I noticed your feelings for him. However, over the years, he never reciprocated. A couple of years ago, I reached out to Jennifer to inform both of you about it, but on her way back from the States, she had an ident and died-thankfully, it wasn¡¯t so. I had to hold myself back. Now that she¡¯s back, we proceed as nned. So, Yvonne, Shawn is actually your fianc¨¦, and we¡¯re here to set a date for your wedding. There¡¯s no reason to dy any longer.¡± Yvonne Davis was dumbstruck. ¡®What?!¡¯ Shawn Mandez was her fianc¨¦?! A marriage contract¡­ She had no idea all these years¡­ Initially overwhelmed with bewilderment and confusion, she gradually became happy. Her father had helped her secure the one man she loved¡­ Now, she could have Shawn all to herself! It was great news! However¡­ ¡°Uncle, to start,¡± Shawn¡¯s cold, demanding voice cut through the silence, capturing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯d like to thank you foring to my father¡¯s aid back then. If it weren¡¯t for you, Beats Corporations wouldn¡¯t be what it is today.¡± Master Davis nodded with pride. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°However, I won¡¯t proceed with the marriage to your daughter; I¡¯m sorry.¡± Everyone was shocked by these words. ¡°For reasons best known to me, I¡¯d like to terminate the contract. I¡¯m prepared to go through the legal process. Additionally, for the funds you assisted my father with back then, I¡¯ll refund you-ten times the actual amount, with an interest fee.¡± Shawn¡¯s words left everyonepletely speechless for a while. ¡°Shawn¡­¡± Yvonne¡¯s heart broke. Suddenly, Master Davis¡¯s angry voice resounded. ¡°This is outrageous! Preposterous! This union cannot be faltered! You¡¯ll marry Yvonne as nned!¡± ¡°With due respect, you¡¯re in no ce to tell me what I will or will not do. I won¡¯t be forced into anything against my will,¡± Shawn refuted, his voice deep and hostile, causing everyone to shift ufortably in their seats. It was no news that Shawn Mandez was not one to be trifled with. He was way more ruthless than his father and grandfather. Master Davis, quite taken aback, cleared his throat uneasily. ¡°The contract has been signed by both parties. The marriage needs to take ce,¡± he insisted. ¡°And I said-¡± Shawn was about to speak when a voice interrupted from the doorway: ¡°Why not let them decide-sir.¡± All attention turned towards the area where the voice originated, and everyone was surprised to see Charlotte there. Taking graceful strides, Charlotte entered fully into the lounge, bowing to the elders present. After her curtsy, her gaze fixed on Master Davis, a glint of anger and pain evident in her eyes. ¡°Master Davis, do you enjoy forcing people to do things against their will?¡± She inquired calmly, her gaze unwavering. ¡°You-what are you doing here?¡± Master Davis was enraged. ¡°I¡¯m here to prevent history from repeating itself. You forced me into breaking up with Damien; I won¡¯t let you force Shawn into a loveless marriage,¡± Charlotte responded resolutely. Damien blinked rapidly in confusion,pletely unaware of what was happening. ¡°What do you mean you were forced to break up with me? I was the one who broke up with you because you cheated,¡± he sneered. ¡°But is that actually what happened? Did I really cheat on you?¡± Charlotte stared at him with calm eyes. Damien scoffed. What was she ying at? He had walked in on her on that dreadful night, tangled up in the sheets with some guy¡­ If not for his father, he never would have known that Charlotte was such a despicable person. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? I caught you red-handed!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because your parents nned everything.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Three years ago, your father and mother called me to meet them¡­¡± Yvonne began. Revelation Three years prior, As an intern, Charlotte found herself workingte into the night on this particr day. Uponpleting her tasks at B. Y TV building, she headed out. As she walked down the road, a young man approached her. ¡°Miss, Master Davis would like to see you. Please,e with me.¡± Upon hearing this, Charlotte felt a mix of surprise and anticipation. The Davis family had consistently opposed her rtionship with Damien, and the reasons remained a mystery to her. Perhaps, they were here to reconcile with her. That was her initial assumption. She promptly followed the man to the car, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as she got in. ¡°Uncle, Aunt,¡± she bowed politely. Master Davis and his wife cast disdainful nces at the girl. ¡°The reason we summoned you today is straightforward,¡± Madam Davis spoke. ¡°Sever ties with our son. We don¡¯t want you for him.¡± Upon hearing the woman¡¯s heart-wrenching words, a wave of sadness engulfed Charlotte. ¡°Wh-why? Did I do something wrong?¡± Madam Davis scoffed, ¡°We¡¯ve never liked you, and we never will. Look at it from our perspective; Damien is a young man who has just taken on the role of CEO at D. A Company. He needs a woman in the same professional sphere by his side. Someone decent and hardworking, not some¡­ entertainment figure. How do we know you aren¡¯t involved with the men in your industry? We can¡¯t entrust our son and the position of thedy of D. A Company to you.¡± She reached into her handbag and produced an envelope. ¡°It¡¯s an open check. Take this and disappear. Find a way to break up with Damien before this week is over.¡± Hot tears streamed down Charlotte¡¯s face, her hands clenched into fists. ¡°You know him; he won¡¯t let you go easily, so do something unforgivable. Cheat on him. Be a good girl and do as you¡¯re told. Failure toply, I¡¯ll not only make you lose your job, but I¡¯ll also ruin you to the point of no return,¡± Master Davis threatened. After a while, Charlotte lifted her head slowly, wiping away her tears. ¡°Alright, sir, alright ma. However, you can keep the check. I¡¯ll vanish from your sight forever,¡± she said, bowing. With that, she exited the vehicle. Fresh tears poured from her eyes, her entire body quivering uncontrobly as she made her way down the road. She was left with no choice now. Deep down, she always knew that with hering from a backgroundpletely different from that of Damien¡¯s, their rtionship would never work out. The next evening, as night fell, Charlotte called Master Damien and had him send Damien over to her ce. After hanging up, she had one of her male friends pretend to be her lover. They got into bed, entangled¡­ Damien walked in on them, and the rest was history. What Master Davis and his wife didn¡¯t know was that their actions fueled Charlotte George to work even harder and be the best in her field. * * The current night. Damien was utterly dumbfounded by Charlotte¡¯s narration. Afterposing himself, he turned to face his parents. ¡°Is everything she just said the truth?¡± he asked in a low, hurt-filled voice. His parents remained silent, their gazes averted. In that moment, he confirmed that Charlotte had spoken the truth. ¡°You bribed her to leave me?!¡± He was speechless. ¡°I doubt if you¡¯re actually doing this for your daughter, Yvonne, or for your selfish interests¡­ You wouldn¡¯t want Beats Corporations falling into the hands of another family, would you?¡± Charlotte let out a small smile as she gazed at Master Davis and his wife. Shaking her head, she turned and took her leave. Her job there was done. Master Davis lowered his gaze, as did his wife. Damien was still finding it hard to process all that had just happened. So, Charlotte didn¡¯t cheat on him¡­ All these years¡­ ¡°Like I said earlier, I¡¯m ready to terminate the contract legally,¡± Shawn¡¯s voice broke the silence. With those words hanging in the air, he stood up and took long strides upstairs. Upon reaching thending, his steps faltered, and his brows furrowed. His wife was squatting on one side of the stairsnding, her arms wrapped around her knees. Shawn heaved a sigh, going over to her side to help her up. ¡°I told you to go in first and have your bath-not hide here and eavesdrop.¡± He led the way to the bedroom and guided her to the bathroom for a shower. Back in the lounge, Master Davis red at Jennifer Mandez. ¡°You haven¡¯t spoken a word. Will you let your son disrespect me in this manner?¡± Madam Mandez was taken aback. She scoffed, ¡°He says he wants to terminate the contract. What do you expect me to do? Force my son into an unhappy marriage?¡± Her eyes were stern and cold as she added, ¡°Only the heavens know why, of all things to request for, you were hell-bent on signing a marriage contract between our families. In case you don¡¯t know, my son is already legally married. He can¡¯t be married to two women. That being said, you¡¯ll hear from our familywyers soonest.¡± With that, she stood up and pointed in the direction of the door, signaling for the Davis family to take their leave. Their wee had been overstayed. Damien was the first to storm outside, followed by the rest of his family.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. After their departure, Jennifer sank back into the chair, letting out a gusty sigh. ¡°Lawrence, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t help fulfill yourst wish. I hope you understand it¡¯s for our son¡¯s happiness.¡± A tear slid down the side of her face. After Mia finished her bath, Shawn proceeded to the bath as well. Upon his return, Mia slowly stood up from the bed and stretched out her hand to him. In her outstretched hand was a file. Brows knitted, Shawn collected it from her. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Mia remained silent as she watched him bring out the contents of the file and skim through the front page. A few momentster, his face darkened, and the room temperature dropped noticeably. ¡°I¡¯ve signed the divorce papers as requested¡­ We¡¯re no longer bound together, and you¡¯re free to be with your betrothed. I¡¯m sorry for every inconvenience I¡¯ve caused your family,¡± Mia bowed, her lips quivering as she fought hard to keep her tears in check. ¡°I¡¯ll leave now and I promise never to appear before you again.¡± Class reunion ¡°I¡¯ll leave now, and never cross your path again.¡± Shawn stood in silence, observing the girl. Without warning, he marched towards the mini lounge, retrieving a lighter from the center table. Returning to Mia, he set aze the documents held in his grasp before one couldprehend what was about to happen. Mia let out an immediate shriek, her eyes widening in sheer horror. ¡°What are you-?¡± ¡°You are mistaken. We¡¯re eternally linked-bound forever,¡± Shawn calmly muttered as ashes drifted to the floor. Mia blinked rapidly at him. ¡°With that resolved, let¡¯s head downstairs for dinner. It¡¯ste,¡± he said, changing from his robe into more casual attire. Mia remained rooted in ce, her heart burdened and fatigued. ¡°But I don¡¯t belong here¡­ your betro-¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your concern, Little One. We¡¯re married. Legally married. Are you willing to discard that for a meaningless contract?¡± She frowned at his words. Shawn¡¯s mouth twitched as he took her hand, guiding her downstairs to the dining room. ¡°Don¡¯t fret about the contract. Leave it to me,¡± he muttered, leaving no room for further arguments. ____ The Davis Family Residence. ¡°Damien, Damien, don¡¯t be upset. We did it for your sake,¡± Natasha Davis hurriedly followed her son as he entered the house. ¡°For me?! You did it for me?! You threatened Charlotte on my behalf?! You wrecked my life for me?!¡± Damien roared in anger. ¡°I¡¯ve spent thest three years resenting that girl for something she isn¡¯t guilty of. Do you know how I¡¯ve been living? The both of you vanished without even a nce back¡­ do you have any idea how we¡¯ve been coping?¡± Madam Davis found herself speechless at her son¡¯s sudden outburst. ¡°We¡¯re sorry, baby. We just want what¡¯s best for you-¡± ¡°Best for me!¡± Damien chuckled coldly. Shaking his head, he averted his gaze and strode off to his room, mming the door with a resounding bang. Master Davis sighed and then turned to address his youngest daughter. ¡°Yvonne, don¡¯t worry about what happened tonight. Daddy will handle it. I¡¯ll take care of Shawn for you, alright?¡± Initially silent, Yvonne eventually spoke up, ¡°I want the contract terminated as well.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Her father was bewildered. ¡°Yvonne, why would you say that?! You love him-¡± ¡°Mum, please. Don¡¯t pretend like you¡¯re both doing this for me. It¡¯s for yourselves. You want D. A Company and Beats Corporations to merge-tell me that¡¯s not the reason.¡± Yvonne¡¯s voice broke as she spoke. Her parents stayed silent, unable to respond. ¡°Just as you discover Aunt isn¡¯t truly dead, you hastily return, and what? You want the contract finalized?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourselves? You never once cared about us. When Damien sent me away,¡± tears streamed down her face, ¡°you didn¡¯t check up on me¡­ on us¡­ yet, for your selfish gains, here you are.¡± Yvonne sniffled, ¡°I want the contract terminated. I¡¯ll get Shawn by myself.¡± With that, she too marched off to her room. Ste, who had been observing everything from the sidelines, sighed and also made her way to her bedroom. But not before telling her parents, ¡°You both brought this upon yourselves.¡± She had called and pleaded with them countless times toe back home; however, they had been adamant. Now, they had no choice but to dance to the tune of their own music. ____ The next day at B. Y TV. Upon arriving at work, Mia headed straight to her mentor¡¯s office. ¡°Hi, Mia.¡± Charlotte¡¯s face lit up as soon as she saw the girl. Bowing, Mia greeted politely, ¡°Hello, Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Just call me Senior. How many times do I have to tell you that?¡± Mia smiled, ¡°Senior, I want to thank you forst night¡­ I know you came because of me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mia. I owe you. Not after everything I put you through. It was the least I could do,¡± Charlotte replied calmly. Mia nodded in gratitude once again. ¡°Now, get to work. We have so much to do.¡± Giggling, she exited the office. Upon returning to her desk, her phone chimed. Picking it up, she noticed it was a message from Veronica reminding her not to forget their ss set¡¯s get-togetherter at night. Mia heaved a sigh and set her phone aside. She wasn¡¯t going to go. However, her words seemed to have just been for her pockets, as, right at closing hour, Veronica sought her out and dragged her to a salon for a quick makeover. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to go,¡± Mia whined as the hairdresser began fixing her hair. ¡°Shush it,¡± Veronica hissed. Just as Mia was about to protest again, her phone began to ring in her bag. She rummaged through it and retrieved her phone.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°Who¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Martha,¡± She smiled and quickly swiped to answer. ¡°Hello?¡± As Mia ced the phone to her ear, Veronica snatched it and put the call on loudspeaker. ¡°Mia, I went to find you just now and saw that you¡¯ve left already.¡± Guilt washed over Mia. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry-¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Uh, are you attending the get-together tonight?¡± Veronica quickly looked into Mia¡¯s eyes, mouthing ¡®no¡¯ repeatedly. Mia blinked rapidly. What was she saying? Subconsciously, she asked, ¡°No?¡± On the other side of the call, Martha heard her and took that as her response. She quickly rushed words out of her mouth, ¡°I knew you were going to say that. I¡¯m not going either. We always think alike. We shouldn¡¯t go after a stressful day at work. Besides, I¡¯m a bit down. Bye, take care.¡± She swiftly hung up and sneered. Now that she was convinced that the girl wasn¡¯t going, she could rx. First off, she didn¡¯t want Mia attending the get-together because she didn¡¯t want her to appear there, morevishly dressed than her. Now that the girl was married to Shawn Mendez, her wardrobe had undergone aplete transformation. The dresses she wore to work each day showcased a newfound confidence, as if she owned the ce. Her attires were super expensive and gorgeous. It wouldn¡¯t make sense if Mia attended the party, looking more beautiful and refined than Martha. And secondly, she didn¡¯t want Mia to attend the get-together as she had an agenda. Tonight, she nned to announce to everyone that Mia had taken her sister¡¯s man after she tried to take hers and failed. Martha could only hope that the girl wouldn¡¯t unexpectedly show up. Well, that was impossible since Mia wasn¡¯t one to attend parties and the like. Grinning heartily, she headed her way to prepare for the night. Back in the salon¡­ ¡°You asked me to tell her no?¡± Mia asked Veronica, wide-eyed. ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That, you¡¯ll soon find out, my friend. Just rx and enjoy the showter.¡± Veronica grinned satisfactorily. Mia was puzzled. Was the girl speaking in riddles again?¡­ She pouted. Martha wasn¡¯t going to attend the party because she was ill¡­ She was supposed to go see her, not go to the party. ¡°It¡¯s your man¡¯s money we¡¯re spending. Don¡¯t let it go to waste,¡± Veronica eyed Mia yfully, and they both giggled. Well, that was true. ¡®My husband¡¯s money will not go to waste¡¯. Mia vowed. A few hourster, the girls were done with their hair and makeup, dressed up, and ready to go. ¡°Enjoy the show tonight, Mia,¡± Veronica chuckled mischievously as they stepped into their luxurious ride. Mia¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion, as she had also received a text message from her husband, a while ago, saying the same thing. What was going to happen? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder. However, anxiety engulfed her. Many of her ssmates didn¡¯t like her. Once she arrived at the get-together, how would they feel seeing her there? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Class reunion II Upon entering the venue, a chorus of admiration erupted as Martha made her presence known. ¡°You¡¯re as dazzling as ever, Martha.¡± ¡°Your skin is positively radiant.¡± ¡°Share your beauty secrets with us.¡± In a chic caramel knee-length dress beautified with subtle floral patterns, paired with ssic silver heels, she exuded elegance. A silver ne firmly adorned on her neck added a touch of poise, creating a simple yet tasteful look for the one-month school reunion. Martha waved her hand dismissively, cheeks turning a rosy hue as she blushed at thepliments pouring in. ¡°Oh,e on, you guys. Enough about me. You all look fantastic yourselves,¡± she chuckled, taking her seat. ¡°Ah, I know. Max is treating her well.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°Trueeee!¡± The collective cooing echoed. Martha simply giggled. ¡°He¡¯ll be joining us shortly also.¡± ¡°Thank goodness that Mia girl didn¡¯t seed back then,¡± remarked one of Martha¡¯s ex-ssmates, and the rest nodded in agreement. Martha¡¯s expression dropped upon hearing this. ¡°You all, I think that¡¯s just Mia¡¯s way¡­ it¡¯s her nature.¡± Everyone was now confused. ¡°Don¡¯t say-don¡¯t tell me she tried to do it again.¡± Martha sighed heavily. ¡°Not to me¡­ but to her sister.¡± Gasps filled the room from every corner. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Vivian?¡± ¡°How much more shameless can that girl be?!¡± ¡°To her own sister?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s shameful.¡± Martha swiftly lifted her head, attempting to diffuse the tension. ¡°Guys, it¡¯s not like that. Please, let¡¯s keep this within these walls. Mia doesn¡¯t intend any harm; it¡¯s just her nature.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t mean any harm, you say?¡± One of the ex-ssmates scoffed. ¡°First, it was you, her best friend, and now, her blood sister? Is she even human?¡± ¡°I doubt that.¡± ¡°Unbelievable.¡± ¡°No wonder she can¡¯t show her face here.¡± However, at that very moment, a voice echoed from the corridor. ¡°Who says she can¡¯t show her face here?¡± All eyes turned immediately toward the corridor, and soon, Veronica Clifford entered the room. Right beside her was Mia Thompson. They were all left speechless. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°How dare you show up? Who invited you?¡± ¡°You think dressing up¡­ with all that makeup, will make us forget your shameless behavior?¡± Mia found herself bombarded with hostile questions. With Martha facing away from the entrance, she had no idea whom her mates were referring to. So, she turned to look at the person. Seeing Mia, she immediately sprung to her feet, horror crossing her face. What was the wench doing there? ¡°Mi-Mia¡­¡± she stammered, her heart skipping a beat. Hurrying around her chair to the girl¡¯s side, she asked, ¡°What are you doing here? You said you weren¡¯ting.¡± Mia was also surprised to see her best friend at the event. She recalled her saying she was unwell. ¡°Howe-what about you?¡± Martha was momentarily speechless. She chuckled nervously. ¡°You see, I suddenly got a little strength and decided toe. It wouldn¡¯t be nice to miss the get-together.¡± ¡°Ah¡­I see.¡± Mia nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. It¡¯s nice to see you here.¡± She beamed with smiles. ¡°Same here.¡± Martha reciprocated her smile with a forced one. It wasn¡¯t until now that she observed Mia¡¯s dress. The girl was adorned in an opulent, peach floor-length gown featuring intricatece and shimmering sequins. A string of pearls graced her neck,plementing the elegance of her ensemble. Every detail, from her polished ck heels to the delicate embroidery, reflected a timeless and sophisticated style. And she was wearing light makeup¡­ Mia wasn¡¯t one who fancied such things. Martha¡¯s eyes narrowed. Behind her, the onlooking ex-ssmates fumed. ¡°Martha, will you ever listen? Stay away from that girl!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too good for her.¡± Martha turned and swiftly ced her index finger against her lips, signaling for them to keep quiet. ¡°Martha, can you exin what they¡¯re talking about?¡± It was Veronica who spoke this time, gazing sternly at the girl. Martha¡¯s eyes darted to Veronica¡¯s face, catching sight of her pearl earrings. She quickly nced between Veronica and Mia, realizing they were wearing the same earrings and had their hair styled in identical neat messy buns. Her gaze trailed down, and she saw that they were also wearing the same shoe brand, carrying the same handbag model¡­ Everything matched, except their outfits. When did they get so close? Last she knew, Veronica hated Mia¡¯s gut. Howe? How did this happen without her knowledge? Martha¡¯s mind was thrown into a frenzy. ¡°Huh, Martha? You haven¡¯t answered my question.¡± Veronica snapped her fingers in her face, causing her to jolt back to life. Before Martha could respond, someone cut in from behind her. ¡°Veronica, you better stay away from that shameless girl, unless you want the same thing to end up happening to you too!¡± Veronica¡¯s head tilted and her brows furrowed. ¡°Shameless? Same thing? What thing? Kindly borate.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s not it. Don¡¯t listen to them. It¡¯s-¡± Before Martha could finish her sentence, she was interrupted. ¡°Martha, stop trying to defend her like always. It¡¯s high time you dumped her as your friend. She¡¯s not worth it.¡± ¡°Someone who almost snatched your boyfriend¡­ And her sister¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Which sister are you talking about?¡± Right at this moment, Vivian walked in and came to a halt beside Mia. ¡°Ah, Vivian. Thank goodness you¡¯re here. Share with Veronica about how Mia tried to steal your boyfriend.¡± Vivian frowned immediately. ¡°What boyfriend? I don¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°Aish. You¡¯re trying to cover up for her because she¡¯s your sister. I understand, but she isn¡¯t worth it..¡± Vivian interjected, ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand you. Where did you hear that from? I don¡¯t have a boyfriend, and that¡¯s the truth. Do you know me better than I know myself? Always try to get your facts right. Also, I don¡¯t appreciate you referring to my sister as something or someone she¡¯s not,¡± she scowled. A heavy silence engulfed the room, shrouding everyone in confusion. ¡°But Martha told us that¡­¡± ¡°Martha, borate on what you shared earlier. Didn¡¯t you mention Mia supposedly taking her sister¡¯s man?¡± ¡°Yeah. Speak up.¡± Martha¡¯s hands clenched into fists at her sides, and her gaze remained fixed on the floor, struggling to articte her thoughts. What was there to say? Who knew that the stupid sisters would appear tonight and disrupt her ns. What were they trying to do-make her a liar in front of the kids? Never! She would rather remain silent than retract her words. ¡°Say something, Martha.¡± Confusion gripped the room as the girl seemingly turned deaf and mute. Veronica erupted into suddenughter, taking them off guard. ¡°No need to stress, y¡¯all. She won¡¯t speak because she¡¯s a colossal liar! She¡¯s been deceiving us since our school days.¡± ¡°What?¡± Further confusion spread through the room. ¡°Veronica!¡± Martha was hurt. ¡°How can you say that? I have no reason to lie-¡± ¡°Then defend yourself. Did you tell them Mia stole Vivian¡¯s boyfriend?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Martha bit her lip irritably. What was Veronica¡¯s business? She never used to be like this. She was always supporting her in the past, howe she¡­ Veronica scoffed coldly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°Come in,¡± she called over her shoulder. In that instant, someone entered the room. Upon recognizing the girl, gasps filled the air from everyone present. Class reunion III ¡°Vicky Lewis!¡± Gasps echoed through the room as all eyes fixated on the neer. Mia was also taken aback to see her. She hadn¡¯t crossed paths with Vicky since she was expelled from high school, making tonight¡¯s encounter unexpected. Instinctively, an uneasy feeling settled within her. Was she here to bully her? However, Mia wasn¡¯t alone in her difort. Another individual seemed to be grappling with an even stronger sense of unease in response to Vicky¡¯s presence. ¡®Why is she here? How did she manage to appear?¡¯ Martha gnawed on her lip, nearly drawing blood. After the girl¡¯s family faced bankruptcy and her father was incarcerated, Martha believed it spelled the end for Vicky Lewis. Despite Vicky¡¯s persistent calls and attempts to connect, she remained indifferent, never acknowledging her. Long ago, she¡¯d blocked her contact when her incessant calls became irritating. She wasn¡¯t responsible for her father¡¯s corruption or having a baby mama. She hadn¡¯t urged her to bully Mia to the extent of expulsion from school. So why was she bothering her? ¡°Long time no see, everyone,¡± Vicky sneered, casting a disdainful gaze at her stunned ex-ssmates. ¡°Vicky, what brings you here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been ages.¡± ¡°nning to bully someone again?¡± Ex-ssmates taunted, their expressions filled with scorn. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Martha hesitated before adding, ¡°Weren¡¯t you expelled? You should leave; we don¡¯t want bullies among us.¡± ¡°Why? She¡¯s one of us, expelled or not,¡± Veronica interjected sharply. ¡°We¡¯ve all graduated. So, what¡¯s the issue? Or is there something you¡¯re hiding, Martha?¡± She smirked. ¡°Hiding? No. In what way?¡± Martha forced out a nervous chuckle, beads of sweat forming on her caked face. ¡°Really?!¡± Vicky shot her a look, her icy eyes piercing sharply into Martha¡¯s soul. ¡°Did you just im you have nothing to hide?¡± ¡°You bitch! You caused my expulsion, and now you dare to im you have nothing to hide?¡± She scoffed. ¡°Why, then, have you been avoiding my calls? Why block my number?¡± Onlookers, oblivious to the backstory, turned their attention to Martha, witnessing her face pale like that of a ghost. Seeing this, they swiftly came to the poor girl¡¯s defense: ¡°Quit making baseless usations.¡± ¡°You¡¯re resorting to bullying again.¡± ¡°Leave Martha alone. How did she cause your expulsion?¡± ¡°And why wouldn¡¯t she block your number? You¡¯re a bad influence! Even I blocked you a long time ago.¡± Vickyughed coldly. ¡°Listen carefully, everyone. Martha set Mia up. She instructed me to bully Mia.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that.¡± ¡°You doubt me? Here are my chats with Martha, detailing Mia¡¯s locations¡­ when to strike¡­¡± Clicking her tongue, she retrieved her phone from her pocket. The phone circted quickly, and everyone read the conversations between Martha and Vicky, confirming the girl¡¯s shocking revtion. ¡°It¡¯s a lie, guys. It¡¯s fake. Don¡¯t listen to her,¡± Martha desperately rushed out words. But in that moment, without warning, PA! Vickynded a scorching smack across her face. ¡°How dare you lie against me?! Do you want to see how much of a bully I can be?¡± Vicky thundered angrily, grabbing a bottle from the nearest table and smashing it on the ground. The room shrieked in sheer horror. The situation was escting beyond their expectations. ¡°Martha, defend yourself.¡± ¡°Is she telling the truth?¡± Ex-ssmates eyed Martha skeptically as she remained rooted to the ground, shivering, while Vicky inched closer with the broken bottle. Martha¡¯s bloodshot eyes red at Vicky, the sting from the recent p still intense. Aware of Vicky¡¯s bullying nature, she feared the worst. It wouldn¡¯t be beyond Vicky to use the bottle against her. Unable to endure the torment, she burst out, ¡°Yes, I asked you to bully her, and so what?! Did I tell you to overdo it? Did I? You stupid wench, how dare you raise your hand at me?! Do you want to die?!!! How am I the cause for your expulsion?!¡± She screamed in a shrill voice. Turning to everyone else, she sneered, ¡°And all of you, trying to act like saints now?! Did you not equally bully Mia back then?! Stupid snakes in the grass!¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content. For a moment, everyone was stunned as they witnessed Martha¡¯s dramatic outburst. It was the first time they were seeing this side of her. They never imagined she could be like this. Among those in the room, Mia was the most taken aback. As the phone was passed to her and she scrolled through the chats with trembling hands, tears welled up in her eyes. Martha hurriedly went to her side, holding her hand. ¡°Mia, it¡¯s not what you think. Trust me, I¡¯m your best friend. I was just being sad-¡± She began to sob. ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t quite me Martha. If I were her, I¡¯d have done the same. I mean, Mia tried to steal Max from her¡­¡± Everyone sided with the person who spoke up, sympathy washing over them as they watched Martha cry profusely. No one would remain indifferent after their boyfriend was almost taken away by another woman. Upon witnessing how quickly Martha was gaining support with her fake pitiful disy, Veronica scoffed. ¡°Will you ever stop?¡± Her question was directed at Martha. Turning to everyone, she stated, ¡°Do you really think it was Mia who snatched Max from Martha? Have you forgotten that back in school, it was Max and Mia who were actually dating initially?¡± ¡°Yes, we remember. However, the recording of Mia¡¯s confession¡­ Vee, I think it¡¯s you who forgot that the tape posted in the group cleared the air. Before Mia and Max got together, it was Martha and Max.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± everyone chimed. ¡°Is that so?¡± Veronica smirked. ¡°Alright, then. Come in.¡± She yelled over her shoulder. ¡®Another person?¡¯ Everyone¡¯s brows knitted in anticipation. At that moment, someone entered through the door. As soon as Martha¡¯s eyes met the neer, she froze. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She blurted out before she could stop herself. ¡°Ah, I see you know each other,¡± Veronica said, taking a cocktail from a passing waiter. ¡°Hmm, lovely. You should try this, Martha,¡± she added tauntingly, ¡°since you like to covet other people¡¯s things.¡± Game over Veronica observed, sipping her cocktail, ¡°Ah, so you two are acquainted.¡± She taunted Martha, ¡°Give this cocktail a try; after all, you seem to enjoy coveting what doesn¡¯t belong to you.¡± Martha, a hint of fear in her voice, responded quickly, ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know him.¡± Veronica clicked her tongue in irritation, shaking her head at Martha¡¯s facade. How could she have been so blind to see the girl¡¯s true color all these while? Everyone eyed the person who had just stepped in with confused expressions on their faces. The boy seemed to be around their age, however, he wasn¡¯t familiar at all. He didn¡¯t bear the hallmarks of someone from their high school. ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°Recognize him?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Veronica smiled, reassuring them, ¡°Rx, everyone. You¡¯re about to meet him now.¡± Martha¡¯s heart raced, fear escting within her. Veronica turned to the neer, asking, ¡°Tell us who you are and what brings you here.¡± The guy¡¯s eyes shifted, locking onto Martha. ¡°I¡¯m Jason, Martha¡¯s boyfriend.¡± The room erupted in chaos once again. ¡°What?!!!¡± ¡°Boyfriend?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Max her boyfriend?¡± The guy sneered. ¡°I¡¯m her real boyfriend whom she¡¯s kept hidden from you all. You see, Martha and I go way back; we¡¯ve been dating for a long time. Though it was my idea for her to mingle with you rich folks¡­ Right, Martha?¡± However, the girl remained frozen in ce, not daring to look at anyone right now. Jasper nced at Mia, ¡°Don¡¯t be deceived; Martha never genuinely loved you. She loves no one more than herself, that much I¡¯vee to understand. She was only using you. She needed someone meek to help her around¡­ and you came in handy.¡± Mia was stunned. Throughout high school, she¡¯d never seen this person, and she never knew her best friend had a hidden rtionship with someone. And what was he saying about her being used? ¡°Martha, do you really think I¡¯ll stand by and let you marry that rich kid?¡± Jason scoffed, shifting his attention to his disappointing girlfriend. ¡°You¡¯re using me as a stepping stone-after everything I¡¯ve done for you. I paid your school fees, brought you to the city, and now you want to leave me for someone who isn¡¯t even yours to begin with? At first, I considered letting you be with him-of course, because it will be beneficial to the both of us. But every day, I thought about it. You¡¯d get married and discard me. I can¡¯t let that happen. I shouldn¡¯t let that happen, right?¡± He clicked his tongue and addressed everyone, ¡°You see, folks, I edited the audio recording myself. Martha sent it to me, wanting to frame Mia as the boyfriend snatcher. I doher dirty work. I always do. ¡°Anyways, here¡¯s the unedited version.¡± Chuckling, he reached into his front pocket, producing his phone. Momentster, a voice recording yed: ¡°If Max and I had been together before you started dating, things would be different, but¡­¡± Everyone in the room recognized the voice in the recording-it was Martha¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll simply exin to everyone that you and Max used to be together. I supposedly disrupted your rtionship, stole Max from you, and now, you two have rekindled your love and are back together.¡± This revtion came from Mia. ¡°Oh no! That¡¯s too much? Can we really go along with that?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Sobs echoed, followed by a ¡°thank you¡± from Martha. The audio ceased, plunging the room into profound silence. If a pin dropped at this moment, its sound would reverberate clearly and loudly. However, the silence only held for a fleeting second. The next moment, the room erupted in a cacophony as everyone spoke simultaneously. ¡°This is unbelievable!¡± ¡°And I thought Mia was the culprit, not knowing she¡¯s the-¡± ¡°Victim!¡± ¡°Martha¡¯s been lying to us!¡± ¡°Martha is the boyfriend snatcher!¡± ¡°How could she?!¡± ¡°Martha is such a horrible person!¡± ¡°From the recording, it¡¯s clear she manipted Mia into saying those things.¡± ¡°Emotional ckmail!¡± ¡°Martha, you¡¯re a terrible person.¡± ¡°You have a special ce in hell!¡± A knot twisted in Martha¡¯s chest as she absorbed every word. She dug her fingernails into her palms, feeling them break skin. She waspletely done for. How the entire situation flipped against her within thirty minutes left her utterly bewildered, confused, and irritable. She desperately wished for the ground to open and swallow whole her right now. ¡°Mia, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Martha sputtered, her lips quivering uncontrobly. Mia Thompson gazed at her expressionlessly. ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked in a low voice. After tonight¡¯s revtions, she couldn¡¯t help but see the girl differently-like she was a total stranger. ¡°I¡¯m still me, Mia. I¡¯m Martha. Don¡¯t mind them.¡± Martha rushed nervously, gripping Mia¡¯s hand. ¡°I find that hard to believe.¡± Mia shook her head, withdrawing her hand swiftly. Turning to leave, she halted after just a couple of steps. In the doorway stood Max Anderson. Martha, following Mia¡¯s gaze, gasped and froze upon seeing Max. The young man wore a heartbroken expression as he gazed at her. Slowly, he inched closer and asked in an almost inaudible voice, ¡°Is everything true?¡± Martha trembled, hot tears streaming down her face. ¡°I-It¡¯s¡­ Max, I-¡± No matter how much she tried, she couldn¡¯t seem to get words out of her mouth. Max breathed out heavily in bewilderment. She didn¡¯t need to say anything; the look in her eyes had already given her away. ¡°I thought you loved me. I left Mia for you. So, you were using me¡­ You even have another boyfriend¡­¡± He felt betrayed, and his heart broke further. ¡°How could you? I thought what we share is genuine.¡± Upon hearing him, the onlooking ex-ssmates broke out in gasps. ¡°So, it¡¯s true. Max was originally with Mia.¡± ¡°Oh, poor Mia.¡± ¡°I feel sorry for her.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Shaking his head at Martha, Max turned away and exited the venue. He had a lot to say, however, he felt empty. As he passed by Mia, his steps slowed momentarily and he nced at her briefly before marching out. Martha, tears flowing, rushed after him. Blinking back tears, Mia resumed walking and also left the ce. ¡°Show¡¯s over. Bye, guys!¡± Veronica ced her ss on a table and quickly followed her friend. Vivian did the same, trailing behind. As Mia stepped outside, a cool breeze gently brushed her face, and she sighed deeply, releasing all her frustration. ¡°You do need that.¡± A deep, maic voice from the side startled her. Turning, she met the speaker¡¯s gaze. Recognizing him, she immediately shuffled into his embrace, pouring her heart out. Shawn¡¯s thin lips curled into aforting smile as he patted the girl¡¯s back. ¡°Un. Let it all out.¡± The CEO anticipated his wife¡¯s impending breakdown after discovering the truth, prompting him toe directly from work. After the girl¡¯s tears subsided, he assisted her into the vehicle, and they soon headed home. From a distance, Veronica and Vivian observed as their vehicle disappeared, a subtle smile ying on their lips. They, too, headed to their respective homes. Forgiveness Upon arriving home, Shawn tenderly lifted his wife and ced her in their bedroom; she had fallen asleep during the ride. Delicately, he undressed her and tucked her into bed, taking a moment to remove her makeup with beauty wipes. As he disposed of the used wipes, Mia¡¯s phone started ringing on the nightstand. Without hesitation, he picked it up and noticed that the caller ID was unknown. He answered the call and brought the phone to his ear. ¡°Mia, I apologize. It¡¯s all my fault. Please, let¡¯s reconcile and go back to how we used to be.¡± Upon hearing those words from the caller, Shawn¡¯s brows furrowed in irritation. Without uttering a word, he promptly ended the call. ¡®Dimwit.¡¯ As he ced the phone back on the stand, his thumb inadvertently pressed the photos app and opened it. He perched on the edge of the bed, smiling as he scrolled through the pictures on the girl¡¯s phone. Soon, he stumbled upon an unexpected image-none other than a picture of himself, Shawn Mandez. In it, he was seated in his office, behind his desk, his head lowered, focused on a folder before him. ¡®When did she capture this?¡¯ Suddenly, it clicked in his mind, recalling the day Mia had brought him food at the office. Back then, in that moment, he¡¯d heard a shutter sound. So, this was it-Little One had taken a photo of him on her phone. A smile crossed Shawn¡¯s face as he vividly remembered how he had addressed her that day: ¡°¡±What is the meaning of this? ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± ¡°Did you forget your ce?¡± ¡°Refrain from doing such things in the future.¡± ¡­ Shawn let out a quiet sigh and ced the phone back, turning his attention to the peacefully sleeping beauty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he mumbled, leaning in to gently kiss the girl¡¯s lips. The next morning, Mia grunted as she woke up, stretching her entire body. As she slowly opened her eyes, she was met with two inquisitive grey eyes gazing deeply at her. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± her husband greeted. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± she smiled. Fortunately, it was her day off today-a weed break from work. In the next minute, she headed straight to the bathroom to freshen up. After a few minutes, when she re-entered the room, she noticed her husband still lying on the bed. While she settled in front of the vanity,bing through her hair, her husband¡¯s deep voice echoed from the bed, ¡°Why have you stoppeding to see me at work?¡± Mia was startled. ¡°Huh?¡± A twitch appeared on Shawn¡¯s mouth. ¡°You should visit me more often at work, unless you want me to get an office wife.¡± Mia snapped her neck in his direction, ring, prompting a throaty chuckle from the man. Wasn¡¯t he the one who had rebuked her from going to his ce of work? Why? Changing his mind now? She sneered before returning to what she was doing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that day. And for other days I¡¯ve been mean to you.¡± He apologized calmly. Hearing this, Mia¡¯s heart melted and she looked at her husband in the mirror. She stood up from the vanity chair and shuffled over to the bed. As she sat beside him, she wrapped her arms around his waist. ¡°Thank you for yesterday. And thank you for every day.¡± Mia was aware that her husband must have been the one who orchestrated everything the previous night. The man was just too good to be true. Shawn lovingly stroked her hair and nted a kiss on her head. However, that didn¡¯t seem to be enough for Mia as she leaned forward and kissed him directly on the lips. This move took Shawn by surprise, as it was the first time the girl had initiated a kiss between them. It fueled his passion, and the hunger he¡¯d been keeping in check for several months broke loose. With hooded eyes, he rasped huskily, ¡°Don¡¯t me me now.¡± Without hesitation, he carried his wife onto the bed, gradually loosening her bathrobe and tossing it away. Within seconds, they were tangled up in bed together, sharing intimate moments as married couples did. After their intense exercise, the couple sumbed to a deep slumber, awakeningte in the afternoon. Mia felt sore all over, yet a sense of contentment filled her, realizing she had crossed a significant threshold. She blushed as Shawn gently lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bathroom, where both of them enjoyed a refreshing shower together. After dressing up, they headed downstairs for lunch. Having missed breakfast that morning, coupled with their exercise, they were famished and ate heartily. ¡°Little One, go get dressed. We¡¯re going over to Grandpa¡¯s house soon-with Mom,¡± Shawn informed Mia after they finished eating. ¡°Yet you didn¡¯t say anything earlier!¡± Mia pouted. Now, she was heading to see the old man empty-handed, which she didn¡¯t quite like. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He mumbled, ruffling her hair yfully. She rushed upstairs and hurriedly changed into a nice pair of pants and a roundneck top. By the time the family of three set out for Old Master Mandez¡¯s house, it was already evening. Upon reaching, Mia joyfully hugged the old man, only to realize they weren¡¯t the only ones at his ce. Her husband¡¯s aunt, Amanda, was also seated in the living room. ¡°Hello, Auntie,¡± Mia bowed respectfully. Amanda briefly shed her teeth at the girl before shifting her gaze. What was she doing there? She had no idea why Shawn had called for the impromptu meeting. Was he going to renounce his marriage with Mia? Her heart fluttered with hope. Jennifer proceeded to sit beside her sister, while Shawn and his wife settled on the couch opposite. Old Master Mandez was seated in an armchair at the head. Without wasting time, Shawn got straight to the point. ¡°The reason I called this meeting is because I have an issue to address.¡± ¡°I was going to keep quiet and continue watching you in silence. However, you just don¡¯t know when to stop. In the end, the person who orchestrated my mother¡¯s car ident and almost had her killed was you. It¡¯s been you all along.¡± He blurted out, gazing coldly at his aunt. Fear gripped Amanda and she froze immediately. He found out. Her lips quivered; she knew she had nowhere to hide anymore. Shawn¡¯s direct confrontation indicated he was aware of her actions.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Quickly, Amanda rushed words out of her mouth, ¡°Shawn, please forgive me just this once. Please. It was hurt. And pain. And jealousy.¡± She nced at Jennifer beside her, tears brimming in her eyes. ¡°I was jealous of Jenny. I liked Lawrence-so much. I was the one who saw him first. However, he fell in love with Jennifer and chose her over me. I was bitter. Over the years, I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to forgive Jenny for stealing him away. And that¡¯s why I¡¯ve never wanted her to be happy-and you too. When she died, I was¡­ Every time I look at you, I see her. And it makes me even more angry because you¡¯re a product of their marriage. Every day, I think to myself, it should have been me in Jennifer¡¯s ce¡­ I should have been the one who married Lawrence. Perhaps, if I had been his wife, he wouldn¡¯t have died so early. I was just bitter and jealous,¡± she sobbed uncontrobly. ¡°But believe me, Shawn, I¡¯m not the one who staged the car ident three years ago. Believe me. I¡¯d never kill anyone. Never! Not my stepsister.¡± Shawn¡¯s lips thinned. ¡°I believe you.¡± He paused, ¡°however, it¡¯s not you that I was referring to; it¡¯s the person behind you.¡± Culprit exposed Shawn¡¯s lips tightened. ¡°I believe you,¡± he paused, ¡°however, it¡¯s not you that I was referring to; it¡¯s the person behind you.¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ Amanda¡¯s tears ceased instantly, and she swiftly turned to look behind her, as did everyone else. Anderson. Confusion swept through the room. ¡°You sending provoking pictures to Yvonne, making her rush back to the country¡­ I was initially going to let you be. However, things changed after discovering you were the one who instigated the ident three years ago. And then youpletely crossed the line by sending me those absurd threat messages,¡± Shawn¡¯s icy voice confronted Anderson. Anderson stood, clearly taken aback. He hadn¡¯t anticipated Shawn¡¯s discovery to be so soon. He usually covered his tracks meticulously¡­ ¡°Why? After all these years working for Grandfather, why engage in such actions?¡± Shawn¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. Anderson chuckled. There was nothing to hide anymore, so why note out clean? ¡°Exactly. I¡¯ve toiled for the old geezer for ages, yet he refuses to acknowledge me.¡± Gasps filled the room, except for Shawn, who retained his icyposure. ¡°All he cares about is you and your mother.¡± Anderson turned to Old Master Mandez, ring. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have adopted me if you were just going to make me feel inferior to your grandson. All you do is use me!¡± Jennifer bellowed, ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± Why would someone try to benefit where they didn¡¯t contribute? After being adopted into the Mandez family, was this how he chose to repay the man? After all the years of sponsoring his education, giving him the best life¡­ His only job was to always be near Old Master Mandez. ¡°You should be grateful to be in this family, Anderson! So, you¡¯ve been eyeing Shawn¡¯s position as the CEO?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± He thundered angrily. ¡°That¡¯s why I attempted to eliminate you. If only that person I assigned the task to had done it properly-¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Shawn thundered. Tears stung Jennifer¡¯s eyes. The Mandez family had treated Anderson well. Why were some people never content with the opportunities they were given? Shawn heaved a sigh. Before he¡¯d say anything else that might trigger the old man, Anderson needed to be removed. ¡°Come in,¡± he beckoned. Instantly, four policemen walked in, ¡°You¡¯re under arrest for attempted murder, conspiracy, assault, harassment, stalking, and making criminal threats.¡± They handcuffed and escorted Anderson out of the house, his coldughter lingering in the air. Shawn turned his gaze to his grandfather, asking in a low voice, ¡°Are you okay?¡± The old man nodded, sighing deeply. Slowly, he looked up at Jennifer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He was the one who had brought the evil upon their family. If only he hadn¡¯t adopted Anderson.. He¡¯d thought he was doing the boy a favor, however, that had not been the case to Anderson. He couldn¡¯t fathom the fear Jennifer must have felt when the ident urred, and during all the months she spent in aa. ¡°Forgive me,¡± he muttered. Jennifer¡¯s pent-up tears broke loose, and she began weeping like a baby. Amanda quickly knelt down before her sister, also weeping as she apologized repeatedly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, forgive me, Sis.¡± Shawn and Mia stood up, offeringfort to Jennifer. After some time, Shawn, his wife, and his aunt returned to their respective residences, leaving Jennifer behind with Old Master Mandez. It was already dark when they returned home, so Shawn and Mia headed straight to bed. Snuggled against each other¡¯s warm bodies in the sheets, Shawn kissed Mia¡¯s forehead. With the threats gone, he could finally rx, knowing his family was safe. ¡°Little One,¡± his husky voice suddenly broke the silence. ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered in response. He was silent for a while before speaking again, ¡°Let¡¯s have our wedding.¡± Mia was stunned. She looked up at him swiftly, pushing herself off his body to get a clear view of his face in the dimly lit room. Shawn lowered his head and nted a kiss on her lips. ¡°You aren¡¯t a high school student anymore. In a couple of weeks, you¡¯ll resume at the university. Let¡¯s have it before then.¡± Mia was extremely quiet as she gazed into his eyes. ¡°A real wedding?¡± He chuckled, reaching into the bedside drawer and producing a ck, velvet-lined shiny box that subtly glittered in the dark. ¡°Yes. A real wedding.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she replied. With a flick of his finger, Shawn opened the box, revealing a brilliant diamond engagement ring. Its facets caught the dim light, casting a dazzling sparkle that captivated the moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t do this when we first got married-I hope it¡¯s not toote now.¡± Mia gasped at the sight of the ring, her eyes brimming with tears as her husband gently took her hand and slid the ring onto her fourth finger. It fitted perfectly. Tears streaming from her eyes, she jumped onto Shawn, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. ¡°Thank you,¡± she muttered amidst tears. Who knew? Who knew that at the lowest point in her life, she¡¯d meet the most amazing person there ever was? Now, it was all worth it. And now, she believed, truly, everything in life always happened for a reason. ¡°Thank you too.¡± Shawn stroked Little One¡¯s hair, smiling in contentment. * * A few dayster. News that the CEO of Beats Corporations was getting married soon shook the entire city. It became the top trending news on all social media tforms and the talk of the town. ¡°Oh my! A fortunate woman!¡± ¡°I thought he was gay.¡± ¡°Oh, how sweet!¡± ¡°His wife will be so lucky to have him.¡± ¡°What? Is Gaylord really getting married?¡± ¡°How can we be sure it¡¯s to a woman? What if it¡¯s to a man?¡± ¡°Oh, the city¡¯s sweetheart.¡± Unknown to the market women currently conversing, the supposed ¡°gaylord¡¯s¡± fianc¨¦e stood in front of their stall to make a purchase. Upon hearing their disparagingments about her husband, Mia walked away, paying no attention to their pleas for her to return.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡®If only you knew he¡¯s been married for quite a while now-to a woman! Gaylord, er?¡¯ She sneered. ¡°Young Madam, please don¡¯t listen to them. Master is not like that¡­¡± Madam Susan coughed as she trailed closely behind the madam. Mia smiled within herself. Of course, she knew that. Who would know better if not her? Blushing, she offered the housekeeper a gentle smile as they got in their vehicle and headed home. As soon as they arrived, Jennifer ordered one of the maids to fetch her daughter-inw. Upon receiving the message, Mia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. However, she slowly dragged her feet to the garden where her mother-inw was waiting. Blissful ending Jennifer Mandez smiled, observing the girl¡¯s downcast expression as she joined her side. She gently took off her gloves and cradled Mia¡¯s cheeks in her palms. ¡°Be free with me, Mia. I¡¯m your mother as well. I held that title before I resumed being Shawn¡¯s mother,¡± she chuckled. She paused briefly before continuing, ¡°I want you to forgive me for hurting you. I apologize sincerely. Now, I know better. You¡¯re a rare gem, and I wouldn¡¯t want Sunshine to be with anyone but you.¡± Mia¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Does that mean we have your blessing to proceed¡­?¡± She nodded, grinning. ¡°Thank you, Mom!¡± The girl squeaked happily, and they embraced in a tight, warm hug. ¡°Now, we have to start preparing for the wedding. The date¡¯s just around the corner.¡± She nodded and they both returned back inside. Soon, the wedding day arrived. Despite themonality of extravagant weddings among the wealthy, Shawn and Mia¡¯s celebration stood out for its simplicity. Only a select few family and friends were invited, as neither the husband nor his wife desired an unnecessary crowd. As Mia sat in the bridal waiting room, nervousness washed over her. Although already married to her husband, she couldn¡¯t shake off the uneasy feeling. Her bridesmaid, Vivian, and newly found best friend, Veronica, offeredfort, urging her to be calm. As expected, she had already blocked her ex-best friend¡¯s number when her calls became incessant, and omitted both her and her ex-boyfriend, Max, from the wedding guest list. They weren¡¯t deserving¡­ A soft knock on the door preceded the entrance of two people. ¡°Mia,¡± Barbara Thompson couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears upon setting her eyes on the bride. ¡°You¡¯re dazzling,¡± shemented, smiling amid sobs. Swiftly, she reached forward, taking the girl¡¯s hand in hers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being mean to you all these years. Please find a ce in your heart to forgive me,¡± she continued. ¡°I know it won¡¯t be easy; take as much time as you need. I wish you a blissful married life, and I promise, from now on, I¡¯ll take on the responsibility of a real mother to you.¡± Arnold patted his wife¡¯s back, offeringfort as he gazed down at his gorgeous daughter. She was looking just like her mother¡­ ¡°Mia, forgive Dad. I too have wronged you in so many ways. I¡¯m sorry. I apologize from the depth of my heart.¡± Sadnessced his boice as he pleaded. Tears welled in Mia¡¯s eyes, prompting her to tilt her head backward, determined to keep them from streaming down and spoiling her makeup. ¡°Forgive us, my sister,¡± Vivian sniffled tearfully beside her. ¡°Yeah, and me too,¡± Veronica chimed in. Each of them, at some point, had treated Mia poorly¡­ ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Mia whispered softly, smiling. ¡°Truly okay this time.¡± She added. What could she do? They were her family. Laughter filled the room, and they all embraced, letting go of all their differences. Later, they gathered for group pictures. Surrounded by her family, Mia¡¯s uneasiness gradually dissipated. ¡°It¡¯s time for the bride to enter,¡± a voice announced from the door. ¡°I wish you the best, baby,¡± Barbara said, smoothing her younger daughter¡¯s wedding gown as she assisted her from the chair. ¡°Thank you.¡± The bride mouthed. Soon, they all stepped outside. The wedding unfolded seamlessly, following the nned proceedings. As expected, Lucas stood proudly as the groom¡¯s best man. To the joy of the guests, the couple exchanged vows, rings, and were officially pronounced married. A passionate kiss sealed the moment. True to Shawn and Mia¡¯s desire, the wedding was brief and concluded smoothly with their recessional. ¡°Just because you have him doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t reim him whenever I want. Treat him well,¡± Yvonne teased Mia, embracing her. Damien turned to Shawn, saying, ¡°I apologize for acting foolish back then¡­¡± The groom nodded. What good was there in holding onto past grudges? Moreover, Shawn and Damien had already shared a heart-to-heart conversation the previous week at CONS bar, with Yvonne present as well, where they each apologized to one another and cleared the air. Damien moved to the bride with a smile, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t treat you well, let me know. I¡¯ll straighten him out for you.¡± Mia chuckled, appreciating the light-hearted banter. As he stepped away to let other guests wish the couple well, Damien noticed Charlotte in the distance, observing everyone with a smile. Approaching her, he took his seat beside her in silence. After a short while, he introduced himself, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Damien. Just Damien.¡± Charlotte turned to look at him, immediately captivated by his enchanting blue eyes. She blushed and replied, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Charlotte. Simply Charlotte.¡± They exchanged smiles, beginning a renewed connection. This time, they vowed to get it right. Farewells were exchanged as the couple¡¯s convoy departed from the venue. In the vehicle, ¡°Mrs. Mia Mandez,¡± Shawn kissed his wife tenderly, gazing at her affectionately. Blushing, Mia grinned widely, ¡°Mr. Shawn Mandez.¡± ¡°It¡¯s official.¡± ¡°Official,¡± she giggled. Upon arriving home, the husband tenderly lifted his wife from the vehicle and carried her to their marital bedroom. Since their first time together, Shawn never seemed tomhave enough of Mia. Gently undressing her, he caressed every inch of her body as they became entwined. After a series of intense moments, the couple headed to the bathroom for a rxing bath. Once finished, Mia drifted into a peaceful sleep, prompting a smile from Shawn. He gently kissed her temple before turning to his side, opening the bedside drawer to retrieve a file. In the process, his eyes caught a glinting object atop the file-a letter. A smile tugged at the corner of Shawn¡¯s mouth as he recognized it. It was the birthday letter his wife had given him on hisst birthday. He removed the letter from its envelope, rereading its contents with a widening smile. After finishing, he neatly folded it and ced it back into the envelope. However, as he prepared to seal it, his hand froze. Something caught his eye on the back of the letter. Unfolding it again, he squinted at tiny words in the bottom-left corner, barely visible but intriguing. Shawn brought the paper closer to his face and began reading the scribbled words. ¡°Hey, Arrogant Demi-god, you might never read this. But if you do, here¡¯s my confession. I like you. I really like you-it¡¯s love. I¡¯ve cherished these feelings for a while. I can¡¯t pinpoint when it started, but I¡¯ve been harboring it. I wonder, can you love me back, Mr. CEO?¡± After he was done, Shawn¡¯s mouth curled up in an enigmatic smile. ¡°Silly girl. I¡¯ve loved you too. For a long time¡­¡± he muttered, his heart warmed. Mia heard her husband muttering something beside her, so her eyes slowly squinted open. ¡°Huh?¡± Shawn smiled and showed her the letter, ¡°I just read your confession, Little One.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. She froze momentarily, searching his face with a questioning gaze. ¡®How does he feel about it?¡¯ Shawn set the letter aside and drew closer to his wife, embracing her. ¡°Wifey, what you might not know is that I¡¯ve also loved you for quite some time now. I also can¡¯t pinpoint when the feelings developed, but I¡¯ve been harboring them for quite some time. I love you back, Little One. I love you more.¡± Mia¡¯s felt a sparkle of happiness, butterflies dancing in her stomach upon hearing her husband¡¯s confession. Without uttering a word, her face inched closer to his, and she nted a soft kiss on his lips. ¡°Thank you for loving me back, Mr. CEO.¡± Shawn smiled and embraced her close to his heart where she belonged. THE END. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!